TLDR;
The story revolves around Akira, a former chess champion who lost to a computer and spiraled into depression. A mysterious old man orchestrates a series of psychological games, including a real-life chess match where people's lives are at stake, to help Akira rediscover his love for chess and overcome his past trauma. Ultimately, Akira makes a self-sacrificing move that the computer cannot comprehend, leading to his victory and reconciliation with his wife.
- Akira, a former chess champion, faces humiliation after losing to a computer.
- An old man manipulates Akira through a series of psychological chess games.
- The games become real, with human pieces and life-or-death consequences.
- Akira confronts his trauma and rediscovers his love for chess.
- He makes a self-sacrificing move that defeats the computer and saves his wife.
Chess Exhibition and Downfall [0:00]
Akira, a world chess champion, plays against Super Blue, an advanced computer. The computer can calculate 200 million moves per second, while Akira can only manage three. Akira loses, marking the first time a human has been defeated by a computer in chess. The humiliation leads to Akira destroying the chessboard and falling into a deep depression.
The Mysterious Invitation [0:45]
Three years later, Akira is homeless and struggling with alcoholism. Two men in black suits abduct him and take him to a mansion. An old man reveals himself as a chess enthusiast who lost money betting on Akira and wants him to play again. The old man shows Akira articles about his downfall and tries to manipulate him into playing.
The Human Chess Game [2:10]
Akira reluctantly agrees to play chess with the old man. As they play, the old man receives instructions through an earpiece and draws parallels between chess and real-life battles. The game becomes disturbingly real when moves on the chessboard mirror events happening on the street outside, with people representing chess pieces being injured or killed. Akira is horrified by these events and seeks help from his psychiatrist.
Mental Clinic and Hallucinations [3:40]
Akira consults with Dr. Tamot, his psychiatrist, about the human chess game, but Tamot dismisses it as a hallucination caused by Akira's mental state. However, strange events begin to occur at the clinic, including faxes with chess-related messages and Tamot's sudden death, mirroring a move in the game. Akira realizes the game is still ongoing and flees, encountering more chess-related phenomena.
The Chess Parking Lot [5:00]
Akira finds himself in a parking lot that has transformed into a chessboard. He tries to escape in different cars, each representing a chess piece, but they only move according to the piece's movement rules. A black car crashes into his, and he realizes his house, representing the rook, has been taken. He understands that his wife, Kumi, is now in danger as the queen.
The Final Match and Sacrifice [5:38]
Akira returns to the old man's place to quit the game and save Kumi. The old man forces him to continue, leading to a final match in a stadium with a giant chessboard and human pieces. Akira discovers that Kumi is the queen and will be killed if he makes a winning move. He chooses to sacrifice himself, moving his king piece and losing the game to save her.
The Revelation and Victory [7:12]
After being stabbed, Akira discovers that the entire game was a form of shock therapy orchestrated by his psychiatrist and the old man, who is a fan of Akira. The old man reveals that he developed Super Blue and wanted Akira to have a rematch. Akira learns that he was actually playing against Super Blue through the old man's earpiece. However, Akira's self-sacrificing move was incomprehensible to the computer, causing it to overload and resulting in Akira's victory. He reconciles with Kumi and is hailed as a champion for his love and sacrifice.
