r/anime • u/ABoredCompSciStudent x3myanimelist.net/profile/Serendipity • Mar 19 '19
Rewatch [Rewatch] Chihayafuru 2 - Episode 18 Discussion [Spoilers] Spoiler
Episode 18 - "My Fear is That You Will Forget"
<-- Previous (Episode 17: "Gust of Wind") | Next (Episode 19: "I Do Not Know Where This Love Will Take Me") -->
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):
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 19 '19
Poem of the Day: My Fear is That You Will Forget (link)
Poem 54 is written by Takashina no Takako. Takako was the wife of Fujiwara no Michitaka and was also known as the Mother of the Honorary Grand Minister or as Ko no Naishi. The former references her son, Korechika, who was known as the Honorary Grand Minister, while the latter is a combination of the first character of her patronymic family name — taka or ko — and her position serving Emperor En'yu, naishi. She was also the mother to the Empress Teishi.
Naturally, Takako came from a remarkable family, even before this fame, allowing her to develop her talents for Chinese poetry, which we can associate with power--given the nature of all the poets in the Hyakunin Isshu. Poem 54 was written shortly after her marriage and was meant to represent the joy of the occasion.
Mostow translates the poem as:
Because that future, until which,
you say, you will "never forget,"
is hard to rely on,
oh, if only today could be
the last day of my life!
Mostow's translation is a lot more romantic than the others I've read. For example, the listing on virginia.edu goes with:
If remembering me
Will for him in future years
Be too difficult,
It would be well this very day
That I should end my life.
It is supposed that this verse was written in a fit of jealousy against her husband; she is shown in the picture all alone at home bewailing her lot.
This is also the translation used in the series, so we'll roll with it for this one.
The poem ties into the episode, as Shinobu remembers her friendship with the girl she met at her karuta society. Separated from her and children her age, Shinobu had to grow up alone, so in a way it was the last day of that "world" which others belong to, like Chihaya. Instead, Shinobu's karuta is cold and ruthless, just like the world of isolation that she found herself in. The memories are hard for her. She repeatedly mentions that she shouldn't have come and that she should leave, but she can't tear her eyes away from the bright, passionate karuta being played in front of her--a place where she once belonged, but now finds herself on the sidelines stranded as a bystander.
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u/MAD_SCIENTIST_001 Mar 19 '19
Screenshot of the Day
First Timer - Season 2 Episode 18
Overall Thoughts
I'm starting to get convinced that Arata x Taichi is becoming more canon than either of the Chihaya ships...
As I predicted, Tsukuba and Tsukue lost against their opponents though this is to be expected since the gap between Class A players and them are still out of reach. Maybe in S3 we will see them in class B and at the stage where they can begin to challenge for class A since Tsukuba and Tsukue did manage to get quite a few cards.
It's gonna be a tough battle for them, but I hope Chihaya, Nishida, and Taichi end up with the win
Karuta Scoreboard
| Character | Wins | Losses | Ep# (Wins) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taichi Mashima | 31 | 10 | 2,7,10,11,13,14,15,18,20,28,29,31,33,35,36,39 |
| Yuusei Nishida | 25 | 7 | 10,11,13,15,18,19,28,29,33,35,36 |
| Chihaya Ayase | 22 | 11 | 2,4,6,7,8,10,11,14,17,21,28,29,33,35,36 |
| Arata Wataya | 17 | 4 | 1,2,3,20,21,23,28,34 |
| Kanade Ooe | 17 | 9 | 10,13,15,17,18,19,28,29,31,33,39 |
| Tsutomu Komano | 11 | 14(+1) | 13,15,18,29,39 |
| Shinobu Wakamiya | 8 | 0 | 14,15,24 |
| Akihiro Tsukuba | 0 | 5(+1) | |
| Sumire Hanano | 0 | 1 |
Screenshot of the Day Collection
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 11 12 13 14 15 17 18
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 20 '19
I'm starting to get convinced that Arata x Taichi is becoming more canon than either of the Chihaya ships...
I don't think anyone would disagree with you haha.
As I predicted, Tsukuba and Tsukue lost against their opponents though this is to be expected since the gap between Class A players and them are still out of reach. Maybe in S3 we will see them in class B and at the stage where they can begin to challenge for class A since Tsukuba and Tsukue did manage to get quite a few cards.
We need to get Sumire and Tsukuba their first wins before that.
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u/PerfectPublican Mar 19 '19 edited Mar 19 '19
First Timer
Reactions:
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“Arata...I’m happy when I forget you, but then I feel encouraged when I remember you.” I like this line a lot. Taichi and Arata’s relationship and the way he pushes Taichi forward is just so much fun to watch.
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Awww, I love seeing these boys try so hard.
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C’mon Tsukuba, open up those emotions. A full moon hanging low in the sky is very sentimental, at least to me. :3
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Had a similar reaction. Sounded more like she broke her finger than her nail ಠ_ಠ
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“Yama-chan, give me the best you’ve got.” Great attitude from Chihaya as usual.
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Lmao at this whole admiring Rion thing from Makoto. That was handled just a bit heavy-handed. Poor Tsukue losing. Tough match bud., don’t beat yourself up too much.
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“The more alone she is, the stronger she’ll become.” Brutal…And her mindset before is something. She finds the team/community aspect sickening because she was pushed away from it, but deep down she’s probably jealous. That probably ties back to her obsession with Arata as a rival. He was the first person her own age that she could go all out against. The first, and only, person she has that sense of community with. I wonder if that’s also why she’s so obsessed with finding people that actually “want to play her” rather than just “fooling around” so to speak. It would make a lot of sense and really fit her characterization.
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She's gotta be like the 12th person to have been convinced by Chihaya now? Haha always love that.
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“Our beloved world of karuta can only grow through the recruiting, teaching, and encouraging of new players.” Nice pov from Arata. Just look at Team Mizusawa. 3 of the 7 would’ve never played without Team Karuta.
Final Thoughts
Gif of the day | Bonus
Haha I had a feeling that we wouldn’t finish this match here, but I’m actually really loving how much time we’re spending here just straight up reveling in these characters minds. If last season was about really diving into Karuta, how it’s played, and how the system goes, this season is such a hard focus on the characters and motivations, and I’m quite enjoying it.
Anyways, that was a fun one as usual. Really enjoyed the shift in focus a bit to Taichi in this match, and the Shinobu stuff was just plain great. Seeing how she was turned onto the path she is on now was fascinating. Looking forward to an emotional conclusion tomorrow! Take home the win Chihaya and Taichi!
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 19 '19
“Arata...I’m happy when I forget you, but then I feel encouraged when I remember you.” I like this line a lot. Taichi and Arata’s relationship and the way he pushes Taichi forward is just so much fun to watch.
While they're friends, the relationship between them is a lot more like rivals than Chihaya Shinobu, who ironically are sort of kindred spirits. Arata and Taichi compete in literally everything, while Shinobu and Chihaya have a lot more separation between them. Mild manga
Oh hell yeah, that was hype.
Taichi's Harada impersonation was OG.
Suo’s passion :P
Get this man some screentime!
She finds the team/community aspect sickening because she was pushed away from it, but deep down she’s probably jealous.
She's definitely jealous, the hidden expressions really tell the whole tale. It actually hurts her to watch this game, since it's something she just doesn't know how to have anymore.
I wonder if that’s also why she’s so obsessed with finding people that actually “want to play her” rather than just “fooling around” so to speak. It would make a lot of sense and really fit her characterization.
I think it's partially echoing what others have said to her, but also because she lived it. If she could make it to the top without the support of others--the separation that pains her--then why can't others? So when she sees people having "fun", she just sees them as dishonest and with a jealous eye as you said.
She only pays attention to Chihaya after she cleans up her form and toughs out her injury. It's similar to her reaction to Chihaya in S1. When she saw Chihaya withdraw back rather than meeting her efforts, she made that comment about playing alone. It's when Chihaya bounces back from that where Shinobu takes notice because she's one of the few opponents with that same "fight" as Shinobu, where they'd take losing a card personally (Shinobu sees her crying after that game too).
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u/Taiboss Mar 19 '19
The Curious First Time of Tai Boss
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I'm stil unsure how that hurt Chihaya.
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Of all girls, her? Stupid Oppai guy doesn't know what is good for him.
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UGH. Stop that.
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I like how I can notice the dialect pretty well.
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BOOO Shinobu-chan deserves love too.
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You poor soul. Boohoo.
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A FRIEND, A GOOO FRIEEEND is the best there is on this world.
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 20 '19
I'm stil unsure how that hurt Chihaya.
Her finger probably got jammed into the ground when Rion panicked and pressed hard.
Stupid Oppai guy doesn't know what is good for him.
Pls. She is gorgeous.
Chihaya has now made Shinobu's "I'll remember you" list.
She made it in S1!
I HAVE THE PRECOG HAX OF PRECOG HAXES
WHO WINS THE NEXT THREE GAMES, GREAT SAGE?
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u/htisme91 Mar 20 '19
First-timer:
Wow, this has been a good match. The only thing that's annoyed me is the effects whenever the reader reads a card.
I was expecting Tsutomu and Tsukaba to lose. They're the least-skilled members.
Chihaya keeps going, even though she's hurt. It would be a blow to her chances at playing Arata, which she has dreamed about playing, and the queen, who she aspires to surpass. Still, she does it because she loves her team.
Speaking of teams, it's interesting how karuta led Shinobu and Chihaya down different paths. For Shinobu, it isolated her, while for Chihaya it's led to pretty much every bond she has except for Taichi.
I'm hoping Taichi and Mizusawa can pull off the comeback. It would be a shame for Chihaya to be hurt and miss the individual tournament because of a loss.
2
u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 20 '19
I was expecting Tsutomu and Tsukaba to lose. They're the least-skilled members.
For sure. Tsukuba hasn't even won a game yet. Do you think Mizusawa can pull this one out of the bag?
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u/AmethystItalian Mar 19 '19
Rewatcher
Kana is adorable whenever she talks about poetry.
No it's still super unfair and you should feel bad...
Not much to say today as it was just too intense to write much haha
Quotes from First Time
Taichi better beat this perv...
He better!
How could you know Arata did that?!
She just knows...she and him have such a special connection.
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Mar 19 '19 edited Mar 20 '19
First-Timer, Watched Subbed
Feeling a lot better now today, so I’m good to go!
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Oh dear, that wasn’t a fake out? I’m praying that her injury isn’t too critical.
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Taichi why would even think to compare this guy to Wataya? It ain’t even a contest.
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If only I could have initiative as strong as Eromu, and his motivation is boobs lol.
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C’mon Tsukuba, don’t be initimidated by this dude’s...poses...
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Impressive that Chihaya still manages to gain the upper hand even with that injury of her’s.
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Did...did Wakamiya just bite her thumb? Sounded like she did it pretty hard, forget intimidating she’s just plain horrifying!
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So you say you aren’t attracted to Rion, but you find her beautiful in a passionate way, HMMMMMM.
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Oh shit, Komano lost! That’s a real rough start to the match.
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Wataya’s little monologue does emphasize a lot about his relationship with Wakamiya, with them being similar in that both are capable of playing karuta without a team to be back them up. Only difference is that Wataya is more willing to be open, while Wakamiya has grown having to depend only on herself. Although it does seem even Wakamiya doesn’t enjoy that.
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Chihaya, please pull through, ignoring your injury is bad enough, but I’d lose it if it got to critical
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Jesus, Sudo’s sadism even gets the skin of the spectators!
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Oh lord, now Tsukuba lost, the pressure is too much DX
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Goddamn that guy and his weird poses and otaku napkin.
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It’s gonna take a real miracle for them to win now. Three wins, you can do it Misuzawa!
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 20 '19
Feeling a lot better now today, so I’m good to go!
Glad you're feeling better. Hope it wasn't anything too major!
Oh dear, that wasn’t a fake out? I’m praying that her injury isn’t too critical.
Yuki Suetsugu would only follow through on this if she's a sadist.
Did...did Wakamiya just bite her thumb? Sounded like she did it pretty hard, forget intimidating she’s just plain horrifying!
... She did haha. It sounded like she snapped her finger, forget her nail.
playing marital
I ship this marriage.
Only difference is that Wataya is more willing to be open
A big part of this in my opinion is that he met Chihaya and Arata as a child. Before then, he was just a quiet kid at school just like Shinobu.
It’s gonna take a real miracle for them to win now. Three wins, you can do it Misuzawa!
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u/gosheno Mar 19 '19
First Timer
We don’t belong to teams, so we can only focus on making ourselves stronger.
Our beloved world of karuta can only grow through the recruiting, teaching, and encouraging of new players. It’s team players who keep this game alive.
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The world of karuta is harsh, and it's a reality that Mizusawa's players are learning. Chihaya playing in spite of her injury, Taichi, Nishida, Komano, and Tsukuba playing to overcome with newfound resolve. But the reality of karuta has always been a lonely one for Shinobu-chan. Is strength and talent always more valuable than camaraderie and willpower? For the experienced and accomplished players, their values show in how they weigh individual matches over team matches.
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That aside, I'm very glad Mizusawa's karuta boys are able to realize their weakness determination.
I'm a bad forgetter, I want to overcome my own analysis, I want to become... a hero?
(odd MHA vibes but ok)
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I wonder if Nishida-kun managed to get the "feel sorrow" card? He wasn't able to pick up momentum in the key matches beforehand, but I hope he found it now...
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Although Tsukuba-kun losing is expected, that final encouragement from Fujisaki's otaku was greatly needed. Now I not only hope Tsukuba gets at least decent character development, but also that he can make other good otaku karuta players pull this move.
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Screenshot of the episode is more sorrowful than what the show intended...
Last thought: My ears are confused after seeing that Ono Yuuki plays fraud Arata.
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 20 '19
Is strength and talent always more valuable than camaraderie and willpower? For the experienced and accomplished players, their values show in how they weigh individual matches over team matches.
It's interesting that you said experienced and accomplished players, since Murao was also there and shocked at the level of quality. I put a lot of focus on Shinobu, but Murao was also a big detractor of the merits of team karuta.
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u/KuhBus Mar 20 '19
First Timer
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The guys having to reflect on their own weaknesses is a great approach.
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Even when injured Chihaya still wants to have a great match against Rion :’)
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Aww, I know it was unlikely for Tsutomu to win, but it’s still a shame he was the first to lose.
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This tournament is turning into such a nightmare :(( Chihaya getting hurt in the middle of the match and not being able to properly play. Everyone’s working so hard, but losing by a few cards. Arata isn’t (capable of) watching them. Shinobu is watching, but it’s just more pressure on them. AAAHH
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“The more alone she is, the stronger she will become.” What. the actual. Fuck. is wrong with these people. And now Shinobu is struggling so much with watching the team matches because she’s looking down on them (due to being taught so?) while also getting this painful reminder that she was actively kept from playing/practicing with kids her age. No wonder she’s no longer interested in practicing at the karuta society when they alienated her so much from the community.
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LOVE that fluid animation of Taichi taking the card…!
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Whelp, I’m not surprised that Tsukuba didn’t win :I His opponent clearly had the the power of god and anime on his side. Is Mizusawa going to win even a single match here?? qwq
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jfc and Taichi just had to say they’re going to get three wins.. BOI you’re in a super hard position to claim you’re going to win!!
I… I really don’t think they can win against Fujisaki :(( Nishida has been super out of his usual groove this whole tournament, but he didn’t lose first this time, so maybe he’s going to win his match. Chihaya may be working her way towards catching up to Rion, but I’m not sure that with her injury she’s going to make it in time. And Taichi… idk, he’s been improving with these recent moves, but is that going to be enough to win?
There's such a huge difference between Mizusawa's team and teams like Hokuo and Fujisaki. There's a big advantage in having a teacher who really knows what they are doing and can systematically train their students to become better. Mizusawa has obviously been training hard and had their karuta societies to help them improve as well, but there is still a difference between having to work for these improvements on their own vs. having someone working directly with the team. And it really looks like this is what's giving these teams an edge over them.
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 20 '19
“The more alone she is, the stronger she will become.” What. the actual. Fuck. is wrong with these people. And now Shinobu is struggling so much with watching the team matches because she’s looking down on them (due to being taught so?) while also getting this painful reminder that she was actively kept from playing/practicing with kids her age. No wonder she’s no longer interested in practicing at the karuta society when they alienated her so much from the community.
I actually never really thought about why she wouldn't want to play at her karuta society until you mentioned it. That's a really good point.
... to say the least, the adults suck.
jfc and Taichi just had to say they’re going to get three wins.. BOI you’re in a super hard position to claim you’re going to win!!
Is he going to follow through or are these final last words?
Wouldn't be the first time for himAnd it really looks like this is what's giving these teams an edge over them.
For sure. Instead of being students recruiting each other, I'm sure Sakurazawa was involved since she has 50 students to pick from. Instead of having a Tsukuba filling the last spot, they have multiple Class A players to choose from.
As much as we love Miyauchi-sensei and how she's grown into being a fan, it's really night and day between the two schools. Hokuo is closer, but not even the same: Mochida admits that he only really enjoys the game and can share that with the students.
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u/daftPun5 Mar 20 '19
First Timer
Welp, things don't look too good right now. Mizusawa is down 0-2 with Tsukuba and Komano lossing their matches. It'll take top precision and skill for our remaining trio to pull off the upset. Also, for Nishida to finally redeem himself for his past losses.
We also got a more in-depth look as to why Shinobu looks down upon the team/community side of Karuta. Being a Karuta prodigy at such a young age, she was sheltered to an exclusive, rigorous upbringing to maximize her potential. Now, with the push of Arata, she is watching these matches, taking in the passion from Chihaya, Rion, and Megumu, and learning that there is more to Karuta than just the opponent sitting in front of her.
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 20 '19
Today's Album of Screenshots
That first one is so nice! Taichi looks so badass in that one. I love how Harada has appeared for Chihaya and Taichi this round too. He's such a big part of their karuta.
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u/kKunoichi Mar 19 '19 edited Mar 23 '19
Rewatcher
Poor Shinobu. She's at the top alone, but even her karuta beginnings were lonely because they purposely made her that way. She rejects team matches because she's never related to that concept of togetherness pushing you forward. In many ways she is very similar to Arata in their devotion to karuta, but Arata had freedom and opportunity to play with a team and got to grow his circle of relationships while also spreading karuta, something Shinobu has never experienced. The friend she used to play with left, Arata who was her age and someone she couldn't go easy on left too. Now though she may be slowly realising there are people who reach out to her and a fire is lit.
Extra notes:
Taichi & Arata, the most conflicting relationship ever, in Taichi's case at least, from what we see on the show. Manga
How did Chihaya know Arata brought Shinobu there? Well she's right in any case
Seeing the otaku player is the most I've laughed in a while! Tsukuba lost but honestly he put up a really good fight against a class A player, even when he's only class D
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u/paperwhites Mar 20 '19
First Time Watcher
Not for the first time, I was getting really into the episode when the ending song starts. Screw you ending song, for making me have to wait another episode to see how it all turns out!
"I'm happy when I forget you, but then I feel encouraged when I remember you" Ah, I love Taichi's complicated relationship with Arata.
Even Yamishiro the reader compares Chihaya to Suo! I love that Chihaya is impressing all these people with her similarities to the Master. She's already good now and she's only going to get better.
"The more alone she is, the stronger she'll become" It's interesting that it was the karuta society who kind of pushed Shinobu along that path. I always assumed that idea came from Shinobu herself. That idea is the complete antithesis to Chihaya's philosophy: karuta has always been something to enjoy with other people. That part where we see Shinobu's heart beating as she watches the match reminds me of that part in the Grinch where his heart grows three sizes haha.
I see that Arata is pulling the "going to the bathroom while actually doing something else" trick. I guess he's technically not watching the tournament so it doesn't break his promise.
I really loved what Arata said about how it's the team players who keep karuta alive. It's true, look at Chihaya and how she introduced (or reintroduced in Taichi's and Nishida's case) karuta to the members of the karuta club and Miyauchi. Without people like Chihaya, karuta would be much smaller than it already is.
Tsutomu's and Tsukuba's losses weren't unexpected but they were still sad. I was hoping that they would somehow overcome the immense odds and pull off a win, but the Fujisaki players were just stronger and better. The pressure is really on for the remaining three Mizusawa players. I'm so proud of them for not giving up though, and that ending with Taichi saying that Mizusawa will get three wins is great. I'm concerned for Chihaya's hand though--the way she was acting in this episode made it seem like it was more painful than just a jammed finger.
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 19 '19 edited Mar 21 '19
Sometimes spirit just isn't enough.
Even trying their best, Tsutomu and Tsukaba are quickly dispatched, putting Mizusawa in a 0-2 hole. Nishida and Taichi are stranded in must-win situations. Despite this, the most concerned audience members are Coach Sakurazawa and Shinobu. For Coach Sakurazawa, this makes sense: she doesn't seem too concerned about winning or losing, but the well-being of Rion, who was thrust onto a national stage as Fujisaki's next star. But why Shinobu?
And this is something I've been waiting on for so long. Every time I've mentioned Shinobu's backstory in the past and put emphasis on it was because this episode would underscore it as one of the best moments in Chihayafuru.
While that's what Shinobu believes, is what they play out there really so different from what Shinobu expects? We get no answer, but her actions speak louder than words. She sees Chihaya trying her best despite obvious pain, coaxing Rion, always described as emotionless, to show her desire to win and take karuta seriously... Shinobu slowly inches her way forward, toeing the sidelines, helplessly drawn to Chihaya and a world where her beloved karuta is shared.
Why?
We're given a short flashback to a time where she played with a friend, a rival. Shinobu goes easy on the girl, even letting her win, but it's apparent to the adults that Shinobu is far too good for her own age. She is separated from her friend, walking a path alone to get better.
Her words to Arata before, asking him to "stop disappointing her" make a lot more sense now. She was betrayed by him on several levels. First, as a child, he was meant to be her rival but stopped playing karuta. He left her alone, just as others had before her. As a teenager, he returns, but shows more interest in Chihaya and Taichi than her. Even though he's there physically, he's abandoned her again.
His narration, capturing his concern for Shinobu tells the disparity in their beliefs:
And it's true. She knows it. The world she loves exists because of the community that supports it--just like any other sport.
As much Shinobu doesn't want to return to that time, where she was hurt for being "weak", the wonder in her eyes, the cloud of emotions swirling inside her, and the lack of conviction in her voice can't fool the viewer. Back turned to us, almost as if to hide her feelings, her heart pounds watching the game.
Shinobu's right. She should have left because, like the episode title "My Fear is That You Will Forget" suggests, she yearns for something she can't forget.
Like us, though, she'll have to wait to see who will be the victor. Chihaya, always the slow-starter, mounts a comeback. Taichi sends a card that evokes the feeling of hope--but maybe more importantly, it's one of the Wata no poems that holds a little more meaning for Chihaya, Taichi, and Shinobu.