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B
ut when Chihaya enters high school, she along with her club members –Jack of all trades, Mashima Taichi; the girl in love
with the classics, Oe Kanade; the studious Tsutomu Komano and Nishida Yuusei, who ran away from karuta after losing
to Wataya –plans to take their school to the karuta national tournament. Both season 1 and 2 trace the club’s journey as
they participate in the national tournaments as a group and as individual participants. While all of them have a different
approach to playing karuta, the love for the game is also visible through the techniques they apply.
Chihayafuru can be interpreted in several ways – a competitive sports anime with battles, polishing and honing
the skills of the protagonists; a love triangle played out on the battlefield of karuta or the journey of a
young girl who is on her way to reign the world of
karuta. The anime shows that karuta is not a leisurely card
game played for passing time but a hard-core sports game
with complex strategies and tear-enducing finales. As the
anime progresses, we see Chihaya moving further and
progressing towards her goal with obvious obstacles.
Characters: I think sometimes more than the plot,
the characters bind you to the anime. Their motivations,
emotions and drive might lead any viewer to sympathize
with the character and any misgivings of the plot
might seem miniscule if the viewer is more attached to
the character. In chihayafuru, the character’s growth and
journey have an over-arching importance, or rather, the
character’s journey becomes the plot. Chihaya’s growth in
season one and two keep the viewer attached and amused.
Her steadfast ambition and an almost-blind determination to
become the best at karuta might sometimes make her insensitive
to her surroundings. But there are an array of characters,
each with their small knacks and weakness. The
karuta club, as it connects with each other, makes
you feel as you are part of the team as it
matures and develops. The other thing that
the characters do is pick each other up when
the other one is down. When one member of
the club faces failure, the other members are
always encouraging, supportive and make
up for the loss. But apart from the main
characters, each opponent is also unique
and evolving. In each match, the game and
its pace evolve the team members and their
opponents, giving the viewer good insight
into each player’s growth. The relations
among characters also undergo a change
through the wins and losses. For example,
Chihaya faces the reigning Queen Wakamiya
Shinobu in seas on 1 and even though the
result might be predictable, by the end of
season 2, this rivalry has become a learning
curve for both the players.
Animation: A Madhouse production,
the series is one of the best looking anime.
Typically a game anime about poems, there
is a lyrical and innocent beauty to the
anime that is mirrored in its animation,
which is a visual treat and almost lifelike.
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Anime Reign | Issue 2 | 2013