(L) Chihayafuru [Manga]

[Undertaker]

Since I can't seem to find a manga thread and a few people in the anime thread confirmed it, I just decided to make this one.





Genre: Josei, Karuta, Romance.

Author: 末次由紀 [Yuki Suetsugu]

Publisher: Kodansha

Serialized in: Be Love

Current Progress: 15+ Volumes in Japan

Synopsis [From Wiki]: Chihaya Ayase is a girl who has spent most of her life simply supporting her sister in her model career. That changes when she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, a talented karuta player. He thinks that Chihaya has a potential to become a great player. As Chihaya takes on a new dream of becoming Japan's best karuta player, she is soon separated from her karuta playing friends as they grow up. Now in high school, Chihaya still continues to play karuta in the hope that she will one day meet her friends again.

[sergel02]

Does anyone know how far the anime is at in terms of manga chapters?

Also where could i find the manga chapters?

[kadaj1st]

Originally Posted by sergel02

Does anyone know how far the anime is at in terms of manga chapters?

Also where could i find the manga chapters?

the latest translated chapter is 15 and it's covered ep 10 of anime
you can check mangaupdates for the scanlation team as it's varies

[Undertaker]

As for current anime, Episode 13 is at the end of chapter 24.

Chapter 86 is the newest chapter released this week. Be Love is a bi-weekly manga (sort of). It releases every month on the 1st and 15th.

[Johnny]

Not really shipping anyone because I think for the time being romance will be slow n' go. I just like to see more of Arata and after glancing at vol 15, the ending was pretty good...

I am curious though for the pairings...

Spoiler:

If bringing Shinobu into the mix is so everyone can have a fluffy ending and nobody will be left with a bleeding heart. Hell, it could flip-flop for all I knows, but all I get is a god vibe for what Chihaya feels about Arata and nothing more. I can understand Taichi's tension, but I think Chihaya being dense is a plus for him...

[ehonglin]

Vol. 15 is really good because there is an (unexpected) plot twist. I really enjoy it.
The end is also fantastic. I cannot wait for vol 16. (because I cannot find any website that feeds a raw scan of the new chapter.)

Spoiler for :

I cannot read Japanese but ..... does it means Shinobu will join the team tournament next year?

So we will see the shodown between Arata+Shinobu vs Taichi+Chihaya. That would be awesome but I bet Chihaya and Taichi will lost. They need to fight again (the final showdown) on Individual tournament for maijin/queen title. My prediction: Taichi will definitely lost a very close game but will get Chihaya instead (as a reward).

Anyway, I really like vol.15 because we see the character development of Shinobu. Even at the end she will lost the title to Chihaya but at least she won't play karuta alone anymore and can have fun playing it. She is my most favorite character though.

There is one thing I don't understand. In vol.14 there is a problem with Arata team and then Shinobu comes to help (they bow and apologize to the commitee). Anybody know what the problem is?

[Undertaker]

I think you meant volume 12, volume 14 is all about the Semi and Final though it still took place on the same day.

Spoiler for Volume 12:

The problem is that it was not Arata's team. Arata only entered single tournament the next day and was only there a day earlier to cheer and watch Chihaya. The Fukui West team Arata was in was actually from a different school. They won the Fukai representation despite have only 3 members.

The problem they had was that one of the member can't make it in time due to traffic and the team leader was Arata's middle school friend who appeared in one of the Arata's flashback. (the one who tell Arata that he is now a A-Rank player)

They know they can't win with only 2 people and will be force to forfeit, but they don't want to forfeit without even playing a match so they ask Arata to stand in and act as dummy. This way the two of them can play even though the team will still lose. Arata reluctantly agrees and stayed put until one of the other member lost which guaranteeing Fukai team's elimination. At that point, seeing how they really like Kurata but wan't able to play to their potential due to missing teammate, Arata hope to lift their spirit and start to play with everything he got eventually coming back from -15 disadvantage and during that span, lifted the spirit of the remaining Fukai West member and end the match with 2 wins to prevent the shutout.

However Arata's play stood out too much and the leader of the local club he join in Fukai (who was there as a organizing committee member) recognizes him despite the mask and the issue was brought to the committee. One member of organizing committee initially wanted to ban Arata form the singles competition the next day but other argued that Fukai West didn't win and that Arata waited until his play was of no consequence. Others also argues that Arata was a special player and perhaps the only realistic hope to take down the current Meijin Suo, who was hated in the Kurata community due to his antics. In the end the committee decided to allow him to participate albeit with some disciplinary action, but before they can tell him that, Arata took himself out of Singles due to his guilt and sense of responsibility

As Arata was leaving he met Shinobu who comes back due to postponed Birdman Competition. (one of her hobbies) After hearing what happened she tells Arata to stop being cool and drag him to the committee to apologize and tell committee that if Arata doesn't play then she'll withdrew as well and force Arata to apologizes and ask committee to allow him to play the next day. Arata was still reluctant but Shinobu asks him that doesn't he want to play her, and that she already disappointed once by today (Birdman Competition) and she doesn't planned on being disappointed twice.

Since the committee wasn't plan on pulling Arata anyway, they agree on the condition Arata and Fukai West team each needs to write an apology letter and that Arata is forbid from entering the competition hall that day to watch and cheer his friends.

As for Shinobu's obsession with Arata, it's simple. She is the same age as Arata, Chiaya, Nishida and has being playing since elementary years like Nishida and Arata. Since Arata has won the national all 6 years he was in elementary that means that not once had Shinobu won any national title in her younger days despite being an A-Rank player since 4th grade. Which is why when Suo asked Shinobu for a match and asked her doesn't she want to play him, it was young Arata's face that showed up.

BTW, Taichi is still a B-Rank player and can't enter A-Rank National tournament right now unless he won his B-Rank national which would allow him to move up to A-Rank and enter the coming up Meijin Prelim.

[ehonglin]

@ Undertaker - Thanks so much for the explaination.

I have been reading this manga for quite sometime but since there was no English discussion board on it, many things I still don't understand.

For Example:

Spoiler for Tokyo Representative:

If I don't misunderstand both Mizusawa and Hokuo go the national tournament. How can it be ? ..... or is it a different tournament?

Anyway, want see more story about Suo Meijin in the near future. Quite an interesting character.

[Undertaker]

There are regional and events tournament all year long which anyone can enter and earning ranks (dan) and prizes etc. The National Prelim Tournament is the one that decides the East and West representative, the winner of that gets to challenge Meijin and Queen. Those don't really have much requirement other than Ranking Class (A only).

The National Tournament Chihaya and co are in right now in anime and manga is the High School Tournement and have nothing to to with the Titles and is mix gender tourney. Shinobu doesn't really have to enter, in fact the manga pointed that out with some high school players even committee members wonder why she enters such tournament that has few real high-level players.

Spoiler for Shinobu:

From all the hints in manga, it can be safely assumed that the only reason she enters these tournament was hoping that she can match up with Arata and get her revenge for all the time she lost to Arata during elementary school. Inter-school National is the surest way for them to meet because of it mixed-gender nature and lack of high level players.

My question about the timeline is that we know Arata hadn't entered any tournement for roughly 2 years (9th and 10th grade) but what about 7th and 8th? We know that that Arata was still playing at time and entering tournement but then why hadn't Shinobu able to paly against him in those years? (based on her quote that she hadn't lost for 4 years (since 6th grade) and was just waiting to play him)

Originally Posted by Johnny

Not really shipping anyone because I think for the time being romance will be slow n' go. I just like to see more of Arata and after glancing at vol 15, the ending was pretty good...

I am curious though for the pairings...

Spoiler:

If bringing Shinobu into the mix is so everyone can have a fluffy ending and nobody will be left with a bleeding heart. Hell, it could flip-flop for all I knows, but all I get is a god vibe for what Chihaya feels about Arata and nothing more. I can understand Taichi's tension, but I think Chihaya being dense is a plus for him...

Personally I think that it was more of set up on title matches

considering that,

Spoiler for style analysis:

Arata and Shinobu's playing style are similar, both emphasize in skill and precision of their technique. On the other hand, Chihaya and Suo are both gifted in having extraordinary hearing and based more on their pure talent and instinct.

[GundamZZ]

Originally Posted by Undertaker

I think you meant volume 12, volume 14 is all about the Semi and Final though it still took place on the same day.

Spoiler for Volume 12:

Which is why when Suo asked Shinobu for a match and asked her doesn't she want to play him, it was young Arata's face that showed up.

Even she intentionally reject him, he still has her phone number. Something is going on.

*********************
Just shout out. My favorite muda bijin are:
1. Wakayama Shinobu
2. Ayase Chihaya
3. Oosaka Megumu
4. Yamashiro Rion

Spoiler:

[Undertaker]

Originally Posted by GundamZZ

Even she intentionally reject him, he still has her phone number. Something is going on.

What do you mean?

BTW I approve of the ranking with exception that Kanade should be 3rd and the others at 4th and 5th.

[GundamZZ]

Originally Posted by Undertaker

What do you mean?

BTW I approve of the ranking with exception that Kanade should be 3rd and the others at 4th and 5th.

Spoiler:

Not many people have Shinobu's phone number. Even Chihaya wants to call Shinobu, she doesn't have the number.
While they are both eating, he called her home. It means he may receive the information from her. Maybe she is interested in him.

Kanade is a lovely lady, but she's not muda in comparison. I only compared them by faces. Although she has the large (cough), she's not bijin. The girl with glasses may not rated as bijin, but I think she has the potential. I only list four because they have more unusal attributes than other ladies.

[Undertaker]

Originally Posted by GundamZZ

Spoiler:

Not many people have Shinobu's phone number. Even Chihaya wants to call Shinobu, she doesn't have the number.
While they are both eating, he called her home. It means he may receive the information from her. Maybe she is interested in him.

Kanade is a lovely lady, but she's not muda in comparison. I only compared them by faces. Although she has the large (cough), she's not bijin. The girl with glasses may not rated as bijin, but I think she has the potential. I only list four because they have more unusal attributes than other ladies.

Spoiler for Just in case:

I don't think it'll be that hard. Suo is meijin after all, he could very well get her contact info from the Karuta Association.

Kanade might not be a traditional bijin, but she is moe and cute and I don't don't deduct point on that. Speaking of face only though, the short hair girl that is in the same team as the glasses girl is pretty nice IMO as well.

[GundamZZ]

Originally Posted by Undertaker

Spoiler for Just in case:

I don't think it'll be that hard. Suo is meijin after all, he could very well get her contact info from the Karuta Association.

Spoiler for just in case:

But Karuta Association thinks he's a jerk, his chance of getting the information is slim. Besides, his delayed college graduation earns him the bad reputation.


In my not so humble opinion, be a jerk in manga has the condition. As an adult, it's too late for him to be a jerk. He should learn from a certain player. When playing karuta, the player shows no mercy. His style is like nearly like bullying. The girl who suffered from his cruel treatment growing up with seek vengeance. The moral of the story is: He want a cute girl not forgetting him, so he mistreated her. Just kidding.

Spoiler for size:

Speaking of face only though, the short hair girl that is in the same team as the glasses girl is pretty nice IMO as well.

I only remember that "down to earth girl" who played against Chihaya. She's a reliable friend of the girl with glassess. I have to search for short hair girl's information.

[Undertaker]

True, but if anything

Spoiler for Just in case:

Suo seem to more interested in old woman then Shinobu. On the other hand, I can feel Shinobu's obsession with Arata might have some romantic element to it.

Originally Posted by GundamZZ

I only remember that "down to earth girl" who played against Chihaya. She's a reliable friend of the girl with glassess. I have to search for short hair girl's information.

I might be wrong on the team. I meant the short hair girl who talked to Komano when he was scouting the other team. You know the girl who told him the the girls are stronger in their club than boys. I think it was the team with a pretty hot teacher.

[GundamZZ]

Originally Posted by Undertaker

True, but if anything

I might be wrong on the team. I meant the short hair girl who talked to Komano when he was scouting the other team. You know the girl who told him the the girls are stronger in their club than boys. I think it was the team with a pretty hot teacher.

I don't remember the girls, but I think she's probably from Tokyo preliminary. From that stage, I only remember girl whose kept saying

Spoiler:

mudamudamudamuda

By the way, the hot teacher description only reminds me about the cute Fujisaki girl in the national.

Spoiler:

[Undertaker]

She is from Fujiskai, not the that girl though, I was referring to the blond in the middle panel of the lower left corner.919


EDIT:


Missing Scene form EP19:

Spoiler for EP 19 missing Scene:

In the last scene where the bald club leader was talking to Arata. The guy with glass that the anime focused on for a second is the player Murao that they are talking about who ends up getting 3rd in the tournament for the past 2 episodes.

What they didn't show was that Murao was getting up from the match where he just lost to Arata to the amazement of the club leader and other club members. During the match The bald club leader also mention that there is a different atmosphere and aura in Arata's game and that he won't be surprised if Arata ends up challenging the Meijin very soon.

The manga also noted that Arata wasn't sure if he is entering the Western Meijin Preliminary at time (considering he has yet to enter any Class A tournament) before seeing the tournament result.

[Kirarakim]

Thanks for the update about Arata. Kind of surprised the anime would skip such a scene, I mean it's not like we get much of him to begin with.

Also Taichi is still in Class B in the manga? Poor Taichi

[MichiNekoChan]

I'm hoping that sooner or later well see a match between Arata and Shinobu in the anime.

(or if the scanlators get far enough in the manga)

[GundamZZ]

You bet. The semi-final is over. Shinobu beats the western representative and Ararta beats the ero captain.

The gaiju battles are coming.

Spoiler:

Shinobu states, "I really hope I can luckily win this round again(sarcastic)".

Arata responses with friendly smile






Taichi's performance is at the peak. I kind feel sorry for Rio-chan.