First of all, I do want to say that there is one point at which this series has disappointed. At first, I thought that this would also be a series about how adolescence can change people, and how much interests can change. Things like Taichi’s girlfriend, everyone aside from Chiyaha quitting Karuta as they grew up and learned new things actually made me think that such an interesting twist would play a big role in this series, but then Chihaya came and forcefully dragged everyone back.
And really: in general I do prefer the series that try something new or interesting to the ones that stay with tried and true formulas like Chihayafuru, but in this case it’s just so damn well executed that it just does not matter here. This show rocks and stands among the best of the season. The new character in this episode was actually the number the guy who went against Arata in the child tournament. It is a coincidence like hell, but it fits this show so well. Chihaya at this point really needed someone at her own level, now that Arata isn’t gonna come back for a while. This guy is exactly that.
This episode also marks the end of the second part of this series. The first part was the introduction with the flashback, the second part was the introduction of the side characters. So far there has been no episode wasted and this show has always been quick t move on to the next relevant thing. And I’m really curious to see what the next major focus of this series will be.
After eight episodes, I can also see why Chihaya is the main character of this series. It’s not that she’s talented in the way of most talented people in anime, where things often are broken down into hard work versus talent: people either excel in one of those. Chihaya’s reason for standing out does have a lot to do with hard work, but it’s slightly different from usual here: on top of working hard, she’s also got the personality that draws people into her pacing. She’s that one person in 10000 whose personality just keeps overwhelming everyone around her, taking exactly who she wants to along with her in the process.
Rating: ** (Excellent)]]>
Chihayafuru – 08
One of the things I like about this series, as compared to Shion no Ou, is that it actually makes the effort of presenting the game to lay people.
I loved how the shifting camera point of view showed the entire game from the perspective of the player.
Looks like karuta will be more than just a gimmick in Chihayafuru
One of the things I like about this series, as compared to Shion no Ou, is that it actually makes the effort of presenting the game to lay people.
I loved how the shifting camera point of view showed the entire game from the perspective of the player.
Looks like karuta will be more than just a gimmick in Chihayafuru
Ah Chihayafuru day has come and gone again!
I liked that they reintroduced a previous character.
I wonder if they’re setting up some sort of showdown with Chihaya and the Empress
And it’s actually taught us a bit more about the game play!
I want to know where they will go next, if they will show more karuta, or shift back to a bit more of the romance. Or, if they will take part in some competition. I think it needs to take it out of the school for a bit, we’ve had three consecutive episodes focusing on the school and team members, it needs to break out a little to keep it fresh.
or, if possible, I’d love an episode showing more of what Arata’s up to.
Am I the only one who thinks Chihaya is kind of a bi*ch for insisting on calling that fellow “pork bun” and forcefully dragging everybody back into the Karuta world for her own pleasure (including physically tackling them/grabbing their hoodie, etc), regardless of how warm and fuzzy the outcome ends up being?
@ rufe
No, you’re not the only one. I kind of can’t help but find her and Taichi to be extremely frustrating…to the point where I really might just drop this…the only characters I even kind of like are Arata and the other girl whose name escapes me…and they are not the focus really…so yeah…
The Anime is well made from the Manga (there has startet when there are children-this part was little shorter made); die last new charactars have get more screen time than in the Manga. (Think also its better)
In Manga the last too boys came in the same chaper (they also change who comes first)….and there was nothing with were in this episode that she must forced him and so.
If they made it from the Manga, how they did before….then next time must come the birthday from Chihaya. (There you have some fine Romance-parts; but it will be mostly the last in this much…) And after this its the focus on the karuta more (was from beginning clear when reading the story), the club goes to tournaments.
Little later you get sometimes switch to Arats doing….(but it was also long clear, he does live far away, so he will be not so often to see than the other two etc…)
Thats what you all should prepare for-if there go after the Manga, which they have done fine bevor. But think it would be also better….(it will be also interessting); hope the made many more other seasons time after time. 🙂
I dont like if original story get chaning to much in the animes…
Chihayafuru até o momento não me decepcionou em nenhum ponto. Desde o principio, a série apontou para um caminho que seria tudo, menos algo como Honey and Clover, se centralizando principalmente no karuta. Na versão animada então, acredito que as coisas se tornem ainda mais imprensadas e com menos foco no crescimento.
OH WAIT, commented in Portuguese XD
I’m your fan, btw.
This show gets really annoying. I mean the main heroine is selfish and everything is about karuta in her head. I get it, its a game anime but still, she has no character depth whatsoever.
@Fabrice
think you mostly are think this alone. *drop*
And it was from beginning so das Chihaya had only karuta in her head.
Also originally game is not really correctly, this is a sport in Japan!
—
To my last post:
a wanted worte the for die (xd)
(sad theres no edit function)
Well, when there is a female lead in anime. . .it seems people of fans want her to be more feminine and has a bit of depth to her. But let’s switch her gender to a guy, and watch the same actions that chihaya has done as a guy and many fans will brush it off as a guy thing. What’s with the double standard? If you want romance, please go and watch romcom or harem or even drama. If you want something more focus on life or her thoughts and etc go and watch slice of life. Chihayafuru is focus on a card game through and through with a character centered on it. Everything else second to her even romance from what I see up to vol 14. There will be character growth but for a long series like this it is going to take its time to build-up.
Nah, if a guy was calling the pudgy character “meat bun” I’d think he was an ass as well. To remove the illusion that there is some sort of double-standard I also hated the main character from “Dear Boys” because he had many of the same irritating traits.
I think the “no character growth” charge is unfair. Chihaya did show some growth from when she was motivated purely by her sister’s dream. Also, many other people in the show have shown some amount of character growth; even the kid she recruited last week has shown a little growth by being willing to break out of his study-only persona. Taichi has shown a LOT of growth, even though he still shows continuity with the core of his character.
I actually think Fabrice is right in that she hasn’t had character growth. However, I would add to his sentence the word ‘yet’. What is interesting so far is that we’re seeing the areas Chihaya needs to grow at as a Karuta player at the moment, and the three new characters all introduce to that aspect nicely. Rather than seeing she has grown we see the path she will be taking for her growth and understandably she has not taken that yet since obviously the series is not that far along yet. I think there may be too much impatience in this regard.
Selfish and annoying maybe but I certainly find her endearing and yet childish (but in a good sense ala Noloty). Sure Karuta is her main motivation but realize as well she is pretty much a kid who basically enjoys something so much that she is pretty pure hearted in wanting to share that feeling to everyone else so much so that she would be insistent. Clearly though Chihaya is still a kid who lacks delicacy and tact in her actions, but hey that was established already if you’re annoyed by that sorta character there is no helping you.
Finally, this is a sports anime after all Fabrice and Karuta IS the sport. I honestly do not see why you would take it against the series for being what it is when you expect it to be something it isn’t. Again no helping you there.
On a side note with regard to romance I think its pretty clear whom her feelings side towards, I mean the poem of Chihayafuru is after all about deep love/passion and remember who gave it to her. Like I said earlier Chihaya is still pretty much a kid so I doubt she realizes her feelings may be more than just admiration and pretty much verging on romance – incidentally she can’t identify romance but I guess being dense is part of her tactless character so I can let that fly by.
@paj, I also don’t consider it a gender issue. It just makes me look forward more to her eventual breakdown and rebuilding as a character, since the show has very subtly hinted at that.
On a related note, I appreciate this series for trying to portray gifted brats with some sincerity. I don’t get that feeling from most anime about gifted people. It’s the only real reason I’m enjoying the karuta matches.
@rufe
I can see where you’re coming from, but at the same time if she wasn’t dragging people into karuta, then she would have no karuta club, and she obviously loves the game and want other people to share the joy too.
I think from the childhood episodes it has been established that she is a very direct person and doesn’t think before she speaks, she associates the guy with pork buns, but she doesn’t have ill will, and she doesn’t look down on the guy in any way. However, I do think that as a joke in the story, it’s a bit of a low one and I don’t find it particularly funny.
I think Chihaya definitely needs to grow more as a character, and I hope that it does happen.
Chihaya’s selective deafness/ insistence on calling Nishida by her former nick-name for him was definitely not cool. However, seeing as everything else about her is still pretty awesome, I guess she can be forgiven. Yay for strong female leads in shoujo – refreshing to say the least! And yes, psgels, this show continues to ‘rock’ traditional (shoujo) anime elements very well, loving the energy of this show. 🙂