Shion no Ou
しおんの王 - The Flowers of Hard BloodShion no Ou follows the story of Yasuoka Shion, a 13-year-old Shougi player with a past of tragedy. Shion's parents were brutally murdered in front of her when she was 5 years old. The murderer sat down with her and challenged her to a game of Shougi, after telling her that if she wanted to stay alive she should forget how to speak, and forget what happened that night. Now Shion has entered the realm of female pro Kishi, mute but strong. As her playing gathers more and more attention, so do the questions about her past and the brutal murder she witnessed. Shion's memories slowly come back, and the mystery begins to unravel, thread by thread.
Reviews
hailey.oconnell - 2015-04-14 14:52:42
As you read description, you think that this is either a sports title, or a detective one (or both), but this is neither.
This is a story about standing your ground no matter what happens or happened to you. About having strength and caring loved ones to help you bear with your fear and accept the reality.
Pros
1. A very realistic plot. It is really good to see the police actually do their job for once in an anime. The main character does NOT engage in dangerous activities to oh my god avenge his/her parents, as it happens A LOT in fiction.
2. A very good character development.
3. Romance done very right. There is an epic OTP coming, and not an only one, but there is almost NO ROMANCE, you'll see what i mean.
4. Characters actually do what they love doing, even if the odds are against them (and even if you don't get it and don't enjoy it as you watch)
5. A very strong female main character
6. You see the plot twist, but it is pleasant nonetheless
Cons
1. Graphics go pretty bad after ~ ep 10, I guess the budget went cracking
2. Average sound you won't notice and remember
3. Pretty lengthy, they should have made it 11-15 episodes.
Overall, if you like your anime to have superpowers, fan service, fantasy plot, this is not for you. But if you want a change of pace and a story that totally could have happened in real life - this is it.