March Comes in Like a Lion

March Comes in Like a Lion, known in Japanese as Sangatsu no Lion, began its serialization in Young Animal magazine in 2007. Created by the manga artist Chica Umino, the series follows the life of Rei Kiriyama, a professional shogi player struggling with isolation and the heavy psychological pressures of his career. Umino crafted the narrative to explore themes of grief, found family, and the search for warmth, drawing on her own experiences and observations to create a tone that shifts seamlessly between somber introspection and gentle, whimsical humor.

The visual design of the series is celebrated for its evocative use of water motifs and high-contrast, emotive character expressions. Umino intentionally designed the aesthetic to mirror Rei's internal state, often using fluid, expressive lines to ground the intellectual intensity of shogi in the tangible, everyday reality of the Kawamoto sisters' household. The series has received widespread critical acclaim, securing numerous awards such as the Manga Taisho and the Kodansha Manga Award, and is regarded as a quintessential example of modern seinen storytelling that prioritizes emotional depth over genre conventions.