Top Shogi Anime Recommendations

HUNTER×HUNTER (2011)

Also known as Hunter x Hunter (2011).

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy

A new adaption of the manga of the same name by Togashi Yoshihiro.

A Hunter is one who travels the world doing all sorts of dangerous tasks. From capturing criminals to searching deep within uncharted lands for any lost treasures. Gon is a young boy whose father disappeared long ago, being a Hunter. He believes if he could also follow his father's path, he could one day reunite with him.

After becoming 12, Gon leaves his home and takes on the task of entering the Hunter exam, notorious for its low success rate and high probability of death to become an official Hunter. He befriends the revenge-driven Kurapika, the doctor-to-be Leorio and the rebellious ex-assassin Killua in the exam, with their friendship prevailing throughout the many trials and threats they come upon taking on the dangerous career of a Hunter.

Tags: Shounen , Super Power , Male Protagonist , Tragedy , Cultivation , Ensemble Cast , Travel , Martial Arts , Primarily Male Cast , Revenge , Chimera , Found Family , Philosophy , Primarily Teen Cast , Virtual World , Crime , Urban Fantasy , Assassins , Environmental , Anthropomorphism , Mafia , Gore , Anti-Hero , Card Battle , Gangs , Board Game , Politics , Video Games , Body Horror , Shogi , Animals , Coming of Age , Transgender , Yandere

3-gatsu no Lion

Also known as March comes in like a lion.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Rei Kiriyama is a 17 year old boy who recently started living alone, financed by his salary as a professional Shogi player. Despite his independence, however, he's yet to mature emotionally, and his problems continue to haunt him in his daily life. His relationship with his adoptive family is strained, and he has difficulties interacting with his fellow high school students.

Meanwhile, his professional career in Shogi has entered a slump. Burdened with the heavy expectations placed upon him, his wins and losses are fluctuating as his record and progression into the ranks begin to stagnate.

Acquainted with Rei are the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Unlike Rei, they live happily in their modest home, which they warmly welcome Rei into as if he were one of their own. He frequently visits the family, interacting with them and receiving the kind of care and affection he never quite had while under his foster home.
This is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures, relationships new and old, and his growth as a person.



Tags: Coming of Age , Rehabilitation , Shogi , Seinen , Family Life , Found Family , Estranged Family , Male Protagonist , Board Game , Philosophy , Tragedy , Bullying , Primarily Adult Cast , Food , Trains

3-gatsu no Lion 2

Also known as March comes in like a lion Season 2.

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

The second season of 3-gatsu no Lion.

Now in his second year of high school, Rei Kiriyama continues pushing through his struggles in the professional shogi world as well as his personal life. Surrounded by vibrant personalities at the shogi hall, the school club, and in the local community, his solitary shell slowly begins to crack. Among them are the three Kawamoto sisters—Akari, Hinata, and Momo—who forge an affectionate and familial bond with Rei. Through these ties, he realizes that everyone is burdened by their own emotional hardships and begins learning how to rely on others while supporting them in return.

Nonetheless, the life of a professional is not easy. Between tournaments, championships, and title matches, the pressure mounts as Rei advances through the ranks and encounters incredibly skilled opponents. As he manages his relationships with those who have grown close to him, the shogi player continues to search for the reason he plays the game that defines his career.

Tags: Coming of Age , Rehabilitation , Family Life , Shogi , Seinen , Found Family , Bullying , Male Protagonist , Philosophy , Tragedy , School , Primarily Adult Cast , Board Game , Food , School Club , Age Gap , Disability

Isekai Nonbiri Nouka

Also known as Farming Life in Another World.

Studio: Zero-G
Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy , Slice of Life

Life cut short by illness at just 39 years old, Machio Hiraku knows not to take simple blessings for granted. When a godlike figure gives him given a chance to live again, Hiraku has only the simplest of wishes for his new life: to be healthy, to live peacefully, to speak the local language, and to spend his days on an idyllic farm. Fresh air, sunshine, honest work, and good company combine to form the happy, peaceful existence Hiraku has always dreamed of.



Tags: Agriculture , Isekai , Iyashikei , Male Protagonist , Female Harem , Found Family , Heterosexual , Monster Girl , Reincarnation , Primarily Female Cast , Magic , Kingdom Management , Maids , Elf , Horticulture , Vampire , Angels , Dragons , Chibi , Demons , Kemonomimi , Polyamorous , Tsundere , Food , Pregnant , Gods , Mahjong , Shogi , Monster Boy

Tonari no Seki-kun

Also known as Tonari no Seki-kun: The Master of Killing Time.

Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

The original manga revolves around a girl named Yokoi who sits next to a boy only known as Seki-kun. During class, Seki-kun continues to not pay attention and instead creates amazing little distractions, such as a detailed golf course with the course's hole being a dent in his desk, or an entire dramatic war being played out by paper shogi pieces. Yokoi often finds herself getting reluctantly interested in his games, even though they always seem to end up getting HER in trouble with the teacher!



Tags: Slapstick , Episodic , School , Female Protagonist , Seinen , Go , Shogi

Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru

Also known as When Will Ayumu Make His Move?.

Studio: SILVER LINK.
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Ayumu Tanaka just fell in love at first sight with Urushi Yaotome, the head of the illegitimate Shogi Club, and joined the Shogi Club! But Ayumu has vowed not to confess his feelings until he can best Urushi, and he has a long way to go before he can stand up to her strategic brilliance. As Ayumu strives to beat his crush and confess, love becomes a battlefield both on and off the shogi board while audiences wonder, “When will Ayumu make his move!?”



Tags: School , Shogi , School Club , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Slapstick , Love Triangle , Board Game , Shounen , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things

Ryuuou no Oshigoto!

Also known as The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!.

Studio: project No.9
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

16 year old Kuzuryuu Yaichi has fallen into a slump after winning the major shogi title "Dragon King", the pressure of his losses continue until an elementary schooler called Hinatsuru Ai, with an extraordinary shogi talent, arrives at his doorstep.

Tags: Shogi , Board Game , Tsundere , Male Protagonist , Coming of Age , Female Harem , Kuudere , Primarily Female Cast , Yandere , Work , Age Gap

Ranma 1/2

Also known as Ranma ½.

Studio: Studio DEEN
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Slice of Life

After taking a surprise dip in a cursed spring while on a training journey in China, martial artist Ranma Saotome and his father, Genma, aren't quite themselves anymore. Now Ranma turns into a girl whenever he's splashed with cold water, and Genma turns into a panda!

Their new forms cause nothing but confusion at the Tendou dojo, where Soun Tendo is waiting to introduce one of his three daughters to Ranma - as his fiancee! Turns out Genma and Soun arranged the match long ago, but the girl, Akane, and the boy, Ranma, aren't exactly crazy about the idea, or each other! Or are they? Watch the gender switching, jealous rages, and martial arts battles unfold all over again!



Note: Episodes 7-9 of Ranma 1/2: Nettou-hen were originally meant to be seen between episodes 13 and 14 of this series.

Tags: Gender Bending , Family Life , Martial Arts , Slapstick , Heterosexual , Mixed Gender Harem , Arranged Marriage , Tsundere , Episodic , Nudity , Female Harem , Male Protagonist , Shounen , Female Protagonist , Male Harem , Animals , Cultivation , Ojou-sama , Shogi

Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku?

Also known as Train to the End of the World.

Studio: EMT Squared
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

In a seemingly ordinary rural town, something strange is happening to the residents. But Shizuru Chikura is more concerned for her missing friend. Determined to find her, Shizuru and three other girls board an abandoned train and travel to the outside world, unsure if they’ll make it back alive. As they venture toward the unknown, the question looms: What awaits them at the final stop?



Tags: Post-Apocalyptic , Trains , Travel , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Surreal Comedy , Cosmic Horror , Memory Manipulation , Rural , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Shapeshifting , Philosophy , Gyaru , Anthropomorphism , Zombie , Animals , Tragedy , Time Skip , Denpa , Archery , Shogi

Houkago Saikoro Club

Also known as After School Dice Club.

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

During a beautiful spring day in Kyoto, Aya and Miki follow the student council president Midori to a board game shop. The three students end up discovering a German board game that causes them to realize their shared passion for games. In the coming days, many more board games will be found and played!



Tags: Female Protagonist , Board Game , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Primarily Female Cast , Educational , Card Battle , School , School Club , Primarily Teen Cast , Software Development , Bullying , Work , Poker , Shounen , Otaku Culture , Chibi , Shogi , Gambling , Delinquents , Foreign , Maids , Bar , Mahjong

Shoukoku no Altair

Also known as Altair: A Record of Battles.

Studio: MAPPA
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

For generations the Türkiye Devleti and the Balt-Rhein Empire have stood in stern opposition to each other. Then one night, when an imperial minister is found assassinated, the two nations are plunged into a potentially explosive situation. As the generals of Turkiye's council cry for war, Mahmut comes to discover the devious truth behind the assassination. Thus the young pasha's battle for his country, peace, and trust in his fellow man begins!



Tags: War , Politics , Shounen , Economics , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Orphan , Work , Travel , Military , Foreign , Tanned Skin , Villainess , Outdoor , Animals , Historical , Primarily Male Cast , Archery , Espionage , Swordplay , Coming of Age , Crossdressing , Maids , Ojou-sama , Pirates , Twins , Prison , Guns , Martial Arts , Spearplay , Revenge , Shogi , Adoption , Marriage , Slavery , Assassins , LGBTQ+ Themes

Ranma 1/2: Nettou-hen

Also known as Ranma ½ (1989).

Studio: Studio DEEN
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Slice of Life

Ranma Saotome, the boy who turns into a girl with a splash of water, always has his hands full fending off crazed admirers. One of the most fanatical is Shampoo, a girl from a tribe of Chinese Amazons who tried to kill girl Ranma, was defeated by boy Ranma, and then proposes marriage to him due to her clan's rule. Things get a little crazier when Shampoo falls into a cursed spring and turns into a cat! And even crazier when Mousse, who is in love with Shampoo, challenges Ranma to a battle over... Ranma's fiancee, Akane...?



Note: Episodes 7-9 were originally meant to be seen between episodes 13 and 14 of the original series.

Tags: Gender Bending , Mixed Gender Harem , Martial Arts , Arranged Marriage , Episodic , Female Harem , Male Harem , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Tsundere , Nudity , LGBTQ+ Themes , Animals , Slapstick , Shounen , Cultivation , Shogi , Time Manipulation

High School Fleet OVA

Studio: Production IMS
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

The mutinous Musashi has been defeated, and the girls from Yokosuka Girls' Marine High School are safely back home. However, the Harekaze sustained critical damage during its final encounter with the Musashi and may not be able to sail again. Moreover, rumors spread that the Harekaze-class will be dissolved due to it lacking a ship.

Other classes' attempts to scout members from the Harekaze's crew only make the situation even more uncertain. The answer to this dire problem may be found in the sealed orders that the secretary of the Harekaze, Kouko Nosa, is to deliver to its crewmembers. But time is running short...



Tags: Primarily Female Cast , Ships , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Military , School , Female Protagonist , Shogi , Mahjong , Coastal

Shion no Ou: The Flowers of Hard Blood

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Thriller

Shion 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.

Tags: Shogi , Coming of Age , Adoption , Board Game , Crossdressing , Female Protagonist , Seinen , Disability , Kuudere

1-Pound no Fukuin

Also known as One Pound Gospel.

Studio: Studio Gallop
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Sports

Hatanaka Kosaku, a hopeful boxer, has a mean KO punch. Unfortunately, his dietary willpower is weak, and he regularly eats greasy hamburgers right before a bout. As a result, he has to compete in higher weight classes and as soon as he takes an abdominal punch, he vomits, which causes him to lose the match in shame. As he tries to grapple with his weak will, he meets Sister Angela, a novitiate at a local convent. While Sister Angela strives to help Hatanaka in his endeavor, he seems to make her training to be a nun more difficult.

Tags: Nun , Boxing , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Seinen , Mopeds , Shogi , Food

Susume, Karolina.

Studio: Studio Colorido
Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy

Short anime about Karolina Styczynska, the first female foreign shogi player to be able to become a professional.

Tags: Shogi , Female Protagonist , Biographical , Trains , No Dialogue

3-gatsu no Lion: Ugoku! Nya Shogi

Studio: Shaft
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

A 10 episode special teaching each piece of shogi.

Tags: Educational , Shogi

Shogi Hour

Also known as Shogi Hour.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

A NHK shogi tournament parody. ''55 AJN Trophy TV Shoji Tournamant'' Mr.Yamada versus Mr.Roboco.

Tags: Board Game , Shogi , Parody , Super Power

Shogi

Also known as Japanese Chess.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

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

1st year work 2016 by Moe Kuribara, Tokyo University of the Arts, Graduate School of Film and New Media, Department of Animation.



Tags: Shogi