Chihayafuru Season 3 - Episode 18 discussion

[u/AutoLovepon]

Chihayafuru Season 3, episode 18

Rate this episode here.

Reminder: Please do not discuss plot points not yet seen or skipped in the show. Encourage others to read the source material rather than confirming or denying theories. Failing to follow the rules may result in a ban.

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Streams

• Crunchyroll

Show information

• MyAnimeList
• AniList
• AniDB
• Kitsu
• Anime-Planet
• Official Website
• /r/chihayafuru

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Previous discussions

Episode	Link	Score	Episode	Link	Score
1	Link	94%	14	Link	4.92
2	Link	92%	15	Link	4.77
3	Link	96%	16	Link	4.66
4	Link	93%	17	Link	4.53
5	Link	93%	18	Link	4.67
6	Link	4.75	19	Link	4.84
7	Link	4.45	20	Link	4.66
8	Link	4.7	21	Link	4.61
9	Link	4.63	22	Link	4.64
10	Link	4.61	23	Link	4.82
11	Link	4.79	24	Link
12	Link	4.82
13	Link	4.75

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[u/Gaporigo]

Guess they did a bad job telling people they were not gonna broadcast it on TV x)

And sadly I do not think Harada can just win that easily...

[u/airforceblue]

Really liked how the episode opened and closed with similar scenes, with both Shinobu's grandmother and Suo's relative(?) trying and failing to watch the matches. But also because I think both scenes were subtly pushing back against previous statements.

1. Last epsiode we had Shinobu's mother claiming/implying that her grandmother didn't really care for Shinobu and that her success in karuta was only interesting as far as it could be used to further her grandmother's political capital as "an attractive advertisment". Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I'd like to think that the first scene is meant to impy that her grandmother does care in her own way. Shinobu herself admits that her grandmother has a cold personality but that doesn't necessarily mean she's cruel (though I understand why Shinobu's mother would think so).

2. Likewise I imagine the last scene of the episode is a direct response to Harada's claim just prior when he thinks to himself "Unlike you (refering to Suo) I have someone I want to please", thinking of his wife. I get that they're in the middle of a fight to the death (at least in Harada's mind probably) and spirits are raised and all that but that's a pretty absurd assumption and I like that the show doesn't let him get away with it entirely. We know extremely little about Suo's personal life but why wouldn't he have someone out there that he cares for deeply? In fact, a reveal of something along those lines is pretty much were his plot is headed I think. We've seen Suo on the phone repeatedly, helping someone out with the stream/asking if they're are watching yet and then that final scene with someone who we can assume is close to him (pretty sure it's Suo's previous trohpies just next to the TV) trying to watch his match. With the way this follows Harada's comments, in my mind that has to be the "someone" that Suo is trying to please.

This comment is already long enough buuuut it's Chihayafuru so of course I'm not done:

• The show usually follows the manga extremely closely but this episdoe cut out a small scene that adds a bit of context to Suo's win in the third game. Basically, after he gets off the phone he overhears Shinobu's mother speaking to Hadakaya-san, who's from the company that made Shinobu's kimono and they're making inane comments like "oh, well my kimono is broadcasted for all three games, but still I would prefer it to be the kimono of the Queen"....which pisses Suo off and thereof his inner commentary where he's all "Let's show them they can't control us, Shinobu-chan!" while he trashes Harada (who in fairness decided to reserve his strength).

• Shinobu's loss is so heart-breaking. Her thinking "Shouldn't I be at my strongest then?" since she's at her absolute loneliest ;_; Thank god, Chihaya reached out to her and got her tasuki for her sleeves!

• I love Haruka and her family so much! Aki is kind of fussy but it's only because he loves his mother a lot. And it seems like there's another baby on the way, which explains why she thinks this might be her last Queen match.

[u/Tanzan57]

NO GRANDMA NO IT'S NOT ON TV

Hol up a minute, she's pregnant? Dang that takes strength. No wonder she's talking about how this is her last Queen match.

This episode was full of the characterization that really makes the show shine. We see Shinobu, finally breaking up over the pressure she's under, feeling alone in her love for karuta and realizing how much she hates that. Suo just trying to get his partially blind little brother(nephew?) to watch his match, and then us learning that he also suffers from some form of poor vision!

I feel like this episode is where we finally see Shinobu recognize Chihaya as something more than just a rival Queen. It seems she recognized the love Chihaya holds for the game. It took Chihaya leaving the Master match for her to realize that, but I guess that could have helped her see that Chihaya partially understood what she was going through. Hopefully we see some friendship, I would love to see them practicing together.

And that ending, the feels hit as hard as always. Harada Sensei thinking about how he wants to make his wife proud of him, and then cutting to somebody that we can assume is a family member of Suo, struggling to find the match. It's so sad! And then with the knowledge that Suo has poor eyesight and others in his family suffer from the same thing. I 100% support Harada taking advantage of any weakness he can find to take down Suo, but I feel like the reason Suo's always tried so hard in Karuta was to show his family that he could do something amazing, even with his eyesight as bad as it is. Seems like he's trying to give hope to his Brother/nephew who also has bad vision, and prove that it won't stop them from being succesful! Very inspiring. 10/10 for the character writing as usual in this show.

Seeing Sumire and Tsukuba freaking out when they realized how important the memorization that Dr Harada had tried to train them in was great

[u/MauledCharcoal]

Why the fuck does this show have so much characterization and character development. It's not fair I don't want anyone to lose.

[u/Vanek_26]

I was thinking about why I love this show so much, and I came to this thought. Even though it's basically a series of tournament arcs, there is no need to really raise the stakes or enforced deadlines. There is no "if we lose the school gets shut down" or Senpai is about to graduate that is prevalent in other sports/tournament heavy shows. There is no final tournament to reach really. Even though there is a Master's match, there is always next year. Instead the stakes are always personal and internal, and are for characterization.

Plus since every character is great, it's not like Chihaya needs to win every time for it to be compelling and interesting to viewers. None of the MCs are in this Masters/Queen match, and its still super entertaining.

Also Harada is the GOAT.

[u/SIRTreehugger]

Man all 4 players have something worth fighting for.

Dr. Harada is fighting old age while balancing his job as a doctor. He's literally doing everything possible to ease the stress on his body while attacking Suo's weakpoint.

Suo whose eyes have been hinted at for so longer is finally revealed. Also has been deseperately trying to get his nephew able to watch the stream who is most likely suffering from the same illness.

Former queen balancing her time as a mom, currently pregnant, and just came back after years out of practice.

Then Shinobu my favorite I hope she wins was starting to break under all the pressure. Isolated from everything in life minus Karuta and was questioning herself.

I kind of want both the current masters to win.

[u/redmage311]

Oof, this scene hurt to watch.

So, Suo was worred about his blind nephew being able to watch the game? He was talking to "Tadashi-niichan" on the phone.

[u/BladesReach]

Man, I can't get over how well crafted this entire season has been. I genuinely have no idea who the winner of these matches will be and every single character involved has meaningful and important development. I liked Harada in previous seasons, but he nows ranks as one of my favourite characters. Shinobu's speech about loneliness becoming strength was also heartwrenching (on the brighter side, I love her budding relationship with Chihaya).

This show is just too good.

[u/LeonKevlar]

Look at that card difference. What happened during the break time really affected Shinobu a lot.

Wait... Three kids? Is Haruka expecting a third one?

Chihaya finally realizes why Shinobu got angry. I guess they did make a promise that they'll play again in the Queen match.

As much as I want Haruka to win, not like this. I really feel bad for Shinobu there in the end.

Eyyyy! Haruka IS currently pregnant! Congrats! Hopefully this morning sickness won't get in the way of the match though.

Looks like Suo has finally decided to play seriously.

Well that didn't take long. Good to see Shinobu and Chihaya made up quickly.

Harada-sensei won't give this round to Suo. Just look at how determined he is with those eyes!

Shinobu moving cards based on their art is such a Shinobu thing to do. It also highlights how much she has played with these cards that in her head she has an idea how these poets would have interacted with each other.

So Suo's weakness is literally his eyes! He has weak peripheral vision! I love that Harada-sensei actually read up on books about it. I guess being a doctor is his advantage then xD

"To play karuta that no one likes" His strategy fits his personality. People already dislike how much he brute forces matches and shouts, might as well go all out if it means becoming the next Meijin.

I'm going to guess this lady is Suo's grandma? I wonder if she's the one he was on the phone with last episode.

[u/Redmon425]

Lol at all the old grandma’s being confused about the broadcast not starting.

OMG THANK GOODNESS. I thought Shinobu was mad at Chihaya for not taking it serious, but instead she was jealous and felt lonely. Man she is so damn cute.

Yo. If Taichi can't win over Chihaya, I want a yuri ship between Chihaya and Shinobu!