©Yuki Suetsugu

16th Manga Division Jury Selections

Chihayafuru

SUETSUGU Yuki [Japan]

Outline

This is a story of youth, specifically of sixthgrader Chihaya and her friends, who are obsessed with the card game Hyakunin-isshu (“100 poems by 100 poets”). Chihaya and Taichi meet Arata, a transfer student from another school who introduces them to the game. The three become inseparable friends, but upon graduation they go their separate ways. Years pass, but when Chihaya enters high school she runs into Taichi again and they form a card game club. When they advance to a national tournament, they find that Arata is competing too.