Chihayafuru

For the longest of times I have been a shounen fan through and through. My first anime was from that demographic, and naturally so were the ones that followed. Their formula of never ending repetition was easy to follow and having characters act in a familiar manner felt homey, probably because of my age at the time as well. While I retain a deep attachment to the above category and most of my favorite stories can still be traced there, it was only natural that at some point variants of the same type of storytelling would feel contrived. That was when I branched out to things outside my comfort zone, tried out different and contrasting titles and began the process of properly cultivating my understanding of the anime and manga world, their industry and its inner workings, and more importantly myself.

Browsing through the josei category Chihayafuru was an anime that immediately caught my attention due to how well it was received in the community as well as its unique thematic, one I was unfamiliar with. Sometime later, the third season of the anime was announced and that was when I decided to actually sit through it. It made for a highly immersive experience and one I consider as one of the the most emotionally intelligent pieces of fiction I have ever come across.

Earlier this year the announcement of the manga reaching its ending after 15 years of serialization was made and that was when I knew that it was finally time to refresh the story in my mind, experience its original form by reading its source material, and sum up my thoughts and understanding of the title after consuming it in its entirety. With a complete opinion now shaped, wear your hakama and let's explore an intriguing sport rooted in tradition, poetry and Japanese history.

The Ogura Hyakunin Isshu is a collection of 100 traditional Japanese poems by 100 Japanese poets, one poem each. It was compiled during the 12th cenutry and forms the basis of karuta.

Karuta is a card game the uses the aforementioned poems each written in a single card. Half of these cards are being distributed between two competitors and they try to correctly collect them and clear out their territory before their opponent does, based on the reader's melodical reciting of the poems out of a full 100-card deck from their own separate stack in random order.
It is a sport that is mostly unknown to western audiences and despite its simple setting, has various rules, card terminology based on their state on the field, and a multitude of techniques to play it effectively. It requires considerable physical skill and stamina while it is primarily a mental activity that demands different forms of memorization as well as the skill to quickly forget previous card placements.

The story of Chihayafuru focuses on Ayase Chihaya, a young girl who makes a fateful encounter that introduces her to the world of karuta, an event that will help her discover her passion, something to immerse herself in, her calling in life, a driving force and a goal to strive for. As a sport relatively unknown outside Japan, becoming Queen, the best female player in Japan, means being the best in the entire world.

The main cast is rounded up by Wataya Arata, the young boy who has the dream of becoming Meijin himself, the best male karuta player, and the one who introduces Chihaya to the world of karuta, and Mashima Taichi an all around wonder boy and Chihaya's childhood friend that gets roped up into the karuta world as well.

And thus begins a coming of age drama that masterfully balances between intense competitive sport moments and deeply emotional character growth.

To get this out of the way first, I believe a short media comparison is in order. I began my readthrough with extreme anticipation to relive a story that managed to touch my heartstrings multiple times when I first came across it via its anime and one that had birthed a magnitude of emotions within me. When I first started reading the manga I could appreciate the process of remembering beloved characters and events, yet there was something that felt off. I could not entirely grasp that emotional investment I had during my anime watch.

And thus I pondered over it. There had been more than two full years before my previous involvement with the title and I had since consumed numerous pieces of fiction, enough to not fully remember precise events, the order they had played out, or how they had contributed to each character's journey, so it should not have been a case of reliving the same experience too soon which could explain things. On the contrary, the process felt really fresh to me. Without digressing too much, I noticed that the series of events was moving relatively fast. The anime was blessed with great direction giving the story time to breathe and also had the advantage of precise sound direction which is extremely important in a series that features melody and timely reaction to it as the deciding factor of how its main sport plays out.

On the bright side, after the first few introductory chapters, the series started giving itself a little more time, and thankfully I managed to get drawn to its pace. In fact I lost myself in it and completed it sooner than initially estimated. By the time I reached the final chapter my opinion had swifted to one of respect for its pacing choices as totally functional, since it managed to cover an exceptional amount of characters, matches and accomplishments in its span of 50 volumes. It is an amazingly crafted piece of fiction after all and one for everyone to give a chance to.

Chihayafuru has all the qualities one would expect from a manga in the sports genre. The structure of the competitive karuta stage features many different tournaments, both team and individual ones, ones aimed toward high school students and non age restricted ones, and others seperated by gender as well as mixed ones. The competitors' level is divided in classes as everyone aims for the top, the Meijin and Queen titles. High school tournaments feature familiar rivalries between schools, and deep bonds between club members. Ever present are the elements of struggle through practice to achieve goals, the sweet taste of victory and the value of defeat, strong emotional outbursts that feel earned, and the lessons of interpersonal growth throughout the entire process of following one's dream and investing in hard work. Long time sports anime/manga fans will find the best parts of the genre's formula in Chihayafuru, while readers whose first contact with a sport manga is this one will get to know all the elements that make this category compelling and attractive.

Where Chihayafuru goes beyond the typical sports manga boundaries is the mental aspect of the games. Every match has a certain amount of interest in it as far as karuta itself goes, separate from the ever present character development its participants go through. That is possible because steadily and surely the series presents techincal aspects of karuta and advanced strategies in an accessible manner and without giving the feeling of being too convoluted. In other words, it is a series that has educational qualities and teaches you the game from zero, a trait I deeply respect and find compelling in fiction, in general.

As much as karuta is a sport, it also carries a heavy artistic identity. Starting from its conception it is a collection of traditional Japanese poems. The way karuta is conducted demands a reader melodically reciting the poems, something so ingrained in karuta's identity that most of the matches, especially in the later part of the series, are centered around intonation and settled because of its subtleties. The poems themselves are a direct connection to almost a thousand years to the past. They offer a glimpse of times long gone, yet ever present worldviews and ways of perceiving intertemporal human concerns. Most of the poems are closely tied to certain characters or are part of a match's theme. One can easily extend that train of thought and apply it to the entirety of Chihayafuru.

Beside the sport or the games themselves the manga offers a bountiful overworld structure. There is the karuta association, the various societies in which players are organized and through which are registered in matches, the various school clubs and their advisors from many parts of Japan, and many veterans. We also get a good look into various elements surrounding karuta, such as traditional hakama, intricately linked to the sport's heritage, as well as real life shrines, and the rich world of karuta readers. The level of detail and passion for karuta in the manga has even boosted the popularity of the real life game both in Japan and overseas.

The plot itself is simple and easy to follow and presented in a linear yet compelling manner. That is made possible due to its intriguing characters and their respective and intersecting journeys.

Chihaya is an absent-minded, energetic individual who simply adored her older sister before coming across karuta. After meeting Arata and learning about the sport, she found her calling through it, aiming to reach the top of its competitive scene while also using it as a means to retain her human connections. She goes as far as to establish a karuta club at her school aiming to spread her love for the game. She is inherently greedy refusing to compromise on her many wants, while disregarding logic and being absolutely naive. What makes her compelling is that she is inherently good-natured and all of the above are presented as human traits present in everyone, only to the extreme as is typical of fiction, making her relatable. Her journey was a product of her single-minded attachment to karuta, but also from being supported by her friends always by her side.

Taichi used to be an arrogant and self-centered child aiming to be the best in everything and the center of attention. He even displays jealousy towards Arata when the latter wins over Chihaya's attention through karuta. During his high school days he still has a crush on Chihaya enough to start assisting her in their high school's karuta club creation, himself still playing it regularly. His personality has mellowed from his childhood days and he displays a certain amount of maturity, while being well aware of his character flaws and trying to be a better version of himself. In the latter half of the manga he gives in to his inner nature and tests out his limits through an unconventional path, a most intriguing character study. Taichi is the most interesting character in the entire work in my opinion. He is a great multilayered character, his journey is the most complex and the most compelling compared to the rest and he provides intrigue to the plot. It would not be an understatement to say that he is the pillar of this manga and its twists and turns while everyone else's journey is easily predictable right from the start.

Arata is a shy boy who admires his grandpa, a former Meijin, and is extremely good at karuta. He transfers to Chihaya and Taichi's elementary school and is the reason they are both engulfed into the karuta world. His existence also serves as a goal for them both for a big chunk of the story. He is an individual that lives and breathes karuta and his entire being is centered around it as well as his love for his grandpa. That is both his strength as well as his shortcoming as a character, in the sense that he can often feel somewhat single layered.

There is a romantic element to this story in the form of a love triangle between the protagonistic trio. Now, people either strongly dislike those, or particularly enjoy them and their spice. While the romance's outcome was a main concern for probably every Chihayafuru fan, it was injected in the story in a minimalistic and non-obtrusive manner being touched upon only when needed for the plot. Far from being handled cheaply, it was used brilliantly right up to the end. The romantic plot kicked in in earnest during the latter part of the manga in the form of both of the male protagonists confessing to Chihaya. Other than the heroine's reactions around that time, they were events that triggered character growth from everyone involved, esecially Taichi, and was practically touched upon only at the few final chapters as a resolution to the entire plot. Personally, I am extremely satisfied with both its handling and the outcome itself. I would suggest it not to be a factor to discourage anyone from trying out the title.

There are two characters that are almost as important to the story as the protagonistic trio itself, the reigning Meijin and Queen.

Wakamiya Shinobu, the current Queen, serves as Chihaya's goal and her antagonist. She is later revealed to be in a somewhat one-sided rivalry with Arata. Wakamiya is extremely gifted at karuta and the youngest to win the Queen title in its history. While having a few hobbies other than the card game, she is clumsy to the point of being unable to hold a typical job. Other than the solitude she experiences because of her inherent genius, her main character arc is trying to turn her involvement with karuta into a profession. It is a really interesting and progressive thematic, but one that I feel has been handled a little roughly and needed more time to feel earned. Her connection to the cards and the poets is also a really unique option the writer made. Despite the above she embodies a gifted wall for Chihaya to overcome and a compelling piece of the manga.

Suou Hisashi, the reigning Meijin, first strikes as a disagreeable person. He is hated by the karuta world itself for not being a good role model for it. He is also displayed as being so good at the game that he can easily defend his title while manipulating his opponents and the match's score. As his character was being gradually unfolded, I concluded that I consider Suou as one of the greatest and most deeply explored characters in the work. The reason for his playing quirks, his natural talent that compensates for that, the reason behind his behavior, and more. The more he was presented the more he won me over and was one of the finale's highlights.

There is a grand sum of supporting characters in this work. Some of them play a vital role and have complete character arcs adding to the manga's worth, like Chihaya and Taichi's karuta teacher Harada sensei or the rest of the members of their high school karuta club, Sudou or Hyoro-kun and some select title contenders. On the other hand there is a generous amount of them whose role is very specific and generally restricted within the bounds of a single match, for example, begging to be expanded upon further which is something we never got.

For a piece of work that managed to hold its quality consistently high throughout its entire run the main concern in every fan's mind was whether it would nail the landing.

Chihayafuru obviously ends with the series of title matches for two of our protagonists. While a sizeable list of tournaments and landmarks for the manga account for roughly 80% of the work, the final matches occupied close to 20% of it. It is obvious that such an option led to a visible change of pace. That swift was not that distinct in the matches themselves, but mostly in the presentation of the story through them. The mangaka opted to close every major character arc during that final part. This resulted in frequent disruptions of the matches themselves in order to resolve them. Having the chance to binge read the entire work that choice did not feel very obtrusive to me, but I can imagine that in a chapter by chapter release schedule many might had felt some discontent.

There is also the subject of whether the participants of those matches were ready to be crowned at the very top. During the entire duration of the work, they strived for that place and continuously improved with that goal in mind. However, during the games themselves we got some faulty mindsets and approaches to the title matches that felt amateurish. All of the above constitute a matter of personal preference, but a single match or two before the ones against the Meijin and the Queen that would resolve some character arcs would have been preferable in terms of story flow. Then again, a hefty sum of character progression saved for the last five matches was also necessary, and the way it was presented worked rewardingy, so all is well that ends well.

In any case, the finale itself was great, one that was well deserved and was properly set up in advance. Everyone ended in a place proportionate to their drive, effort and role to the story. Their respective arcs had a fitting logical and emotional progress and were concluded while leaving a sense of satisfaction.

Nothing ever is.

Chihayafuru tells a coming of age story, one of getting in touch with one's inner self, growing through the process, finding friendship and maybe even love.

The main setting is unique and incomparable. It is presented in an educating way and has every advantage any other sports manga could carry and then some. It does its genre justice and plays to its many strengths. Additionally, it promotes tradition and many artistic and cultural qualities alongside it.

The characters' progress is explored fully and is engaging enough so that one might even find some of his favorite characters in this work. The emotional impact they offer is deep and they manage to make one attached to them effortlessly.

The manga's art is clean, detailed and dynamic, it conveys emotion powerfully, and flows well. I have found myself thinking some expressions to have been a little stiff sometimes or lacking in kinetic energy, though.

All in all, it represents in an excellent manner every aspect it intends to touch upon, making it one of the best in the medium and a series for every anime or manga fan to experience.

Chihayafuru has set the standard for the heights a josei, a sport, a character driven drama, or a romance story can reach, in my book. From the time it caught my attention, to my first watch of its anime and the emotional investment it had with it, all the way to the present with my reading the entire story right up to its natural ending, I believe it will be a title to always remain as one of the most memorable experiences I will have the pleasure of getting from the industry. I really hope the production committee of the anime will decide to cover the rest of the story in that format as well, since it is one of the cases that totally deserve it.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone giving their time to read my entire personal analysis on Chihayafuru. Feel free to check my profile for a better understanding on how I perceive anime and manga in general and maybe take a look at my other reviews. I hope that I will steadily increase my writing output, so I hope we will meet again soon. Until next time.