Chihayafuru

[Buffalobiian]

The fact Arata doesn't play Kurata anymore suggest that his grandfather died shortly after he returned (from what I gather). So did he get any better? I'm sure he'll start playing again, and if/when he does, will he be at the same level as Chihaya or on a whole new level? Would kinda suck if he was on same level or near, I liked the fact he was so much better than the other too, brought a funny side to it with the competitiveness and what not

He would still be pretty god-mode. Chihaya might be able to get more cards from him now (all the first syllable ones) other than just the Chihaya card, but his memory and skill would still make him the better player overall (at least until the end of the series).

I would have said that he was A-rank to begin with, though it may take him an episode or two to shake the rust off himself now.

[Ryllharu]

[HorribleSubs] Chihayafuru - 05 (720p)

It's all...complicated.

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Taichi had a pretty good set of lines about love. It's not the usual gushy interpretation we usually see. His moroseness about the situation and obviously his love life was a nice parallel to Chihaya's numb expression during the train trip and on the platform. We didn't need to hear Chihaya's inner turmoil on the train, it mirrored Taichi's, even if she doesn't really understand it. She's terrified/anxious about seeing Arata after so long, devastated by the news she got over the phone, yet longs to see him. She did later express it verbally, but it wasn't really necessary.

That said, Chihaya's still her lovable bizarre self. Looks like a supermodel, acts like...something else entirely. Tearing Arata off the bike, performing a superb shoulder throw on Taichi, heh. Never an iota of tact or delicacy. I loved her little random notes written on wrappers, total stream of consciousness, just like all other dialogue that comes out of her.

This episode was quite strong in terms of visible emotions. The scene with Taichi struggling to grab her hand, knowing she thinks he's happy with his girlfriend. Arata blasting past them and Chihaya knowing right away, her fingers narrowly missing Taichi's. The drop of water off Chihaya's face when she's in the bath. Chihaya fixing her hair at the end right before Taichi mentioned he'd help her form the club. Even the goofy stuff like Chihaya melting in her seat.

Arata had a pretty good reason for quitting. Melodramatic, but a pretty good reason.


I'm very interested in why a girl in the kyuudo club might want to switch to the karuta club.

[Kraco]

That said, Chihaya's still her lovable bizarre self. Looks like a supermodel, acts like...something else entirely.

I really like this aspect. Sure, anime in general is full of bishoujo who just happen to be beautiful, but with Chihaya, and a series like this, it feels different. Like I said in an earlier post, she has the background to look like a supermodel and, again in a show like this, she has to do something do have those looks and not look like some karuta otaku. Yet, apart from looking like that at least partially consciously, it doesn't seem to matter to her at all, which makes it so great. The constrast is exhilarating.

I'm quite satisfied with Arata's reason and how it solved itself. He had been a total loner until he befriended Chihaya and Taichi, so going back to this small town he likely depended on the grandpa to have any like-minded company. Yet with the geezer gone, he was again alone yet this time with the experience of what it is to not be alone. It's very spychologically plausible to make all the wrong choices under such circumstances and sweve off to undesirable paths requiring an outside force to return from. Basically nothing more than a small reminder he's not alone after all.

I have no doubt Arata will still kick ass once he gets the rust off.

[Ryllharu]

I really like this aspect. Sure, anime in general is full of bishoujo who just happen to be beautiful, but with Chihaya, and a series like this, it feels different. Like I said in an earlier post, she has the background to look like a supermodel and, again in a show like this, she has to do something do have those looks and not look like some karuta otaku. Yet, apart from looking like that at least partially consciously, it doesn't seem to matter to her at all, which makes it so great. The constrast is exhilarating.

If she was borrowing money from her sister to take this trip, her sister likely still lives in (or at least crashes at) the family home.

I'd wager her sister doesn't let her out of the house without cleaning herself up a bit. Chihaya's exactly the type to go to a tournament wearing track pants and an old sweatshirt. It would be pretty embarrassing if a photographer snapped a candid shot of what would end up in the tabloids as, "Famous Supermodel Ayase Chitose on One of Her Off-Days!" Either that or Chitose rubbed off on Chihaya. Chihaya had always idolized her sister before she found karuta.

Still, Chihaya certainly cares about her appearance enough to look good at both school and on rendezvous.