Ep. 3: Chihaya, Arata, and Taichi play a team match against Retro and face school changes
Chihaya, Arata, and Taichi attend a Shiranami Karuta Society practice where they meet director Dr. Harada and sixth-grader Hiro Kinashi, known as Retro. The trio competes in a three-on-three Genpei match against Retro and his friends, with Arata insisting on team play over solo competition. Encouraged by Chihaya, they enter an upcoming three-person team tournament. Meanwhile, Taichi gains admission to a prestigious middle school, and Arata learns he will return to Fukui after the school year ends. In the tournament's first round, Chihaya faces Yūsei Nishida, whom she nicknames Porky, but loses. Taichi also loses his match, resulting in the team's elimination. Following the final day of school, Chihaya expresses confidence that they will reunite as long as they continue playing karuta.
Episodes
- Ep. 1 · Chihaya forms a club and recalls Arata's karuta talent from childhood
- Ep. 2 · Taichi steals Arata's glasses during the karuta tournament, leading to Chihaya's victory and subsequent family reactions.
- Ep. 3 · Chihaya, Arata, and Taichi play a team match against Retro and face school changes
- Ep. 4 · Chihaya achieves Class A status while Arata ends his karuta career
- Ep. 5 · Chihaya and Taichi visit Arata in Fukui, where he rejects them before Yuu returns the scattered karuta cards.
- Ep. 6 · Chihaya secures a clubroom and recruits Kana with hakama and modeling conditions
- Ep. 7 · Taichi and Chihaya test their karuta skills against reluctant recruit Tsutomu Komano