https://www.facebook.com/shogi.jsa/posts/437990166600028:0
Toshiyuki Moriuchi
When a great talent is located nearby, he can comprehend his own talent. In the masterpiece of both film and stage play “Amadeus”, Antonio Salieri is suffering due to jealousy of Mozart’s musical talent. However, jealousy could be excessively stronger since music masterpieces are usually created by a single person.On the contrary, the game record of Shogi can’t be created by a single person. The Kifu can only be developed when an opponent exists to trade Shogi pieces. The more talented your opponent is, the more strength you’ll be able to draw out within yourself.
Yoshiharu Habu’s achievements were clearly ahead of Toshiyuki Moriuchi. Instead of giving up, Moriuchi chose to chase after Habu’s shadow, narrowing down the difference even by 1 millimeter.
Moriuchi gained his first title as Meijin in 2002.Habu acquired the title of Ryu-Ou (Dragon King) during his teenage years in 1989, which is 13 years before Moriuchi’s first title.
Despite having fierce matches with Habu in the title match, he was able to acquire the Meijin title five terms before Habu. Chronologically by attainement of the title “Lifetime Meijin”: 15th Meijin Yasuharu Oyama, 16th Meijin Makoto Nakahara, 17th Meijin Koji Tanigawa, 18th Meijin, Toshiyuki Moriuchi and 19th Meijin Yoshiharu Habu. Although Moriuchi is not as popular as Habu in the history of Shogi, however Moriuchi’s name was first recorded before Habu’s name.
Photo Courtesy of 日本将棋連盟
Article by: 日本将棋連盟 (Japan Shogi Association)
Translated by: Ryou Takehito
Proofread by: Karolina Styczyńska
