2013-01-01, 19:06 | Link #82 |
On a mission
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I like Arata, but unfortunately he has done jack shit for many years and doesn't really deserve anything if he just decides to keep brooding and occasionally utter a few words of encouragement. Sorry. Taichi is more sympathetic.
We all know it's Chihaya x Karuta though.
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2013-01-02, 06:18 | Link #83 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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For me, I do like Taichi, but he had his chances in past year and still can't squat, besides, he even had girlfriend while in Junior High instead of keeping contact with Chihaya.
If he really tried, he has plenty of chances. On the other hand Arata don't even have those possibilities for past 3,4 years... But to tell the truth, I'm more in the camp with another pairing featuring Arata. Won't spoil it cause I can't remember if that was even hinted in S1 yet.
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2013-01-02, 09:20 | Link #84 |
Lost at Sea
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Now, now. Taichi doesn't ask Chihaya out as a point of honor--just as Arata never responds to Chihaya's many texts and emails, so too Taichi holds back. As he puts it, "Somehow, / somewhere along the way, / we began to think that Chihaya 'belongs to both of us'" (#14, p. 7). For Taichi, he and Arata share Chihaya through karuta, through the important memory of their grade-school team--and that precludes either one of them from making a confession, and taking Chihaya exclusively for himself.
I appreciate Taichi's sense of honor, but not his presumption that Chihaya "belongs" to anyone. Perhaps the negative connotations I am getting are due to the translation? Really I think Taichi must be trying to say that he and Arata share a special relationship with Chihaya (which is true, especially since Chihaya feels the same way toward the two of them) and that he doesn't feel free to allow his personal feelings to interfere with that shared, special relationship. PS The anime gives the same wording: Taichi says, in Crunchyroll translation, "We both feel that Chihaya... / belongs to both of us" (Episode 10, around 3:20). Actually, this is an interesting question, at least as it applies to karuta and Suetsugu's description of the karuta world. On the one hand, the mangaka has a predilection for giving Chihaya sympathetic older female opponents with families, where karuta, children, and a profession are all bound up together. Back in season 1 there was Sakura, with her two kids, and readers of the manga past the events of seaon 1 will remember other similar contestants. So the combined life you envisage is very much an end-game option for Chihaya. On the other hand, Suetsugu's characterization of the current queen and meijin really suggests that their principal relationship is with the karuta cards themselves, and that this special feeling of connection with the cards is an important reason for their dominance of the sport. So, if Chihaya is going to be queen, that may mean the the end-game for her really will be Chihaya x karuta. FWIW, Arata is probably the most logical match for Chihaya as far as the karuta family option goes. Taichi, with his wealth and family great expectations, doesn't really fit as well for a karuta future. And since Chihaya doesn't really have any evident future outside of karuta, I think Taichi's realistic long-term prospects are probably dim.
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Last edited by hyperborealis; 2013-01-02 at 09:52. |
2013-01-02, 15:13 | Link #85 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Brighton, UK.
Age: 61
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2013-01-02, 18:19 | Link #86 |
Lost at Sea
Join Date: Mar 2010
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That's a really useful gloss--it makes Taichi's decision to refrain from confessing to Chihaya much more intelligible, showing it to be a conventional choice for social harmony, rather than either a private agreement with Arata or even an expression of a personal ethic. More, that may explain why the manga puts Taichi's words "belongs to both of us" in quotes--that might be the translator's way of indicating an aphorism that refers to the normative social behavior you are talking about. Thanks for pointing this out.
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2013-01-02, 18:53 | Link #87 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: U.S.
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While I do agree that Taichi has done a lot for Chihaya since the form the clubs, I just don't think he is sympathetic. I just think that he was simply too afraid to act and using Arata as excuse for himself. Either way though I really don't mind how this will eventually end. Like I said, Arata's got a better pairing right now, at least IMO...
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2013-01-11, 15:34 | Link #93 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Virginia, USA
Age: 62
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Wow. Episode 1 went by so quickly! Even allowing for the fact that CR hung for a bit, it seemed so very, very short. I guess my irrational fear that s2 couldn't possibly engage me as much as s1 did was just that... an irrational fear.
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2013-01-11, 16:44 | Link #96 |
Osana-Najimi Shipper
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Mt. Ordeals
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Get 5 more members to keep Karuta club going? Hell, why not 20.
And disappointed at thin!Shinobu making it to the OP. I dunno, but chubby!Shinobu was endearing to watch. XD Taichi is my hero though! Choose one girl and totally devote oneself to her above all else? He should teach Sugisaki from Seitokai no Ichizon a thing or two. Real men don't need harem.
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2013-01-11, 16:46 | Link #97 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
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Instead after two minutes, hearing the BGM, seeing and hearing the characters my reaction was pretty similar to the reaction of Taichi and Chihaya when they saw Arata play caruta for the first time after three years. And I know this is the first episode, so we have to thread carefully here but it looks the show got an animation bump. The storyboarding in the opening was excellent (particularly like the rotating caruta moment and when the three leads are looking at the each other across the tracks) and I thought it was better than the first opening but I don't like the song much, maybe it will grow on me. As for the episode itself I thought it was paced slightly too fast and I can't say I'm liking Sumire at the moment. I'm rather curious at the sole guy amongst the new comers based on the opening it looks like he has a dark side as well.
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2013-01-11, 17:22 | Link #99 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
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Totally loved it, got many giggles out of me. Defiantly the best thing this season so far
The new girl seems annoying though it looks like she does have some redeeming qualities so let's wait. Chihaya really will marry Karuta one day Loved how she said "I'm Ace", she totally didn't like being looked down Wonder how many will actually remain since it is clear that biggest part of them only came for Taichi.
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2013-01-11, 17:40 | Link #100 | |
Kana Hanazawa ♥
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: France
Age: 37
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It's wonderful to have Chihayafuru back and reunite with its brilliant cast. I'm so happy to see Taichi, Chihaya, Kana and the others again. Chihaya hasn't changed one bit lol, not that I expected nor wanted her to. She is as dedicated to Karuta as ever. She's setting the bar for herself and the club incredibly high, which in my opinion is a good thing. I loved how her words inspired Taichi to try even harder to make it to A class.
Kana's strategy to attract new members was successful, keeping these members will be another matter altogether however. The downside of that strategy is that people are not joining for the right reasons. Sumire is a prime example of that. She joined for a very shallow reason and came across as a superficial person, but it looks like she may have potential if her reaction to the poem is any indication. Perhaps she is more profound than she appears. For now though, she is not a very appealing character. I found it slightly odd that only one guy joined. Does that mean Taichi is that much more attractive than Chihaya, or were the first years somehow aware of Chihaya's reputation as a "wasted beauty"? Or is it that the author thinks guys are less shallow than girls...? Anyway, there should have definitely been more guys. Chihaya is the sister of a very famous model too, that's one more reason to want to get close to her. Quote:
Taichi pretty much stole the episode once again with that line. How does he do it?
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Tags |
cards, josei, karuta, sports |
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