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Chihayafuru Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
25 Episodes 2011 - 2012
Episode 1
Saku ya kono hana
23 mins
Sixth grade was when Chihaya Ayase met Arata Wataya, the transfer student from Fukui. The shy and quiet Arata was hiding a surprising talent. He knew how to play the competitive Karuta version of Ogura's Hundred Poets.
Episode 2
Karakurenai ni
23 mins
In the annual elementary school karuta tournament, the final match is between Taichi and Arata. Feeling threatened by Arata's skill, Taichi steals Arata's glasses before the match.
Episode 3
Fureru shirayuki
23 mins
Chihaya, Arata, and Taichi visit a Shiranami Karuta Society practice session. There they meet Dr. Harada, the society's director, and the oddball Hiro Kinashi, known as Retro.
Episode 4
Shizukokoro naku hana no chiru ramu
23 mins
As Chihaya and Taichi say goodbye to Arata, Chihaya declares she will become a karuta queen, the top-ranked female player, and Taichi declares he will become a master. Back in the present, Chihaya tells Taichi that she made Class B over spring break and that, if she wins a tournament that Sunday and makes Class A, he has to help her form a karuta club at school.
Episode 5
Yowa no tsuki kana
23 mins
Chihaya and Taichi travel to Fukui to see Arata.
Episode 6
Kyô kokonoe ni nioi nuru kana
23 mins
Chihaya has convinced Taeko Miyauchi, the science teacher and tennis coach, to allocate a storage room in one of the school's out-buildings as a clubroom. Kanade Oe, who currently is in the archery club so she can wear a hakama, considers joining the karuta club instead, because she thinks they love the classical poems and also wear hakama.
Episode 7
Hito koso mie ne aki wa ki ni keri
23 mins
Chihaya attempts to recruit second-ranked first-year student, Tsutomu Komano, nicknamed Desktomu by his classmates because he is always studying.
Episode 8
Taete hisashiku nari nure do
23 mins
At school, Chihaya encounters Nishida, who refuses to join the karuta club because he is now in the tennis club. Chihaya realizes that he is using karuta timing to play tennis and tells him that that is not fair to tennis.
Episode 9
Shinobure do
23 mins
Miyauchi grants the club official status, with herself as provisional advisor, if the members select someone other than Chihaya as president. When the other members select Taichi, Chihaya declares herself captain. Chihaya sets a goal of winning the Tokyo regional high school team tournament, so the club decides to hold a camp at Taichi's house over a long holiday weekend while his family is away.
Episode 10
Yuku mo kaeru mo wakarete wa
23 mins
Komano, frustrated that he cannot win any matches, declares that he is going home.
Episode 11
Amatsukaze
23 mins
Chihaya suggests an order that brings out the best in themselves rather than worrying about Hokuo's order. Using Retro's cards, Hokuo matches Sudo against Chihaya, Retro against Taichi, and the rest randomly, since they are confident of an easy win.
Episode 12
Murasakino yuki shimeno yuki
23 mins
At home, Chihaya tries to tell her parents about the tournament, but they are preoccupied with Chitose's appearance on a quiz show.
Episode 13
Kimi ga tame
23 mins
In the first round of the national tournament, Chihaya has alternating sweats and chills. Meanwhile, Arata makes his way there and thinks of his grandfather, who continued to coach him even after he had suffered a stroke.
Episode 14
Hana yori hoka ni shiru hito mo nashi
23 mins
The next day is the individual tournament. Taichi thinks about how he needs to be in Class A to play Arata in a match. Sudo tells Chihaya that Shinobu Wakamiya, the youngest karuta queen in history and a first-year high school student, is playing Amakasu in the first round.
Episode 15
Tsuranukitome nu tama zo chiri keru
23 mins
Shinobu defeats Chihaya by 20 cards and resolves not to let Chihaya take any cards if they ever meet again. Chihaya resolves to improve her accuracy.
Episode 16
Ogura yama
23 mins
A recap of the events so far, interspersed with various omake segments.
Episode 17
Michi koso nakere
23 mins
Chihaya needs to train for the eastern queen qualifier. Taichi and Nishida need to make Class A. Taichi also secretly desires to compete in the eastern master qualifier. Komano and Kanade need to make Class C.
Episode 18
Hana zo mukashi no ka ni nioi keru
23 mins
Chihaya tries to play a balanced style that doesn't rely on speed, but she is unable to restrain herself and commits a lot of faults. She also recognizes that her opponent, Sakura Kanai, is using the strategy against her that Komano described.
Episode 19
Nagarae ba
23 mins
Chihaya reflects that faults are costing Komano his match against Kanade, just like her faults cost her the match against Kanai earlier. Komano realizes he isn't losing to Kanade so much as to himself.
Episode 20
Kumoi ni magô oki tsu shiranami
23 mins
Komano tutors Chihaya and Nishida for exams while Taichi enters a tournament, his last opportunity to make Class A before the eastern master qualifier. Arata, also there, gives him a note with his contact details to give to Chihaya.
Episode 21
Waga koromode ni yuki wa furi tsutsu
23 mins
In the first round, Chihaya faces Ririka Tachikawa, a child prodigy hailed as the next Shinobu.
Episode 22
Utsuri ni keri na itadura ni
23 mins
In the second round, Chihaya faces the former queen, Yumi Yamamoto, who lost the title to Shinobu a year ago. Yumi has a history of contesting every card she loses, but this year she is unenthusiastic. Watching through the window, Kanade is impressed with the clear voice of the reader.
Episode 23
Shiroki o mire ba yo zo fuke ni keru
23 mins
Depressed by her loss, Chihaya hides inside a locker. Harada takes up the defense of Chihaya's hair against Sudo. When Taichi says she needs to come out to cheer for Harada, she comes out but says Taichi needs to watch them because they will be his rivals when he makes Class A.
Episode 24
Onoe no sakura saki ni keri
23 mins
The club members watch the master and queen matches on TV at Taichi's house. They are shocked to see that Shinobu is now pudgy.
Episode 25
Moreizuru tsuki no kage no sayakesa
23 mins
Komano amazes Chihaya by using his statistics to figure out that she has 20 one-syllable cards. Discouraged that he doesn't have talent like Chihaya and Suo, Taichi calls Arata, who tells him that his grandfather once said that there are plenty of ways to take cards that don't rely on talent.
