Go Wizardry

From Kidō, April 1979

Chotto Matte Jinsei – Wait a Second! Human Life

By Aki Ryuzan

Zarugo Meijin Title Match

“It’s your move, I tell you!!”

This cartoon takes some explaining. “Zarugo” means “bungling go player.” “Zaru” means “bamboo basket.” It comes from olden times when poor people would use woven bowls made of cheap materials like bamboo to store go stones. The fact that they did not have wooden bowls meant that they could not appreciate the finer aspects of go.

Here, one of those contending for the title of Inept Meijin holds a large bamboo basket over his head in one hand while he tries to get his opponent to respond.