Chihaya is a girl in the sixth grade, still not old enough to even know the meaning of the word zeal. But one day, she meets Arata, a transfer student from rural Fukui prefecture. Though docile and quiet, he has an unexpected skill: his ability to play competitive karuta, a traditional Japanese card game.Chihaya is struck by his obsession with the game, along with his ability to pick out the right card and swipe it away before any of his opponents. However, Arata is transfixed by her as well, all because of her unbelievable natural talent for the game. Don't miss this story of adolescent lives and emotions playing out in the most dramatic of ways!
The finals tournament of the national team championships. Eight powerhouse schools that have won their way through their block preliminaries now face off in a single-elimination knockout tournament. Among the teams, Chihaya and the others find Megumu Ousaka, a girl they remember well from last year's match to decide who would challenge the Queen. How will Mizusawa High fare against the fierce attacks of a prominent school led by a candidate for Queen?!