Chihayafuru

Chihayafuru (Japaneseちはやふる) is written by Yuki Suetsugu and drawn manga series. It is published since 2007 published by Kodansha magazine Be Love and describes the career of the high school student Chihaya Ayase, who as a child, inspired by a classmate, undertakes to become a professional Hyakunin - Isshu karuta - player. In addition to the successes and failures in the competition and the relationship between her two very good friends from school and the other members of a school founded by her karuta club at the center of the action.

The manga won the 2009 Manga Taishō Award and the 2011 Kodansha Manga Award in the shōjo category. Since the publication of the fourth volume in March 2009, the manga was published regularly in the Japanese comic charts and became so popular that since August 2011, more than 4.5 million copies were sold. As a result, won the competition- oriented Karuta (競技 かるた, Kyogi Karuta ) in Japan again popularity.

The animation studio Madhouse adapted Chihayafuru directed by Morio Asaka same as anime television series which is broadcast on Japanese television since 5 October 2011.

Etymology

The name of the manga is from the starting line of the following poem from the 9th century by Ariwara no Narihira in Hyakunin Isshu:

千早 ぶる 神代 も きかず 龙田 川 からくれない に 水 くくる と は

Chihayaburu Kamiyo mo kikazu Tatsutagawa karakurenai ni mizu kukuru to wa

A marvel unknown Even in the august age of gods - The Tatsuta River Has dyed its waters into A crimson shibori pattern.

Actually Chihayaburu (千早振る) are reading this it is a "pillow word", ie an ornamental epithet to Kami and in this context means "powerful".

Action

The plot of Chihayafuru begins abruptly with a new school year in which the high school student Ayase Chihaya meets her former high school friend Mashima Taichi again. At the end of the school day both find time to talk, she recalls the time when elementary school students. Within this flashback is cleared up, how it came about that Chihaya took it aims to be the best karuta player. During her school years she learned namely the otherwise shunned by the class classmate Arata Wataya know, the almost obsessively trained Karuta. At the same time he could Chihaya thereby impress enormous as he was by far the strongest player they had ever met. In a friendly against him, she lost one card after another. Only one card but she could relieve him. This was the so-called Chihaya card is more often important in the further course. Just as Arata had set itself the goal of becoming the best karuta player, then Chihaya took now also happens to be the best karuta player. At the same time, she managed to ensure that Arata has been recognized in the class and also Taichi, who previously was passing by unfair means against Arata, ultimately reconciled with him, though he could not stand it to be inferior to Arata. But over time, the ways of the former friends who Chihaya separated by playing karuta again wants to unite.

Back in the present, inspired by the emergence of Taichi, send them to be based on a karuta club at her school. However, the search is difficult for new members. While they are still relatively easy to move to Taichi, she manages to convince not just other students with their rabid kind. Here Taichi builds, among other contact with Dr. Harada, his old teacher and to current teachers of Chihaya, again. Chihaya tried meanwhile to qualify for the A-Class. Your subsequent joy at their success they want to recommend it also necessarily to Arata. However, in her call she found horrified that Arata has given up playing karuta due to a family bereavement. This almost not being able to believe she travels to Fukui to visit their former model. However, in Arata she pushes so that only little favor, which they sent away again after a short reception. Nevertheless, their appearance leaves at Arata clear traces of, as Chihaya departs itself again, nevertheless decides to play Karuta again active and continue his career.

Always looking for new members is still Chihaya almost to despair, until then one day of kendo weary Kanade is lost Ōe near the club room and surprised by a flying towards card. When she realizes play with what energy Taichi and Chihaya, she can get into it. At the same time it is also a requirement that from now on in hakama ( traditional clothes) is played. Here, Kanade turns out to be extremely helpful because it shows not only been a hundred poems of the game map, but also their meaning, making it easier for them to remember the order of the cards.

Second, they manage to convince Tsutomu Komano to join the school club. However, this was not an easy task since Tsutomu until then never actually making more than to learn for school and used no contact with other students. Add to that his depression, to have always been, despite his great efforts in the shadow of Taichi because he always managed to be second best pupil, while Taichi unjustly simply fall to to be good. So ultimately brings the argument that karuta need much strategy so it helps to improve themselves in the school, the breakthrough. Since then he has the team mainly through cool tactical considerations aside and covers the weaknesses of opponents and own players on.

The fifth and last member Chihaya Nishida Yusei tries to recruit. The quite overweight boy she once and still referred to as Nikuman -kun, was once a good karuta player, but then gave up and is now a member of the tennis club. As Chihaya does not subsides and repeated his times as a successful Karuta player reminds him that he is finally relented and also occurs in the sport club. This not at all like the Warden of the tennis team and they fail in their search for a teacher who wants to manage the club. As the teacher, however, still has some interest in Yusei and club activities observed, also it is gradually drawn into the spell and begins increasingly proud to support the karuta club.

The further course of action focuses on the progress of the players while they slowly ascend in rank, but also repeatedly suffered major setbacks. The Triangle Love relationship between Chihaya, Taichi and Arata plays again their role and it will be discussed both on the background reasons for the opponents as well as the members in various subplots, while Chihaya maintains its goal of one day the Queen, the best to karuta player in Japan, are.

Formation and Publications

Manga

The manga series is written and drawn by the Japanese artist Yuki Suetsugu. The still ongoing story will be published in the magazine published by Kodansha Be Love since issue 2/ 2008 of 28 December 2007. The individual chapters have been to so far (as of January 5, 2013 ) summarized in 19 tankōbon editions, which are also published in May 2008 by Kodansha and are also available as an eBook.

• Vol 01: 978-4-06-319239-1 ISBN 13 May, 2008
• Vol 02: ISBN 978-4-06-319245-2, September 12, 2008
• Vol 03: ISBN 978-4-06-319252-0, December 12, 2008
• Vol 04: 978-4-06-319259-9 ISBN 13 March, 2009
• Vol 05: 978-4-06-319266-7 ISBN 12 June, 2009
• Vol 06: ISBN 978-4-06-319271-1, September 11, 2009
• Vol 07: 978-4-06-319276-6 ISBN 11 December, 2009
• Vol 08: 978-4-06-319282-7 ISBN 12 March, 2010
• Vol 09: 978-4-06-319287-2 ISBN 11 June, 2010
• Vol 10: 978-4-06-319294-0 ISBN 13 September, 2010
• Vol 11: 978-4-06-380301-3 ISBN 13 December, 2010
• Vol 12: 978-4-06-380309-9 ISBN 11 March, 2011
• Vol 13: 978-4-06-380320-4 ISBN 13 June, 2011
• Vol 14: 978-4-06-380324-2 ISBN 13 September, 2011
• Vol 15: 978-4-06-380331-0 ISBN 13 December, 2011
• Vol 16: 978-4-06-380339-6 ISBN 13 March, 2012
• Vol 17: 978-4-06-380349-5 ISBN 13 June, 2012
• Vol 18: ISBN 978-4-06-380359-4, September 13, 2012
• Vol 19: ISBN 978-4-06-380369-3, December 13, 2012

Outside Japan, the manga for release in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing is licensed.

Play Book

On 11 November 2011, as Chihayafuru (ISBN 978-4-06-364879-9 ) was released titled instruction book with Kodansha. It content deals with the seals of the anthology Ogura Hyakunin Isshu which are the basis of one hundred verses of the Hyakunin - Isshu karuta -.

Anime

Based on the manga series was the same anime television series Chihayafuru whose production was first announced in May 2011. The series was produced by animation studio Madhouse and directed by Morio Asaka from a screenplay by Naoya Takayama. The character design is based on the manga, but was adapted by Kunihiko Hamada to the conditions for animations. The Artistic Director took over Tomoyuku Shimizu.

The first broadcast of the series began on the night of October 5, 2011 (and thus on the previous TV day ) on NTV ( Nittele ). Every few days FBS and the Internet TV channel Showtime began also with the broadcast. The station YTV, HTV and nationwide on Nittele Plus began in January and February 2012 with the transfer. Likewise, the series was ( about an hour after the premiere broadcast ) offered as a simulcast on Crunchyroll with English subtitles, the stream was available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

The first issue of the DVD and Bluray release was published on 21 December 2011 at the Japanese trade.

The second season Chihayafuru 2 starts on January 12, 2013 also after midnight (and thus on the previous TV day ) on NTV.

Synchronization

Music

The opening credits of the anime was underlaid with a short version of the title Youth Full. He was composed and arranged by Ko - ta and co- hey. Similarly, the lyrics are penned by both artists. Interpreted the title of the band 99RadioService. As a single of the same title was released on 30 November 2011 under the label VAP.

In the credits, a short version of the title Soshite Ima (そして いま) was heard which was interpreted by spokeswoman Chihayas, Asami Seto. Lyrics, composition and arrangement are from新 谷 豊. He was released on the soundtrack to the first series in their full length.

The background music of the series was composed by Kosuke Yamashita. It was published on two soundtracks with the name Chihayafuru Original Soundtrack & Character Song Shuu # 1 and Chihayafuru Original Soundtrack & Character Song Shuu # 2 18 January 2012 and 28 March 2012 by VAP.

App

For mobile phones with the support for FOMA and SoftBank 3G was released an app that allows the owners of the game against each other to play Karuta.