Ep 1. Poem 1: Summer eventide English Dub

As the sun sets on a summer evening, the second season of Chihayafuru kicks off its third episode. Titled "Poem 1: Summer Eventide," this episode sees the return of Chihaya Ayase and her competitive karuta team as they gear up for their next challenge.

The episode starts with a recap of the first two seasons, reminding viewers of how far Chihaya has come since she first fell in love with the Japanese card game karuta as a child. We see glimpses of her training, her friendships with her teammates, and her blossoming romance with childhood friend Taichi.

Once the recap is complete, we are introduced to the new challenge the karuta team will be facing: a team tournament called the Tokyo Regional Finals. The tournament spans three days, and the team will be competing against some of the strongest karuta players in the city.

Chihaya, Taichi, and the rest of the team are excited but nervous -- they know this will be their toughest competition yet. As they head to their hotel to rest up before the tournament, they take some time to explore the city and enjoy the summer night.

The episode is full of beautiful visuals, from the neon lights of Tokyo to the serene beauty of a moonlit river. The animation is crisp and bright, capturing the excitement and wonder of the characters as they take in the city around them.

As the night wears on, the team finds themselves at a karaoke bar, singing their hearts out to a crowd of strangers. It's an unexpected moment of joy and levity, reminding us that even as they face this high-pressure competition, they are still just a group of friends who love each other and love the game.

The episode ends with the team back in their hotel room, resting up for the tournament ahead. As they go to sleep, we can feel the excitement and tension building -- we know that they are about to face some of the strongest karuta players in the city, and that every round will be a battle.

Overall, "Poem 1: Summer Eventide" is a strong start to the third episode of Chihayafuru Season 2. It strikes a great balance between setting up the stakes of the upcoming tournament and giving us some much-needed character development and moments of levity. Fans of the series will be eagerly anticipating the rest of the season to see how Chihaya and her team fare in the competition ahead.