touya kouyou

Akira Touya's stern father, Kouyou Touya, holds five prestigious titles: Meijin, 10-dan, Tengen, Gosei, and later Ouza. Recognized as the world's top Go player, he is considered by many in Japan to be the only one capable of competing with the legendary Go Saint Shusaku, also known as Sai. Like Sai, his ultimate goal is to achieve the Kami no Itte (Divine Move). Upon returning to the living realm, Sai immediately recognized Kouyou's strength and fervently wished to play against him. Kouyou first encountered Hikaru during a children's Go tournament. His interest was piqued when he heard that Hikaru (actually Sai) solved a difficult Go problem instantly. He played a few moves against Hikaru (again, actually Sai) before Hikaru abruptly left. Through his son Akira's growing obsession with chasing after Hikaru following his two losses to Sai, Kouyou began to share in the curiosity surrounding Hikaru's mysterious identity. During the Beginner Dan tournament, Kouyou played against Hikaru and won. However, he noticed the true strength of the player behind Hikaru's game—Sai—and the 15 moku handicap Sai imposed on himself to avoid revealing his full potential. Later, when Kouyou was hospitalized due to heart problems, Hikaru arranged an online match between him and Sai. The stakes were high: if Meijin lost to Sai, he would retire. This challenge led to a legendary match that stunned the entire Net Go community, ending in Kouyou's defeat. To Sai's astonishment, Hikaru discovered a move that could have turned the tables in Sai's loss, which would count as a Divine Move in a real game. Following this match, Sai disappeared, and Kouyou retired from professional Go. Still seeking a rematch with Sai, Kouyou began traveling around the continent to participate in international tournaments and play talented amateur players to sharpen his skills. Observers note that Kouyou is now even stronger than he was during his professional career.