What They Say:
To restore my faith
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
This episode is about characters learning about their past and moving on to new beginnings. The stakes are being raised as most of the main characters are in their final year of high school and will have to transition to aspects of young adulthood. I enjoyed seeing the moments in anime when high school students are in a transition period and I hope the anime keep this in mind as it moves forward.
Chihaya seems stuck in the beginning as Taichi takes his steps to move forward. She quickly manages to get back on her feet and signs up for a karuta tournament and wins the tournament. Chihaya has a newfound motivation as she seeks to battle Shinobu in the Queen match after last meeting her.
Arata and Taichi have a karuta battle and it starts on screen but then it moves offscreen to reveal that Taichi lost. I would have liked to seen Taichi win this match since the first half of the episode focus sorely on him but losses are good moments to set up for the future. Seeing him on the train crying after his defeat was a testament to his character of how far he come since the beginning.
Retro also makes an appearance in this episode. Retro also has to deal with the transition period of high school as he moves to his final year and on his way to be president of his karuta club. I would of like to have seen overcome his loss on his own but he has to be snapped out of it by his girlfriend and fellow club members and they all make fun of him.
In Summary:
The new year is full of new beginnings and it starts by revealing the paths each character has to face. Chihaya has grown from her experiences and is one of the strongest contenders for the Queen’s title. Arata and Taichi still have a long way to go if they want to be at the top as they end up placing second place and fourth place respectively and multiple people can give both of them a challenge. This episode feels a bit slow but it’s intended to set up the future.
Grade: B
Streamed by: Crunchyroll and VRV
