Sota Fujii and Shinichiro Hattori began the second game of the Kisei championship series on Friday [1].
The match represents a critical juncture in the professional shogi circuit, as Fujii attempts to secure a seventh consecutive title defense while Hattori seeks his first major championship victory [1, 2].
The game started at 9 a.m. [1]. Each player is allotted four hours of thinking time [1]. Fujii, 23, currently holds a 1-0 lead in the series after winning the first game [1]. The Kisei title is decided by the first player to reach three wins [1].
Reports on the venue vary. ANNnewsCH reported that the match is taking place at the Nikko Kanaya Hotel in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture [1]. However, other reports indicated the first game was held at the Ryugujo Spa Hotel in Kisarazu, Chiba Prefecture [3].
Fujii expressed his commitment to the quality of the match. "I want to do my best to concentrate on the game so that I can show everyone a more interesting and heated battle," Fujii said [1].
Hattori, 26, entered the second game looking to reverse the momentum of the series. He acknowledged the difficulty of the first encounter but remained determined to compete aggressively. "In the first game, Fujii-rokuan displayed his strengths and I was completely defeated," Hattori said. "In the second game, I want to hold on firmly and play shogi with all my soul" [1].
The series continues with the players fighting for the prestigious title, with the outcome of this second game potentially shifting the balance of power toward the challenger or further cementing Fujii's dominance in the sport [1, 2].
“"I want to do my best to concentrate on the game so that I can show everyone a more interesting and heated battle,"”
The Kisei series highlights the widening gap between Sota Fujii's historical dominance and the rest of the professional field. By pursuing a seventh consecutive win, Fujii is not merely defending a title but continuing a streak that challenges long-standing records in shogi. For Hattori, this match is a litmus test for the current generation of challengers attempting to break Fujii's grip on the major titles.
