Stars and Stones: Qi Hun details (Hikaru no Go)
There are some lovely details in the drama adaptation. For anime fans who didn’t watch Qi Hun (Hikaru no Go) yet, I’ll put a spoiler warning, where necessary. In the drama, these are the names:
Shi Guang - Hikaru Shindou
In the manga Hikaru’s key color is yellow (sunlight). In the drama, this color appears from time to time to express inner strength or character development. As a child, Shi Guang likes yellow, then, as a teenager, he wears clothes with dull colors like someone who “lost his light”, but gradually regains “true colors”. He appears in yellow when he returns to go, and when he takes the pro exam. Color schemes of the golden trio appear during the pro exam in their clothes and lucky wristbands (Hikaru - yellow, Waya - red, Isumi - blue).
Go game is heavily based on the astronomy. In the drama, the go club is located in the chemistry class (like in the manga), but later moves to the astronomy class, which occupies the top floor and the roof (for night sky observations). Likewise, a divine move is represented as a supernova star.
Yu Liang has a name “Akira” engraved on his go board. He also uses a nickname “Akira” on the Internet go server.
He Jia Jia (Kaga Tetsuo) claims that Yu Liang lost to him on purpose and disrespected him. But at the school tournament years later Liang instantly recognizes He Jia Jia and greets him with a nod. The latter nods in return: they finally reconcile.
Yu Liang keeps his fashion style from manga with blue and dark clothes (moonlight). There is a special artistic approach to the “light” in his life. Liang’s time during the school go club, pro exams and further professional career is depicted as mostly sepia/cold/gloomy. Liang’s house is dark. But when Guang shows up, colors become warm and light. Guang “illuminates his world” (pay special attention to lights and color during the house training in Episode 36).
Yu Liang likes music by Maksim Mrvica and Maria Carey. We can instantly see by his musical tastes, that he’s a hopeless romantic. Mariah Carey was probably selected for her gentle sound, which is not too silly or “pop“. Maksim Mrvica is a pianist, who was very popular in Asia. Liang is holding an album “The piano player", notable for the track “Claudine”, which has a separate Chinese lyrical version “信望愛” (“Trust Hope Love”) about the parting of lovers. Liang gets a VIP ticket to Maksim’s concert as a gift from his father, and it’s a rare opportunity to see a foreign artist. But he misses the event because… he’s a hopeless romantic, right.
During the Go camping arc, Yi Liang and Shen Yi Lang (Isumi) are both teachers. But Liang gets his own accomodation, while Shen has to share a room with 2 students (Shi Guang and Gu Yu). It is implied, that Yu Liang was supposed to live with Shen, but the organizers made changes out of respect for his high status and professional rank. Liang ended up isolated and the only teacher who didn’t make friends among students.
When Liang loses a motivation to play, he collects puzzles (Claude Monet “Water lilies”, “Mona Liza”). He starts from the angles until he reaches the easiest part (face). Or he’s treating a puzzle like a go game, starting from the corner and moving to the center :)
In the drama, Xiu Ying (Hong Suyong) is a friend of Yu Liang. The most probable reason for this, is that he becomes a foil to Shi Guang: he resembles Guang in appearance and behaviour, and Liang feels at ease with him. Liang either likes the same type of people, or he missed Guang and befriended a person like him. Unsurprisingly, his Korean friend is the one who returns his hope in Shi Guang. [I wonder if there’s another parallel between an orange juice they are drinking together and Ep. 36 juice tease? Hehehe]
In episode 22, when Shi Guang buys wristbands and a lucky bean, Chu Ying asks Guang to keep his exam entry card safe, because it may be lost when he’s shopping. Guang replies: “It’s here. Why are you more anxious than me?” and then thanks Chu Ying for being around. This might be a metaphor for the end of their journey. BONUS: Check out this post about the lucky bean by @dorkshadows . The character on the lucky bean says “Win” which is pronounced “Ying” but in fact that’s “Ying” from Chu Ying. Afterwards Guang plants the bean in the pot, but it fades. Another metaphor.
Hong He (Waya) gets a red scarf from his girlfriend (luck, love, marriage). Likewise, when Hikaru experiences the loss, he shows up in a black scarf (mourning). He appeared in this black scarf before, but in Ep 35 the impression and the message are drastically different, he’s a changed man.
[MAJOR SPOILERS] Hong He’s decison to end his career is a tragic mistake. In the hospital, his father says “Go… Play…“ and, upon hearing about his son’s decision, starts to weep. He obviously changed his mind after suffering a stroke and thus learning to appreciate life. But Hong He feels too guilty to notice. Hong He’s excessive care for others above his own needs destroys his own happiness. He serves as a foil to Shi Guang, who lost his father figure but worked it out and continued to play.
[MAJOR SPOILERS] In the final episode Yu Liang asks Shi Guang to trust him just like he trusts himself. Later, when the trust is established, Guang passes the fan - his most precious item - to Liang. The spontaneousness of the moment highlights absute trust.
There must be more details and ideas hidden in plain sight, but I need to rewatch once more. Also, Yu Liang / Shi Guang scenes need a separate visual analysis due to many moments that are shown rather than spoken.
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