By Galo S Mirth
2021 was the year shogi’s center of gravity shifted. Sota Fujii did not just win. He changed the shape of the title map, taking the Ryuo crown and becoming the youngest ever four-crown holder. At the same time, women’s shogi entered a new era with the launch of the Hakurei title system and its rank league.
By Galo S Mirth
2020 was one of the most memorable years in modern shogi. It was the year of major title transitions, the formal expansion to eight major titles, and the breakthrough that turned Sota Fujii from a rising star into a central figure of the professional scene. It was also a year when the pandemic forced organizers, players, and fans to adapt quickly.
By Galo S Mirth
2019 was one of the most dramatic years in modern shogi. A new era name began in Japan, major titles changed hands, and several long running storylines reached turning points.
By Galo S Mirth
2018 was one of the most eventful years in modern shogi. The title map changed repeatedly, a long run of one-crown holders returned for the first time in decades, and new names took major stages in both men’s and women’s title events. It was also a year when online broadcasting and pop culture ties made shogi more visible to general audiences.
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.
By Galo S Mirth
2016 was one of those years when several shogi timelines overlapped. A new Meijin took the crown, major title matches stayed fiercely competitive, women’s title storylines kept moving, and a 14-year-old future superstar entered the professional ranks. Looking back now, it reads like a hinge year between the Habu-centered 2000s and the new era that followed.
By Galo S Mirth
2015 was a hinge year for modern shogi. The traditional title system stayed fierce, with Yoshiharu Habu and Akira Watanabe at the center, while the computer shogi wave that had defined the early 2010s reached a turning point after Denousen FINAL. At the same time, a new event, the Eiou tournament, opened a fresh lane that would soon become a full title match.
By Galo S Mirth
2014 was a hinge year in professional shogi. Yoshiharu Habu regained the Meijin title in decisive fashion, while Tetsuro Itodani broke through at the end of the year to take the Ryuo and announce a generational shift.
By Galo S Mirth
2013 was the year the top of professional shogi compressed into a very small circle. Toshiyuki Moriuchi, Yoshiharu Habu, and Akira Watanabe split the major narrative between them, and several title matches were decided only after sustained pressure rather than one-sided dominance.
By Galo S Mirth
2012 was a transitional year for modern shogi. The established title holders still dominated the major seven title matches, but the conversation around the game was also being reshaped by computer shogi, especially the early Denou-sen events.