Go Wizardry

From Kidō, February 1975

Edo Town Go Club

Written and drawn by Tani Ikuo

Special New Year’s Page, Part 1

Man: Stupid idiot! You still ain’t ’memberin’?! Still!! I told you there’s a missing cross-stroke, didn’t I?! A cross-stroke!!

Son: Ouch!

[The child is trying to write: 新春 or “New Spring,” the traditional way that Japanese think about the New Year, although the weather may still be bitter cold and spring a long way off.]

Son (striking father): Stuuu-pid! You’re not thinking! I told you that a five point over-sized eye is dead, didn’t I?! A five point over-sized eye is dead!

FX: Bonk

Special New Year’s Page, Part 2

Man: Ha, ha, ha. Happy New Year, Happy New Year! Ha, ha, ha.

FX: Whiff, whiff, whiff [sound of fan being swung]

Man: By the way, what was the score between us in our games last year, I wonder… Ha, ha, ha. I’ve forgotten the details… Well, let’s just start the New Year with the score even, shall we? Ha, ha, ha.

Brother: Mother, bring that here.

Wife: Right!

Brother: This is the game we stopped at the end of last year while we weren’t finished. Elder brother was taking nine stones…

FX: Snap! [man snaps the fan shut]

Special New Year’s Page, Part 3

Man in crowd: Aaa! Dead! Aaaa…

Other man: It’s no good… Over there…!

FX [Voice in crowd]: Ouch, ouch!

Man in crowd: Aa! Another step to the right, I say, to the right! Hey, right! Right!

Voice in crowd: Hey look! If he plays there!

Another voice in crowd: If he plays, playing to make it clear

Sign in back: Kawaya [Name of store which is shuttered up as clerks watch game]

Inner voice: Is it this…

FX: Click! [sound of stone being played on the board]

Voice crying out: Gosh! It lived!!

FX: Bam, bam, bam [sound of crowd of men falling down on the ground]

Voice: Ugh! I’m first, I say!!

FX: YIKES! [sound of crowd crying out]

FX: Bam, bam, bam [sound of heavy footsteps as crowd rushes out of room]

Another voice: I was halfway about to wet myself…!!

FX: BAM [sound of man being pushed to the ground]

FX: Rumble, rumble, rumble [sound of noisy crowd rushing about]