The emotions experienced and As helpless autumn leaves are caught against the flow
The Review:
Content:
Dr. Harada vs Arata has a ton of competitive spirit as they struggle to win is depicted at a wonderful intense level. The intensity could be felt as Dr. Harada wins and the emotions of the crowd go wild and everyone starts crying. Dr. Harada’s experiences and lifelong connections lead to everyone feeling for him and how much this win means for him. As good as Arata is in Karuta, his loss helps him progress as a character and the show depicts some of these progressions as it leads to a long-awaited confession.
The built-up for the final matches featuring Dr. Harada vs Master Suo and Shinobu vs Inokuma has been solid but one player has been mostly forgotten about. Three of the four competitors have been built up slowly and have some emotional build up as to why they should be cheered for. Master Suo finally gets some spotlight after some small cameos. It is a bit hard to understand his personality and motivations. He seems antagonist towards Arata and Shinobu but is respected by his Karuta club and respects Dr. Harada as a Karuta competitor. I also like how he is depicted as the strongest Karuta player but he is a joke character at all other times.
Something this show has been missing is romance and it is finally being brought into the foreground. Arata confession to Chihaya that he is in love with her. This is still Chihaya, so there has to be Karuta mentioned somewhere in the confession for her to comprehend this moment. Taichi also takes a step for Chihaya’s heart as he declares to Sou that he is Chihaya’s boyfriend These moments have been building up for a long time and its great to finally see them happening.
Episode 15 deals with the ramifications of Arata’s confession and love spread like a disease. Tsumoto was a person who was always focused on studying and he still is that character but he has taken his first step in love as he has a crush on Kanade and worries about how he can ask her out. It kind of sweet seeing him takes his first steps and taking his first steps to become a man.
There is also some dark comedy mixed as Yusei tells everyone that no one has a boyfriend or girlfriend and being unaware of everyone’s situation. This show excels at having comedy breaks to lighten up the mood.
Episode 15 ends with a great cliffhanger as Suo tells Chihaya that she can’t be the Queen after he beats her in a Karuta match. It’s going to be interesting to see how Chihaya reacts after hearing that from him.
In Summary
Chihayafuru 3 episode 14 is one of this show’s best episodes so far and episode 15 follows along with it beautifully. It has a competitive spirit as Dr. Harada rises from problems of old age to compete. Karuta is just as intense as Dr. Harada competes with Arata with his aging body and the problems that come along with it. There is a ton of romance in this episode as three people compete for Chihaya’s admiration and she is shaken to her core as she has to deal with Arata revelation. It’s wonderful to see that Arata and Taichi are finally on the path to Chihaya’s heart. These episodes are starting to show these characters grow up and that a fascinating sight.
Grade for Episodes 14-15: A