Character Analysis - Relation To Plot
Chihayafuru is an anime that has a lot of characters that with the first glimpse, you want to know more about them. Chiahayafuru has this specific & genuine intrigue that can stir one's curiosity, which in my eyes, not many Anime have. First we have Ayase Chihaya, youthful and hyperactive, naïve and impulsive, as well as being incredibly earnest and simple minded. We have our Chihaya Ayase, which the plot and emotional progression is driven by. Chihaya's role serves as the advocate, the inspiration which she provokes in other people. Chihaya's the type that, once she's invested into something, she doesn't know when to stop or give up, having a very strong case of tunnel vision. However I don't see her as selfish exactly, she more so just blindsidedly innocent, as she is somewhat of an airhead and consumed by the fun of it all. Despite all this she has a truly earnest and warm personality which demands other character's attention, since she's neurotically obsessed with becoming the best in the world at Karuta. Along with that Chihaya is exceptionally hard working and talented when it comes to her game sense, speed and hearing ability.
Mashima Taichi on the other hand, is just as determined, though he has far more independent strength and mental fortitude than anyone else in the show. Especially since he doesn't even particularly like Karuta, despite putting so much effort in. He's not talented at Karuta like Chihaya, he just works incredibly hard and endures much disappointment and self abuse. A very respectfully dignified person, who's smart, agreeable, discerning and committed. Also theirs obviously a side of him that he confides, and that's his genuine love, his romantic feelings and desires, particularly for Chihaya, which is why he's so dedicated to Karuta, since Chihaya is so dead set on Karuta as well as Arata, whom she longs for, Mashima is dead set on not loosing to Arata. He feels, the only way for Chihaya to notice anyone is for them to be great at Karuta. So Taichi plays the quiet suitor in this series.
Wataya Arata on the other hand, has a less jealous personality than Taichi and is less vain and anxious about life, he also doesn't have a inferiority complex like Taichi. He's the grandson and pupil of the Karuta Eternal master as well, which is why he's incredibly skilled and dedicated to Karuta more than anyone else besides Chihaya. Arata is rather soft spoken, a guy of a few words, so he's quite reserved. He does though have his own convictions and is very steady minded. Arata plays the unattainable love interest, who's hard to read, mystifying and at the same time only has his eye on Chihaya. He also has his rare moments when he looses his composure when angry or when upset. In general he's well mannered, but at the same time witty and intimidating.
Another notable character is Kanade Ōe, since she singularly gives us special insight into the actual poetry behind Karuta, and is particularly sensitive to other peoples emotions and is very discerning when reading other peoples less obvious intentions. Chihayafuru doesn't solely revolve around one protagonists mindset, though a lot of it is driven by our protagonist Chihaya, we do have truly different personalities from particular characters, they also tend to clash once in a while as well. So yes, Chihayafuru does indeed have more obvious sentimental attachments, processes and general idealism in it's storytelling, It's definitely not as sparsely idiosyncratic as something like Bokurano, nor does it have a vast collective of starkly different and odd characters like Monogatari. I do believe though that Karuta world and the story Chihayafuru has is intimately connected, revolving in and around Karuta and one hundred poets. Which by the way, the author Yuki Suetsugu has a very discerning eye for it's subject matter (which is Karuta and One hundred poets), being that she once played herself. So no Karuta isn't just used as this series "show and tell" gimmick (Like how Sao barely includes more intuitive use and correlation of mechanics between actual MMORPG's asides from the idealized basics) more on that later though.
Forgive me, but there are way too many supporting characters to go over in this anime since there's so many, which like I said is great to have such an abundant ecosystem of characters who, all of which get good screen time and have decent significance. So yes, this anime isn't filled with a bunch of nameless character extra's or people conveniently used to progress the plot, no it's a whole world driven by the people of Karuta.
