Anime Review: Chihayafuru 2: To Set the Tatsuta River Ablaze(2.06)

                          Chihayafuru 2: To Set the Tatsuta River Ablaze(2.06)Review

This episode starts pretty much where the last one ends with Chihaya making her come back and Harada notes that Chihaya had been focusing on her accuracy for the first half of the match and is now using her speed to take cards. Chihaya's opponent is confused by how Chihaya is able to take cards before he even hears the first syllable which is something that confuses even Sudo is how she's able to hear the sound before the card is read.

After awhile Chihaya, Taichi, Kana and Tsutomu find themselves all in luck of the draw matches and since Hukou has more experience playing as a team they have strategy for this type of situation called splitting their cards which will allow for at least two of their players to win as long as they protect their card which would mean they would be the winners since they already have one win. Chihaya once she sees the situation decides that she's going to take the card no matter which one is read which leads to Taichi to following her lead and doing the same.

Taichi ends up winning his match against Retro when he makes a fault that was mostly brought on by how nervous he felt by Taichi's determination to win the card no matter what. In the end Chihaya and her opponent end up touching the card at the same time and they both moved so fast that no one could tell who got to the card first but Chihaya knew that they got to the card at the same time but Hokou ends up winning because the card was on the opponents side.The match was the most fun that Chihaya has ever had but it was also her hardest loss. In the end Tsukuba, his brothers and Sumire all decide to join Dr. Harada's karuta society after the tournament has finished.

I overall loved this episode the matches were really intense with how close they all became because of the whole luck of the draw situation and I also liked how Harada mentioned that there was more to win a luck of the draw situation then just luck. Please tell me your thoughts on this episode.