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The trilogy follows Chihaya Ayase's heartfelt and inspirational journey as she pursues her passion for the traditional Japanese card game, karuta. In the first film, Chihaya falls in love with karuta through Arata, a transfer student. After parting ways, Chihaya and her friend Taichi start a karuta club, hoping to reunite with Arata. In the second film, Chihaya and her team prepare for the national tournament. However, challenges arise as Arata quits competitive karuta and rival Shinobu Wakamiya emerges, causing Chihaya to reconsider her love for the game. The third film shows Chihaya as a high school senior, striving to achieve her dreams, overcome personal struggles, and lead her karuta club to success. Themes of passion, friendship, rivalry, and personal growth are explored, creating an emotional journey.
When Chihaya Ayase was in the 6th grade of elementary school, she met Arata Wataya. Arata Wataya transferred from Fukui Prefecture. Taichi Mashima was Chihaya Ayase's friend since they were little. Arata got close to Chihaya and Taichi from the card game karuta. Four years later, Chihaya is a high school student. Chihaya learns that Arata, who went back to Fukui Prefecture, doesn't play karuta anymore. Believing they will meet Arata again, Chihaya and Taichi starts a karuta club at their high school.
After successfully won the Tokyo qualifying tournament, Chihaya and her friends are set to go on to the nationals. As they prepare, Chihaya is faced with new personal issues as her childhood friend and inspiration, Arata, has announced that he has quit competitive karuta. Not only that, but a new rival emerges in the reigning female champion karuta player, Shinobu Wakamiya, a karuta prodigy who became the nation's and the world's greatest female karuta player as a 9th grader. All of this forces Chihaya to reexamine her love of the game in the midst of preparing for one of the biggest tournaments of the year.
Story takes place 2 years after "Chihayafuru Part 2" and Chihaya is now a high school senior.