Chihayafuru 3 Episode 23 Discussion

lovexLuffy said:
To all of those thinking he solely likes karuta simply because of Chihaya, that's not the case anymore. It may have started that way, but over time, he began to enjoy the game and wanted to achieve much more. Now, he has his own goals and aspirations, it's not merely for love anymore, and hasn't been for a very considerable amount of time.

Zevven said:


Chihaya just wants to play karuta and be the best at it. She also wants to just keep playing karuta with her childhood friends Taichi and Arata , but she doesn't really want to acknowledge their real feelings. I don't think she was that blind , she rather preferred to just keep everything the same as in childhood. Chihaya is really selfish and immature.

shimshamshim said:
In lockdown I've come to anime for entertainment, and one of the shows I've picked up is Chihayafuru.

I've just now finished the series and wanted to gauge audience reactions, so I began reading comments here and on reddit; I suppose I shouldn't have been too surprised, but wow... some of you are something else.





In response to this scenario, the consensus is, 'oh taichi deserves more', 'oh chihaya is selfish'. Wow. At this point it feels like I've been watching something else.

Deserve? Taichi isn't owed a single damn thing. Just because he's been nice and patient, doesn't mean Chihaya has any obligation to him whatsoever, nevermind the topic of romance. One of the comments in this thread is to the tune of: 'just saying sorry isn't a good enough response.' The entitlement. I fear for some of your social lives in the future if you think you are owed a proportionate response to romantic gestures (how would you measure that anyway?). I can't believe I'm having to type this out, but here we are.

'I'm not made of stone'. Don't make me laugh. Bailing on the karuta club because you've been rejected—of which you are president, and know full well is the social pillar in its members' lives—is pure selfishness, and yet more cowardice. Taichi has atrocious communication skills, constantly leaving Chihaya in the dark and doing things on his own. Perhaps in his mind the result would've been worth it, but in reality that behaviour is isolating. This guy has never said a thing, he never tells Chihaya how he feels about any part of his life, so much so that Chihaya begins weeping when she can't figure out why Taichi is increasingly distant and seemingly hurting. She clearly cares for his wellbeing but so many of you blame her! haha, yes it's somehow her fault, apparently she should know the inner feelings of everyone she's 'stringing along'. The Chihaya who went out of her way to call 35 people from around the country & devise a special tournament for Taichi's birthday is selfish btw.

How could the the result have been anything else when he ambushes her with his confession? as he's gone out of his way to invisible until he's ready. Life doesn't work that way, it doesn't wait for you. He's had 2 years to do anything, he even has a wingwoman who's trying to push Chihaya to him and he creates obstacles. Remember, all the meanwhile this is the person who tells prospective suitors that he is Chihaya's boyfriend, and in season 1 Taichi is the one who took Chihaya's phone and deleted a guy's number (the audience was shown it was a creep, but it could have been anyone)—I never see this brought up but that was unbelievable to me, the audacity to be that controlling. 'I don't like who you are around Arata'. We know, because he's always there looming over Chihaya in every single scene.


The infuriating thing is Chihaya, being Chihaya, then makes it her problem. She makes herself responsible, she thinks she's the rock that's smashed his spirit. This is what a lot of women have to go through, having relationships collapse because friendliness can get misconstrued and then romantic feelings aren't reciprocated. It absolutely sucks, and by bailing, Taichi is in effect labeling himself a failed opportunist, if that's all past 2 years were for.


Let's call a spade a spade, many of you see yourselves as Taichi. In terms of representation in the anime, where do you think Taichi and Arata stack up? It's completely lopsided, we're shown so, so much of Taichi's life in comparison. So of course he is going to be a well-developed character. Many of the Karuta players are incredibly good—some almost verging on the supernatural—so is it not natural to align your wishes with the character who's shown to be working for it? I understand

'Taichi is suffering'. Born to the rich family (100k yen for christmas was it?), goes to the most prestigious middle school, has money to enter tournaments he likely won't even compete in. His 'suffering' is the same anxieties we all face growing up as teenagers.

Arata is moved around as a child because his dad doesn't get on with his grandpa, he grows up poor and mocked at school for his accent and clothes. Then, while still so young, practically provides hospice care to his his grandfather, his idol, and it's his death which poisons his passion of karuta when he absent for his death. He spends a year killing himself over it. That isn't suffering? Again, and this is with what could pass as snippets in terms of how much we see of Arata's life in the series on the whole.


I think I'm being hard on Taichi's character, but it's because I see me. I've done what he's doing, these are teenagers a lof of us have been/are/going to be. The fact he's going through these things is better for him in the long run, he'll be a better adult, but make no mistake—unless he really works on himself and examines who he is, he'll never be happy. In a parallel universe, where Chihaya magically says yes, 5 years down the line—when the passion and lust have leveled off—he will would've created another obstacle in his life.

The Taichi fan club make allowances for everything in his life and I had to say something, even his mother isn't actually that bad. In one line she reveals so much, stating, 'you always keep things inside, you need to exhale and let it out' or words to that effect. Taichi is his own worst enemy, and he knows that.

Chihaya is a caring, emotional girl, but she isn't an empty shell ready to be claimed by whoever puts in the most effort. She can make her own decisions and have them be respected, without being framed as an uncaring moron because she doesn't go with your pick.

straggy said:
It's amazing how every scene starring Taichi manages to make me hate him more. How does anyone stand this annoying lump? I'm glad he's out of the club - hopefully he's out of the show full stop.

animeguy17 said:
You and me are on the same page. It is crazy...I have read through so many comments praising Taichi throughout this series and I have literally hated him since day one. He is an absolute scumbag. He is a cowardly, passive-aggressive, jealous, controlling, manipulative, insecure, privileged, beta male. I have almost no sympathy for him (especially after this episode.)

chiakimagoto said:


maybe you feel that way which is fine, but the Mangaka and Madhouse sure didn't ;)

animeguy17 said:
Very true. Although, from reading the manga, I've recently learned that Taichi is the most popular character in the story (by polls). So, I do think the mangaka shifted the writing to favor him more because of his popularity. 

chiakimagoto said:


I wonder how she did that when picking the poems for their names was done from chapter one of the manga. Why do you think his confession was so elaborated in the first place in the anime and manga!? The turning point of this story. The Mangaka pushed his popularity all by herself, she was the one keeping an eye on it from the start and knew very well what she was doing.


I guess I won't say more here since it's anime only but chapter by chapter, poem by poem the way was paved to the ending, carefully. This could only be done when knowing the direction from the start. I definitely wouldn't take her so lightly. She knew her subject very well: the karuta sports part but also the Hyakunin Isshu, the literary poetic part. She made sure to have the right people help her in both domains.

animeguy17 said:
My view on that stems from what I saw in the plot development (the way Chihaya interacted with the two of them.

But I will admit to not paying as much attention to some of the poems. On my rewatch/reread, I'll definitely look more into that. Thanks!

FarCritical said:
For a someone who only played the game to be with one person, it's insane how much Taichi played his heart out while somehow getting the grades that he does. It only makes sense that no longer having his one driving force would kill any and all reasons to keep playing.

Chihaya being unable to continue the speech hurt to watch in such a unique kind of way, man. Can't believe they're really dropping a bombshell this big when there's just an ep left.