March Comes in Like a Lion

After a match with someone who knows him well, taciturn teenage loner and shogi professional Rei Kiriyama gets a sudden invitation to dinner.

Rei's self-professed rivals, Nikaidou and Matsumoto, each make a dramatic appearance; some of the players head to Akari's bar.

Longtime opponents Rei and Harunobu face off in their first official match, each spurred by the memory of their initial childhood confrontation.

Hinata has a crush on the local baseball ace and wants to make a special homemade bento meal for him; Akari is critical of her methods.

After Rei picks her up at preschool, Momo trips and falls; while treating her bruise, Rei remembers the tragic events that led him to his profession.

Despite having become a legitimate professional player earning his own money, Rei feels stuck in a rut after losing his chance to advance to the next level.