Original subtitles

PREVIOUSLY

Please show me that people who find

their treasure in karuta are guaranteed to have a bright future

waiting for them in ten years' time.

All right. I'll do it.

I'll be your evidence!

I will…

devote myself to it.

Teach her all the karuta she wants to learn.

I'll take good care of Miss Meguru.

Meguru!

Yay!

Your contract with us

will be terminated after this year.

What?

From the next academic year, Mr. Shima will be resuming his duties,

including his role with the karuta club.

Let's go to the Nationals together.

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ENROLLMENT

-Thank you! -Thank you!

Whoa, Chieri! You got your coming of age or something?

No!

It really suits you.

Sorry about that.

Excuse us.

Excuse us.

Excuse us.

Excuse us.

Congratulations to all of you on your enrollment.

Congratulations.

We're the competitive karuta club.

We're a small club, with just the five members you see here.

With a view to winning the Tokyo Qualifier Tournament this summer,

we're active every day.

This is for the All Japan Championship, which is held each summer…

OE SILKS

…at a place called Omi Shrine in Shiga Prefecture.

Yes? Go ahead.

Who's the club advisor?

Well, our advisor should be here any…

Here they are now.

Sorry I'm late.

I'm Mr. Shima, competitive karuta club advisor.

I'm a classics teacher. Nice to meet you.

CHIHAYAFURU: FULL CIRCLE

POEM SIX: PARTED WE MAY BE

What's up with you three?

Not right now.

Please take the hint.

I want to talk with the coach.

Strictly no men allowed!

Just how many layers did people used to wear in the past?

It looks beautiful, but it's a nightmare to put on and take off.

It's easy to think that way when you're not used to it.

-Please help me. -Certainly.

It has a funny way of making you tighten up though.

It supports the upper body around one's navel,

naturally improving posture.

They provide more stability than one might think for karuta.

Who'd have thought?

Everyone wears hakama for competitive karuta title matches.

There's no harm in getting used to them now.

I also wore them in my Mizusawa days.

Sota told me about that.

Mizusawa High School has a tradition of wearing hakama for big games.

Wait, I don't suppose the one who started that tradition is…?

Yes.

It's me.

I knew it!

Here you are.

Thank you.

So how was it?

Are you glad you wore them?

Yes!

-We got a great response, didn't we? -Yeah.

We might get lots of new members, Miss Oe.

I mean…

Coach.

Coach Oe.

I hope so.

Yes, Coach!

WELCOME TO UMEZONO COMPETITIVE KARUTA CLUB

COMPETITIVE KARUTA CLUB

This is odd.

The concert band club is this way, freshmen!

CONCERT BAND CLUB

Whoa! Hey.

This must be some kind of mistake.

Like the clubroom map being wrong or something?

Don't be ridiculous.

It is wrong!

What?

Who made this?

Hello, Okonomiyaki Nishida.

Yes.

A reservation?

Madam Nakanishi?

Okonomiyaki?

Right now? Okay.

Right. I'll see you soon, then.

Goodbye.

-Goodbye, Miss Oe. -Goodbye.

Not this one.

Not this one!

Not this one.

Are you a new student?

Are you looking for something?

I wanted to go check out a club.

Where is this?

Oh?

Still, though,

I can't believe Miss Oe isn't a teacher anymore.

Well, it seems the arrangement was always

that she would only cover for Mr. Shima while he was on paternity leave.

Mr. Shima returned sooner than planned, however.

But she's volunteered to come to the club on her own time,

so that shouldn't change, right?

Well, yeah…

That's true, but…

What?

I just really liked Miss Oe's classes.

Huh?

Who are you,

and what have you done with Meguru?

When did you replace her?

What's going on? Calm down.

The Miss Aizawa we know

would never say that she liked classics.

"It's not time-effective."

Really?

I mean, is there even any point to classic literature?

These days, AI can draw pictures and make videos.

Even write apologies. What place is there for classics?

I said that, didn't I?

You have to put it down to Miss Oe's influence.

Maybe so.

-He's right. -Yep.

Or you're an impostor.

Enough with that joke.

Not this one.

No!

What's his deal?

Are you the girls who were in the hakama?

Have you ever played karuta before, Yakumo?

Nope.

I'll start from the beginning, then. The game of karuta--

There's no need for that.

I just want to wear hakama.

Hakama?

Beautiful ones, like you two were wearing.

No can do.

Coach Oe already left for the day.

I'll be going home, then.

Wait!

Since you're here, you may as well…

You might like it if you just give it a try. Yes?

Please.

You start by dealing 25 cards to each territory, and the reader--

Hold on. Is it okay if I rearrange them?

Huh? Sure.

Okay. Go ahead.

Right.

And now, with spring's arrival

It reveals its full glory

In Yura's channel A boatman's rudder is lost

Listlessly he drifts

Parted we may be But if on Mount Inaba

I hear the pine trees

What? Didn't you just say you've never played karuta?

I've only ever played competitive karuta.

How is that possible?!

Well, I didn't like it, so I'll be going home.

-Hey! -No!

-Wait! -Hey!

If I don't get to wear hakama, I'm going home.

I get enough karuta at the society.

You'll get to wear them. We'll work something out.

-Really? -Yeah.

Count me in, then.

Let's get straight to my welcome party.

What? You're welcoming yourself?

Strong-style.

Welcome party? Welcome party, Chieri?

-Welcome party? Oh… -Welcome party!

-Any ideas? -I can't think of anything!

OKONOMIYAKI NISHIDA

I'll be in Tokyo awhile

between my meeting with the Agency for Cultural Affairs

and my lectures,

but I'm going to miss Mr. Nishida completely.

He was upset about that.

Yes, and so he should be. Quite right.

I'm sorry to call you out of the blue like this.

Not at all.

I'm just honored that you remembered me.

Excuse me.

Yes?

So

how has the reading been going?

I've been practicing every day with the method you so kindly taught me.

If you like, Miss Oe,

I can listen to you later.

What?

Yes, please.

No.

It's "ngi." Ngi.

Yes. Again.

Yes. Again.

You've improved a great deal!

I was right about you.

-Huh? -Miss Oe.

You have what it takes to be a professional reader.

-Do you really mean that? -I do.

Nevertheless,

a high wall still stands before you.

A wall?

Three, two, one!

Hey, what's this all about?

Just wave your hand in time to the karuta lines.

It's common practice for any karuta fanatic!

Sorry. I'm going to get a drink.

See you later!

What's the matter, Yakumo?

The nice person who told me where the karuta club is

is in there.

Mr. Shima, by any chance?

There's only one karaoke place, so maybe he's here too.

Miss Oe!

-I heard you're no longer teaching? -Yes.

-The contract expired. -She's…

No, not all. I'm really not very…

In that case…

come and live in Kyoto.

Huh?

Me?

You said that you once applied to work at our research institute, didn't you?

We have a vacancy for a female researcher for the first time in five years.

Miss Oe.

You can't scale the wall that prevents you from being a professional reader alone.

If you come to Kyoto,

I can help you with your reading in between research.

What do you say?

That's a very generous offer.

Truly more than I deserve.

Kyoto, eh?

I'd love some yatsuhashi.

Maybe ya boy Yakumo will have yatsuhashi with y'all.

That's so original, isn't it?

So dope, right?

You know that goldfish scooping thing…?

Here they are!

You're back!

-Oh! I like this song! -You do?!

But, I mean, you became a classics teacher, Miss Oe.

I'm… not the same.

What I really wanted to do was research work in Kyoto.

But there were no openings.

Meguri, meguru…

I won't rush you for an answer,

but we are short-staffed at the moment,

so I can't keep the position free forever either.

Of course.

I hope you'll take me up on it.

Yes.

-You take care of yourself, now. -Thank you.

PRESCRIPTIONS DISPENSED KOMANO PHARMACY

Found it!

It was right at the back of the closet.

It's a little dusty.

What did you want it for?

If you don't mind…

COMPETITIVE KARUTA CLUB ALL JAPAN VICTORY

This, huh?

This takes me back.

Mr. Komano.

Do you think… Miss Oe still wants to achieve this dream?

BECOME A PRO READER AND READ THE POEMS

AT CHIHAYA-CHAN'S QUEEN GAME KANADE OE

Well, there was that business with her family, then COVID,

so there was a period that the dream was put aside.

Seeing her friend play in the Queen game every year

seemed to make her both happy and sad.

Maybe she felt guilty

about not being there as the reader.

You're talking about Miss Chihaya, right?

Yeah.

Chihaya Ayase.

Back then,

we were desperately trying just to keep up with her.

Actually, we're still trying to keep up now.

But, you know,

I think Kana has changed recently.

I'm thinking of taking another shot at being a professional reader.

I see.

You're starting over?

Seeing those kids, it makes me realize I have to go for them too.

The things I've left undone.

It's as if she's not just trying to keep up anymore.

I was really pleased to hear it.

It felt like Kana was on the move again.

As such, I'm grateful to you and your friends, Miss Aizawa.

It's just a shame it wasn't me who made her do this.

We're not just imagining it.

No.

You really are an excellent player.

Hey, what class are you, Yaku Moku?

I'm A-class.

A-class?!

Yes.

You're kidding me.

Umezono finally has an A-class of its own!

This bodes well!

Sorry I'm late!

Thanks for the other day!

Have you settled in yet?

It's like a home from home.

Anyway, thanks to you, Coach, I came up with a new tongue-twister!

What? Thanks to me?

When that lady was inviting you to--

To…!

Today!

Today's no day for that, Yakumo.

-Is that right? -Yeah.

That is right.

Now, everyone, today's the day of that twice-a-year occasion.

This is so refreshing!

Airing tatami mats in the sun like this makes them last longer.

I can smell the sun.

Spring passes me by

And now the summer is here I see that white cloth

Hangs to dry on the slopes of Amanokaguyama

Miss Murata!

You're like a different person!

Hey! You're making too much fun of me.

No, I'm not making fun.

-Now, let's get them moving. -All right.

And lift.

-Miss Oe. -Yes?

Why do you want to be a classics researcher?

Come again?

No, it's just… I never really asked you before.

I don't so much want to be a researcher

as I do a connector, per se.

A connector?

Yes. The Hyakunin Isshu, for instance,

is a collection of poems from each era, like what we'd now call a "best of" album.

A "best of" album? I see.

And thanks to that, it's reached us here in the present day.

Classics only exist to this day

because of the nameless people who wanted to preserve them

and so passed that baton on little by little.

With no poems, there'd be no Hyakunin Isshu.

With no Hyakunin Isshu, there'd be no karuta.

With no karuta,

we would have never met each other.

To me, research, education, and karuta are all the same.

It's through doing them that I hope to be

one of those nameless people who keeps this epic story going.

You want to be a part of history, in other words?

The ultimate classics nerd.

We can't compete with that!

You're goated, Coach.

Am I now?

This poem's been around for 1,000 years.

You might call it investing in virtue, Miss Aizawa!

I'll take good care of Miss Meguru.

I will…

devote myself to it.

Please wait in seat one.

-Thank you. -Okay.

Welcome--

-If you don't mind. -Certainly.

-Your mother has the flu? -Yes.

Oh dear.

You must have your hands full with the silk shop.

I bet you can hardly go to Umezono.

That's right.

I'm worried the clubroom will get all messy without me.

I'm sure.

I can go instead if you like.

Oh?

Thanks. That would be a help.

-Okay, please wait in seat two. -Yes.

Oh, and…

do you have a minute to talk?

Sure. It's nearly time for my break.

What's with you guys?

I don't know where to begin, Meguru.

I think you'd best take a seat first.

Yaku Moku told us what happened.

I think I really put my foot in it.

-Told you what? -Don't act dumb.

About Miss Oe being offered the job at the Kyoto research institute.

Why didn't you say anything?

Well, it didn't seem like it was set in stone or anything.

I didn't want to get you worrying for no reason, right?

No. I'm sorry.

I couldn't come to terms with it myself.

That's what I thought.

And neither can I.

So I'll talk to her.

What? Wait. Talk about what?

Isn't it obvious?

I'll ask her not to go.

We'll be in a fix if Miss Oe leaves now.

If we're going to win the Tokyo qualifier,

we need someone with All Japan experience like her to guide us.

I won't get to wear hakama if Coach is gone.

Let's at least wait until she talks to us about it.

It'll be quicker if we bring it up first.

Wait, everyone.

I want to hear what Aizawa thinks too.

I…

I want Miss Oe to go to Kyoto.

No, I think she should go.

So that's what that was about.

What was?

Huh? Oh, nothing. Ignore me.

-Sorry. Here. -Thanks.

This is great news, though, isn't it?

At least I think it is.

The timing's good.

Most importantly, it's your dream job.

And you even get coached in reading by Ms. Nakanishi to boot.

Logically, there's no reason not to go.

You're… right.

That's what my head tells me.

Umezono Karuta Club?

Abandoning everyone right now would be…

I appreciate how you must feel.

But it's your life we're talking about.

Nothing can come before that.

All right. Let's go.

Think about it.

This is the perfect chance for Miss Oe to make her dream come true.

I'd take it in a second.

But if she's hesitating,

it must be because she's concerned about us.

I don't want that.

I don't want to be a burden.

So what do we do now, then?

We'll take over where Miss Oe leaves off.

Develop the skills to win the tournament even without her.

I'd like to do that

and wait until she eventually talks to us.

What about my hakama?

Don't worry. I haven't forgotten about that, Yaku Moku.

I'll take care of that as well.

All right!

I find it hard to believe Miss Oe would leave us for Kyoto.

He's right, Meguru.

Would you be okay with that?

GET IN TOUCH ANYTIME IF YOU'RE UNSURE OF ANYTHING. ―OE

Parted we may be

But if on Mount Inaba

I hear the pine trees

Tell me that you wait for me

Let me introduce you to everyone.

This is Mr. Komano, our substitute coach for today.

He was Miss Oe's teammate back in high school.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

That's our strategy.

And this goes without saying, but you'll all need to improve

to win the Tokyo qualifier.

Let's all play plenty of singles games and aim to get promoted.

Yes. It'll be a level-up for all of Umezono.

I'm fond of collecting certificates, so I'll do it.

Now let's work on your individual strategies.

Yes, Coach.

It looks like Miss Oe negotiated practice times and locations

with clubs that make a lot of noise, like the concert band and music clubs.

Did she?

I guess we can't practice if we can't hear the poems.

She did so much to support us that we weren't even aware of.

So I spoke with them.

But I haven't spoken with the dance club yet.

Haru Bun, Fuki, Yaku Moku.

Is there anyone in dance club you could talk to?

No.

There isn't.

I know someone.

I'll go talk to them.

Chieri!

I still don't agree with all of this.

But… I don't want to be a burden either.

TOURNAMENT PREP CHECKLIST TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

Miss Aizawa!

Oh! Miss Oe.

Is your mother feeling better?

Yes, thankfully so.

That's good.

How come you're here?

It was just morning practice today.

I was free, so I thought I'd just do some cleaning…

You always wiped the mats like this after weekend practice, didn't you?

Yes.

Well, I'll be doing it from now on.

What? Where's this come from all of a sudden?

I started doing it. Investing in virtue.

Hopefully, I'll get a good return on it one day.

TELL ME THAT YOU WAIT FOR ME I SHALL HASTEN TO RETURN

"Parted we may be" is a farewell poem.

It means, "If you're waiting for me, I'll come straight home,"

and has often been used as an incantation since ancient times.

The second half would be pasted or hidden by the front door

with a wish that someone would one day return.

What's the matter?

Nothing.

Huh? Miss Oe's here too!

-Oh my! It's been a while. -It has.

-Shall we get started? -Yeah.

Oh? What's going on, everyone?

-Goodbye, Miss Oe. -Take care.

-Thank you. -Bye.

Let's all get a fortune slip--

I'm hungry.

-Shall we get a bite to eat? -Yeah.

You guys go on ahead.

-All right. -Got it.

-Miss Oe. -Yes?

They have a souvenir stamp!

-Do you collect them? -No.

-What the heck? -A souvenir stamp!

Wait, guys.

We were waiting for you.

Miss Oe has…

What about her?

She's made up her mind.

About what?

That she won't go to Kyoto.

She's staying here!

What do you mean?

So she'll stay on as coach until the Tokyo qualifier, she says.

Sota.

Did you ask her?

Yeah.

What?

What's with you all?

Aren't you happy?

I am.

I'm really happy.

-Right? -But it's wrong, Sota.

-What is? -It's totally wrong. Not like this.

Why not?

-Isn't it a good thing? -I wanted her to decide for herself.

And she did!

No! It's wrong, Sota!

We can't approach her about it. Why don't you get it?

No, I don't get it.

It never made sense, Miss Aizawa.

It's cold.

It's almost as if

you want to get rid of Miss Oe.

I want to get rid of her? What are you talking about?!

She's so kind.

So responsible.

She denies her own feelings just for our sakes.

But that's not right.

Yes, I'm really sad about it too.

But Miss Oe is a human being too.

She ought to be allowed to chase her own dreams.

She's the same as us, after all.

Please understand, Sota.

Maybe that darn Sota's not planning on showing up.

It's already time we checked in.

I guess this is as far as we go.

Guys.

Let's adjust our mindset.

If all of us manage to get promoted,

maybe Miss Oe can go to Kyoto with peace of mind.

We may be in different arenas today, but our hearts will be as one.

Let's do this, Umezono!

Right!

D-CLASS MATCHES VENUE

Let's have a good game.

Let's have a good game.

Hello.

Hello.

Oh?

Coach Oe! You're enthusiastic, coming here on a Sunday.

There's something I wanted to discuss with everyone.

Huh? I don't think they're here today though.

What?

I thought they had practice.

They got in touch earlier to say they're going for the singles.

Something about getting a promotion for Coach Oe's sake.

What?

What is in fact Yoshino

Under a snow-white blanket

Loud the crickets chirp On this dark and frosty night…

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Good work, everyone.

How'd it go?

We won. Both of us.

-Congrats! -And you guys?

We won.

-Nice! -Congratulations.

Miss Aizawa.

I'm sorry.

No.

I realized I said too much too.

I'm sorry.

I said a lot of stuff…

but to be honest,

I was just sad about the idea of losing Miss Oe too.

I've also denied my own feelings in the past.

So I get it.

I'll get that promotion.

So Miss Oe can have peace of mind.

Me too.

Let's give it our all.

Yes!

Unfortunately, only one of us can be promoted.

No holding back.

I'd have it no other way.

From high atop Mount Hiei

I shield it behind my sleeve

TOKYO KOKONOE TOURNAMENT

-You won the tournament? -Yeah.

You were tough, Shirano.

That's awesome!

Miss Oe!

Miss Oe?

Everyone,

I'm truly sorry to have caused you all this trouble.

I should have consulted you sooner.

No need to fret though. I'm not going anywhere--

Hey, Miss Oe.

Get a load of this.

We got promoted.

That's right!

-What? -So go to Kyoto with peace of mind.

You have nothing to worry about with us.

Huh?

We don't want to be a burden to you.

-But-- -Listen.

People who find their treasure in karuta are sure to have a bright future, right?

We can't have you not getting that.

Miss Oe!

Look at this.

Mine too.

I got promoted.

Thank you. Thank you, everyone.

Let's go to the after-party!

Where are we having it?

COMPETITIVE KARUTA CLUB

-Here? -Yes.

Very good.

I did it!

And you're all done!

Thank goodness.

This folding screen.

We used it at the school festival. Good memories.

Looking at it more closely, it's kind of beautiful, isn't it?

It depicts the chapters "Sekiya" and "Miotsukushi" from The Tale of Genji.

-"Miotsukushi"? -Do you remember?

I did a class about it back then.

You said it, didn't you?

That you'd be my miotsukushi.

Huh? No, I didn't.

I said I'd devote myself.

No, you said you'd be my navigation marker.

Huh? That's strange. Hold on a sec.

It works either way.

In other words, I'll devote myself to being your marker…

Now it's just confusing.

This kind of wordplay is just puns.

Yes, it is a pun, isn't it?

Maybe people in the past just liked puns.

It's true.

Miss Oe.

Look after yourself in Kyoto.

Even though it was me who had to be your marker…

it became the other way around at some point.

Thank you.

Well, I'll be going, then.

Please take care.

-Safe travels. -Thanks.

You like Miss Oe, don't you, Mr. Komano?

Of course I do.

We've been seeing each other for a little while now.

What?

It just took me ten years to tell her.

But she just left for Kyoto!

She sure did.

Don't say it so casually!

It looks like

this game's going right down to the wire.

What?

-Huh? -Whoa!

-It's really beautiful. -Thank you.

MIZUSAWA HIGH SCHOOL

Please tell us why you joined the karuta club.

KARUTA CLUB

I saw Miss Nagi's videos, and it looked really cool.

I was also invited by Miss Nagi.

She gave me the hard sell as well.

Miss Nagi asked me.

Stop it, all of you! You're making me sound like a weirdo!

You're not a weirdo. Just karuta crazy.

-Huh? -Okay, next person.

Well, as for me,

I wanted to wear a kimono,

and I couldn't decide between archery club and tea ceremony club,

but I settled on karuta club!

Subtitle translation by: Lewis Williams