Chihayafuru (ちはやふる)

Chi

ha

ya

fu

ru

...to reveal moonlight, clear and bright.

So the flower has...

Feel love, nobody, feel sorrow...

...years in this world.

Let's start a competitive karuta club! Please come see Ayase Chihaya in class 2-9!

Impassionate gods have never seen...

Hey.

I don't think we should hold a karuta demo tomorrow.

What? Why not?

We'll scare away all the first-years.

Huh?

True.

Huh?

Kana-chan's right.

Huh?

They'll run for the hills.

But...

Don't worry!

Let me handle this!

Okay...

Taichi.

Will any new students come?

It's hard to say.

I hope they fall in love with karuta.

Yeah.

The way we did...

to set the Tatsuta River ablaze

Chihaya Furu

Verse 1

So The Flower Has Wilted

Good morning.

Have you heard?

The younger sister of the model

Ayase Chitose is in the class above ours!

No way! I'm a fan!

Let's go check her out!

From: Kazuki Subject: (none) First day of school for us both. I'm so tired. Feel lousy. Time for a new start, though, so why don't we both look for new partners? What I mean is, let's break up.

Impossible...

Impossible...

I was dumped...

I need to find a new boyfriend!

The hottest guy in this school!

Available Clubs for New Students

That's a cute strap!

The tennis team's goal this year is to win Nationals.

Where'd you get it?

These pink student IDs are so cute!

Our badges are cute, too!

We love everything cute.

Um... Hanano-san, right?

I'm Hinako.

What's your first name?

That's a lot of mascara.

We love how cute we are.

Hanano Sumire.

We search for someone who loves how cute we are.

Wh-What are you doing?

I'm searching!

Oh! There's a nice one in class 1!

I'm going to make him regret dumping me

Next, we have the competitive Hundred Poets Karuta Club.

because we went to different high schools

by finding a super hot guy!

I'm the president, Mashima Taichi.

I-I'm the captain, Ayase Chihaya.

Dude!

He's gorgeous!

They're wearing kimonos!

She's so cute!

We have their attention now!

Recruitment Strategist Kana-chan

"Karuta club? What's that?"

"Sounds minor."

"Not interested."

Before the typical reactions can kick in,

Was told to keep quiet

The karuta club plays a competitive one-on-one card game

we send out Chihaya-chan and the president in hakamas

to make our club look important

based on the Ogura Hundred Poets.

and grab the hearts of the first-years like an eagle's talons!

Hey, Hanano-san!

While the game is meant to be competitive, there is also a cultural aspect...

Isn't he hot?!

Hana—

Eagle?

Please drop by, if you're interested.

Finally, our captain would like to say a few words.

Huh?

Um... Er...

I-I don't...

...have many ordinary friends,

but my goal is to become friends with all one hundred cards,

so I want one hundred junior members!

A hundred members?!

You're too greedy!

She wants to be friends with cards!

Cute and clueless?

Annoying.

She's so cute!

But...

I found my man!

Are any new members going to come?!

Notice: If the karuta club does not recruit five new members next year, you will have to return the clubroom. Good luck. I was able to increase the club's budget to 30,000 yen. -Miyauchi

We'll be in trouble if no one comes.

The reaction to our introduction was promising.

Really?!

Yes.

But we don't want too many.

Well, if we get some first-years to join,

we'll have to figure out who's going to teach them.

What?!

Why?!

Me! Me! Me!

Why are you volunteering when you're the worst possible candidate?!

Don't you need to practice?!

Me! Me! Me! Me! Me!

How many first-years are going to come?

We were able to buy new cards with the extra budget.

I hope they learn to love karuta.

And then...

Hello!

What's wrong, Senpai?

Are you okay?

I-I'm okay...

This is my application.

Here's mine.

I can't wait to get started!

Really? You're all going to join?

I can't wait!

Thank you! Thank you!

Glad to be here.

Ni-Nira?

Nira-chan?

Nira-chan

She can't even read my name right?!

Stupid! Chihaya, it's Sumire!

Sumire!

Su-Sumire-chan!

She's definitely an enemy.

Pretty, clueless, and dumb.

She's every girl's enemy!

I couldn't tell when she was wearing a hakama,

but she's got an amazing figure.

They look good together.

Um, let's start by introducing the second-years.

From the far end...

Excuse me, can I ask a question?

Does President Mashima have a girlfriend?

Excellent question!

Way to go, Hanano-san!

Your upperclassman is talking!

It's not your turn to speak!

Small figure with huge boobs!

Enemy!

I need to take care of the tennis team.

I'm counting on you.

Um, have any of you played competitive karuta before?

Who's memorized all of the Hundred Poets poems?

It's okay!

We were all beginners at one point!

I made printouts of the poems with their unique syllables and meanings.

Please start by memorizing all one hundred.

What? Memorize?

Why?

How many pages are there?

This looks hard.

I can't do this.

Just skim it.

There will be a test in one week.

If you haven't memorized all of the poems, you fail.

There will be a retest offered.

What? A test?

Kana-chan, a week isn't long enough.

We have to memorize all of them?

They're in high school now!

They can do this.

But...

We have to make them do this!

Um, we'll explain the rules next.

Me?

Matches are played between two people.

You take 50 of the Hundred Poets cards

and put the remainder back in the box.

Each person places 25 cards, with a 3 centimeter gap in between.

Here's your 3 centimeters.

This is the basic layout.

You win if you reduce the 25 cards on your side to zero first.

First, you have 15 minutes to memorize the positioning of

the 50 cards on the field.

This is just a tutorial, so we'll only use three minutes.

One minute's enough.

The first poem read is the opening poem,

which isn't part of the Hundred Poets.

The poem of Naniwa Bay, said to be known