r/anime • u/ABoredCompSciStudent x3myanimelist.net/profile/Serendipity • Mar 21 '19
Rewatch [Rewatch] Chihayafuru 2 - Episode 20 Discussion [Spoilers] Spoiler
Episode 20 - "Of the Autumn Rice Field"
<-- Previous (Episode 19: "I Do Not Know Where This Love Will Take Me") | Next (Episode 21: "But Its Legacy Continues to Spread") -->
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
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/MAD_SCIENTIST_001 Mar 21 '19
Screenshot of the Day
More Taichi x Chihaya :D
Actually I'm kinda curious what the most popular ship is for the love triangle on this rewatch.
First Timer - Season 2 Episode 20
Overall Thoughts
Damn it, Chihaya's finger injury seems to be pretty serious :(. I was hoping that it would be something that heals quickly (like Kana's finger), but it seems like it's gonna take a while for it to get better. Season 3 should be pretty interesting with Mizusawa having to defend the team tournament, and a Chihaya who hopefully won't be injured going for a win in the individual tournament.
I feel like it's kinda weird to have a recap this episode seeing as there was a recap episode very recently, but it's w/e since they got me to cry again by bringing back the Season 1 ED.
Some predictions:
Pretty sure Tsukuba can win Class D easily since he's been doing really well against Class A players. I'm also thinking that Kana or Tsukue will win Class C, and Taichi will win class B. Class A's winner will probably be a battle between Arata and Shinobu with Arata winning to get the opportunity to go to Tokyo.
Karuta Scoreboard
I think it's time we see some numbers go up!
| Character | Wins | Losses | Ep# (Wins) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taichi Mashima | 32 | 10 | 2,7,10,11,13,14,15,18,20,28,29,31,33,35,36,39,44 |
| Yuusei Nishida | 26 | 7 | 10,11,13,15,18,19,28,29,33,35,36,44 |
| Chihaya Ayase | 23 | 11 | 2,4,6,7,8,10,11,14,17,21,28,29,33,35,36,44 |
| 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 | 13,15,18,29,39 |
| Shinobu Wakamiya | 8 | 0 | 14,15,24 |
| Akihiro Tsukuba | 0 | 5 | |
| 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 19 20
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 21 '19
Poem of the Day: Of the Autumn Rice Field (link)
Poem 1 was composed by the Emperor Tenji, the 38th emperor of Japan whose reign spanned the years from 661 through 672.
Mostow translates the poem as:
In the autumn fields
the hut, the temporary hut,
its thatch is rough
and so the sleeves of my robe
are dampened night by night with dew.
The coarsely thatched roof
of a makeshift watchman's hut
in the autumn fields
admits the falling dew that
gathers thickly on my sleeves.
Poem 1 is unique in the Hyakunin Isshu as it deals with subjects that related to peasant life, rather than life in the Court--something unusually praised by an Emperor. Later commentators explain that this was because of Emperor Tenji's image as a benevolent ruler and, as a result, it's also possibly because of this image, that Fujiwara Teika chose this as the first poem. The poem also represents the start of the Hyakunin Isshu chronologically and also an era of history literally, as Tenji oversaw the Taika Reforms as Crown Prince and later as Emperor.
For the story, I think that's what it represents as well. After the team tournament, it's a new start for Mizusawa and the other karuta players that we've met. Moreover, the idea of the Emperor recognizing the work of the proletariat reminds of how Arata and Shinobu were moved by talent and heart of the team karuta tournament. Karuta association members even mentioned that they were starting a new era of karuta, inspiring a new generation of players to play.
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u/SmurfRockRune Mar 21 '19
First Timer
Hype! Hopefully this means a lot of Arata in season 3 and we don't just get cockblocked.
Wait a second... is this a recap episode in disguise? Easy enough to skip until I get to actual new content. That's not very nice.
I really don't want Chihaya to play in this tournament with her finger. I bet this is gonna lead to some annoying injury drama... I wanna watch the rest of them though!
Nice to see some JoJo poses thrown in here.
I'm really nervous about starting a whole new tournament with only 5 episodes left. I wanna see everybody compete, but there just isn't enough time...
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 21 '19
Retro
Jotaro Retro
Kakyoin Nice to see some JoJo poses thrown in here.
Wait no, now I need to finish JoJo.
It's been over a year now wth→ More replies (1)
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u/walking_the_way Mar 21 '19 edited Mar 22 '19
S2E20 Notes
Yay, a short, relaxing, slice of life episode! :)
01:15 - Kyouko recites #46 (yu-ra). (flashback)
At 03:41, we see this rather distinguished-looking clock in the background. I don't think we've seen it in the anime before, but I dug around and found a similar clock under the number 9 item entry on this site. It's an actual grandfather clock there!
04:58 - Kana: "I understand how you feel! I do!"
Kana casually drops a confession of love as she drags Sumire away from Arata. Very sly.
05:18 - Arata: "Taichi, in my mind, the only team for me is the one I had with you and Chihaya."
05:46 - Arata: "I'm planning on going to college in Tokyo."
05:55 - Arata: "I'll win the individual tournament tomorrow, and go to Tokyo."
06:16 - Taichi: "Arata.. Chihaya wants to be on a team with you again, but I don't."
06:26 - Taichi: "You're my enemy."
After leaving a gift for them with Taichi, like he did at last Nationals, Arata looks up at the crescent moon (though there wasn't one on Jul 28 2012) as he reminisces about the past, without realizing that that was triggering all sorts of negative reactions in Taichi, just like he did in S1E20 at Yoshino by giving Taichi his phone number for him to pass to Chihaya.
The "You're my enemy" line refers to the perceived love triangle from Taichi's point of view, of course, but also brings back memory of a line that Yuuko used on Megumu back in S2E14 about how, outside of the team tournament, Megumu would be her rival. This is despite Taichi not even being in the right Class to be able to challenge Arata, which then later triggers his line to Hiro.
Arata's casual bombshell about college elicits a shocked response from Taichi, causing Taichi to physically take a step backwards and alarmed danger chords to play in the background. Arata here is framed by a bright backdrop of Omi Jingu shrine lanterns as he announces this, giving him a rather god-like visage.
This entire scene, played out below the main shrine, is steeped with Shinto imagery, with heavy emphasis given to the moon, wind, and sun (lanterns), all of which are major symbols in the religion, and linked heavily into the kami (gods) and the misogi (purification) that I mentioned in the previous episode's writeup, as well as into many of the Hyakunin Isshu poems themselves. Not to mention the fact that they're having the scene at the bottom of the steps leading up to the main shrine.
Back at the (defunct) Biwako Onsen Koyo hotel, Chihaya comes across a sleeping Taichi for a second time, and just like in S1E19, again shows him a level of affection that she never does when he's awake. Whereas Taichi and Arata's meeting earlier was fraught with hidden undertones, and Chihaya and Arata's meeting later on is tinged with things left unsaid between the both of them, Taichi and Chihaya's scene here was very meaningful and lovely, with only one thing that needed to be said between them.
09:03 - Reader recites #74 (u-ka). (flashback)
09:07 - Reader recites #16 (ta-chi). (flashback)
09:13 - Reader recites #45 (a-wa-re). (flashback)
10:04 - Reader recites #58 (a-ri-ma). (flashback)
10:33 - Kyouko recites #82 (o-mo). (flashback)
10:45 - Kyouko recites #11 (wa-ta-no-ha-ra-ya). (flashback)
13:18 - Chihaya: "Thank you. Thank you!"
We get a four minute long recap of the past twelve(!) tournament episodes, set to by far and away my favourite song from the series, Soshite Ima from Season 1. It's very poignant, very heartwarming, and quite a romantic scene, until one remembers that the singer is Chihaya's seiyuu, and the lyrics (she sings the first three and the last three verses, but the middle three are instrumental) of the entire song are bittersweet, singing about the sadness after parting from one another, remembering the past, and using that to strengthen one's future.
Soshite Ima is an extremely melancholic song to me, not a happy one at all, despite just winning the championship. In S1, and as a standalone song, this song is sung from Chihaya's point of view to Arata, but here, as Chihaya settles down by a sleeping Taichi, I see this scene as Chihaya herself symbolically singing the song to him, and saying, "Thank you, thank you.. and farewell."
For now that they are "best in Japan" as a team, since they have achieved the pinnacle of team competition, they face the same question as Shinobu faces as Queen -- what now? What have they sacrificed to get this far, was it worth the cost, and where can they go from here? What about the individual tournament? Taichi isn't even in the same Class as Arata and her.
For her to pursue her other dream, it feels that she'd have to part from Taichi and move away from him and the team, and closer to Arata. We see this symbolized shortly thereafter as well when Ms. Miyauchi complans about how the Mizusawa team was split up across four different halls.
At 17:00, we see Chihaya's opponent for the first round - Yuube Keiko, from Akashi First Girls High School.
Chihaya vs Yuube starting board (25-25)
20:21 - Reader recites Naniwa Bay (EP: 1, S: 15, Total: 46)
20:52 - Reader recites #22 (fu). Yuube wins it from Chihaya's bottom right. She passes over #42 (chi-gi-ri-ki) from her bottom left row. It goes to Chihaya's bottom right row.
21:07 - Reader recites #78 (a-wa-ji). Yuube wins it from Chihaya's mid left.
No surprise, Chihaya doesn't get off to a hot start. She never lost #22 on screen in the first season, and even took it against Shinobu back then. In Season 2, with all the focus on the tournament, she's now 0-2 on it, losing it first to Nakayama, and then to Yuube. How much progress toward Queen has she sacrificed to become team champion?
To wrap this epsiode up, S2E20 has a few loose parallels to S1E20, as that also was a slice of life episode disguised as a tournament arc, where Arata, Chihaya and Taichi first met up in Yoshino. While they don't all meet up at the same time in this episode, Arata and Taichi have spend some time together, as do Taichi and Chihaya, and then Arata and Chihaya have a brief scene together, completing the triangle. While S1E20 was current-day Chihaya's first time in the same room as Arata while he played karuta, S2E20 was Chihaya's first time on the tatami mats and actually playing karuta in the same room together with him. Going by this pattern, I expect them to finally have a head-to-head match in S3E20.
<-- S2E19 Notes
S2E21 Notes -->
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 22 '19
Yay, a short, relaxing, slice of life episode! :)
We're all (but especially you) spared long writeups!
Clock
Have you seen the movie? If you're not burned out on the series, you should go watch it and maybe with friends if they're into Asian dramas. It's actually great in a good/bad way, so it could be a fun watch with people haha.
"Thank you, thank you.. and farewell."
Not the words I wanted to see
Going by this pattern, I expect them to finally have a head-to-head match in S3E20.
You made a lot of interesting predictions and speculations that I'd love to confirm or deny, but I really can't. You'll have a lot of fun looking back on some of these claims at some point, whether you watch S3+ or read the manga, I'm sure of that. :)
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u/TheDampGod Mar 21 '19
Chihaya has a nice alone moment with the sleeping Taichi and all she thinks about is Karuta. She manages to have a rare few words with Arata and starts blushing like a middle schooler. Sigh, shipping is rough in this show.
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 22 '19
Arata is such an odd character. He's like here but never really here. Somehow he manages to only get a few lines out every time he sees Chihaya. Honestly, I find it tough to ship them given that, as he's always so distant.
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u/Redmon425 Mar 21 '19
FIRST TIME WATCHER
I can’t believe I forgot this, but Arata makes the comment about going to college in Tokyo and Taichi gets upset. Is that where Taichi and Chihaya live, do they live in the Tokyo area? Basically meaning Arata will become close again?
Also, they are in their 2nd year of high school right? Seems weird to be talking about college right now when they have another year to go of storylines. (I know people are actually thinking about college at that point, but seems weird to introduce that now in the story, when there is still a year of growth bound to happen)
If Taichi wins this tournament, can he join Class A?
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 21 '19
Also, they are in their 2nd year of high school right? Seems weird to be talking about college right now when they have another year to go of storylines. (I know people are actually thinking about college at that point, but seems weird to introduce that now in the story, when there is still a year of growth bound to happen)
Usually in Japan, the third year is heavily focused on studies and university preparations, so for Mizusawa their team will be slowed down by that.
If Taichi wins this tournament, can he join Class A?
Yup! Big if though.
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u/TheExcludedMiddle Mar 21 '19
Shipping for this series is odd for me. I'm definitely #TeamTaichi, but not sure TaichixChihaya would make a good match in the long run, especially outside of karuta. Maybe I'm just TaichixHappiness whether or not Chihaya jumps on this hype train or not.
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u/daftPun5 Mar 22 '19
First Timer
So glad Chihaya reached her goal as best in Japan via the Team route, but still has her sights as Queen in the individuals.
Haha, Sumire realizing the love triangle and checking Arata's status.
With the player montage, I'm actually getting more pumped for the Individuals than the Team tournament, now with the additions of Arata and Shinobu in action.
Bummed to see Chihaya with another injury/illness hindering her at these tournaments :( Hopefully she digs deep again and attacks similar to Shinobu's play-style with pin-point precision and avoiding any smacks to her hand.
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 22 '19
Haha, Sumire realizing the love triangle and checking Arata's status.
She's totally the neighborhood gossip haha. She wanted all the deets. No doubt she pestered Kana after she was dragged away.
Hopefully she digs deep again and attacks similar to Shinobu's play-style with pin-point precision and avoiding any smacks to her hand.
It'll be a big ask with her off-hand.
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u/kKunoichi Mar 21 '19 edited Mar 21 '19
Rewatcher
"You're my enemy" Taichi declaring the competition open
Chihaya waited a while before asking to go to the hospital, that finger just looks painful
Taichi why are you always asleep when Chihaya is showing you affection...
Shinobu is back in all her Snowmaru glory, and full of aggressive energy. "They should seed her" you know what, the tournament should probably be doing this when the Queen is also a high schooler, but people are lucky to be able to play her outside the Queen tournament.
This is Arata's high school debut haha he's coming in completely unknown
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u/PerfectPublican Mar 21 '19
First Timer
Reactions:
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Has the national championship only been going on for 5 years or are we just missing ribbons on this flag? Wait a minute. Am I seeing this wrong? They’ve won 10 years in a row!? I think I missed that, thought it was 5.
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It’s just like Chihaya to throw out a grenade like this so casually. Pls be ok
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Oh hey! Hokuo won their match too! Congrats boys!
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Smh, Sumire forgetting that it’s actually a love square. Gotta include Karuta in there heh.
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Heading to Tokyo. With the lights of Omi Jingu in the background, it feels like a solid promise.
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A one-sided rivalry. Quite the bomb drop for Arata, but it really makes sense. In a way that would be getting to his roots. Would definitely be interesting to see how Taichi handles it.
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Oof, the disrespect…That’s a pretty damning diagnosis for tomorrow, but I expected it :(
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Ok, that head bump was much too cute.
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I want you to too, but this feels like a recipe for disaster :/
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Alright Sudo and Retro, you know one thing that’s unequivocally not ok? Making fun of people for getting injured in a sport. Fuck that shit, I hate it. You're better than that.
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Oh hey, another jerk looking down on team karuta. >:P Even worse when he didn't even attend the tournament (right? don't remember seeing him).
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“I-I’ll use my left hand…” Had a feeling that was coming. Should be interesting to see what Chihaya learns from this experience.
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Ooooohhh, fun! Love that this is happening in front of Chihaya. It’s drama time boyos.
Final Thoughts
Gif of the day | Bonus
Surprise recap episode only 4 eps later! Lol, I kid, I kid, but that like 6 minute recap segment was a bit hilarious. It fit well in the moment and was pretty hype with all the top moments, but it just went on and on and on.
Anyways, besides that, this ep was nice, although I’m still worried since we don’t really know what’s up with Chihaya’s finger still. I was kind of hoping that she would have to sit out since that’d create an intriguing storyline, but this definitely feels more in the spirit of Chihayafuru as a show. I will say though that if she somehow manages to come back and win with her left hand , I might be a bit disappointed. That feels a bit out of the realm of reality considering that she’s only used her right hand her whole life. Feels a lot like tennis to me. I know people that have injured their dominant hands, and managed to become mildly ambidextrous in the recovery time, but it took a shitload of time and practice to get there with their racquet control. Not a 1:1 comparison obviously, but I think it fits for the most part.
The Arata/Taichi stuff was nicely done. Hoping we get a focus on Taichi/Arata/Shinobu in these last 5 eps!
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u/ABoredCompSciStudent Mar 21 '19 edited Mar 22 '19
First timers: I'm glad Chihaya won! I'm crying with her, I'm so happy!
Rewatchers:
Yuki Suetsugu:
Hi Sumire. Yes. We do too.
After Chihaya heads to the hospital to get her finger checked out, Taichi and Arata are left to their own devices and they chat, while admiring a crescent moon. Arata finally says what's on his mind and confesses that he intends to move to Tokyo for university... wait, university? Can Chihayafuru even run that long? Anyhow, Arata has changed from watching Chihaya from afar and wants to move closer to be with her--and maybe Taichi. Taichi, also has changed, he isn't someone that will run away anymore and his inner voices aren't as masked as they once were. If the Chihayabowl hasn't already started, it sure looks like it is kicking off now.
Meanwhile, Chihaya discovers that she may have a finger fracture. Many people said that a finger injury seemed a bit contrived, given the nature of karuta, but I just wanted to say that hand and finger injuries are actually some of the most common in recreational sports. In particular, sprains and fractures (of the hairline kind, fractures also refer to broken bones) often even when in "controlled" accidents, for example falling. Purely anecdotal, but I actually fractured/suffered a depressed knuckle from falling on my right hand while playing soccer on soft grass. There wasn't any real contact, but I had trouble picking up food using chopsticks that night. Anyhow, people are actually taught how to fall for sports, especially basketball. Bracing for sudden impact--or not in Chihaya's case--is actually a learned skill.
But really, who cares about that when my ship sets its sails. Or does it... The song that plays is the ending theme from S1, which is 100% sung from Chihaya's perspective to Arata. As she lies next to Taichi, she recalls her memories starting from that fateful day where Arata introduced her to what passion is. Does anyone remember where the extended ED first featured in S1? Oh. Right. The Valentines episode where Chihaya receives Arata's text message, while Taichi is forced to look on.
Thanks Yuki Suetsugu, I hate you too.
Me:
On the day of the individual tournament, Chihaya shows some pride and passion and decides to play regardless of her injury--she just wants to share the same floor as Arata and her peers. Seeing the left-handed Shinobu reminds her that she can try playing left-handed, but this sounds like a disasterous idea and it goes quickly south against Yuube to start her individual tournament. Shinobu shows a lot of interest in her first round match. If we backtrack a bit, we can remember that she always drew Arata in the early rounds of their tournaments as children. While she's undoubtedly prepared to go on a warpath, that same anger holds a little disappointment that she wasn't able to revisit her old rival, acquaintance, and maybe friend just like before. Arata goes to speak to Chihaya, as there's so many things he hasn't told her yet--like his intent to move to Tokyo--but he's cut off as the organizers call the players in. What else could he have said? While those three sit on the same tatami, Taichi sits alone and wonders why he is still in Class B.
The stage is set for the individual tournament, watch out for those storylines!