It's all Pudge's fault.

In spite of reading months on end of translated manga chapters and watching the first couple of episodes of Hikaru no Go, I probably never would have finished the series if not for "Pudge"'s enthusiasm and obvious love for the show. I am so glad my curiosity got the better of me, for this was one of the all-around best series ever.

Here's a rough layout of Hikaru standing beside Sai, a long-deceased Go teacher who responds to Hikaru's latent talent, and changes his life. And it was a surprise gift from none other than Pudge herself :)