The Ryuo's Work Is Never Done!

The Ryuo's Work is Never Done!
Light novel first volume cover featuring Yaichi Kuzuryū (right) and Ai Hinatsuru (left)
りゅうおうのおしごと! (Ryūō no Oshigoto!)
Genre	Comedy
Light novel
Written by	Shirow Shiratori
Illustrated by	Shirabi
Published by	SB Creative
English publisher	BookWalker
Imprint	GA Bunko
Demographic	Male
Original run	2015 – present
Volumes	8
Manga
Written by	Shirow Shiratori
Illustrated by	Kogetaokoge
Published by	Square Enix
Magazine	Young Gangan
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	2015 – present
Volumes	4
Anime television series
Directed by	Shinsuke Yanagi
Written by	Fumihiko Shimo
Music by	Kenji Kawai
Studio	Project No.9
Licensed by	Crunchyroll
Original network	AT-X, Tokyo MX, KBS, SUN, BS Fuji, Mie TV
English network	SEA: Animax Asia
Original run	January 8, 2018 – March 26, 2018
Episodes	12

The Ryuo's Work is Never Done! (Japanese: りゅうおうのおしごと!, Hepburn: Ryūō no Oshigoto!) is a Japanese light novel series written by Shirow Shiratori and illustrated by Shirabi. SB Creative have released eight volumes since 2015 under their GA Bunko label. A manga adaptation with art by Kogetaokoge has been serialized in Square Enix's seinen manga magazine Young Gangan since 2015, and has been collected in four tankōbon volumes. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Project No.9 aired between January 8 and March 26, 2018.

Plot

Yaichi Kuzuryū is a prodigy shogi player who won the title of Ryūō at the age of 16. Following his victory he has been in a slump, until he is approached by Ai Hinatsuru, a 9-year-old girl who begs him to make her his disciple. Astonished by Ai's potential, Yaichi agrees to become her master, and the two then brave themselves together in the world of shogi with their friends and rivals, but under a condition imposed by her mother that he is to marry her if she does not become a major player before graduating middle school.

Characters

Yaichi Kuzuryū (九頭竜 八一, Kuzuryū Yaichi)

Voiced by: Yuuma Uchida

The main protagonist of the series. Yaichi is a sixteen-year-old who won the Ryūō title match at a young age. He is the current youngest Ryūō. Initially he was overwhelmed by his title and perceived pressure to avoid playing in a "disgraceful" manner. He has a calm personality and often doesn't take things seriously unless they are related to shogi. He was taken aback by Ai's talent and determination, and the way she continues to fight and seek a way to victory has helped inspire him. Yaichi is often wrongly accused of being a lolicon due to the affection he gains from young girls like Ai and her friends Mio, Ayano, and Charlotte in her shogi training group. Despite their affections for him, he is oblivious to their true feelings for him. Yaichi tries to be a good master to his disciples and does his best to teach the easiest steps so that his disciples can catch on quickly.

Ai Hinatsuru (雛鶴 あい, Hinatsuru Ai)

Voiced by: Rina Hidaka

Yaichi's first disciple, a nine-year-old third grader. She is a cheerful girl with extreme talent for shogi, as well as the daughter of the owners of a large and popular inn which has been the site for major matches. She holds great admiration for Yaichi for his determination and refusal to give up after witnessing his Ryūō match. She first met an exhausted Yaichi during his previous Ryūō title match, where after rejuvenating him with a glass of water, Yaichi promised to grant her any wish if he won. Three months after the title match, she ran away from home to become Yaichi's disciple. Initially accepted as a temporary disciple over spring break, her parents tried to bring her home claiming concerns about the stability of life as a female professional. She failed their conditions to continue her discipleship, but Yaichi was sufficiently impressed by her determination and performance under great pressure. Afterwards he personally requests to take her on, even accepting the condition that, if she fails to claim a title before graduating junior high, he would marry her and inherit the inn. She is exceptionally possessive of Yaichi and occasionally demonstrates yandere traits. In shogi, her style places emphasis on the late game and is primarily "offensive", focused on finding ways to press the attack.

Ai Yashajin (夜叉神 天衣, Yashajin Ai)

Voiced by: Ayane Sakura

Yaichi's second disciple, also nine years old and in the third grade. She has been living with her wealthy grandfather since her parents' deaths. Her father was a skilled amateur shogi player who'd met a younger Yaichi years ago while having an exhibition match against the Meijin. After Yaichi found a path that would have given him a checkmate, Ai's father had suggested that Yaichi someday take his daughter as a disciple, to which he agreed. She was frustrated to see that he does not remember her father, who'd never stopped admiring him, but eventually accepted his request to make her his disciple. She is very proud and prone to display tsundere traits. Her shogi style is opposite to Ai's, showing a deep understanding of the early game and a strong insight into "defensive" play, based on traps and counterattacks. The way her style complements Hinatsuru Ai's is part of the reason that Yaichi felt she'd make a great rival for her.

Ginko Sora (空 銀子, Sora Ginko)

Voiced by: Hisako Kanemoto

Yaichi's childhood friend and fellow disciple. Ginko is sharp-tongued, brash, and shows no mercy to her opponents in shogi. She is fourteen years old and considered the most talented girl in the shogi world, one of few with enough talent to potentially enter the main shogi league as a full-fledged professional rather than a professional in the women's league. Ginko currently holds an impressive undefeated record at 47 wins against female pros earning her the name "The Snow White of Naniwa". She became a disciple before Yaichi despite being two years younger than him. She never entered the women's league and continues to pursue the main Japan Shogi Association, and is implied to have done this to pursue Yaichi himself. Though not a female professional, she still holds the Queen title. Despite her aggressive attitude towards Yaichi, Ginko cares deeply about and has feelings for him, though she is hesitant to show it.

Keika Kiyotaki (清滝 桂香, Kiyotaki Keika)

Voiced by: Ai Kayano

Yaichi and Ginko's elder disciple and biological daughter of their master. She entered the training association to attempt to become a female professional at the age of ten. At twenty-five, she is rapidly approaching the maximum age at which one can become a professional or female professional, a fact that is frequently demonstrated to cause a great deal of pressure for her. She is noted to be quite skilled when she relaxes, but still has a tendency to fall back into the standard basics and freeze up when opponents step out of common patterns.

Mio Mizukoshi (水越 澪, Mizukoshi Mio)

Voiced by: Yurika Kubo

A friend of Ai's from the training group.

Ayano Sadatō (貞任 綾乃, Sadatō Ayano)

Voiced by: Chinami Hashimoto

A friend of Ai's from the training group.

Charlotte Izoard (シャルロット・イゾアール, Sharurotto Izoāru)

Voiced by: Yui Ogura

A friend of Ai's from the training group, who is only six years old. A first grader attending a French school in Kyoto, she speaks with a childish, uneasy Japanese. Yaichi finds himself frequently overwhelmed by her cuteness, much to Ai's chagrin. She studies under the same master as Ayano. Not wanting to hurt Charlotte's feelings when he refused to switch and become her master, Yaichi offered to make her his "bride" instead. While this was successful in avoiding trauma from his rejection, her repeated mention of this "proposal" has caused some trouble for him.

Takashi Hinatsuru (雛鶴 隆, Hinatsuru Takashi)

Voiced by: Ichiro Mizuki

Ai's father and Akina's husband. Having married into his wife's family, he is unable to contradict her.

Akina Hinatsuru (雛鶴 亜希奈, Hinatsuru Akina)

Voiced by: Mitsuko Horie

Ai's mother and Takashi's wife, and proprietor of a prestigious inn. She attempts to prevent Ai from pursuing a shogi career claiming concern over the stability of such a life. When her daughter failed to satisfy her requirements she attempted to take her back home, but relented and accepted Yaichi's personal request to take her as a disciple under the condition that, should she fail to achieve at least one title before graduating junior high, Yaichi would marry into their family and inherit the inn.

Media

Light novels

The light novel series is written by Shirow Shiratori and illustrated by Shirabi. SB Creative have released eight volumes since 2015 under their GA Bunko label. An English translated digital release is done directly by BookWalker, part of Kadokawa Corporation. Six volumes have been released since 2017.

Manga

A manga adaptation with art by Kogetaokoge has been serialized in Square Enix's seinen manga magazine Young Gangan since 2015, and has been collected in four tankōbon volumes.

Anime

An anime television series adaptation by Project No.9 was announced in July 2017. The series is directed by Shinsuke Yanagi with scripts written by Fumihiko Shimo and character designs by Akane Yano. Kenji Kawai composed the music at Nippon Columbia, and Dreamshift produced the series. The series aired from January 8 to March 26, 2018, and it ran for 12 episodes. Machico performed the opening theme song "Kore Kara" (コレカラ, From Now On), while Miku Itō performed the ending theme song "Mamoritai-mono no Tame ni" (守りたいもののために, For What I Want to Protect).

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No.	Title	Original air date

Reception

The light novel ranked first in 2017 in Takarajimasha's annual light novel guide book Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, in the bunkobon category. It ranked first again in 2018.

See also

• No-Rin, another light novel series by the same author

External links

• Anime official website Template:Ja icon
• The Ryuo's Work Is Never Done! (light novel) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia