Young Shindoh Hikaru is much like many young boys his age except for one small thing... he communicates with a ghost! A long time ago, during the Heian period, a man named Fujiwara no Sai was a skilled and cunning player of the popular Chinese game Go. After surrending to an unfortuante fate, he finds his soul bound to Earth until he completely masters the game.

The main round of the pro test has begun. Everyone's feeling the pressure, no one more so than Hikaru's friend Isumi, who has failed the test twice before. Fighting off his feelings of self-doubt, Isumi faces his next opponent, who turns out to be Hikaru. But a careless mistake lands the pair in an awkward position!

Hikaru's classmate Ochi has won enough games to guarantee his place among the top three players who will pass the pro test. Hikaru, on the other hand, still needs to win more games, and he'll soon face his friend Waya and Ochi himself, who has been preparing for their match with Akira's help! When the dust clears, who will be left standing?

Hikaru's career as a professional Go player begins! In his first game he must face veteran player Toya Meijin, none other than Akira's father. But to Sai, this round is personal. Then Sai attempts to teach a cheating Go player a lesson he'll never forget... Will Hikaru's ghostly master do him proud, or make him like an amateur?

Hikaru and Sai are both scheduled for matches with their greatest rivals - Akira Toya and his father, Toya Meijin. How will Sai play without revealing his secret identity? And will Akira's father stand in the way of Hikaru's long anticipated rematch with his son...? The suspense is getting unbearable!

When Hikaru convinces go master Toya Meijin to play Sai online, the meijin raises the stakes: if he wins, "sai" must reveal his true identity; if he loses, he will quit the game forever! Then, Hikaru challenges himself by playing Kurata 6 dan. How do you win a game in which both players use the same color stones?! Hikaru is so busy honing his skills, he doesn't notice Sai's growing concerns...

Hikaru ignores Sai's pleas to let him play go, and then one day Sai vanishes! Is he mad at Hikaru? Where has he gone? Will he ever come back? And will Hikaru be able to play without Sai's coaching...?

Since Sai's disappearance, Hikaru has given up go! Meanwhile, undefeated by his failure to pass the pro test, Isumi plays his heart out in China. His foreign training teaches him unique ways to handle the stress of mental challenges and competition. Upon his return, he asks Hikaru for a rematch! But how good will Hikaru's game be after such a long break - and without Sai...?

From the moment he began playing go, Hikaru relied on Sai's supernatural support. Now that his mentor has vanished into thin air, will he be able to handle the demands of life as a pro?

The main storyline takes a holiday, making way for six tales that offer fresh insight into the characters and lives of Akira Toya, Tetsuo Kaga, Asumi Nase, Yuki Mitani, Atsushi Kurata and Fujiwara-no-Sai. Hikaru Shindo figures in some of these but only takes center stage when, in the final tale, he challenges a crooked antique shop owner to a game of go in an attempt to restore an heirloom vase to its rightful owner.

Meet Tetsuo Kaga, a Shogi punk, the sophisticated members of the Kaio Go Club and the optimistic few of the Haze Go Club in this new volume of Hikaru no Go. As enticing as the Go games are, the upcoming tournaments and behind-the-scenes politics will also leave quite an impression...

Akira is beginning a new school year at Kaio Middle School. With his daunting reputation as the Toya Meijin's son, Akira finds he must prove himself to more than a few mean and jealous classmates. With the help of upperclassman Yuri Hidaka, Akira finds the confidence to persevere in his quest to beat Hikaru.