Chihayafuru

[MFauli]

Hm, i´m simply not interested in an Arata vs Chihaya-match. If only because those two don´t feel like rivals to me. A match between them would be ... cute. Nostalgic. nice. "neat". But it´s more something that should happen in the last episode of the series, like when Goku challenged the re-born Boo aka Oob.

Meanwhile, Arata and Taichi aren´t thick friends. They´d go at each other as true opponents/enemies (assuming both are of similar skill). Considering there´s also somewhat of a love plot surrounding the triplette of Chihaya, Taichi and Arata, a match between the two male choices would be all the more interesting.

[Buffalobiian]

Meanwhile, Arata and Taichi aren´t thick friends. They´d go at each other as true opponents/enemies (assuming both are of similar skill). Considering there´s also somewhat of a love plot surrounding the triplette of Chihaya, Taichi and Arata, a match between the two male choices would be all the more interesting.

Well I'm a Taichi-fan, so I'm rooting for this as well. Plus, given that the first focus is to get Taichi to A-class, this would also be the match-up that we can realistically expect. In fact, I really want to see a match where Taichi actually owns through complete memorisation, with a body that can keep up.

I'm all for the addition of Sumire as well. It's about time someone else is putting in effort in the romance department other than Taichi. The fox guy doesn't seem like a threat at all against Taichi, but given his demeanor and Chihaya's eagerness to teach first-years.. he might be able to piss him off a bit.

[Kraco]

Well I'm a Taichi-fan, so I'm rooting for this as well. Plus, given that the first focus is to get Taichi to A-class, this would also be the match-up that we can realistically expect. In fact, I really want to see a match where Taichi actually owns through complete memorisation, with a body that can keep up.

I don't follow you at all. What realistically expect? Because that would decide who gets Chihaya? (Which obviously isn't true at all.) Arata is the obsessed kid who got those two to play in the first place and was already back then relatively close to the top. In my opinion it would be a bit unconventional story telling if he now was at Taichi's level, not closer to Chihaya. Of course it's not like Chihaya would anymore win 10 matches out of 10 against Taichi, likely, but there's still a difference, which also meant Taichi isn't yet A-class. Arata made it to the A-class ages ago.

Anyway, I also hope for a serious Arata-Taichi match eventually, but if it happened soon and Taichi won, I'd be quite displeased. The Arata-Chihaya match I'd want the most doesn't need to be any official match in any capacity. I simply want them to meet over the cards and see how close a match it'd be.

[MFauli]

Weren´t the men at the championship in season one generally better at Karuta than the women? Not sure if I remember that correctly, but I think so. If so, Chihaya isn´t really the Karuta-player to measure others against. What I mean is: Arata is likely stronger than Chihaya. Taichi being close to Chihaya would be devoid of significance, because he´d have to become even *stronger* than her to stand a chance against Arata.

Of course, as I mentioned, I´m not entirely sure about the difference in strength between men and women at Karuta. There´s just a scene popping in my mind where Chihaya was stunned by the men´ finale, iirc.

[Ryllharu]

Arata made it to the A-class ages ago.

The issue there is that Arata hadn't played in a year or so after his grandfather died. His A-class skills foundered. At the time they met at his house, Chihaya was very likely better than he was. She can probably defeat him with a little difficulty by the end of the first season, now that she developing real skills in addition to raw reaction speed. Fortunately, their visit convinced him to take it up again, so it won't be too long before he gets back into shape, so to speak.

Weren´t the men at the championship in season one generally better at Karuta than the women? Not sure if I remember that correctly, but I think so.

Hisashi, the reigning Master, is an outlier. He is excessively good, and a total asshole who looks down on and mocks everyone else. That's why Shinobu hates him. He deliberately hit her with a card to distract her. Someone normally very skilled playing him in the final is similar to any new A-rank having the bad luck to play Shinobu in the first round. He's that good.

Men and women play each other at other regional tournaments (like rank advancement ones) frequently. It's only the Master and Queen qualifying tournaments that are split between men and women.

The official matches are similar to shogi, which does it the same way.

[Kraco]

Hard to say about the levels in general, but the male winner surely was worlds above his opponent. How the losing man would have compared to the Queen... who knows, though it would be interesting to know, that's for sure. If the top matches are separated for men and women, then there can't really be a high profile official match with Chihaya vs Arata or Taichi even in the future.

Arata took the break so it would be realistic to assume his skills lowered just a bit, though since he was keeping himself fit otherwise it's not like anything should have collapsed. That's why it's very hard to guess how he compares to Chihaya. Maybe he's still better, maybe he's at the same level. Nevertheless, he's not up there in the clouds like the overpowering winner dude.

[Ryllharu]

Defeating Hisashi is Arata's task to complete. He'll have to bring the title back to his family, as it was before.

Beating Shinobu (in turn keeping her at a high level of passion about karuta) and very likely befriending her along the way, is Chihaya's task. Their innate fashion preference both involves the same weird brand, though Chihaya benefits from her sister's hand-me-downs and desire to keep Chihaya from embarrassing her.

Taichi's task is to beat Arata, which theoretically will win him Chihaya's affection (it won't). I don't think he cares about becoming the Master/Meister...but that would make his mother happy.

Kana's task is to become the reader at the Queen match between Chihaya and Shinobu.

Everyone else is secondary with regards to the finale.

(Except maybe Sumire, who's task will be to comfort Taichi after he loses all hope of winning Chihaya's heart.)

[Buffalobiian]

The Arata-Chihaya match I'd want the most doesn't need to be any official match in any capacity. I simply want them to meet over the cards and see how close a match it'd be.

I was thinking of the king/queen qualification matches. If Taichi getting to Class A is a priority, I was expecting that to come up soon - hence the expectation that the men would get a round. Ryll reminded me that there are also mixed gender matches though.

[shinta|hikari]

Shinobu X Arata.

[Kraco]

Shinobu X Arata.

What?

Shinobu X ice cream factory owner.

[shinta|hikari]

Is that a romantic pairing or a karuta match pairing?

[Buffalobiian]

Romantic.

That's the impression I get when someone says ??? X ???

[Kraco]

That's the impression I got as well.

Although an ice cream factory owner might be able to distract Shinobu so much that beating her in karuta could be possible.

[Kraco]

Episode 2 720p | 1080p





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The mascara joke was totally a 100% gag manga joke. I was kind of surprised to see it here, though it surely made me laugh.

Quite an interesting pair of new members, none the less. Although just two isn't enough, so I wonder how it will end up. The OP seems to confirm just two, but who knows. It's not like OPs didn't regularly use the trick of later adding characters to certain scenes that would otherwise spoil. The foxy dude was quite surprising with his delusions, even if Hanano keeps stealing most of the attention.

[Ryllharu]

even if Hanano keeps stealing most of the attention.

As well she should. Her outlook on karuta nicely compliments Chihaya's and Kana's. The boys are much more focused on the competitive aspects of karuta, while the girls appreciate the cards/poems themselves more.

[Buffalobiian]

The foxy dude was quite surprising with his delusions,

I wouldn't be quite so sure about that. If his fingers are any suggestion, he's experienced. Perhaps not competitive with the current rules, but he's someone I expect to see a sudden spike in performance once he comes to grip with the mainland rules.

[Kraco]

Episode 3 720 | 1080 - HS





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A fine episode. It seems like no matter if it's a bigger or a smaller match, this show manages to make it feel like it matters. Desktomu made the best decision by allowing the new people to play. Nothing will integrate them better than giving them a bit of equal treatment, even if they were doomed to lose. Still, Sumire's opponent was pretty funny.

Looks like Shinobu (who stopped eating ice cream, it seems) knows Arata from way back. What is this, a double triangle?

Edit: A second female since Chihaya counts as a male, haha.

[Ryllharu]

Desktomu made the best decision by allowing the new people to play. Nothing will integrate them better than giving them a bit of equal treatment, even if they were doomed to lose. Still, Sumire's opponent was pretty funny.

Looks like Shinobu (who stopped eating ice cream, it seems) knows Arata from way back. What is this, a double triangle?

Edit: A second female since Chihaya counts as a male, haha.

Deskmoto is damn impressive. He managed to both ingratiate the new members by including them in the matches, as well as show how carefully he calculates the matches. He's giving off club president vibes already. He thinks about this kind of stuff in the right way. It's not about simply winning, but winning and making the club have strong bonds along the way. He ended up coming off a lot less narrow-minded than Nikuman or Taichi.

For Sumire, getting repeatedly touched and assisted by her opponent has got to rankle. I like that she took Chihaya's performance as inspiration. If she gets better, she won't be pitied, and she won't have to tolerate their creepiness.

It certainly wasn't clear what Shinobu was thinking. They are from the same region after all (at least I seem to remember them being from the same region), so it isn't a surprise the two of them have met before. It really could go either way. Shinobu might be looking forward to it because Arata beat her resoundingly in the past, Arata is one of the few people who can really challenge her, or because she's smitten.

I'm a bit curious how she lost all the weight.

Kana is really mean, but it made me laugh.

[Buffalobiian]

Shinobu knows Arata? Sweet!

Throw her at Arata, and I'll have my Taichi X Chihaya pairing! Come to think of it, I wonder how Deskmoto's academic studies are going. He was second in his grade, but he had to study his ass off while Taichi kind of just does it. If he's so into karuta right now, what about his future aspirations?

The teacher made a good point about the career forms. Chihaya's good enough to go pro if she wanted to (her job will only be something to make a living out of anyway, assuming professional karuta doesn't make money), while Taichi will likely be good at whatever he decided he wants to do. Deskmoto himself implied that he doesn't really have a passion or talent for karuta, and I believe the same applies to studies (though he is more successful at that).

[Kraco]

Episode 3 720 | 1080 - HS




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This keeps getting the blood pumping. Taichi's problems are quite multifaceted, but at least he occasionally overcomes them. Perhaps he now caught a permanent idea as well, especially if he still remembers the geezer's words and realises what he did during the latter half of the match.

Chihaya never getting intimidated but only inspired by seeing tough players is quite nice, and a sure sign of how pure she is. It makes me want to see her play against Arata all the more... Speaking of Arata, his old man was quite funny. Kind of a boyish dude.