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Bluray and DVD of Chihayafuru Musubi already released!

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    • The Bluray and DVD of Chihayafuru Musubi was released just last October 3. If you’re a huge fan of the live-action version, the anime and manga, you should definitely purchase a copy!

    Chihayafuru-manga and live-action

    The films of Chihayafuru were all based on the manga with the same title by Suetsugu Yuki which has won both the Manga Taisho Award and the Kodansha Manga Award. The movie trilogy stars uprising Japanese actors and actresses Hirose Suzu, Nomura Shuhei (Sagrada Reset) and Arata Mackenyu (Over Drive) and are directed by Director Koizumi Norihiro (The Liar and His Lover).

    “Karuta” and “Uta-garuta”

    Karuta (かるた) are playing cards that were introduced by the Portuguese to the Japanese during the mid-16th century. The cards that were introduced in the film “Chihayafuru” are the “Uta-garuta”. This is a card game in which 100 Japanese poems are written on two-sets of 100 cards. One set is “Yomifuda” which have the complete poem taken from the “Ogura Hyakunin Isshu” and the other is “Torifuda”. As the reader reads the “Yomifuda”, the players will race to find its associated “Torifuda” before anybody else does. As shown in the film, it is often possible to identify a poem by its first or two syllables. The Japanese people traditionally play this game during New Year’s eve. Competitive karuta are being held every January at the Omi shrine in Otsu, Shiga since 1955.

    Chihayafuru Bluray and DVD available editions

    There will be three versions for the new release of the Bluray and DVD of Chihayafuru that will be available in Amazon Japan in October. Two of which will only carry the third movie “Chihayafuru Musubi”. One will be a deluxe edition that will contain Bluray + DVD plus three clearfiles and the other is a standard edition Bluray + DVD. The manufacturer will also release a complete boxset of the trilogy. It will contain all the movies from Kami no Ku, Shimo no Ku and Musubi plus bonus features and three clear files if you purchase from Amazon Japan.

  • Chihayafuru Musubi Bluray + DVD deluxe edition with three bonus cleafiles

  • Chihayafuru Musubi Bluray + DVD standard edition

  • Chihayafuru complete boxset Bluray + DVD with three bonus cleafiles

    • Both the deluxe edition and the complete box set will contain a filming diary, a graduation message book and a bonus disc of special features that includes visual commentary, making-of, deleted scenes, connecting episodes, karuta competition commentary, event footage, cast discussion and TV spots.

    The Writer’s Personal Thoughts about Chihayafuru and the Release

    The film adaptations are beyond amazing. I’ve seen all the three films during the Japanese film festival here in the Philippines. The fans here in Manila were also so lucky to meet the director behind the films. Director Norihiro Koizumi graced the opening of the film festival last July 4th in Greenbelt 5, Makati City and the fans were given the chance to ask him some questions after the film viewing.

    I’ve been looking forward to seeing the film on silver screen since I am a huge fan of Perfume and Kaku Kento. Perfume was again responsible for the movie theme while Kaku Kento played as Suo Meijin or Master Suo. I honestly cried when the movie first started rolling since we rarely get to see Japanese films here in the Philippines. Most producers in Japan and local film distributors are still hesitant in bringing such films since there appears no market for it. Little by little, some local distributors are being open and are even bringing anime films.

    I haven’t seen the anime and read the manga but I was touched with the films. Director Koizumi, the whole cast and staff did a great job in doing their tasks for the films! This was Hirose Suzu’s first major project and I must say she did a good job in portraying Chihaya. Although according to the director that Nomura Shuhei is “struggling” with his acting skills, I believe he also did a great job in playing his character Taichi. As for Mackenyu, he really is a versatile actor! He can transform from being a brute character in Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure to a very gentle Arata. Matsuoka Mayu who acted as the queen of karuta played her role so elegantly. As for my favourite actor Kaku Kento, Director Koizumi only directed how low his voice should be and the rest of the acting was done by Kaku Kento himself. I am really proud! While for Perfume, the theme “Mugenmirai” is again a lovely song. “FLASH” was the theme for the first two movies and it was such a powerful song. The lyrics also consist of the word “Chihayafuru” and it sounds very nice.

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