Chihayafuru, Vol. 4

ちはやふる [Chihayafuru] #4

by Yuki Suetsugu

The Mizusawa High Karuta Club fights through heated team matches in their pursuit of a berth in the national tournament, believing in and supporting one another the whole way. Together with her team, Chihaya is able to glimpse Omi Shrine—not in her dreams, but in person at last. What kind of overwhelming emotions could the sight make her feel? Meanwhile, Arata also steps foot on the grounds of Omi Shrine, but he carries a burden that he has yet to share with anyone. Watch as these closest of friends are driven by their passion all the way to Omi Shrine in volume 4 of Chihayafuru!

Genres: Manga, Josei, Romance, Sports, Comics, Slice Of Life, Graphic Novels

188 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 13, 2009

About the author

Yuki Suetsugu (末次 由紀 Suetsugu Yuki, born September 8, 1975) is a Japanese manga artist. Her career was put on hiatus after she was discovered of being accountable for plagiarism, including tracing. She later resumed her work on March 2007.

She debuted in 1992 in Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine with Taiyō no Romance. Her works later moved to Bessatsu Friend magazine, also published by Kodansha.

On 2009-03-24, her work Chihayafuru was chosen for the Manga Taishō.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuki_Sue...

Reviews

[Cate (The Professional Fangirl) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so torn. I love Taichi and Arata both. Equally. But I feel so much pain for Taichi.

That's why I'm thankful that Desktomu is around.

[Niratisaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really love Yuki Suetsugu-sensei's style (both her drawing and story). Language, history, and culture-the three things that should be sewn together in a story.

I really love Suetsugu-sensei's Chihayafuru!!

[afton · Rating 4 out of 5]

ugh love this

[Daniel Shellenbarger · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you deal with it when you pour your heart and soul into winning something and prove victorious and no one seems to care? After gutting out a hard-fought win at the prefectural qualifier for the national karuta tournament, Chihaya and the rest of the Mizusawa team return home and are met with indifference by their school and families. Chihaya's family is too busy gushing over her sister's most recent tv appearance to hear her out, the school doesn't even care to display their trophy, their advisor, the Empress, (dismissive of karuta since she thinks they're basically a card game club, not a real sport) fobs them off on another teacher to serve as their chaperone for Nationals because tennis club has a training session that day (and the second teacher is only interested because he plans to use the trip as an excuse to go see another event nearby in person). It's a disheartening start to the lead-up to nationals. The funny thing is, what starts as a rather sad and depressing chapter ends up being one of the most uplifting of the entire series. In any case, with their skills honed by more practice, the team heads off to their first National tournament, determined to make a good showing for Tokyo. However, between the heat and a headache, Chihaya begins to feel off at the worst possible time. In the meantime, Arata makes his own way to Nationals to watch Chihaya and Taichi play and after getting lost on the way (since this is his first time going alone as his grandfather used to drive him), he reminisces about his time with his beloved grandfather after returning to Fukui from Tokyo, how a stroke and then dementia gradually robbed his grandfather of his ability to play karuta or to even recognize Arata, and of the events of the fateful day his grandfather died, which left him so ashamed and bitter.

So, yeah, there's some heavy stuff in this volume, but the payoff is so cathartic. I... really want to talk about it, but it's just too good to spoil either the end of the "no one cares about the karuta club" chapter or Arata's "memories of grandfather" chapter as the mangaka just knocks it out of the park in both cases. Mizusawa, as a team, has been through the fire and they've all absorbed a bit of Chihaya's passion to win. Likewise, regardless of what others think, they're proud of their accomplishments and have become real friends. That said, stuff still goes wrong because that's life and we're way too early in the series for our protagonists to just get everything they want (sad but true); to quote the elves from the fractured fairy tales elves and the shoemaker, "You gotta suffer!" These are some of my favorite chapters in manga so far (and the material of some of my favorite episodes of the anime), so yeah, great stuff: triumph, indifference, catharsis, resolve, and tragedy, all in their measure.

[Shae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I continue to enjoy the journey that is Chihayafuru. I continue to grow fond of each character, and continue to admire their determination to their various goals. I am so excited to see how this story develops and continues.

[Manami Yamaguchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally they became a winner. They could be able to go to an national tournament at Oumi-Jingu. It’s like a Koshien(baseball tournament). A club teacher wasn’t no interest at first, but gradually she became interested in it and start supporting them.

[yam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel my heart racing throughout the tournament chapter, and I'm glad they won! And at first I wasn't keen with Chihaya's family since they prioritized her sister's modelling over her passion for karuta, but when Chihaya found her father's scrapbook specifically made for her wins, I can rest ease. Also, the teacher finally is locked in for the club? Heck yeah! I really love to see that, the club deserves it.

The part that hits me the most is the grief that Arata had been keeping to himself. It must have pained him so much, how he loved his grandfather deeply - he was the one who taught karuta to Arata, which Arata ends up really liking the game. And now that his grandfather has passed, he lost his passion for karuta altogether too.

The part where they met and Arata pushed them away - it's so devastating to see. I know how it feels like, to lost your family member and then losing yourself in the process. He must have felt insecure with them, especially when they are still playing karuta - the same karuta he taught them, that he himself is no longer playing. Fortunately, I'm glad he chased them when they're in the train. I'm happy to see how their presence brings part of him back. I really admire their friendship.

[Littlebookterror · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel shifts the previously established rhythm and shows us how serious everyone is taking this and that it's become more than just a hobby.

All the cool things I loved:

- a first proper win for the team
- Chihaya's father started her scrapbook!
- Miyauchi-sensei finally takes an interest in the club she is supposed to take care of and starts to appreciate the work her students put into this sport
- we see the Omi shrine for the first time, an iconic location, truly
- We finally get more context about Arata's decision to quit Karuto and hurts so bad.
- And they finally meet again! I mean, they hardly had a full conversation but I loved it anyway.

[Wordsworn · Rating 3 out of 5]

...Kind of frustrated that Chihaya passed out due to a fever... I mean, that's The Shoujo Standard, but still. She's been very physically strong so far, and hasn't seemed delicate at all, so it feels like a cop-out. =\

Glad that she got to meet Arata again, though! Though it does make me feel a little sad for Taichi.

[Llyren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the fact that we get some background for Sudo's teacher as well as the relationship between Arata and his grandfather.
If there is one thing I would really love, though, is for the actual matches to be more detailed. That is definitely something that comes out far more and better in the show.

[AsianMerr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really solid volume, learning about the passing of Arata’s grandfather was sad. Only if we didn’t know he had passed already it would’ve hit more. Chihaya pulling through trying to win is nice. The others trying to get better is nice to see, Arata is probably gonna be the last member since she’s out, that is if they win and let him play.

[Yeoyu · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[El · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,3 stars

[bren ☆]

Leyendo esto desde el principio es obvio quién es el interés romántico de la protagonista pero yo solo soy una chica y [the xfiles song theme] I Want To Believe

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love seeing how much they enjoy it and how hard they are working. Poor Chihaya!

[catherine ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I am SO invested in both the Karuta plot and the romance...

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

not much happened but god i love to see more of arata and how his years were in this little time skip. im also really sorry to chihaya for getting sick like that but what can you do :(

[Manisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

~~~~~LOOOOOVED IIIITTTTTTT~~~~~~~~~

[Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume begins with Chapter 18-23.

That's all for now until I hit editing mode...
Ta-ta Pretties!