I’m very much afraid things between me and Chihayafuru will never be the same. I hope I’m wrong, because I’ve invested so much emotion in it over the years. But right now, it feels like being in a relationship with someone that’s burned you once too many times. I “got back together” with the series after we took a break… Read all the new chapters, but… I just can’t embrace it like I once did. The stuff with Nishida (what a bro – and a bad liar), Tsukue and Kana was great, but the whole Chihaya-Taichi-Arata torture is just too much for me. And that’s the meat of the series, after all.
Could it all change? The love is deep – sometimes you can’t stay away even if you know a relationship is bad for you. It could. But right now, I just don’t want to be strung along anymore. And I’ve pretty much stopped caring about the competitive Karuta side of the story (for now). Does that really leave enough to keep us together?
You know how it is when you’re in love – you always hope somehow, things will work out, all the things that drive you crazy about each other will somehow resolve themselves and all that will be left is the love. But in reality that just doesn’t happen very often. My feelings for Chihayafuru (complicated though they may be) will always be passionate and a big part of who I am as a fan, and if we somehow got a third season I’d certainly watch (and blog) it as it would cover some of the very strongest parts of the manga. But maybe what’s best is to just accept that I’m better off keeping a little distance, and wish Chihayafuru nothing but happiness. And we’ll always have Episode 20…
elianthos
November 14, 2016 at 3:33 pmNishida you tender yet strong bun of feels you :,) .
Those song lyrics, man… Suetsugu-sensei is such a sadist.
Personally I’ll just take a leaf out of Taichi and be verrrrrrrry patient. He’s not the first characters of such breed I have been agonizing for and along with so if anything I’m sort of used to the trials and woes of impossibly sensitive supportive oh-so-human-in-their-flaws supportive osananajimi underdogs. I’d just wish I could feel more confident about the outcome of his journey packing enough of a payoff in any way at this pace. Sometimes regardless of you not running away some trains do not run your way twice or allow you to board at all. —> yay optimism. Don’t mind this moment of weakness ^_^
Ronbb
November 14, 2016 at 10:46 pmOh God, Enzo…what a sentimental and nostalgic post. I knew you via RC when you were blogging Stein;Gate, but it was Chihayafuru that I switched and have been staying with LiA ever since. Aside from the series itself, its story and its characters (I mean Taichi…and of course the original Mizusawa Karuta Club members), Chihayfuru, whether or not it’s a masterpiece, represents something special — it’s a bond that helped me grow as an anime fan.
Yes, my frustration towards the stagnant development has been growing, but also yes to “Taichi Tuesdays” and yes to episode 20. Thanks, Enzo.
Guardian Enzo
November 15, 2016 at 9:37 amYes, something special indeed. And indeed, there was a time when I think this series was a masterpiece or pretty close to it.
TBH, I think Chihayafuru as a manga peaked with the stretch around the legendary Episode 20, and the most recent Meijin title match. After the latter, it just hasn’t been able to find its mojo, IMHO.
Ronbb
November 16, 2016 at 10:19 pmYes, the Meijin title match was good, but like you I have become numb after that, and the elephant in the room is no longer the bait but simply pain in the ass…
Nadavu
November 16, 2016 at 1:48 pmEnzo-san, nigenai hito ni narinai de kudasai!
romy
November 18, 2016 at 10:15 amYes it has been are pretty frustrating journey these last chapters. Like you i’ve invested too much love and years in this manga to let it go now. There have been some pretty interesting analyses on tumblr last week, that got me thinking that if Suetsugu san planned this all out, she definitely is a genius.
here are two links if you are interested:[spoiler]
http://unabashedgiverface.tumblr.com/post/153171681786/on-the-im-her-boyfriend-episode
http://fallibleflakes.tumblr.com/post/153137758346/hi-i-love-your-analysis-about-chihayafuru%5B/spoiler%5D
this sort of got me going again……and rereading.
Anyway the hiatus is killing my patience (even if it probably is totally necessary to have that time for the mangaka…..)
Guardian Enzo
November 18, 2016 at 10:42 am2nd link is dead. Can you summarize?
elianthos
November 18, 2016 at 3:18 pmif you remove the last part of the url after ‘chihayafuru’ it works ^^… http://fallibleflakes.tumblr.com/post/153137758346/hi-i-love-your-analysis-about-chihayafuru
Guardian Enzo
November 18, 2016 at 3:36 pmThanks, that interesting analysis. Honestly I think there’s a lot of projection going on there, but there are tidbits (like Taichi carrying earplugs) that are certainly good observations. And the Taichi-Suou dynamic is probably the most interesting part of the manga since the Meijin final ended.
elianthos
November 18, 2016 at 5:34 pmI agree. In terms of projecting I dont feel like discarding that kind of insight (yet) though. Sometimes they do happen to overlap with an author’s actual intent and plot direction.
That worked pretty well for me when I indulged in that discerning Killua and his lovely family, or Gon in forced growth&revenge mode after all :p
Thumpthump
December 6, 2016 at 1:14 pmBeing strung along definitely sucks. I wonder how much longer this will go on for?
landofthekwt
December 8, 2016 at 8:59 amSuetsugu said that she does not know if she will complete Chihayafuru before the next LA movie comes out in 2018.
Guardian Enzo
December 8, 2016 at 10:02 amLA?
landofthekwt
December 8, 2016 at 3:16 pmLA = Live Action
Guardian Enzo
December 8, 2016 at 3:36 pmDUH! Sorry, brain freeze.