It’s back! The sports/school club/romance hybrid has returned for a third season, and it hardly missed a beat in the six years it was off the air. I rewatched the second season a few months ago, and apart from the new voice actor for Harada-sensei (more on that in a bit), the show felt like its old self. It had the same traditional soundtrack, same sparkly backgrounds, same clever use of on-screen text, and same single-minded Chihaya. Sure, there was a single shot of CG karuta cards being shuffled, but what’s a little 3D animation next to your main character receiving an accurate TV transplant across more than half a decade? This episode was a definite success in my eyes, but I do wonder how season 3 will be received by an audience whose expectations (both for this series and for anime in general) have changed over time.
Despite beginning its life as an underdog within the western fandom, Chihayafuru’s visual consistency and appropriation of shounen elements for its josei story managed to gather an audience that wouldn’t shut up about it. Fast forward to the end of the decade, and there are people heralding its return as the event of the fall season, even with juggernauts like My Hero Academia running alongside it. I’m curious, though, whether this cult status will survive into 2020. Will people tire of the series’ training sessions, tournament arcs, and flourishes of unrequited love? Chihayafuru never ventures too far from its original foundation, and some audience members have lamented the unceasing karuta matchups and bemoaned the show’s lack of romantic progress. It’s been a while since I’ve read the manga, but from what I recall, neither of those “problems” are likely to disappear any time soon. Will this be the season that breaks the camel’s back for these fair weather fans? Will I have joined their number by the end?
Part of the reason for this speculation is to fill column space, as I don’t have too much to say about the episode. The next two weeks are supposed to be double episodes, from what I’ve read online, but this one was normal length, and its first seven minutes were recap city. There’s a new 99RadioService OP, but it’s set to old footage, and their straightforward J-rock sound leaves much to be desired (new members comprise 60% of the band’s current lineup). My biggest takeaway from this section of the premiere was hearing Kenta Miyake voice Harada-sensei in place of the recently departed Unshou Ishizuka. I can see what the producers were going for by casting him – Harada will factor into the plot as a serious competitor this season, and Miyake has plenty of experience playing baritone badasses. Still, I missed the gravel that Ishizuka brought to the role, hinting at his ferocious playstyle while maintaining that sage-like sound. This change won’t hamper my appreciation of his character by any means, but it demanded a mention.
One paragraph to discuss the rest of the premiere is plenty, as the way it jumped into Fujisaki’s summer training camp gave it a simple structure. Chihaya’s right hand is still recovering from surgery, so she plays left-handed against Rion and Taichi, losing four straight games and nearly slipping into a funk. There’s the usual talk of how nuts she is about karuta: putting herself through such a strict regimen despite her injury, blocking out all thoughts of sexual attraction until she reaches her competitive goals, etc. More interesting than those familiar moments are the episode’s opposing viewpoints on her relationship with Taichi. Retro says he plays better when Chihaya isn’t around; Sakurazawa says his highest potential is tied to her presence. I’m not one to get caught up in the romantic fervor surrounding this series, but it’s a fact that Taichi pines for Chihaya like a damn evergreen. Whether he can use that as a motivator ought to be a big part of his arc this year, since the show was so upfront in creating this dichotomy. Personally, I just hope the subject doesn’t encumber Chihaya as she matures as an athlete and a young woman. I’d much rather see her win the title of Queen than anything else.
