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Old 2013-01-25, 22:33   Link #321
Kirarakim
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Aww Tsutomou my heart

Though I think my favorite moment was when Chihaya got the brothers to join the society. Harada Sensei will be very happy he he.

At the end of the episode I was like its over already. Another week wait.
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Old 2013-01-26, 02:24   Link #322
Sol Falling
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Originally Posted by Kirarakim View Post
Though I think my favorite moment was when Chihaya got the brothers to join the society. Harada Sensei will be very happy he he.
Indeed, that was a great Chihaya moment. Kana's comment about the club finally getting its second female member also rang true for me as early as the previous episode, where Sumire's feminine perspective brought in something which has been quite surprisingly but notably missing from this series.

I wonder about that "Tsutomu-senpai is so cool!" moment, portrayed from an external perspective. He said: "You have the passion and the talent". From Tsukaba's view, that might have seemed like confident encouragement from someone stronger than him. But I wonder about what Tsutomu himself was thinking; implicit to the early conflict in this episode was that, as the weakest regular player, Tsutomu might get replaced by Tsukaba-kun. For Tsutomu himself to admit "you'll become strong soon; you've got the passion and talent for it" might seem like an unspoken resignition that he will be overtaken some day.

If Tsutomu really is thinking that, then was it really "cool" for him to tell Tsukaba "you'll become strong" with a straight face and serious expression? How "strong" will Tsukaba really become--comparable to Mizusawa's "Ace" players: Chihaya, Nishida, and Taichi? If Tsukaba does not reach that level, then was he really "strong", or was he just stronger than Tsutomu? The interesting question to me now as far as he and Tsukaba are concerned is whether Tsutomu will find the "talent" and "passion" within himself to not lose to Tsukaba, his junior a year younger than him.

I guess one of the things these two new characters have brought to the story are new contexts of development for Tsutomu and Kanade especially. As the weakest players in terms of skill in Mizusawa, they might have been in danger of getting lost in the story in the midst of the rest of the club's passionate determination to go pro, to play the Meijin/Queen, to reach A class (or to meet Arata). By throwing in a couple new protagonists who are closer to their "level", this gives them a more immediate background to stay relevant to the story.


Meanwhile, with regards to the ending scene: I want to believe in Shinobu as a sympathetically portrayed character. I want to believe in her as a strong and respectable character who is loved by this manga, in turn for her love of karuta. Unfortunately, her potential setup as a romantic rival to Chihaya for the love of Arata, on top of the already precarious position of being Chihaya's rival for the highest title in karuta, might get in the way of that. Shinobu already displayed a terrible reaction to her loss of a few cards to Chihaya in karuta--how much uglier might her portrayal become if the Chihaya-Arata romance plot gets pushed ever farther?

I bring this up because the effect of her (indeed, sensual) 'playing with the phone cord' scene was not friendly, or sympathetic, but unsettling. I bring it up because, unlike Sumire, Shinobu's portrayal does not fill me with an immediate confidence in her sympathetic role in the story. I am forced to wonder whether my sympathy for Shinobu (like my sympathy for Chitose) goes against the ultimate ends of this story. While it is a bit early to be saying so much, in the end I might be very much glad if those worries were unfounded.
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Old 2013-01-26, 05:21   Link #323
Nachtwandler
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another complaiments from Chihaya x Arata shippers. Just gave him to Shinobu(they are more fitting pair).
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Old 2013-01-26, 06:24   Link #324
Kirarakim
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sol Falling View Post

I wonder about that "Tsutomu-senpai is so cool!" moment, portrayed from an external perspective. He said: "You have the passion and the talent". From Tsukaba's view, that might have seemed like confident encouragement from someone stronger than him. But I wonder about what Tsutomu himself was thinking; implicit to the early conflict in this episode was that, as the weakest regular player, Tsutomu might get replaced by Tsukaba-kun. For Tsutomu himself to admit "you'll become strong soon; you've got the passion and talent for it" might seem like an unspoken resignition that he will be overtaken some day.

If Tsutomu really is thinking that, then was it really "cool" for him to tell Tsukaba "you'll become strong" with a straight face and serious expression? How "strong" will Tsukaba really become--comparable to Mizusawa's "Ace" players: Chihaya, Nishida, and Taichi? If Tsukaba does not reach that level, then was he really "strong", or was he just stronger than Tsutomu? The interesting question to me now as far as he and Tsukaba are concerned is whether Tsutomu will find the "talent" and "passion" within himself to not lose to Tsukaba, his junior a year younger than him.

I guess one of the things these two new characters have brought to the story are new contexts of development for Tsutomu and Kanade especially. As the weakest players in terms of skill in Mizusawa, they might have been in danger of getting lost in the story in the midst of the rest of the club's passionate determination to go pro, to play the Meijin/Queen, to reach A class (or to meet Arata). By throwing in a couple new protagonists who are closer to their "level", this gives them a more immediate background to stay relevant to the story.

My impression of when Tsutomu told Tsukaba "you will get stronger" Tsutomu was thinking of himself actually. Tsutomu got stronger over time and so will Tsukaba.

As for Tsutomu's own strength I think he will continue to get stronger even if he is never on the Chihaya/Taichi/Nishida level. Sometimes it doesn't matter to be the "strongest", sometimes it is just important to keep improving yourself.

Anyways as Tsutomu has shown he has his own special skill, he is great at analysis and brings something into the team that no one else can.

I don't know how much stronger Tsukaba will get but again I don't think it matters in comparison to the team's strongest players. As Tsutomu said, Tsukaba will get stronger. And in the end the second years will eventually graduate. It is up to Tsukaba and Sumire (and the members who hopefully join in the 3rd year) to continue the club. They need to get stronger for that too because they are not going to always have the strongest members to rely on.

Now what class will Tsukaba reach, well we will see. There is no limit to Class A players after all.
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Old 2013-01-26, 09:08   Link #325
HandofFate
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Glasses was pretty good this episode.
Nice that he gets a chance to show off his senpai-ness and gets to mentor the newbies for once.

Also liked Taichi's flick on the new guy to calm him down. Causing such a scene in a team tournament like that was childish of the new guy.
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Old 2013-01-26, 10:09   Link #326
Haak
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*Shipping goggles activated*
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Old 2013-01-26, 10:40   Link #327
DragoonKain3
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Oh god oh god oh god... Shinobu knew Arata as a kid? SQUEEEE <3 <3 <3

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Originally Posted by Nachtwandler View Post
another complaiments from Chihaya x Arata shippers. Just gave him to Shinobu(they are more fitting pair).
I for one pretty much abandoned that ship the moment Shinobu sees a young Arata, when before I was still on the fence between Arata and Taichi.

Well what can I say? I'm a greedy person, and two childhood friend couples are better than one.
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Old 2013-01-26, 11:00   Link #328
Kanon
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I'm not sure you can call Arata and Shinobu friends though. They most likely only met as enemies during national tournaments. That would make them childhood rivals. Is that ok too?
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Old 2013-01-26, 13:26   Link #329
Kirarakim
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I'm not sure you can call Arata and Shinobu friends though. They most likely only met as enemies during national tournaments. That would make them childhood rivals. Is that ok too?
We actually don't know either way yet.
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Old 2013-01-26, 16:52   Link #330
Bern-san
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A wonderful episode.
Tsukasa isn't as I imagined him to be, but that's good. How can his brothers like that creepy expression?Desk-kun was awesome when he made the newbies participate. It's the best way to learn.
A shame S graduated, I hope we see him again.
After the end I kind of see a Shinobu x Arata ship, they're similar in some ways (especially their designs).
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Old 2013-01-26, 18:06   Link #331
Anh_Minh
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Originally Posted by hyperborealis View Post
Oh, and don't forget Nishida thinking Retro-kun is weird. That was funny, coz, as Kanon puts it, he is
Taichi agreed. "Apologize to Tsukuba."

It was nice to see how much Tsutomu's matured, but I wonder where he'll go from there?
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Old 2013-01-26, 23:17   Link #332
Mubyoshi
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Man this episode was intense! I love it! Can't wait to see what Arata is to Shinobu.
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Old 2013-01-27, 00:22   Link #333
articuzwolf
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this show is definitely a warm breeze in this dry and cold winter season

just from 3 episodes akane sora >>>>> soshite ima

Asami Seto definitely needs more roles
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Old 2013-01-27, 01:34   Link #334
GundamZZ
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It looks like they are going to have more complicate relationships. If they mingle more people, such as Yuu and Suo.

Images
Yuu
Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

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Suo
Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?
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Old 2013-01-27, 15:38   Link #335
hyperborealis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sol Falling View Post
I guess one of the things these two new characters have brought to the story are new contexts of development for Tsutomu and Kanade especially. As the weakest players in terms of skill in Mizusawa, they might have been in danger of getting lost in the story in the midst of the rest of the club's passionate determination to go pro, to play the Meijin/Queen, to reach A class (or to meet Arata). By throwing in a couple new protagonists who are closer to their "level", this gives them a more immediate background to stay relevant to the story.
Nice point--the episode really brings this out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sol Falling View Post
Meanwhile, with regards to the ending scene: I want to believe in Shinobu as a sympathetically portrayed character. I want to believe in her as a strong and respectable character who is loved by this manga, in turn for her love of karuta. Unfortunately, her potential setup as a romantic rival to Chihaya for the love of Arata, on top of the already precarious position of being Chihaya's rival for the highest title in karuta, might get in the way of that. Shinobu already displayed a terrible reaction to her loss of a few cards to Chihaya in karuta--how much uglier might her portrayal become if the Chihaya-Arata romance plot gets pushed ever farther?

I bring this up because the effect of her (indeed, sensual) 'playing with the phone cord' scene was not friendly, or sympathetic, but unsettling. I bring it up because, unlike Sumire, Shinobu's portrayal does not fill me with an immediate confidence in her sympathetic role in the story. I am forced to wonder whether my sympathy for Shinobu (like my sympathy for Chitose) goes against the ultimate ends of this story. While it is a bit early to be saying so much, in the end I might be very much glad if those worries were unfounded.
Shinobu is such a strange character--she seems to live all alone in her large empty house, with her only friends, the karuta cards. I have always taken her isolation as the corollary of her success, the lonely summit etc, but perhaps there are psychological reasons for her solitude.

You could connect this aspect of Shinobu's character to Chihaya's absolute dedication to karuta. Her friends all seem to think she is a little crazy, "karuta-baka." Perhaps we are learning that a certain degree of craziness is a prerequisite for reaching the ultimate heights of karuta.
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Old 2013-01-27, 17:14   Link #336
BBOvenGuy
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A certain degree of craziness is a prerequisite for reaching the ultimate heights of just about anything.

You don't see too many stories bringing that point out, though. There should be more characters like Chihaya running around out there.
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Old 2013-01-27, 17:42   Link #337
Arya
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Originally Posted by hyperborealis View Post
You could connect this aspect of Shinobu's character to Chihaya's absolute dedication to karuta. Her friends all seem to think she is a little crazy, "karuta-baka." Perhaps we are learning that a certain degree of craziness is a prerequisite for reaching the ultimate heights of karuta.
Nice observation.I also think that the show drawn an invisible line dividing normal players from geniuses players. The actual best player we saw in the last episode of S1 did have a peculiar behavior and unfavorable position into the japanese society, barring Karuta. Shinobu and Chihaya, as you said, have this strong bond with Karuta in their own ways. Bonds that seems to be paired in different ways to asociality. Shinobu and her isolation, Chihaya and her blindness to certain aspects of social relationships and her tomboy-ness, the same for Arata. And both sensed, given the last revelation, something in Arata of strong-relating to Karuta. As he really was a sort of God of Karuta or whatnot. It's like our karuta club, but Chiahaya, are earthlings and Chiahaya, Arata and the rest are karuta-lings.
And somehow I think it's even quite down-to-earth given the level of abilities this game requires.
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Old 2013-01-27, 19:45   Link #338
kitten320
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Well to be honest, a bit of craziness is needed to achieve any height in anything. Normal people live for enjoyment of normal day lives while those for specific goals.
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Old 2013-01-27, 22:17   Link #339
Master_Yoma
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Chihaya look cute when see pouts
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Old 2013-01-28, 12:25   Link #340
hyperborealis
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Originally Posted by Arya View Post
Nice observation.I also think that the show drawn an invisible line dividing normal players from geniuses players.
The question as to whether great players are self-made or born geniuses is one of the key outstanding issues propelling this anime. You can argue that the Taichi karuta arc and whole focus on the team rather than stellar individuals are attempts to portray an excellence in karuta that is wholly earned. Suetsugu wants to believe in the gambate, doing-your-best ethic.

On the other hand, her characterizations of her Meijin and Queen speak fairly definitively on the genius side of the argument. She is too much of a realist to believe otherwise.

And Taichi is hardly a convincing Everyman: that phenomenal memory puts him in the genius category too. And both Tsutomu and Kana are also little geniuses, what with the Sabremetrics and the astounding poetry knowledge--it's no surprise they are somewhat asocial too. Taichi & Team Mizusawa do illustrate the value of hard work and self-improvement, but with the proviso you start with some exceptional ability.
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