Chihayafuru

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"kaze wo itami, iwa utsu nami no, onore nomi, kudakete mono wo, omou koro kana" - Loosely translates to "As the wind is strong, waves hit the rocks, yet only I am shattered when I think of you."
Chihayafuru is one of the best thematic and nuanced character works in manga/anime, at least ever since Sangatsu no lion. While Karuta is the central plot device to move the story, the Hyakunin Isshu - the 100 poems are subtly the main drivers of the story. This becomes much more apparent when each of the poems wonderfully encompasses the story of each of the characters and their ... struggles. Minamoto No Shigeyuki's poem above is a wonderful demonstration to juxtapose the development of one of the best-written characters, Mashima Taichi. The similarity to Rei Kiriyama is frighteningly heavy. Both Mashima and Rei hate their respective fields but feel that they have to play on as it is the only thing they do have. Nonetheless the difference here is that while Rei Kiriyama is relatively a genius like Arata in the story, Taichi isn't unless he is. He is not born with the game sense to play the game and just hangs on with his meticulous hard work. He is a jack of all trades but doesn't have something he is really good at. The imposter syndrome is real and very relatable. And so he expresses all his feelings through Karuta, something he doesn't enjoy (or does he). As Chihaya herself realizes, he is like the waves that hit the rocks in vain,



"Tare o ka mo, Shiru hito ni sen, Takasago no, Matsu mo mukashi no, Tomo nara naku ni" - loosely translating to "GONE are my old familiar friends, The men I used to know; Yet still on Takasago beach,The same old pine trees-grow, That I knew long ago."
The story is a development of childhood friends who grew together, grew apart, grew separate, yet were still connected by the thread of Karuta. They get seaparated by distance, separated in Karuta, separated by their love for themselves, separated by their love for Karuta, but as long as they keep playing Karuta, they find their way to each other. The old familiar self they knew are gone, yet the same old pine trees grow that they have known all this time, ever since.



"Tachiwakare inaba, Inaba no yama no mine ni ouru matsu; matsu to shi kikaba ima kaerikon" translating to "We separate if I leave, just like the name of the pine trees that grow on the peak of Mt Inaba, if I hear that you are waiting for me, I will return to you".

Would anyone believe that this poem and the previous one were written in different times by different people? Well the human emotions and depth of conversation with oneself has probably been the same throughout history. You can grow apart from people, by fate or by choice but truthfully if the bond you had with someone was special to you, even if you can't be true to yourself, somewhere deep inside you know that if they call out for you, you will always reach out to them. This beautifully complements both the overall narrative and final act of the story which I would leave the reader to figure out the connection without spoiling. This poem called Tachi, alluding to Mashima Taichi's name cleverly complements the Tare poem above.

However, despite the connection between Tare and Tachi, the true literary complement for Tachi is another unrelated poem from the Hyakanin Isshu.

"Chihayaburu, kami-yo mo kikazu, Tatsuta-gawa, kara-kurenai ni, mizu kukuru to wa" - translating to "Even in the age of almighty gods unheard of, − the waters of Tatsuta are tie-dyed in crimson.". The poem is named Chihayaburu, or alternatively read as "Chihayafuru". Coincidence much?



P.S. The last line of Chihayaburu's original reading is mizu kukuru to wa which refers to a beautiful autumn scenery like the gale in Chihaya. However, Fujiwara No Teika, the original compiler of the Hyakunin Isshu read it as mizu kuguru to wa changing the meaning of the poem ever so slightly
"Even in the age of almighty gods unheard of, − the waters of Tatsuta are flowing under layers of crimson."
making it a well-disguised love poem, referencing undying passionate love, which is always concealed, providing a beautiful thematic background to the story in question.

Also here are the references to the interpretations of the poem in order (coming from the ingrained obligation to cite things as a PhD student).
1. https://onethousandsummers.blogspot.com/2020/03/hyakunin-isshu-poem-48-minamoto-no.html
2.https://100poets.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/getting-older-poem-number-34/ 3.https://onethousandsummers.blogspot.com/2012/07/hyakunin-isshu-poem-16-ariwara-no.html
4.https://onethousandsummers.blogspot.com/2012/07/ogura-hyakunin-isshu-poem-17-ariwara-no.html

I wasn’t going to review Chihayafuru yet, but it’s epic-ness needs to be shared with the world, well "the world," is a broad statement, and yeah so is "epic-ness," but either way, it's a really cute anime. So, let me count thee ways of awesome-ness.

Being a fan of both anime and manga (though anime has only a few episodes in as well) I couldn’t pass the opportunity to rant about it.

The story's main theme are on the simplicity of friendship, passion, and dreams, some the things that matter and drive our spirit as a youngster (first time ever to use that word). Not any ... passion, a form of passion that moves us and sometimes helps us achieve things we didn’t think we could, even if we feel that part of us has long ago deserted us.

Chihaya is an outspoken girl who looks up to her model sister and is her number one fan. Her number one dream is for her sister to become a great model.
One day, Arata transfers into her class and automatically because of his shy and none talkative nature he is secluded and picked on., His number one bully is Taichi, Chihaya’s friend since childhood. Through a few random occurrences they end up becoming friends. Arata then introduces her to the world of karuta, a card (sorta) game. Her world is never the same after that.

Chihaya’s point of view is pure, the only type of innocence that a kid can accomplish. The beginning is mainly showing us how karuta entered her life and how it changed her.
Right a way you can tell things are going to happen that are going to test the boundaries of friendship, will, love, and everything in between. Not necessarily romantic love, I mean the love you have for your dreams, goals, and for your friends. How people growing apart and having their own life doesn't mean they forget you . How no matter what the distance, they don't always really lose that part of themselves that made you friends to begin with.


The art is clean and beautiful. I loved to see the transformation into their older self and that they looked different and yet you can tell it’s them and not because they still resemble their old self somehow. It’s very well done. But hands down the anime gives you the full effect of said art. You’ll know what I mean when you see it. Still very cute and charming, just like the story thus far.

The characters are one of the best thing in this manga, though what gives it a nice touch is the karuta element.
Arata , Taichi, and Chihaya are great characters, whose individual persona are what make them a great combination, because they are very different. Chihaya grew up and didn’t forget and throughout the beginning you can tell that she’s the glue, the proverbial glue that holds them together at the end. Her and karuta. It always goes back to that game to the point that it’s character of its own.

I didn't really find anything I disliked with the manga. It's too early to tell what direction it's actually going to go, although we can speculate at this point but I really hope I'm wrong (I like to be surprised!). It has a shoujo atmosphere about it that is a common ground with a lot of manga but it also feels like it'll have more depth just like the first few chapters suggest.

The end of each chapter is a constant reminder that you shouldn’t give up on your dreams. No matter how young or old or in between, dreams are dreams. They fuel us to keep going, to look forward.
The thing to see is if Chihaya, Taichi and Arata can sustain the flow of time and distance…
I can’t say anything else since there are too few chapters out as of now. But it's definitely worth a shot.

“You can’t call it a dream if you don’t work on it yourself.”

“If I can be the best in the world at something, then I think it’s worth a shot.” – Chihaya Ayase

Finding what you love is the most important lesson I've taken away from this series, and the Chihayafuru series has become an important part of my life. Life is full of ups and downs, and I believe that everyone experiences these, but sometimes you just wonder "what am I doing?" or "what is the point of my life?" You don't know what to do, how to feel, or where to lead yourself. We often start to doubt every area of our lives when we're feeling ... lost, which sends us spinning out of control.
And right now, I'm not even sure what I love, but after finishing this series, I feel encouraged, much like when you watch Chihaya working her tail off to pursue her dream—you can't help but feel inspired.


I loved both anime and manga but anime covered about 143 chapters out of 247 chapters and manga is recently ended.
So after finishing all the seasons, I read the manga from the start, and many people out there still doesn’t know about this gem. So I decided to write a review...My main reason was to just write about this...how much I loved this... There might be some minor spoilers in this review.

Chihayafuru contains themes like discovering one’s identity, finding purpose in life, friendship, solitude and achieving dreams.
Right after starting this series, I had a strong emotional connection to the characters right away, and I found the story to be compelling right away.

The reason Chihayafuru work is Yuki Suetsugu's skilled writing because how well she made the storyline that is focused on karuta. But it has been shown in series that karuta is not a very famous sport, she made the plot like this so the readers will dissolve in that sport and it is so good that it’ll make you want to get involved in competitive karuta.

After finishing the series, I became very interested in karuta, and I occasionally watch Queen-Meijin matches on YouTube, as well as high school championships, And to be really honest, I still have trouble putting into words how much I loved this series, how often I cried rivers while watching the anime and while reading the manga too, and how I believe it transformed me. I also struggle to express how much this series matters to me...Like I could brag about it for like forever.

Chihayafuru is technically a sports manga, but unlike other common sports series, The plot centers around the traditional Japanese card game karuta and centres on Chihaya's journey to the top female player in the country, Despite its unique subject, Chihayafuru is a classic sports anime that may not be enjoyed by action lovers. It’s wonderful mixture of shoujo and josei genres.

In Japan, karuta is regarded as a sport, and in Chihayafuru, we go deeply into the domain of karuta competition.
Basically Karuta is a card game It involves memorization of the Hyakunin Isshu, an anthology of one hundred poems. A reader reads out a randomly selected poem, and the player has to find the corresponding lower phrase of said poem., Before this series I’ve never heard of karuta and Hyakunin Isshu poems.

And this wonderful line by kana-chan

“As long as the emotion is there, a short phase can sound like a poem.”
– Oe Kanade


But after this series i was totally into The 100 poets, And my favourite Kana-chan, the cheerful darling of the school karuta club, deserves credit.
My favourite poem:

Flower's colors have faded away

While in idle thought,

my life passes by in vain

as I watch the long rains fall.

- Ono no komachi

So, Chihaya is the main protagonist. Pure, energetic, and ambitious. Watching her work so hard towards her dream will kind of motivate you, and Chihaya is beyond likeable for me.
Chihaya is an airhead. Her love for karuta takes priority over everything else, frequently at the expense of her friendships. She is completely unaware of Taichi's apparent affection for her, and anytime Arata's name is spoken, she transforms into another person, completely consumed by her childhood memories. Taichi looks on wistfully, but he can't even bring himself to despise Arata. Chihaya's dedication inspires me. She is driven by her love of the game and her desire to become Queen.
And I love chihaya, and all the karuta club members.
Arata, The primary trio's reclusive genius is Arata. Being from a low-income household, he meets Chihaya and Taichi for the first time when he enrolls at their grade school.
In the whole series Arata was praised because he was so good at karuta since the age of 4 also as the grandson of eternal Master.

Taichi is a complete opposite character of Arata. He is attractive, well-liked, quite wealthy, and generally brilliant at all he does, and the reason he plays karuta because he wants to stand beside Chihaya and Arata. He begins off in middle school as a horrible little brat before developing into a sensitive young man, who is loved by everyone.
Though he never loved karuta, But watching him losing was frustrating.

“Eventhough you don’t like it, you still tried your absolute hardest in it. So I thought that, it was really admirable. That’s how much you loved those people”
-From Manga Chapter 141

He is the main pillar of karuta club, Soon, you can't help but understand his intense love for Chihaya, and it becomes clear that he is making an effort to atone for his prior actions by showing consideration and compassion to people around him. I like taichi.
The characters themselves are what actually carry the narrative, and their different paths are so fascinating.

Talk about the main trio, The love triangle's basic idea is rather simple, yet their karuta journeys are so strongly influenced by how their relationships grow.

All the other characters besides those three, like Shinobu, Sou , Sodou, Nikuman kun Xd , Kana-chan , Deskmotou kun lol, Harada sensei , Sakurazawa sensie and all the other students from another school plays important part in the story.
Chihaya meets many people in her journey, and meeting wakamiya shinobu lits up a fire in her heart to defeat wakamia(she is the current queen) and become the queen.
Personally I liked Shinobu and the Mejin Sou.

The art was so so prettyy.

And the matches are super intense, both solo one and the team tournaments also.

And I loved the ending of this series, Probably one of the best ending in my opinion.


I loved everything about this series, And No, it’s not just about the romance.
Chihayafuru is about youth and passion, and easy to get into. The main themes of the story are never lost, and Chihaya doesn't take too long to understand her feelings either.

Its a lovely, peaceful series with lovable characters.

I appreciate you reading my review, And I genuinely hope you would give Chihayafuru a chance. It might change your life, you never know.

Truthfully, I didn't expect much at all when I read this manga. I didn't even know what karuta was! I decided to pick it up out of pure boredom ne because the ratings were high. It definitely exceeded my expectations.

Story: 10

The story itself is pretty simple: a girl who wants to become a karuta queen, who then forms a karuta club at her school. Even though I can't relate to karuta at all, the execution is wonderful. It makes you feel as if you can relate, even though you can't. I assume I feel I can relate because of their passion and drive to try ... hard and succeed.

Art: 10

Well what can I say about the art? Karuta is a sport, so I admire the mangaka for being able to draw the complex poses, and I admire her even more for for drawing hands. Yes, karuta uses the hands a lot. The mangaka must master the art of hands by now. It's not like I can draw any better, so who am I to criticize art?

Characters: 10

The main attraction of this manga definitely goes to the characters. The main character, Chihaya, is what everyone calls a bishoujo (pretty girl), but her personality is quite the opposite. She's quite clumsy and not very smart. Still, she tries very hard at karuta and gets quite good at it. Her two main love interests are called Taichi and Arata. Taichi is her childhood friend who helps her in creating a karuta club, while Arata is the person who got her obsessed with karuta, but had to move away when they were kids. I personally want her with Taichi, because he's always looking out for her, but that's just my opinion. The other supporting characters each have their own distinct qualities. You can't help but love even the supposed antagonists.

Enjoyment: 10

Not much to explain here, except that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Though it was written josei genre, in my opinion Chihayafuru is rare example of combination between shonen and shojo.

About Chihayafuru :
Chihayafuru is a manga that tells the story of a high school girl named Ayase Chihaya who aspires to become a Karuta Queen because of her encounter with her childhood friend, Wataya Arata. The question is, what is it Karuta anyways? Even I have already read up to chapter 157 (at the time of writing this review) is still not fully understood about Karuta. When I was asked to play it, I definitely can't play it. In essence, Karuta is a card game while ... listening. When both players hear a poem in accordance with one of the existing card, then who was the first to get the card wil get point. The winner is the player who collects the most cards (the player whose card runs out in their area has won).

About Karuta :
Although it sounds simple, but this game requires a lot of requirements. Players must memorize the whole poem to be read, for it takes a strong memory and concentration. Players also must respond immediately when a poem was read when it also takes a keen hearing. Finally, players must take the first card than their opponent, while it also takes speed and accuracy when taking the card. In other words, to be proficient in Karuta. It takes memory, hearing, speed and accuracy. Not to mention also takes stamina, concentration, pose, mental conditions and various other things. This is what makes the game Karuta no less exciting than football, basketball, or volleyball.

Story :
Not much to say about the story like most sport manga in general, make team, join tournamet, and fight various opponent. But the thing many sport manga didn't have is the romance. Chihayafuru can insert beautiful romance in the middle of tournament, not to mention the romance itself is a complicated one between Chihaya-Taichi or Chihaya-Arata.

Character :
Many character in Chihayafuru are interesting, the main character herself Chihaya has different when usually the main character of sports manga are boy. Her cheerful and spirited character can make special affection towards myself. Unlike many female characters in general that are sensitive, Chihaya is really insensitive expecially about love, she is just Karuta Otaku, people often call her beauty in vain. Next is Mashima Taichi that has crush on her for a long time and sadly one-sided, he's a real friendzone. But I think his character are the most developed, he can fill the hole that Chihaya flaws as a main character. Next is Arata, when you watch the anime and continue with the manga, you can see his character are develop too.

Other than those three, many supporting character are also interesting. Mizusawa's teammate have their own role to the story. And the character are not only a highschool students, there are many older players too that can make Chihayafuru more interesting than the average High School Sports.

Art :
The art are good, I have no complain.

Conclusion :
Like I said before, chihayafuru is rare example of combination between shonen and shojo. On the one hand this manga can make your heart pumping with it's shonen like tournament but on the other hand can also make your heart melting with it's shojo classical triangle love. I found a new genre of manga, Sportmance (lame is it? LOL).

There are some things in this world that can give you a purpose and/or save you. We call that "passion". For Chihaya, that passion was karuta. And for me, that passion was Chihayafuru.

It took me a long while to write this review because I felt like I'd never going to be able to put into words how incredible important this manga is for me, and how it changed not only me, but the very competitive karuta scene in Japan and around the world.

Chihayafuru is a story about three childhood friends that end up playing the same thing together: Karuta. It is a real game that's ... been around for almost a thousand years, and was previously played using shells instead of cards. The one played in the manga is called Competitive Karuta, which is a form of karuta that combines agility, memory and poetry. I want to start by saying that it wasn't that much popular before Chihayafuru, and that a manga, THIS manga, was able to make it popular again.

These three childhood friends end up growing up and going different ways, only to find each other again, for different reasons, in high school. Our main character, Chihaya Ayase, who is completely addicted to karuta, really wants to make a club out of it in her new school, but (as you probably felt reading all my previous paragraph) there weren't a lot of people interested in karuta/that really understood it at first glance. In Japan, kids are made to remember all the 100 poems that are needed for playing competitive karuta, so it kind of becomes a traumatic memory for most. Still, Chihaya decides to find people to play with her, and, during that, ends up trying to re-connect with the two people who played with her when she was a teenager. One of the boys, Taichi, hasn't played it since his childhood because of other interests, and her other friend, Arata, the one who showed her what karuta was about, was faced with incredible loss and stopped playing it for good.

Chihaya never stopped, though. With her unwavering love and having find a dream that is finally hers: to become the Queen, the strongest female player of karuta in all of Japan. As she moves foward, her old friends and new friends she make along the way end up getting dazzled by karuta as well, meeting her in her journey as friends, teammates, rivals, senpais and kouhais. This is a story about a young girl figuring out what she wants to be, following her dream, falling in love and meeting incredible people as she plays one of the most delicate and yet intense games ever made (so intense that is considered a sport in Japan, actually). The 100 poems speak to her, and speak to the reader. The author, Suetsugu Yuki, is incredible in every aspect: The metaphors, the art, the story, the way she writes her characters. She is able to show how competitive karuta matches work through the eyes of the players. The romance has its many setbacks, but is one of the most beautiful love stories I've ever seen (Shipping them for literal 8 years and seeing them end up together was one of the best moments of my life). The characters stayed and will stay with me forever as well.

This is an amazing story, an amazing shoujo, an amazing romance. I hope you give it a chance even though my review might've been too emotional and not say much about the actual story. And if you do give it a chance, I hope it makes you want to keep moving on as it did for me.

"Like a boatsman adrift at the mouth of Yura, I do not know where this love will take me." - Sone no Yoshitada (poem 46)

I usually don't read sports manga or anything sports related for that matter. But this manga is much more than about a sport as much as it is about building relationships thru it.The story is predicable, and as I kept on reading it, I found it to be about accomplishing one's dreams (no matter how trivial they may seem to others), about being passionate about something in life and about lasting friendship. Chihaya is a girl who discovers the game of karuta, in elementary school, thru another student named Arata, as well as her innate ability for itl. Along with another classmate, Taichi, the three ... form a team and continue to improve until they graduate from elementary school and go their own separate ways. Chihaya still hopes that one day three will be reunited to play karuta like old days and continues to pursue her passion for it. This forms the basis of the story, her trying to bring her friends together to play karuta again while striving to become the best in the game in face of all the teasing, mocking and disapproval she receives for it.

Story 7- The story has been predictable for the 9 chps that I've read so far. It's not the most original story. It uses karuta to illustrate all sorts of relationships within a family, school, friends, etc... not just within a team or a romance. Though romance is another subplot, i hope it stays that way and become the central point further down.

Art 8- I don't know much about art, but I enjoyed looking at the bishie characters, shoujo backgrounds in some panels and the details. A lot of attention has been paid to drawing the detailed panels of the game karuta, which I really enjoyed.

Characters 7- The characters are the prototypes of the most you've read in other shoujo/shounen manga. But one of the characters that stands out is the main character Chihaya. She made me keep on reading the manga and as the manga progresses she's the one whose character develops the fastest and best. I like how she's not been shown to be a typical shoujo girl, but as an indepedent girl with a kind and helping heart. The other characters (main or secondary) don't stand out much for me, cus you have the archetype of the stoic character with a sad past, the perfect childhood friend who's most likely in love with the girl. I would say that, for me at least, the story is character driven rather than plot.

Enjoyment 7- The reread value is not very high, very low medium for me. But so far I'm enjoying reading it. I hope it doesn't deviate from the main plot much and go into a different territory. It should rest as a sports manga without involving a lot of romance.

Overall 7- Not the most original manga you've probably read, but won't feel like you've wasted your time reading it. I would recommend it as a light read and for teens.

personally, whatever manga that consumes me, i consider it a masterpiece. a story that does not make me sleep at night. characters that get my blood boiling. a plot that gives me goosebumps. a story that makes me cry, smile and touches my inner soul while reading and after reading.

story wise - 10
because i havent read anything similar to this one. you just have to read the manga to find out for yourself.

art - 10
because i dont read a manga that does not have excellent art.. this one is really excellent, for me

character - 9
im giving it a nine because.. well i thought arata ... is one of the main characters, but he seemed to be left out. hmm maybe he'll have his chance to shine in the next volumes. but im really high for taichi and chihaya.. and the people involved in helping them improve their karuta skills and understand their weaknesses and strengths.

enjoyment - 10
seriously enjoyed every piece of this manga.
maybe you will say im exaggerating but then this is my personal review. this is how i rate the manga on how it has affected me.

Overall TEN!
just read it for yourself to learn more and rate it according to your own experience.

Thank you to the mangaka - Suetsugu, Yuki

“What can impress heaven and earth without trying,
Move the hearts of those fierce gods, who are invisible to those around them,
Bring man and woman closer together,
And bring comfort to the most daring of warriors?
A poem.”

Chihayafuru is a sports manga about poetry. That might sound odd at first, but it works—and not just because karuta is a sport centered around poems. Suetsugu Yuki skillfully imbues the poetry with deeper meaning, using it as a vehicle for the manga’s themes. The poetry in this work is beautiful and ever-present, though the sports aspect occasionally feels underwhelming.

With that said, let’s dive into Chihayafuru—its themes, structure, and how it ... compares to other works. We’ll also explore whether its beginning is misleading and how it leverages the medium to deliver its message.

So, what is this manga about?

As mentioned, this is a manga about poetry. It seeks to convey emotions and truths that cannot be easily expressed in words or visuals. At its heart, Chihayafuru delves into how much meaning things can carry, both spoken and unspoken.

First things later, let’s talk art direction.

The art is generally good, but has its shortcomings. Occasionally, scenes feel unclear—whether due to awkward angles or difficulties in distinguishing dialogue and action. Still, the flow of the panels is strong, lending a cinematic quality to the story.

The typical shoujo/josei flourishes, like flowery or dreamlike imagery, complement the themes beautifully. However, the most striking panels aren’t memorable for their technical artistry, but for how they linger with the poetry’s emotional resonance.

So, how does it start?

From the very first volume, Chihayafuru establishes its thematic depth. Meaning is woven into every scene, and this foundation continues throughout the series.

However, it’s worth noting that poetry is typically a concise art form. Here, it’s drawn out over a long narrative. You might find yourself wondering, “Why is there so much left?” well before you’ve reached the halfway point.

What about the characters?

The characters’ skill levels often feel contrived, with outcomes dictated more by thematic or poetic relevance than actual ability. That said, their struggles and triumphs are rendered so beautifully that it’s hard to care about this inconsistency.

One of the manga’s standout strengths is its use of poetry to navigate miscommunication. The characters frequently struggle to express themselves but find clarity through the 100 poems that define their game. This could have easily felt frustrating, but instead, it becomes an elegant exploration of connection through shared meaning.

What about the story itself?

The plot follows a familiar sports manga structure, but with protagonists who are both naturally talented and skilled, the tension frequently comes from external factors rather than direct competition. This diminishes the sense of unpredictability; outcomes consistently feel dictated by the author’s hand rather than organic progression.

At times, the story feels like it’s spinning its wheels, especially given its length. Yet, this pacing is ultimately in service of its focus on poetry, which is nothing short of exquisite.

Then, what did I think of it as a whole?

Chihayafuru defies easy description. Like poetry itself, its true value lies in the experience of engaging with it. While the plot and art are not without flaws, the characters and the breathtaking poetry elevate it to something truly special. It’s an exceptional work, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone willing to immerse themselves in its beauty.