Shion goes to school like every good child does...

...But her smile betrays her even earlier past.

Shion No Ou is another one of those dramatic game series, similar to the highly popular series Hikaru No Go and Hajime No Ippo. However, instead of Go or boxing, the game is shougi (the Japanese form of chess). Shion Yasuoka is an 7th grade junior high school student who has such a tragic and mind-bending past that she has become a mute (unable to speak). Having been adopted by the award-winning shougi player Shinji Yasuoka and his wife Sachiko, she has spent eight years recovering from her trauma being surrounded by love and affection, and completely engrossed in the game of shougi as Shinji's apprentice. Despite repeated harrassment, she continues to capture the eyes of many as a mentally strong girl who has formulated her own shougi while being an encouragement to friends who are also her rivals.

Even so, this place is everything to her.

When lost in the game, even she can make a face like this.

What makes Shion No Ou much more than just a game about people playing the Japanese form of chess are the characters that are engaged within the Shougi Association where the majority of character conflicts are encountered and, sometimes resolved. Each character has a distinct flaw that not only affects their own thinking towards shougi and their opponents, but also in the outside world where other dangers lurk around every corner, literally. What's more, even though this is predominately a character-driven series as opposed to plot-driven, the presence of minor characters, such as the Detective and his assistant understudy, are not really minor at all; they serve as support to the main character, Shion, who continues to still be haunted by the murder and the lingering presence of the mystery assailant. In the end, what you have is a very down-to-earth series about the progressive growth of three flawed, yet relentless upcoming pro kishi (shougi players) and the murder mystery surrounding Shion that is gradually becoming ever more relational to the strategy and pacing of shougi itself. You could almost say that the characters are shougi pieces themselves, each equipped with varying strengths and weaknesses, but ultimately are drawn to the king, Shion.

Shion wins another friendly round of shougi against Shinji...

...And even the main protagonist is far from invincible.

Studio Deen's animation is somewhat simple to distinguish from others. If you have watched one of the seasons of Higurashi No Naku, then the similarity is easy to spot even in the grungy opening animation. Dark pastel shades and striking facial features are used for characters, while backgrounds are well-drawn and vibrantly colored, but usually covered by character close-ups. In this kind of series, however, getting up close and personal with characters as they engage each other in shougi is hardly a deterrent. Speaking of them, characters are well-drawn and highly varied in noticeable fashion choices from clothing/hair styles, to their expressions on and off the battlefield. The best example of this is with my new favorite anime character, Ayumi Saito. If nothing else, the attention given to his female disguise and wardrobe is very refreshing. While being a common anime practice for characters to remain in the same clothes and hairstyle throughout the entire series, Ayumi is one of the most expressive and best dressed characters I have seen in a while.

Meet Ayumi Saito, a sweetheart on the outside...

...but on the inside, only plays women's shougi for money for "her" hospitalized mother.

Sound in this series isn't very prominent except during shougi matches. Background music in this series is quite unintrusive with pleasant piano and violin ballads, but that leaves them as unmemorable, flowing together with silent dialogue, unless consciously paid attention to. On the other hand, the OST does hold value to help one focus or relax, so it should not be completely written off as a negative aspect of the series. The opening theme, "LADY LOVE" performed by RIZE, is unlike the rest -- a catchy, rock tune that fits in with the murder mystery element that enhances what would otherwise be a series only resonating with shougi players. "My dear friend", the ending theme by Teruma Aoyama, is a much more demure J-pop song that aligns itself with Shion's tainted innocence. Unfortunately, the ending theme, for me, is missing that necessary spark of musical addiction, while I always sit through (and sometimes sing along with) the opening theme.

Meet Ayumi Saito again, still a helpful sweetheart...

...Just not what any of you were expecting. ^_^

Having decided to check out Shion No Ou before the series began, I had a completely different notion of how this series might play out; shougi never entered my mind. Even still, this series has a little something going for it that is worth checking out, if not simply just for a lesson in another form of Japanese culture. As someone who understands the game of chess, the game hooked me in, even though I had never played before. However, after watching the first episode again ten episodes later, I had to recall again why I decided to follow this series. That alone proves that Shion No Ou may not be for those who have little to no interest in the dynamics encompassing shougi gameplay. Despite that, the accompanying mystery of the storyline and characters are not so dull to not be worth three or four episodes.

There was one person Ayumi couldn't fool, however...

...Kamizono-sensei, a notorious 9-dan player who agreed to apprentice him.

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