Ep 16. The Autumn Leaves of Mount Ogura

As the sixteenth episode of Chihayafuru's first season, The Autumn Leaves of Mount Ogura follows the main character Chihaya as she prepares for her upcoming karuta tournament. With only a few weeks until the competition, Chihaya realizes that she needs to improve her game if she wants to have a chance at winning. Despite her usual dedication and hard work, Chihaya is struggling to improve her skills and she turns to her friends for help.

The episode begins with Chihaya and her karuta club practicing together. As they play, Chihaya realizes that she is making mistakes that she shouldn't be making at this level of the game. Although she is trying her best, Chihaya is struggling to keep up with the other players and she feels like she is falling behind. With the tournament quickly approaching, Chihaya begins to feel the pressure and she worries that she won't be able to perform at her best when it matters most.

To make matters worse, Chihaya learns that her friend Arata, who is also a skilled karuta player, won't be able to attend the tournament due to a family obligation. Arata was Chihaya's inspiration to start playing karuta in the first place, and she feels disappointed that he won't be there to watch her compete.

Despite these setbacks, Chihaya refuses to give up. She decides to head to the shrine on Mount Ogura, a site famous for its autumn leaves, to clear her head and practice on her own. During her time there, Chihaya is interrupted by a young girl who asks her to play karuta with her. Despite her initial reluctance, Chihaya agrees and soon finds herself enjoying playing with the girl.

As they play together, Chihaya begins to realize that she has been too focused on the technical aspects of the game and has forgotten the joy of simply playing for the love of the game. She starts to have fun again and feels reinvigorated by her experience with the girl.

Meanwhile, Chihaya's friends Taichi and Nishida are also preparing for the tournament in their own ways. Taichi, who has always been Chihaya's rival, is focused on finally defeating her and is practicing diligently. Nishida, on the other hand, is working on perfecting his own unique style of play.

As the episode progresses, Chihaya returns to her karuta club and faces off against her friends in practice games. Although she is still struggling to keep up with them, she is able to appreciate the fun of playing karuta again and finds the strength to keep pushing forward.

The Autumn Leaves of Mount Ogura is a poignant episode that explores the pressure and anxiety that can come with preparing for a high-stakes competition. Through Chihaya's struggles, the episode highlights the importance of finding joy in the things we love and not allowing ourselves to become too consumed by our goals. With its beautiful animation and strong character development, it's a powerful addition to an already compelling series.