3月のライオン
March comes in like a lion
Rei Kiriyama is a 17 year old boy who recently started living alone, financed by his salary as a professional Shogi player. Despite his independence, however, he's yet to mature emotionally, and his problems continue to haunt him in his daily life. His relationship with his adoptive family is strained, and he has difficulties interacting with his fellow high school students. Meanwhile, his professional career in Shogi has entered a slump. Burdened with the heavy expectations placed upon him, his wins and losses are fluctuating as his record and progression into the ranks begin to stagnate. Acquainted with Rei are the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Unlike Rei, they live happily in their modest home, which they warmly welcome Rei into as if he were one of their own. He frequently visits the family, interacting with them and receiving the kind of care and affection he never quite had while under his foster home. This is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures, relationships new and old, and his growth as a person.
Names
| Original | 3月のライオン (japanese) |
|---|---|
| Romaji | 3-gatsu no Lion |
| English | March comes in like a lion |
| Chinese | 3月的狮子 (simplified · via bangumi) |
| Also known as | Sangatsu no Lion · Un marzo da leoni · מרץ מגיע כאריה · أسد آذار |
Facts
| Format | TV series · 22 ep · 25 min · 9h total |
|---|---|
| Aired | 2016-10-08 → 2017-03-18 (Autumn 2016) |
| Status | FINISHED |
| Studio | Shaft |
| Source | Manga |
| Origin | Japan (Anime) |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Genres | DramaSlice of Life |
| Themes | Coming of AgeRehabilitationShogiFound FamilySeinenBoard GameEstranged FamilyFamily LifeAdoptionMale ProtagonistPhilosophyPrimarily Adult CastUrban |
| Streaming | Crunchyroll · Netflix · Bilibili TV |
Reception
| Community score | 8.39 / 10 |
|---|---|
| Bayesian score | 8.37 / 10 |
| Composite | 71.4 |
| On lists | 213,130 |
| Favourited | 8,719 (4.1%) |
| Completion | 73.1% |
| Drop rate | 5.6% |
| In backlog | 42.3% |
| Score spread σ | 1.39 |
Score distribution
Where it places
| Cohort | Value | Tier | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast season | Autumn 2016 | S | 3 of 120 |
| Studio | Shaft | B | 13 of 110 |
| Year | 2016 | A | 14 of 418 |
| Length | Two-cour | A | 46 of 699 |
| Demographic | Seinen | A | 48 of 775 |
| Season (all years) | Autumn | S | 49 of 1,921 |
| Genre | Slice of Life | A | 51 of 1,578 |
| Era | Late 2010s | A | 53 of 1,863 |
| Source material | Manga | A | 124 of 3,025 |
| Format | TV series | A | 142 of 3,322 |
| Genre | Drama | A | 153 of 1,917 |
| Origin | Japan | A | 193 of 7,157 |
Key staff
| Director | Kenjirou Okada, Akiyuki Shinbou |
|---|---|
| Series composition | Fuyashi Tou, Akiyuki Shinbou |
| Character design | Nobuhiro Sugiyama |
| Original creator | Chica Umino |
Franchise — 3月のライオン


S+
Related
| Relation | Year | Title |
|---|---|---|
| sequel | 2017 | March comes in like a lion Season 2 |
| character | — | March comes in like a lion meets Bump of Chicken |
| other | — | Answer (2016) |
| other | 2017 | 3-gatsu no Lion: Ugoku! Nya Shogi |
AniList id 21366 · MAL id 31646 · Bangumi 147068 · record updated 2026-08-27

