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Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Chihayafuru Manga Synopsis, Volume 11.3: Chapter 61

TN:  Ah, sorry for the delay!  I was busy reading (or re-reading) some of my favorite josei manga (Gokusen, Oishii Kankei, Kimi Wa Pet) and sort of forgot about blogging...hehehe.  I had lunch with an old friend today who is an avid K-drama fanatic, so before I begin "The Moon Embracing the Sun" I thought I should at least finish this story line....  When I get involved in J-dorama or K-drama I ignore phone calls, eat spicy kimchee ramen with pickled daikon and stay up late.  Ah, the life of a lazy person....  I want that....

Chapter 61

Opening scene:  The High School Karuta Regional Championship, Tokyo Region.

The audience is astounded.

How can this be?
The matches have become....

4 individual matches of "sudden death"!  (TN:  Each player for each of the 4 remaining matches has one card left, and depending on chance, whoever has the next card that is read, wins.)

Nishida is sweating bullets for his teammates.  A duel of fates where whoever has the next card that is read closest to his hand will be victorious.  But...

Damn!  Damn!  Damn!  think Tsutomu and Taichi together.  At this rate...we might actually end up with 0 wins!

(In small captions, the mangaka has indicated that Kana can't even read the card that is closer to her opponent, and Chihaya is only staring at her own card.)

"As expected of Hokuo," comments Hiroshi.  "A solid competitive team.  They've already divided their cards evenly."  But beside him, Hokuo's teacher is having a sudden reaction.

"Dividing cards" (TN: literally "分牌" in Chinese) is only an option of last resort for a dueling team.   Even though out of 5 matches, a team need only take 3 wins to be victorious, then the team that has the first win... in order to secure 2 more wins they evenly divide amongst themselves the 2 remaining cards "A" and "B" in a staggered fashion.... As long as they each guard their own cards they can guarantee their fighting advantage.

"They'll then tell their neighboring team mate which card they have in their possession...so the last time they send over "penalty" cards they will distribute them evenly... "  (TN: I'm not sure what Hiroshi means by "很明顯是违規規的戦略" in the next panel.  It has something to do with a "violation of the rules," but he can't mean the Hokuo team.  He's probably referring to Hokuo's teacher when he says it.  Hokuo's teacher says something ridiculous about having a referee adjudicate over the match)

"No matter if 'asano' or 'asaborake' is read next," surmises Harada, "Hokuo will take another 2 wins. In terms of this team competition, Mizusawa should have gambled on 3 of the same cards in order to take 3 victories at once.  At that point, they still would have had a 50% chance of winning."  

Since it's come to this, they must overtake their opponents in order to win....

Taichi is speechless and sweating bullets at this point.  It's my fault I didn't prepare enough...I never thought it would come to this situation...we don't have enough practice as a team.

The accumulated experience of (a team from) an elevator school...
The gap between us and Hokuo Academy eventually shows up here!

Chihaya (finally) comes to the reality of their situation.  Ah...Ah? Could it be we are at a disadvantage in taking 3 wins?

....How could that be?  What do we do?  What to do? she asks herself in consternation.  She looks over in Meat bun's direction and notices he is shaking in fury (beating himself up).

What the hell am I doing?  And I even said "I'm going to make you strong" to the others...  I certainly talked big in front of the freshmen but pathetically I was the first to lose my match.  What a hypocrite!  Everyone's really giving it their all... They're certainly doing their best... but this is all my fault that it's come to this!

Chihaya sees him and immediate practices her swing before the next card is read.  (TN: Wow, sure has been a while since the last card was read....)  Everyone is surprised by her actions, but she's doing it to break up the mood.  Taichi soon follows suit.

Even if Chihaya's opponent's card, 'asaborake' is read she is still going to attack.  If 'asano' is read, then I will go on the offensive.   Taichi then goes over in his head which cards should be left and prepares himself to time his strike correctly.

Mizusawa's 3 wins...our victory....
How can we just give up before the end?  Taichi and Chihaya are of similar minds and won't give up.  Their audacity shocks the audience members.

Ah-- they really look as though they really will go on the offensive--
If Mizusawa goes on the offensive then this is no ordinary "sudden death" match!

Sudo takes up the next card and reads the opening verse while the players anxiously guard the cards on their side.  

We're not in the same predicament as Mizusawa, thinks Amakusa.  We don't have to go on the offensive.  We just have to protect the card we have and it's OK to ignore everything else--

He understands, right? thinks Hiro nervously.

I'm going to attack! thinks Taichi.

He really should understand! sweats Hiro.

I need to attack! stares Taichi, intensely focusing on his opponent's card.

At the next verse, Hiro suddenly makes a mistake and touches his card when the verse belonged to a "blank" card.  Mizusawa's players and Hokuo's players are in shock.

"MIZUSAWA, 1 WIN!" shouts Taichi proudly.

That was not Hyoro-kun's fault, thinks Harada-sensei.  That was Taichi's battle stance (TN: aura?), the intention to never give up...that became Hyoro's undoing.

Duel of fate... thinks Taichi, wiping his face with a handkerchief.  It's not a duel of fate...it's not!

Now both sides have 1 victory each, concludes Harada.  What comes next is hard to predict.  Mizusawa has come from under the unbearable pressure of being at a disadvantage... to a formiddable opponent.

What kind of joke is this, Hiro! thinks Amakusa.  Not only is it because of his (divination) cards that we've come to this, but because of that sort of mistake he's given up a hard-to-come-by opportunity for us!  What if we lose?  Will you take responsibility?

I'm gonna pummel you!  Amakusa thinks back at what he said at the end of their prior match, and how he wanted to just take it easy for this game since they were already qualified to go to the nationals.

I'm gonna pummel you!!

Victory!  After our victory... I'm gonna beat the **** out of you!

In the background, Hiro is tearing up and also bitter about his loss.

Amakusa then starts to practice his arm strikes as well.

He's going to attack! thinks an audience member.

His teacher and Sudo silently watch him.  Amakusa-kun....

When the "a" syllable is read, I'm going to guard my card...  and if the next syllable is "bo" then I'm going to attack.  If it's "asashi" then I'm going to refrain, and if it's "asano" then I'm going to hold the card down.

What's the use of not taking the win in a tournament we should be victorious in?  We are Hokuo!  HOKUO!

Sudo picks up the next card.  Amakusa... Amakusa, you have to be carful! 

Even in your situation... there are still people who can come up short.

The next card is read.

Chihaya is the first to attack, while Kana holds her ground and Tsutomu goes on the offensive as well. 

"I was faster!" announces Amakusa furiously.
"Not true," says Chihaya calmly.
"I was faster!!"he insists. (TN: What a baby...)
"Incorrect."
Amakusa appeals to the referee, but even he is clueless.

"Just then..." begins Chihaya.  "We touched the card at the same time."  Chihaya quietly bows and gives thanks, admitting her defeat.

Amakusa is silent.

(TN: Chihaya managed to slip one finger under her opponent's hand, but since they both touched the card at the same time, the win belongs to the holder of the card, Amakusa.)

Announcer:  "Hokuo 3 wins, Mizusawa 2 wins.  Hokuo is victorious."

The players all bow and exchange thanks.

Cut scene:  the aftermath

As Miyauchi is clapping with the audience, Oe-san cries into a handkerchief.  The audience is commenting on what a brutal match that was.  Others are commenting that they are relieved of the tension now while others still, are commenting that such a sight can only be seen every 10 years or so.

When Sudo asks Amakusa if Hokuo is the strongest team in Tokyo, Amakusa still looks visibly shaken.  

He finally answers, "No.  At the very last moment, I was only reacting to Ayase and guarded my card.  If it was 'asashi' I would have made a mistake.  I can't hear the difference.  In this sort of match, I can't say that Hokuo is truly the stronger team...."

Sudo just smirks at him and says if they can't be Tokyo's strongest, then they should aim to be the nation's strongest team.  Everyone looks at him in shock.  When he tells them he's going to use the club budget to go watch them at the nationals they all stand frozen solid.

Cut scene: in the Mizusawa corner

Chihaya has passed out on the tatami and Tsutomu suggests it's about time to pick her up and leave.  Meat bun is profusely apologizing for being the first to lose but then Chihaya suddenly sits up and startles him.

"I'm... I'm really happy!" she announces. "This is the happiest I've ever been!"  Her team members start tearing up.

Cut scene:  Back at Mizusawa High

As the club members start to shuffle out of the school entrance, Taichi turns to Sumire.
"Hanano-kouhai, aren't you going my way?"
"Ah, I'm sorry!" she responds.  "There's something...."  She turns and heads in the opposite direction as everyone else.

Harada is excited as he's been propositioned by Tsubuka and his little brothers to let them join the Shiranami Society.  He'll have 4 new recruits at once.  He turns as he notices someone behind him.
"Ah, here comes another.  Will you be the fifth?"
Sumire stares at him, a little embarrassed.

Cut scene: on the commuter train

"We're leaving first!" shouts Chihaya to the others from behind the subway doors.  "I'll see you the day after tomorrow!  We still have to face the nationals head on and practice, so see you later!"

Kana stands with Tsutomu and Meat bun and gently waves goodbye as the train pulls away.  Chihaya watches them from the window when her phone suddenly indicates she's received a text.
"Ah!  It's Arata!" she exclaims excitedly, clutching her phone.  "Arata sent a text!  (How rare!)"
"Eh?" inquires Taichi.

The text reads: How was the Tokyo Regional championship?  Was it fun?

Chihaya stares at the text screen with a smile that slowly melts into tears as she holds the phone against her forehead and starts to cry.  She thinks back on when she bowed in defeat against Amakusa.  Her mind wanders back to a time when all three of them were small, and they asked her why she's crying.  Back then, she said it was because she was so happy.

Taichi watches her silently.

Cut scene:  Arata stands alone as a breeze picks up around him

Back in Fukui, Arata is reading her response text on his phone.

Arata... 

This time was the happiest I'd ever felt...

...and the most dissatisfied.

---End Chapter---

20 comments:

  1. thnx again for the summaries, without these we would have to wait for ages for the translations!!! ^^

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    1. hehe, I know what that feels like, "waiting for ages." I'm glad I could help. But I hope everyone still reads the scanlations, which is more direct to the original work of the mangaka, that are so painstakingly put out by other fans ^_^

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  2. Yes I've been waiting for ages. Thought i have a general idea the way the story will be going to from the raws, but i'm still need your translation to fully enjoy the manga. Arrrg i hope the publisher from vietnam get the rights to publish this manga already although the chance is small because manga market in vietnam is small and this is a josei/shoujo manga

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    1. hehe, I know this isn't the most popular manga either. You can't find it in the US because it's not licensed for distribution outside of Asia, I found out, and only in certain countries. So, I had to seek out sources in Hong Kong. I'm surprised, actually, that the work is so limited. :-(

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  3. why did they lost! :(( Good thing they will still be competing for the nationals :)

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    1. I know, right?? I was disappointed. That trophy really belonged with them. But even so, I think Taichi said it best, that they lacked practice performing as a team. Hokuo's members have trained together from a younger age (being in an elevator school) -- so you can imagine being a member of a high performance karuta club since the 6th grade with the same people, versus being in a newly established club of one year or so -- there should be a difference in the team performance. It is a good thing that they can compete in the nationals (I think the mangaka changed the rules just so we could see Hokuo and Mizusawa play together again).

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    2. I'm rooting for them in the Nationals!

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  4. I figured they would lose to Hokuo Ac. had a hunch. But it was really exciting to the very end! Thanks for the chapter summary!

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  5. Thank you so much! We are always waiting for your summaries as the English scanslations started with chapter 90.
    My 3 kids got me to watch Chihayafuru as karuta was a game once played in Detective Conan, my favorite anime. So, I'm hooked.
    Keep up the great work.

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    1. OMG, I totally remember Detective Conan!! Hahaha, wow, that was a while ago...

      Lazy Ass Scans and Living Dolls are doing a joint venture right now and have scanlated through volume 6, Chapter 31 as of 2 days ago. So, they're making progress! You can check out the scans at Batoto.net where they are originally posted.

      You're welcome for the summaries.

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  6. How did they win last year if Hokuo's that strong? I can't believe that they lost, especially since Sudo wasn't with them (I'm glad he's back though) And why would Taichi almost lose to someone like Hiro? His win seemed like luck on his part :-(
    I'm so frustrated right now! Hope they do themselves justice at the nationals...

    Thank you for the summaries I don't know what I would do without them!!!!!

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  7. Right? I was thinking the same thing....I think the mangaka continues to mix it up a bit and whoever wins at whatever tournament is very much on the whim of the managaka. -_-; Hiro and Taichi have been neck and neck recently in trying to advance to A rank but I've concluded that a lot of what goes into winning is chance.

    I think Hokuo won partly b/c Sudo was reading and it forced them to perform at their peak. I think Chihaya beat Sudo last time because she's the stronger player due to her "natural ability." I think she lost to Amakusa b/c he is quicker and more nimble, but I think she lost too many cards to him in the beginning of the match trying to be like Shinobu, lacking focus. I think Nishida was thrown off this time by his sister dating Hiro. My 2 cents anyway.

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  8. Nishida is going down after each match, he is the least improving in the club

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    1. Yeah, he's good, but the team shouldn't take him for granted. He was pitted against another A rank, and even amongst the A ranks there are differences. He needs to practice more! What's up with him being uber-obsessed with his opponent's hair clips>>??

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    2. a lot of what goes into being the winner and the loser is based on whimsical things

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  9. You've saved me, I was thrilled to know what would happen in the next Chihayafuru's episode and I was able to read so much more of it! Thank you so much :)!!

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  10. love those josei manga too! :)

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  11. Hi here Kero ... these synopsis are gold how couldn't i find them before?
    I'm trying to learn Japanese by translating (or just trying) chihayafuru but it's really difficult, these translations of your helped me so much though!! But you did stop right? is there any chance that you'll do more?

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