Most if not all of those who watch Chihayafuru will have no idea what the heck Karuta is, even Japanese viewers! Yet, Chihayafuru makes it known right from the start that this will not be a roadblock to our enjoyment. In fact, the centralization around a niche game is precisely what makes Chihayafuru so captivating. Through the competitive nature of Karuta and the degree at which the characters compete, we as viewers cannot help but become interested. Chihayafuru does a splendid job at portraying Karuta to be just as exciting as, if not more exciting than mainstream sports. It has the one crucial element: its mechanics are easy to understand, but the room for improvement is vast. There truly is more than meets the eye with Karuta (and symbolically, Chihayafuru as an anime). How could a game that has gone completely under your radar, be so profoundly enthralling?
That very thought is shared throughout every single last character. You don't realize it in the beginning, but your own growing interest in Karuta is mirrored by that of the characters. Chihaya, the heroine, is initially aware that Karuta exists but has never bothered to think of it as more than a casual card game. Then comes Arata, aspiring Meijin ("Master") of Karuta. He shows Chihaya, as well as us, just how many tiers there are to Karuta; it truly is no casual game. The better the players, the faster the game is played and the less mistakes are made. It's truly captivating to watch Arata, whose life passion is to become the Meijin, be so super good at something. Chihaya felt the same way from watching him, and upon entering high school, she made it her mission to share her love for Karuta with others, as Arata had done for her.
Her Karuta club did not set sail without bumps. Initially, it was hard to convince even her closest friend Mashima to join the club. However, every time they played, a thought like "Why is she trying so hard?," or "What's keeping me from beating her?" would pop into his head. Mashima finally joins the club, seeking the answers to those questions. Perhaps this is Chihayafuru's defining quality. It shows that your interest in something can grow just out of a want to get better at something or be passionate about something. As long as there's something in life that makes you go, it really doesn't matter what it is. Karuta was this spark in Mashima's life; something to which he could devote himself. The subsequent members were just as reluctant to join, to say the least, but like Mashima, could not help but wonder, once they joined, what it was about Karuta that was so exciting.
As the Karuta club worked together as a team by practicing together and participating in tournaments, we see the core theme of hard work being explored. Nobody gave this incipient team from Miyazawa High School a chance; they did not have enough "talent." Indeed, most of the club members were not Karuta players since childhood; and yet, that's exactly the element that allowed their hard work to truly shine. Working tirelessly every day to perfect their skills, everyone from Ayase down to Kana made great strides. They were even able to upset another high school in a tournament, before losing in a later round. Their first big win in tournament was a defining moment in Chihayafuru; it proved that hard work and dedication can achieve greatness. Life is not about talent. It is about passion.
One aspect of Chihayafuru that deserves particular mention is its soundtrack. The OSTs cover a wide array of emotion, spanning from triumph to failure, from sadness to ecstasy, from cheerfulness to seriousness. Chihayafuru truly is an emotional ride at times, and the soundtrack does wonders in reciprocating the characters' emotions to us. The opening and ending are done masterfully; every episode is sandwiched by a happy opening and a sad ending. This juxtaposition perhaps represents Karuta itself; though people like Ayase play it because of how fun it is, the game could also bring pain through losing. It is this mix of emotion Karuta possesses, so thoroughly represented by the soundtrack, that is what makes it and Chihayafuru wonderful.
Now, to avid watchers of anime, one may be concerned about the "sports drama" aspect of the anime. Thankfully, one does not have to worry about this with Chihayafuru. Though cards fly around and actions are sometimes rendered in slow-motion, the most important aspect of the matches are actually done accurately: the players' speed. Seriously, professional Karuta players really DO take cards that quickly (look on YouTube). I was shocked to find that the anime did not dramatize the speed. Knowing that this realistic element of Karuta was portrayed faithfully made Chihayafuru have an authentic feel to it, which makes its messages and themes all the more impactful.
Chihayafuru is about developing a passion, perseverance in the face of failure, and the inevitable rewards of hard work. If the thought of Josei and "some card game called Karuta" turn you off from watching Chihayafuru, don't let it. You'll be pleasantly surprised; Chihayafuru has a meaningful story to tell, and it does it in a way you didn't even know you would enjoy. When watching Chihayafuru, you just won't be able to help but smile.
