【Shogi x Mystery!?】A unique game mixing Shogi, mystery, and adventure appears!? Set in the modern Shogi world, a dense story where various intentions are intertwined is played with voices! Senri no Kifu: Gendai Shougi Mystery revives!

“Where did the strongest Meijin disappear?” -- Seeing such a sentence, even if not knowledgeable about Shogi, wouldn't you be a little curious about what lies ahead? “Senri no Kifu” is a reasoning mystery adventure set in the modern Shogi world. Becoming the center of the story are Ayumi, a freelance journalist, and her childhood friend Nagano, who is aiming to become a professional Shogi player. As the two get involved in the Meijin disappearance incident, a story that cannot be cleared away as a mere missing person case begins moving. And what emerges from that background is a fate continuing from 50 years ago. People who thought “If it's a Shogi game, is playing matches the center?” should be betrayed in expectations in a good way. What this work is trying to depict is not only winning and losing on the board, but the intentions and sufferings of Shogi players who stake their lives on that single match, and their way of life as gamblers.

Shogi is a competition moving pieces quietly, but on its reverse side, emotions more intense than imagined collide. In “Senri no Kifu”, while intentions of various persons intersect complexly, the mystery of the Meijin's disappearance and fate continuing from the past gradually connect. Reading ahead while thinking “What is this person thinking?” or “Why stick to matches that far?”, even the way of looking at the existence of Shogi players itself might change. Obsession with victory, fear of defeat, and conflicts held precisely because being a talented person, drama depicting human beings themselves gives thickness to the story. Where will the grand match putting a period to things continued from 50 years ago head? Wanting to know that answer, it is a structure making you spontaneously want to chase the continuation.

“It seems interesting, but because I don't know Shogi rules, it seems difficult”. This work is kind even to people who feel so. Because the protagonist Ayumi herself is a Shogi beginner, players can also step into the Shogi world from the same eye level as her. Even if specialized contents appear, because Nagano aiming to become a professional Shogi player explains clearly, it is made so you can follow the story even from zero knowledge. Furthermore, because a glossary and even a corner to enjoyably learn about Shogi are prepared, having been in a state of “I don't even know well about pieces” at first, by the time finishing reading the story, you might be interested in the Shogi world itself. That it is not made a work for experienced people only while using Shogi as a subject would be a major charm.

What makes the dense mystery even more impressive is the presence of the production team. Handling the scenario is Hidehisa Miyashita (Child-Dream). Music is newly composed by popular game composer Noriyuki Iwadare, enlivening tension of the story and emotions of characters from the sound aspect. Furthermore, part voices by a total of 11 voice actors are also adopted, and being able to feel even breathing and emotions of persons that are difficult to convey by reading sentences alone is the point. Welcoming Michio Takahashi 9-Dan as supervisor and Manao Kagawa Female 3-Dan as deputy supervisor, furthermore popular Shogi players appear as themselves. By having touchpoints with the real Shogi world, it becomes a work where you can savor unique presence while being fiction.

This work did not just transfer the original work evaluated for high drama as it is. Contents are greatly reinforced, and furthermore with long new scenarios added, it appears as a work for home video game consoles. Even for people who already know the original work, being able to chase new stories will be a concerning point. On the other hand, if a person touching for the first time, you can enjoy reinforced contents all together from the beginning. While chasing mysteries as a mystery, touching lives of Shogi players, before knowing it approaching even the culture named Shogi. It is a work where multiple pleasures connect to a single story.

What you want to remember at the end is the point that “Senri no Kifu” is not a game where you actually play Shogi matches. The genre is strictly adventure, and depicting humans and incidents using Shogi as a subject is the center. The direction differs from Shogi games imagined by people thinking “I want to play many matches myself”, but conversely speaking, because skill in matches is not questioned, people interested in the story can enjoy without caring about Shogi experience. Where did the Meijin disappear, what happened 50 years ago, and what do Shogi players carry toward matches? From 81 squares on the Shogi board, to human drama spreading outside that -- “Senri no Kifu” is a single title I want people who want to savor the depth of “competing humans” as a mystery to pay attention to.