Sixth grade was when Ayase Chihaya met Wataya Arata, the transfer student from Fukui. The shy and quiet Arata was hiding a surprising talent. He knew how to play the competitive karuta version of Ogura's Hundred Poets. Chihaya is stunned by the intensity Arata displays when playing karuta.

Chihaya's proclamation leads to a showdown between Mashima Taichi and the transfer student Arata, who is being shunned by their class. The stubborn Taichi, who's upset by how close Chihaya and Arata have gotten, steals Arata's glasses in the middle of the tournament. Arata, good as he may be, is unable to take cards without his glasses. That is when Chihaya steps in to take his place.

Chihaya, Taichi, and Arata visit the local Shiranami Karuta Society and meet the chairman, Harada, and a member who's their age, Kinashi Hiro (Retro-kun). When Harada sees them playing against Retro-kun in a team Genpei match, he realizes Chihaya's talent and invites her to join. After Harada tells Chihaya that learning the poems is like making 100 new friends, she begins to realize her own dream.

Arata returns with his family to Fukui after his grandfather falls ill. The three of them believe that as long as they continue to play karuta, they will be reunited. Now in high school, Chihaya has entered a tournament to qualify for Class A so Taichi will help her start a karuta club. Once Taichi sees how Chihaya is enjoying herself, he finds himself being swayed—

After Chihaya hears Arata say that he quit playing karuta, she and Taichi make a trip to Arata's home in Fukui. Once they find Arata, Chihaya is thrilled and suggest that they play karuta together again, but Arata turns her down. He's no longer the same boy he used to be. So Chihaya tries to learn the truth—

After Ms. Miyauchi tells Chihaya that she needs five members to start an official club, Chihaya starts recruiting. One day, Oe Kanade, a fan of classical literature whose family owns a traditional clothing store, visits the karuta club. She is shocked by the gap between the elegant karuta of the Imperial Court and competitive karuta. However, Chihaya wants Kanade to realize how fun competitive karuta can be.

Kanade has joined the karuta club as the third member, while Chihaya continues to recruit members. First, she scouts the second-smartest student in their grade, Komano Tsutomu, who happens to be in her class. Chihaya calls him Desktomu-kun. However, he tells her that karuta is just a game and he would rather spend that time studying. Chihaya insists that Desktomu-kun play a game first and she drags him to the clubroom.

The karuta club only needs one more member to become an official club. Chihaya and the other members continue working to recruit members, but they're having trouble finding anyone who's interested in joining. But then one day, Chihaya runs into Porky, her old opponent from back when she was in grade school. Porky is on the tennis team and he refuses to join the karuta club. However, Chihaya perceives that Porky still loves karuta, so she challenges him to a match.

The karuta club has become an official club. Chihaya announces that the five of them will make it to the national tournament. The beginners, Kana-chan and Desktomu-kun, are worried, but Chihaya shows no mercy. Chihaya is set on making a strong karuta team and aiming for the top. And so, they decided to hold a camp.

Mizusawa High School karuta club makes its debut at the Tokyo regionals for the national championship. Mizusawa successfully makes it past the group stage. Desk-kun, who was unable to win a single match, feels that he isn't needed and says that he isn't going to play. Taichi realizes how Desk-kun feels, so he makes a decision as the club president to bring the team together.

The Mizusawa karuta club has advanced to the finals to face a regular fixture at the national tournament, Hokuo Academy. As the match begins, Mizusawa is unable to go on the offensive, and Chihaya is distracted when her opponent, Sudo, begins to taunt her. However, she soon learns to play as a team, that every card she takes is a point for the team...

After qualifying for the national tournament, the Mizusawa karuta members attempt to bolster their weaknesses. Chihaya and Taichi practice with the Shiranami Society while Porky, Desktomu-kun and Kana-chan practice with the Suihoku Karuta Society. Chihaya is overwhelmed by the pressure of the national tournament, but then she receives support from an unexpected source.

The Mizusawa High School Karuta Club members visit the Omi Jingu shrine to pray for their victory. However, Chihaya is acting strangely during her match. Meanwhile, Arata reflects upon his separation from karuta and his grandfather as he heads towards Omi Jingu.

Chihaya has recovered in time for the individual tournament. Players are grouped by their rank, and the youngest Queen in history, Wakamiya Shinobu, is in the Class A bracket, and Chihaya's second round opponent. Chihaya is overwhelmed by the Queen's ability and unable to take a single card. As she's about to give up, she remembers her first match against Arata back in grade school—

Chihaya is helpless against the Queen, but she still manages to take a few cards. But this match has taken her one step closer to understanding what true strength is. Meanwhile, Taichi has advanced to the Class B final. The Mizusawa High School karuta club members have gathered to cheer him on. Taichi has shown that he is willing to move forward, but can he achieve victory?

A recap and some animated four-panel comics.

The national tournament has ended, and the members of Mizusawa's karuta club have established some individual goals. Taichi and Porky need to reach Class A. Kana-chan and Desktomu-kun need to start playing in tournaments. And Chihaya is practicing for the East qualifier. However, Dr. Harada suddenly tells Chihaya to stop taking cards with her speed, and she has to rethink how she plays karuta.

Chihaya finally gets to play her first Class A match, while the other members are looking to advance their rank through a strong tournament showing. Chihaya's opponent Kanai Sakura, who has 35 years of karuta experience. Chihaya is faster, but she has trouble taking cards. Her opponent constantly moves cards into positions that are difficult for her, and Chihaya soon realizes how tough Class A is. Will Chihaya be able to learn something from her match with Sakura?

The finals have begun. The Class D final is between Kana-chan and Desktomu-kun. The Class B final is between Taichi and Porky. Both finals pit Mizusawa players against each other. Chihaya watches and learns as teammates and rivals battle it out.

The Mizusawa High School karuta club is gaining experience by participating in tournaments. However, Chihaya's grades are so bad that she is no longer allowed to participate, leaving Taichi to attend the next tournament by himself. There, he runs into Arata, who's returned to karuta. When Taichi and Chihaya see Arata playing karuta...

Chihaya is playing in the East Queen qualifier for a chance to face the Queen again. Her first opponent is the grade schooler Ririka, said to be a child prodigy. As Chihaya watches Ririka use speed play karuta, she begins to understand what it means to play karuta without speed.

Chihaya's next opponent is the previous Queen, Yamamoto Yumi. Chihaya recalls the previous Queen being a very tenacious player. While Chihaya is fired up for her match against her opponent, Yumi is clearly not as interested in the match, which only serves to enflame Chihaya.

Chihaya lost to Yumi by four cards. The loss is a painful one, but after watching Dr. Harada and Tsuboguchi play their hearts out, she realizes she still has much to learn. Meanwhile, Arata lost in the fourth round of the West qualifier. He regrets spending time away from karuta and practices hard to make up. Both of them are learning and taking the next step forward.

The Mizusawa karuta club is watching the Queen match and Master match at Taichi's home. The Queen has put on a great deal of weight, which makes it difficult for her to move as Yumi successfully takes cards away from her. Will the Queen be dethroned?

Everybody is shocked after hearing that Master Suo plays karuta with 28 one-syllable cards. Chihaya, Arata, Taichi, and the other karuta club members do some soul searching as they attempt to move forward.

A new school year has started and the Karuta club must get new members or face penalties. Discussing the goals of the club, Chihaya discovers the team is not as unified as she thought.

At the Shiranami Society, Taichi plays Tsuboguchi, who has graduated from college and is now a high school teacher.

It is time for the High School Karuta Championship; the first years are amazed by the skill level of their upperclassman. Wataya continues his goal to the National High School Championships.

Be it luck or skill, Tai seems to falter under pressure. The team needs three wins to proceed and their upcoming opponents are new and trained by an old friend.

The final two teams in the competition is a repeat of Mizusawa vs. Hokuo. Chihaya wants to challenge them straight up, no tricks. A player on the Hokuo team will make sure it happens.

Individually, Mizusawa players have grown, but Hokuo will try to use Mizusawa's lack of team playing experience to take back the Tokyo regional trophy.

The deal was to get 5 new members for the Karuta club. Chihaya has to figure out a way to keep the room and deal with the band club.

The national championship has begun. Mizusawa High School's first opponent is a tam of foreigners from the Chiba International School of Information Studies. Chihaya is elated that karuta has become an international sport, but the other members are thrown off by the unfamiliar situation. Will Mizusawa High School be able to secure their first victory on their way to becoming number one in Japan? At the same time, Arata arrives at Omi Jingu alone.

One wrong decision can ruin Arata's chance this season to make his comeback…

Mizusawa's next opponent is a group of geniuses that has been sweeping the Karuta scene.

Mizusawa has finally made it to the first round of the High School Championship playoffs. However, Porky says that they should play without Desk-kun. After looking at Desk-kun's notebook, she agrees that they should leave him out of the lineup. Their opponent is Shoyo High school, representing Kyoto. Will Porky and Desk-kun be able to make peace?

In the second round of the playoffs, Mizusawa faces off against Akashi Girls First, led by Ousaka Megumu, the West representative in the previous Queen match qualifier. Chihaya falls behind off the bat as Megumu displays speed that she didn't have before. Will Chihaya be able to use all of her hard work to change the momentum?

Chihaya appears to have recovered from her bad start, but Megumu will not let her take consecutive cards. As the players spur on their aces, both sides begin to pull together as teams. Which team will prove to be stronger?

Mizusawa and Akashi's match has reached the tipping point and each side starts winning games; the pressure between Chihaya and Megumu have captivated the crowd.

Tsukuba finally gets his chance to play due to Kana's injury, but will he be able to keep his composure in such an important match? Meanwhile, the team members of Fujisaki are waiting to see what player Coach Sakurazawa will switch for the final match.

A look back on season 2.

Fujisaka's training has proven to be a major hurdle to Mizusawa thanks to the training regimen demanded by their coach, Sakurazawa. Rion continues her lead over Chihaya thanks to her familiarity of the reader's voice. Doubts and injury plague Chihaya and her team as they fight to stay in the game.

A new found passion has brought Misuzawa back into the fight, as Chihaya herself tries to fight through the pain of her injury.

Three wins for the victory. Taichi's declaration provides encouragement to the remaining players. The Mizusawa karuta club uses all of their experience and practice to fight to the end.

The Mizusawa karuta club has won the team championship, becoming the number one team in Japan. The players reflect upon the path they took to the championship. After Chihaya remembers the pain in her finger, she is taken to the hospital.

Chihaya has injured her right hand, so she's forced to play with her left. Her first opponent is Yuube, from Akashi First Girls. Chihaya struggles to take cards with her left hand. Will she be able to make it past the first round?

Chihaya has advanced to the quarterfinals. Her opponent is the Queen, Wakamiya Shinobu. Chihaya decides to go all in and use her injured right hand. How will Shinobu respond? How will Chihaya fare?

The Class A Finals pit Arata vs Shinobu, Class B is between Taichi and Rion in the same area where Komano is participating in the Class C Final. Chihaya is stuck between supporting Taichi and Komano or experiencing the match between Arata and Shinobu.

With a packed house watching who could be the new King and Queen, Chihaya and Taichi are ushered in by Sakurazawa. The atmosphere is tense; who will win?

With winners and losers riding emotional waves, Chihaya is sent a video of the Class A final, and while watching, it stirs of memories of playing Karuta with Arata.

Im Juli hat der Karuta-Club der Mizusawa-Oberschule zum ersten Mal den Teamwettkampf des Nationalturniers gewonnen. Doch es geht ohne Verschnaufpause weiter: Chihaya und Taichi haben sich vorgenommen, am Trainingscamp der Fujisaki-Schule teilzunehmen.

Die Sommerferien sind vorbei und das zweite Halbjahr beginnt. Nachdem er festgestellt hat, dass Teams Karuta noch interessanter machen, überwindet Arata sich dazu, einen Karuta-Club an seiner Schule zu eröffnen. Unterdessen haben die Mitglieder des Karuta-Clubs der Mizusawa-Oberschule damit begonnen, sich auf die Qualifikation für Königinnen und Meister vorzubereiten. Allerdings erfahren sie etwas, das schon an ihrer Teilnahme zweifeln lässt …

Beim Yoshino-Turnier treffen Schüler und Erwachsene in vielen eindrucksvollen Kämpfen aufeinander. Unter den Teilnehmern ist auch Inokuma Haruka, die ehemalige Königin, die gerade aus dem Mutterschaftsurlaub zurückgekehrt ist. Und obwohl Chihaya sich von ihrer Fingeroperation erholt hat und ihre dominante Hand wieder benutzen kann, ist sie nicht ganz in Topform. Derweil weiß Taichi nicht, was er davon halten soll, dass Arata einen Karuta-Club eröffnet hat.

Chihaya, Taichi, Tsuboguchi und Dr. Harada, allesamt Mitglieder des Shiranami-Vereins, haben es ins Viertelfinale geschafft. Sie gehen als Team in die nächste Runde, doch Chihaya sitzt nun Inokuma Haruka gegenüber, der ehemaligen Königin, die diesen Titel viermal in Folge gewinnen konnte. Inokumas Spielweise ist so ungewöhnlich, dass Chihaya große Schwierigkeiten hat.

Mit Inokuma, der Königin, die den Titel viermal in Folge gewonnen hat; Sudō, der seine Gegner allein mit Worten aus dem Konzept bringt; Murao, der Nr. 4 des Nagumo-Vereins und Arata, der die Siegessträhne der Königin beendet hat, stehen dem Shiranami-Verein starke Gegner gegenüber. Doch Haradas Verbissenheit bringt die anderen drei wieder in die Offensive. Keiner weiß, wie diese vier Kämpfe ausgehen werden!

Die Zuschauer des Yoshino-Turniers bekommen einiges geboten: Arata wurde trotz hohen Erwartungen geschlagen und Taichi, der gerade erst zu Gruppe A aufgestiegen ist, kommt ins Finale. Nun ist es Zeit für das Duell zwischen Taichi und Chihaya – Teamkameraden, die schon in ihrer Grundschulzeit zusammen geübt haben.

Bei ihrem Kampf hat Taichi nur noch Chihaya im Kopf, während er laufend seine Strategie anpasst. Chihaya hat Schwierigkeiten, weil seine Spielweise so sehr vom Gewohnten abweicht, aber womöglich macht es das zum besten Duell, das sie je gegeneinander ausgetragen haben. Das Ende des Finales ist in Sicht, doch Chihayas Wunsch, Königin zu werden, steht im Konflikt zu ihren Zukunftsträumen. Turnier oder Klassenfahrt?

Chihaya hat sich für die Klassenfahrt entschieden, um ihrem Zukunftstraum verwirklichen zu können, Lehrerin zu werden. Jedoch ist sie die ganze Zeit in Gedanken an Taichi und seine Meisterschaftsqualifikation verloren. Harada und Inokuma nehmen ebenfalls an der Ostjapan-Qualifikation teil. Gerade als Taichi sich still zu motivieren versucht, kommt ihm jemand in die Quere, mit dem er nicht gerechnet hat. In Westjapan macht unterdessen Meister Suō Arata gegenüber eine überraschende Bemerkung.

Arata spielt, während Meister Suōs Worte ihm nicht aus dem Kopf gehen, und Taichi hat es mit einem mächtigen Gegner zu tun, während er über Dr. Haradas Rat grübelt. Chihaya ist unterdessen so sehr mit Gedanken an Taichis und Aratas Spiele beschäftigt, dass sie vergessen hat, warum sie eigentlich mit auf die Klassenfahrt gekommen ist. Selbst die Ausstellung der hundert Dichter kann sie nicht aus ihren Gedanken reißen. Ihre Klassenkameradin Michiru beschließt, etwas dagegen zu unternehmen …

Arata spielt gegen Murao im Finale für die Westjapan-Qualifikation. Von diesem Sieg hängt ab, ob er um den Meisterschaftstitel spielen darf.

Dr. Harada rückt unerwartet ins Herausforderer-Finale vor und ist nun entschlossen, Meister zu werden. Dafür braucht er die volle Unterstützung seiner Schüler. Taichi soll für ihn Arata imitieren und Dr. Harada merkt nicht, wie er damit Salz in Taichis Wunden reibt. Auch Chihaya bleibt nicht tatenlos und überlegt sich, wie Suō spielen würde …

Dr. Harada steht im Herausforderer-Finale Arata gegenüber. Er hat seinen Gegner gründlich studiert, doch Arata hat einige Tricks auf Lager, die Dr. Harada noch nicht kennt. Dennoch waren seine Vorbereitungen nicht fruchtlos …

Da sich Dr. Harada vom zweiten Spiel zurückgezogen hat, treten nur die Frauen darum an, die Königin herausfordern zu dürfen. Nachdem sich das Spiel entschieden hat, steht das Entscheidungsmatch gegen Arata an. Doch als Arata den Raum betritt, erinnert er Dr. Harada vielmehr an einen alten Bekannten …

Dr. Haradas Spiel gegen Arata steht kurz vor der Entscheidung, doch beide machen es äußerst spannend. Es könnte knapper nicht sein. Nach dem Spiel hat Arata Chihaya etwas Wichtiges mitzuteilen …

Im Klubraum ist die Stimmung wegen der anstehenden Prüfungen und Aratas Geständnis angespannt. Als Suō Chihaya auf ein Spiel einlädt, zögert sie keine Sekunde. Doch er ist nicht umsonst Meister und seine Strategie ist einzigartig.

Weihnachten steht an und alle versammeln sich bei den Tsukubas. Dort beschließen sie, das Meister- und Königinnenspiel im Ōmi Jingū zu besuchen. Doch als sie dort ankommen, ist Arata nirgends zu finden. Dann betreten die Spieler die Bühne …

Das Meister- und Königinnenspiel geht los und bereits zu Beginn ist klar, dass dies kein gewöhnliches Spiel wird. Während Suō die Sache gar nicht ernst zu nehmen scheint, verfolgen Shinobu und Haruka fast die gleiche Taktik. Bereits das erste Spiel könnte knapper kaum sein …

Shinobu merkt, dass sie ganz allein ist und Chihaya weiß, dass sie einen Fehler begangen hat. Für Dr. Harada steht derweil alles auf dem Spiel. Nur ein Sieg fehlt ihm zum Meistertitel und er ist entschlossen, jede erdenkliche Schwäche Suōs auszunutzen, um zu gewinnen …

Die Titelspiele neigen sich dem Finale zu. Shinobu hat zu alter Stärke zurückgefunden, doch auch Inokuma läuft auf Hochtouren. Dr. Harada hat einen großen Vorsprung gegenüber Suō, doch dann wird auch Suō aktiv und die Lage ändert sich schlagartig …

Das Meisterspiel geht in die letzte Runde – das alles entscheidende Spiel für Suō und Dr. Harada. Auch Arata taucht auf und nach dem Ende des Spiels macht er trotz seines angeschlagenen Zustands eine wichtige Ankündigung.

Taichi ist in Kyōto geblieben, um wie Arata an den Takamatsunomiya-Spielen teilzunehmen, während Chihaya und die anderen in Tōkyō im Neujahrsturnier antreten. Als Taichi schließlich gegen Arata spielen muss, weiß er nicht, wie er ihm in die Augen blicken soll …

Nach den Takamatsunomiya-Spielen wirkt Taichi extrem niedergeschlagen. Bald ist Valentinstag und Chihaya, Kana und Sumire haben einen Plan, um ihn aufzumuntern und dem Club zu neuer Energie zu verhelfen. Doch am Valentinstag hat Sumire noch etwas anderes vor …

Im Taichi-Cup treten 36 Karuta-Spiele in 12 Gruppen an, um Taichis Geburtstag zu feiern. Der Sieger soll einen Kuss von Taichi bekommen. Nach den Spielen ist Taichi allein mit Chihaya im Clubraum und beschließt, dass er nicht länger passiv bleiben will …

Das neue Schuljahr beginnt und ohne Taichi und Chihaya steht der Mizusawa-Karuta-Club vor einer neuen Herausforderung. Unterdessen gründet auch Arata in Fukui einen Karuta-Club und strebt einen Sieg bei der Oberschul-Meisterschaft an. Doch noch weiß er nicht, was bei Chihaya und Taichi vorgefallen ist …