Banjō no alpha: Yakusoku no shōgi(2019)

Banjō no alpha: Yakusoku no shōgi is a Japanese series following Shunsuke Akiba, a newspaper journalist reassigned to cover shogi. He encounters Nobushige Sanada, a 33-year-old determined to become a professional shogi player despite having missed the standard age cutoff. Sanada missed the 4-dan ranking requirement by age 26, and now faces his final chance: passing the 3-dan admission exam. As Akiba documents Sanada's unconventional path, he discovers the depth and strategy of the ancient game. The series explores themes of perseverance, second chances, and the quiet intensity of competitive shogi. It blends sports drama with character study, capturing both the technical mastery and personal stakes of pursuing a dream against the odds.