Shion no Ou - Recommendations

If you're looking for anime similar to Shion no Ou, you might like these titles.

Hikaru no Go

Hikaru no Go

While examining an old Go board in his grandfather's basement, twelve-year-old Shindo Hikaru is possessed by the restless spirit of Sai, an ancient Go master who has waited for over one thousand years to play the Hand of God: the perfect move. Sai convinces Hikaru to act as a vessel for making his moves, but it is soon clear that Hikaru also enjoys Go and wants to play his own games. Moreover, the rules of Go have changed since Sai's time, and Go players from all over the world are now much stronger, having had the benefit of hundreds of years of evolution and experimentation by the masters before them. Can this unlikely pair form a successful partnership and rise to the top of Japan's Go community, and can Sai finally play the Hand of God and find some peace?

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Reasons you might like Hikaru no Go...

melonjuice melonjuice says...

I would call Shion no Ou a shorter and more condensed version of Hikaru no Go, but it is based on the game of shougi with what seems to be a sinister plot lurking behind it. Hikaru no Go is a shonen anime about the game of Go and the competitions and trials the main characters face as they journey into the worlds of professionals.

If you enjoy anime which show the competitiveness of these different kinds of sports and competitions, both of these anime would definitely be for you. Maybe after watching them you would try and learn how to play Go or shougi too.

Himitsu Himitsu says...

I immediately thought of Hikaru no Go when I read about Shion no Ou being released - and it's not an entirely rash move. The style, camera angles, and lovely tone; these are in both Shion no Ou and Hikaru no Go. Much focus goes to the competitive feel of the anime, and there are many close ups of the boards and the characters moving the pieces on the boards. There's also considerable depth to the main characters and the supporting ones (who are also mysterious).

APWZ APWZ says...

Seems like there's always something exciting about these classic Japanese games. In Hikaru no Go, the mysterious ghost Sai; in Shion no Oh, an unresolved murder case revolving around Shion, who fights and "speaks" through her Shogi (Japanese Chess).

seasong seasong says...

Both of these center around Japanese professional gaming: Go and Shougi. Hikaru no Go is better about making the games themselves suspenseful and exciting even though the the audience might not understand what is going on. Shion no Oh, has a murder mystery involved so you still get excitment and suspence it is just incorporated differently. They are both wonderful anime and if you like one you will enjoy the other.

Jake1989 Jake1989 says...

Both of these anime\'s have to do with board games, and one individual that wants to become better in the board game. In Shion no Oh there is also a creepy twist that hooks you to it. In Hikaru no Go they have a spirit guide the main character, so each one has something different, so it is worth watching the other if you like the one of them.

sm3xyang3l sm3xyang3l says...

Both protagonists both meet stronger opponents and achieve higher goals as move higher up. Both aim to become the strongest. In hikaru no go, it's playing Go. In Shion no Oh, it's shougi. Although, i think Shion no Go is a bit more dark and intense, but i think if you like one of em, you'll surely like the other!

Fatestayjedi Fatestayjedi says...

Don't come looking for a lot of intense battles and crazy tactics in Shion no Ou, Hikaru no Go does that better. Shion no Ou focuses a lot more on characters, story and mystery.

Sianeka Sianeka says...

Both Hikaru no Go and Shion no Oh are about playing Japanese board games.  Oh, there are other subplots, but the dramatic focus of both is The Game.  In Hikaru no Go, there is the game of Go and a lead protagonist who works to improve and strengthen his game with the help of a supportive ghost spirit who is obsessed with the game.  In Shion no Ou, there is a female lead character who is working to improve and strengthen her game of Shougi.  She is surrounded by those who are obsessed with playing. Like Hikaru, Shion also has many obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is a murder mystery of which she is the center.

Hikaru has a bit more depth to explaining its eastern board game that may be unfamiliar to Westerners.  Shion has a bit more darkness due to the murder mystery plotline. But both Shion and Hikaru show lots of gameplay to those interested in such focused competition and in seeing more gameplay.

If you enjoyed the combat tactics and strategy in Hikaru, you should also enjoy watching Shion, and if you liked the exposure to the game of Shougi in Shion, you should check out the game of Go in Hikaru.

Saki

Saki

Winning a game of Mahjong is hard; getting the same score every time is practically impossible. So imagine the surprise of the school Mahjong club when Saki Miyanaga walks in and does just that. Despite her dislike for the game, her talent is obvious and it's up to the club members - the top-heavy Nodoka, the energetic Yuuki, the cunning Mako and the permanently in control club president Hisa - to persuade her to join the club and help them reach the Nationals. But even then, will their combined skills be enough to overturn some of the toughest high school players the country has to offer?

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Reasons you might like Saki...

shilyte shilyte says...

When i saw Saki, it immeadiately brought to mind Shion no oh. Both feature female protagonists playing board games (Shion has shougi and Saki has mahjong) with a skill thats unreal. These shows parallel each other in afew ways. Each show the heroines using friends, family and rivals to help push them to greater heights. Another way there similar is that in some way their family is in some way responsible for why they play the game (Shion has a much darker undertone than Saki though)  Also, each one showcases a mildly romantic undertone that seems to go hand-in-hand with the game (Although Saki has a definite ecchi feel and focuses more on female relationshiops).

Even if you dont have an understanding of either game, both shows can have you glued to your computer until the last move is finished

scizorg45 scizorg45 says...

Shion and Saki are strangely alike... And at the same time, they're not. If you liked one because of the family drama, you should check out the other. If you're just into board games, you should check the other out as well. 

Bamboo Blade

Bamboo Blade

Kojirou-sensei, the rather indifferent teacher and coach of the school kendo club, is in financial dire straits. As a result, he makes a bet with his fellow kendo coach and former upperclassman to see who can assemble and train the better female kendo team, with the prize for Kojirou being a year's supply of food if he wins. Motivated by the idea of free food for a year, he begins to teach the club seriously; however, most of its members have already graduated, and so he is tasked with assembling members in addition to training them for the competition with his rival. While dealing with his eccentric students, he slowly rediscovers why he loves kendo and what it truly means to be a teacher.

1 vote

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Reasons you might like Bamboo Blade...

LLORAtheLLAMA LLORAtheLLAMA says...

Both shows follows a group of characters and their joys and miseries in the game they play. The characters try their best to improve in their game and, though they may get in some tough times, they'll pull through to the end.

But the main difference is that Shion no Ou has a dark story behind it all whereas Bamboo Blade is not dark at all.

March Comes in like a Lion

March Comes in like a Lion

Rei Kiriyama is a 17-year-old professional shogi player who suffers from anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Unwanted by his relatives after he loses his family in an accident, and resented by his adopted family's children, Rei moves into his own apartment in Tokyo to avoid inconveniencing others. He uses his talent at shogi to earn a living, but doesn't take care of himself, and is reluctant to ask others for help. Soon after his arrival, the boy meets the Kawamoto family: a trio of sisters and their grandfather who run a traditional Japanese pastry shop. They too have dealt with pain and loss, but their warmth and loving-kindness are balm for Rei's anguished spirit.

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Reasons you might like March Comes in like a Lion...

GrnEydDvl GrnEydDvl says...

I usually hate recommendations like this one, where we assume that both shows are about shogi, therefore they are similar.  However, I will say that watching one show made me want to watch the other so badly, I thought I would add the recommendation.  Both of these shows are about a child who is orphaned at a young age, who gets adopted by a shoji pro and is raised to be a shoji pro themselves.  Each show is a mixture of extreme darkness and extreme warmth, as the characters strive to find a place for themselves in their new world.  At the end of the day, both shows are about love, family, friendship, overcoming loss and hardship, and yes, shogi!

Oshi no Ko

Oshi no Ko

In the entertainment industry, lying is both your strongest weapon and an exceptional form of love. Goro, a gynecologist and a massive B-Komachi stan, finds his life turned upside down when his newest patient turns out to be B-Komachi member Ai-chan herself! Despite the industry seeing children as a idol's death sentence, the 16-year-old Ai still desperately wants to give birth. So under the cover of secrecy, Goro helps the young idol with her prenatal care... only to be attacked and killed the night she's due to give birth. Reincarnated as one of her newborn twins, Goro (now Aquamarine Hoshino) gets to spend 24 hours a day in the arms of his favourite idol! But can a ditzy young idol with a life full of lies make a good mother? And what of Ruby, his suspiciously verbose sister?

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Reasons you might like Oshi no Ko...

YukinaZero YukinaZero says...

The I saw Ai's death scene I htought of Shion no Ou. Idk my brain just immediatly connected the two like "yep, seems legit, same vibes."

March Comes in like a Lion Recap

March Comes in like a Lion Recap

A special omnibus episode reviewing the previous 11 episodes. Many things have happened, yet Rei is determined to continue fighting.

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March Comes in like a Lion 2nd Season

March Comes in like a Lion 2nd Season

Rei continues to work hard at improving his shogi skills, determined to win competitions. When he learns that one of the Kawamoto sisters is facing a crisis, he wants to do everything he can to help, including finding a way to use his shogi winnings to pay them back for all they've done to save him from his pain and loneliness. Meanwhile, Rei's self-appointed rival Nikaidou faces a crisis of his own when his poor health takes a turn for the worse. 

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Touhai: Ura Rate Mahjong Touhai Roku

Touhai: Ura Rate Mahjong Touhai Roku

Not a lot of people know that one of the most talented and ruthless Mahjong players in the city is a young high school boy. Kei is a teenager of few words, but his observation skills, unwavering will and experience in the game allows him to survive in a world full of powerful, rich and dangerous characters. Kei is currently hiding a girl named Amina who has entered the country illegally and protecting her from being deported. He spends his days sleeping through class and his nights playing high-stakes Mahjong, waiting for when a worthy opponent arrives.

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Japanese Chess

Japanese Chess

At a Shogi game, the players start pondering opponent’s game strategy or calculations. They lose themselves in their deep contemplation.

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The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!

The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!

A teenage boy named Yaichi Kuzuryuu is the strongest shogi player in history, holding the top title of “Ryuo” (Dragon King). One fateful day, shogi-loving elementary student, Ai Hinatsuru, appears before him claiming that he promised to be her master. But was such a promise really ever made? Thus began their master and disciple relationship!

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