By Galo S Mirth
Shogi in 2017 is remembered for two huge stories. First, Fujii Sota’s 29 game winning streak became a national headline and brought many new fans into the game. Second, Habu Yoshiharu won the 30th Ryuo title match and completed the first ever Eisei 7 crown achievement. It was a year where a new generation arrived while a historic champion reached a peak milestone.
1) Fujii Sota’s 29 game winning streak
In June 2017, Fujii Sota won his 29th straight official game, setting a new all time record for consecutive wins in official professional games. The streak began right after his debut and turned each game into a national event. The run ended in July, but the impact remained. The visibility of shogi rose sharply, and many casual readers started following tournament news in real time.
2) Habu Yoshiharu and the Eisei 7 crown milestone
The 30th Ryuo title match was the other central story. Habu defeated Watanabe Akira 4-1 and returned to the Ryuo title after a long gap. With that result, Habu fulfilled the final requirement for Eisei Ryuo and became the first player to hold qualifications for all seven permanent major title honors. This was one of the landmark achievements in modern shogi history.
3) Other title line shifts in 2017
Beyond Ryuo, 2017 also brought several notable title outcomes. Sugai Tatsuya won the Oi title. Nakamura Taichi won the Oza title, his first major title. The title map looked more diverse than in many previous years, with veteran stars and first time winners both shaping the season.
4) Why 2017 still matters
Looking back, 2017 was not only about one record or one title match. It was a structural turning point in public attention and competitive balance. A teenage player became a mainstream sports story, while a long established legend added a once in a generation career achievement. That combination makes 2017 one of the most important years in recent shogi history.
Sources (Japanese)
- 日本語版Wikipedia「藤井聡太」: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%97%A4%E4%BA%95%E8%81%A1%E5%A4%AA
- 日本語版Wikipedia「第30期竜王戦」: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%AC%AC30%E6%9C%9F%E7%AB%9C%E7%8E%8B%E6%88%A6
- 日本語版Wikipedia「羽生善治」: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%BE%BD%E7%94%9F%E5%96%84%E6%B2%BB
- 日本語版Wikipedia「2017年度の将棋界」: https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017%E5%B9%B4%E5%BA%A6%E3%81%AE%E5%B0%86%E6%A3%8B%E7%95%8C