Chihayafuru 3 – 07

「あらしふく」 (Arashi fuku)
“As Storms Sweep”

I was honestly disappointed that Chihaya ended up winning. I didn’t expect to react that way. I thought I was rooting for her somewhere deep inside but it seems I was really on Taichi’s team. When I saw how upset he was, I was upset for him. Of course, it makes sense that Chihaya walked away with a victory considered she’d worked so hard and so long to become such a skilled karuta player.

After seeing her well up in front of her mother with all her confused thoughts and feelings, I couldn’t help but cry. If you don’t know just yet, I’m the writer here on RandomC who openly confesses to crying. I just sat there, tears dripping as large as Chihaya‘s right into my bowl of breakfast oats. Yum. Salty oats.

I am, however, confused about her choice to go on the class trip to Tokyo. She mentions wanting to be a high school teacher so she could become a karuta club advisor like Ms. Miyaichi and Ms. Sakurazawa, but this epiphany of hers is new. It does tie to karuta, however, her real dream is to become queen. I guess if I think about it, this is the only time in her life she can experience a school trip with friends, whereas competing for the highest karuta title in the land is something she can achieve at any age.

Spakrs seem to have ignited between the boys. So far, season 1 and 2, aside from their elementary school years, rarely have we seen Arata and Taichi go head to head over Chihaya. For some reason, this last match really ignited a jealous fire in Arata. Is it because his friends are playing without him or is he slowly realizing that Taichi has the upper hand now that he’s become a better player than he once was, maybe even surpassing him altogether? The tension between these two and their passion for Chihaya is creating an emotional storm that’s now making it into the lives of everyone around them. If Yuu continues to love Arata and if Sumire never gets over her interest in Taichi, they’ll forever be caught up in their storm. They’re currently experiencing very painful unrequited loves but will their feelings ever be answered?

I know the show is about the subtlety and it has done so well in building each of the characters’ true feelings, but I can’t help but see everything as intertwined. The stronger their bond with one another (referring to all characters), the more progress they make in their training, their personal lives, etc.

My main concern after this episode is what she’ll do now that she’s found out Taichi will be going to the Eastern Region Master and Queen qualifiers. Will she support Taichi? Will she scold him? What will happen of their relationship? It’s unfortunate, however, that her whole experience of Kyoto is having her head (and heart) wrapped around karuta and Taichi. Talk about not living in the moment Chihaya.