Chihayafuru

This show makes me feel things that no other show does. There is a level of wholesomeness that will have you smiling from ear to ear nearly every episode. The accompanying score is fantastic and meshes very well with the tone of the show. The main characters each have distinct, lovable personalities that make you root for each of them in their own ways. The romance plot and subplots are wonderfully orchestrated to that middle ground of not-too-cheesy, not-too-bland. This show will make you fall in love with the characters and feel that you're truly invested in their stories. I would label this a must-watch for all fans of anime, even if slice of life isn't your thing. You just may be surprised with how much you get drawn into this show.

Great, traditional and compelling story. Good animation and voice acting. Addictive to watch. Raises the bar for anime, which is badly needed. It's not loaded with the usual annoying anime cliches. It reminds me of the works of Hayao Miyazaki; simple yet brilliantly done.

I didn't even knew about the existence of karuta before this anime and the anime did a fantastic job in introducing karuta. The anime got me hooked from beginning to end. This anime is so underrated that it's physically hurt, I have watched anime's like haikyu, slam dunk, Aaoshi and still chihayafuru remains on top.

I was dying to know who chihaya would end up with so I read the manga in just 2 days only and the manga didn't disappoint. The ending was brilliant, I loved it. It definitely deserves an anime adaptation, I would love to watch it.

I would highly recommend everyone to watch this anime and this is my first time writing a review because I was really shocked to see how brutally underrated this anime is.

There's something about this anime- every episode brings a new set of emotions. There are times when I find myself smiling for no reason (it has a warmth and innocence to it that just makes me happy). There are times when I'm yelling out at the characters- I'm that engrossed in the storyline! It's just a beautiful story that brings you deep into the psyche of each character- you feel their joys, sadness, stress and mental anguish as they try to win this insanely difficult game. Never have I been so engrossed in an anime about a game! I look forward to each episode.

I gotta admit that when I started watching Chihayafuru I had no idea what "karuta" even was. It did not really matter though because the show does a good job introducing you into the topic so you will always have a good idea what's going on. It accompanies the main characters over a period of several years, growing and developing their bonds while preparing from one tournament to the next. The competitive setting remains a focal point throughout the show, while the played matches and tournaments are of course very methaphoric in terms of what's happening between the people, their relationships and their lives. The 100 poems which are the baseline for the karuta games the characters compete in serve as a very powerful tool to put emphasis on thought processes, emotions and aspirations - which is used to a certain extent, but not overused to an extent where it becomes cheesy. Not easy to balance, but the show does a good job.

The cast is diverse, with each of the main characters having their unique quirks. The side characters differ a lot in terms of how fleshed out they are - some more than others - so that I remembered some but just as easily forgot about others very fast. The female lead as the air-headed goofball and part-time comic relief did a good job carrying most of the show and its story, although she remains painfully oblivious to the most important things happening around her. Although that might be one of her unique personality traits after all, who knows.

Either way, this is a great show (with three completed seasons to date of this review). Only season two seemed a bit stretched from time to time, with unnecessary flashbacks, review episodes and some obvious 'filling' material that could have been omitted. Fortunately season three focuses more on the show's strenghts and progresses the story in a meaningful pace.

Chihayafuru is captivating, you're cheering for the characters, it has a number of heart-warming moments. Certain episodes feel a little repetitive and dragged out, but eventually it is still a clear recommendation from my end. I enjoyed it so far and hope that once the manga is finished we will get at least one more season that will drive the story to a conclusion.