#omi jingu

[eduseyes]

近江神宮 Ōmi Jingū 

ちはやふる Chihayafuru 2023.06.17 

[absolutedisasterr]

1, 1a, 7, 5, 18, 19

KULEMII I’M YOUR BIGGEST FAN📑🖋️ Thank you for the ask😊😊😊

Yakuza Fan Ask Game

1. How many of the mainline games have you played?

0, Kiwami 2, 3 Remastered, Original 4, 4 Remastered, Original 5, 5 Remastered, 6, and 7. Woo

1a. Which one is your favorite?

Oh Yakuza 5 for sure. That game is so fucking fun. Why does it have so many cities? And so many fucking minigames? I love it.

7. Any characters you can't stand? Elaborate if you want?

I think most of the characters I hate are pretty unpopular in general. Jingu is gross and needs to stay away from my daughter. Kume from Yakuza 7 is on my hit list. That Omi chairman from Yakuza 5 who’s name I didn’t even bother to memorize. Little Baby Iwami. Nothing really controversial tho.

5. Any game ideas you'd like to see made?

I want to see a Kenzan remake, because I really like the plot of that game but all the woman are treated like shit in it.

Would also LOVE a Haruka protagonist game where she beats people up on the street. Imagine her fighting style being a mix of Kiryu’s dragon style and breaker style from Y0. Only in my dreams.

18. Favorite mini game?

Oh, karaoke 100%. I swear, I spend so much time singing karaoke when I’m playing a Yakuza game I need an intervention.

19. Most hated mini game?

The fucking Yakuza 4 Fighter Maker is so dog shit. Don’t get me wrong I love how wholesome Saejima is as a sensei. And by the end, I was super happy to see the trophies the students got and everything. But holy shit it is soooo time consuming. So much of it is based on pure luck, and that one student… Makoto Tokita… not only is he the only student in the dojo with a horrible personality but he could barely win a fight. I had to spend SO much time trying to train him. Horrifying.

[gleaningsinbuddhafields]

Omi Shrine

One of most iconic places in the world of Karuta is a placed called Omi Shrine, also called Omi Jingu (近江神宮, おうみじんぐう) in Japanese. It is here that the big championship events are often held, and it is a big part of season one of the anime series Chihayafuru. Not to sound like a cliché, but it is a kind of mecca for the Karuta world and the Hyakunin Isshu. A scene from Chihayafuru as Chihaya…

[redsamuraiii]

Omi Jingu in Shiga Prefecture by ryostory1124

[watayaaratamblr]

An Arata moodboard

[maci-brainrot]

Taichi Big Heart Mashima

His wishes and prayers at Omi Jingu were so pure. He has a golden heart. Please let him be happy.

[natsumi-no-hotaru]

Chihayafuru #48: A crazed fangirl’s guide to the finals Part 1 - What am I still doing here?

AKA. Arata is ebil, ebil and Taichi is the most frustratingly adorable self-sacrificial dork to ever walk this earth.

[Previously: For you I would forget the pain and give my all.]

I could barely stop my heart from jumping out of my chest the entire time! I mean, of course this episode would be freakin’ awesome, what with such promising matches - the ultimate battle between 2 karuta masters and Taichi’s battle to graduate from class B and catch up with Chi-chan - but it’s still mind-blowing how good it is! What’s most amazing about Chihayafuru #48 is that no matter how much you think you know these characters, they still find ways to exceed expectations and bring something completely new to the occasion. And that’s what I love so much about Chihayafuru after all - the wonderfully vibrant characters and their well-written character development, delicately woven into the fabric of the story. Characters in Chihayafuru drive the plot and not the other way around, and that’s what makes it such a special series. 

Take Coach Sakurazawa for example. I want to talk about her right away before devoting this post to the matches because I love how her character is given so much depth through little things like this. 

Technically, her role is to be the “spartan” coach of Fujisaki school karuta club and provide the occasional but insightful commentary on the players’ strength, weakness and psyche during matches. Unfortunately, she also features in that pervert captain’s erotic fantasies but thankfully, that is just her image as filtered through that Emuro’s lens (lmao, fittingly enough, he also wears glasses? or was the author playing into the stereotypical casting of a megane boy as the resident closet pervert? Tough call but this is beside the point), for she is nowhere else sexualized, either by other characters or through the viewing experience. What I want to draw attention to is that her character could remain confined to this mold and it would not change the plot by any considerable degree. So why is there a need to portray her as more than just a pragmatic coach of a rival school?  

“I’ll bring Yamashiro over to apologize later.” 

I think the answer, in part, has to do with the mangaka’s decision to flesh out all characters, especially minor or support ones, as best as she could in the limited screen-time allotted for them. They may serve as plot devices at times but there has never any doubt that they are not their own persons, with stories and struggles independent from those of the main characters, even if they may not be bestowed with lengthy flashbacks. 

“My coach said that, in most cases, the injuries are caused by the player’s own bad swing.”

The care and attention Coach Sakurazawa extended to Chi-chan is hinted at in previous episodes when she took out one of the twins out of the team, reasoning that he showed signs of intense knee fatigue. She knew well of the pains of over-exertion because she was a top player herself and was big-hearted enough to offer support to young karuta players of note, who are not in her charge, like Chi-chan. Compared to those staid oji-sans (and women, I suppose) from the national karuta committee whose interests are within the narrow range of the individual tournament and the possible dethronement of Master Suo, Coach Sakaruzawa is a much needed breath of fresh air in the karuta world. Her ties to Fujisaki neither dictated her every action and concern, nor did they blind her to the bigger picture of karuta-dom.

She’s truly an excellent coach and a top-notch support character (my heart can’t stop going kyah kyah at well-written female characters!!!). I would love to talk about her more, especially the solid advice she gave Chi-chan at the beginning of Chihayafuru #49 (ahaha, you caught me, I couldn’t resist watching ahead the next episodes ahahaha...) but it is beyond this episode so I’ll stop here for now. 

“Why are you smiling about playing the Queen?”

Before moving on to the finals, here’s Chi-chan presented with the biggest dilemma of her life so far. 

“He’s the one who wanted Ayase to focus on practicing for the Queen match. He would tell you not to come see him.”

I hate it when Nishida is not wrong. Both of these matches are important to Chi-chan, albeit in very different ways. It was a hard choice but in the end, there’s only one answer that could sit wholly right with her, as the person with the most team spirit out of them all. 

Taichi vs. Rion: Let not the mist hide the sakura in bloom 

I miss you so much, Taichiiiiiii

It was quite shocking, a little unnerving even, to see Taichi in such a contained state of calmness. Normally, he would give off this aura of buzzing activity and pay constant attention to his opponent and surroundings, down to the smallest details. This time around, he barely gave any indication that he was about to take part in a make-or-break match, which is most unusual, for there’s more at stake here than just his graduation from class B. What would happen to his self-esteem if he again met with failure when he was already so close to the goal? How could he sit so still and look bored out of his mind, with such a burden weighing upon him?

Who is even this person??? I have never met him!

Strangely enough, even after soundly beating Retro-kun, a rather persistent rival of his, by 18 cards (!), Taichi seemed to find no cause for joy or excitement. The cause for this overcast of dissatisfaction and despondency is none other than the pent-up frustration of having yet to graduate from class B, even though he has more than enough skills to play on equal terms against class A players. The non-stop loop of self-berating questions speaks volumes as to the desperation Taichi must have felt from lagging behind Chi-chan and Arata.

“What I am doing here? Why haven’t I been able to defeat 5 class B players in a row?”

And topping off this emotional quagmire is the resignation dripped from his dead-certain claim that Chi-chan would choose watching the match between Arata and Shi-chan over coming over to cheer him on. Boy was he so wrong. 

I could not be more relieved on seeing Chi-chan and Kana-chan sneaking in. So relieved and happy!!! Thank the good lawd the ladies are all here.

Seriously, baka Taichi.

I love how the girls supported one another to sit down! One of those lovely small details that just makes me go squee - it’s just so heartwarming!!

“Right now, I care the most about Taichi making class A.”

A shipper can hope, right? Right? #taichihayaFTW

I wanna be in the circle tooooo, pls pls pls. 

“I have to win this match as quickly as possible. I need to take a huge lead so Chihaya can watch Arata and the Queen play!”

Arrgghh, for crying out loud, can he be more of a self-sacrificial idiot than this? 

I mean, I wanted to give a real good shake so much, just so that he could stop thinking of his match and progress as something not worth Chi-chan’s attention. He won against Emuro fair and square, who was a strong opponent even for Arata! It was so evident that he had grown a lot since the last tournament so it was really aggravating to see him belittling himself like this. 

That he did. That he did. *sigh*

Leaving Taichi with the girls and the Empress for a bit, it’s time to take a quick peak at the first moments of the Queen’s match against her formidable rival. 

Interlude: Shirata - the side of him only she brought out 

It’s undeniable that there exists an unique kind of chemistry between Shi-chan and Arata. For someone whose interactions with Shi-chan are mostly limited to brief encounters at tournaments and between matches (with the exception of this particular tournament), Arata has frequently shown to have a good grasp of Shi-chan as a player and a person. Be it the jovial and relaxed way that he converses and laughs with her (and at her), or his successful persuasion of Shi-chan to go watch the team tournament, Arata has treated her like an old friend, returning her aloofness and sarcasm with empathy, compassion and warmth. His illuminating insights on Shi-chan’s ardent love for karuta and her solitude are likely rooted in attentive and detailed observation of her over the years, not just as an aspiring Queen, but also as an acquaintance he has come to treasure. 

“Shinobu-chan has a somewhat unique card placement and memorization method. She must have been playing with these cards by herself all this time.”

While Shi-chan may not consciously consider Arata as anything more than a worthy long-time rival, she truly rejoiced at his return to karuta and eagerly looked forward to their match. Shi-chan herself may pass off her intervention into the passing of Arata’s punishment (getting his possible ban from the individual tournament reduced to writing self-correction essays and not watching the team tournament) as saving her chance to play against him, but her impassioned plea for him to not disappoint her further hinted at a deeper connection and understanding between them than that of mere rivals. 

I can’t recall if I said this before but I love Shi-chan’s voice so freaking much, and her VA’s delivery in this episode is just on point every single time. The gentle cadences, measured rhythm and melodic intonation truly bring out Shi-chan’s  sophistication and her captivating elusiveness.

“Neither you nor I need any friends.”

Shi-chan probably saw something of a kindred spirit in Arata - how they are made for the most “serious” pursuit karuta, to vie for its highest glory, and certainly not for team competitions. It must have been quite shocking for her to see him almost get kicked out of the individual tournament because of his floundering about in the team competition, and to know of his respect and fondness for team matches and players. And I think that’s why she was so keen on proving the superiority of individual players, not by herself but with him, at a match between 2 lone wolves who do not belong to any school team. But as Shi-chan would find out, the Arata in front of her was set on the path of defeating and exceeding all expectations.

Who are you and what have you done with that sweet earnest boy called Arata?

To my utter surprise, Shi-chan’s half challenge, half provocative attempt at camaraderie brought about an expression the likes of which has never graced Arata on screen. A smirk on Arata’s face, accompanied by that nonchalant badass retort no less!? This is the first time that he responded to her goading with that playful and mischievous look on his face, instead of his signature indulging smile. Amused as he was by her antics, he was serious about facing her, though interestingly enough, without the overly serious and candid demeanor he usually showed against other opponents.

Naturally, Shi-chan was thrown off by Arata’s response. She sought to dominate the match from the start and it looked like things were going her way but...

... they actually hit the cards at the same time. Shi-chan won them because they were on her side, not because she was faster. 

A guarded expression appeared on Shi-chan’s face while Arata remained unperturbed, with the curl of a mysterious smile on his lips.

“Her incredible speed in every direction and her accuracy haven’t changed a single bit.”

Staying true to his grandpa’s teachings, Arata launched his counterattack against Shi-chan. After all, she is not the only one who has speed on their side. 

Arata quickly proved himself a worthy opponent of the Queen as he pitted his smooth-like-water, direction-changing swipes against Shi-chan’s precision homing strikes. The animation is so well-done that a distinction can be made between their styles, even though my eyes can barely keep up with the speed of their attacks. Not even five cards have been read but Shi-chan already started to feel the mounting pressure. 

“Defending every card is risky. I’m sorry, everyone.”

It must be rare indeed for Shi-chan to be forced to deviate from her usual strategy so early in the game. For someone who always strives to get every single card read, choosing to “save” some cards over the others in order to secure victory seems uncomfortably close to a betrayal to her way of karuta. It certainly spoke highly of Arata’s skills that he was able to push her to this point. 

OMG, he’s so ebil, ebil! A hundred times more devious than Suou-san!! 

Let’s be frank. No one so far has brought out this side of Arata but Shi-chan. Just look at that face! That smirk and that self-assured voice, as cool as a cucumber!! I got shivers and goosebumps all over - this is so so unexpected, like who would have thought of Arata having such a mean streak??

I’m so in love with this ebil!Arata, fyi. So freakin’ heads over heels. #shirata4FTW

Heart attack: Under pressure and outta luck!

pretty much me for the rest of Taichi’s match

Yup, it was that bad. Both Taichi and Rion were completely off their usual game, as each simultaneously struggled with pressure of their own and one far-from-reliable reader. 

Lawd, you test me. 

On looking back, it was quite a hilarious coincidence that not only the players were put to the test but also the reader, possibly also in order to move up to reading for class A. But I suppose it was needless to say that I didn’t find it so funny when I was watching the episode. 

More like driven out of my mind with worry - jesus, the man even fucking coughed!!! *sharpen throw knives*

Horrendous reader screwing up the rhythm aside, it was still imperative for Taichi to not add extra pressure to an already difficult game. Rion is not the kind of opponent that he can hope to secure a win just by breezing through the game. Perhaps it is a bit of a moot point to raise but would Taichi really have had an easier match in the absence of Chi-chan; after all, there would be no need to rush? He was so calm in the previous matches and now he became such a flustered mess.

Though suffering a huge set-back because of the reader’s abysmal rhythm, Rion held on to the resolve to win at least the B individual tournament for her school. 

Rion started to gain ground, thanks to her acute hearing and lightning speed, and Taichi once again fretted about his opponent’s talent. The question of “what does X have that I don’t” made a reappearance, to the joy of absolutely no-one.  

You can’t let Yama-chan get in a groove, Taichi!

Just when things couldn’t get any more dire or more agonizing to watch, Taichi thankfully managed to pull himself from the downward spiral and regained not only the composure and cool head prior to the match’s start, but also the clear, logical thinking that so defines his karuta style. 

I’m tensing up because I’m comparing her to Master Suoh. Compare her to Chihaya. 

Random but Tsutomu-kun is in the background!!!

His desire to face Rion as if she was Chi-chan reminded me of those times he would compare his opponent to Arata and be disheartened or encouraged, sometimes even simultaneously. While Chi-chan arguable holds a more special place in his heart than Arata, I think it makes sense that he would find both pleasure and pressure in trying to catch up to her in karuta. 

By splitting the cards starting with similar syllables, Taichi prevented Rion from targeting his cards so easily and started winning 3-syllable cards. 

“There’s nothing flashy about his playing style, but he’s taking cards from opponents with good game sense!”

Taichi got back into his groove and off went those processor chips like rapid-fire. 

Strategy formulated. 

Game plan thought out and executed flawlessly.

“Give up on all of the one-syllable cards. Doesn’t matter if I look lame.”

He has grown so much from last year, back when Nishida called him out for not practicing his strikes out of embarrassment. His overly self-consciousness is now a thing of the past and he has learnt to play karuta with his body, and not just his mind. 

“Masuge-kun, karuta comes down to talent and game sense. However, at the same time, karuta is about taking 10 cards from your opponent...”

And finally, finally he let go of the self-imposed pressure of securing a landslide victory to give Chi-chan time to watch the class A final. It sure took him long enough to come around to the tried-and-tested approach of one-card-at-a-time.

And that one card that sealed his victory against Rion was no other than the Chihayafuru card. Paired with his declared goal to win against Chi-chan one day, it makes for some very beautiful and rich writing. What better way to issue a challenge to Chi-chan than by taking her best card?

YES, YES, YES, this is precisely what I was hoping for when I think of Taichi moving up to class A!!! His victory has to so deserving that it is to leave no doubt in anyone’s mind of his superiority over his formidable opponent in everything - skills, experience, stamina, and mental fortitude. It must be won with sweat, tears and toil, and certainly not merely conferred upon him as a consolation prize for his effort.

A happy ending for the boy who tried so hard

Taichi may have considered his match insignificant compared to the rare opportunity to watch Arata and the Queen play but that was not what Chi-chan believed. Taichi is really ... a big idiot here but I can’t help falling for Taichi even more. For someone who likes to keep his distance from most, it’s just overwhelming to see him put Chi-chan’s needs above him over and over again.

I’m super glad that Chi-chan was here for him and reminded him of the huge achievement he just attained and cried tears of happiness for all those times he struggled. 

Just kill me softly with that smile, why don’t you?

That smile was truly worth all the heart attacks and frustrations not just of this episode but all the episodes till now. It has been tough to see him being so hard on himself, failing and picking himself up, putting Chi-chan’s goals ahead of his own. But now, on looking back at all of it, it’s a very well-written story arc for Taichi. There can be no easy way back for quitters because they have to learn to treasure the things and people they lost and now regained. 

Congratulations, Taichi. Congratulations. You’re so amazing. *dab tears*

Until the next time then, folks!

[yubari-koigokoro]

Omi Jingu Shrine, Shiga, Japan

近江神宮　滋賀

秋の田の　仮庵の庵の　苫をあらみ　わが衣手は　露にぬれつつ

[larisaintransit]

Kyoto, alone

I really love the Shinkansen. I imagine there are lots of reasons why bullet trains aren’t in the United States, but I have no idea what any of them are. Probably something to do with policy and money, blah blah.

I just want to zip across the United States, on the ground. Is that too much to ask?

Apparently so.

After an hour or so into the trip, the man sitting next to me finally broke the silence.

“Where are you going?”

I was startled. Usually Japanese people didn’t strike up conversation with me. “Kyoto,” I told him. 

“Alone?”

“Yes, just for the day. I’ll go back to Tokyo tonight.”

“Where else have you been?”

“Osaka, Hiroshima and the five lakes.”

“Ah, Fujisan.”

“Yes,” I said with a smile. “It’s beautiful.”

“Where else will you go?” he asked.

“I guess I’m not sure. Do you have any recommendations? Places I can go easily from Tokyo?”

He thought for a moment, then leaned back to consult his wife and daughter. They spoke quickly in Japanese for a moment before he leaned forward again. “Have you been to Kamakura?”

“No, where is that?”

“The beach, past Yokohama. There is a lot of nice history there, like Kyoto.”

I wrote it down. After a few more moments he added, “Kanazawa. It is north.”

I searched for it on my phone. “It’s far!” I told him. 

He shook his head. “Only a few hours by shinkansen. It’s very nice there--beautiful garden.

I wrote down Kanazawa under Kamakura. 

We chatted the rest of the way to Kyoto. He and his family were visiting his son in Tokyo. His daughter had just graduated from Michigan University. I promised not to hold it against her, as long as she didn’t mind I was a Buckeye. She laughed and shrugged. “I guess it’s okay.”

The train pulled into Kyoto station, and I said my goodbyes and thank yous, the names of cities in Japan in my pocket. I would have to save that for later though, today I was in Kyoto. 

I had left unfinished business, and the first stop was Fushimi Inari-taisha.

 The first torii gate. (why hello white hat dude. I guess I’m about to see an awful lot of you...)

(Don’t hide I see you)

(Okay okay too close)

Fushimi Inari is famous for its thousands of torii gates that are absolutely all over the grounds. Mostly donated by businesses and companies throughout the years, hoping for good fortune.

Walking through them is a treat.

The shrine is also famous for its foxes, messengers for Inari. 

Ema (votive tablets) with wishes and fox faces.

An omokaru stone. You make a wish, then lift the stone. If the stone is heavy, your wish will come true. It was really, surprisingly heavy. 

The complex is maze like, and you can wind your way up the mountain without ever seeing the same place twice. 

More peace cranes.

Fushimi Inari is incredible, and VERY crowded. I wish I could have come earlier, but I was barred by a three hour train ride from Tokyo. I decided to shun the crowds and head outside of the city a little.

And I took the Shinobi-train to do it. 

To the suburbs! 

I walked from the train station, weaving uphill through neighborhood streets and feeling very self-conscious about being some lost foreigner with a tattoo. I was looking for Omi Jingu, a shrine about twenty minutes outside of Kyoto.

Omi Jingu ---------> <--------- Some other shrine

“Let’s see where this other path goes first!” said no one smart, ever.

Oh straight up a mountain. Okay, cool.

Okay that was nice now let’s go back down and find this actual...

Oh.

Found it.

There were very few people and only one other tourist and he was also there only because of Chihayafuru too. (Hello Cory from Nova Scotia!)

Omi Jingu really embraces this anime though. 

Omi Jingu is also a clock museum.

A water clock. I’ve never seen one before, that’s neat!

Wait what on earth is a fire clock?! How does it work!?

The furthest I could get from a touristy shrine.

Karuta cards. 

It was time for dinner, so I headed back into the ctiy.

And this time, found the real Nishiki market.

Quail eggs in a fish cake. 

Hedgehogs! No idea what they’re made out of. 

My stomach full, I headed back to Kyoto station to start the long trip back to Tokyo. It still doesn’t feel like I did many things, but I know it was a completely full day. This time, I felt better about leaving Kyoto. I’ll definitely be back, though.

[chronomally]

I CAN'T BELIEVE ARATA IS RIDING THE TRAIN DURING THIS MATCH

[harunokazesblog]

"They say that... in the Omi Jingu Sacred Temple, the gods show you the person... you want the most"

🌸🌸🌸

Credits:

@KrSpeed_ (Twitter)

[rainbowreflects]

Between these 2 moments 9 months have gone by. What is beautiful that both worked on themselves. Taichi finally prioritized himself, trained with Souo, tried to find himself and not let his good memories of Mizusawa turn into a curse. He gave it his all! He left his bad feelings behind him and wished his 2 friends the best. I think he still loves Chihaya, it's almost as if it's written in his Adn. It's something he can't seem to change, even if his is trying to move on.

Chihaya on the other hand learned how to take responsibilities and lead the team herself instead of being selfcentered on her own matches. She learned what it meant to be a true captain of the team. I also think she realized deeply how much Taichi really meant to her. She also decided to take on a big challenge: study for her entrance exames and train for the Queen's match at the same time. It was beautiful that Taichi helped her take that decision.

Tbh, these 2 just belong together, just like 16 and 17 are a pair, just like they think and pray for eachother, just like they want to see eachother but darely bare hope the other still wants them around.

This is only such a small rant of what happened in those 9 months and how much they grew. Still both of them are full of emotions when thinking of the other.....

I can only hope they will end up happy and when I look at Chihaya's face in that last panel, I'm almost sure she was baffled that her prayer came true, that he came to watch her at Omi Jingu. Probably what she wanted to ask him at the New Year's shrine: "please come Taichi"

Mizusawa counts so much for Chihaya and she probably can never forget the first steps they made together making the club. She's playing in her own hakama, in which she won for the first time againt Taichi at Yoshino. All her friends are there, her parents, her mentors, her good friend Arata, and most of all Taichi finally came.

Chiha is on the tatami, and she knows it represents herself, like other cards represent her dearest friends. I think Chihaya will give back Arata's passion by playing in a team with him. It seems to me it's his greatest desire since he was in team Chihayafuru. As for Chihaya herself, i think she will find her "chihayaburu" state and also most important, understand with her heart the feelings Narihara put into his poem. It seems almost impossible to me that Chihaya will walk away from this story without this final realisation.

Let the match begin.

[yomifuda]

volume four

C.

Is a sport still a sport if no one is watching? Can you call yourself an athlete if no one is supporting you? What is the purest victory: the one where you best the opponent against whom you are most unfairly matched, or when you deliver the win to your most devoted fan? However you may angst over these questions, Chihayafuru does not dwell on them. Its answer is definitive: karuta is a sport played as a community. This is a volume full of coaches who shape you in their image, rivals who once beaten cheer on their former opponents from the sidelines, mentors who realize your worth, families secretly making scrapbooks, and teammates. To "win" is to represent everyone who came before you and will come after you, the effort of many channeled into the body of one. Even at its peak—the master match—you will still be surrounded by others, in front of lights and cameras and an audience watching your every move.

I'm conscious of the fact that the "volume" is a fictional constraint, as Chihayafuru was serialized on a biweekly basis. But it is so delightful, so perfect, to end volume 4 on chapter 23, with Arata revealing his most shameful trauma: he has allowed himself to think of karuta as a thing he did alone, for himself. He is so alone that Chihaya does not even hear his confession; she, distraught at having to forfeit in the first round, has cried herself into a state of exhausted sleep. So far, Arata has been a lonely figure, more holy being than a boy of flesh and blood. When Chihaya prays for a miracle, she is not praying to Arata exactly, yet still he appears. He alone had been to Omi Jingu before and could tell Chihaya what it looked like (bright red, just like the "chihayaburu" card).  So of course it is at Omi Jingu that Arata, Pinocchio-like, becomes a real boy. Finally, he trades in his solitude, which was a boon and a curse both.  If he had stayed away from karuta, he could live on peacefully in divinity, tending to napping stray cats and reading Chihaya's messages like a kami receiving offerings at a shrine. But now he must begin the messy work of carrying on his grandfather's legacy, of competing against and in front of others, of being human, of karuta.

K.

One of my favorite tropes in any type of media is when women take on roles or tropes more traditionally seen in or done by men. Chihaya is in many accounts the prototypical shounen protagonist, something C. has touched on about this series. I love that she has terrible grades. I love that she’s generally unaware of the draw she has on other people. And I love the brief moment of focus she displays when she captures the final card against Sudo. It is the same type of clarity you see from Hinata or Ashito or even fighting shounen leads like Naruto and Ichigo. It’s that moment of hyperfocus where the only thing that matters is the objective. It is superhuman. It is aspirational. It makes you believe the character can do anything, and in turn, of course, it makes you believe you could do anything too with the right amount of focus. Here we have Chihaya, a 16 year old girl, in her own superhuman element.

Which is of course immediately upended in the next few chapters as we head to nationals. She collapses immediately. Arata has returned, and in a fervor she bolts up to greet him. The whole thing is a fever dream. We get more of Arata’s backstory, which is sad of course but I don’t know, something about it is kind of hard for me to empathize with. I feel like I should care more about Arata and his story, but thinking back even to first seeing it in the anime, I found him harder to relate to. I think it’ll shift in the coming volumes, but for now this volume definitely felt more like a connective tissue than meat. 

[watayaaratamblr]

Shinobu sees the poets, Chihaya sees her friends.

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(This is a more detailed post about how Chihaya is finding "Chiha")

It seems like a new THEME for Chihaya's recent arc: The way Chihaya sees the card SHOULD stay different from the way Shinobu sees them, for Chihaya, it's:

"Every single one of them is given to me by someone else".

In a recent interview on Twitter spaces, Suetsugu said that:

"Chiha" for Chihaya is different from "Chiha" for Shinobu. The most important card for each character is different, so how to find the "Chiha" for Chihaya in an important game is a very important theme.

Seeing the lost Chihaya, Arata advised her to leave Shinobu's arena and play her own karuta (Because Chihaya went deep into Shinobu's world and even started to see the cards the same way as her); Arata also mirrored Taichi and did the "MI-zusawa" call to remind Chihaya of her team which he learnt from few encounters gives her a great stability and strength. The next match Chihaya plays, there is a great focus on her friends' cards: 228: a reminder of how much Chihaya cares about Mizusawa. 229: - starts with this comment: "The path that led us here shines brightly now" (Chihaya's path is bright after what Arata did & the thought of her friends is again vivid in her mind) - Kana hoped that her card (60/Oeyama) gets read to help Chihaya (but it wasn't), - instead 34/Tare was read and she won by taking it after she told us that for her, Tare (and 16/Tachi) is Taichi (But 16/Tachi wasn't used instead because 34/Tare describes Taichi's place in Chihaya's mind better: a friend not a lover like 16/Tachi says) - Chihaya was clearly thinking that every card is given to her by someone else. (i.e. the cards are not only poems left by great poets (like Shinobu sees them) but they are gifts from friends, ways of being always connected with her friends because the cards for her are a way of making bonds.) 233: Shinobu was wining, Chihaya was considering her possibilities but placing 77 next to 24 to provoke Shinobu was no longer a choice because she decided not to upset Shinobu or the cards (which she made into friends like Harada told her in the past). She was in a pinch, she needed to do something and SE was attracting her attention and it was placed next to 20/Wabi Nureba - 71/Yu sareba. (Wabi expresses Chihaya's dire distress, she wants to meet "the salvation" at any cost and Yu Sareba tells about gentle knocks and autumn breeze coming in-in reference to the arrival of "the salvation". And ofc, while Chihaya remembers some of the teachings Taichi helped her with, he arrived at Omi Jingu. 234: - Chihaya noticed Taichi and thought "Taichi is here" then remembered when he said that his feelings might fade away and she was confused why she remembered that the moment she saw him there and we got again the panel with 20-71-77 while Chihaya was thinking "that's not it". Like in the TARE vs TACHI in 229, Taichi's arrival and Chihaya's happiness with it is NOT related to "romance". Chihaya was unconsciously worried that Taichi won't care anymore and won't come to watch her after his feelings fade away. and seeing him there made her realize that it's not true: She was in dire, she wanted to meet the other friend (who is very special yes but is also a part of mizusawa that she regained dedication to fight for, the "gentle knocks" were heard (Taichi's scent play nicely the role of these), and then he came in & the reunion in poem 77 happened!). Chihaya kept repeating: "That's not it" though, to keep this all about her connecting with Mizusawa, her friends who pushed her during her karuta path and Taichi for now is exactly that. We also notice that "34/Tare" is also there above the 3 cards to reinforce the meaning. - After sending "18/SU", splitting the s cards on her field, Chihaya moved "77/SE" into the middle of her upper row where it serves as a distraction to Shinobu whom she succeeded in provoking because Shinobu lost her calm & started to wonder about poets (while Chihaya was seeing her bonds with her friends, Shinobu was looking for anything connecting her with these very ancient beings that are no longer in this life). Shinobu was troubled wondering about the cards’ voices and specifically Sotoku In’s which she doesn’t know whether he is happy or angry, blessing or cursing them after everything she read about him & the other poets since a very young age. While on the opposite side, Chihaya was having nice thoughts about SE, when she spoke about it with Taichi as they cleaned the club, She said that SE is one of Taichi’s best cards despite her wining it more than him, simply because as Taichi said, he likes it. - The reading of cards

continues, the "S" sound was heard and Chihaya knew the right one & took "18/SU". This is an answer to Taichi's "message" from chapter 200: "Don't lose any S cards". That was also after Taichi said that his feelings might fade away and Chihaya realized that even if it's true, Taichi was always there, even her take just now was related to how he always supported her. Chihaya finally made peace with Taichi remaining on her side despite all distances. - She sent "SE". Shinobu was triggered and decided to "treat the cards as cards" instead of waiting for what they want and for them to call out to her and she took SE. Chihaya still couldn't take SE apparently because there is another meeting that should happen. That, we will have to wait and see about it. 236: - Chiha was a dead card, Chihaya thought that it won't help her or Arata and thinking about Chiha automatically led her to think about "Narihira" which never happened since Kana told her about its backstory. Then we see her breath and more hatching was used on Narihira's figure as if to say that it's pushed back This is important because it says that the image of the poets isn't persistent for Chihaya, when she breaths (i.e relaxes) that's not what the cards are about for her. - 60/Oe was read later, determined Shinobu took it and the three Mizusawa main members are shown, Kana more than the two others shocked that Chihaya lost her card (a hint that Kana's support will take another form later) - Another important moment is when Shinobu focused , for a split second, on Sei Shonagon's promise to go to her and grunt her the win if she can only take all the other cards before it's read, Chihaya snatched "13/Tsukuba" before Shinobu even realizes that Yamashio started reading it. Chihaya started to explicitly talk about the cards as symbols of her bonds/friends, that Oe is Kana, Tsukuba isn't Tsukuba's but Tsukue's. When Shinobu collected the fallen card (13) it was in the form of its poet but suddenly transformed into Komano setting the difference in the way the two girls see them clearer than ever and even showing that Shinobu herself is influenced by Chihaya's strength and started to see what she sees the cards as. - We also notice "11/Wata-ya" falling down with 13/Tsuku in reference to Arata's role to be referenced through the cards. - Chihaya later remembers Mizusawa while holding the cards thinking: "Two wins for mizusawa". Then she started to wonder about Shinobu's supporters. The cards for Chihaya are her friends and her friends are real but it's not the case for Shinobu. 239: - Kana takes her new role for Chihaya (board-girl), the blush on Chihaya's face few panels later says that she is definitely moved by seeing her that close to her during these tough times. - While Shinobu & Chihaya were exchanging their thoughts about how to make the future better, Kana is shown holding her card (60/Oe) while doing her best to perform her role efficiently (Maybe this is saying that Kana and her card are the same, whoever helps is fine) 240: - Shinobu's focus on the "poets" started to falter, She started to look more at Chihaya herself and think of both of them as "us". There is -again- a comparison between the support CHihaya has and Shinobu's involvement with the poets (which are once more ditching her and looking at her opponent instead). At that moment, Chihaya took Murasaki Shikibu's 57/Meguriaite and it was something she couldn't do before. She even sent her Sei Shonagon's "62/Yo o komete" as if to say that even this one isn't a real friend of Shinobu. and Indeed, the poets told her that she isn't special, they go to whoever looks interesting to them. - Here, Chihaya sends "CHIHA". I find it interesting that we are back to talking about Chihaya's goal as being: "To become Queen". Chihaya is totally engrossed in her goal to win as Mizusawa & to turn her club into a powerhouse right? Her being "particular" about wining this title was kind of denied by Kana in chapter 228, but now, it's brought up again with "CHIHA". This -I believe- is because becoming Queen is a

personal/selfish desire of Chihaya which comes from meeting Arata the same as the Chiha card. 241: - Chihaya was too stressed that she can't forget the placement of the cards from her previous match, but hearing the "CHI" sound she directly went for the chiha she sent to Shinobu chan. Thankfully Arata's speed at sending 42/Chigi -na flying made her stop at the last second. (Arata's speed again confirms his ability to tell Chiha apart from the other Chi cards). And ofc there is a silent exchange between Arata & Chihaya, then watching him calmed her & organized her thoughts, the next card read is "69/Arashi" and she took it (it starts with Ara, i believe, in reference to Arata) with a cross-sweep too. The link to Arata is well clear that Taichi noticed it. As we can see, now Chihaya's vision of Narihira where Chiha is concerned is being corrected to replace it with the next "bond" Chihaya created through the hyakunin Isshu. Arata & Chiha. (In parallel, Arata's link with Chiha is also being explored bit by bit. I'll try to collect the data about it in the recent chapters in another post.)

[grasshopperdoingdogpaddle]

Hi, thanks for answering my ask about Clay's Wudai Weapon. If you're able, what are your thoughts on Omi, Kimiko, and Raimundo's Wudai Weapons.

I'd want a Wudai Weapon to embody the character's personality and their element's characters thematically, and fit the character's fighting style functionally, so I'll give my thoughts in relation to that.

Shimo Staff

Name:

Nice alliteration, and says exactly what it is. I like that they mixed languages, curious that they went with Japanese though. Frost staff.

Relevance to Character and Element:

My absolute favorite Wudai Weapon!

Water is the element of change, flexibility, and creativity, so a shapeshifting ice staff that can turn into any shape the user wills is the perfect embodiment of that. It's tiny and unassuming at first, but it can be absolutely anything. It's the most versatile weapon in the show. The way it can grow and shrink and change is perfect for Omi's personality too, since he's a character who's very deeply affected by the people and world around him. The fact that Omi could turn his staff into a mimick of the weapon of anyone he knows leaves so many great writing possibilities! Its base form being a staff feels like a reference to Omi's first lesson with Chase, too.

The staff itself is a reference to Ruyi Jingu Bang, the famous staff of Sun Wukong, legendary mythical from Journey to the West, so it's a nice callback to Omi's nationality! It's a fitting reference in more ways than one!

Omi is also the character with the biggest personality and the biggest expressions, so Omi's weapon being the only one that appears semi-sentient and is seen emoting or even moving on its own fits well!

Fighting style:

Omi's showed off his competency with a staff already, and he's really good at close combat. He's also really adaptable and can pick up new moves quickly from watching others, so having a weapon that can change at a moment's notice fits with how he's a best fight when he's being versatile and unpredictable. It incentivizes him to be more like water, something he struggled with with his rigid movements at the start. Omi needed to be more fluid, and this staff if the perfect thing for that.

Arrow Sparrow

Name:

My only gripe is that the name doesn't try for anything except sounding silly-cute, while the others all try for this vaguely larger-than-life feeling.

Relevance to personality and element:

I've seen them compared to shuriken, and if that really was the basis for the choice, I love it. Nice little callback to Kimiko's origins.

And the fact that the weapon itself comes in the form of a bottomless, pretty stylish over-the-shoulder purse makes it suit Kimiko's fashionista nature. It even comes in a nice neutral color so it'll go with most of her outfits.

The imagery of birds flying free calls to mind freedom and courage and ferocity. Sparrows apparently symbolize persistence, community, simplicity, and empowerment. A lot of power packed into a tiny, cute vessel.

Fighting style:

The arrow sparrows fit perfectly with her fighting style. She's agile and acrobatic and light on her feet, and she's chaotic and hits with bit bursts of strength and a tendency to rush in, so explosive homing projectiles she can quickly throw at a distance suit her perfectly. It supplements some of the weaknesses of her approach while slotting in naturally with her moveset. Gives her good coverage and improves her aiming. Plus, watching the big grin on Kimiko's face while the flames explode is a real treat.

Blade of the Nebula

Name:

A nebula is a distinct body of interstellar clouds. It's a tradition "cloud", but that definition makes it a nice layered reference to something associated with wind. The fanciness of its name being [Noun] of the [Noun] while all the others are [Descriptor] [Noun] is definitely a deliberate call to that it's supposed to feel bigger and more heroic than the others, and it definitely sounds cool.

Relevance to character and element:

It's serviceable. It's admittedly pretty boring that Raimundo's upgrade from his previous signature weapon of a wind sword is yet another wind sword, but I guess it's to show how far he's come in mastering it since the first wind sword was also his first big mess up way back when, so as a marker of growth, it works.

It being able to shift between forms and have a "more than meets the eye" thing is a reference to Raimundo's own journey of change through the series.

The nunchuks are literally made of a chain of wind that can stretch out as far apart as possible and whip into a tornado, which definitely covers the elemental connection. And wind is the element of freedom, so having a chain that acts opposite of a chain and doesn't shackle it into a strict length or pattern fits, too. The creativity in taking a traditionally chained weapon and completely eliminating the chain by putting a bit of himself in it instead is a nice touch.

There's no larger connection to his origins like there were for the Shimo Staff and Arrow Sparrow, but I think what they were going for the typical JRPG hero-wields-the-sword thing.

Fighting Style:

Capoeira is a fighting style that combines dance and acrobatics with combat techniques, so it's loose and free-flowing. The sword and the nunchucks service that well enough, I'd say. It doesn't really go quite as well as the others here, doesn't enhance it or evolve his fighting style or cover any blind spots it has, but like I said, I get what they were going for in choosing those weapons for him.