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Chihayafuru 3

Alternative title

The third

Synopsis

Chihayafuru is the story of the daily life of Chihaya Ayase, a high school student gifted in karuta who creates a Japanese karuta club at her high school to become the best karuta player in the world. She also hopes to see Arata Wataya, her childhood friend and talented karuta player, who believed in her potential before she started playing at a time when her life revolved mainly around her sister's modeling career.

Background

Chihayafuru began as a manga series written and illustrated by Yuki Suetsugu and has been serialized in Kodansha's Sois amour magazine since December 2007. Yuki herself was part of a karuta club in high school. The manga won the Manga Taisho and Kodansha Manga awards and regularly appeared in the Japanese comics rankings. There have been three live-action film adaptations and two anime seasons. The third season, from studio Madhouse and directed by Morio Asaka, featuring the returning cast and staff, is scheduled to air in October 2019. The opening and ending themes for the third season are "Colorful" by 99RadioService and "Hitomebore" by Band Harassment.

Characters

Chihaya Ayase (Voice of: Asami Seto)

Chihaya Ayase loves karuta and the childhood friend who introduced her to it and believed in her potential, Arata Wataya, despite their now long-distance relationship. She is the captain of the Mizusawa Karuta Club, a karuta club she founded in high school with Taichi Mashima, her childhood best friend who loves her but sees Arata as her enemy. She works hard to improve her karuta skills, which are already at A-level.

Taichi Mashima (Voice of: Mamoru Miyano)

Taichi Mashima is Chihaya Ayase's childhood best friend, and he has loved her since childhood. He is also the former president of the Mizusawa Karuta Club and a talented karuta student and player, albeit one with bad luck. He is more serious than Chihaya and is always there to support her, whether by creating the Mizusawa Karuta Club or being there for her when she is sad.

Arata Wataya (Voice of: Yoshimasa Hosoya)

Arata Wataya is a talented karuta player who confided in Chihaya Ayase that he thought she had a talent for karuta when they were elementary school friends. He is passionate about karuta and wants to become a Meijin like his grandfather. He is caring, sometimes shy, thoughtful, calm, and serious.

Kanade Oe (Voiced by: Ai Kayano)

Kanade Oe is the third member to join the Mizusawa karuta club founded by Chihaya Ayase and Taichi Mashima. She loves Japanese poetry and traditional clothing. She cares about etiquette but can lose her temper when people don't take traditional Japanese matters seriously, though she is generally optimistic and determined.

Sumire Hanano (Voice of: Megumi Han)

Sumire Hanano has feelings for Taichi Mashima and sees Chihaya Ayase as an enemy and becomes jealous when she sees them together. She can be moody and sarcastic. She is a member of the Mizusawa High School karuta club, but has no interest in the Hundred Poets, only joining to get closer to Taichi.

Akihiro Tsukuba (Voice of: Miyu Irino)

Akihiro Tsukuba is a member of the Mizusawa High School karuta club. He is kind but proud and lacks the skills he hopes to embody or possess. He is known for using forbidden and underhanded moves.

Yusei Nishida (Voice of: Tooru Nara)

Yusei Nishida is the president of the Mizusawa karuta club. Although he is competitive, tough, and aggressive at times, he is loyal to his friends. Chihaya calls him Nikuman-kun, which means "meat bun" or "pig." Despite his small build, he has proven athletic and excelled at tennis.

Tsutomu Komano (Voice of: Tsubasa Yonaga)

Tsutomu Komano is a member of the Mizusawa karuta club. He goes by the nickname "Tsukue-kun." Although he hates school, being very quiet and reserved, he enjoys studying and often sits at his desk learning something because he believes nothing is worth doing unless it makes you smarter. He is in love with Kanada Oe. He collects data on his opponents and analyzes it to find a way to counter them. He shares his knowledge with the other members.