Chihayafuru Manga: Poem 141

Let’s play karuta!!

Well, with this and the next chapter (which I’ve seen spoilers for online), it looks like the story is finally moving again…

** WARNING ** SPOILERS AHEAD **

Chihayafuru Manga: Poem 140

新だ！生で！それに、袴姿！入るわけないだろう！

** WARNING ** SPOILERS AHEAD **

Looking back on 2014, part 4: what hurts the most…

Another year passes, and Chihayafuru makes it onto my list once again. Unlike in previous years, however, this time, it was for all the wrong reasons…

“I’m sorry.”

** WARNING ** CHIHAYAFURU MANGA SPOILERS AHEAD **

What manga can teach you about life

I know that this one’s for girls in their tweens… but I unabashedly love CCS to pieces!! And I’m completely willing to admit it!

Was flipping through one of my favourite manga again the other day, when I came across something that really made me reflect on the role that manga (and anime) writers often play in society, especially if their protagonists are school aged children. Of course, I’m only writing this up now because it has great relevance for Chihaya too.

** WARNING ** SPOILERS for CCS and Chihayafuru AHEAD **

Chihayafuru Manga: Poem 139

Am I ready?

Poem 48　(Kaze wo itami):

風をいたみ　岩うつ波の　おのれのみ　くだけて物を　思ふころかな

Kaze wo itami　iwa utsu nami no　onore nomi　kudakete mono wo　omou koro kana

Like a driven wave,
Dashed by fierce winds on a rock,
So am I: alone
And crushed upon the shore,
Remembering what has been.

** WARNING ** SPOILERS AHEAD **

Chihayafuru 138: on Taichi

Do you really understand Taichi…?

One thing that I do regret about dropping out of the various Chihayafuru forums is that there are some things that I miss or forget to cover in my own analyses. This time, too, I’ve belatedly realised that there is a big gap in my analysis of chapter 138. Unsurprisingly, it’s about Taichi, possibly because I’ve never really tried to organise my thoughts on him systematically. (I wonder why… *heh*)

At the same time, I also don’t really regret focusing on characters like Chihaya, because I feel that she’s often neglected due to the heavy emphasis on the two boys. More importantly, however, I am also unlikely to be able to match the perceptiveness of some dedicated Taichi fans already in the fandom. Today, I wish to highlight an analysis from one of them, Selva, that was originally posted on tumblr.

So, chapter 138, huh? I have to dig in even tho I usually just read the the posts in the Chihayafuru tag, smh at some of them and move along. This particular chapter, the infamous 138, is filling me with lots of emotions so I have to let them out somehow while addressing some few points while I’m at it. More under the cut.

Chihayafuru Manga: Poem 138

And…continuing where we left off, with the confession…

** WARNING ** SPOILERS AHEAD **

Chihayafuru Manga: Poem 137

And…a new year begins…

** WARNING ** SPOILERS AHEAD **

Chihayafuru Manga: Poems 135 & 136

So, for the next few couple of months, it seems that I’ll be able to summarise Chihayafuru again. Sadly, since Suetsugu-sensei is taking a two-issue break, I’ll only be going up to chapter 140 at most. But let’s just make the most of that.

With that out of the way, let me begin. But since 135 has already been translated, I’ll skip right to a quick summary of 136 first.

Oh, Sumire….many many hugs for you!!

** WARNING ** SPOILERS AHEAD **

Living through poetry: some thoughts on Chihayafuru Poems 133-134

いい笑顔だね！大好き！♥

Wherein Taichi and Arata face off against each other for the first time, raising a few interesting questions that aren’t actually answered for a few more chapters. However, there is also one other really interesting point raised in 133, and that is where I shall start.