The hugely popular anime "Chihayafuru" is based on a shojo manga that has been adapted into various formats, including anime and a live-action film. The anime in particular is gaining in popularity as the third season is about to begin airing. One of the most appealing aspects of "Chihayafuru" is the serious battles between high school students set in the competitive karuta club. In this article, we'll introduce one of the main characters in "Chihayafuru," Wataya Arata. Wataya Arata is a crucial character who inspires the protagonist, Ayase Chihaya, to discover the world of competitive karuta. Let's do some research before the third season of the anime begins to find out what kind of character he is and how he's involved in the story!
What kind of character is the key character, Arata Wataya?
Arata Wataya transferred from Fukui to Tokyo as an elementary school student and enrolled in the same elementary school as Chihaya and Taichi. He is a very important boy in the story, drawing them into the world of karuta. His karuta skills are impressive, and his grandfather is a lifetime karuta master! Arata himself won the national tournament for his grade every year from first grade through sixth grade. He has an outstanding memory, and Chihaya even reveres him as the "God of Karuta."
He looks like this
A boy with black hair and glasses. He has very poor eyesight and can't see anything without glasses. At first glance, he seems quiet, doesn't he?
What's his personality like?
Although he has a quiet personality, Arata Wataya also has a strong, determined side. He's shown a bit of maturity since elementary school, working part-time jobs and giving Chihaya advice about her dreams. He's also known for his sudden passion for karuta. At the same time, he's also kind-hearted, readily forgiving Taichi Mashima, who tried to win a karuta tournament by cheating in elementary school.
What was Arata Wataya like in elementary school?
The story of "Chihayafuru" begins with the elementary school days of protagonists Chihaya Ayase and Taichi Mashima. One day, Arata Wataya transfers to Chihaya and Taichi's class, where he is initially treated as an outsider and ostracized. At first, his classmates just play around with him, but the bullying gradually develops into serious bullying, especially with Taichi, the central figure in the class. However, Chihaya alone continues to treat Taichi the same as everyone else. Like Arata, Chihaya also experienced times when she was ostracized, but she never changed her attitude. As a result, she has a fateful encounter with karuta.
Chihaya and Karuta's Encounter
One day, Chihaya delivers something to Arata's house after he's absent from school. There, she plays karuta with him for the first time. Surprised by the seriousness of the match, Chihaya is overwhelmed by Arata's speed. This is when Chihaya awakens to the world of karuta. Until then, Chihaya hadn't had any particular aspirations, but from this moment on, she was instantly captivated by the appeal of karuta, and has continued to do so to this day. She then invites Taichi along, and the three of them become deeply immersed in the world of competitive karuta. Arata's presence had a profound impact on Chihaya, Taichi, and even the story itself.
Did he influence Chihaya? What is Arata Wataya's perspective on his dreams?
Until she became immersed in the world of karuta, Chihaya had no particular goals in life. Her beloved older sister was competing in a beauty contest, so her dream was for her to become number one in Japan. However, when she told Arata about this, he bluntly told her, "Your dreams have to be about yourself," and "It would be a shame for your sister if you got carried away." At first, Chihaya retorted, "What's that about?" and asked Arata to repeat his dream. Arata's dream is to "become the world's best karuta player." Competitive karuta is not yet widely accepted overseas. Arata explains that becoming number one in Japan is the same as becoming number one in the world. Hearing these words, Chihaya suddenly realized something. Chihaya, who had always been preoccupied with her older sister, began to desperately memorize the Hyakunin Isshu, and from there, her path began to open up. The saying "your dreams must be about yourself" is a great one.
What is Arata Wataya's competitive karuta style?
Arata Wataya has a genius memory. His karuta style is "protective karuta," similar to that of his late grandfather, in which he quickly captures cards from his own side. While Arata is usually calm and gentle, his expression during the competition is pure seriousness. He captures cards one after another with overwhelming speed. When Chihaya and Arata first played karuta together in elementary school, Chihaya was completely overwhelmed by the way Arata's cards kept piercing the wall with such force! This contrast with his usual self is what makes him so appealing.
Mackenyu Arata plays Arata Wataya in the live-action version of "Chihayafuru."
The live-action film "Chihayafuru," starring Suzu Hirose, was also incredibly popular! The acting of each cast member was perfect for each role. Among them, the role of Wataya Arata was played by the hugely popular actor Mackenyu Arata. In fact, it was this role that launched Mackenyu's rise to fame. At first, Mackenyu's stage name was just "Mackenyu," but he later changed it to "Arata Mackenyu," a play on Arata's name. It's amazing that a character's name can be used as a stage name. It must have been a role that he was very attached to.
A summary of Wataya Arata, a character from "Chihayafuru"!
That concludes our introduction to "Chihayafuru's" protagonist, Arata Wataya! While he may seem quiet at first glance, he's actually a slightly mature and insightful young man. Arata has many charms, but we're all curious to see how his romantic relationship with Chihaya will develop! We're looking forward to seeing how things develop in the third season of the anime. Thank you for reading this far.
