March Comes in like a Lion | |
The cover of the first chapter in Young Animal
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3月のライオン (Sangatsu no Raion) |
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Genre | Sports (Shōgi), Comedy, Drama |
Manga | |
Written by | Chica Umino |
Published by | Hakusensha |
Demographic | Seinen |
Magazine | Young Animal |
Original run | July 13, 2007 – present |
Volumes | 12 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by |
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Written by | Yukito Kizawa |
Music by | Yukari Hashimoto |
Studio | Shaft |
Licensed by | |
Original network | NHK |
Original run | October 8, 2016 – present |
Episodes | 22 |
Live-action films | |
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March Comes in like a Lion (Japanese: 3月のライオン Hepburn: Sangatsu no Raion?, lit. March Lion; alternatively called Sangatsu no Lion or 3gatsu no Lion) is an ongoing manga series by Chica Umino, best known for Honey and Clover. It began serialization in Hakusensha's seinen manga magazine Young Animal from its fourteenth issue in 2007 (published on July 13, 2007).
Hakusensha aired a television commercial announcing the series on numerous Japanese television stations, also posting it on its official website. Twelve tankōbon volumes of the series have been released as of January 2017. A television anime adaptation by Shaft premiered on October 8, 2016 on NHK. A two-part live action film adaptation of the same name is scheduled for release in March and April 2017.
The series is set in Tokyo, following the everyday life of a 17-year-old shōgi player, Rei (lit. "Zero"). Umino based the setting of March Comes in like a Lion on research she conducted herself, whereas she was already familiar with the setting for her earlier work, Honey and Clover.
Rei is a 17-year-old professional shōgi player who lives by himself. He is estranged from his family and has scarcely any friends. Among his acquaintances is a family which consists of a young woman—Akari Kawamoto—and her younger sisters—Hinata and Momo—who also keep several cats. As the story progresses, Rei deals with his maturing as a player and as a person, while developing his relationships with others, especially the Kawamoto sisters.