If you want to be good, you have to suffer. Chihayafuru really nailed that in this episode without going overboard like most “hard work and guts”-series. This show has really convinced me that these kids are really good because of how they grew up, and not just because the plot demands it *coughSakicough*. I loved Chihaya’s mindset in this episode: it’s of course safer to just gradually introduce them to Karuta. But Karuta is a game about the mind. Being able to play against someone very talented is a much better way to get that mindset that is needed for this game. If you continue to play against amateurs, it’s much harder to.
My only complaint about this episode was that the creators have now completely forgotten that Taichi was supposed to have a girlfriend. In particular, no effort whatsoever has been spent into why he fell for her. At the moment it’s much like he figured what the heck and just picked a random girl to hang out with.
But still, there are two shows that really stand above the others this season: Un-Go and this one. Chihaya doesn’t just drag every character along with her, she also does so with the viewer. The final part of this episode in which Arata showed signs of life again only reaffirmed this. With this kind of reaction, he has the potential to become a really good rival, miles away from the usual rival.
Rating: ** (Excellent)]]>
Chihayafuru – 09
I too have noticed that the creators totally forgot about Taichi’s girlfriend. She probably going to play an important part soon
I can’t wait for Taichi’s girlfriend to reappear!
“I can’t wait for Taichi’s girlfriend to reappear!”
Lol, she won’t.
Taichi said in an earlier episode that he did pick a random girl to be his girlfriend, and that he could dump her if Chihaya wanted him to. Still, the girlfriend probably does like Taichi, so count me among the people excited to see her reappear.
I actually think you hit home when you said taichii thought what the heck and picked a random girl. From the context clues it’s pretty safe to assume that taichi is pretty popular at his school. So I don’t see why he wouldn’t pick up some random girl for the heck of it out of boredom or appearances . That is of course until chihaya appeared again
Yup he said that he picked a girl because he was bored in the earlier episodes.
That is just plain insensitive of taichi. If you don’t really like a girl don’t hurt her in that way. . it is because i was bored or while I am pining away for another girl you’ll be a good substitute until then. What in the world. I don’t know what is going to happen but I really don’t want her to end up with taichi but from reading the manga. . .arata doesn’t really show up much and never really comes back into the group. He is more like a goal for everyone to reach. Chihaya just never seem to think too much why arata is very important to her. As for tachi, he plays an important part. . .she can’t run the club and function right when he’s not around. The story teases about the romance but never really delivers it.
Yea, I think Taichi is probably a bit(?) of a player.
The last scene was intense though, well done.
Taichi is not a player. The mangaka just retconed the “girlfriend”. You could say he dumped her off-scream. Either way it’s not important because you’ll never see her (or hear about her) ever again.
@Taichi
I bet that dumping “off-scream” was a real scream as well. ^_^
@The story teases about the romance but never really delivers it. Yup just like what paj said, the only thing in chihaya mind through book 14 is to bring the club into national championship&to become karuta queen for now^^ Boys&romance never appear in her head unfortenately, so you just have to see how the mangaka unfold the story later on, but I guess we can already assume what the main focus of the anime is.
And regarding taichi’s girlfriend, well let’s just say that the mangaka just write her off-screen for good anyway^^
its funny in skip beat it took the main guy to realize he was in love with the main girl for the first 13 volumes and the main girl is taking 10 or 20 volumes to figure it out lol. So I’m not worried about 14 volumes of arata barely showing up and appearing every now and then. I hope the creator will have something planned for his character in the later volumes. But I love how big of an impact he makes by not being there at all 0_0.
I think chihaya is a great character I may not like her all the time due to being too pushy at times but she wants to be the best so be it.
I still like arata more than taichi for the simple reason that no one expected anything of arata unlike taichi. Taichi has always excelled in anything that he did (except karuta lol) people always had high expectation of him so when he is finally in a position that he cant get what he wants (like chihaya) it challenges him to do better.
Arata has always had to prove himself and as a result he had confidence in the one thing he could do best which is play karuta. Maybe its just me but I love rooting for the underdog. So again I hope the author brings him back in full force in the future volumes.
A lot of comments about a girl who’s not there. 🙂
Another great episode, with the characters acting very real yet still dynamic and interesting without being to much over the top. The writing is so enjoyable and each person adds there persona to the story and moves it along. They really pack a lot of the story into a very small space.
If only more shows would do this>>>>>>>>
Can’t wait for the next show.
Jeez, people. In the first episode Taichi says that the girl asked HIM out. He didn’t pick up a random girl because he was bored. Someone asked him out, and he said yes. She didn’t ask him to marry her. If you want to be bitter about him accepting a date from some random girl that likes him, that is your prerogative, but rather silly.
That was definitely the best episode of the show in a while, perhaps so far. Fantastically well done.
I came to write about what I liked about this episode but
can those commenting please be more considerate and STOP GIVING SPOILERS from the manga that have yet to happen in the anime?
For me, half the fun of watching anime is to speculate about what will happen while seeing it unfold, but in this week’s comments people are already giving away a lot about what will unfold, and who will appear or not.
I don’t want to have to stop reading and commenting through these comments, which has been great fun for me.
I’m not sure if Psgels has a policy on this, so maybe it’s not up for me to say. So if Psgels comes back and says he doesn’t mind people giving this kind of info, then fine, and I guess I’ll just stop coming in to post.
____
Back to my comments:
I loved the ‘romance’ moments in this a lot, when Mashimo stops her from entering his room, and also stealing the spoon of cake before letter Chihaya read the text.
And we also learnt more about karuta strategy, and yes! I tournament! And I know where Shiga is cos I have a friend over there at the moment!
I think the empress made someone else the president so she didn’t want to have to deal with Ayase.
Hehe, I also like the moment where Ayase was all pig-headed and just bulldozed over what Mashima thought they should do, esp since she later on reflects that she may be too pushy.
Kana was also very cute.
I totally support Chihaya/Taichi. But unfortunately I don’t have any hope to see them ending up together, because I’m getting used to this kind of authors – all they know is teasing, teasing, teasing. They build up huge expectactions on viewers and then nothing, friends will be friends. The karuta matches are getting a bit more interesting, at least.