To start off, I can ensure that this Anime will make you cry more than you think it will. Sometimes they are sad tears, most of the time happy ones. It's not what I was expecting it to be. The entire thing was original, and Im pretty sure I'm not the only who has rewatched it a bunch of times...
Okay, so i'll try my best to review this show~
Story: The story started out with a high school girl who looks like she could easily be a model, but no one is perfect. When she walks, talks, or even moves, she loses her beauty and all thats left is a girl who looks like she needs to calm down a tad. It turns out, she was a "karuta-baka" Someone who was addicted to Karuta to the point where they had spent their entire life trying to become the Queen. Well, it turns out there was a reason to it all.
Flashback to elementary school, Chihaya had a bunch of friends. A new kid named Arata comes along, and everyone starts picking on him because he was "different." The bully of the class, Taichi decides to pick on anyone who tries to befriend him. It just so turns out that the person who actually tried to befriend him was Chihaya. Taichi decided to bully her too. Thus everything plays out. Arata introduces karuta to Chihaya, and she falls in love with it with the words, "If you become number one in Japan, you become number one in the world."
After a few episodes of flashback, we comeback to high school, and it turns out that Taichi enrolled in her school as well. This is where the tears begin. (If they haven't already... They had for me~) She creates a club, gathers friends, and the battle to the National Tournament begins.
The thing I like about this sotry is the writer took a sport that wasn't well know at all, and has created something that makes you ant to try out the sport as well. here in Japan, kids are playing karuta, and it turns out we have more that we have ever had, trying the sport out. I find that amazing.
Art & Sound: The art was really pretty. You would thing that some scenes must have taken ages to draw up, thats how detailed they are. And you get to enjoy those scenes throughout the entire series. Honestly, I really loved the art.
The music is really pretty, and it is soothing to listen to. I actually put the entire OST into my iPod so I could listen it over and over...
Character: Chihaya is really an interesting character. You want to support her throughout the story, and it is hard to ignore the fact that she is trying to get to the top with a reason... Arata, as far away he might be, she wants to see him again. That is her momentum to keep going and somehow she manages to intrigue others to help her through it... Gotta love all of them... WATCH IT O-O
Enjoyment: I loved it. I love love loved it /o/
Overall, There was nothing I can say that I hated throughout anywhere in the story. It was fun, it was outstanding, and I couldn't wait for the next season!
P.S. I recommend this anime to those who like animes where the main character is trying to accomplish a goal, and finds a hint of romance along the way.
