fujiwara no sai

A spirit from the Heian era of Japan and mentor to Hikaru Shindo, Sai constantly plays Go in pursuit of the divine move, also known as the Hand of God. In the manga and anime, Sai once possessed the historical figure Hon'inbo Shusaku, through whom he became a celebrated Go player. Holding a rivalry with Koyo Toya (also known as Toya Meijin), Sai motivates Hikaru to challenge him to a game. Sai's wish is granted when Toya agrees to play a match online. Following an epic game that ends in Sai's victory, Hikaru identifies another move that could have reversed the outcome. Witnessing Hikaru's growth, Sai realizes his thousand-year journey is coming to an end and that he won't achieve the divine move. A few days after playing against Toya Meijin, Sai vanishes without concluding his final game with Hikaru or saying goodbye, leaving Hikaru devastated and contemplating quitting Go. Eventually, Hikaru decides to continue playing for Sai, recognizing how much Sai influenced his passion for the game. By today's standards, Sai appears extremely effeminate, which aligns with the norms for a high-born Heian man. His portrayal often includes traditionally feminine features and mannerisms. Yumi Hotta has humorously noted fans mistakenly referring to Sai as "she" in the manga's intermission pages. Sai’s emotional displays, such as crying profusely and soaking his long sleeves with tears, were signs of intelligence and sensitivity in his time. His surname Fujiwara suggests he belongs to a noble family of great prestige during the Heian period, the Fujiwara clan.