As phrasing goes when talking about manga, nearing and heading towards climax is usually the biggest indicator a manga is about to end. Sometimes that climax arc can run a few years, so there are variables to it, other times it can hit and boom, done. The 47th volume of Chihayafuru is set for an August 12th, 2021 release according to ANN, and according to the solicitation it’s being listed as heading toward the story’s climax. Which could mean that the next volume or soon after that could see this series wrap up. With luck, we’ll get one more big anime season with it as well to wrap it up as we just had the third season at the end of 2019 – seven years after the second season.
Check out Antonio’s review of the first two episodes here.
Morio Asaka is set to direct with series composition handled by Yuuko Kakihara. Kunihiko Hamada is on board with the character designs and Madhouse handling the animation production.
The Japanese cast includes Asami Seto as Chihaya Ayase, Mamoru Miyano as Taichi Mashima, Yoshimasa Hosoya as Arata Wataya, Tooru Nara as Yūsei Nishida, Ai Kayano as Kanade Ōe, Tsubasa Yonaga as Tsutomu Komano, Megumi Han as Sumire Hanano, and Miyu Irino as Akihiro Tsukuba.
Kenta Miyake takes over for Unshō Ishizuka as Dr. Harada while Yoshino Ohtori takes over for Toshiko Fujita. Both original actors had passed away since last performing the roles in the second season.
The manga began in 2008 and has forty-six volumes so far that sell quite well in Japan. Kodansha Comics is releasing it digitally in North America while Sentai Filmworks has licensed and released the first two seasons for home video release.
Check out the official site and Twitter.
Plot Concept: Chihaya Ayase was a girl who never seemed to fit in. She never had much in common with the other kids, and her family was so obsessed with her older sister’s modeling career that, sometimes, it was like Chihaya wasn’t even there. Everything changes when transfer student Arata gets Chihaya interested in the world of competitive Karuta, a unique card-based game that requires lightning fast reflexes, an exceptional memory, and a keen ear. Chihaya is a natural, and she has the skills to take her to the very top. Suddenly, Chihaya has found her goal: to become the best player in Japan! It won’t be easy, but when a girl has a dream in her heart, nothing else matters in CHIHAYAFURU!