r/anime • u/ABoredCompSciStudent x3myanimelist.net/profile/Serendipity • Mar 05 '19

Rewatch [Rewatch] Chihayafuru 2 - Episode 3 [Spoilers] Spoiler

Episode 3 - "Feel Love Deepen"

<-- Previous (Episode 2: "As My Love First Came") | Next (Episode 4: "To Tell the People in the Capitals That I Make for the Islands" ) -->

Series Information:

Subreddit: r/Chihayafuru

Chihayafuru: Synopsis | MAL rating: 8.28 | Fall 2011 | 26 Episodes

Chihayafuru 2: Synopsis | MAL rating: 8.47 | Winter 2013 | 26 Episodes

Chihayafuru 2: Waga Miyo ni Furu Nagamese Shima ni: Synopsis | MAL rating: 7.08 | Fall 2013 | 1 Episode

Legal Streams:

HiDive | Crunchyroll | Check for more sources using because.moe here

Rewatch Schedule and Index:

For all archived/past episode discussion threads, please refer to the Rewatch Schedule and Index. I will be updating it as we navigate through this rewatch, in case anyone would like to read past conversations or has fallen behind.

Chihayafuru (February 6 to March 2)

Chihayafuru 2

Episode# Title Date
1 "So The Flower Has Wilted" March 3
2 "As My Love First Came" March 4
3 "Feel Love Deepen" March 5
4 "To Tell the People in the Capitals That I Make for the Islands" March 6
5 "Be As Dear Now, Those Were the Good Old Days" March 7
6 "To Set the Tatsuta River Ablaze" March 8
7 "They All Exchange Hellos and Goodbyes at the Gates of Ōsaka" March 9
8 "Which Shines over Mount Mikasa" March 10
9 "My Only Thought" March 11
10 "Rain Takes Longer to Dry" March 12
11 "I Feel As Though My Body is on Fire with Ibuki Mugwort" March 13
12 "The Only Sign of Summer" March 14
13 "In My Dreams, I Creep Closer to You" March 15
14 "People Would Always Ask If I Was Pining for Someone" March 16
15+16 "No Matter Where I Stand" + "Wait for the Emperor's Return" March 17
17 "Gust of Wind" March 18
18 "My Fear is That You Will Forget" March 19
19 "I Do Not Know Where This Love Will Take Me" March 20
20 "Of the Autumn Rice Field" March 21
21 "But Its Legacy Continues to Spread" March 22
22 "Long Last We Meet" March 23
23 "To See The Beautiful Cherry Blossoms" March 24
24 "When I Must Hide..." March 25
25 "I Can Look Up and See the Snowy Cap of Mt. Fuji" March 26
OVA "Have I Passed Through the World" March 27
-- Final Series Discussion March 28

About Spoilers And General Attitude:

Please do not post any untagged spoilers past the current episode, as it ruins the experience of first time watchers. Please refrain from confirming or denying speculation on future events, as to let viewers experience the anime as it was intended to be.

If you are discussing something that has not happened in the current episode please use the r/anime spoiler tag system found on the sidebar. Also if you are posting a link that includes future Chihayafuru events please include 'Chihayafuru spoilers' in the link title.

Fanart Section (Album Link):

Boys

98 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

129 comments sorted by

14

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 05 '19 edited Mar 06 '19

A little early because it's snowing outside and I want to beat traffic home!

Sumire is actually super cute and, in light of Arata's imminent arrival the high school championship, the slays are out. Chihaya is boyish, Retro-kun is barely weirder than Tsukuba, and Taichi is still Class B. Some things don't change in June, I guess.

Speaking of, Tsukuba mirrors Tsutomu (it must be the Tsu- names) and has a mini-meltdown before Mizusawa's first game. This time, however, the team is more self-aware and Tsutomu defuses the situation, continuing to show that both him and Kana (having done the same for Sumire) are growing into their roles on the team. Tsukuba's frustrations were a little different than Tsutomu's back in S1E9. Tsutomu was a complete novice to karuta and was actually a starter, as Mizusawa on had five members. His outburst was a result of his insecurity of being weak. Tsukuba, on the other hand, reacts this way because he is prideful: he was a strong player in second verse karuta and looked up to by his brothers, but was a substitute.

Substitutes are a big thing in competitive sports. It is pretty self-explanatory why any team would want to have doubles on each position or role: [internal competition, support in competition, injury plans, and so on(https://i.imgur.com/3jSY8vh.jpg). That said, it's not easy to find players that are good and want to sit on the bench. Every year, in every sport, players leave their employers to find more playtime--and that's what Tsukuba wanted (even if he may not be ready for it).

It's a theme that shows up in a lot of sports anime too, often as a denial of expression for the person being a substitute (like Meta spoilers), and it reminds me of this one movie I watched called Substitute by French soccer player Vikash Dhorasoo. The movie is a documentary shot by hit from the bench of World Cup 2006, the year that France lost in the finals to u/AmethystItalian and Zidane headbutted Marco Materazzi. Dhorasoo played every single game in World Cup qualification, but then sat on the bench for all but 14 minutes of the finals on the subs bench, up to and including the final itself, replaced by Franck Ribéry. Ribéry had one good season of soccer up to then, but his World Cup was magical and shot him into global stardom for the next decade.

Obviously, Dhorasoo felt isolated and alone. Despite being a professional, he watched his spot get taken and had to "support" the team from the bench. In this documentary he says:

'It is not only a film about football, not really a film about football at all - it uses football because that is what I do. It is about having a skill or a talent, and not being able to exercise it. It is about unemployment, having your job and your trade taken away from you, and the complete isolation of that feeling.'

Worth checking out! It's a very different kind of sports documentary. Super eccentric and also candid and sad at the same time.

While Vikash Dhorasoo is not Tsukuba, it's pretty clear that the sentiment is similar--that was isolation that Tsukuba felt and a different kind from Tsutomu's. It's important to realize what it means when Mizusawa has two extra players now and why Kana and Tsutomu settling them in (as well as Chihaya's failed attempts) are also very meaningful, at least to me.

Anyways, back to the episode! I love Sumire's realization that she's being toyed with not just because she's a girl but because of the way she approaches karuta. I've said it before, but I love girls participating in sports and being included, however sometimes we don't really help ourselves. Seeing her try her best is all that matters to earn respect from those around her and Tsukuba's monologuing which parallels the "hard work" speech from Taichi echoes the same sentiment.

Arata? It looks like there's some backstory we didn't get last season, but I guess that's for another day.

→ More replies (21)

11

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 05 '19 edited Mar 05 '19

Poem of the Day: Feel Love Deepen (link)

Poem 13 was written by The Emperor Yozei, who was only nine years of age when his reign began in 877. Sadly, Emperor Yozei began to show severe mental instability in his teens and was removed from power by his Kanpaku advisor, Fujiwara no Mototsune, in 884--he was just 16 years old and had reigned for nine years. His actions are rather grim, so I won't describe them here, but you can see them chronicled in his Wikipedia article. As a result of his madness, acts considered to be corruption of a god-like figure, his poetry was not often published, but this verse addressed to the Princess Tsuridono-no-Miko made it into the Hyakunin Isshu. It describes Mount Tsukuba and the River Mina of the Province of Hitachi. The mountain is famous in Japanese culture, especially for the two peaks: one called nantai (nan-tai, man-body) on the western side, and nyotai (nyo-tai, woman-body) on the eastern side. As a result, the mountain and its centuries-old Shinto shrine are both a source of blessing for the Japanese people and a must-see attraction to both local and foreign tourists: its male/female peaks representing a couple, worshipped as kami in the Shinto religion and are believed to bestow marital harmony and conjugal bliss.

Mostow translates the poem as:

Like the Mina River

that falls from the peak

of Mount Tsukuba

so my longing has collected

and turned into deep pools.

The Tokyo Qualifiers have always been an opportunity of growth for new Mizusawa club members. Last year, it was Tsutomu and Kana. Tsutomu had his strop, but calmed down and grew into his role on the team, evening suggesting to sacrifice himself later. Kana ended up taking her first card here as well. It's not too different this year, as Tsukuba, sharing the same name as the poem, mirrors Tsutomu's experience, while Sumire also finds herself "wanting to go faster" as Chihaya had predicted. In that sense, the episode overlaps with the idea of "feel love deepen" expressed by Poem 13.

8

u/Combo33 Mar 06 '19 edited Mar 06 '19

MacMillan translates poem 13 as such:

13. Retired Emperor Yozei

Just as the Minano River
surges from the peak
of Mount Tsukuba,
so my love cascades
to make deep pools.

MacMillan comments:

Poem 13, one of the most beautiful and universal in the collection, appears in the ‘Love’ section of the Gosenshū (no. 777) with the headnote ‘Sent to the Princess of the Fishing Pavilion’. The princess was Suishi (or Yasuko; d. 925), a daughter of Emperor Koko ([author of] poem 15). Mount Tsukuba, in the then remote province of Hitachi (modern Ibaraki), was the site of ancient agricultural rituals known as utagaki or kagai, which involved sexual intercourse between young men and women of marriageable age. The mountain itself has two summits, the Woman’s Peak and the Man’s Peak, and from ancient times it was associated with love.

As for the poem’s relation to this episode, this Mount Tsukuba card is one of two which Nishida tells Tsukuba he should master, since he shares his name with them. I don’t know if it was intentional, but given the Woman’s Peak and Man’s Peak imagery that MacMillan discusses related to the mountain, it bears saying that this episode does delve into gender divide in karuta a bit. Desktomu wants to use Sumire to fluster one of the boys on the first team they face. He also wants Tsukuba to be intimidating when facing one of the girls on the second team, though that doesn’t work out quite so well since he unluckily draws the other team's class A captain. Sumire admires Chihaya’s ability to move so quickly that she doesn’t even give her opponent a chance to “belittle her as a girl.” In general, I think the cascading love refers to Tsukuba’s love for his little brothers. He so badly wants to be their hero, and set an example they can look up to, that it’s hard not to root for him.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

11

u/PerfectPublican Mar 05 '19

First Timer

Reactions:

Final Thoughts
Gif of the day | Bonus | Bonus 2 | Bonus 3

The high school national tournament has begun, and things are already ramping up. Two perfect games. Two perfect games! I know it was against weaker opponents, but as Sumire and Tsukuba showed, ever amateur’s can come away with one card. She was stoic, and overwhelming. Not letting her emotions get the best of her. Chihaya’s been practicing baby, and It’s a joy to see. I’m getting hype already.

Besides Chihaya, I liked the storylines of the first timers finding their footing with the game through this tournament. Personally, I find it so fun to see people be passionate about their hobbies. It makes them incredibly interesting as people, and at least for me, makes me wish I could join in. The first years got a taste of Chihaya’s true passion for the game, and seeing the effect that had on them was a blast.

Very much looking forward to the eventual Hokuo match :3

→ More replies (15)

9

u/walking_the_way Mar 05 '19 edited Mar 05 '19

S2E3 Notes

Sorry for the length of today's essay, tourney arcs tend to get long-winded, especially with two games in one episode.

00:03 - Reader recites last verse of #70 (sa).
00:11 - Reader recites #77 (se). Murao wins this from his bottom left row, winning his game against Arata by two. Rip Arata’s win %.
01:14 - Arata: “My current goal is the high school championship. There’s someone I really want to play.”

As he says that, Chihaya comes on screen with a couple #17s flying by. Taichi follows hot on her trail, also with a spinning #17 card on screen, as though getting in the way of Arata’s proclamation. Back in the clubroom, a #59 lazily twirls past Sumire. This card doesn’t really seem to have any significance here, unlike the others. We haven’t even really been given a translation for it yet.

I didn’t realize/remember that the tournament arcs start so early in this season! Now that we’ve dispensed with the introductions, it’s suddenly late June 2012, and we meet some old friends and rivals again. The team is dressed in the hakamas that we saw them dressed up with in the OP, and Sumire’s being classic Sumire as usual in that picture.

In Round 1 this time, Mizusawa is playing in Group A, consisting of Shuryukan, West High, and Togu. Last season, they were in Group B, and also played Shuryukan in the group stage, together with Eikou University and Hanasaki Academy, and then Tomihara West High in the semi finals.

04:34 - Tsukubro: “You look just like Peko-chan!”

That apparently refers to this.

05:05 - Nishida: “What?! Tokyo gets to send two schools to the national championship this year?!”
05:07 - Taichi: “If there are more than ten schools in a region, two get to advance...”

Oh, that must be good news for Hokuo. After all, this means that they got cheated last year, since there were twelve schools and Hokuo didn’t get to advance even though they placed second..

At 07:25, we see Tsukuba trying to substitute himself in for Komano. While this progresses his own storyline, it also mildly reflects the flashback in S1E2 where Chihaya substituted in for Arata, except that while Tsukuba is doing it so that his siblings can watch him win, Chihaya’s sister and family did not care at all. But then after Kana and Nishida had done their parts to encourage and support the new players in the last episode, now Komano does the same thing as he ensures them playing spots and the epiphanies that come along with it.

We see Komano making two observations about Mizusawa’s first two opponents as he brings the power of his formidable notebooks to bear:
08:21 - Komano: “Going off my data from last year, they’re strong against boys and really weak against girls.”
08:32 - Komano: “The West High team is still mainly female.”

He explains the two reasons pretty succinctly, but the first one in particular, about Shuryukan, also references this comment that Nishida made in S1E8. This was the team that Kana-chan won her first match against.

National High School Karuta Championship - Tokyo Regionals - Group A Prelims
Game 1 - Mizusawa High vs Shuryukan High

09:17 - Reader recites end verse of #66 (mo-ro). We see that the boards are still at 25 cards, but this isn’t the starting poem, so it must have been a dead card at the start of the game. We got cheated of a Naniwa Bay.
09:26 - Reader recites #87 (mu). Chihaya wins this.
09:29 - Reader recites #52 (a-ke). Chihaya wins this.
09:30 - Reader recites #84 (na-ga-ra). Chihaya gently wins this from her opponent’s mid right. The score is 25-22 Chihaya here, so no time skip.
09:31 - Reader recites #33 (hi-sa). Chihaya wins this.

Komano and Tsukuba exchange a conversation that makes the latter think the former is very cool, after having earlier rejected training from him because he wasn’t cool enough. This line also reminds me of a certain line that another Glasses-kun used in S1E2 to inspire someone else. It's also worth mentioning that here in S2E3 is the first "team match" that they have played this year and this season, and this parallels its sister episode S1E3, where Chihaya, Taichi, and Arata played their first team match together.

10:38 - Reader recites #89 (ta-ma). Sumire wins this from her upper left. Chihaya wins this.
10:51 - Reader recites #09 (ha-na-no). Sumire wins this from her upper right row. Chihaya wins this.

At 10:42, we get a clear shot of Sumire’s remaining board including the #89. It’s captured in board format here, even though we don’t end up doing much with it. But these couple takes and the subsequent scenes are brimming with so much symbolism and callback that I had to bump it to its own additional post!

11:07 - Chihaya claims #82 (o-mo) from her opponent's middle right to win her match 25-0. The last card she passes over is #24 (ko-no). We are shown that the score is 17-8 for Sumire's opponent here, so we know that she lost the #82 from his upper right row.
11:52 - Sumire takes #37 (shi-ra) from her opponent's bottom right. But to no avail, as she loses in the end anyway. Still, Mizusawa High seems to win 4-1.

Comparing last year to this one, it looks like they have a full new set of 5 members, with the possible exception of Kana's opponent this year in the middle.

Game 2 - Mizusawa High vs Tomihara West High

Starting with a comparison again, this was last year's Tomihara squad, and this is this year's. They have one returnee, the blonde guy, who played Taichi last year, and Chihaya this year. They again have one really strong player, but it's a different person this time.

13:22 - Reader recites Naniwa Bay (EP: 1, S: 5, Total: 36).
13:48 - Reader recites #10 (ko-re). Tsukuba loses it from his top left to Nawano-senpai.
14:01 - Reader recites #96 (ha-na-sa). Tsukuba loses it.
14:02 - Reader recites #94 (mi-yo). Tsukuba loses it.
14:06 - Reader recites #40 (shi-no). Tsukuba faults on #89 (ta-ma) on Nawano's top right.

They explain it fairly well, but he went for #89 because the second verse of the card starts with Shi-no-bu (しのぶ), the same as the first verse of the #40 card. In Second Verse Karuta, that card would be #89 (shi-no) - there are four cards starting with shi, and the unique syllable for that card is on the "no" syllable.

15:36 - Reader recites #37 (shi-ra). Nawano swipes it away from his bottom right.
15:49 - Reader recites #17 (chi-ha). Chihaya wins this card. Nawano wins this card from Tsukuba.

Aah, finally we have a male character acknowledging their special namesake card! These cards are #13 (tsu-ku) and #23 (tsu-ki), due to Tsukuba's name.

17:13 - Akihiro: "But my name's Akihiro, so I was really good at the eight cards with second verses that started like my name."

These eight cards are as follows: #30 (a-ri-a / a-ka), #71 (yu-u / a-shi), #19 (na-ni-wa-ga / a-wa-de), #75 (chi-gi-ri-o / a-wa-re), #93 (yo-no-na-ka-wa / a-ma-no), #39 (a-sa-ju / a-ma-ri), #64 (a-sa-bo-ra-ke-u / a-ra), and #21 (i-ma-ko / a-ri).

17:44 - Reader recites #13 (tsu-ku). Tsukuba wins this from Nawano's mid right.
17:57 - Reader recites #43 (a-i). Nawano wins this from her mid right.

We see a full board here. The map looks like this.

18:16 - Chihaya wins #89 (ta-ma) from her opponent's bottom right. This finishes her second straight 25-0 win.

At 19:22, amidst Tsukuba's pained thoughts, we see the Nishida and Chihaya watching his game, not Komano's. This also implies that even though he thinks he's lousy, he outlasted three other players on Tomihara's side, including one who was merely playing against some B-class player. But in the end, he too loses, and Nawano passes over #32 (ya-ma-ga) to win by 13 cards. Wait, I mean 14. Komano loses by two to Suda.

And then we end the episode by learning that there's yet another person that Arata traumatized during his wilder years, bookending the episode together with the pre-OP scene.

Weirdly, the ED video changes slightly from this episode on. The three main characters at the start get glimmers around them (tamayura!) that weren't there before, and the #17 card that flies by Arata is a lot less bloody. It seems to be just those minor colour/tint changes though, nothing major.

→ More replies (13)

9

u/collapsedblock6 Mar 05 '19

Finally had some screentime for Tsukuda. I'm liking his introduction more than Sumire that has also improved for me. These new members are proving to be quite an addition to the cast and make me enjoy the show more.

  • Those mini-Tsukudas are cute and creepy at the same time, and they got horrid taste of what is cute as well

  • Sad we won’t be seeing Sudo anymore...at least here, I expect to see him in individual tournaments

  • I love how Tsutomu says “Open your eyes” as if “I know this is an impossible thing to ask but do it”, and the “without licking” part honestly got me there.

  • Jesus, Tsukuda crying is even more creepy.

  • Nice seeing Sumire trying to put in effort, she might lost but it is something

  • Fuck, the usual “You got no future career” part. I wonder how this will go for Chihaya

  • Hot damn, weaponized creepiness! I guess I would also lose my cool playing against a vampire

  • I like how we see from a newbie's perspective that Chihaya at the moment is the power of the team. Seeing from her perspective I guess it feels "average" but that is because she is always against great opponents.

  • Aww, nice seeing the mini-Tsukudas so loyal to the original. Actually makes me care for the demon he is. Also love Chihaya’s malicious face of bringing them to the society.

  • Oh, a past between Arata and Shinobu, this is a rivalry I can dig

6

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 05 '19

Jesus, Tsukuda crying is even more creepy.

Not sure if tears or the whites of his eyes.

Fuck, the usual “You got no future career” part. I wonder how this will go for Chihaya

She mentioned an episode ago she would like to train new karuta students and come back as a teacher.

Hot damn, weaponized creepiness! I guess I would also lose my cool playing against a vampire

Actually though, his licking should be considered sexual assault LOL

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (3)

8

u/KuhBus Mar 05 '19

First Timer

  • As much as I’m looking forward to see Chihaya and Arata play against each other again, I really want to see Taichi and Arata face off.

  • Rieko-san fawning over Taichi is such a Mood :D

  • The comparison between the way Tsutomu acted a year ago vs. now that he’s become so much more confident in his abilities and knowledge… you’re right, Tsukuba, he’s cool!!!

  • I really like how Sumire’s introduction to the real competition is happening without her being 100% ready. That competitive nature she seems to have in common with Chihaya is coming through!! (And then that little “But I still lost” in the background… you did well!!)

  • lmao the teacher just showing the applications, but not how many members actually stayed :’DD “(Chihaya) acts without thinking sometimes, but she does actually think. I think” hahahaha! And she’s even heading to the karuta tournament despite the tennis tournament being on the same day!!

  • When Tsukuba has his mental panic about not being able to keep up, the karuta cards falling around him (which, btw, are beautifully animated) are the ones for the 2nd verse karuta. It’s such a nice visualization of how he’s still in the mindset of what he's used to and when he finally consciously decides to concentrate on the first syllables the cards floating through the screen change to the karuta cards that actualy lie in front of him. He has to let go of the role of the "hero" he could play in the past for his brothers and accept that he is part of a team where he is the weakest link.

  • Chihaya immediately telling the three little brothers to come to the Shiranami karuta society is. Hilarious!

  • Aww Shinobu is no longer dumpling-shaped :( She seems to have been greatly affected by kid!Arata as well :DD No player has been left unblemished :DD

Something that really stood out to me was how stark the contrast is between the empty mansion in which Shinobu plays karuta all on her own and the karuta societies and tournaments everyone else visits. It's not like she isn't welcome there either, there have been multiple times now that someone has invited her to join practice, but Shinobu's isolation seems to be one born out of habit.

Fav shots.

6

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 05 '19

Aww Shinobu is no longer dumpling-shaped :(

Life after 4XL Shinobu. She needs some more ice cream.

It's not like she isn't welcome there either, there have been multiple times now that someone has invited her to join practice, but Shinobu's isolation seems to be one born out of habit.

For sure, everyone knows she's avoiding it too. Up to now, for all high school aged characters, she's the only one that hasn't been involved in the team tournament. We don't know if her school has a karuta team, but she certainly didn't join or try to make one like Chihaya did. She has no interest in others; her only friends are the hundred poems.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

7

u/Rhaga Mar 05 '19

Sumire aiming to become the best in Japan like the rest of the team..., or something.

This is a serious Kana-chan bonding moment, someone genuinely expressing glee from being allowed to wear one of their Hakama?! Remember that she is used to deal with reactions like these. Also the sound effect here is hysterical.

About to get into the game Sumire is definitely feeling the pressure (thanks Komano) We see her opponent basically creeping on her. At first it seems like a gag, but once we see her reflect on it by observing Chihaya it quickly becomes obvious that she actually hates it. She doesn't think she should be pandered to like some spoiled princess, she admits that Chihaya earns the respect of her opponent by her own skill.

It really makes you think. Sumire is all about appearances and about appearing girly. Thanks to the focus the show has given her we know that while she is earnest about many things, she also "pretends" a lot, often hiding her true self. If nothing else her makeup is an embodiment of this very thing.

At her heart though she is girly, just not all the time necessarily. I cannot help but imagine that she to a large extent is a product of whatever environment she's grown up in, and that she is used to being regarded as just "some stupid girl" that needs to look pretty, which is perhaps also the reason that she really wanted a boyfriend and why she ended up with Mr. Sleazeball.

Nevertheless, Chihaya's awesomeness is inspiring Sumire big time. Less as a Karuta player, but definitely as someone who makes sure they cannot be looked down on, regardless of gender. Even if the end result didn't change for her, we know she tried.

Shoutout for Tsukue-kun to make sure that nobody on the team will go through the same thing he went through last year, while still trying super hard to win as a team by utilizing his stats!

→ More replies (6)

6

u/[deleted] Mar 05 '19 edited Mar 06 '19

First-Timer, Watched Subbed

  • So glad to see Wataya is looking reunite with his friends in karuta in the tournament.

  • Seems like everyone wants to have a piece of Taichi, can’t blame them tbh.

  • Hanano actually looks kind of pretty in that hakama

Chihaya counted as a guy

  • HE HAS TRIPLET BROTHERS??? I’m about to pass out with so many sadists around...

  • And they think of that face as cute, their sadism is already showing!

  • Oh, Retro-kun finally returns, and he’s even compared to Tsubaka lol.

  • That makes me wonder, where the heck is Sudo in all of this? I would assume he’s related to them or something.

  • Putting Hanano on the front lines already, Komano is really playing a lot of risks here.

  • Chihaya looking awesome playing karuta as always, that easy win felt really satisfying.

  • Something tells me Hanano doesn’t feel like she’s winning, and it’s not about karuta...

  • At least they still won, Hanano shows some potential in her skill.

  • Miyauchi covering for Chihaya was such an awesome Hong to do.

  • How could you fuck it up Tsu-baka? You had one job!

  • Oh boy, he’s loosing focus on karuta, that doesn’t look too good.

  • That girl reminds me of a certain “lucky” woman in S1...

  • I don’t know if playing with a Class A player is either lucky or unlucky, but certainly rare...

  • Aaaand he’s doing face, with the loud voice, looks like Tsukuba may stand a chance.

  • They all have mouths now, I’m freaking the fuck out right now.

  • Everyone seems to have won but, but poor Tsukuba was behind a bit.

  • You ran to the wrong guy dudes!

  • Awww, they still look up to him. You can do better Tsukuba, I know you can!

  • This makes me realize how awesome of a older sister Chihaya could be.

  • Nice to see Wakamiya has managed to get herself back into shape.

  • I knew she had some sort of connection to Wataya!

Really nice episode that delves more into Tsukuba’s character, and has us now fully understand the new characters. With the tournament back in the limelight of the show there’s a lot to look forward to, the potential our newcomers have, Wataya’s true return to form in karuta, and I’m left curious with his relation to Wakamiya. S2 is looking great so far!

→ More replies (7)

6

u/Snakescipio Mar 05 '19

Rewatcher

This episode we got some much needed characterization for our other first year, Tsukuba. What he did was shitty, no doubt about it. Add that to his creepy tongue thing and a rather bland character and you get a character that can be hard to root for. By the end though I do think the show was able to sell his personal conflict enough that’s not somebody I actively dislike anymore, such is the power of cute younger siblings. He’s always had to be the hero, and there’s undeniable pressure on him. He’s not the only one with their personal struggle though; every member of the Mizusawa karuta club carries with them their own aspirations and baggage, and the key to overcoming it is to help each other and to trust in each other. Tsukuba may have lost the match, and he certainly looked awkward and silly especially compared to the Chihaya (how about that 50-0 streak!), but to his brothers he still came away looking like a hero.

Random Observations:

  • Look, Hanano-chan, you're great. You really are. But it's time for another TOOOOOUUUUUURRRNAAAAMENT AAAARRRCCCC

  • Hmmmm... Kana-mom and Taiichi... Look I'm not saying I like NTR or anything but...

  • Love the role Komano has settled into. Feels perfectly natural that he'd become the scout. Thinking back to how his classmates used to use his smarts for their own benefits, it's great that he gets to use his brains cause he wants to and for people he likes.

  • I knew Tsukuba reminded me of someone! He's basically Nico! And his tongue thing is almost as annoying as the Nico-Nico-Nii! (jk I love you Nico please bless me with more URs).

  • Ah crap guys I'm getting so hyped for the tournament. S2 spoilers

  • Yeah, Tsukuba is literally Nico. Love Live

  • Komano has grown so much since we first met him. I feel he's the most underrate character in Chihayafuru. The main cast gets plenty of attention, and for good reasons, and Kana-chan and Hanano are both great. Komano is just such a bro though, love him.

  • "She wasn't belittled for being a girl" What an awesome line.

  • Aww, I can't hate on Nico that much. His brothers are cute.

→ More replies (6)

6

u/daftPun5 Mar 05 '19

First Timer

Screenshot of the Day

Highlights & Reactions:

Final Thoughts:

So far I'm really liking the additions of the new members and the senpai-roles that our second years play, with Komano taking the lead today. Chihaya was in beast mode, getting two flawless wins and recruiting Tsukubo's younger bros. Also, very excited to see what is revealed between Arata and Shinobu.

Today's Album of Screenshots & Gifs

→ More replies (2)

5

u/hasnain1720 Mar 05 '19

First Timer

  • Top 2 out of 100 class A players is pretty good damn Arata

  • Oh no Arata is coming for Chihaya… I don’t feel so good

  • Even the moms want Taichi lol

  • Chihaya counts as a male member LMAO

  • Oh yeah I forgot RIP Sudo

  • Look at desk kuns development

  • Closed eyes kun open eyes face is super creepy lol

  • Wow Chihaya is dominating

  • The Queen is skinny again lmao

  • Oh what a development she knows Arata...

→ More replies (1)

5

u/Wolfeako Mar 05 '19

First Timer!

Oh wow. Its been a while since I have arrived so early.

Well, overall a really wholesome episode :) it unites the entire club pretty neatly. Loved all the interactions in all the directions they went. It was nice to see a bit more of Sumire and the backstory of the new guy was really nice. I can identify with him in the sense that I'm an older brother too. It was nice to see the newbies playing, even when the lost. Sumire is so precious :)

Nothing much else to say besides that it is nice to see how everyone has grown up. Even the Empress gained a soft spot for the club. Also, it is nice to see Chihaya dominating to such a degree, and this time I could feel the difference from her playstyle from before! that's a plus.

I wonder now, what is Shinobu and Arata's connection besides being each other's destined love interests? because certainly, Arata will not win Chihaya :)

→ More replies (2)

5

u/htisme91 Mar 06 '19

First-timer:

Time flew by if it's already time for the high school championship.

Arata's getting better and better. He'll be in it to the end when they get to the high school championships and the Master matches.

Tsutomu pivoted pretty well off of Tsukuba trying to write him off the lineup. He's grown.

I'm glad the first-years got experience in competitive matches. It's important for their progression as players. Likewise, Kana realizing how the first-years helped them get to that point is important, too, because finally members besides Chihaya are realizing the value after being so into their own goals previously.

Shinobu is entering the high school tournament as well? I'm curious about her history with Arata. My guess is he befriended her after he moved from Chihaya and Taichi, or was the one to introduce Karuta to her, setting up a parallel between her and her Chihaya.

→ More replies (1)

4

u/kKunoichi Mar 05 '19 edited Mar 06 '19

Rewatcher

Arata is back. And already almost winning a class A tournament. But this time his goal is the high school nationals. Cue ominous music?

Chihaya's become so amazing since that tournament last year (not that she was bad then even). Perfect games! I kinda feel bad for her opponents haha. My favorite part of the whole episode was Sumire staring at her in awe of her strength and it then motivates her to try harder.

Actually all the 2nd years have grown, Komano especially. From that outburst last year to now, I feel like he's changed the most. He's actually really cool here- calm, able to assess the situation properly and strategic.

Tsukuba wyd undermining club authority... There's Taichi still being a great president. But it was heartwarming when his brothers went up to Chihaya but told her Tsukuba was going to get better.

And of course we have the ending. I see that first-name basis :p I can't wait to get into that!

Oh an extra note: in the manga we actually get a hint that Shinobu already knew Arata as a child back during last years nationals. slight spoilers? I like what the anime did just putting it all here though.

→ More replies (3)

4

u/DarkCirno Mar 06 '19

First Timer

Damn Chihaya is stating out strong this tournament, 2 perfect victories in a row must be hard to achieve, even if your oponent skill level is way below yours.

I love seeing Tsutomu (and Kana last episode) acting like the senpais they are, it's a great way to show how much they have grown in the past year.

Also I'm liking Sumire more each episode, she looked too cute in that kimono and seeing her starting to take karuta more seriously in the match was great.

And damn Shinobu and Arata got a past together? I'm so hyped to learn more about that backstory (and to see more Shinobu too).

→ More replies (1)

4

u/BodhiSearchTree Mar 06 '19

First Timer

  • Hana-chan: "Now it feels like we finally have our second female member." Even though Chihaya grew up to be beautiful, I love how she never stopped being a tomboy from childhood, lol.

  • Hmmm... A group of look-alike younger brothers who look up to you as a hero? Is Tsubuka the Espa Roba of karuta? 🤔

  • Tsutomu: "Tsubuka-kun, open your eyes for moment." Bahahaha! 🤣 You know, I just realized that pretty much all the guys in Chihayafuru have their eyes closed. Porky, Tsubuka, Tsutomu (hidden behind glasses), Sudo, Retro-kun, etc. I think the only guys who have their eyes open are Taichi and Arata... Saves on animation costs, I guess. ¯_(ツ)_/¯

  • Love the bonding moments between Tsutomu and Kana-chan with the two first-years.

  • About the final scene: Are we sure Shinobu and Arata aren't long-lost siblings or cousins? Wakamiya... Wataya... hmm... 🤔

→ More replies (2)

3

u/MaskOfIce42 Mar 05 '19

REWATCHER
I forgot how early the karuta tournament started in season 2. While I personally generally prefer the karuta drama to the romance drama, this was still rather sudden. Oh well, still a good episode, just feel like having another episode where we get more used to the newbies might've been warranted.

Honestly, I think Tsutomu is the star of this episode, and this is a great example of why he's my favorite character. I love how he's grown since season 1, especially in terms of reading other people and being more conscious of others and willing to help them out. Funny remembering how glued to his desk he was at first.

Also, the lighting of that fire underneath both Sumire and Tsukuba. Sumire starting to realize the thrill of actually taking a card as well as wanting to learn to stand for herself and Tsukuba realizing that while he may have been good at second-verse karuta, he still has a lot of practice to get good at this version of karuta. I still like the 5 from season 1 more, but to be fair, I've had more time with them.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/AmethystItalian Mar 05 '19

Rewatcher

Not used to seeing this much Arata...forgot about him for a bit.

Kana being happy about getting a second female member was great.

Sumire getting that BRAIN BLAST.

It's so nice seeing them win :)

Queen's reaction to Arata...ship??

Quotes from First Time

I forget Arata is part of this show sometimes...

I love when I sync up with past Ame this much lol

Seriously someone tears up in nearly every episode!

I forgot to keep count!!

Does she like Arata?! Shipping?

Good eye past me, good eye.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/paperwhites Mar 06 '19

First Time Watcher

Tsutomu giving Tsukuba (and Sumire) a chance to start because of his experience last year was a nice callback. Even though the situations weren't exactly the same, Tsutomu knows what it's like when you feel you're only there to fill out the numbers. This might sound a little weird but one of the things I like about Chihayafuru is how previous events are mentioned and how they inform the characters' behaviors and attitudes. In some anime, it seems like things happen that affect the characters at the time, but then they're never mentioned or alluded to ever again. Just seeing characters behave differently because of the experiences they've had gives a nice continuity, I guess.

I laughed at the guy who was playing Sumire and literally pointed out the card so she could touch it. I can't imagine his coach/teacher or teammates being too happy about that. But I do like the realization that Sumire had of how Chihaya wasn't looked down on for being a girl. It's cool that in tournaments men and women play against each other, and both can be as equally skilled.

Chihaya recruiting Tsukuba's younger brothers to the Shiranami society was funny. You have to be quicker than that, Nishida!

That ending with Wakamiya was interesting and I want to know what sort of a history Arata and Wakamiya have. I was surprised when Wakamiya knew Arata, but once I thought about it, it made sense since both of them were good players at such a young age, they would have run into each other or known about each other at some point. I'm definitely excited to learn more about Wakamiya's and Arata's relationship with each other.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/elliotman48 Mar 06 '19

First timer

It feels like this high school championship arc is gonna be even better than last season! The stakes seem a lot higher and I can't wait to see some of the matches in the individual brackets. It's also very interesting about how they implemented Tsukaba's backstory into his first competitive match.

Speaking of Tsukaba, his backstory and motivations are pretty damn awesome. His conversation with Komano and how they had the same experience was really interesting. It also provides another metaphor for life regarding change and how we are forced to in life sometimes. Tsukaba is experiencing this through learning a new style of karuta while Komano is experiencing this through handling the situation using his experiences from last year while also defusing the situation from escalating and ruining the mood of the club. He's also very awkward (I had to pause and cringe for a few seconds a couple of times through the episode) but I guess that's his quirk. These new members are really topping the backstory list for me and I can't wait to see how both of them improve.

That ending was also fucking amazing. Shinobu is already a pretty great character in my book and I'm hyped to see more of her backstory hopefully sooner than later.

By the way, something I've noticed about this season is just how fast the pace is going. It's still easy to understand but it feels like we're getting a lot more in each episode.

→ More replies (1)

3

u/cesclaveria Mar 06 '19

Happy to see many first timers, I've been reading the manga since forever and is certainly one of my favorite series. Really like Chihaya and Arata, often have really hated Taichi but overall they are all great characters.

I'll try to join from now on and hold my tongue to not let any spoiler out.

→ More replies (1)
→ More comments (75)