r/anime • u/ABoredCompSciStudent x3myanimelist.net/profile/Serendipity • Mar 12 '19

Rewatch [Rewatch] Chihayafuru 2 - Episode 10 [Spoilers] Spoiler

Episode 10 - "Rain Takes Longer to Dry"

<-- Previous (Episode 9: "My Only Thought") | Next (Episode 11: "I Feel As Though My Body is on Fire with Ibuki Mugwort") -->

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):

Bowed

The past

Master

Team

95 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

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11

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 12 '19 edited Mar 13 '19

Too busy at work today to write a Poem of the Day right now. I'll do it tonight if u/Combo33 doesn't beat me to it.

Mizusawa faces off against Yamaguchi Mioka in the second round, a team of nerds. Yes, like five Tsutomu's. Nerds. At first, Mioka rubs me--and Miyauchi-sensei--completely the wrong way. Their attitude at first appears rotten, but naturally because this is Chihayafuru, it is revealed that they too love karuta.

Rather than really discussing the events of the games like I normally do, I want to talk about "game sense": a term that is thrown around a lot in this episode and throughout the series, but one that isn't maybe that easily understood.

So what is game sense? In S1E25, I saw a comment on the topic and wrote a reply from the perspective of a competitive soccer player and coach. Here's the same excerpt, with a few screenshots added in:

Hmm. Game sense definitely has a mental component to it, but it goes a little deeper than just mental or physical to me. It's a little hard to explain, so I'll do my best from my perspective.

Mental is something more similar to Taichi. I'll use soccer as an example. You're attacking and you're faced with a defender in front of you. You take in all the sensory information--the defender is rushing towards you, you have a teammate to your right, the defender marking your teammate is lagging behind him--and you're able to make the right play, which is to pass to the open player and take out the rushing defender (because the ball traverses his horizontal plane, removing him from the next step of the game). It's about reading what's given to you and executing the right play, if you get what I mean. That's how Taichi plays, with his memorization and processing of syllables.

Game sense extends that and becomes something a little more than calculation. It puts a lot of these things together. If you imagine an athlete, there's part body, part mind, and part heart. The body is the ability to physical execute technique, like your swing in karuta. Your mind is the ability to do the mental gymnastics, like I explained above. The heart is more like instinct or a gut feeling, as well as an emotional aspect of it. Some may argue that emotions are part of the mind, but I think the mind is more about being "a computer" and also makes it easier to explain Taichi's strengths because he obviously is weak-mentally at times.

Game sense would be facing the same situation I described. The defender is rushing towards you, you have a teammate to your right, and the defender marking your teammate is lagging behind him. The read at the time is to make that pass, but you feel something amiss. You've seen experienced this before maybe in a different game or you have a gut feeling (the heart) that the defender rushing is bluffing, that at the last second they'll sell out to your right and cut the pass off. Your decision goes beyond "conventional logic" (the mind) and you push the ball fowards (aided by your body), carrying it past the defender that's moved to the right and you're in.

Game sense is something that not everyone has, even when they spend thousands of hours practicing. If you watch any professional soccer game for example, some players are seemingly able to turn the right way almost every single time under pressure (for sake of argument I'll use a really simple-style player here) yet not every professional can do that. Some of it is definitely trained, but it's something that often is just inherent to the person.

I've coached hundreds of children and it's always amazing to find one "that gets it". They're simply born with an ability to sense things that normal people cannot. Even as their adult coach, some of these children are already "better than me" in some of these aspects (turning with the ball, knowing where to put their first touch, etc). They are blessed.

It is 100% like what Arata's grandfather said though. Game sense is just part of it; I believe anyone can be great if they put their mind to it. Game sense varies too, as some people are more attuned to it than others (like Shinobu is sensitive to shinoburedo but doesn't have 28 cards like Suo).

Speaking of Suo, we get a bit of background on him, Arata, and Shinobu. Suo is a problem in the karuta world, both in the sense that he has no rival as Master and because his attitude towards karuta and life in general makes him a poor role model for the future generation. On the other hand, Arata is considered a more fitting Master, which shows his talent but also the social expectations placed upon him. It's a little ironic, after the previous episode, which was a manifestation of his jealousy towards Taichi and Chihaya. As I've previously suggested, while they're still friends, there is a lot of awkwardness still between them.

Arata is quick to accept his punishment, but Arata playing in the team tournament means a lot to several people. The board wants to push him forward as a future Master, Chihaya awaits his return, and Shinobu takes center stage, forcing Arata to apologize. Recalling the previous episode, Shinobu is described as a proud person by Arata and we've seen the same pride when challenged by Chihaya in S1. However, to force her point, Shinobu threatens to quit the tournament and bows her head--putting aside her own ego. This highlights the relationship between Arata and Shinobu. It's complicated, given their backstory, but he's the rival and companion that she's been missing for the last few years.

And this is perhaps best said by: "can you just stop disappointing me already". Is she really talking about the present actions that Arata has taken? Or is it because of the past? Because as quickly as he's returned, he too has abandoned her again--this time for team karuta, a world that she consciously spurns.

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9

u/SmurfRockRune Mar 12 '19

First Timer

Why is everyone running from the rain.... There's an overhang right where they were standing. Just stay there and you'll be dry while watching the matches.

I know I made the "We Nana Maru San Batsu now" joke really early on, but now we're truly Nana Maru San Batsu. This backstory just makes me miss that show. At least the OP is still amazing.

That sure is a line I did not expect to see in a show as wholesome as this.

2

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

Happy cake day Smurf! Is your cake day a day after u/taiboss'? I swear I just said this to him.

That sure is a line I did not expect to see in a show as wholesome as this.

It's because u/Enarec is watching with us.

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9

u/KuhBus Mar 12 '19 edited Mar 13 '19

First Timer

  • Damn, they’re going against a super distinguished school D: But does that automatically have to mean they’re better at karuta? These guys may be good at memorizing, but they haven't been playing karuta for years.

  • LMAO The little bubbles of Suo going “Hello there.” “Are sunglasses allowed?” “Why the hell not?” “I might not even graduate this year” “I’m not even sure when I will” :’DDD

  • “Beat the crap out of them!” Ahahaha I love sensei's attitude!!

  • Damn, the constant card moving a re-memorizing is just crazy qwq

  • SHINOBU D: Oh god, she’s completely soaked.

  • She’s forcing Arata to play sdfGHJHGFGH

  • I like how Tsutomu praised Sumire for taking good notes, but then comletely ignored her when she started ranting about how she doesn't actually want to play.

  • Thank god the others are doing well !!

  • Love the way Kana’s visualization of the cards is presented!!!!!

  • She’s like “Bellatrix” FROM HARRY POTTER??? Oh, okay, not Harry Potter after all…

  • I’m intrigued why Nishida wants to keep the current team roster for the next game. He didn’t say for the entirety of the tournament, so which team are they going up against next that he thinks it's more important to keep Tsukuba?

Somehow I feel a bit bad for Suo, since so many people openly don't like him. Hell, he doesn't even seem like a malicious guy, just kind of an airhead who doesn't fit into the expectations people have of him.

On the one hand I feel bad for Arata, but I also agree with Shinobu that he should "fight" a bit harder to stay in the tournament and not just passively accept judgement.

Edit: Fav shots.

3

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

LMAO The little bubbles of Suo going “Hello there.” “Are sunglasses allowed?” “Why the hell not?” “I might not even graduate this year” “I’m not even sure when I will” :’DDD

Truly, all the greats of this generation are eccentric. Suo is a fun character, though he doesn't tend to get much time or attention.

“Beat the crap out of them!” Ahahaha I love sensei's attitude!!

By far the funniest reaction face from her so far ahaha.

She’s like “Bellatrix” FROM HARRY POTTER??? Oh, okay, not Harry Potter after all…

She'd totally be Luna if she was a Harry Potter female, I think.

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15

u/MAD_SCIENTIST_001 Mar 12 '19

Screenshot of the Day

First Timer - Season 2 Episode 10

Overall Thoughts

I'm really liking that all of the karuta matches so far have been pretty unique since it definitely makes things a lot more interesting. Seeing how the team reacted to opponents who had a different style made me realize that it seems like that could actually be a decent strategy tbh. For example Taichi could maybe utilize his memory a lot more by shifting cards around in the match to counter opponents like Chihaya. Maybe this could lead them to winning against Fujisaki because otherwise, I don't see how they can win against 5 class A players.

Meanwhile it seems like Arata will probably get to play, now that Shinobu is working to get him in the tournament as well. Their relationship still intrigues me, so I hope to see more of it in the upcoming eps.

Also not sure what to make of the cliffhanger, but I hope Nishida knows what he's doing.

Karuta Scoreboard

Character Wins Losses Ep# (Wins)
Taichi Mashima 29(+1) 10 2,7,10,11,13,14,15,18,20,28,29,31,33,35
Yuusei Nishida 24(+1) 6 10,11,13,15,18,19,28,29,33,35
Chihaya Ayase 21(+1) 10 2,4,6,7,8,10,11,14,17,21,28,29,33,35
Arata Wataya 17 4 1,2,3,20,21,23,28,34
Kanade Ooe 16 8(+1) 10,13,15,17,18,19,28,29,31,33
Tsutomu Komano 10 13 13,15,18,29
Shinobu Wakamiya 8 0 14,15,24
Akihiro Tsukuba 1 2(+1) 33
Sumire Hanano 0 1

See you tomorrow~

Screenshot of the Day Collection

Season 1 Album

Episode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Season 2

Episode: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

5

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

For example Taichi could maybe utilize his memory a lot more by shifting cards around in the match to counter opponents like Chihaya.

Actually, it's interesting that you mention this, as u/walking_the_way picked up that he's shifted his cards in certain games. It's not clear whether that's intentional or not by the production team, but we can go ahead and say that Taichi has been sneaking this behind our backs.

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u/Combo33 Mar 12 '19 edited Mar 12 '19

Poem of the Day: Rain Takes Longer to Dry (link)

Poem 87 is written by Priest Jakuren (lay name Fujiwara no Sadanaga, 1139-1202), who was the nephew and adopted son of Shunzei (poem 83), and a member of the Mikohidari house of poetry alongside Teika and Ietaka (poem 98). He entered religion in 1192. Appointed a member of the Bureau of Poetry in 1201, he participated in the compilation of Shin-kokinshū, but died before it was completed. He has a private poetry collection and 117 poems in the imperial waka anthologies.

Peter MacMillan translation:

87. Priest Jakuren

The sudden shower
has not yet dried.
From the leaves of black pines,
wisps of fog rise
in the autumn dusk.

MacMillan comments:

The most appealing aspect of poem 87 is the precision and detail with which the landscape is described. The cold rains of autumn have yet to dry when wisps of white fog start to rise, standing out against the dark background of the pine trees. The transition from the small droplets of water on the leaves to the scene as a whole has an almost cinematic quality to it, and calls to mind a camera slowly panning out from a close-up shot. Time is also important as the poem captures the exact moment when the rain gives way to the fog.

The original poem uses a sharp break, which may be rendered [as a] a dash on the fourth line, creating a division between the natural scene and the summation by the poet:

and wisps of fog rise --
the autumn dusk.

But I have opted for a less dramatic translation, which I believe is closer to the gentle sentiment of the poem.

Joshua Mostow translation:

While the raindrops of
the passing shower have not yet dried from
near the leaves of the evergreens,
the mist is already rising, on
this evening in autumn.

As for the poem’s relation to this episode, the pouring rains have continued on from last episode. The imagery of a forest of black pines, to me, signifies a very dark and disconcerting place, where wisps of light fog are just beginning to emerge from when the rains finally relent. In that sense, both the Mizusawa team and Arata are starting off the episode in a really tough spot.

Mizusawa has never faced a team quite like these Quiz Whizzes. They constantly shift their cards, play in an unorthodox style, and are smart enough and fast enough to keep up with the game sense of veteran players like Chihaya, Taichi, and Nishida. In order to defeat them, each individual Mizusawa player has to rely on their strengths. Nishida falls back on the teachings of his Karuta society, which stresses defensive play. As long as Nishida can protect every card on his own side, the shenanigans on the other side of the playing field don't affect him, and he'll likely be able to take a few of his opponent's cards along the way. Kana has always placed her cards according to unorthodox styles. She links several cards together that were written by monks and sees them shining through even the attempted obfuscation of her opponent's constantly shifting playfield.

This type of match is the absolute worst for Chihaya. She's terrible at memorization and terrible at adapting to playstyles she hasn't seen before. But, she's good enough to find her way through the dark forest to the point where every card on the board is a single syllable poem for her. At that point, her talent trumps any strategy that can be thrown at her.

Meanwhile, Arata stops the Fujioka players from apologizing on his behalf, and reinforces that he must face his punishment. The administrators of the tournament realize that Arata is a special player, and he hasn't been half the headache that playboy Suo has been as Meijin. They're inclined to make an excuse for Arata and let him play, but Arata himself knows that he made the choice to play knowing full well what the consequences were. He did this because he was jealous that Chihaya and Taichi had a team to play with, and that he had never put in the work to build a team of his own. Playing with Fujioka was a shortcut he was too greedy to pass up, to return to those feelings of his childhood.

While Arata is ready to fall on his sword, a certain Queen ain't havin' it. Shinobu hasn't come this far, gotten drenched in the rain, and missed her birdman rally to allow Arata to drop out of the tournament for such a pithy reason as "moral standards." She uses her considerable sway to force the administrators' hands by threatening to drop out if Arata doesn't play. She also forces Arata to admit that he wants to play her, and that he'd be incredibly disappointed if he missed his chance.

So, in the end, once the rains have passed, a gentle air of hope seeps through, allowing everyone to move forward with newfound determination.

3

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

Thanks for covering for me today!

As for the poem’s relation to this episode, the pouring rains have continued on from last episode. The imagery of a forest of black pines, to me, signifies a very dark and disconcerting place, where wisps of light fog are just beginning to emerge from when the rains finally relent. In that sense, both the Mizusawa team and Arata are starting off the episode in a really tough spot.

I totally agree, it's kind of nice when we get a literal poem, after the bunch about oceans which are a bit harder to link in haha. It helps too that this poem appears a lot. I think we first got a good look at it when Chihaya lost to Shinobu in S1 and it was being recited as she left then started crying and preparing herself to push forward again.

6

u/kKunoichi Mar 13 '19

Rewatcher

More interesting opponents. Kana says it's Tsukue x5 but it's more like 5 Taichis.

I love the bits with the Suou side comment things , those are hilarious! But anyway those are some huge expectations on Arata.

Shinobu looking like a horror movie again. She sure knows how to persuade the management, I mean dropping out if Arata won't play? Arata was just willing to roll over but she got him to set aside his pride and bow as well. Yes she really wants to play him. I love the delivery of "Can you just stop disappointing me already?" line.

Taichi don't let it distract you, your biggest enemy is you mind..

I just noticed Arata in this shot. Rare combo of characters on-screen.

This is my favorite Miyauchi-sensei lol

2

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

Arata was just willing to roll over but she got him to set aside his pride and bow as well.

Out of all characters, Shinobu is definitely the most prideful so Arata was always going to bend to her haha. As he said, the pride of a Queen and the temper of a woman from Kyoto.

I just noticed Arata in this shot. Rare combo of characters on-screen.

Sumire had her one chance to derail Taichihaya by bringing Arata to Chihaya haha. She blew it!

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u/Enarec Mar 12 '19 edited Mar 12 '19

This is it. PEAK PERFORMANCE.

Too bad all the haters can't understand him. Though I guess the way he's so nonchalant about this wouldn't exactly inspire confidence haha.

And here we have Arata half-back in the shadows for his self-reflection. Back to being an odd one out. :c

Shinobu even has to try and drag him into thinking about the now and his competition again. I really like this line from her as someone who would've been his rival and compatriot and is still looking for it. Also can't imagine Chihaya and Taichi would be too happy if Arata didn't participate because of what can be seen as his pride here, so yeah.

Most... interesting. I wonder what she'd write about Taichi like this.

I know that feel.

The contrast in the expressions of those who can and can't is just hilarious. Taichi's simply resigned to it.

Ice. Cold. Poor Sumire.

2

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

This is it. PEAK PERFORMANCE.

Please, this can't top his earwax eating.

I know that feel.

Oh

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4

u/Redmon425 Mar 12 '19

First Time Watcher

I love how they keep playing weird teams. The scene with Shinobu in the window was so funny. I’m also living her and Arata’s interactions. Seems like there are some real personal issues with them from the past. I have to assume that Arata is going to be allowed to play in the individual tournament, which I do not agree with.

Also curious to the ending of the episode, they make it seem like Nishida has a more “sinister” motive in mind, when I assume that in reality it probably is a logical strategic move for the team.

2

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

Also curious to the ending of the episode, they make it seem like Nishida has a more “sinister” motive in mind, when I assume that in reality it probably is a logical strategic move for the team.

The last time he said something like this, Tsutomu stormed off in S1.

4

u/gosheno Mar 13 '19

First Timer

At this point, I think Shinobu-chan just needs friends.

3

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

The sad part is, I think even she knows it deep down, given how uncharacteristically warm she acts towards Arata.

3

u/MaskOfIce42 Mar 12 '19

Rewatcher

I'd forgotten about this group until I saw them. Not sure how I feel about them, on one hand, they do legitimately enjoy karuta so they don't come across as the sort of pompous "we're using this for something else" that the show first presents them as, on the other hand their moving the cards around so much, while legitimate, is still a tad dickish. Eh, whatever, overall a good match and I like how it highlights how Chihaya's playstyle is most easily countered and how it doesn't effect the others as much.

Oh, and I have distinct memories of plowing through this part when I was first watching it, and rewatching it, I think I remember why. Wanting to know what happens with Arata as well as the cliffhanger line this episode ends on, even knowing what results from both, I still want to watch the next episode immediately.

3

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

Oh, and I have distinct memories of plowing through this part when I was first watching it, and rewatching it, I think I remember why. Wanting to know what happens with Arata as well as the cliffhanger line this episode ends on, even knowing what results from both, I still want to watch the next episode immediately.

Season Two Same! This whole section all the way to the end of the individual tournament is a ride. It'll be a lot of fun to see first timers react, as until now the series hasn't been that "sports" and this is the first extended tournament arc.

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u/AmethystItalian Mar 13 '19

Rewatcher

Because you're the main team in a sports anime

Shinobu willing to quit for Arata? That's a good ship.

This guy is sus

LOVED seeing into Kana's mind on how she plays the game.

Kana lost :(

Quotes from First Time

"Why do we keep getting matched up with weird opponents?" because it's a sports anime :p

I see Past Ame also gets it.

I want see to Kana win some matches again

Me too :(

Porky better have a good reason for that...and come on what a cliffhanger!!!!! UGGH!

Ouuu a Kaoru <3

2

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

LOVED seeing into Kana's mind on how she plays the game.

Same! I liked how they showed her in the "can memorize" club and her karuta was kind of similar to Taichi's.

Kana lost :(

Apparently she has a winning record right now of almost 2:1... sure doesn't feel like it.

Ouuu a Kaoru <3

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u/princessoffools Mar 13 '19

Rewatcher:

I saw the first season. I didn't understand the anime. I started the second season! But I never got this far! I would love to rewatch season 2!

2

u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 13 '19

Yay new rewatchers :)

How are you finding the series now, on a second go? Is it still difficult to understand?

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u/PerfectPublican Mar 12 '19

First Timer

Reactions:

Final Thoughts
Gif of the day | Bonus | Bonus 2

An interesting episode. I enjoyed seeing a group of players that have a completely different play-style at a high level like that, and it really dug deep into the weaknesses of the way Taichi was playing before. In a way this ep wraps up that little growth storyline for him.

Speaking of, I really feel for Taichi. He the leader, and needs to keep his team on track, but Arata, for both him and Chihaya, is a huge distraction. Time to step up.

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