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Description
All her life, Chihaya's dream was to see her model sister become Japan's best... That is, until a quiet, unassuming transfer student named Arata tells her otherwise. A dream, he explains to her, is something she needs to work at herself. Arata plays a competitive version of a traditional Japanese card game, known as Hyakunin Isshu, in a way Chihaya has never seen before. After taking Arata's place in a game, Chihaya discovers she has a passion for it. Now Chihaya wants to become number one in the world, the Queen of Karuta.
Note: Won the 2nd Manga Taisho Award and the 35th annual Kodansha Manga Award for Best Shoujo. Was nominated for the 20th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2016.
Chihayafuru is really an awesome read but I like the anime most. At first, I was also hesitant to read it because of the plot. I mean I really don't have any idea on what a karuta game looks like since I'm not Japanese--but then I remembered that I actually got hooked with Hikaru no Go before...it's a manga that depicts a Japanese board game and because I got hooked with it I actually started learning how to play Go and then I thought why not give Chihayafuru a try. It might be actually interesting too and then when I started reading it--just WOW! I got hooked with Chihayafuru a lot more than Hikaru no Go. And I still don't get the whole process of the game--but it's actually very interesting especially the poems written in the cards. I really love the poems especially when Kana-chan started giving a background history about it and the deep meaning behind each and every poem and how she connects it with every character or the circumstances in the story. I just love it! Chihayafuru is really informative. It also gives you a chance to discover more of Japanese culture. It's a culture wise manga and it's really a great find.
Another aspect that I like about Chihayafuru is because it's not the typical sappy romance manga that I usually read. Actually when I think about it there's actually not much of a romance thing going on, if I'm going to compare it in the simplistic way of defining what romance is. The romance here is just light--too light actually but at the same time I can't help but feels there's an undeniable deep bond and love between the characters that simply defies the typical meaning of what really love is and maybe that's what makes it really special for me.
It's also not only centered about romance since typically stories about highschoolers are all about romance but it's also about building relationships--it's all about friendships, making great memories together as well as discovering themselves in the process. The character development is just so great. Each character even the supporting role is highlighted with deep care. They all have their own issues in life, they all struggled with it, they all tried to face it with resolve in their own (weird) ways and whether they failed or succeeded they still to continue to grow and I just can't help but think that i want to see more of their growth. And I think that the Karuta with an added bonus of friends are the driving force behind their AWESOME growth.
And that's why I'm really head over heels with Chihayafuru. I can't get enough of it. SUGOI!....=D
I just can't understand why this manga is so popular. So far, 27 volumes. It's hard to believe that there are 27 volumes and most of the content are the characters playing some ancient Japanese card game. Yeah, there's a small bit of romance in the background, but the romance has made zero progress in 27 volumes. The first time I read through one of the card games, it was interesting because I didn't know anything about it, but once was enough. I mean, we all know what's going to happen sooner or later. She will keep training and getting better until she finally has a match with the queen. Afterwards if we are luck, the last chapter will tie up the romance, but it may leave it to our imaginations like so many other similar titles.
My overall opinion of this manga is this. Yes, it's interesting for about the first 6 - 8 volumes, then after that it only drags. I don't really read it anymore, but every now and then I may look at a chapter just to see where it's at.
Does author have some sort of grudge against character taichi C Mon man he is clearly mentaly suffering from chapter 1 to 134(ongoing) ....chih..love arata and vicce versa. She clearly worry about taichi as childfriend..which should not be interpreted as romantic interest So why author choose to make him chase her without any result It is way obivious arata is talented kind hard working. Way. Stronger than taichi So its annoying why author hadn't made taichi atleast as strong rival.... He Is just chasing after her and doest have courage to confess to her. It just. Romance has become unrealistic.
1.Chihaya is not dumb she know about love(towards arata)and romance and all,then also she doesnt have slight feeling that taichi may bee loving her... 2.taichi is constantly chasing after Chihaya..get up man have some self pride and concentrate on karuta..Chihaya dont give dam about your feeling(because from chapter 1 to 134 she only thinks of arata) dont think her feeling will change after only 2-3 chapters... 3.arata dont give dam..about taichi he is way stronger than him in every accord(he even dont consider him rival in any contex,,while taichi consider him his rival) 4.about Chihaya...is she dumb or what everyone in this manga(except Chihaya and arata) know taichi have feeling for her... 5.taichi plz leave Chihaya alone and develop some character of your own 6.lastly why author want to meddle in love between Chihaya ant arata plz there is line between friendship and love...Chihaya acts above childfriend towards taichi that is annoying..geeting taichis hope up!even though she constantly thinks of arata..... JUST ROMANCE IS UNREALISTIC
I stopped reading because I am waiting for some of the middle chapters to be scanned, translated and such. I'm holding out hope and I don't want to spoil the story for myself. Please, someone, post from chapter 49! Scanlation teams, FIGHTING!
It really dissapointed that i cannot read in japanese..i blamed myself for that..when the story is getting more n more interesting..the chpter skip too much it crush me..i want to read chapter 50 so badly..anyway it is a good manga to read..i got similar feeling of skip beat when read it..maybe because of the female lead competitive...
Although this manga is shoujo it is like shounen sports game where the protagonist tries hard and meet stronger rivals then suddenly an useless epiphany or team support makes her reach semi final only to loose in the finals which keeps on dragging their original dream, this is hindering the progress in its romantic plot. Will the heroine never realize feeling of love for taich. Its lame to one point with draggy explanations and flashbacks, it makes it all the more frustrating during a serious match.
But that is my own opinion, as I want some romance, come one the cards are full of romantic poetry for nature or people. I also think its well done as a sports genre, with lots of cliffhangers so I don't really hate it if I ignore the overall no progress in love.
Chihayafuru is a word that means balanced and strong, like a top spinning continuously while maintaining perfect balance without ever shaking. Like the meaning behind its title, the story is a beautifully crafted masterpiece that is genuinely rare to see in manga. Sometimes stories tend to loose their pace in either the plot line or in a poorly developed character, but Chihayafuru maintains both and never looses its pace or forgets where it is heading to. It contains a vast array of characters and develops them thoroughly to the frightening point that they don't appear to be on a paper or the screen. The story starts of in an engaging manner - a brief flashback to the time when the characters, as children, first meet and proceeds on to introduce their weaknesses and their strengths. From there on the reader simply gets pulled into the story. When it seems like things are calming down, the plot line twists and turns and binds its cast into the 100 Ogura poems of Karuta.
In general Chihayafuru is an amazing story. The sport, karuta, which makes up the skeletal structure of the story, is simple, but the story writing, character interaction and the way the author ties the poems in with its cast, make it a sport thats far from just memorization and reflexes. It becomes the reason to gain friendship, achieve dreams, discover passion, find faults, improve and step forward.
Rating:
Story: 10/10
Characters: 10
Art:
9.5
Composition (flow of story): 10
Overall: 10
The reason why I love Chihayafuru is because of its slow romance. For once we see a love that is actually realistic. For once we see a story where the only point of the story isn't to get the main characters to fall in love. This is why I love chihayafuru.
Well, it is true that one of this manga's unmistakably appeal is its romance. Speaking of which, I love the scene where Chihaya and Arata's eyes met early in first chapter...it actually made my heart racing. This story is a drama. And a very realistic one, there is no trick, no gimmick (lol). Really. No magic, no fate nor destiny, just natural occurrences. The competitive part feels kind of similar to Hikaru no Go, but oh well....IT is a whole different story.
I love it so much that I got conflicted when I found out there are two groups releasing the chapters. Since skipping chapters of the series I really like is out of question. Please, will anyone release the missing chapters already It's been more than 2 months since chapter 41....
I'd given this manga a wide berth simply because, honestly, a manga about flicking cards?
But man, is it GOOD. Even if you're not Japanese and this game is completely alien to you, this manga forces you to care. It's pretty typical, I suppose, of those shonen-type zero-to-hero bildungsromans, except with beautiful art and a much more josei slant and - I'm being honest here - really hawt boys.
At least Chihaya lacks the immaturity and wishiwashiness of shojo heroines, which I ADORE, mostly because her word revolves around karuta (rather than experiencing the *~spring of youth~* or the perfect high school romance!!!1one). Maybe making her beautiful was a little overkill, but meh, who can blame an author for wanting an attractive lead? Makes for pretty for us, too!
I love too that there ARE defeats, and they are many, and they are painful. Chihaya, though not immature in the typical way, IS child-like, and she must grow. And the growth is organic precisely because of the many pitfalls she experiences along the way, where each defeat becomes a moment of revelation and refinement for Chihaya, both as a character and a karuta player. Which is AWESOME. Because you're really there with her, every step of the way.
I actually prefer the anime to the manga art-wise - some deformities here and there, but meh, the PRETTY - but in terms of storytelling, manga can't be beat! ...Until season 2 of the anime comes out, of course. Hee!
...with likable and flawed characters and an interesting premise. I see that some people point out that since readers may not be familiar with the kurata game, they will miss the nuances that someone who IS familiar with it will catch. I personally haven't found this to affect my appreciation of the manga in the least; I still feel emotionally-invested in the characters' defeats and victories.
Speaking on that, what I like most about Chihayafuru is that there ARE a lot of defeats. I like that it dwells on the struggles the characters face and shows them as opportunities for growth. It makes for an interesting, riveting and realistic read. I wouldn't say that there's very little going on in the plot department, though maybe it may seem that way to some readers who either don't find kurata a terribly exciting subject to begin with, or who are more used to flashier(?) mangas.
Below is mainly in response to blackmokona's review, which I found to be off the mark in its condemnation of a pretty good series.
The manga doesn't "dote" on the "flat genius romantic interest" because Arata only briefly shows up after the chapters in which Chihaya and Taichi go to Fukui. Arata is not a flat character. We see a clear change in him after
Spoiler (mouse over to view)
his grandfather's death through his rejection of what was/is his favorite game. It's not guilt, it's not "wallowing in [his own] melodrama." Is it that difficult to believe that Arata's mourning for his grandfather manifests itself in this manner? It's a very human response, people deal with grief in different ways, this isn't a huge suspension of disbelief.
I would argue that when the flashback ends you feel that the "emotional upheaval" of the flashback chapter feels "cheated" because you have extremely high expectations for ten-year-olds. The flashback's function is to show the contrast of Arata past and present, as well as to show the initial meeting of the three characters, to lay out the foundations of their motivations. The present is where the emotional growth will really begin as they struggle to the top. Frankly, it's refreshing to see that the characters' actions and reactions are realistic. My issues with Chihaya as the heroine aside, I do think you're a little too personally hung up on her outer 'beautification'..
I do agree that there are a lot of panels in which Taichi is gazing at Chihaya - but not always in the 'I like you' way, sometimes in admiration, sometimes in encouragement. What I like about Taichi and Chihaya is that they DO have a relationship beyond the 'potential romantic couple' angle - they're friends who support each other and each other's passion for the game, so it isn't as annoying and infantile as you're making it out to be. (Case in point: look at most other shoujo mangas and compare with this one.)
Yes, maybe the whole deal behind Arata purging kurata from his life is an overdone plot device; but 'painful', no. It WOULD be painful if it was dragged on and on and on... but it's resolved when Chihaya and Taichi visit him. This calls back to the bond forged between them in the earlier chapters, and it also points out that Arata obviously loves kurata. He didn't reject kurata because he blamed the game for making him miss his grandfather's death, but because it served as a reminder of the grandfather who is no longer there, who was a powerful influence on him for liking the game in the first place. Kurata became a painful association and distancing himself from that association is a realistic response, I think. An emotional response, too, which are sometimes both logical and illogical (as in logical to that person, but appears illogical to others). Arata being able to enjoy the game again is symbolic of him moving on.
If you think that that is a "completely facile approach" to grief and growth, then okay, we all have our opinions.
(+19)
It's been more than 2 months since chapter 41....
