One of my favorite things about anime and manga is its ability to make the usually boring and mundane things exciting and emotional. Like Hikaru no Go, it takes a game few people play and it builds characters. I can honestly say, even after watching two seasons of the characters playing karuta, I still barely know anything about the game.
Overall, it's an excellent series. It is exciting, emotional, humorous, romantic, relaxing, and tense. Great story telling and character development. If I had to find an issue, it's the endless love triangle, but the main character is completely oblivious to anything else besides karuta, so it's okay.
Fully recommended: Two Thumbs Up