We return to Chihayafuru in the midst of the challenger matches, with both Haruka and Harada having fought through difficult first rounds to arrive at luck-of-the-draw conclusions. Harada actually succeeded in beating Suo in that faceoff, but it remains an open question whether Suo is merely letting Harada win in order to prolong his final match as Master. While we’ve gotten a closer look into Suo’s psychology over the past several episodes, basically none of that context has made him more likable in any way – he’s proven himself to be not just selfish, but genuinely invigorated by toying with his opponents. And given how much of a physical toll just two rounds with Arata wrought on Harada, defeating an even stronger opponent who’s determined to drag this out across five rounds seems next to impossible.
Meanwhile, Haruka lost her own first round, but given the emotionally turbulent nature of Shinobu’s post-match experiences, it’s hard to say how future rounds will play out. Shinobu entered this match on an emotional high, energized by the knowledge that her grandmother actually supports her decisions – but after the first round, her mother stole that energy, by cruelly stating that her grandmother was just using her as an advertising prop. That blow was followed by a second, accidental jab courtesy of Chihaya, who unthinkingly admitted she’d prioritized her class trip over karuta, thereby proving in Shinobu’s mind that they don’t actually share the same passion. Will all this betrayal rattle Shinobu, or will it actually clarify her self-image, and return her to an unmatchable kinship with the cards themselves? I mean, I don’t know, but I’m guessing this episode will probably clarify that pretty soon. LET’S GET TO IT!
