Chihayafuru

[MFauli]

The breastfeeding poncho was super cringe. Stop being embarrassed for doing something natural, dear 2019-women 🙄

That aside: I 'm ... just not feeling it yet. I recognize the quality et al, but I'm not excited as I was with previous season. This one feels kinda rushed? Like I'm watching a summary. Here's a quick scene, there's a quick scene. But no scene fully plays out. That's true especially for the karuta matches. We only get to see deciding scenes from afar, whereas season 1 would show karuta matches in full detail, how anxious the heroes are, how they develop new strategies, etc..

I hope we'll get that soon.

[Ryllharu]

I'd guess they're rushing through the material to get to this next round. Chihaya competing against her equal, who happens to be a former 4-time queen. They even have the same best card. The question of whether Chihaya's new measured play hits its stride before the former Queen gets fully back into her game.

I also liked the interplay between the adults. Sakurazawa being asked by Miyazuchi how to be a better advisor. Haruka effectively challenging Sakurazawa to why she never started actually playing again.

Rion getting pissed off and fired up again is cute though.

Also, Chihaya being inspired by Sakurazawa and Miyazuchi into becoming a teacher...in order to be a karuta coach...was quite endearing.

[Buffalobiian]

God bless whoever decided to make Chihayafuru 1hr airings. This shit's so good.

I'll feel slightly bad about Chihaya winning the next round when she got to nap through the semifinals with a free win to boot.

[MFauli]

Episode 4:

God, I hate that red-haired mom's face. Can't she have normal eyes? 🙄

Gotta say, I kinda can't get over how ridiculous it is how much these characters care about karuta. You'd think it's some life-depending skill they're learning, but it's actually just some niche Japanese card game. Lol

[Buffalobiian]

Gotta say, I kinda can't get over how ridiculous it is how much these characters care about karuta. You'd think it's some life-depending skill they're learning, but it's actually just some niche Japanese card game. Lol

So like sports before enough people decided to monetise it. E-sports started out like this.

Video of 2019 Queen match here. The slow-motion cameras are on point.

[MFauli]

Video not available. Deactibated by owner
:/

[Buffalobiian]

Just watch the link on youtube. That still works (in Australia) at least. The user just disabled embedded videos. Check out 51:20.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 09

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Taichi didn't make it. Poo.

[MFauli]

Yeah, this sucks. Hate it when anime try to be 'realistic'. I want progression :/

[Buffalobiian]

What's the rest of the qualifier supposed to be like now? Sudo vs some West Qualifying dude would be weird. I can only imagine more Harada Sensei. Maybe this will be his last attempt. Thinking back, this latest arc seems to be mostly about older peeps trying their best at karuta despite competing adult responsibilities etc.

[MFauli]

Episode 11:

We get it: MILK IS COMING FROM HER BOOBS! OK?!

[Buffalobiian]

The method acting was quite hilarious.

I didn't know kimono had open sides. I'm surprised more.. "shows" never took advantage of this.

[Ryllharu]

You both forgot the best part:
Chiyaha wants to become a teacher.
Her advisor: "What subject will you teach?"
Chihaya: …
Advisor: …

Key point is that Ooe-san was able to cheer up Inokuma a bit. That's critical.

Because that bitch Megumu needs to fucking lose in the qualifiers two years in a row.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 12

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Ffffffffffffff..............

That last scene. So triggering. I'm expecting Arata to win the 3rd round, but just stay away from Chihaya.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 16

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Make-your-opponent-fault Karuta. Taichi liking that is no surprise, he's a bit of a bully at heart. I can't wait to see him use it.

Seeing Chihaya uneasy about Arata gives off all the NTR vibes, given I'm a Taichi fan.

[MFauli]

Episode 16

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Make-your-opponent-fault Karuta. Taichi liking that is no surprise, he's a bit of a bully at heart. I can't wait to see him use it.

Seeing Chihaya uneasy about Arata gives off all the NTR vibes, given I'm a Taichi fan.

Seriously, fuck Arata :/

In terms of who deserves to bang Chihaya:

Taichi > Suo > Harada-sensei > Desktomu-kun > her dad > Arata

The current ntr is palpable :/

[Ryllharu]

Have you not been paying attention this entire time? Chihaya has only ever had feelings for Arata. Since they were kids. She's only recently started thinking about Taichi, despite how long Taichi's been pining after her. She plays karuta because it is fun, but also under the false perception it would bring her closer to Arata (but at the time back in season 1, she didn't know he had stopped).

Taichi was finally starting to gain the upper hand, and Arata finally went next level. He's coming back for university, and he's finally gotten his own shit together enough to not only admit how much he misses her, but that no shit, he loves her back.

The timing aligns perfectly with Chihaya finally having the revelation that she needs to live her own life in addition to karuta, and if she wants to really continue it, she needs to grow up and find a job. So she's used the amazing (cool beauty), the incomparable (in cup size), the one and only Sakurazawa Midori as the perfect example to follow. Become a teacher. Coach karuta to maintain your skills. From Sakurazawa's friend and rival, challenging to take back the Queen spot after two kids, she's learned you can have it all, but that her skill will dull, and her speed won't last forever. But if Inokuma wins, it will show Chihaya that she can achieve both her karuta dreams and love.

Chihaya's little journey this season contrasts very nicely with Shinobu, who I expect to be getting a fair amount of character development in the next few episodes. Shinobu has a lot of catching up to do, lessons to learn, all that stuff.

...and she totally likes Arata, but she doesn't even know it. He's very aware of her degree of interest though.

As for Suo, he's just an idiot. He's so dumb that even Shinobu can see it.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 18

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Have you not been paying attention this entire time? Chihaya has only ever had feelings for Arata.

We all know Chihaya never liked Taichi in a romantic way. The feeling of being robbed stems largely from being in the Taichi camp.

As for this episode, Shinobu's resolution seemed unsatisfying. She got upset that her Grandmother asked her to wear something due to probable business reasons, and that Chihaya missed her promise. Then she lost the match, realised she couldn't walk the cards back.. and resolved herself to do it next round because the cards are her friends.

That's good and all, but doesn't solve the fact that she was disappointed at her grandmother and Chihaya. It's not as if she has decided to re-isolate herself either. She just.. resetted. As if none of that happened.

Suo will totally win. There's too much talent on his side, and Harada is running on fumes.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 19

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I know it's anime and all.. but they're probably talking about glaucoma, in which case get eye drops or drill a hole through your iris Suo!

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 20

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The romantic delusion being shattered was hilarious.

I remember the start of this season feeling a bit off, but now things feel right at home. Maybe it's because the earlier episodes were so caught up with the competitive side of Karuta that it was missing the little heart warming segments or comedic segments that really make this shine.