Romance takes a back seat this week, as it’s all about the club and the sport itself. The last piece of the puzzle is finally in place with the arrival of Nishida Yuusei (Nara Tooru) on the scene. As I’ve said a hundred times there are no coincidences in anime, […] Read more

For a game that seemed so simple when I first learned of it, I’m finding myself continually surprised by how many different ways there are to look at Karuta.  It almost acts as a mirror held up to each character, revealing their true nature to the audience – and eventually, […] Read more

If you were worried that Chihayafuru was getting a little too melodramatic after episode 5, this week’s effort should be a welcome change.  It’s a return to the innocent, childlike exuberance of the first three episodes – and damned if it didn’t actually get me interested in Karuta a little […] Read more

This was the week Chihayafuru left the kid stuff behind and ventured into altogether more depressing territory. But I have a suspicion this was a change-of-pace and not a trend. While I’ve often compared this series to Hikaru no Go, it’s obvious that there are going to be some stark […] Read more

It’s back to high school on Chihayafuru, but fortunately the series is just as compelling as ever. Time skips are always dangerous but interesting for any anime. They offer an opportunity to witness a great deal of change for the characters, but the trap is that the dots are sometimes […] Read more

As much as I like Fate/Zero, Mirai Nikki and my favorite comedies new and old, there’s no question in my mind – Chihayafuru is the Fall series I most look forward to every week. Am I reading too much into the fact that Chihaya was wearing a “Let’s GO!” T-shirt […] Read more

If there were any doubts that this show was for real, Chihayafuru dispelled them with a second episode as nearly perfect the first.  This is a series that has the potential for greatness written all over it. Among the many miracles accomplished in the first two episodes, one is that […] Read more