Chihayafuru

“If I can be the best in the world at something, then I think it’s worth a shot.” – Chihaya Ayase Finding what you love is the most important lesson I've taken away from this series, and the Chihayafuru series has become an important part of my life. Life is full of ups and downs, and I believe that everyone experiences these, but sometimes you just wonder "what am I doing?" or "what is the point of my life?" You don't know what to do, how to feel, or where to lead yourself. We often start to doubt every area of our lives when we're feelinglost, which sends us spinning out of control. And right now, I'm not even sure what I love, but after finishing this series, I feel encouraged, much like when you watch Chihaya working her tail off to pursue her dream—you can't help but feel inspired. I loved both anime and manga but anime covered about 143 chapters out of 247 chapters and manga is recently ended. So after finishing all the seasons, I read the manga from the start, and many people out there still doesn’t know about this gem. So I decided to write a review...My main reason was to just write about this...how much I loved this... There might be some minor spoilers in this review. Chihayafuru contains themes like discovering one’s identity, finding purpose in life, friendship, solitude and achieving dreams. Right after starting this series, I had a strong emotional connection to the characters right away, and I found the story to be compelling right away. The reason Chihayafuru work is Yuki Suetsugu's skilled writing because how well she made the storyline that is focused on karuta. But it has been shown in series that karuta is not a very famous sport, she made the plot like this so the readers will dissolve in that sport and it is so good that it’ll make you want to get involved in competitive karuta. After finishing the series, I became very interested in karuta, and I occasionally watch Queen-Meijin matches on YouTube, as well as high school championships, And to be really honest, I still have trouble putting into words how much I loved this series, how often I cried rivers while watching the anime and while reading the manga too, and how I believe it transformed me. I also struggle to express how much this series matters to me...Like I could brag about it for like forever. Chihayafuru is technically a sports manga, but unlike other common sports series, The plot centers around the traditional Japanese card game karuta and centres on Chihaya's journey to the top female player in the country, Despite its unique subject, Chihayafuru is a classic sports anime that may not be enjoyed by action lovers. It’s wonderful mixture of shoujo and josei genres. In Japan, karuta is regarded as a sport, and in Chihayafuru, we go deeply into the domain of karuta competition. Basically Karuta is a card game It involves memorization of the Hyakunin Isshu, an anthology of one hundred poems. A reader reads out a randomly selected poem, and the player has to find the corresponding lower phrase of said poem., Before this series I’ve never heard of karuta and Hyakunin Isshu poems. And this wonderful line by kana-chan “As long as the emotion is there, a short phase can sound like a poem.” – Oe Kanade But after this series i was totally into The 100 poets, And my favourite Kana-chan, the cheerful darling of the school karuta club, deserves credit. My favourite poem: Flower's colors have faded away While in idle thought, my life passes by in vain as I watch the long rains fall. - Ono no komachi So, Chihaya is the main protagonist. Pure, energetic, and ambitious. Watching her work so hard towards her dream will kind of motivate you, and Chihaya is beyond likeable for me. Chihaya is an airhead. Her love for karuta takes priority over everything else, frequently at the expense of her friendships. She is completely unaware of Taichi's apparent affection for her, and anytime Arata's name is spoken, she transforms into another person, completely consumed by her childhood memories. Taichi looks on wistfully, but he can't even bring himself to despise Arata. Chihaya's dedication inspires me. She is driven by her love of the game and her desire to become Queen. And I love chihaya, and all the karuta club members. Arata, The primary trio's reclusive genius is Arata. Being from a low-income household, he meets Chihaya and Taichi for the first time when he enrolls at their grade school. In the whole series Arata was praised because he was so good at karuta since the age of 4 also as the grandson of eternal Master. Taichi is a complete opposite character of Arata. He is attractive, well-liked, quite wealthy, and generally brilliant at all he does, and the reason he plays karuta because he wants to stand beside Chihaya and Arata. He begins off in middle school as a horrible little brat before developing into a sensitive young man, who is loved by everyone. Though he never loved karuta, But watching him losing was frustrating. “Eventhough you don’t like it, you still tried your absolute hardest in it. So I thought that, it was really admirable. That’s how much you loved those people” -From Manga Chapter 141 He is the main pillar of karuta club, Soon, you can't help but understand his intense love for Chihaya, and it becomes clear that he is making an effort to atone for his prior actions by showing consideration and compassion to people around him. I like taichi. The characters themselves are what actually carry the narrative, and their different paths are so fascinating. Talk about the main trio, The love triangle's basic idea is rather simple, yet their karuta journeys are so strongly influenced by how their relationships grow. All the other characters besides those three, like Shinobu, Sou , Sodou, Nikuman kun Xd , Kana-chan , Deskmotou kun lol, Harada sensei , Sakurazawa sensie and all the other students from another school plays important part in the story. Chihaya meets many people in her journey, and meeting wakamiya shinobu lits up a fire in her heart to defeat wakamia(she is the current queen) and become the queen. Personally I liked Shinobu and the Mejin Sou. The art was so so prettyy. And the matches are super intense, both solo one and the team tournaments also. And I loved the ending of this series, Probably one of the best ending in my opinion. I loved everything about this series, And No, it’s not just about the romance. Chihayafuru is about youth and passion, and easy to get into. The main themes of the story are never lost, and Chihaya doesn't take too long to understand her feelings either. Its a lovely, peaceful series with lovable characters. I appreciate you reading my review, And I genuinely hope you would give Chihayafuru a chance. It might change your life, you never know.

There are some things in this world that can give you a purpose and/or save you. We call that "passion". For Chihaya, that passion was karuta. And for me, that passion was Chihayafuru. It took me a long while to write this review because I felt like I'd never going to be able to put into words how incredible important this manga is for me, and how it changed not only me, but the very competitive karuta scene in Japan and around the world. Chihayafuru is a story about three childhood friends that end up playing the same thing together: Karuta. It is a real game that'sbeen around for almost a thousand years, and was previously played using shells instead of cards. The one played in the manga is called Competitive Karuta, which is a form of karuta that combines agility, memory and poetry. I want to start by saying that it wasn't that much popular before Chihayafuru, and that a manga, THIS manga, was able to make it popular again. These three childhood friends end up growing up and going different ways, only to find each other again, for different reasons, in high school. Our main character, Chihaya Ayase, who is completely addicted to karuta, really wants to make a club out of it in her new school, but (as you probably felt reading all my previous paragraph) there weren't a lot of people interested in karuta/that really understood it at first glance. In Japan, kids are made to remember all the 100 poems that are needed for playing competitive karuta, so it kind of becomes a traumatic memory for most. Still, Chihaya decides to find people to play with her, and, during that, ends up trying to re-connect with the two people who played with her when she was a teenager. One of the boys, Taichi, hasn't played it since his childhood because of other interests, and her other friend, Arata, the one who showed her what karuta was about, was faced with incredible loss and stopped playing it for good. Chihaya never stopped, though. With her unwavering love and having find a dream that is finally hers: to become the Queen, the strongest female player of karuta in all of Japan. As she moves foward, her old friends and new friends she make along the way end up getting dazzled by karuta as well, meeting her in her journey as friends, teammates, rivals, senpais and kouhais. This is a story about a young girl figuring out what she wants to be, following her dream, falling in love and meeting incredible people as she plays one of the most delicate and yet intense games ever made (so intense that is considered a sport in Japan, actually). The 100 poems speak to her, and speak to the reader. The author, Suetsugu Yuki, is incredible in every aspect: The metaphors, the art, the story, the way she writes her characters. She is able to show how competitive karuta matches work through the eyes of the players. The romance has its many setbacks, but is one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever seen (Shipping them for literal 8 years and seeing them end up together was one of the best moments of my life). The characters stayed and will stay with me forever as well. This is an amazing story, an amazing shoujo, an amazing romance. I hope you give it a chance even though my review might've been too emotional and not say much about the actual story. And if you do give it a chance, I hope it makes you want to keep moving on as it did for me. "Like a boatsman adrift at the mouth of Yura, I do not know where this love will take me." - Sone no Yoshitada (poem 46)

“What can impress heaven and earth without trying, Move the hearts of those fierce gods, who are invisible to those around them, Bring man and woman closer together, And bring comfort to the most daring of warriors? A poem.” Chihayafuru is a sports manga about poetry. That might sound odd at first, but it works—and not just because karuta is a sport centered around poems. Suetsugu Yuki skillfully imbues the poetry with deeper meaning, using it as a vehicle for the manga’s themes. The poetry in this work is beautiful and ever-present, though the sports aspect occasionally feels underwhelming. With that said, let’s dive into Chihayafuru—its themes, structure, and how itcompares to other works. We’ll also explore whether its beginning is misleading and how it leverages the medium to deliver its message. So, what is this manga about? As mentioned, this is a manga about poetry. It seeks to convey emotions and truths that cannot be easily expressed in words or visuals. At its heart, Chihayafuru delves into how much meaning things can carry, both spoken and unspoken. First things later, let’s talk art direction. The art is generally good, but has its shortcomings. Occasionally, scenes feel unclear—whether due to awkward angles or difficulties in distinguishing dialogue and action. Still, the flow of the panels is strong, lending a cinematic quality to the story. The typical shoujo/josei flourishes, like flowery or dreamlike imagery, complement the themes beautifully. However, the most striking panels aren’t memorable for their technical artistry, but for how they linger with the poetry’s emotional resonance. So, how does it start? From the very first volume, Chihayafuru establishes its thematic depth. Meaning is woven into every scene, and this foundation continues throughout the series. However, it’s worth noting that poetry is typically a concise art form. Here, it’s drawn out over a long narrative. You might find yourself wondering, “Why is there so much left?” well before you’ve reached the halfway point. What about the characters? The characters’ skill levels often feel contrived, with outcomes dictated more by thematic or poetic relevance than actual ability. That said, their struggles and triumphs are rendered so beautifully that it’s hard to care about this inconsistency. One of the manga’s standout strengths is its use of poetry to navigate miscommunication. The characters frequently struggle to express themselves but find clarity through the 100 poems that define their game. This could have easily felt frustrating, but instead, it becomes an elegant exploration of connection through shared meaning. What about the story itself? The plot follows a familiar sports manga structure, but with protagonists who are both naturally talented and skilled, the tension frequently comes from external factors rather than direct competition. This diminishes the sense of unpredictability; outcomes consistently feel dictated by the author’s hand rather than organic progression. At times, the story feels like it’s spinning its wheels, especially given its length. Yet, this pacing is ultimately in service of its focus on poetry, which is nothing short of exquisite. Then, what did I think of it as a whole? Chihayafuru defies easy description. Like poetry itself, its true value lies in the experience of engaging with it. While the plot and art are not without flaws, the characters and the breathtaking poetry elevate it to something truly special. It’s an exceptional work, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone willing to immerse themselves in its beauty.

If the author chose the money over the story for sales why should i recommend.....The ending of Chihayafuru feels rushed and unsatisfying. Many promises were ignored, and the story did not close properly. The game became boring, and the final chapters felt forced. After so much time reading, the ending makes the whole series feel disappointing. The karuta matches became repetitive and losing the excitement they once had. After spending so much time with the series, the final chapters feel forced and careless. Instead of a satisfying conclusion, it leaves frustration and makes the whole journey feel like a waste of time. The male main lead wassidelined as well and i don't have energy to write a complete review.