3-gatsu no Lion
Summary: Having reached professional status in middle school, Rei Kiriyama is one of the few elite in the world of shogi. Due to this, he faces an enormous amount of pressure, both from the shogi community and his adoptive family. Seeking independence from his tense home life, he moves into an apartment in Tokyo. As a 17-year-old living on his own, Rei tends to take poor care of himself, and his reclusive personality ostracizes him from his peers in school and at the shogi hall.
However, not long after his arrival in Tokyo, Rei meets Akari, Hinata, and Momo Kawamoto, a trio of sisters living with their grandfather who owns a traditional wagashi shop. Akari, the oldest of the three girls, is determined to combat Rei's loneliness and poorly sustained lifestyle with motherly hospitality. The Kawamoto sisters, coping with past tragedies, also share with Rei a unique familial bond that he has lacked for most of his life. As he struggles to maintain himself physically and mentally through his shogi career, Rei must learn how to interact with others and understand his own complex emotions.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Description
Having reached professional status in middle school, Rei Kiriyama is one of the few elite in the world of shogi. Due to this, he faces an enormous amount of pressure, both from the shogi community and his adoptive family. Seeking independence from his tense home life, he moves into an apartment in Tokyo. As a 17-year-old living on his own, Rei tends to take poor care of himself, and his reclusive personality ostracizes him from his peers in school and at the shogi hall.
However, not long after his arrival in Tokyo, Rei meets Akari, Hinata, and Momo Kawamoto, a trio of sisters living with their grandfather who owns a traditional wagashi shop. Akari, the oldest of the three girls, is determined to combat Rei's loneliness and poorly sustained lifestyle with motherly hospitality. The Kawamoto sisters, coping with past tragedies, also share with Rei a unique familial bond that he has lacked for most of his life. As he struggles to maintain himself physically and mentally through his shogi career, Rei must learn how to interact with others and understand his own complex emotions.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Available At
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3-gatsu no Lion Trailers
3-gatsu no Lion Pictures
3-gatsu no Lion Review
3-gatsu no Lion — Having reached professional status in middle school, Rei Kiriyama is one of the few elite in the world of shogi. This overview is intentionally spoiler-free and focuses on tone and intent rather than plot specifics.
Thematically, It sits firmly within Drama conventions as a TV work and has garnered attention (MAL score: 8.37). This work explores character dynamics, tonal shifts, and the interplay between narrative ambition and execution. The story's pacing and tonal choices are crafted to complement the central ideas, often emphasizing atmosphere and emotional truth over explicit exposition. The show's ability to evoke a consistent mood — whether melancholic, exuberant, or contemplative — is a recurring strength, and the scenes are constructed so viewers can infer stakes without needing explicit spoilers.
Characterization is a core pillar here. Protagonists and supporting figures are written with distinct motivations and narrative roles; even when archetypal, the series invests in small behavioral details that make choices feel earned. Character arcs are handled with an eye for gradualism: development often arrives through incremental beats rather than abrupt, expository shifts. The interactions between characters create texture, and relationships are used to illuminate both personal flaws and larger thematic concerns.
On the visual front, production values play a significant role. The animation quality varies by sequence but frequently showcases thoughtful direction and composition. Background art, framing, and color palettes are used deliberately to support tone — quieter scenes favor muted palettes while action or heightened emotional beats employ brighter, more kinetic visuals. Direction choices, such as camera movement and shot selection, often elevate scenes beyond their raw script, creating moments that linger in the viewer's mind.
The soundscape — score, incidental music, and sound design — complements the visual language. Music cues are placed to maximize emotional resonance without manipulating the audience with melodrama; this restraint often leads to more authentic emotional payoff. Sound design punctuates key moments, and when the series leans on silence, those quieter moments are given weight by measured audio choices.
Pacing and structure are handled with craft. Episodes are arranged to build tension and release methodically, and the narrative rarely rushes through important emotional beats. That said, the deliberate pacing may feel slow to viewers who prefer faster plot turnover; the reward is greater nuance and an accumulation of meaning across the series. Accessibility is generally good — one can appreciate surface-level pleasures, while repeat or attentive viewing reveals additional layers.
No title is without flaws. Occasional unevenness in subplots or variable animation across episodes can be distracting. Some tonal shifts might feel abrupt if you expect uniformity; others will argue that those shifts are purposeful. These are worth noting, but they seldom undercut the larger achievements of the work.
In sum, 3-gatsu no Lion offers a rich experience for viewers who value character-driven storytelling, considered visual design, and a soundtrack that supports rather than overwhelms. For fans of Drama, this is an especially rewarding watch. It's recommended for those who appreciate layered narratives and artistry in animation, and best approached with patience and attention to nuance.
Characters & Voice Actors
Kawamoto, Momo
Main
Kuno, Misaki
Japanese
Kawamoto, Momo
Main
Huynh, Xanthe
English
Kawamoto, Hinata
Main
Hanazawa, Kana
Japanese
Kawamoto, Hinata
Main
Mills, Kayli
English
Kawamoto, Akari
Main
Kayano, Ai
Japanese
Kawamoto, Akari
Main
Post, Laura
English
Kiriyama, Rei
Main
Kawanishi, Kengo
Japanese
Kiriyama, Rei
Main
Uchiyama, Yumi
Japanese
Kiriyama, Rei
Main
Dao, Khoi
English
Kiriyama, Rei
Main
Lee, Wendee
English
Announcer
Supporting
Cason, Chris
English
Announcer
Supporting
Takiuchi, Izumi
Japanese
Calligraphy Teacher
Supporting
Tone, Kentarou
Japanese
Elementary School Teacher
Supporting
Tone, Kentarou
Japanese
Elementary School Teacher
Supporting
Hanford, Brian
English
Fujimoto, Raidou
Supporting
Ootsuka, Akio
Japanese
Fujimoto, Raidou
Supporting
Price, Jamieson
English
Gotou, Masamune
Supporting
Touchi, Hiroki
Japanese
Gotou, Masamune
Supporting
Chase, Ray
English
Hanaoka
Supporting
Ueda, Youji
Japanese
Staff
Fukino, Fuminari
Producer
Nojima, Masahiro
Producer
Yodo, Akiko
Producer
Ishikawa, Tatsuya
Assistant Producer
Ooshima, Miku
Assistant Producer
Oota, Kyouko
Assistant Producer, Publicity
Asano, Naoyuki
Director, Storyboard, Animation Director
Okada, Kenjirou
Director, Episode Director, Storyboard
Shinbou, Akiyuki
Director, Series Composition
Kameyama, Toshiki
Sound Director
Hara, Hidekazu
Episode Director
Itamura, Tomoyuki
Episode Director
Kawabata, Takashi
Episode Director, Storyboard
Kidokoro, Seimei
Episode Director
Mikami, Yoshiko
Episode Director
Miyamoto, Yukihiro
Episode Director
Nakamura, Ryousuke
Episode Director, Storyboard
Nakura, Yasuhiro
Episode Director, Storyboard, Layout, Key Animation, Background Art
Ootani, Hajime
Episode Director, Storyboard
Shibuta, Naoaki
Episode Director, 2nd Key Animation, In-Between Animation