The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! - What is the appeal of this youth story set in the world of shogi?

The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! - A moving and growing shogi story

■Overview of the work

"The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!" is a TV anime series based on a light novel by Shiratori Shirou. It was broadcast on AT-X and TOKYO MX from January 8 to March 26, 2018. It consists of 12 episodes, each 30 minutes long, and focuses on the master-disciple relationship between 16-year-old Kuzuryu Yaichi, who has become the "Ryuuou" (Dragon King), the highest rank in the world of shogi, and 9-year-old elementary school girl Hinatsuru Ai, who shows up to live with him.

■ Story

The story begins when a 9-year-old elementary school girl, Hinatsuru Ai, who adores Kuzuryu Yaichi, a 16-year-old boy who has achieved the highest title in the world of shogi, "Ryuuou," shows up at his house. At first, Yaichi considers sending Ai away, but seeing signs of talent in her, and with the advice of Master Kiyotaki, he decides to take her on as an apprentice for the duration of spring break. Thus begins the master-disciple relationship between the Ryuuou Kuzuryu Yaichi and his apprentice, Hinatsuru Ai, and the story follows the two as they grow together.

■Explanation

When he opens the front door, there stands Hinatsuru Ai, a third grade elementary school student. "As promised, I've come to ask you to become my apprentice!" Ai declares, bewildering Yaichi. "Eh?... apprentice? Eh?" Yaichi is confused, and Ai replies, "... don't you remember?" Yaichi doesn't remember, but he has begun living with a junior high school girl. Touched by Ai's straightforward passion, Yaichi begins to regain the passion he had almost lost.

■Cast

・Yaichi Kuzuryu/Yuma Uchida・Ai Hinatsuru/Rina Hidaka・Amai Yashajin/Ayane Sakura・Ginko Sora/Hisako Kanemoto・Keika Kiyotaki/Ai Kayano・Mio Mizukoshi/Yurika Kubo・Ayano Sadato/Chinami Hashimoto・Charlotte Izoard/Yui Ogura・Ayumu Kanbe/Nobuhiko Okamoto・Kosuke Kiyotaki/Toshihiko Seki・Machi Kugohan/Ayaka Senbongi・Chairman Seiichi Gekkou/Sho Hayami・Yoshitsune Kurumi/Junji Majima・Ryo Tsukiyomizaka/Machico
・Oga Sasari/Miku Ito・Akira Ikeda/Ayaka Suwa・Mitsuru Iwaishi/Kazuyuki Okitsu・Asuka Iwaishi/Minami Shinoda・Yamata Hajime/Kenjiro Tsuda・Tamayo Kajitani/M.A.O
・The deity of thunder/Haruka Tomatsu ・Rina Shakado/Sayaka Ohara ・Takashi Hinatsuru/Ichiro Mizuki ・Akina Hinatsuru/Mitsuko Horie

■ Main staff

・Original work: Shirou Shiratori (GA Bunko/SB Creative)
・Character design: Shirabi ・Director: Shinsuke Yanagi ・Series composition: Fumihiko Shimo ・Character design: Akane Yano ・Art director: Atsushi Satomi ・Director of photography: Tetsuya Kawada ・Sound director: Satoshi Motoyama ・Sound production: Magic Capsule ・Music: Kenji Kawai ・Music production: Nippon Columbia ・Produced by: Dream Shift ・Animation production: project No.9
・Shogi anime supervision: Hirotaka Nozuki (Japan Shogi Association)

■ Main Characters

・Yaichi Kuzuryu
The current Ryuo is 16 years old. After winning the title, his form has been declining and he is currently on a losing streak.

・Hinatsuru Ai
A third-grade elementary school student who admires Yaichi and comes to become his disciple.

・Yashajin Ai (Yashajin Ai)
A very cheeky, ladylike elementary school girl who Yaichi is asked to take on as his apprentice.

・Sora Ginko
A junior high school student who is Yaichi's elder sister and disciple. She holds two women's titles.

・Kiyotaki Keika
Daughter of Yaichi's master, Kiyotaki 9-dan. A person he admires.

・Mio Mizukoshi
Ai's friend. An active and sporty third grade elementary school student.

・Ayano Sadato
A friend of Ai's, she is a reliable young lady. She is in the third grade of elementary school.

・Charlotte Izoard Ai's friend. A 6-year-old who attends a French school. Cute.

■Subtitle

・Game 1/Uninvited Disciple・Game 2/Everyday Life with Disciples・Game 3/Training Exam・Game 4/Another Ai・Game 5/Perfect Fit・Game 6/All-Rounder・Game 7/To My 10-Year-Old Self・Game 8/My First Tournament・Game 9/August 1st・Game 10/Spinning Dragon・Game 11/Longevity・Game 12/The Final Judgement

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
・Period: 1-12
・From now on・Song: Machico

・ED
・Period: 1-12
・For the things I want to protect・Vocals: Miku Ito

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!" is a story of growth through a master-disciple relationship set in the world of shogi. The protagonist, Kuzuryu Yaichi, is a genius boy who reached the top of the shogi world at the age of 16, but after winning the title, his performance dropped and he has been suffering a series of losses. Then, a 9-year-old elementary school girl, Hinatsuru Ai, appears before him. Ai admires Yaichi and comes to him wanting to become his disciple. At first, Yaichi tries to turn her away, but when he sees a glimpse of talent in her, he decides to take her on as an apprentice for the spring break.

The appeal of this work is the story of growth depicted through the master-disciple relationship. Touched by Ai's passion, Yaichi regains his passion for shogi that he had almost lost. Meanwhile, Ai also improves her shogi skills under Yaichi's tutelage. The sight of the two growing together moves viewers. In addition, the realistic portrayal of the sport of shogi also conveys the appeal of shogi. Nozuki Hirotaka of the Japan Shogi Association is involved in supervising the anime shogi, and the rules and tactics of shogi are accurately depicted.

The cast is also appealing. Uchida Yuuma, who plays Kuzuryu Yaichi, realistically portrays the pride of a genius boy and the anguish of a young man on the brink of despondency. Hidaka Rina, who plays Hinatsuru Ai, passionately portrays the innocence of a nine-year-old girl and her passion for shogi. Other voice actors who play unique characters, such as Sakura Ayane as Yashajin Ai and Kanemoto Hisako as Sora Ginko, add excitement to the work.

The staff is also excellent. Director Shinsuke Yanagi thoroughly studied the rules and tactics of shogi in order to portray the shogi scenes realistically. Character designer Akane Yano worked on designs that brought out the individuality of the characters. Music composer Kenji Kawai provided background music that heightened the tension of the shogi matches.

■ Recommendation points

"The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!" is a story of growth set in the world of shogi. The story of growth depicted through the master-disciple relationship will move viewers. The rules and tactics of shogi are also accurately depicted, conveying the appeal of the game. The cast and staff are also excellent, helping to make the work more exciting. It is recommended not only for those who are interested in shogi, but also for those who like stories of growth.

Related information

・The original novel "The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!" is a light novel written by Shirou Shiratori and published by GA Bunko. The series is still ongoing and has a large fan base.
・The official Twitter account for "The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!" provides the latest information and event information. Follow it to check the latest information.
・"The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!" merchandise is also on sale. There are must-see items for fans, such as character goods and shogi sets.

Conclusion

"The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!" is a story of growth set in the world of shogi. The story of growth depicted through the master-disciple relationship will move viewers. The rules and tactics of shogi are also accurately depicted, conveying the appeal of the game. The cast and staff are also excellent, helping to liven up the work. Recommended for those who are interested in shogi, as well as those who like stories of growth. Please give it a watch.