[hyperborealis]

Originally Posted by Spectacular_Insanity

I must further give props to the original author of the show for having excellent character development.

This, a thousand times. And not just for character development. Suetsugu Yuki has written a marvelous work of literature, one that connects modern manga back to the traditional forms of Japanese literature and visual arts. Chihayafuru is exceptionally dense, packed with literary allusion and cultural references and indeed everything under the rising sun. We are very fortunate to have this work, not to mention the terrific conversation it has engendered on this forum. As Sakura-chan says, "Lucky!"

Originally Posted by Quadratic

We love everything cute.
We love how cute we are.
We search for someone who loves how cute we are.
You can disagree with her idea of love (eg. it's shallow), but that's your opinion on what love is meant to be.
I scoff at the idea that appearances doesn't play a part in "love", considering the 3 major characters.

Thanks for picking up on Sumire's curious train of thought here. I think a lot of the criticism directed at Sumire is really about the qualities of cuteness and personal appearance, and their perceived shallowness. Sumire herself is much more complex that these qualities themselves: she thinks about them reflectively, if not critically, and with a certain logical rigor, as the words you quote illustrate. Unlike Chihaya, say, she does not simply gush over cuteness, or simply respond to it without thinking.

Originally Posted by Quadratic

She [Chihaya] has no idea of the inner struggles he faces.
Arata probably knows more about Taichi.

Yes! The truth is Taichi has a much more profound relationship, in the actual meaning of the word, with Arata that he does with Chihaya. The most significant points of character development for Taichi connect back to his early conversations with Arata about cowardice: Taichi's remarkable statement about wanting to become someone who doesn't run away ties directly back to Arata. They understand each other.

On the other hand, it's an open question whether Taichi really gets Chihaya, or relates to her in the way that she thinks in her own mind. Take this episode for example. Sometimes he seems to: he assents when she expresses her hope in the club room that they will find new members who will love karuta. But when Chihaya tells the school assembly she hopes to make a hundred friends to go with the hundred cards, he flicks her forehead with his finger, to admonish her for being silly. Or, after Chihaya outlines her goals for the year, he takes her words as a directive to focus on his own game and to hurry off to the Shiranami society. That's a fair response, but he is not apparently aware of her inner concerns about how the club is divided, and is not acting to help her with these. This is not a good moment at all for the case that Taichi is always supporting Chihaya.

Originally Posted by Arya

[E]ven if I find Taichi dedication to his beloved extremely romantic despite the outcome, I can't avoid to think that if the outcome wouldn't be favorable all his dedication would be pointless. Like gazing at the rains. That's because I give to love and karuta two different roles. In short, I think that Taichi sooner or later should be able to step over his devotion for Chiahaya, that doesn't mean to stop loving her, simply that his actions could be driven by himself alone and not by himself AND his devotion.

It would be a keen disappointment. Would it then have been better not to have pursued Chihaya at all? This is really what we have been talking about in relation to Sumire. She has decided to pursue Taichi even knowing that he will never choose her. Is her decision pointless? I think the episode is making the very point that it is not. Sumire may never get what she wants, may always live within disappointment, but it will not be the much worse disappointment about herself for not trying. She achieves precisely what you wish for Taichi, that her actions are driven by herself alone.

So I don't think Taichi's love will be pointless, even if he does not succeed in his pursuit of Chihaya. The moment of irrevocable failure would be the moment he finally accepts losing and ceases to be a coward, becomes the person he wants to be, and knows he should be. He would become an extraordinary tragic hero. No doubt he would not be satisfied, nor would his fans, but I think on the deepest level you are talking about he would reach his personal fulfillment.