Alright folks, let’s settle in for one more episode of Chihayafuru! When last we left off, Chihayafuru and Taichi had each fought their way through the preliminary rounds of the pre-Masters qualifier tournament, securing two spots in the quarterfinals. For each of them, their route to this moment has involved stepping up their pro karuta game in major, demonstrable ways. On Chihaya’s side, her time spent focusing on her left arm, and increasing awareness of her own tactical choices, has led to her mastering a style somewhat near to Shinobu’s “silent karuta.” In contrast with her dramatic swings early in the series, she’s now embracing precision to use only just as much force is necessary. As a result, she was able to overcome last year’s Master challenger, who was admittedly out of practice, but still far from a pushover of an opponent.
On Taichi’s side, his often painful self-awareness seems to actually be reaping some positive dividends, as he now seems far better able to acknowledge his unproductive mental cycles, and attempt to rise above them. Of course, telling yourself not to be anxious isn’t necessarily a sure-fire way to end your own anxiety; fortunately, Taichi is also benefiting from the emotional support of his many trainers and teammates. As a result, Taichi has bolted to the top eight of his first-ever Class A tournament, a ridiculous feat that only underlines how long he’s actually belonged at this tier. And with Arata, Harada, and various other heavyweights in the mix, I’m sure we’ve got a pile of thrilling matches ahead of us. Let’s get back to Chihayafuru!
