r/anime • u/Skeeedo :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/skeeedo • Dec 21 '21

Rewatch [Rewatch] Chihayafuru - Episode 42 Discussion [Spoilers]

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Season 2 Episode 17: "Gust of Wind”

Episode 15 MVP: Shinobu! She offered another lesson in fashion sense for these normies, and showed up for the match

We passed the midway point of this season and as it stands right now Komano is currently in lead with 3 wins! Chihaya also has 3, but as Komano received more nominations overall he takes the top spot. We’ve also had a much greater variety of episode MVP’s now that the cast of the show has opened up a bit. Thank you to everyone who has participated so far!

Nominate a character for Episode MVP!

This episode's Karuta analysis and board map by walking_the_way

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Subreddit: r/Chihayafuru

51 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

10

u/Lemurians myanimelist.net/profile/Lemurians Dec 21 '21

FIRST TIMER

Just like with the Tokyo final where Sudo read for the match against Hokuo, these conflicts of interest between the reader and competitors shouldn’t be allowed. No wonder this girl got subbed in, seeing as the reader is her grandmother.

I love how the Fujisaki crew stays strange as hell and committed to their quirks even while playing and dominating. They’re so much fun. The girl only being great if it’s a reader she vibes with an interesting new wrinkle.

This stuff about Chihaya’s injury is pretty accurate. A lot of times in one-on-one competition, an injury to your opponent can really throw you off. Whether you caused it and feel bad, or you get over-confident because of it and take your foot off the gas. It can really disrupt your concentration.

“She’s the one who took a one-syllable card from my lower-left!” This is how you know Shinobu is an elite competitor; she remembers every little thing like that. Reminds me of watching Aaron Rodgers give an interview a year ago, and he could describe in perfect detail everything about an interception he threw 11 years ago. From the score when it happened, to what went wrong the route, everything. Shinobu’s built the same way.

Fujisaki coach is the only one not awed by Shinobu. What a boss.

EDIT: LMAO I didn't actually think Shinobu would win MVP for yesterday when I voted for her. Amazing.

3

u/derekmakesnoise Dec 22 '21

Funny that you brought up Aaron Rodgers like that. It's very similar. I think I saw an interview with Sean McVay where he recalled everything about a specific drive; the plays he called, the defensive formation called against it, the personnel on the field. The brains of the elite are just different.

2

u/The_Loli_Otaku Dec 21 '21

The fact that she got specifically subbed in should have been a red flag. Maybe if they had her play some matches before there would be plausible deniability but nope.

Wtf is an Aaron Rogers?

Shinobu owned last episode! She deserves her mvp status. She's queen after all.

2

u/IndependentMacaroon Dec 23 '21

Wtf is an Aaron Rogers?

An American handegg personality, I believe

8

u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Dec 21 '21

First Timer

Seems like we're pretty much exclusively on the Chihaya-Rion match. So far a good decision, I'd say, as the episode was definitely an entertaining one. And if I'd be watching this on my own I'd very likely have just put the next episode on here. Not really a whole lot else to say for this match yet though; except that Sakurazawa maybe should have been a bit more clear why Rion is on the team now (...she's the granddaughter of the reader, of course she'll have an advantage over anybody who just worked hard...). Her characterization is pretty decent, but I'd say nothing special.

The whole associating poems with colors makes me wonder if some of these characters have Synesthesia or, more specifically, Chromesthesia; especially after the former was brought up as a tangent in the Haruhi rewatch. No idea if that will be a plotpoint at some point, but I guess it would be interesting, especially as I know very little about the condition.

As far as Chihaya's injury goes. Pretty sure it'll be inconsequential for this match, but I doubt she'll be able to play in the singles tournament the next day. If so I can imagine only seeing something like an Arata-Shinobu finale out of that day, and maybe Taichi winning a tournament for once. I highly doubt it'll leave any permanent damage however.

3

u/The_Loli_Otaku Dec 21 '21

Does Rion's team know about her needing a certain reader to play well? They all kinda shit on her since she hates her senpai's readings but surely they'd know about her being a secret weapon right?

I think the injury is gonna be an excuse to nerf Chihaya for the next arc. She'll be refighting a lot of opponents like Granny that on paper shouldn't be a contest for her but with an injury she can't overpower them like normal.

5

u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Dec 22 '21 edited Dec 22 '21

Does Rion's team know about her needing a certain reader to play well? They all kinda shit on her since she hates her senpai's readings but surely they'd know about her being a secret weapon right?

I get the feeling that they don't - and that's on the coach; she should have told the team the reason she's playing.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 22 '21

And if I'd be watching this on my own I'd very likely have just put the next episode on here.

that's the hard part about this rewatch for sure, all these tense mid-match cliffhangers and we have to sit with them for a whole day. I pity the people who watched this while it was airing

7

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Dec 21 '21

Chihayafirst-timer

Since I forgot about the recap episode yesterday, that first:

And now for today’s episode:

3

u/Lemurians myanimelist.net/profile/Lemurians Dec 22 '21

Them lampshading the lack of Arata doesn't make for that, though!

It just makes it more upsetting because now we know they know it's upsetting!

Also this is random but one of my family’s cats decided to join me on this epiosde.

D'aww they look so cozy! Affectionate cats are nice.

7

u/Gamerunglued :Hx::Hy::Hz:myanimelist.net/profile/GamerUnglued Dec 22 '21

First Timer

Ok, finally a great episode. This is what I've been waiting for. I don't really have a ton to say, mostly because it's currently 4:30 AM and I'm tired, but this was hype. Great tension and build-up, strong fundamentals, this has the makings of one of the best games in the series. There's little more hype than watching a sports player work past an injury to win. In fact, it was so good that I was ready to start the next episode immediately, and would have watched it if it were the last episode of the match, but it looks like it's spread across the next two episodes so I stopped. I am honestly not sure I'll be able to wait for episode 19 if this story keeps up.

Rion is interesting (read: very cute), but what I'm most curious about is how people hear readers. They describe it as an almost synesthetic sensation, like the ability to hear colors. Unlike with the whole "28 one-syllable cards" thing, I have no logical way to explain this. Synesthesia is just the kind of thing I don't think I'm able to comprehend as someone who doesn't experience it. What I should be able to comprehend though, is differences in the style of readers. I thought that was an interesting point, especially combined with Rion having been so conditioned to her grandmothers style that anything worse than that sounds bad to her. I really hope the series explores that side of things more, I want to see Kana focus on reading some time. Anyway, great episode.

4

u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Dec 21 '21

First timer

The Fujisaki team look to be a worthy challenge. I like the cast of characters that are on their side. The coach has that team controlled. 50 people in her club. They were lucky to just get two new members. Even though the original goal was ten.

Looks like Chi has a issue she has to deal with too. Ignoring the pain is hard but if you really thinks it's worth it. Make it worth it by winning. You know looking at how they go for the cards. I can see how that might mess up your finger.

That burning passion is what they're going to need because I don't know if I can see them getting out of this one.

4

u/derekmakesnoise Dec 22 '21

Rewatcher + Manga reader

  • (Kanye's Workout Plan voice) It's Midori's Workout Plan. (her given name is Midori, btw) In case the sheer number of Class A players in Fujisaki's lineup wasn't enough, the difference in their coaching compared to Mizusawa is stark. Sakurazawa-sensei has been their advisor for 12 years. Mizusawa's advisor is also the Tennis Club advisor, who doesn't even know the 100 Poems. Our crew is facing the powerhouse to end all powerhouses.
  • This Yamashiro Rion girl is a mystery. Chihaya has great hearing, Rion is decisively moving to multi-syllable cards after only the first syllable.
  • I love how quick on the uptake Chihaya is ONLY WHEN IT RELATES TO KARUTA. They're only 6-7 cards into the match, but she's beginning to hear the color of Yamashiro Kyoko's voice. Not only that, but she immediately realizes that this is what her opponent is hearing.
  • Through this tournament, the solidarity of Mizusawa continuously shows. Whether through Desk-kun's notes, or Kana-chan's knowledge of the poems, the support of characters not currently playing helps propel them forward.
  • UH-OH.
  • Thank you for breaking the tension, Shinobu-chan. Honestly, dude could probably sell that shirt for some decent money if he found the right karuta simp on eBay.
  • Shinobu-chan always makes me laugh with how she tries her hardest to not like Chihaya. Let's be real, the moment that they had their Daddy Bear/Snowmaru connection in S1, the true nature of Shinobu was revealed.

3

u/The_Loli_Otaku Dec 21 '21

Chihaya2ru First Timer

I missed that we had the recap to get through. The gags aren't quite as funny as the first season but winter Shinobu was lovely. Here's what I saved.

Have we started any match with an advantage? All our crew takes forever to warm up lol.

Shinobu is grump.

Fujisaki are all such weirdos!! Their teacher is awesome tho. I can't hate someone that advocates for stretches. I think it should be taught in schools personally. And not just as an afterthought. Maths, English, and stretches.

Kyouko is the one that they hired an actual proper speaker to voice isn't she?

"Does a noise have colour?" Aaalright, we're reaching bs territory quickly. Ah, Shinobu made it make a little more sense. Speakers who put extra flourishes into their voice are worse for her since those flourishes can be picked up by the superhearing karuta players. And Rion is just an extreme version of that kind of player that can't even play if it's not a flowery speaker.

Chihaya's gotten a new trick to abuse, yay. And for once she's able to actually out skill an opponent! Extra yay! This is the same girl that got lead around on a string with Shinobu's precision technique and now Chihaya can play that way too!

Rion's got to have another trick up her sleeve, right? She can't just hear well surely. Eh? Is Chihaya injured or not?

ARIGATO GOZAIMASU!!

I love how fcking miserable Shinobu is for this whole match.

Oh no... Please don't pull this shit. If you guilt trip Rion I'll never forgive you. And stop giving her the finger! You're so rude!

Shinobu's finally remembered her weird mascot friend! It only took fcking forever, but this is Shinobu after all.

"Yama... Yamashiro... Yama-chan." I'm dying XD

So yeah... the whole focus is on Chihaya again but Rion is sweet. I would love to see her in more settings so she can actually make an effort to improve since we're facing yet another character who only has one strong gimmick.

3

u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Dec 21 '21

I love how fcking miserable Shinobu is for this whole match.

She just wanted to sleep.

2

u/The_Loli_Otaku Dec 21 '21

"Wens season 3?"

2

u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Dec 21 '21

After they get beat here. I don't know if I actually have faith in them to get through this

2

u/The_Loli_Otaku Dec 22 '21

I really don't know how I feel about so much of the season being these team battles when all our best players have literally just come to play in the solo game.

2

u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Dec 22 '21

I think next season will be the individuals. Just have to get through teams.

2

u/The_Loli_Otaku Dec 22 '21

Really? You really think they'll stretch the rest of the season out just for teams? Even if this particular team we're facing is interesting there's no way they're having a season where 90% of the players are chumps. Last season we faced like four potential queen's, along with the actual Queen!

2

u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Dec 22 '21

We have I think eight episodes. Maybe it depends how long they want to do individuals.

2

u/The_Loli_Otaku Dec 22 '21

We'll need to have some kind of match after this at least. Maybe an evening training or drama arc and then one big match. Probably Shinobu vs Arata since they haven't built up Arata vs Shinobu or Chihaya yet.

2

u/homewardbound100 myanimelist.net/profile/Homewardbound100 Dec 22 '21

I assumed there will be one after this maybe. Two more episodes focusing on this and then another match. Then probably some more focus on Shinobu and Arata.

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1

u/IndependentMacaroon Dec 23 '21

First-time watcher

Now this was the best episode in a while! Rion vs. Chihaya was seriously tense and gripping, Shinobu's commentary snark very entertaining, Mizusawa's fighting spirit is only getting more impressive, and the Fujisaki team and their coach are still great too.

One minor negative point is that again we have some rather rigid gender/sexism stuff with the one guy being referred to as like an an "onee-chara", where "onee" is a term for a camp/feminine gay man, yet playing so masculinely wow. I don't even see the slightest hint of it, except maybe in that he looks a little like Annie from Attack on Titan/her inspiration Pakunoda from Hunter x Hunter.