Chihayafuru (2011)
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Emi Sakamoto — Key Animation
Episodes 11
Now Bloom Inside the Nine-fold Palace
After Ms. Miyauchi tells Chihaya that she needs five members to start an official club, Chihaya starts recruiting. One day, Oe Kanade, a fan of classical literature whose family owns a traditional clothing store, visits the karuta club. She is shocked by the gap between the elegant karuta of the Imperial Court and competitive karuta. However, Chihaya wants Kanade to realize how fun competitive karuta can be.
Read MoreFor There Is No One Else Out Here
Chihaya has recovered in time for the individual tournament. Players are grouped by their rank, and the youngest Queen in history, Wakamiya Shinobu, is in the Class A bracket, and Chihaya's second round opponent. Chihaya is overwhelmed by the Queen's ability and unable to take a single card. As she's about to give up, she remembers her first match against Arata back in grade school—
Read MoreJust as My Beauty Has Faded
Chihaya's next opponent is the previous Queen, Yamamoto Yumi. Chihaya recalls the previous Queen being a very tenacious player. While Chihaya is fired up for her match against her opponent, Yumi is clearly not as interested in the match, which only serves to enflame Chihaya.
Read MoreTo tell the people in the capital that I make for the islands
Be it luck or skill, Tai seems to falter under pressure. The team needs three wins to proceed and their upcoming opponents are new and trained by an old friend.
Read MoreRain takes longer to dry
Mizusawa's next opponent is a group of geniuses that has been sweeping the Karuta scene.
Read MoreIn my dreams, I creep closer to you
Chihaya appears to have recovered from her bad start, but Megumu will not let her take consecutive cards. As the players spur on their aces, both sides begin to pull together as teams. Which team will prove to be stronger?
Read MoreThe fall paddy shacks
The Mizusawa karuta club has won the team championship, becoming the number one team in Japan. The players reflect upon the path they took to the championship. After Chihaya remembers the pain in her finger, she is taken to the hospital.
Read MoreTo see the beautiful cherry blossoms
The Class A Finals pit Arata vs Shinobu, Class B is between Taichi and Rion in the same area where Komano is participating in the Class C Final. Chihaya is stuck between supporting Taichi and Komano or experiencing the match between Arata and Shinobu.
Read MoreI can look up and see the snowy cap of Mt. Fuji
With winners and losers riding emotional waves, Chihaya is sent a video of the Class A final, and while watching, it stirs of memories of playing Karuta with Arata.
Read MoreDuring My Forlorn Years in This World
The Mizusawa Karuta Club prepares for the cultural festival.
Read MoreNobody wishes to see
Chihaya, Taichi, Tsuboguchi, and Dr. Harada, all members of the Shiranami Society, have made it to the top 8. They approach the next round with the mindset of playing in a team match, but Chihaya is matched against Inokuma Haruka, the former Queen who won the title four times in a row. Inokuma's unique play style is like nothing Chihaya has seen before, causing her to struggle in their match.
Read MoreScarlet kadsuras
Arata wonders why he feels so relieved to learn that Taichi lost his match, even as dark memories of a similar feeling at the Yoshino Tournament come back to him, leaving him unable to concentrate fully on his match in the finals. His opponent, Murao, realizes that Arata isn't himself and sees an opportunity, but then...
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