March Comes In Like a Lion

March Comes In Like a Lion (3-gatsu no Lion), adapted from Chica Umino’s acclaimed manga by Studio Shaft and directed by Akiyuki Shinbo and Kenjirou Okada, follows Rei Kiriyama, a 17-year-old elite professional shogi player. Orphaned at a young age after a tragic accident killed his parents and sister, Rei was taken in by his father’s friend, a professional shogi player. To survive within a household torn apart by competition and resentment, Rei threw himself into shogi, eventually moving out into a desolate apartment in Rokugatsu-cho (June Town) to live in self-imposed isolation, weighed down by immense depression, survivor's guilt, and alienation.

The narrative expands across two distinct 22-episode seasons that bridge two worlds: the brutal, solitary arena of professional shogi and the gentle, domestic sanctuary of Sangatsu-cho (March Town). Across the river from Rei's bare apartment lives the Kawamoto family—three orphaned sisters (Akari, Hinata, and Momo) and their grandfather—who invite Rei into their lives and slowly restore his capacity to feel warmth and hope.

As the story progresses into the second season, the focus shifts outward from Rei's personal healing to the struggles of those around him. When Hinata becomes the victim of relentless school bullying and the Kawamotos face familial abandonment, Rei transforms from a passive recipient of kindness into an active protector and empathetic competitor. Across its 44 episodes, the series weaves a holistic tapestry of coming-of-age growth, communal resilience, and the relentless pursuit of purpose.

The overarching thesis of March Comes In Like a Lion is that no human being is designed to survive as an island; self-worth and healing cannot be earned solely through individual triumph, but through vulnerable connection and reciprocal care.

Through Rei’s journey, the creators illustrate that trauma and depression cause people to retreat inward, falsely believing they are toxic burdens to others. However, the series demonstrates that the antidote to despair is not professional excellence or emotional hardening, but reaching across the metaphorical river to allow oneself to be loved, while cultivating the courage to fight for others in return.

The Reality vs. Defense Mechanism of the Kawamotos: Some critical analyses propose that the almost angelic, fairy-tale gentleness of the Kawamoto home in the initial episodes is partially filtered through Rei’s starved, romanticized perception of familial warmth. Only in Season 2, as their domestic crises, financial hardships, and unresolved maternal grief are exposed, does Rei see them as real, flawed, and struggling individuals rather than just saviors.

Serialized in Hakusensha's Young Animal starting in 2007, March Comes In Like a Lion gained recognition as a literary masterpiece in manga form, sweeping major Japanese cultural awards including the 4th Manga Taisho (2011), the 35th Kodansha Manga Award, the 18th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Grand Prize (2014), and the Grand Prix at the 24th Japan Media Arts Festival.

The anime adaptation (2016–2018) revitalized public and international interest in shogi culture. Concurrently with its broadcast, the real-world rise of young prodigy Sota Fujii (who became a pro in middle school, matching the fictional Rei Kiriyama) ignited a nationwide "shogi boom" in Japan. Critics frequently cited the series as a key standard for how modern media can address youth mental health, classroom bullying, and adolescent isolation with nuance and empathy.

Both seasons of March Comes In Like a Lion received universal critical acclaim, frequently ranking among the highest-rated anime series of the 2010s across aggregators like MyAnimeList (with Season 2 maintaining a historic score above 8.9/10).

Strengths Praised:

• The mature, honest depiction of depression
• The layered visual metaphors directed by Studio Shaft
• The dynamic pacing of shogi matches
• The emotionally devastating yet uplifting Middle School Bullying Arc in Season 2

Points of Criticism: Occasional viewers noted that the sudden tonal shifts between somber psychological drama and slapstick comedic gags (chibi animations, cat songs) in Season 1 could feel slightly jarring before settling into a more cohesive balance in Season 2.