Chihayafuru

I really really love this show, but I'm a bit worried about whether it will have much of an ending. The manga is still ongoing, so the ending is pretty much guaranteed to resolve nothing at all. But, I guess, as long as the last few episodes are as good as the episodes we had so far, it will still be the best anime of the year.

edited 17th Feb '12 2:56:00 AM by fanty

Wish there'll be a second season, though I suppose I can just go read the manga.

Is it just me or did episode 20 have some ridiculously melodramatic direction?

Also, the quality of this show tends to suddenly plummet whenever Arata appears, it was only during the flashback-episodes that he didn't feel like a contrived character. I hope he doesn't show up for a few episodes after this.

Eh, I thought episode 20 was pretty good, actually. I actually like Arata if only because he serves as Taichi's goal to beat. At the same time though I don't really see how he's a contrived character.

And so, Chihayafuru has ended. I'll buy the manga, someday. Maybe.

It ended. one of best anime this season. any hope for for season 2 ?

edited 28th Mar '12 7:59:38 PM by PhilippeO

Doubt it, but at least the ending left the door open for one.

I'm really glad I gave Chihayafuru a shot. Great visuals, a rockin' soundtrack (especially that snazzy OP), fleshed out characters, all packed into what could be your typical hotblooded shonen sports anime. Easily one of the best shows this season.

I'm not kidding, I'll miss this a lot. This one had a way of getting you to care.

I sincerely hope there's a season 2, but I suppose the manga will suffice. To anyone who knows, how are the scanlations so far?

They haven't overtaken the anime even, IIRC.

What impresses/amuses me is that they have all sorts of well... Plot hooks. (most especially with what we've seen of the families) that are never really more than touched upon.

Consider, Chihaya's sister has barely even appeared.

Would you happen to know where the end of the anime coincides with the manga?

And yes, there's still a lot of stuff unresolved.

Well the latest translated chapter is #27 and it's the one with the match against the Queen that happened on episode 14, so assuming that they didn't skipped anything and that the pacing remain the same, then episode 25 should be at around chapter 50, and there have been 16 volumes released in Japan, and with 6 chapters per volume it means that there should be around 96 chapters right now, so it means that the anime covered 50% of the manga to this point.

I would just like to express my boundless joy because A SECOND SEASON HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!

http://www.lostinanime.com/2012/11/chihayafuru-s2-updates.html#more

http://seventhstyle.com/2012/11/15/chihayafuru-s2-key-visual-new-characters/

Concept art and Seiyuu for S2

I a.d.o.r.e. this series.

No joke, this is one of my favorite shows of the last few years. So glad there's going to be more.

Second season started airing today, and so far it's as good as the first season.

edited 11th Jan '13 3:41:20 PM by zsmg

S2 Ep 1: YES. It's here. It's still good. Still Chihayafuru.

Love how greedy Chihaya is.

The karuta club gets twenty new members! The two notable ones are Hanano Sumire, who joined to go after Taichi though she has already been rejected and the lone guy who... well, he's the lone guy.

Episode 2: And yes, in the end, only the two I've mentioned above stay in the club. Sumire's gonna start taking karuta seriously,while Tsukuba is slightly annoying.

Personally I find both newcomers annoying.

That was my initial reaction to Sumire too, but she at least shows signs of becoming a more likeable person.

After the latest episode I now find Tsukuba likeable, Sumire is slightly less annoying now.

Anyway the latest episode was great it had so many good moments both comedic and serious.

edited 27th Jan '13 8:25:24 AM by zsmg

Episode 3: Agreed.

I knew it was gonna happen, but man, I now like Tsukuba. Sumire also got a nice wake up call. Excellent character development all around.

Though personally the best part of the episode for me was the "reveal" that Shinobu knows Arata. Not the reveal itself, but how that scene was presented— beautifully executed.

Nah, the best part was "We finally have two girls in the Karuta club!" *cut to Chihaya "Counts as a man". *

Hard to pick one, interaction between Kana's mother and Taichi along with Sumire's reaction (wait was she watching Taichi undress himself?); Chihaya telling Tsubaka that he's lucky facing a Class A player followed by the reaction and of course Taichi and Nishida comparing Tsubaka to lanky (or retro as Crunchyroll likes to call him) right front of him.