(CR) Chihayafuru Season 3

[Kanon]

This episode. I was as mesmerized as the crowd. I'm fully rooting for Taichi, and I expect to be part of the majority. I really want him to win, especially since he started with a handicap compared to Chihaya.

Arata is finally starting to feel what it's like to be in Taichi's shoes.

[Wandering Soul]

I can't imagine they are many people rooting against Taichi. He came up with an effective strategy just for this match and is f forcing everyone, especially Chihaya to acknowledge him. For once it's actually Arata that's jealous of him.

[SeijiSensei]

I knew when I started this episode that we wouldn't see the conclusion of this match today. Just the way Chihayafuru rolls.

I'm rooting for Taichi, too. I didn't count cards, but the match looks pretty even. Hope it doesn't come down to another luck-of-the-draw ending.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

I'm rooting for Taichi, too. I didn't count cards, but the match looks pretty even. Hope it doesn't come down to another luck-of-the-draw ending.

Same here. The series has already had too many luck of the draw already. Heck, Taichi had one two matches before.

Sadly, I think Taichi will lose. Everyone is acknowledging him, Arata is jealous of him, and more importantly Chihaya is finally looking at him. Everything's just going too well for him, this has never happened before. If we were near the series' end, I could believe it, but there's apparently still a long road ahead.

[BBOvenGuy]

Okay, someone has to be the contrarian around here.

Chihaya plays karuta out of passion for the game. So does Shinobu, and so does Arata.

Taichi plays karuta because he wants attention. Chihaya's attention first and foremost, but also Arata's, the team's, their sensei's, and others. He's playing for his manly pride. Now, that happens to be a very believably normal teenage-boy thing to do, so I'm not really faulting him for it. Just pointing out that his motivation is different. One of these things is not like the others.

Taichi's overall character journey thus would not be served by him winning this match. It won't do to have him be rewarded for defining himself in terms of what other people think. He still needs to find his own reasons for playing.

Besides, which one has their name in the series title?

[Guardian Enzo]

So - your argument is that Taichi needs more adversity?

[Arya]

Another awesome episode. The best episode so far. The only gripe I have is that ... considering the show it can't go better than this ... so basically we have reached the peak of the show already

Anyways, I don't care if Taichi wins or loses, he already accomplished more than enough. The biggest sign of that it's Arata's jealousy. But finally having Chihaya's eyes on himself is already a big, even if very likely futile, accomplishment.
If he win he should walk away from the team and also the show.

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Okay, someone has to be the contrarian around here.

Chihaya plays karuta out of passion for the game. So does Shinobu, and so does Arata.

Taichi plays karuta because he wants attention. Chihaya's attention first and foremost, but also Arata's, the team's, their sensei's, and others. He's playing for his manly pride. Now, that happens to be a very believably normal teenage-boy thing to do, so I'm not really faulting him for it. Just pointing out that his motivation is different. One of these things is not like the others.

Taichi's overall character journey thus would not be served by him winning this match. It won't do to have him be rewarded for defining himself in terms of what other people think. He still needs to find his own reasons for playing.

Besides, which one has their name in the series title?

You are right! But I won't include everyone, just Chihaya, and Arata.
I think that it is also what tells Taichi apart and what makes him so relatable as a character. His drive. And it is true off and on screen, since he doesn't seek team's or sensei's attention, that's a consequence instead, as much as it happens for part of the audience. We are all witnesses that got drown in by him.
Speaking of which I'm kinda sensing that he is moving from that guy you described to a more moulded one getting closer to Chihaya's and Arata's (who instead is traveling in the opposite direction, or trying to). Being unknown to Chihaya is a sign of his transition (of estrangement) I think. So in light of it I don't think that winning or losing this one would make any difference to him.

But all considered, I'm starting to wonder if he instead shouldn't go for Kana (and her mother) they are such lovable persons.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Arata is finally starting to feel what it's like to be in Taichi's shoes.

^ THIS. This is sweet justice.

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Taichi plays karuta because he wants attention. Chihaya's attention first and foremost, but also Arata's, the team's, their sensei's, and others. He's playing for his manly pride. Now, that happens to be a very believably normal teenage-boy thing to do, so I'm not really faulting him for it. Just pointing out that his motivation is different. One of these things is not like the others. Taichi's overall character journey thus would not be served by him winning this match.

This is a pivotal moment and it pleases me tremendously that everyone is as gripped by the moment as I was.

I get that you're playing devil's advocate, but I'd counter by saying that Taichi deserves all the attention he's getting. He has staked everything to get to this moment, and it's not attention for attention's sake that's he's aiming for — it's validation and recognition of his true talent in karuta, by the one and only one that matters: Chihaya.

In that vein, I don't know if it's enough to just have Chihaya "look" at him, given that Taichi knows exactly what he's up against: His true opponent in this match isn't Chihaya herself, but the image of Arata he knows she still clings to. So, losing the match will sting. Badly.

Whatever the outcome, you can be sure that both players will walk away fundamentally changed by this one match. It won't just be Taichi, but also Chihaya herself who would have a lot to reflect on. And that's why it's called Chihayafuru.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Arya

But all considered, I'm starting to wonder if he instead shouldn't go for Kana (and her mother) they are such lovable persons.

Kana is Tsutomu's soulmate and I won't hold with anyone saying otherwise. Nip...it.

As for this notion that Taichi needs more suffering to "mold" him, I'll just refer back to the greatest moment in Chihayafuru, when Harada-sensei and Taichi stood on that train platform as an empty train passed by and Harada said those words: “Frustration won’t last forever. Nobody can keep on going without some measure of reward.”

[Arya]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Kana is Tsutomu's soulmate and I won't hold with anyone saying otherwise. Nip...it.

As for this notion that Taichi needs more suffering to "mold" him, I'll just refer back to the greatest moment in Chihayafuru, when Harada-sensei and Taichi stood on that train platform as an empty train passed by and Harada said those words: “Frustration won’t last forever. Nobody can keep on going without some measure of reward.”

really? ahah, ok I won't go there anymore if possible (I admit I never took Tsutomu in much consideration!)

About the "molding" bit, I never meant he needed it, on the contrary, I was slightly complain that he is molding as conforming to Arata and Chihaya who put Karuta over people. Basically it seems to me that he is conforming to characters I don't particularly like, because are not really interesting per se, but more like as reflections.
Still if he wants to accomplish what he wants he needs to change, regardless, whatever it takes. And so far (I repeat so far) the direction he took seem to be the right direction. At this point in time. Hard to say in the long run. He may change so much that once at the end of his journey he won't care anymore about Chihaya who instead will be mad of him in turn

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Kana is Tsutomu's soulmate and I won't hold with anyone saying otherwise.

Ha! Remember me saying Kana reminds me of someone I used to play College Bowl with? Well, Tsutomu does, too. Specifically, he reminds me of the guy that the girl who Kana reminds me of married. (And they are still together, last I heard...)

[Guardian Enzo]

I refuse to imagine any other future.

[Kanon]

Kana and Tsutomu ending up together has always been a given to me. They've had a special bond for quite some time, and we were in fact reminded of it in this very episode.

[Wandering Soul]

I didn't even realize there were people that thought Kana and Tsutomu wouldn't end up together.

[Guardian Enzo]

They're the one couple in the series that actually makes sense.

I don't know how you could doubt it after that scene this week where she reminisced about their Class-D final. That look on her face, and his as he was looking at her - I mean, c'mon.

[Arya]

I didn't know it was such a sensible topic

Anyways, just to be clear, I know what the show is doing (despite this episode made an ominous analogy on that regard). It's just that the couple didn't click with me (And of course I wasn't serious about Taichi).

[SeijiSensei]

I rewatched the last episode and tried to determine the state of the match at the end. Earlier in the episode we got a clear view of both players' layouts. Taichi had a two-card lead with just seven left compared to Chihaya's nine. The rest of the episode showed a flurry of play but never again gave us a clear view of how the match stood.

[Kanon]

It was a very close match, but it ended in Chihaya's victory as expected. A Taichi that doesn't suffer isn't Taichi. Arata had to rub salt on the wound by pretty much declaring he's entering the Chihayabowl. Arata's been in a slump ever since, so perhaps Taichi will beat him in the qualifiers, though I once again doubt it. Arata has apparently found his resolve once more.

Shinobu's outfit was hilarious. I wonder what the meijin's got planned.

[TinyRedLeaf]

In case the subtitles you watched did not come with translator's notes...

the reason Yuu wondered why Arata's parents did not even bother to prepare pork cutlet curry on the eve of his big day at the qualifiers is that "pork cutlet" ( カツ katsu ) is a homonym for "victory" ( 勝つ katsu ) in Japanese. So I suppose eating pork cutlet curry, "katsudon", is one way to wish someone good luck before a big competition.

To be sure, I did not know about this till now. It's similar to how the Chinese love to serve fish during Chinese New Year, because "fish" ( 鱼 yu ) is a homonym for "plenty" ( 余 yu ). The idea is to wish for good fortune for your family and guests, so that they'd be left with plenty of wealth ( 余 technically means "left over") by the end of the year.

[Wandering Soul]

Can't say Chihaya winning was a surprise. Taichi put up a good fight, but now things are really pilling upon him. He lost, Arata is now looking to more proactive when it comes to Chihaya, and this may be his last year playing karuta.

Shinobu is a great Karuta player, but there are times where you have to wonder how she functions in society.