[Quadratic]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

But Taichi's line to Komano about not being the best at Karuta but playing even though he loses because it feels good to win was about Karuta.

Not entirely true.
Taichi's lines were more direct towards getting satification from winning (in general) with effort:
Komano says he has no talent for karuta.
Taichi has 2 memory flashbacks:
1) His mum words “Focus on contests that you can win” (= only fight battles you can win).
2) “I could spend my entire youth on karuta without ever becoming better than Arata” (= his effort vs Arata's talent)
This is his realization that Komano is feeling the same frustrations as him and wants to run away from difficult things.

If you watch a lot of the early episodes (including the very episode you're referring to), Taichi says doesn't care much for karuta (he says multiple times he doesn't care for achieving Master, or something along those lines, and he's not a good enough opponent to help Chihaya).

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

The very idea that Taichi doesn't enjoy Karuta and only plays because of Chihaya is ridiculous.

Sure, he enjoys a game of karuta, but he's not in love with the game (yet?) (see Arata, Chihaya, Nishida - they love the game). I dare say Komano and Kana aren't in love with karuta either - they enjoy the game, too.
I'm didn't say only (or did I?), but Chihaya is his primary reason/goal.

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Actually there have been plenty of times I recall Taichi has been in awe of Arata's playing.

The major difference between Chihaya is at first, Taichi would never consider trying to beat Arata because he was better at him and that's that. That has only changed recently

I should rephrase my argument. I don't believe he admired Arata as a karuta player because Taichi wasn't (still doesn't, maybe?) considering himself as a karuta player.
For someone as analytical as him, he had made no comparison in karuta techniques between himself and Arata, compared to Chihaya, who immediately noticed Arata level of skill (the water scene, comparison to the Queen).
I'm not saying he doesn't admire Arata, just not as a karuta player (or at least did not in the earlier episodes). Just saying "Arata's better than me" isn't much of an admiration, just a feeling of inferiority.

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

They all hung out together as kids and formed their Karuta club, the 3 of them were good friends. They might have originally been connected by Chihaya but they all cared about each other.

Yeah, most of the good friendship scenes between Taichi and Arata happened off camera. We'll just take a single line (“Arata's back”) and be convinced that they really were good friends (seriously, no sarcasm here).
Like I said before, it's obviously implied they were good friends, but it didn't connect with me (as a viewer) since I saw nothing but bickering between the two. I'm sure plenty of people connected easily here, but not me.

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Now that is ridiculous and it kind of proves no matter what Taichi does or says you will see the worst in him.

Sorry, but you're wrong on two things here.
1) I don't think everything Taichi says or does is bad, but it's easier to point out Taichi's flaws because it's shown more often (heck, he's hijacked the leading role in this show). Plus, most examples showing his good traits weren't that great in the first place.
When people say Taichi's getting a lot of character development, that's because these negative aspects are exactly what he's trying to overcome throughout this show (trying, he hasn't yet). I dislike him because of these these flaws, but he is trying to redeem himself.
2) It isn't ridiculous. Taichi was smug/arrogant as a kid. Look at his expression as he says that line. He's happy, but look at his eyebrow (it's pointing down). That expression, plus how his line is spoken, is a show of arrogance.

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Heck Chihaya was trying to grab cards too in that scene and was frustrated she couldn't (so in a sense she was also trying to beat Arata).

Yeah, she was. Which is why Arata got pissed off and fought back. They were fighting each other as karuta players, Taichi wasn't.

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Taichi was genuinely pleased when Arata praised him, it obviously meant something to Taichi in that scene or he wouldn't have blushed.

Yeah, it meant something, but I interpreted it differently.
First off, Taichi wasn't fishing for a compliment or approval from Arata (like I said, he was competing against Arata).
He was embarassed and surprised, not “pleased”. Two things happened when Arata complimented Taichi. First was the compliment, which I believe he wasn't expecting, and second was Arata calling Taichi by first name (remember, calling someone by their first name is a big deal in Japan).

Originally Posted by karice67

However, your 'evidence' that Taiichi plays karuta (predominantly?) for himself / out of love for the game is, I feel, ignoring something important that a few other viewers have picked up. Which is, that Taiichi is actually struggling to maintain that 'ideal' goal of playing for himself.

The issue with I have with Taichi is that karuta is Chihaya to him. His goal in karuta is Chihaya. Once he separates Chihaya out from karuta, I might have more respect for him.

Originally Posted by Kazu-kun

Again, there's nothing wrong with this because he's aware of his shortcomings, of his cowardice, and is consciously trying to change. And he's changing, little by little. Of course, he won't be able to fully overcome his flaws until the very climax of the story.

Yep, I'm viewing his actions negatively because they are his flaws, and give reasons for my dislike of him. Saying he's these aren't his flaws or that he's not trying to overcome them is incorrect.

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

I don't however think Taichi is only playing Karuta because of Chihaya & that was my main point.

Yeah, we're not dealing in absolutes here, but I'd say he hasn't primarily been playing for himself (well, maybe now he's considering it).