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Kiyotaki Shogi Family
In General
- Badass Family: Yaichi was the youngest person to obtain a title and become a pro during middle school, Ginko gains two titles in the Women's league and becomes the first female to become a pro, both of them held the title of "Elementary Meijin" at some point in their childhood, their master Kousuke Kiyotaki 9-dan has been a contender for the "Meijin" Title for two years running, and both Ai's were able to become female professionals by the age of 10.
- Determinator: Grit and Spirit might as well be the family motto given how they all refuse to buckle in to adversity at all times, on and off the shogi board.
- Master-Apprentice Chain: Kousuke Kiyotaki -> Yaichi Kuzuryu -> Ai Hinatsuru/Yashajin.
- One-Steve Limit: Averted. Yaichi ended up taking two apprentices who happened to be named "Ai".
Yaichi Kuzuryu
Voiced By: Yūma Uchida
The Main Protagonist and the titular "Ryuo".
- The Ace: Talented in the game in the beginning, Yaichi is the greatest shogi player of his generation. After defeating the Meijin, Yaichi goes on to become undefeated in his following matches until his match against Zhao. Many players described Yaichi as having no ceiling in terms of talent and potential.
- Achilles in His Tent: After 3 consecutive losses against the current Meijin in the Ryuo title match, Yaichi completely cuts ties with everyone in order to get stronger for the next rounds.
- Butt-Monkey: Nothing ever seems to go well for him.
- Character Tics: Like his master, he has a habit of clutching his trouser leg when he's in a tight spot. He also rubs his trouser legs when he has something to hide.
- Chick Magnet: Yaichi is very popular with the female cast.
- Childhood Friends: Prominently with his elder sister apprentice Ginko Sora, but Yaichi has also befriended Ayumu, Machi, and Ryou during the "Elementary Meijin" tournament.
- Childhood Friend Romance: Yaichi fell in love with Ginko, his fellow live-in apprentice.
- Child Prodigy: Yaichi has been destroying adults in shogi at his hometown, and goes on to win shogi tournaments that Kousuke Kiyotaki judges in before becoming his apprentice. He goes on to become the "Elementary Meijin" and the youngest title holder of the "Ryuuo".
- Defeating the Undefeatable: Yaichi defeats the Meijin 4 times in a bid to defend his "Ryuo" title. At this point, the Meijin has claimed most of the other official titles and was on his way to become an eternal setuple after defeating Yaichi and getting his title. Its this victory that made Yaichi terrifying enough to warrant a new nickname for him: "Demon King of the West".
- The Dreaded: Yaichi is regarded as the Demon King of the West after he successfully defended his Ryuo title from the Meijin, and very few actually hope to reach his level of strength and skill at this point.
- Experienced Protagonist: Yaichi is the youngest shogi master with the most prestigious title at the beginning of the series. Most of his development at that point stems from dealing with the responsibilities that entail with raising an apprentice and the struggles of living up to his "Ryuo" title.
- Has a Type: Yaichi has a thing for older girls with big boobs. Keika fits the criteria, but turns down any of his attempts at flirting.
- Holding Hands: Volume 11 reveals that when they were younger, Yaichi would do this with Ginko on their master's orders. They began to drift apart after they let go.
- Meaningful Name: Yaichi's name directly translates to 81. At first he believed that it was due to the fact that there are 81 squares on a shogi board, but he was really named after his birthday, August 1(8/1). His last name Kuzuryuu can translate to "Nine Headed Dragon". It can also translate to "Shit Dragon".
- Mistaken for Pedophile: Frequently since he lives with the 9 year old Ai, mentors another 9 year old Ai, and holds practice sessions with grade schooler girls, causing him to develop this reputation.
- Oblivious to Love: To quote Ginko, he is primarily in love with Shogi. However Yaichi is aware of Ai's feelings for him, just is conscious of the implications of the stigmas of romancing young girls, and Ginko makes her hints and feelings difficult to relay.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Making Ai Hinatsuru his live-in apprentice caused him to gain a reputation of being a lolicon, even moreso after he starts hosting GS Study Sessions in his apartment. His apprentices gaining a more public presence and exposure in Volume 4 makes things even worse for him.
- Out of Focus: Yaichi may still be the main viewpoint character, but his development stops and he falls into obscurity following his "Ryuo" Title Defense in favor of developing the characters that are around him. He becomes prominent again in Volumes 11 and 12, which focus on his relationship with Ginko Sora.
- Precocious Crush: Forgetting about the many grade schoolers fawning on him for a moment, Yaichi had a crush on the 10 year older Keika Kiyotaki since he was 6 which persisted into adulthood.
- Red Baron: The "Ryuo". After he successfully defended his Ryuo title against the Meijin, he became known as the Demon King of Kansai.
- Sacrificed Basic Skill for Awesome Training: Yaichi is one of the strongest Shogi players due to his devotion to the game at the cost of basic essentials and skills. He flat-out admits that shogi is all he has and he would die without it.
- Teacher/Student Romance: Both Ais have a romantic attraction towards their teacher. Yaichi himself is very concerned with the huge age gap between themselves.
- Twice Shy: Both he and Ginko are mutually in love, but consider each other out of reach. In Yaichi's case, Ginko's sudden rise of popularity in the Shogi World causes him to strive to become someone worthy of standing beside her, causing Yaichi to focus on becoming stronger in order to improve his image in the Shogi world.
Ai Hinatsuru
Voiced By: Rina Hidaka
Yaichi's first apprentice, and the heiress to the Hinatsuru Inn.
- Attack! Attack! Attack!: Ai's modus operandi and primary strategy in Shogi Matches.
- Awesomeness by Analysis: Due to her great memory and constantly reading Shogi puzzles, Ai can completely dominate the late-game of a match by using her knowledge to secure many routes towards a victory.
- Character Tics: She rocks back and forth and mutters "Here, here, here..." when thinking hard about a strategy.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Does not take any signs of infidelity on Yaichi's end at all, and becomes really scary whenever another girl shows signs of attraction towards her master.
- Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: Appears whenever Ai is in her Clingy Jealous Girl mode to show her disapproval of any girl that has caught her beloved master's attention.
- Genki Girl: She is very excitable and sociable to everyone she meets, especially her master.
- Heroic BSoD: After Ai won against Mio using the Ranging Rook tactics she picked up from Oishi, she became scared of winning after Mio breaks apart after their match. This guilt ends up hindering her performances against Asuka and Keika, though she gets better after beating out the latter.
- Hyper-Awareness: Ai is constantly aware of the state of the Shogi board (even her imaginary ones) and can notice the unconscious tells of her various opponents. Yaichi admits that he has trouble keeping secrets from Ai since her attentiveness causes her to notice any detail.
- Idiot Hair: Has a very long strand which can be rather expressive.
- Loved by All: As a shogi player, Ai is adored by the public.
- One-Steve Limit: Ai will share her first name with another Ai with the surname "Yashajin".
- Out of Focus: Just like her master, Ai's development takes a bus after the "Ryuo" Title Defense in order to focus on the other characters.
- Precocious Crush: Towards her shogi master, the 16 year old Yaichi.
- The Runaway: Ai had once ran away from home in order to learn shogi from Yaichi.
- Supreme Chef: Being the daughter of a skilled chef and an inn proprietor, Ai possesses culinary skill at a young age, and does all the cooking in Yaichi's apartment.
- Teacher/Student Romance: What Ai is aiming for during her tenure as his disciple.
- Unskilled, but Strong: Ai barely has real experience playing Shogi but closes the gap in skill with her steel trap memory, and limitless talent.
Ai Yashajin
Voiced By: Ayane Sakura
Yaichi's second apprentice, and the only daughter of the "Amateur Meijin".
- Break the Haughty: Yaichi subjects Ai to this multiple times to get her to properly respect him as a teacher and to make her more aware of how brutal Shogi players can actually be as a way to get her experience.
- A Day in the Limelight: Volumes 2 and 9 focus on Ai's transition as Yaichi's apprentice and her title match against Ginko Sora for the latter's "Queen" title.
- Deceased Parents Are the Best: Ai certainly thinks so, and continues playing Shogi in order to honor their memory.
- Expressive Hair: In the anime, her hair flutters on its own when she is concentrating on a match.
- Fairy Tale Motifs: Her nickname is based after Cinderella.
- Forceful Kiss: Gives one to Yaichi after the evening ceremony not only confessing her love to him in the process, but effectively declaring war on the other girls after him.
- Girlish Pigtails: Ai began sporting these after Volume 9.
- Hair Flip: Does this whenever she's trying to act dramatic.
- Heroic BSoD: After Ai makes an amateur mistake in her first out of 3 title match against Ginko Sora, she becomes despondant and unconfidant in her Shogi, to the point where she performs worse in her second match against Ginko.
- One-Steve Limit: Ai shares her name with the one that has the surname "Hinatsuru".
- Parental Abandonment: Both of Ai's parents were killed in a car crash, leaving their only daughter alone.
- Red Baron: "Kobe's Cinderella".
- The Rival: Yaichi specifically took her in so that she can become one to Ai Hinatsuru. She later develops a more serious one towards Ginko Sora during and after the "Queen" Title Match in shogi and love.
- Stone Wall: Ai's playing style, which allows her to dominate the early and mid-game of a match with her formidable formations.
- Teacher/Student Romance: She begins actively pursuing a romance with her Shogi Master Yaichi after the events of the Queen Challenger Match despite the fact that she will be clashing with Ginko, Ai, and possibly Keika among others in the process.
- Tsundere: Towards Yaichi, seeing as how he effectively forgot about the arrangement he made with her father to take her as his apprentice after becoming a pro Shogi player.
- Weak, but Skilled: Ai lacks the talent of her older sister apprentice, but has been trained by her father, the "Amateur Meijin" her entire life prior to his death, meaning she has a 9 year experience gap to Ai Hinatsuru, who has only played for 3 months in comparison.
Ginko Sora
Voiced By: Hisako Kanemoto
Yaichi's older sister apprentice and "Naniwa's Snow White". Holds two titles in the Women's league.
- Age Is Relative: Is two years younger than Yaichi but views him as a little brother.
- Animal Motifs: Ginko is likened to a cat by Keika and Yaichi. Aloof and Uncaring, but affectionate to those that she warms up to and trusts.
- Broken Ace: Ginko is the strongest female shogi player period, and the national idol of the Shogi world. Unfortunately the person who she loves, Yaichi, is more focused on advancing onto the Shogi world to the point where he is physically incapable of seeing her affections for her, forcing Ginko to undergo hell in order to make Yaichi look directly at her on the professional field.
- Can't Catch Up: After Yaichi becomes the "Elementary Meijin" and joins the Promotional League, Ginko realized just how far the distance between them has widened and cannot close no matter how hard she tries. Her motivation to become a professional Shogi Player is to face Yaichi on a similar field.
- Childhood Friend Romance: With Yaichi, her fellow live-in apprentice with Kosuke Kiyotaki.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Towards Yaichi, her little brother apprentice. She goes out of her way to absolutely destroy any competition she may have towards Yaichi's heart. Even smearing Yaichi's reputation through the dirt is Ginko's way of preventing other girls at looking at his direction. She noticeably becomes nicer to both Ais after she is secure that Yaichi's heart belongs exclusively to her alone.
- Combat Pragmatist: Ginko prefers using off-board techniques such as intimidation tactics and sleight of hand to disrupt her opponents and give her an edge in a match. Especially in the male-dominated 3-Dan Promotional League matches where losing is tantamount to an execution.
- Driven to Suicide: After 3 consecutive losses in the 3-dan Division, Ginko cracks to the pressure and tries to kill herself with a knife in Yaichi's apartment. Volume 11 focuses on getting Ginko out of it.
- Fairy Tale Motifs: Snow White after her skin complexion and her flawless win record against Women's League members.
- Holding Hands: Volume 11 reveals that when they were younger, Ginko would do this with Yaichi on their master's orders. They started drifting apart after she lets go.
- Lethal Chef: She's training, but her creations tend to have an abnormal amount of sauce in them.
- Meaningful Name: Ginko's name contains the character for "Silver" like the shogi piece.
- Red Baron: "Naniwa's Snow White" since her record against female professionals are all white stars and "Dual-Title" since she possesses both the "Queen" and the "Women's Throne" titles.
- So Beautiful, It's a Curse: While Ginko is the national idol of the shogi world, it isn't because of her skills(though it did play a part), but her exotic beauty. This ends up becoming a problem since not only does Ginko become a source of media coverage just by being around, but her popularity ended up isolating her from Yaichi, the boy she loved since she unknowingly set up a huge barrier that prevented him from crossing due to how beloved she is. It got to the point where Ginko ended up attending high school because otherwise she would end up being forced to attend all sorts of events if word got out that she had free time in the afternoon.
- Sore Loser: Ginko isn't really keen on losing. She develops an irrational hatred towards Ranging Rook strategies after her physician completely floors her using it, and even becomes Kousuke Kiyotaki's apprentice after she suffers a defeat at his hands because she would leave the hospital alone just to challenge him to rematches to avenge her loss.
- The Stoic: Nothing really fazes her very much except for Yaichi.
- Sweet Tooth: Loves sweets and confectioneries.
- Tsundere: A Type 1. Though considering how dense Yaichi is, she kinda has to in order to get his attention at all.
- Twice Shy: Both she and Yaichi are mutually in love, but consider each other out of reach. In Ginko's case, Yaichi's single-minded obsession with Shogi caused a rift between them to split to the point where he completely outstrips Ginko in skill and fights in a completely different field. Ginko strives to become a professional Shogi player so that she can face Yaichi on even terms like they did in the past.
- Weak, but Skilled: Ginko outright lacks the talent in Shogi that Yaichi and his apprentices possess, but she can still contend with sub-league members, professionals and women's league members using her experience, grit, research, and off-board tactics.
Keika Kiyotaki
Voiced By: Ai Kayano
The only daughter of Kosuke Kiyotaki and the primary caretaker in the Kiyotaki household. Currently working to become a Professional Female Shogi Player.
- Alliterative Name: Keika Kiyotaki.
- Cool Big Sis: Towards both Yaichi and Ginko. This later extends to Yaichi's own disciples.
- Determinator: Keika is rather determined to become a professional Shogi player in spite of her late start and lack of talent.
- Meaningful Name: Her name Keika has characters from both the Lance and the Knight pieces in shogi.
- Missing Mom: Keika's mom died when she was little, leaving Keika alone with her father with the responsibilities that ensued.
- Nice Girl: Keika is unfailingly kind and courteuous. Yaichi and Ginko speculate that the true reason she hasn't become a female pro at her age yet is because she dedicates more of her time in taking care of them rather than studying and refining her shogi craft.
- Shipper on Deck: Ships her older apprentices, Yaichi and Ginko together and even pressures Yaichi to notice Ginko's hints.
- Supreme Chef: Keika is the cook of the Kiyotaki household after her mother has died.
- Team Mom: Keika fulfills this role for the entire shogi family.
Kosuke Kiyotaki
Voiced By: Toshihiko Seki
Yaichi and Ginko's Shogi Master and the single father of Keika.
- Alliterative Name: Kousuke Kiyotaki.
- Berserk Button: Looking down on the Yagura strategy.
- Cool Teacher: He is rather chill while he teaches Yaichi and Ginko Shogi.
- Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: For all of his quirks, it's pretty easy to forget that he was a "Meijin" challenger two times.
- A Day in the Limelight: Volume 7 focuses on his declining skill and motivation in Shogi and his attempts at reestablishing the Yagura formation following Yaichi's victory against the Meijin.
- Manchild: Kosuke is pretty immature for a man of his age. He even spends his prize money on gacha games.
- Potty Failure: After losing his gratitude match against Yaichi, he ended up creating one hell of a mess in the Shogi Association to put it lightly.
Grade School Training Group
In General
- Color-Coded for Your Convenience: Ai Hinatsuru primarily wears blue, Mio wears red, Ayano wears green, Charlette wears yellow, and Ai Yashajin wears black.
- Fangirl: All of them idolize Yaichi.
- Precocious Crush: All 3 hold Yaichi in high regard and even developed a slight affection for the man.
- True Companions: With Ai Hinatsuru and each other. They hold bi-monthly practice sessions in Yaichi's apartment and remain good friends even when both Mio and Charlette leave Japan due to their bond with Shogi.
Mio Mizukoshi
Voiced By: Yurika Kubo
A native in Osaka around Ai's age, and the leader of the Training Group.
- Alliterative Name: Mio Mizukoshi.
- Boyish Short Hair: Has the shortest hair of the GS Training Group and a bit of a Tomboy.
- Defeating the Undefeatable: Defeats Maria Kannabe, the Elementary Meijin, during the King of Naniwa Tournament.
- The Leader: She is the unofficial leader of the Grade Schooler Training Group.
- Put on a Bus: Mio leaves Japan in Volume 13 due to her father's job.
Ayano Sadatou
Voiced By: Chinami Hashimoto
A native of Kyoto around Ai's age.
- The Mole: Yaichi suspects that Ayano was placed into the GS by Machi Kugui to spy on Ai Hinatsuru after learning that Ayano and Machi share the same shogi master.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Watermelon.
Charlette Isoir
Voiced By: Yui Ogura
A 6-year old French shogi player.
- Affectionate Nickname: All of her friends tend to call her "Char".
- The Baby of the Bunch: She is the youngest of the group by 3 years.
- Idiot Hair: A much shorter strand than Ai's, but just as wiggly.
- Spell My Name With An S: Her name has also been romanised as "Charlotte Izoard".
- Token Minority: Charlette is the only foreigner (French) in the GS.
Kansai Shogi Association
Seiichi Tsukimitsu
Voiced By: Show Hayami
Chairman of the Kansai Shogi Association and the "Eternal Meijin".- Handicapped Badass: Tsukimitsu became blind sometime during his 20's as a result of a disease. He was still able to defend his "Meijin" title multiple times before he was forced to retire.
- Manipulative Bastard: The entire Shogi world dances at the palm of his hand as Yaichi is forced to admit.
- Red Baron: "Eternal Meijin".
Sasari Oga
Voiced By: Miku Itō
Tsukimitsu's secretary and Yaichi and Ginko's shogi aunt.- Hypercompetent Sidekick: Given that her boss is blind, it falls to Oga to perform his jobs in addition to her own. Not that she minds...
- Red Baron: "Shadow Don" due to her knowledge of the entire Shogi world and her control of it.
- Subordinate Excuse: She is in love with Tsukimitsu and primarily took the secretary job as an excuse to get closer to him.
Machi Kugui
Voiced By: Sayaka Senbongi
A female professional from Kyoto who has known Yaichi since they were kids. Works part-time as a Shogi Reporter under the name "Matou". Her title is "Yamashiro Ouka".- A Day in the Limelight: Volume 8 focuses solely on the "Yamashiro Ouka" Title Defense match between her and Ryou.
- Animal Motifs: Is likened to a fox multiple times by Yaichi and Ginko.
- Because You Were Nice to Me: Machi ended up developing feelings for Yaichi and made it her life goal of documenting his journey through the shogi world after Yaichi cheered her up during the Elementary Meijin Tournament by defeating the player who beat her in the previous round with unprecedented Shogi standards.
- Childhood Friends: With Yaichi, Ayumu, and Ryou after the Elementary Meijin tournament.
- The Gadfly: Tends to tease people for the heck of it. One of the origins for her nickname, "Machi the Tormentor".
- Red Baron: "Yamashiro Ouka". "Machi the Tormentor" became another one due to Machi's use of anaguma tactics to completely disrupt her opponents in a match.
- The Rival: Towards Ryou Tsukiyomizaka.
- Those Two Girls: Is frequently seen hanging out with Ryou Tsukiyomizaka during the Review Sessions at the end of every light novel.
- Unrequited Love: Is in love with Yaichi, but isn't reciprocated.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: Ticks down most of the boxes down to being descended from nobility, though Machi is rather defiant of her parents at times, and lacks the demure personality.
Mitsuru Oishi
Voiced By: Kazuyuki Okitsu
A pro Shogi player known as the "Worldly Maestro" who runs the Gokigen Bathhouse and the leading advocate of the "Ranging Rook" Shogi.- Arch-Enemy: Yo Okito, the challenger for the "King" Title and later on for Okito's "Crown" Title.
- Ascended Extra: Oishi becomes more prominent following Yaichi's "Ryuo" Title Defense seeing that his own title is now at risk during his matches with Okito, and his dilenma to continue playing Ranging Rook in the light of Shogi software.
- Red Baron: Oishi is known as the "Worldly Maestro" in no part due to his mastery of Ranging Rook and his overall creativity regarding his strategies. He possessed the "King" Title for a time before he lost it to Yo Okito.
- Smoking Is Cool: Oishi tends to smoke a box whenever he can, though he reels it in whenever Ginko or kids are in the vicinity.
Asuka Oishi
Voiced By: Minami Shinoda
The only daughter of Mitsuru Oishi who desires to become a female professional.- Demoted to Extra: Asuka’s sub-plot to become a female professional and her duel with Ai isn’t shown in the anime.
- Determinator: She is determined to become a female professional against her own father's wishes using Ranging Rook despite her lack of talent to the point where she considers taking Yaichi as her instructor if her dad refuses.
- Eyes Out of Sight: Asuka's bangs completely conceals both of her eyes.
- The Quiet One: Asuka is a girl of little words.
- Shrinking Violet: Asuka is rather withdrawn and has a hard time speaking her mind out to other people.
Hiuma Kagamizu
A Promotional League 3-dan shogi player who is well-acquainted with the Kiyotaki family.
Sota Kunnugi
A Promotional League 3-dan grade schooler who is competing with Ginko to become a professional shogi player.
- Big Brother Worship: He sees Hiuma as his older brother figure and inspiration. As such, he doesn't take any misdemeanor towards him lightly, as Ai Yashajin finds out the hard way.
- Child Prodigy: Sota is about Ai's age when he became a 3-Dan Promotional League Player as well as the youngest Professional Shogi Player. Ginko flat out compares his brain's processing power to that of a computer.
- Hero-Worshipper: Sota greatly respects Yaichi and his unorthodox shogi skills, and wants to win against him the most.
- The Rival: Towards Ginko Sora as they are both aiming to become professionals and reach Yaichi's level.
Kanto Shogi Association
Ayumu Kannabe
Voiced By: Nobuhiko Okamoto
Yaichi's rival from Kanto.- Achilles' Heel: Ayumu is not a night owl, and he will start making mistakes whenever a match goes beyond 12 in the morning.
- Childhood Friends: With Yaichi, Machi, and Ryou after they meet in the Elementary Meijin tournament.
- Child Prodigy: His skills and talents as a child gets him pegged to take the “Meijin” title in the future.
- Chuunibyou: Ayumu is rather flamboyant and acts like a dark edgy light novel protagonist during his Shogi matches.
- The Fashionista: Takes after his master, Rina Shakando, whenever it comes to their eccentric taste in fashion.
- The Rival: To Yaichi Kuzuryu, which he reciprocates.
Jin Natagiri
Voiced By: Kenjiro Tsuda
An 8-Dan Shogi player who has won against Yaichi consistently throughout Yaichi's shogi career- Ambiguously Gay: Natagiri uses rather suggestive innuendo and terminology towards Yaichi whenever the two play against each other, and it's difficult to tell if he is serious or messing with him.
- Determinator: According to Oishi, Natagiri is the weakest player of his batch, being the local punching bag to the more talented players and only got to A league through grit and research.
- The Gadfly: His suggestive tone against Yaichi is a strategy to get Yaichi mentally unbalanced so that Yaichi's judgement calls are impaired.
- Man of Kryptonite: Natagiri is the only player whom Yaichi has a very bad win rate against, having dominated the Ryuo the majority of his career. It took a 1 in a million chance in order for Yaichi to even win against him after learning Gokigen Ranging Rook.
- Red Baron: "Dual-Wielder" as Natagiri's playstyle has mastered concepts from both Ranging and Static Rook strategies.
Rina Shakando
Voiced By: Sayaka Ohara
The "Eternal Queen" from Kanto and one of the more prominent female shogi players in Japan. Ayumu Kannabe's Shogi Master.- Celibate Hero: Shakando has forgone any chance at romance in order to dedicate her life in promoting the Women's League and ensure Ginko Sora's rise as the first female Shogi Professional.
- The Fashionista: Rina Shakando owns her own clothing line and passed down her taste in clothing to Ayumu. Not even Ginko is safe from it, Shakando's clothing line is even named after the german translation of "Snow White" (Schneewittchen).
- Handicapped Badass: Shakando has a very bad leg. As such, she requires the support of a cane and her apprentice Ayumu in order to get around at times. This is a problem since pro-shogi matches require the players to sit on their ankles lest they become forced to retire, something that has become painful to Shakando.
- The Mentor: She is the mentor of Ayumu Kannabe and his sister Maria. She takes on Ginko as an informal apprentice after assessing her to be capable of destroying the gender barrier separating the Women's League from the male professionals.
- Red Baron: "Eternal Queen". “Women’s Legend” is her current title.
Ika Sainokami
Voiced By: Haruka Tomatsu
A female shogi player from Iwatte Prefecture who has a mad crush on Yaichi Kuzuryu.- Always Someone Better: To Ginko. Ika almost ended Ginko's career before it started during the latter's first Mynavi tournament and lost only because of an illegal move. Ginko realized how outclassed she was after the fact. Also easily defeated Ginko during her professional debut.
- Mad Love: With Yaichi.
- Red Baron: "The Worldly Thunder". Ika carries "The Empress" as her title.
- Stalker with a Crush: Ika began to enter Yaichi's life more after they met online and learning that he is a pro shogi player despite his various attempts at turning her down. She even broke into his apartment once.
Ryou Tsukiyomizaka
Voiced By: Machico
A female professional from Kanto who has known Yaichi since he was a child. Her title is "Women's King".- A Day in the Limelight: A good portion of Volume 8 focuses on her matches against Machi Kugui for the "Yamashiro Ouka" title.
- Badass Biker: Ryou owns a motor bike.
- Curbstomp Battle: She never stood a chance against Ginko Sora during all 3 of the "Queen" Title Defense Matches.
- Red Baron: "The Agressive Archangel". She holds the title "Women's King".
- The Rival: Towards Machi Kugui.
- Those Two Girls: Is frequently seen hanging out with Machi Kugui during the Review Sessions at the end of every light novel.
Tamayo Rokuroba
Voiced By: Mao Ichimichi
A Women's League player from Kanto.- Distracted by the Sexy: Tamayo is known to unknowingly distract male shogi players during study sessions with her numbers. Yaichi himself finds that he isn't immune to her charms during their Nico Live session.
- In-Series Nickname: "Practice Session Crusher" in no part due to seducing male players with her assets, preventing them from concentrating on shogi.
Meijin
Currently the strongest Shogi player in all of Japan, and holds the title of "Meijin".
- Climax Boss: He is the opponent Yaichi has to defeat in order to defend his "Ryuo" title.
- The Faceless: To emphasise his mysterious aura, the anime goes to great lengths to keep his face from being fully shown. Until the decisive match in the final episode, that is.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: His appearance and mannerisms in the anime are based on the real multiple title holder and lifetime meijin Yoshiharu Habu.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: His real name isn't disclosed to the readers in the present. He is only known by his title, "Meijin".
- World's Strongest Man: In the Shogi world at the very least. He has defeated most of the title holders and even former Meijin Seiichi Tsukimitsu, causing people to believe that he is the god of shogi. He finally meets his match in the form of Yaichi Kuzuryuu.
Yo Okito
A shogi professional whose career was fundamentally ruined when he lost to a shogi computer program, forcing him to reassess how shogi can be played from a different perspective. He holds the title of "Crown".
- Arc Villain: Okito's influence is felt from Volume 6 onwards due to his attempt to cause a revolution using shogi software and make traditional shogi strategies obsolete.
- Driven to Suicide: After his defeat at the hands of shogi software, the humiliation caused Okito to kill himself out of shame. He fails and uses this second chance at life to start his shogi career over from scratch using the very software that ruined him in the first place.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: He is the first shogi professional to lose to a computer program and nobody will forget that. Knowing that this stigma will stick with him until he dies, Okito decides to embrace software completely and incorporate it into his research.
- Red Baron: "Crown". "Dual-Title" became another one after he took the "King" title from Oishi.
Maria Kannabe
Ayumu's younger sister and the "Elementary Meijin" of her generation.
- Anime Hair: Red like her brother's and designed to resemble cat ears.
- Arc Villain: One of two of Volume 10 since she as the "Elementary Meijin" is the biggest obstacle to the GS Training Group during the King Of Naniwa Tournament.
- Big Brother Worship: Subverted. Despite displaying so many of Ayumu's quirks, Maria doesn't have that high of an opinion of him due to losing the "Elementary Meijin" title to Yaichi, a boy who is 2 years younger than him.
- Red Baron: "Elementary Meijin".
Others
Takeshi and Akina Hinatsuru
Ai's parents and the owners of the Inn Hinatsuru, where the Ryuo Title Match took place.
- Fantasy-Forbidding Parent: Akina is initially against Ai being a live-in apprentice to Yaichi because she determined that being a Women's League pro wouldn't be profitable for her daughter's future. Yaichi eventually convinces her otherwise, even moreso after she learns his annual salary.
- Henpecked Husband: Since he married into the prestigious Hinatsuru family, Takeshi hardly has any room to exercise his own will. As such, he is constantly bossed around by his wife and even his daughter.
- Shipper on Deck: Akina starts shipping her daughter with Yaichi, even giving her advice to Ai at times whenever Yaichi isn't around to hear.
- Supreme Chef: Takeshi is the head chef of the Hinatsuru with all the culinary arts to show for it. This is the reason Akina strongheld him into marrying her since she not only loves his dishes, but the Hinatsuru would've went under without his intervention.
- Yamato Nadeshiko: Akina checks out most of the boxes, being devoted to her family, graceful demeanor and having the iron core. Unlike most examples, Akina wears the pants in her relationship with Takeshi and even cut off ties with her family momentarily to chase Takeshi to Osaka after he declined her initial proposal.
Kouten Yashajin
Ai Yashajin's grandfather.
Akira Ikeda
Ai Yashajin's bodyguard.
- Fan of the Underdog: Akira begins supporting Keika after watching her trials and tribulations in becoming a female professional, and even prioritizes supporting her games over Ai Yashajin's.
- One of the Kids: Akira gets along with children due to her childish interests, and is often the other chaperone for the Grade School Research Group alongside Keika.
- The Watson: She has little to no experience in shogi compared to the rest of the cast, so every time she's around, Yaichi would explain a couple of concepts to her.
Shumai Honinbou
A Go Professional who holds the title of "Honinbou".
Kuzuryu Family
Yaichi's biological family based in his hometown of Fukui.
Kiyoshi Akashi
Former Promotional League 3-Dan and Ginko Sora's physician and Shogi Mentor.
