(L+CR) Chihayafuru

[creb]

Just because something is ordinary doesn't make it right. If I had a daughter, I think I'd probably die when she hit her teens and had all those boys who's thoughts I could probably read hanging around her. To be fair, I was not a paragon of virtue when it came to girls as a teenager, but it's exactly because of that that I know first hand what a jerk boys like Taichi are.

[sikvod00]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I feel sorry for everyone -- and hopeful, too. Much as I love Chihaya, the fact that she seems to be frozen socially at eleven years old makes her dangerous to those around her. She runs to embrace Taichi, not considering in the least what signals she is sending. Then he is caught in the backwash when she immediately turns to thinking of Arata instead of him.

Unnamed girlfriend is the one most likely to be knocked into the ditch, and I really hated Taichi's immediate confession to Chihaya that he really didn't love the GF. But he too is immature, and far more confused at this point than single-minded, romance-deaf Chihaya.

I didn't notice just how awkward and confusing that scene was for Taichi until you mentioned it. I mean, the girl you've had a secret crush on since childhood intimately embraces you like you're her husband returning from war. Um, does that mean she likes likes me??? How do you deal with such cluelessness? This isn't middle school anymore, Chihaya. You have boobs now... Oh, well. Still love ya!

BTW, unnamed girlfriend sounds unintentionally meaner than just saying girlfriend. I'd like to see her get more characterization, but it's a bad sign that they didn't even bother to give her unique facial features.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by sikvod00

I'm betting he doesn't realize it

Like hell he doesn't. Back in... ep1? after she looked jealous and before she brought up Arata, he was totally about to say he'd ditch in girlfriend in a second if a... better prospect, shall we say, showed up.

because he constantly denies his overwhelming feelings for Chihaya,

That's just his way of preserving his pride.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

Not necessarily. Most people I knew in high school took romantic relationships seriously (and in fact some ended up marrying their high school sweethearts). That was only a decade or so ago, hardly "19th century".

There's plenty of people in the world today that take romantic relationships seriously, and expect people who enter into such a relationship with them to take it seriously as well. Taichi's girlfriend is quite possibly one such person (given the fact she's given him a pet name and all, and immediately/somewhat defensively asked about Chihaya, there's reason here to think that Taichi's girlfriend takes relationships seriously, so Taichi should as well if he's agreed to be in one with her).

I don't know. From the way she talks, from her voice, she seems like a shallow, screechy, brainless girl. Which of course would be a totally unfair judgement to do IRL, based on so little data. Seeing as it's a story, though... Having her be like that would be sorta convenient for Taichi. He wouldn't be too much of a bad guy for playing around with her while trying to woo Chihaya.

Such a reasoning leaves a bad taste in my mouth, though.

[Archon_Wing]

Holy crap, I was afraid Chihaya would grow up and change into something worse, but she's the same person inside; that's nice to know.

But much more skilled. She's so fucking hotblooded when she plays Karuta, I was expecting her to spear her opponent through a table or something-- RAWR! The last opponent gave her some trouble but as we all know, you're invincible in sparkling mode.

Taichi seems mildly interested in the past, but he coudn't have imagined Chihaya being like that. It's ok, his girlfriend need not worry, Chihaya's in love with Karuta after all. And Araya seems to have just ditched the game and them completely as he grew up.

I also liked Chihaya's random angry faces. Some things never change.

Anyhow, thanks Madhouse for making seemingly mundane things seem epic. Just like in Akagi, I'd never know what the fuck was happening but it sure looked awesome. -- 9/10

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I feel sorry for everyone -- and hopeful, too. Much as I love Chihaya, the fact that she seems to be frozen socially at eleven years old makes her dangerous to those around her. She runs to embrace Taichi, not considering in the least what signals she is sending. Then he is caught in the backwash when she immediately turns to thinking of Arata instead of him.

Unnamed girlfriend is the one most likely to be knocked into the ditch, and I really hated Taichi's immediate confession to Chihaya that he really didn't love the GF. But he too is immature, and far more confused at this point than single-minded, romance-deaf Chihaya.

Agreed 100%, and on both points. Chihaya's competitiveness and love of the game really sits in the forefront of her interactions with others. It is almost as if (no need to blow this out of proportion here, it is simply a very loose analogy to get my point across) she is a karuta player first and a human being second. But Taichi is still somehow stifled and "stuck" emotionally somehow - likely due in part to his family situation at home. Or so it seems to me.

Still - a solid ep, it continues to be enjoyable. 7/10 vote for ep 4 from me.

BTW - the whole chocolate sign sequence made me giggle quite a bit!

[Haak]

Yeah but somehow I don't think that this was the interpretation they were going for...

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Haak

Yeah but somehow I don't think that this was the interpretation they were going for...

You mean in the sense of karuta player first and human second? Or Taichi being stifled by his family situation at home? Or both? Or maybe you were not replying to my post? *scratches head*

Sorry - I can be terribly dense at times....

[Guardian Enzo]

Here's what I see with Taichi...

15 year-old male and thus likely clinically insane anyway? Check.

Childhood crush he'd thought he finally outgrown suddenly back in his life, right after he got what's probably his first GF? Check.

Said crush hugs him after winning tournament and squeezes her new and improved body against him, then promptly says "I need to call your childhood love rival to celebrate!" Check.

The result? Massive confusion. In terms of Chihaya, for Taichi I think it comes down to a question of passion. If he's uncommitted about his GF, he seems pretty uncommitted about life. He's living to please his parents, doing things he probably only modestly cares about. Not only is Chihaya the one thing he ever felt passionate about, but he sees her being passionate about something (Karuta and not him, alas) in a way he's never been. As a result, I think it's inevitable that he becomes just as hung up on her as he was when they were kids.

[mellomarie]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Here's what I see with Taichi...

15 year-old male and thus likely clinically insane anyway? Check.

Childhood crush he'd thought he finally outgrown suddenly back in his life, right after he got what's probably his first GF? Check.

Said crush hugs him after winning tournament and squeezes her new and improved body against him, then promptly says "I need to call your childhood love rival to celebrate!" Check.

The result? Massive confusion. In terms of Chihaya, for Taichi I think it comes down to a question of passion. If he's uncommitted about his GF, he seems pretty uncommitted about life. He's living to please his parents, doing things he probably only modestly cares about. Not only is Chihaya the one thing he ever felt passionate about, but he sees her being passionate about something (Karuta and not him, alas) in a way he's never been. As a result, I think it's inevitable that he becomes just as hung up on her as he was when they were kids.

one hundred percent agree. i don't think taichi is a piece of shit purposefully stringing along a girl.

as we've seen in the flashback episodes, taichi can have his kinder moments but for some bizarre reason he sees it as a weakness. i'm sure his gf confessed to him and perhaps reasoned he could probably fall for her, eventually or something. maybe he was trying to save face for her? who knows.

i don't think his intention was to string her along. besides, he JUST reunited with chihaya. she stumbled back into his life--he's probably still dealing with the turmoil of knowing he's still pathetically crushing on her. plus chihaya is DEFINITELY sending mixed signals. i mean, she was pretty annoyed with his new girlfriend and i'm not sure if it's due the change itself or something more. and that hug? lol poor taichi.

either way, i think it's way too early to judge.

[orion]

Originally Posted by mellomarie

one hundred percent agree. i don't think taichi is a piece of shit purposefully stringing along a girl.

as we've seen in the flashback episodes, taichi can have his kinder moments but for some bizarre reason he sees it as a weakness. i'm sure his gf confessed to him and perhaps reasoned he could probably fall for her, eventually or something. maybe he was trying to save face for her? who knows.

i don't think his intention was to string her along. besides, he JUST reunited with chihaya. she stumbled back into his life--he's probably still dealing with the turmoil of knowing he's still pathetically crushing on her. plus chihaya is DEFINITELY sending mixed signals. i mean, she was pretty annoyed with his new girlfriend and i'm not sure if it's due the change itself or something more. and that hug? lol poor taichi.

either way, i think it's way too early to judge.

On a level, she prob doesn't care about Taichi having a gf. It's more like she doesn't have a bf so how dare he have a gf. The fact that she complained to Arata about Taichi having a gf kind of proves it and gives Arata info that Taichi is taken and Chihaya is free. So that "don't call me again." from Arata takes on another level of pain for Chihaya. Potential bf just shut the door on her.

[Flower]

Hmm ... you think Chihaya is thinking in terms of potential boyfriends regarding Taichi and Arata?

I'm not so sure actually - I think she is looking through the lens of Karata participation mainly.

But I could be wrong, of course....

We'll see what happens in the next few eps.

[Master_Yoma]

That was a good episode and making some thing that I never heard of exciting

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by orion

On a level, she prob doesn't care about Taichi having a gf. It's more like she doesn't have a bf so how dare he have a gf. The fact that she complained to Arata about Taichi having a gf kind of proves it and gives Arata info that Taichi is taken and Chihaya is free. So that "don't call me again." from Arata takes on another level of pain for Chihaya. Potential bf just shut the door on her.

Agreed. Well said. This will probably change for Chihaya eventually, but she's not there yet. Taichi is simply her childhood friend that's she been reunited with, and one of two guys that was part of a great gaming club she had going on. It's still a purely platonic relationship between them as far as she's concerned. But it's also a very touchy-feely one that's giving Taichi mixed signals.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by orion

gives Arata info that Taichi is taken and Chihaya is free. So that "don't call me again." from Arata takes on another level of pain for Chihaya. Potential bf just shut the door on her.

I disagree. Chihaya doesn't think like that at all. She can only think through Karuta lenses right now. As far as she's concerned, neither Arata nor Taichi are potential boyfriends. This is bound to change, but it will be a long journey till that point.

[KyriaL]

In a part its kind of surprising yet saddening she is stuck with the 'Karuta is more important than anything' mentality for so long. That must have had an impact on her social life, but its good to see the same old Chihaya, with the same mannerisms and all.

[Pocari_Sweat]

Just like people were predicting an Ohana x Kissuiou ending for Hanasaku Iroha, I predict a Chihaya x Karuta ending

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Flower

You mean in the sense of karuta player first and human second? Or Taichi being stifled by his family situation at home? Or both? Or maybe you were not replying to my post? *scratches head*

Sorry - I can be terribly dense at times....

I was more replying to Kaoru Chujo's post. I don't think we're meant to feel sorry for Taichi's girlfriend or think much of the fact that Taichi doesn't think much of his own girlfriend, since she's not meant to be a character in her own right. It's kinda messed up on the author's part if you think about it.

[Kazu-kun]

Originally Posted by Haak

I was more replying to Kaoru Chujo's post. I don't think we're meant to feel sorry for Taichi's girlfriend or think much of the fact that Taichi doesn't think much of his own girlfriend, since she's not meant to be a character in her own right.

I agree with this. We probably won't see her ever again.

[kitten320]

I don't think that romance has ever crossed Chihaya's mind and she sees everyone as her friends. I won't be suprised to see her shocked face if Taivhi or someone else were to confess.

Looks like Arata has quited, from someone so passionate about the game there should be a good reason for him quitting. I mean he didn't mind being isolated as long as he could play!
It most likely is related to his grandfather who with high % might be dead by now.

[mellomarie]

Originally Posted by orion

On a level, she prob doesn't care about Taichi having a gf. It's more like she doesn't have a bf so how dare he have a gf. The fact that she complained to Arata about Taichi having a gf kind of proves it and gives Arata info that Taichi is taken and Chihaya is free. So that "don't call me again." from Arata takes on another level of pain for Chihaya. Potential bf just shut the door on her.

when i meant mixed signals, it's that in taichi's case, her actions can be misinterpreted.

that said, i agree with your sentiment of "how dare he have a girlfriend" but more of a platonic sense. she doesn't want the status quo to change, she wants all three of them to just be happy friends and kick ass at karuta.

at the same time though, i truly wonder if chihaya is romantically oblivious as she seems. i'm not a manga reader, but i'm very familiar with the "dense romantic lead" role and it'd be a nice change of pace if chihaya didn't TOTALLY fit it. so far, she seems to.