The karuta hour has come again! We return to Chihayafuru at the climax of an incredibly intense battle, as Arata and Harada grapple for the right to challenge Master Suo. Though I expected this match to be a dramatic highlight, I could never have predicted how much time and energy Chihayafuru would dedicate to this battle. In a season that’s seen entire tournaments come and go over the course of an episode and a half, Harada and Arata’s battle has already taken up two full episodes by itself, and now seems poised to consume a third.

I’m certainly not complaining, though – this battle, and its Haruka/Megumin compliment, feel like like the culmination of season three’s most central and compelling themes. What it means to grow up or grow old with karuta is a question all of Chihayafuru’s stars have been asking themselves, whether they’re nearing retirement, hoping for a late-career comeback, or simply wondering how karuta can fit into a post-high school lifestyle. In Harada and Arata’s battle, karuta’s past and future collide, with Arata calling his grandfather’s spirit back to the playing floor, and Harada responding with a vigor that argues however our bodies age, our passions need not be diminished. It’s been an riveting battle, and I’m eager to see how it ends. Let’s get to it!

Episode 14

“The emotions experienced,” a mercifully neutral episode title

The clashing cymbals in the background here work as a natural metaphor for Harada’s spasms of knee pain

Harada’s fantasy has ended. Arata’s conjuring of his grandfather led Harada into a state where he had no concern for the physical consequences of his actions, and now he’s going to have to finish this match having already overextended his body

God, what a brutal way to set up this finale. Harada is basically back to the same careful strategies he was employing in the first round, except at this point his body is actively failing. And on top of that, he’s already behind! He actually needs to play more aggressively and effectively than ever

Harada realizes that seeing Arata as the avatar of his grandfather is actually cutting Arata too short – Arata is a master in his own right at this point

Nice additional filters for Harada’s knee here, with lines like cracked ice blinking in the sides of the frame, emphasizing the difficulty of maintaining mental focus through consistent pain

And Taichi sees his master suffering so badly for karuta, and can only wonder if any of this is worth it

I’ve known him as “Dr. Harada” all this time, but this is the first time we’re actually exploring his history as a doctor. He didn’t quite beat the Master at 26, but then his career took him away from karuta for a decade, and by the time he came back, his reflexes and game sense couldn’t match that of his younger self

Remembering the time Arata, Taichi, and Chihaya shared in Arata’s apartment is generally framed as a source of joy and motivation for Chihayafuru’s leads, but this flashback makes me wonder if it might also be considered a limitation, as well. Just as Harada might have spent his adulthood fruitlessly chasing the shadow of his 26-year-old self, Chihaya and the others might be chasing an unconditional joy and friendship that can never truly be regained. Chihaya will never be ten years old again; she will never have no concerns beyond going to school and making friends, never be able to uncompromisingly dedicate herself to the one hobby she loves above all else. And though it feels good to be reminded of those carefree days, living in pursuit of them might prevent her from embracing all the opportunities of adult life

At this point, Harada’s so exhausted that his “loom over the field like a helicopter” strategy from the first round results in him straight-up collapsing on the board. He gets the card, though!

“Thanks, Glasses.” A very charming moment, as Arata helping out Harada with the cards earns him a thanks with his old student nickname. It’s wonderful to see how much these two care for each other

Another great flashback, as Harada’s despair at realizing his youthful game sense will never return is countered by the enthusiasm of the students he’s been teaching. These kids can’t restore Harada’s old powers, but their faith in him is a weapon itself, and inspires him to keep seeking new tools. This sequence also echoes Haruka’s ultimate stance, where her son’s support actually ended up empowering her as a karuta player. And of course, this also plays into the show’s belief that it is through embracing karuta as a communal activity and inspiring the next generation that we maintain a fulfilling relationship with karuta

Harada browbeats Arata to avoid a fault. I feel like Arata would do atrociously against Yumin – he’s far too non-confrontational to handle a dedicated rules lawyer

And now Arata, on the backfoot, begins to question how long he can maintain his grandfather’s strategy of maintaining balance and fighting for every card. Harada’s attacks on his confidence are working

Aw, I love this. Chihaya returns, and both her and Taichi are getting so invested in Harada’s victory. For both them and Arata, he’s been a source of support and comfort all throughout their lives, someone who always told them it was okay to be themselves

HARADA TAKES IT! Aaaahhhhgggg, he needed that victory so bad. God, that would have been so cruel to lose

Jeez that was tense. I feel physically exhausted just watching that

Chihaya looks very charmingly gremlin-like in her tearful celebration

Hah. Arata lost because he lunged at a dead card, something he only did in the first place because he was so determined to defend Chihaya’s pet cards. A wonderful fusion of his various inspirations – using his grandfather’s style to defend Chihaya’s cards

It’s also nice to get confirmation that Harada really did win, and Arata didn’t simply concede to him. Harada has never played better than this, and avoiding faults while still aggressively lunging at basically everything was one of his signature tricks this time. Harada’s style of aggressive karuta really wears on your body, so he can’t actively perform his most comfortable style for all matches – but for this fight, he used up everything he had and then some

This also offers Arata a natural path forward: stepping out from under the shadow of his grandfather’s play, and finding a style that incorporates all of his recent developments while still feeling true to himself

Really funny use of exaggerated speed in animating Arata responding to Chihaya’s call. He’s so cool and collected most of the time, it’s nice to see him express nervousness like this

Chihaya is excited about the match, but Arata is still deep in thought, reviewing what he could have done to win

“The more I want a card, the faster I let it go.” Chihaya’s play style reflects how she’s a surprisingly good karuta evangelist; she may not be able to sandbag in order to give new players a win, but her overflowing love of the game is infectious

Oh god oh god oh god he just said he loves her

AW SHIT IT’S HAPPENING

What a classy confession, too. You go for it, Arata

Kana and Hanako both just dreading the coming war, lol

GODDAMNIT TAICHI YOU CAN’T JUST ANNOUNCE YOU’RE HER BOYFRIEND, THAT’S NOT WHAT HARADA MEANT BY “GIVING EVERYTHING”

Glad to see Suo’s brief infatuation was a farce from start to finish, though

Arata lists what he lacks as “meanness, experience, passion, and love.” A sharp assessment of the match

Stop the presses folks, Shinobu is wearing little hair-buns that look kinda like bear ears

And Done

Jeeeez, that was an emotional roller coaster. Chihayafuru certainly isn’t holding anything back at this point – the confrontations and confessions we’ve been awaiting for seasons are tumbling out one after another, and Chihaya’s world is shifting faster than ever. That was a thrilling conclusion to the Masters qualifiers, and Harada’s victory was one of the most hard-earned and uplifting moments in the series so far. The process of incorporating stories like Harada and Haruka’s into the central narrative has given Chihayafuru far greater emotional and thematic range, as it explores not just the identity-forging process of adolescence, but the constant reexamination of your values and selfhood all throughout adulthood. It’s been a terrific ride, and at this point, I find myself feeling more nervous than ever about the actual Masters match. If fighting Arata almost destroyed Harada’s body, how the hell is he going to beat Suo?

This article was made possible by reader support. Thank you all for all that you do.