(L+CR) Chihayafuru

[Mercurius.H]

Chihayafuru is in all aspect a story of growing-up, and Taichi is in the very center of this concept. So far we witnessed him being a jerky brat, non-caring, filthy, evasive. However, in these episodes he gradually show his maturation. I especially like the part when he got the text from Arata, he hesitated and intended to hold it off, but eventually decided to face it and showed it to Chihaya.

On why Arata send the text to Taichi instead of directly to Chihaya, it was explained in manga later. Hope it will be integrated into the anime.

The best thing I like Chihayafuru is that this show has no "weak episode", which is a common disease among 95%+ animes. In Chihayafuru, every episode could reliably be rated between good and spectacular. Asaka Moria and the other staff did a very great job.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by GundamZZ

OK. He may not be a coward.

I already have an idea for fan art. What about Chihaya runs into Taichi's secret room and finds her kinky photo all over the ceiling and walls.

Given his reluctance to have her visit his room, I wouldn't be surprised if the reality was close to it. Just regular photos, not kinky ones

That or his room is filled with porn mags.

Another idea that popped in my mind is that he's collecting Chihaya's sister photoshoots, since she looks so much like her. If Chihaya saw that, it would give her the wrong idea.

[Haak]

Count me as one of those in Taichi camp. I always thought he'd be the interesting one due to be always being the natural underdog in the relationship in old Chihayafuru trio and it's clear that element is developing Taichi's character really well.

Funny how we still don't have a conclusion on Taichi's girlfriend though.

[LKK]

I don't blame the sensei for not wanting Chihaya to be club president. If a student submitted to me a club founding application on cutesy paper covered with doodles in various colors, I'd worry about the student's ability to be a competent president too. Club presidents can have a lot administrative responsibilities. I can easily see Chihaya not taking those administrative duties seriously.

Chihaya's immaturity was a central theme throughout this episode, IMO. First instance was her club application form which was inappropriate. Then came her desire to visit Taichi's bedroom before the others arrived. A social no-no by many cultures' standards. Then later, she was too oblivious to the newbies' exhausted condition. Yes, not going easy on them while gaming is a viable training strategy. But working them to beyond the point of collapse isn't.

That night, she finally seemed to realize that she really does see only karuta. I hope this will a true turning point for her and she begins to expand her vision. While her single-minded devotion to karuta can be fun to watch, I worry that someone is going to be seriously hurt (most likely emotionally) by her if she doesn't wise up.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

...I also think it's worth noting that both Taichi and Arata remembered her birthday, when by all accounts her mother and sister didn't. And she didn't see it as important enough to mention. And what a job Miyano Mamoru is doing here - hard to imagine two more different characters than Taichi and Okabe, and two more different relationships, but he's been totally believable and compelling in both....

Isn't it great what marriage/fatherhood will do for a man, lol? (Miyano-san had a shotgun wedding a year or so ago.) Anyway, I agree on both points. And that Taichi is really being fleshed out. I saw Chihaya get a bit of enrichment at the end of this episode, too, fortunately. But still this and the last episode were both a little disappointing for me. For me, the show is not sustaining quite the level of interest I felt in eps1-3 or so. But Mamo-chan certainly is, and so is his character. And I'm also really appreciating the work of Seto Asami as Chihaya.

Taichi is pretty real. I'm fairly disgusted by the complete disappearance of the "girl friend," but it's normal. I thought the implication when he stopped Chijhaya from going upstairs wasn't so much that he had something there he didn't want her to see, but that if he got her in there, he might not be able to restrain himself from attacking her. Or maybe that he was sick of being thought of as a friend rather than a guy.

Anyway, unlike Taichi (his and Chihaya's reactions were so well played), I'm glad to see Arata re-appearing.

[Kirarakim]

You really think Taichi is capable of "attacking" Chihaya? I think that is a bit extreme.

Well maybe he had the lost girlfriend hidden in his room . But personally I wish the manga-ka never mentioned the girlfriend if this is how she was going to handle the storyline, especially since it is one of the major criticisms against Taichi.

But while I do find Taichi the most complex and interesting character, I do like Chihaya. I mean the way she ONLY thinks about Karuta makes her plenty flawed to me. And I am hoping she will grow out of that eventually.

[SkoolRumble4Ya]

Do you think Chihaya love Arata since she was blushing but doesn't realize her feelings yet?

[Sides]

Originally Posted by Mercurius.H

On why Arata send the text to Taichi instead of directly to Chihaya, it was explained in manga later. Hope it will be integrated into the anime.

If it is mentioned in the manga, chances are it will be in the anime, if it is a key component in character development.
At the moment I am guessing Arata did it, because is provoking Taichi to do something. If I remember correctly during the "reunion", Arata did them him that he is still a chicken.

[Guardian Enzo]

I still think this is the best show of the season, and I'm fascinated by the way it seems to combine shoujo and shounen elements wrapped in a josei covering. Frankly, I think Chihaya (who I love, so relax) would be getting trashed a lot by fans if she were a boy, because she exemplifies many of the traits much mocked in the male lead. Mind you I think many of those leads are unjustly hated, but there you go. But with Chihaya, it's just as Chase said to Adams on "House" Monday - "You're hot, so it's easier to put up with."

In terms of the scene where Taichi stopped Chihaya from going to his room, I think it works on many different levels. Maybe he had porn up there, or maybe he was hiding decorations for a birthday party. Maybe he was simply tired of being classified as a friend. Most obviously for me, it calls up the fact that while Taichi has changed a lot and is very much a teenager, Chihaya is still basically the same kid she was.

[zebra]

This series is a pleasent surprise for me. Enterteining and sweet. And I never really knew about Karuta before, so I enjoy the glimpses we get of the game (which are done and placed well me thinks).

Gotta agree on Taichi, he's really well written and feels real for a change. That's how you do handsome, rich guys right!
I like Arata and Chihaya, too but Taichi's the one with the most depth and development at the moment.

While I think Chihaya does have unrealized romantic feelings for Arata, it was really pleasent to see her getting reminded that Taichi isn't just a friend but a guy as well in this episode. And both times he did it on purpose, too! Go, boy!

The manga is still running, no? So I just have to hope for a good ending spot.

[Triple_R]

Chihaya is still a very fun character to me, as she provides most of the spunk and energy of this show. So I disagree with Guardian Enzo in that I think that Chihaya remains the heart of the show.

However, I do think that Taichi is increasingly the brain of this show, and probably the touch-point character for viewers (i.e. the idea may be that the viewer enjoys watching the wonderfully odd Chihaya, but identifies with the more realistic Taichi).


Chihaya is where you find the energy, the "Oomph!", the electrically explosive eccentricity. She's the primary plot-mover, and it's her drives and passions that most pronouncedly permeate the entire work. Thankfully, though, these drives and passions are not played simply as entertaining elements unto themselves, but also as the catalysts for compelling conflicts within the Karuta club. With this in mind, I do think that these drives and passions have caused Chihaya to lose sight of the outside world, and that she has allowed her own desires to overly dominate those of her fellow club members.

In Episode 9, we see a brief inner monologue where Chihaya starts to seriously doubt herself, and recounts how others have said to her that she's become blinded to everything but the game of Karuta. It is true that the episode later shifts to Kanade and Tsutomu being thankful to Chihaya for the extremely rigorous training regimen she forced them through. Still, I think that we may later see some character development in which Chihaya eventually learns to balance her overwhelming passion for Karuta with other aspects of her life, as well as the concerns of the wider world (such as the well-being of her friends and loved ones, including respect for their desires).


Taichi, I would argue, is an important anchor in Chihaya's life, and will likely become increasingly so in the future. He's much more socially conscious and down-to-Earth than her, and hence he keeps her from going overly out of control and getting herself into serious trouble. What Chihaya brings to him is an appealingly earnest approach to everything that she does, which provides his life with a refreshing escape from his domineering and ever image-conscious mother. So when Taichi gets caught up in Chihaya's activities, he's brought into an invigorating world of hope and sincerity, the very opposite of cynicism and superficiality.

The two are a very good match in this regard. She brings his life color, and he brings her life structure. She is the heart that brings life to dullness, and he is the brain that brings order to madness. Together, they color beautiful pictures as Chihaya's creativity chooses the specific crayons to use while Taichi makes sure the coloring stays inside the lines.


I think that this is very much an anime where comprehensive character evaluations can only be done when you factor in the role that each major character plays for each of the other major characters. While these characters all have their own distinct personalities, their development is intrinsically tied into the relationship dynamics between them. They push and/or refine one another, and in many cases, they come together to form a greater whole.

The whole of the main cast is greater than the sum of its parts, in other words.

So this is one anime that I continue to hold in high regard, as it truly gets the most out of its cast as a whole, imo.


As for the discussion centering around Taichi, I think his response to Arata's text message is understandable, and it's not like Taichi didn't show it to Chihaya (that would have been the douchey thing to do, and Taichi admirably avoided that). The timing of that text message couldn't have been much worse for Taichi, given his growing romantic hopes as it pertains to Chihaya.

Speaking of which, I think that part of Taichi's reason for not letting Chihaya into his room is psychological in nature. He wants her to like him as a guy and not simply as a friend. Chihaya is still in this psychological space where she's largely oblivious to romantic/sexual/gender-based concerns. Chihaya is not friendzoning Taichi so much as she's friendzoning everyone, as she has yet to truly mature into, well, a sexual being you could say. This is yet another area where her passion for Karuta is crowding out everything else. Her passion for the sport is probably consuming/sublimating whatever libido she has.


All in all, I give 8/10 for Episode 9.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

...Speaking of which, I think that part of Taichi's reason for not letting Chihaya into his room is psychological in nature. He wants her to like him as a guy and not simply as a friend. Chihaya is still in this psychological place where she's largely oblivious to romantic/sexual/gender-based concerns. Chihaya is not friendzoning Taichi so much as she's friendzoning everyone, as she has yet to truly mature into, well, a sexual being you could say. This is yet another area where her passion for Karuta is crowding out everything else. Her passion for the sport is probably consuming/sublimating whatever libido she has....

Absolutely - very well summarized imo. I couldn't agree with this more!

[hyperborealis]

Sorry, I can't board the Taichi ship.

a) What's stopping him from confessing to Chihaya? Seems to me he needs to man up. That "coward" rap isn't going anywhere fast.

b) His mother comes home, and rather than stand up for Chihaya he instead lets the alleged girl of his dreams go home by herself at night carrying her friend on her back?! Then he throws a birthday bash for her--by sneaking everyone out while his mother is having her bath? Seems to me like there's already a woman in this boy's life, and that's his mama.

c) He's selfish. Arata texts a birthday greeting, and Chihaya is overwhelmed with happiness, to be connected with all her friends. Does Taichi even notice? No: he's too busy feeling sorry for himself off alone by the bridge. What girl wants this for a boyfriend?

d) As Dawnstorm pointed out some posts ago, Taichi does complement Chihaya to help her navigate social relationships. We see that very clearly in this episode, where Taichi keeps Chihaya from pushing Tsutomu and Kana too hard. Good on him--but he doesn't do it very well. Notice how they are silent and uncomfortable with each other at dinner. And notice how she internalizes his point later that night--she takes his words as the confirmation of the low opinion other people have about her for being "blind to everything but karuta," and tells herself "I'm no good. / No good at all." They don't communicate well. What girl wants a boyfriend who makes her feel like that?

e) A side note apropos to the last point: what's up with Taichi and all the grabbing and hitting and pulling on Chihaya? There's at least four times in the episode where he physically restrains Chihaya in some way. Sure, it's sublimated sexuality--but hitting your wanna-be girl-friend with your phone on the head is pretty unsublimated violence. I don't like it. If I'm going to think of him as a real person, then I'd say he has pretty serious resentment issues with his mother, that he's transferring over to other women. Any woman would be crazy to go there--and who wants that mom for a mother-in-law anyway? Nightmare ship...

d) He doesn't really understand the single most important fact about Chihaya, which is her passion for karuta. He thinks she should give up on the beginner club members, concentrate on the individual championship track--in other words, be self-centered. She refuses, and insists on playing all-out with Tsutomu and Kana, to try to bring them up to a championship level. On a personal level, she wants to recreate that team camaraderie she experienced with Arata and Taichi in the grade school tournament. And in regards to her teammates, she wants to help "pass on what you [Arata] passed on to me," to bring them also into the tradition of karuta. Taichi's advice shows how far apart and how radically different the two of them are.

---------------------------

Let me second Flower, and agree entirely with Triple R's point that "Chihaya is still in this psychological space where she's largely oblivious to romantic/sexual/gender-based concerns. Chihaya is not friendzoning Taichi so much as she's friendzoning everyone, as she has yet to truly mature into, well, a sexual being you could say. This is yet another area where her passion for Karuta is crowding out everything else. Her passion for the sport is probably consuming/sublimating whatever libido she has."

This analysis helps me understand Guardian Enzo's otherwise incomprehensible claim that Taichi's "the heart of the series much more than Chihaya actually." If the anime is about sexual maturation, then Taichi is the star of the show, since that's where he wants to take the narrative.

But I think there's more to life than sex. So the show can be about something else--say, karuta. But good on both Triple R and GE for identifying this core tension between these two aspects of the show.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

Sorry, I can't board the Taichi ship.

a) What's stopping him from confessing to Chihaya? Seems to me he needs to man up. That "coward" rap isn't going anywhere fast.

Indeed. Taichi's problem is that he knows damn well how that would go. Even now, he's not big on long odds.

b) His mother comes home, and rather than stand up for Chihaya he instead lets the alleged girl of his dreams go home by herself at night carrying her friend on her back?! Then he throws a birthday bash for her--by sneaking everyone out while his mother is having her bath? Seems to me like there's already a woman in this boy's life, and that's his mama.

He's a minor living under his mother's roof. I don't know what your parents thought of outright rebellion, but something tells me Taichi's mother wouldn't take it as something cute. All he'd win would be to make matters really unpleasant at home, and possibly have to change schools.

c) He's selfish. Arata texts a birthday greeting, and Chihaya is overwhelmed with happiness, to be connected with all her friends. Does Taichi even notice? No: he's too busy feeling sorry for himself off alone by the bridge. What girl wants this for a boyfriend?

Yes, what a horrible man for having his own feelings, independent of Chihaya's! What kind of terrible suitor doesn't love being upstaged by another man?

d) As Dawnstorm pointed out some posts ago, Taichi does complement Chihaya to help her navigate social relationships. We see that very clearly in this episode, where Taichi keeps Chihaya from pushing Tsutomu and Kana too hard. Good on him--but he doesn't do it very well. Notice how they are silent and uncomfortable with each other at dinner. And notice how she internalizes his point later that night--she takes his words as the confirmation of the low opinion other people have about her for being "blind to everything but karuta," and tells herself "I'm no good. / No good at all." They don't communicate well. What girl wants a boyfriend who makes her feel like that?

And of course, none of that has anything to do with Chihaya's obtuseness. With the fact she didn't stop to consider his words until long after he said them, when she had Kanade nearly fainted from exhaustion. (Also, he probably didn't know Chihaya had to carry Kanade. He was probably busy distracting his mother while she retrieved her shoes.)

It's true he didn't tell Chihaya exactly and wholly what her thoughts should be. But why the hell should he have to?

e) A side note apropos to the last point: what's up with Taichi and all the grabbing and hitting and pulling on Chihaya? There's at least four times in the episode where he physically restrains Chihaya in some way. Sure, it's sublimated sexuality--but hitting your wanna-be girl-friend with your phone on the head is pretty unsublimated violence. I don't like it. If I'm going to think of him as a real person, then I'd say he has pretty serious resentment issues with his mother, that he's transferring over to other women. Any woman would be crazy to go there--and who wants that mom for a mother-in-law anyway? Nightmare ship...

What's up with Chihaya being undeterred by mere words when she gets it into her head to do stupid shit?

d) He doesn't really understand the single most important fact about Chihaya, which is her passion for karuta.

He understands it blinds her to a number of things she bloody well should see.

He thinks she should give up on the beginner club members, concentrate on the individual championship track--in other words, be self-centered. She refuses, and insists on playing all-out with Tsutomu and Kana, to try to bring them up to a championship level. On a personal level, she wants to recreate that team camaraderie she experienced with Arata and Taichi in the grade school tournament. And in regards to her teammates, she wants to help "pass on what you [Arata] passed on to me," to bring them also into the tradition of karuta. Taichi's advice shows how far apart and how radically different the two of them are.

So she's got good intentions. Great! That must mean she's right and Taichi's wrong!

Realistically, it's the other way around. He's not saying she should give up on them. He's saying it's a better use of everyone's time if he and Nishida take care of the rookies, while she practices with people closer to her level. In a game against her, no one gets better. Not only are the levels too far apart, but she relies most on innate abilities - her hearing and reflexes. People who use learned skills and tactics, things that can actually be taught, are much better placed to nurture the rookies.

As for the "personal" side... She's the one who's incredibly self-centered. She's very, very lucky she didn't just burn out Tsutomu and Kanade. She's got to understand that people don't always fall in love with Karuta like she did. That just because she's having fun crushing them, or even just because she had fun being crushed, it won't necessarily be the case for everyone else. But even when it was plainly stated to her, she refused to see that.

[Haak]

Oh boy this is gonna get interesting. Everybody make sure this stays nice and friendly now...


[edit]

Too late...

[Utsuro no Hako]

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

Sorry, I can't board the Taichi ship.

a) What's stopping him from confessing to Chihaya? Seems to me he needs to man up. That "coward" rap isn't going anywhere fast.

He still has a girlfriend. He may not be crazy for her, but he at least knows that she likes him, which is more than he can say for Chihaya. You may think it cowardly, but it's not unreasonable for him to settle for what he can get rather than take a risk by confessing.

b) His mother comes home, and rather than stand up for Chihaya he instead lets the alleged girl of his dreams go home by herself at night carrying her friend on her back?!

I think you're misunderstanding that scene. If the mom had walked in and found three guys and two girls in her house with the makings for a sleepover, it would've caused a number of problems, quite likely including calls to Kanade and Chihaya's parents. We haven't seen a lot of either family, but I doubt they'd be thrilled by the situation. Taichi did the right thing by giving Chihaya and Kanade a chance to escape; he had no way of knowing Kana would zonk out the moment she got outside.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

f) He doesn't really understand the single most important fact about Chihaya, which is her passion for karuta. He thinks she should give up on the beginner club members, concentrate on the individual championship track--in other words, be self-centered.

I'm not going to defend Taichi against every specific criticism you made of him, as I think that you have a point on some of them (yes, his mom certainly has him whipped ).

On this one particular criticism that I've quoted above, though, I feel compelled to bring up how the following mindset has been thoroughly drilled into Taichi's mind by his mom: The only competitions worth involving yourself in are ones that you will win.

So Taichi is simply taking that somewhat joyless and risk-averse mindset, and applying it logically to Chihaya's situation.

"Our team has one very strong member, two pretty strong members, and two total newbs. Not bad, but probably not enough to win it all in a team tournament. The likelihood for success would be much greater if our one very strong member was to simply go for the gold in individual competition, while the rest of us cheer her on." - Taichi's thoughts on the matter, I think.

It's hard for a kid to break away from how he or she was raised. Ultimately, I think that most of Taichi's issues (not all, but most) go back to how he's been raised. The more clear this becomes, the more sympathetic I am towards him.

He still has his rough edges to be sure, but at this point, they give his character some edginess and flavor rather than making him unlikable to me.

Let me second Flower, and agree entirely with Triple R's point that "Chihaya is still in this psychological space where she's largely oblivious to romantic/sexual/gender-based concerns. Chihaya is not friendzoning Taichi so much as she's friendzoning everyone, as she has yet to truly mature into, well, a sexual being you could say. This is yet another area where her passion for Karuta is crowding out everything else. Her passion for the sport is probably consuming/sublimating whatever libido she has."

This analysis helps me understand Guardian Enzo's otherwise incomprehensible claim that Taichi's "the heart of the series much more than Chihaya actually." If the anime is about sexual maturation, then Taichi is the star of the show, since that's where he wants to take the narrative.

I probably should clarify what I meant by Chihaya being "the heart" of the show, imo. I'm using it in much the same way as a pro sports fan would talk about a certain player being "the heart" of his or her favorite team.

The "heart" of a pro sports team is not necessarily its best overall player. Rather, the "heart" of a pro sports team is the player that:

1. Most impacts the team's overall identity.
2. Most inspires his/her teammates on to success.

Often the heart of a pro sports team is its Captain.


With this in mind, it's rather fitting that Chihaya is the Captain of the Karuta Club, while Taichi is the Club President. I think this reflects the Heart/Brain distinction I made before on this thread.

I think that Chihaya is the character that most impacts Chihayafuru's overall identity, and also that she is the character that most inspires the other main cast characters.

But I think there's more to life than sex. So the show can be about something else--say, karuta. But good on both Triple R and GE for identifying this core tension between these two aspects of the show.

I do agree with you here. If Chihaya feels happy and fulfilled by Karuta (and that certainly seems to be the case), then it's fine if she channels her libido through it.

However, I do think that Chihaya needs to mature as a sexual being at least to the point where she can recognize when another person is hitting on her and is interested in her, so that she can effectively respond to that one way or another. Taichi admittedly hasn't been totally clear here, but he has given out some hints.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

Sorry, I can't board the Taichi ship.

a) What's stopping him from confessing to Chihaya? Seems to me he needs to man up. That "coward" rap isn't going anywhere fast.

In his place I wouldn't confess either. You may parallel confessing to her as the ultimate proof that he's not a coward, and it makes sense to think that way to some extent. But you also has to understand there's no point in confessing to a girl when it's obviously not the right moment to do so. I think what Taichi is doing at this moment (that is trying to make her aware of him as a guy and no just a friend), is the right approach right now.

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

b) His mother comes home, and rather than stand up for Chihaya he instead lets the alleged girl of his dreams go home by herself at night carrying her friend on her back?! Then he throws a birthday bash for her--by sneaking everyone out while his mother is having her bath?

This doesn't translate too well in the anime but Chihaya left Taichi's place really suddenly and on her own, so it's not like Taichi could stop her or anything.

As for Taichi sneaking at night. Well, he's just a 16 year all boy and his mother is pretty strict. His approach seems pretty normal so I don't really get what you're complaining about.

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

c) He's selfish. Arata texts a birthday greeting, and Chihaya is overwhelmed with happiness, to be connected with all her friends. Does Taichi even notice? No: he's too busy feeling sorry for himself off alone by the bridge. What girl wants this for a boyfriend?

I disagree. At the end it was all Arata. It's a defining feature of Chihaya to be blind to anyone (not only Taichi) if Arata is close or when she's thinking about him. Arata is the embodiment of Karuta for her at the moment after all.

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

d) As Dawnstorm pointed out some posts ago, Taichi does complement Chihaya to help her navigate social relationships. We see that very clearly in this episode, where Taichi keeps Chihaya from pushing Tsutomu and Kana too hard. Good on him--but he doesn't do it very well. Notice how they are silent and uncomfortable with each other at dinner. And notice how she internalizes his point later that night--she takes his words as the confirmation of the low opinion other people have about her for being "blind to everything but karuta," and tells herself "I'm no good. / No good at all." They don't communicate well. What girl wants a boyfriend who makes her feel like that?

Taichi was right to call it a day when he did. The newbies could even have end up in the hospital if he didn't. And while I agree with you the communication between them is not perfect, Taichi is still the only one who would at least try to put some sense into her head. Nobody else can stand up to her, whether because they don't want to hurt her feelings or because they just get swept by her energetic personality. Regardless, Chihaya needs to be told on her screw-ups, and for better or worse, Taichi is the only who can do it.

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

e) A side note apropos to the last point: what's up with Taichi and all the grabbing and hitting and pulling on Chihaya? There's at least four times in the episode where he physically restrains Chihaya in some way. Sure, it's sublimated sexuality--but hitting your wanna-be girl-friend with your phone on the head is pretty unsublimated violence. I don't like it. If I'm going to think of him as a real person, then I'd say he has pretty serious resentment issues with his mother, that he's transferring over to other women. Any woman would be crazy to go there--and who wants that mom for a mother-in-law anyway? Nightmare ship...

You're thinking too much on this one. It's a shoujo quirk on their dynamic, like between Nodame and Chiaki from Nodame Cantabile. I think the problem in Chihayafuru is that the anime has a more dramatic approach than the manga, so Taichi's "forceful" treatment of Chihaya seems more serious than it really is. But this is well known shoujo trope anyway.

Originally Posted by hyperborealis

d) He doesn't really understand the single most important fact about Chihaya, which is her passion for karuta. He thinks she should give up on the beginner club members, concentrate on the individual championship track.

This is understandable of him. She has always been talking about becoming queen. For her, the most effective way to do it is by participating on individual competitions. That's why both Taichi AND Nishida were pretty surprised when she said she wanted them to compete on "team" competitions. It's going to be harder for her to achieve her goal of becoming queen this way, and that's why Taichi asked her if she was sure of what she was doing. Still, after Chihaya explained why she chose that particular route Taichi supported her decision. So again, I don't understand what you're complaining about. You seems to expect Taichi to know what the hell Chihaya is thinking and why she does the things she does from the get go, and that's just unreasonable IMO. In any case, their relationship is just beginning to develop.

[ThereminVox]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

"Our team has one very strong member, two pretty strong members, and two total newbs. Not bad, but probably not enough to win it all in a team tournament. The likelihood for success would be much greater if our one very strong member was to simply go for the gold in individual competition, while the rest of us cheer her on." - Taichi's thoughts on the matter, I think.

Like you, I immediately saw Taichi's upbringing at work here. This is exactly what he would be told, if he were in Chihiya's place. I really appreciate the consistency of character. He's grown a lot since being a little creep in grade school, but it's not like he's another person.

I'd be curious for them to explore what happened in middle school to help shape him into what he's become, but I suspect that his brief season with Chihiya and Arata will be highlighted as the major turning point, and the show is clearly about Chihiya anyway.

I'm not shipping anyone, but I would root for Taichi if I thought he stood a muggle's chance in shojou hell. Sadly for him, the distant, troubled loner with superhuman skills wins every time. For now, I'll just be glad they've made him into a character worth discussing.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

I'd be curious for them to explore what happened in middle school to help shape him into what he's become, but I suspect that his brief season with Chihiya and Arata will be highlighted as the major turning point, and the show is clearly about Chihiya anyway.

I don't think he has changed that much really. He never was a "bad guy". All his jerkiness was mostly what you could expect from a kid that age, specially a rich one. If anything, both Chihaya and Arata were definitely too idealized at the point. The way he's now seems like the natural progression of his character considering he's not a kid anymore.

But Taichi's real turning point is right now. This experience as a team member, and president at that, is what's going to shape him up into someone who can see the real value in winning a competition. The series is largely about that, so I wouldn't say "the show is clearly about Chihaya" myself. If anything, I'd say the show is about "Chihaya and Taichi", since the interaction between them is the major driving element of their character development.