Chihayafuru: But at Osaka's gateway the guards are never fooled.

[blkmage]

千早ぶる
神代もきかず
龍田川
からくれないに
水くくるとは

Chihayafuru is based on a josei manga by Suetsugu Yuki, who was found to be plagiarising a bunch of art and was forced into hiatus. Chihayafuru is her first work since returning from exile and is about a bunch of childhood friends who are tied together by Karuta: the ancient Japanese game of smacking cards with ancient Japanese poetry away from each other.

Well, that sounds boring. Yeah, it does. You know what else sounds boring? Go, shogi, and baseball, and yet, these games have spawned excellent anime and manga that makes the game interesting and serves as the glue to the real part of the story: relationships!

It is very prettily produced by the folks at Madhouse and is directed by a guy who also directed Cardcaptor Sakura and Nana, so that is a pretty solid record. You can watch it on Crunchyroll as it comes out each week on Tuesdays and it'll be 25 episodes long.

[goldenspines]

Well, that sounds boring.

This is exactly what I thought when I first saw it in the Fall line-up.
"Oh, another show about someone who likes a game, skip that."

But then, after some coaxing, I was convinced to watch the first episode. And it was just going to be one episode.

Hours later, my heart has been touched by the relationships (surprise, surprise) and I was fully caught up and lacking sleep. Consider me along for the poetry.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

This competes with Fate Zero for best new Fall title. It's a must-watch for me, and I know that pretty much 99% if people who post here will like this series.

I ask again: Taichi or Arata?

[goldenspines]

Taichi because he is voiced by Miyano Mamoru~ /fangirling

[Seto_Sora]

Question though, its nice that its 25 episodes but will it be concluding halfway through the manga's plot?

[Mouse2010]

I ask again: Taichi or Arata?

Arata, because Taichi is annoying.

Wait, let me clarify: you ARE asking which of the guys Chihaya should end up with, right? In that case, totally Arata rather than Taichi. Actually, I think my answer would be the same no matter what the question was. I like Arata better.

I have this to say about this show: I was skeptical about it, but I had heard good things from people who saw the first episode or two, so I convinced my husband to start watching it with me. He has a poor track record with shojo or josei anime, and by that I mean that he has not liked either of the previous examples I've tried to show him, despite how good they were (Ouran High School Host Club]Princess Jellyfish[/I] . . . how can you not like?). After the first two episodes of Chihayafuru, he said that it was "well done," but it wasn't quite for him. After the next two episodes, he admitted that he liked it.

That's about all that I can say, because I'm a couple of episodes behind. But I really really like this show. It's making me think that I need to watch more stuff based on josei manga.

[ChristianKitsune]

I really want to watch this show...the artwork looks fantastic. *-*

[FllMtl Novelist]

I'm not into a lot of shojo/josei stuff, but I really want to check this out. Next time I get half an hour to kill on high-speed internet...

Ouran High School Host Club]Princess Jellyfish[/I] . . . how can you not like?

I knew I liked you. XD

[Juliannesan]

I ask again: Taichi or Arata?

Arata, I think that's the one with the glasses, right? He's way more awesome.

[Mr. Hat'n'Clogs]

I ask again: Taichi or Arata?

Chihayafuru is an interesting case where I actually like both competitor's for the love triangle quite a bit. Taichi is obviously imperfect, a little selfish, and lazy, but he also obviously cares about Chihaya and desires to make himself better. Arata is definitely a "better" person and also cares deeply for both his friends, but he can also be a little arrogant and selfish himself. I actually would be content if either of them gets with Chihaya, a rarity for me and pairings.

[blkmage]

Gonna go with Taichi at the moment, just because he's a more interesting character than Arata, who is a little too QQ for now.

Actually, until this episode, I'd forgotten about the fact that Taichi is actually super smart (the smartest, in fact).

[TheSubtleDoctor]

I'm also in camp Taichi. I guess I find him more relateable? More real? He's more interesting to me right now, in the present timeline, than Arata. I could see him quitting karuta from a mile away. I am really tired of the "guy who gives up on his dream and is mean to all his old friends but he actually did it for a seemingly good reason but deep down still wants to pursue it, he just needs to be coxed into it by his childhood friends" guy. Sounds specific, I know, but I've seen it quite a lot. Now, I really dug him in the childhood flashback and I have no doubt he'll get awesome. Just needs to hurry up and get on board.

Episode 6 was great, btw. More warm fuzzies. The new character adds depth to the series because of her own idiosyncratic love for karuta which comes from a different angle than everyone else.

[goldenspines]

Taichi threw that desk.
LIKE A BOSS.

The story is building like I hoped it would. I'm curious to see who their next member will be. O:

[Bookkid900]

Taichi threw that desk like a boss.

The story is building like I hoped it would. I'm curious to see who their next member will be. O:

I do not think that was Taichi. Taichi is the guy that Chihaya attempted to visit and the one who caught up to her and the other guy on the train.

I think the new character should be interesting. So far, the new members of the club have wanted/requested something different to karuta. The other girl requested that they only play in hakumas and the new (desk) guys asked for them to play with the cards flipped over.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Taichi is the guy that Chihaya attempted to visit and the one who caught up to her and the other guy on the train.

That would be Arata.

Said "other guy" on the train is actually Taichi.

[Neane]

Taichi threw that desk like a boss.

The story is building like I hoped it would. I'm curious to see who their next member will be. O:

No, that's not how you do it.

This is how:

Taichi threw that desk.
LIKE A BOSS.

Just started watching it, now on the second episode and I am greatly enjoying this.

[goldenspines]

No, that's not how you do it.

This is how:

Taichi threw that desk.
LIKE A BOSS.

Fix'd. Glad to have you aboard, Neane. ^_^

I do not think that was Taichi. Taichi is the guy that Chihaya attempted to visit and the one who caught up to her and the other guy on the train.

I think the new character should be interesting. So far, the new members of the club have wanted/requested something different to karuta. The other girl requested that they only play in hakumas and the new (desk) guys asked for them to play with the cards flipped over.

This guy: http://myanimelist.net/character/47167/Taichi_Mashima
Voiced by Miyano Mamoru~

I think the varying characters joining the club goes to show that not everyone has to have the same interest to get along together and play karuta. They're all there for different reasons because they have different dreams to fulfill. And, they believe karuta will do that for them.
(Chihaya to become Queen, Taichi to become more that "that one guy who's my childhood friend" to Chihaya, Kanade to see everyone wear traditional clothing and respect the history of the poems, and now new guy (who's name is not coming to me and wiki's no help) who simply wants to be not only the smartest, but also be able to have friends who respect him and want to hang out with him for more than his notes.)

[Juliannesan]

Still like Arata better. Haven't seen episode 7 yet, still Taichi gets on my nerves.
Why would you go out with someone for the sake of going out with someone when you're in love with someone else. Makes no sense.
Anyway, that's only part of the reason he annoys me.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Well, I'm up to episode 6 now and loving this.

I ask again: Taichi or Arata?

I was totally expecting to vote Arata, but I'm finding Taichi--knucklehead though he is--more likable and interesting that the moment. And he had that "Love is when..." speech/internal monologue. That helped win me over. XD

Arata, on the other hand, is being kind of broody right now. That said, with the right kind of actions and character development, I could change my mind about him.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Taichi gets on my nerves.
Why would you go out with someone for the sake of going out with someone when you're in love with someone else. Makes no sense.
Anyway, that's only part of the reason he annoys me.

Well, he moved far away from the girl he still loved, and he found himself liking and enjoying the company of someone else. He shouldn't have to be lonely when it's feasible to think that he may never see Chihaya again. The situation is somewhat analogous to when someone's spouse passes away: it's OK to eventually find someone else because the one you loved is gone.

Also: he is a kid.

As far as why he's still with his not-Chihaya girlfriend: I'm sure it's complicated, and he probably doesn't realize his own feelings or won't admit them to himself.

[Juliannesan]

Well, he moved far away from the girl he still loved, and he found himself liking and enjoying the company of someone else. He shouldn't have to be lonely when it's feasible to think that he may never see Chihaya again. The situation is somewhat analogous to when someone's spouse passes away: it's OK to eventually find someone else because the one you loved is gone.

Also: he is a kid.

As far as why he's still with his not-Chihaya girlfriend: I'm sure it's complicated, and he probably doesn't realize his own feelings or won't admit them to himself.

Yeah, I understand all that, but he still annoys me.

Although; I should say after seeing episode 7, he has redeemed himself a bit.
I'm glad he's starting to really be honest with himself and at the same time think about others.

[blkmage]

I would argue that out of all of the main characters, Taichi is the one with the most social awareness and maturity. He's kind of a jerk when he was a kid, but well, he was a kid. Once he's grown up, he's sharp and charismatic so he can obviously read into people and situations. This isn't the case with Chihaya, who's remained largely the same as she was.

You can see this in all of their social interactions with other people. Chihaya forges ahead without consideration while Taichi acts as the counterbalance and restraint and can see how uncomfortable people get when Chihaya approaches them. In every case, Chihaya is eventually able to win everyone over with her boundless shounen enthusiasm, but not before coming extremely close to driving them away. Taichi is obviously aware of this and, again, tries to manage the encounters so that no one gets hurt.

This is kind of how the entire trip to see Arata goes. Chihaya just goes to see him, but Taichi tries to talk her out of it and cut the encounter short. I'm sure at least some part of it is because he's still worried about having to compete with Arata for Chihaya's mindshare and all, but I think the bigger thing that worries him is that he can tell that something's happened to Arata and that it'll likely hurt both Chihaya and Arata if they meet, something that he tries to avoid or mitigate throughout the entire trip.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Poor Taichi. Doin' all the hard work just so Arata can swoop in and steal Chihaya whenever he feels like it. Why you gotta be such a jerk, Arata?

[Juliannesan]

Arata isn't a jerk! He's just busy with life, I still love Arata.
I'm liking Taichi more than I was at the beginning, but I dunno.

I'll bet anything though that either Chihaya will end up with Arata or neither of them. But I could be wrong. It could be one of those shows where it seems one will be with the other, but then it switches dramatically at the end. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

[Juliannesan]

Arata isn't a jerk! He's just busy with life, I still love Arata.
I'm liking Taichi more than I was at the beginning, but I dunno.

I'll bet anything though that either Chihaya will end up with Arata or neither of them. But I could be wrong. It could be one of those shows where it seems one will be with the other, but then it switches dramatically at the end. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.

After watching episode 13. *does a little happy dance* Arata is back!

[TWWK]

Arata is back!

Back and with back story. And a good one.

[Juliannesan]

Back and with back story. And a good one.

Yes, and I know it's unpopular, but I love him. He's awesome. I think it's because he reminds me of people I've known in real life... maybe? But I think he's cool. I can't wait to see more of him.

[blkmage]

I didn't expect the flashback to give us anymore new information, but there you go.

Not a fan of Arata's voice though, there's something about it that seems off to me.

[TheSubtleDoctor]

Ever-so-slight loss of momentum with episode 13, but that's what happens when you devote basically an entire episode to a flashback of a character who hasn't featured for the better part of the last ten weeks. I am glad Arata was finally honest with himself, though. Also, it was good to have certain events of Arata's life fleshed out. It was particularly sad when his grandfather's dementia lifted and suddenly gave him a bit of clarity.

This is going to sound odd, but I am glad that something was physically wrong with Chihaya. I originally thought that she was just having a psychological issue (loss of confidence, etc.) and the show has played that card several times already.

Complains aside, there were still great moments in this episode. Desktomou won his first match! Ikuze!

[blkmage]

Too many good moments in episode 14. I hope Chihaya and her opponent become BFFs because of their shirts.