(CR) Chihayafuru Season 3

[SeijiSensei]

I found this episode a bit anti-climactic to be honest. To me it was the weakest of the season so far. Everyone, especially Sumire and perhaps Shinobu in her jammies, were so caricatured. Chihaya's reaction to Taichi's decision was especially weird -- "He's trying to get ahead of me" seemed awfully narcissistic. Chihaya is always pretty self-absorbed, but usually not in such a competitive way (except maybe when it comes to Shinobu). Perhaps this is an extension of Chihaya seeing Taichi as a possible rival as she did momentarily last week.

Last week's episode had real drama; this week's seemed to rely more on melodrama.

Aren't Taichi and Arata playing in different qualifiers? Taichi is in the East, right, and Arata is in the West?

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Arata's been in a slump ever since, so perhaps Taichi will beat him in the qualifiers, though I once again doubt it.

They're not in the same qualifiers. The only way that could happen is for Taichi to win in the East and Arata in the West.

[BBOvenGuy]

Anything was going to seem anticlimactic after last week, but I still liked it. My favorite part was when Arata stated the totally obvious - "Chihaya doesn't belong to anyone."

I still say Taichi is playing karuta for all the wrong reasons, and that's why he loses. They've reached a level of competition where you can't succeed without total dedication, and he doesn't have it. Everyone else is playing to win the game, and he 's out there playing to win the girl instead. Sooner or later, he's going to realize that he needs to give the game his all for its own sake or walk away. Either is perfectly fine, but he will have to pick one.

As for Chihaya, I don't think I've ever heard her declare what her goals are quite so clearly before. Good for her!

And lastly, someone remind me who Yuu is...? It has been six years, after all.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

Anything was going to seem anticlimactic after last week, but I still liked it. My favorite part was when Arata stated the totally obvious - "Chihaya doesn't belong to anyone."

I still say Taichi is playing karuta for all the wrong reasons, and that's why he loses. They've reached a level of competition where you can't succeed without total dedication, and he doesn't have it. Sooner or later, he's going to realize that he needs to give the game his all for its own sake or walk away. Either is perfectly fine, but he will have to pick one.

Those statements are hilarious when you think of the Meijin.

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

And lastly, someone remind me who Yuu is...? It has been six years, after all.

Yuu is Arata's neighbour and childhood friend. She was one of the few who would drop by and visit him when he was still in a funk over his grandfather's death.

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

I still say Taichi is playing karuta for all the wrong reasons, and that's why he loses.

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

Those statements are hilarious when you think of the Meijin.

^ That goes into spoiler territory, so... the less said the better.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by Kanon

It was a very close match, but it ended in Chihaya's victory as expected. A Taichi that doesn't suffer isn't Taichi. Arata had to rub salt on the wound by pretty much declaring he's entering the Chihayabowl. Arata's been in a slump ever since, so perhaps Taichi will beat him in the qualifiers, though I once again doubt it. Arata has apparently found his resolve once more.

Different qualifier. Taichi is in the East and Arata is in the West.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by BBOvenGuy

I still say Taichi is playing karuta for all the wrong reasons, and that's why he loses. They've reached a level of competition where you can't succeed without total dedication, and he doesn't have it. Everyone else is playing to win the game, and he 's out there playing to win the girl instead. Sooner or later, he's going to realize that he needs to give the game his all for its own sake or walk away. Either is perfectly fine, but he will have to pick one.

I have to call bullshit on that, since Taichi is probably working harder on his karuta than anyone else in the cast. That's the only way he can compete on this level, since he's not possessed of superhuman hearing or speed, or a lifetime of drilling from a legendary relative.

As for Chihaya, I wonder if Suetsugu intends for her to come off as condescending and entitled towards Taichi as she does. Chihaya always seems to want Taichi beside her – but not right beside her, a couple steps back, where she can forget he's there when she doesn't need him for something.

[TinyRedLeaf]

^ Taichi is certainly working very hard, but I think BBOvenGuy raises a pertinent point nonetheless. In contrast with Chihaya and Arata, it's not really clear what Taichi is playing karuta for.

Chihaya wants to be Queen, and Arata wants to follow in his grandfather's footsteps to become Meijin.

But what about Taichi? Is he playing the game to get Chihaya's attention? Yes, that's partly the case. Is he playing it because he enjoys it? Also partly true. Is he staying in the sport because he treasures the karuta club he co-founded with Chihaya? Yes, somewhat true as well.

But is he playing it for himself, for something he personally desires (that's not Chihaya?). I don't really know. He had never expressed his true ambition, which was why Chihaya was so shocked to learn that Taichi was going to play in the qualifiers. It never occurred to anyone — let alone her — that Taichi was that serious about karuta.

Which brings me to this:

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

Chihaya is always pretty self-absorbed, but usually not in such a competitive way (except maybe when it comes to Shinobu). Perhaps this is an extension of Chihaya seeing Taichi as a possible rival as she did momentarily last week.

That's more or less how I interpret her behaviour as well — she has begun to realise that Taichi is a rival, not just the childhood friend who has been tagging along with her all this while.

And when it comes to karuta, Chihaya is absolutely competitive.

The two of them go back a long way. If you cast your memories back, you'll remember that, even as little kids, Chihaya always managed to somehow get ahead of Taichi, especially whenever Taichi tried to show off. She'd be the one to bring him crashing back to earth whenever his head got too big.

I think that's how Chihaya always saw Taichi. A great guy, but also a bit vain and proud and, far more importantly, someone whose life has already been mapped out by his tiger mum. To some extent, Taichi lives in "another world" that Chihaya was always aware of, but never had any personal interest in joining. Taichi's reality wasn't "real" to her.

So, to her, Taichi is just a friend who always happened to be around, and over time she has taken him for granted, and will likely continue to do so for quite a while more.

Taichi, to date, is simply not as special to her as Arata is. Because, after all, it was Arata who introduced her to karuta, and convinced her that there was at least one thing in life she could be the absolute champion in.

How's poor Taichi supposed to compete with that? Well, too bad, that's his karma.

[Guardian Enzo]

I don't think Chihaya ever saw Taichi much at all, honestly. She looks through him, she's aware of him, but he's not important enough to ever be someone at the center of her attention unless he steps out of bounds by defying her expectations.

As far as why Taichi is playing karuta, well - since what was belittled was his dedication, I don't even think that's really the point. But if you think Taichi is playing karuta to impress Chihaya, I'd argue you've whiffed on most of his character arc since he stood on that train platform with Harada-sensei (which is the defining moment for him and in many ways, the entire series).

[Arya]

Good episode nonetheless the very expected Taichi's loss. As I said I didn't care much if he had lost or won. And in any case it was too early in the story for him to win, if he'll ever do.

About Taichi motivations I think that it's clear how over the years his motivations evolved and shaped out of just Chihaya, who in any case remains a strong motivation even if only in terms of acknowledgment.
I think he is very close now to be fully dedicated to Karuta. In fact he ditched the school trip and he seems to distance himself from the others.

About the episode what really surprised me is Chihaya sticking with the school trip instead of the qualifier tournament. Really a surprise. It's such a great opportunity.

Speaking of which I almost agree with TinyRedLeaf's take on Chihaya 's view on Taichi. This episode was kinda a good example of it, she didn't even know he was (or not) on the train. And when she discovered it she was moved only by fear and not concern. In fact when Taichi confirmed he was sick she closed the matter right away, but when Nishida opened her eyes on his lie she got completely focused on karuta again (and not Taichi), for the whole day. Basically she couldn't care less if he was on that trip or not.
Their different future paths may come into play too in Chihaya's mind, but that's to be seen.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

They're not in the same qualifiers. The only way that could happen is for Taichi to win in the East and Arata in the West.

Well, yes. What could be better than the East vs West qualifier match for Taichi and Arata's first and possibly last official match? Of course, I don't actually buy that Taichi will stop playing karuta in his third year, but now seems like a good moment for this to happen.

As for Taichi's reason for playing karuta, Chihaya is obviously part of it, but it's to stop running away/being a coward. He's perfect at pretty much everything except karuta, which he once gave up because he thought he'd never be able to match a genius like Arata. He was always afraid, and probably still is, that all his efforts would be for nothing. But he is pushing forward with all his strength.

[Arya]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Well, yes. What could be better than the East vs West qualifier match for Taichi and Arata's first and possibly last official match? Of course, I don't actually buy that Taichi will stop playing karuta in his third year, but now seems like a good moment for this to happen.

I also was thinking of a Taichi and Arata match, having Chihaya "sidelined" as Arata was in this occasion. At least Chihaya wouldbe able to watch Taichi play.

Anyways at this stage playing vs Arata having Chihaya watching him would still be a big burden. But in any case I'd put all my money on Arata!!

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

^ That goes into spoiler territory, so... the less said the better.

Yeah... But it really illustrates Harada's point that results are tangible, while effort isn't. BBOvenGuy's shitting on Taichi for finishing second in his first A-class tournament, only losing to someone who's always been more talented than him. He didn't lose because he faced a better, better rested player, no, he lost because he didn't give enough.

[BBOvenGuy]

Excuse me, but that's not what I said at all. It's not a question of effort. It's a question of direction. Sometimes pushing yourself in the wrong direction requires more effort than going in the right one.

Let me take this from another angle - what if Taichi had won? What would have happened? Would it have been what he expected? He wanted Chihaya to "see" him. See him as what? A rival? A competitor? She would have been upset about losing the game, first and foremost. Maybe she would have seen herself as failing in some way. She certainly wouldn't have seen him as a potential lover.

Please don't think I'm "anti-Taichi" or that I'm dumping on him. He's a perfectly good character, and is behaving in a perfectly normal teenage-boy manner. But this story is primarily about the people who play karuta for the love of the game above any other considerations, and he doesn't fit that category.

[Guardian Enzo]

That's not my view of either Taichi or the overall dynamic at all, but interpretation is interpretation.

[shanimebib]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Well, yes. What could be better than the East vs West qualifier match for Taichi and Arata's first and possibly last official match? Of course, I don't actually buy that Taichi will stop playing karuta in his third year, but now seems like a good moment for this to happen.

As for Taichi's reason for playing karuta, Chihaya is obviously part of it, but it's to stop running away/being a coward. He's perfect at pretty much everything except karuta, which he once gave up because he thought he'd never be able to match a genius like Arata. He was always afraid, and probably still is, that all his efforts would be for nothing. But he is pushing forward with all his strength.

Nah. My bet is they will continue playing Karuta for the rest of their lives. Harada-sensei for one is a doctor himself. If he can continue playing, so can Taichi. But he needs to love Karuta before that. He is too obsessed with playing Karuta because of Chihaya's affection. It's not healthy for a doctor-to-be.

Also, it will be interesting if neither Taichi nor Arata becomes meijin before they enter university and they face off from opposite qualifiers. Taichi from the west (Kyoto) and Arata from the east (Tokyo). It just came to my mind since Kyoto University is renowned for studying medicine and Arata said he will be coming to Tokyo!

[TinyRedLeaf]

Originally Posted by shanimebib

Nah. My bet is they will continue playing Karuta for the rest of their lives. Harada-sensei for one is a doctor himself. If he can continue playing, so can Taichi.

I'm under the impression that Harada is a general practitioner in private practice. That's a vastly different situation compared to Taichi's projected future. Taichi will not only have to go through the gruelling hours of medical school, he'll also have to serve his residency after tgat. If trends in Japan are anything like those of other developed nations, Taichi would be in his late 20s or early 30s by the time he even gets to practice medicine on his own. And, if his tiger mum's ambitions are anything to go by, Taichi is not destined to be merely a GP or family doctor. His family is very likely to push him to go up the ranks, to become a hospital director and more.

So, unless Taichi rebels against his family, and goes his own way, things are as Desk-kun descibed: Taichi's remaining months in high school are all the time he has left to pursue his personal goals. After high school, his life will run on rails, so to speak, and there'll be very little chance for him to deviate from it.

Originally Posted by shanimebib

But he needs to love Karuta before that. He is too obsessed with playing Karuta because of Chihaya's affection. It's not healthy for a doctor-to-be.

Now it's my turn to kind of feel bad for Guardian Enzo (and Kanon as well). As has been stated by the both of them, Taichi isn't playing karuta just because he wants to get Chihaya's attention. It's part of the reason, but it's far from being his biggest motivation.

The biggest reason is that Taichi understands that he's been a coward all his life. Because of the family pressure on him to perform, he has always chosen the path of least resistance, and picked up subjects and sports he knew he could do well in with minimal effort.

Karuta used to be something he was good at as well, but once he realised he was up against someone like Arata, who he couldn't beat without extra effort, Taichi gave up.

Rationally speaking, he made the right choice: What's the point of putting in effort into something you can't win? Might as well invest your talents into something that would put you ahead instead.

But that line of thinking is what differentiates him from the top players in karuta — the top players play, above all, for passion. Karuta is not a professional sport — you can't make a living from it (and this is a plot point that will be developed; please look forward to it!). So it's important to understand that all karuta masters, at this point in the story, are effectively amateurs. They're paying their own way, and that takes serious dedication indeed.

Taichi, at this point in time, is fighting against himself. That's his biggest reason for playing karuta. There are all the other myriad reasons, and it's hard to tell, really, which matters to him more, or whether they're all jumbled together.

But definitely, Taichi is trying to see how far he can push himself, in the limited time he has left. The one thing he is determined to do is not to be a coward any more. He's trying hard to fight his own rationality, and he's now prepared to risk everything for something dear to him.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by TinyRedLeaf

Now it's my turn to kind of feel bad for Guardian Enzo (and Kanon as well). As has been stated by the both of them, Taichi isn't playing karuta just because he wants to get Chihaya's attention. It's part of the reason, but it's far from being his biggest motivation.

I realize that interpretation is just that, but I'm struck by how many people seem to think Taichi is busting his ass at karuta mostly to get Chihaya's attention. It's like they stopped reading/watching after about Episode 19/Chapter 40.

That said, I think the whole "I hate myself because I'm a coward" is almost as much of a misread, and at this point in the story he's already moved well past that.

[TinyRedLeaf]

^ Yup, I can agree with that. Taichi doesn't want to let it end, without giving it everything he has to give. He doesn't want to live with that regret.

The only part I'd insist on, is that I don't think it's as clear cut as that. With Taichi, all his motivations are jumbled up together. That's the key reason why he is such a sympathetic character to me, because that's how people are like in real life. We are, every one of us, a mix of jumbled up motivations — some are noble, but others are much more selfish and self-serving.

"Pure" characters like Arata are just boring, in my opinion. That said, Arata is starting to show some promise this season.

[BBOvenGuy]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

But if you think Taichi is playing karuta to impress Chihaya, I'd argue you've whiffed on most of his character arc since he stood on that train platform with Harada-sensei (which is the defining moment for him and in many ways, the entire series).

I had to Google "taichi harada train platform," because I didn't remember that scene. It's from the first series, seven years ago. Defining moment it may be, but I would counter that they don't seem to have done much to remind the audience of it lately. I'll have to go back and refresh my memory.