(L+CR) Chihayafuru

[Hikari no Clover]

what is the maximum amount of cards you can hit at a time?
a lame rule, isn't it?

[-Sho-]

Yeah from now Taichi will change but still he was a jerk. Jealousy. Well it can't be helped , his mom is useless.
Awesome anime , obviously stick with it.

[Kaioshin Sama]

I think this shows greatest strength is in having characters that come across as believable and human in a way that's really rare in TV anime nowadays. Really it seems like OVAs and Movies are the only time I really get characters like this with anywhere near this level of humanity to them. I'm kind of reminded of the movie Colorful while watching this, it has that same human factor to it that that movie did.

I think we have a hidden gem on our hands here folks. Hopefully more people can pull their eyes away from all the giants airing this season to check this out a little as well. The thread could use a few extra posters.

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin Sama

I think this shows greatest strength is in having characters that come across as believable and human in a way that's really rare in TV anime nowadays.

It's not as rare as you make it out to be. Just need to know what shows to look out for.

[Sides]

Is this show just about Chihaya's past, or do we get to see her in the present time.
Episode was alright, kind of highlights how cruel children can be. Obliviously there is bullying going on, what the hell is the classroom teacher doing?
However I do like how they manage to transmit what is happening in the characters lifes, without shifting too much focus from the card game.

So far, what I am getting from the anime is:
Chihaya, ignored by parents, because of her bigger sister
Taichi, pushed by mother to be the best in one subject(?)
Wataya, not too sure about him.

[Kanon]

Welp, Taichi is definitely a dick. I'm pretty sure he's going redeem himself from now on, although I'm not sure Arata and him will ever truly become friends. We shall see. I think the flashback is going to last for a while, and I personally don't mind it one bit.

Chihaya cemented her position as the best female character of the season for me. She's just awesome. She was amazing during the match, and I very much enjoyed her playing style. She was aware of her weakness and compensated for it nicely "by reading her opponent". However, I felt it really was cheap that she could remove a dozen cards at once and still win as long as the correct card was among them. What's up with that rule?

[KyriaL]

A fabulous episode, complemented by the wonderful OP and ED.

However, I would like to see more of the present day characters and how far their friendship has developed, not to say I mind the showing of their past though. Very well done indeed.

Originally Posted by Sides

So far, what I am getting from the anime is:
Chihaya, ignored by parents, because of her bigger sister
Taichi, pushed by mother to be the best in one subject(?)
Wataya, not too sure about him.

I think its more like she prefers him to be active in whatever he is already very good in, so that he will never be the 'loser'.

[Guardian Enzo]

I'm dismayed but not surprised to see the near-universal condemnation of Taichi as vile and irredeemable, and I'm someone who thought his actions were awful (especially the glasses). I'm sure all the haters acted with compassion and courage at all times in elementary school, and never let peer pressure convince them to do something they knew was wrong.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Yes, Kaioshin, one almost forgets what real characters are like. And these seem real. Taichi may be the most real: you see him being a dick, then you see his mother (and by inference his father) and realize why he might have drifted in that direction. But he began to redeem himself a bit by actually owning up to it to Arata. It seems very true to life, however, that he would not want Chihaya to know. I'm with Guardian Enzo in my attitude toward him: "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

But the thing that pleased me most about this episode was Seto Asami's voice acting. The freshness and urgency were wonderful. She is the only one of the three leads who does her voice at both ages. Taichi is done by Mamoru Miyano older and Takagaki Ayahi as a child. Arata by Hosoya Yoshimasa and Terasaki Yuka.

Seto-san never went to a seiyuu training school, but got into the Sigma Seven agency via audition last year. She was Takatsuki in Hourou Musuko, Amelita in Dog Days, and played Yukiatsu as a child in Ano Hana. She apparently auditioned for Hunter x Hunter, and the producers didn't like her for that but gave her a chance for this role. She turned 18 in April. Here are three photos:



The mangaka, Suetsugu Yuki, said that she found episode one twice as enjoyable as the manga, and Seto-san excellent. She just was Chihaya. There was nothing off about her at all, including her Fukui accent.

[Haak]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I'm dismayed but not surprised to see the near-universal condemnation of Taichi as vile and irredeemable, and I'm someone who thought his actions were awful (especially the glasses). I'm sure all the haters acted with compassion and courage at all times in elementary school, and never let peer pressure convince them to do something they knew was wrong.

Yeah I just came onto this thread now to say how great this episode was and was flabbergasted at the hate on Taichi. I mean sure he did some mean things but it's not like he did it because he's a sadist or anything. He's just a frustrated kid, that's all. In all honesty he was the one I was routing for because I knew he was the one who would develop the most from this episode.

Also, it was really cute seeing Chihaya so hyperactive, particularly at the end. She's like a mini Ohana.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Haak

Yeah I just came onto this thread now to say how great this episode was and was flabbergasted at the hate on Taichi. I mean sure he did some mean things but it's not like he did it because he's a sadist or anything. He's just a frustrated kid, that's all. In all honesty he was the one I was routing for because I knew he was the one who would develop the most from this episode.

Also, it was really cute seeing Chihara so hyperactive, particularly at the end. She's like a mini Ohana.

That comparison very much popped into my head, Haak, to the point where I actually referred to her as "plucky". So far, I like Chihaya better.

[sikvod00]

I will say this about the present Taichi: he needs to either break if off with his girlfriend or get over Chihaya. Neither of those are simple tasks, but it's far better than unintentionally hurting someone else. It was unsettling to see how quickly he dismissed his girlfriend when he thought Chihaya was interested.

[ThereminVox]

I really like Taichi so far. There, I said it.

I love how in a single scene we learned everything we need to know about how he's been raised. "I can't show your father this" was telling. He's an impressionable young boy being brought up to believe that anything he can't excel at is a waste of time. He clearly enjoys karuta, but since winning is more important than having fun, he's told to just forget about it.

Something in him knows this is wrong, though: He's developed a precocious crush on a girl whose view of Karuta -- and, by extension, life -- is very different. The game is what matters. The excitement. The challenge. Clearly this appeals to him, or he wouldn't be so desperate for her approval.

[Triple_R]

Kaoru Chujo, Haak, and Guardian Enzo - Why do you think Taichi is getting overly hated on this thread?

Taichi was absolutely awful in Episode 2. One of the loudest displays of douchebaggery I've seen from someone other than a Snidely Whiplash-style villain in a long, long time (and his level of cheating would make the worse sports villains I've seen blush). This makes Hanasaku Iroha's Minchi seem like a complete angel by comparison, and that's saying something. The level of hatred I've seen Taichi get on this thread hardly seems disproportionate given his awful behavior in this episode.

Is Taichi irredeemable? No. But let's be frank. The anime itself clearly set him up to be a bully that gets taught a lesson by the heroine Chihaya, so why shouldn't viewers roll with it and get the emotional catharsis that comes with it? I for one found it very rewarding to see him get his comeuppance, and I'm rather amazed at how anybody could root for him in this episode.

Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed at how one-sided Taichi's characterization has been so far. I had hoped and thought that his motivation was more than pure jealousy, but it looks like I was wrong there.


However, Chihaya and Arata are excellent characters, and Episode 2 was a pretty good episode overall.

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

I really like Taichi so far. There, I said it.

Seems to me that a character guilty of vicious bullying is getting overly loved on this thread, if anything...

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I'm sure all the haters acted with compassion and courage at all times in elementary school, and never let peer pressure convince them to do something they knew was wrong.

As a matter of fact, yes. Does that mean I'm allowed to hate him, your highness? I myself am more surprised that some people actually love him, but I don't feel the need to lecture them for it, nor do I think I'm in any position to do so. Get off your high horse once in a while.

He acts like a total douche, therefore people hate him. What's wrong with judging characters based on their actions? You said yourself they were awful. Yes, he has his issues, but guess what, EVERYBODY DOES. I haven't had the best childhood either but it's never stopped me from being considerate of others. Arata's issues are far more serious than Taichi's from I'm standing, yet you don't see him act like him.

[Sol Falling]

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

I really like Taichi so far. There, I said it.

I love how in a single scene we learned everything we need to know about how he's been raised. "I can't show your father this" was telling. He's an impressionable young boy being brought up to believe that anything he can't excel at is a waste of time. He clearly enjoys karuta, but since winning is more important than having fun, he's told to just forget about it.

Something in him knows this is wrong, though: He's developed a precocious crush on a girl whose view of Karuta -- and, by extension, life -- is very different. The game is what matters. The excitement. The challenge. Clearly this appeals to him, or he wouldn't be so desperate for her approval.

You've got the chain of events somewhat mixed up there, I think. Chihaya was not particularly interested in Karuta at all until she went to Arata's home in the previous episode. Meanwhile, Taichi's interest in and desire for Chihaya's attention has clearly been long running. It's not that Chihaya's approach to Karuta is what attracts Taichi to her. Rather, Chihaya is just the only person/thing which Taichi made a personal decision to pursue/take an interest in versus the pressure to overachieve with regards to everything else that he receives from his parents. However, we don't have any clue yet if there has been any genuine depth or reason for Taichi to be attracted to her beyond a generic childhood interest in a girl who's nice and pretty.


As for Episode 2, it watched kinda like generic sports anime. We got Arata being super l33t and serious. We got Chihaya messing around and "Wow, you've got so much potential!". Unfortunately, none of these characters have got any definition/points of interest yet beyond the context of Karuta for me. And while I'm not disinterested in Karuta, this series thus far hasn't done that great a job either in communicating the appeal of Karuta itself. In that light, Chihaya's line to the effect of "I just need to concentrate on the first syllables of the poems I do know, the meaning of the poems don't matter" was particularly ironic, lol :P.

Was not actually impressed by episode 2 thus far. At the moment, characterization/development in the older/future portion of the story seems to be more interesting. Well, at least the episode was still technically excellent though.

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I had hoped and thought that his motivation was more than pure jealousy, but it looks like I was wrong there.

Did you not see how his mother acted? I think it is pretty clear that his motivation definitely is more than pure jealousy. He has a reason he wants to be the best.


And while what Tachi did was definitely wrong I don't think his character was one sided at all. The scene where he gave back Arata's glasses and admitted he stole them did show that there was more to him than a simple bully. But obviously his character still needs to develop.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I'm rather amazed at how anybody could root for him in this episode

I think defending Tachi and rooting for him are two different things. I was not rooting for him nor did I condone his behavior but I also don't see him as a one dimensional bully. He's a kid and kids make mistakes. Let's wait and see how his story unfolds.

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Kirarakim

Did you not see how his mother acted?

I meant his motivation for attacking Arata in Episode 1, not his motivation for wanting to win the match. I had initially thought that Taichi had sincerely wanted to protect Chihaya from getting her reputation hurt through befriending the ostracized Arata. However, what I had taken as concern from a friend was instead a threat arising out of jealousy.

It's certainly true that Taichi's character may well develop into someone more admirable that what he is right now, but his behavior in Episode 2 is something worthy of a visceral reaction, imo.

[ThereminVox]

Originally Posted by Sol Falling

You've got the chain of events somewhat mixed up there, I think. Chihaya was not particularly interested in Karuta at all until she went to Arata's home in the previous episode. Meanwhile, Taichi's interest in and desire for Chihaya's attention has clearly been long running. It's not that Chihaya's approach to Karuta is what attracts Taichi to her. Rather, Chihaya is just the only person/thing which Taichi made a personal decision to pursue/take an interest in versus the pressure to overachieve with regards to everything else that he receives from his parents. However, we don't have any clue yet if there has been any genuine depth or reason for Taichi to be attracted to her beyond a generic childhood interest in a girl who's nice and pretty.

I was speaking in more general terms of what (admittedly little) we know about her character, using the genuine enthusiasm she shows for Karuta as am example. But perhaps I'm just assuming she'll have the standard leading female character trait of being a catalyst for excitement and adventure who attracts people with her sheer overpowering joie de vivre. I guess we don't know that for sure yet. We'll have to wait and see.

Your comparison to a sports anime is apt, in this episode at least. I tend to be excessively forgiving of cliches in that particular genre, which may explain a lot about why I enjoyed it.

"I just need to concentrate on the first syllables of the poems I do know, the meaning of the poems don't matter"

Yeah, that was a bit of a "d'uhhh" moment. Something tells me that the road to mastering game theory would be a long one for Chihiya.

[totoum]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

But let's be frank. The anime itself clearly set him up to be a bully that gets taught a lesson by the heroine Chihaya

I don't quite see it like that.


Arata said it best,Taichi's a coward,not some evil bully that picks on people just for fun,that's a whole lot different.

I don't hate (or even dislike) cowards,I pity them.I also have no respect for them and don't root for them.