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| Chihayafuru: Full Circle Ends on a Bittersweet Note. Meguru and Team Fall Short but Find True Meaning of Youth |
Japanese drama Chihayafuru: Full Circle has completed its 10-episode run on NTV. Why the ending still resonates.
Recap of the Final Episode
The finale set up the ultimate showdown: Umezono High’s karuta club versus reigning champions Mizusawa High, with Meguru (Touma Ami) and her teammates carrying the hopes of their nearly disbanded club. The stakes? A precious ticket to the national championship.
The match unfolded with high tension. Kanade (Kamishiraishi Mone), now the reader, stood tall in her role, watched over by familiar faces like Chihaya (Hirose Suzu) in the stands.
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The atmosphere captured exactly what makes karuta so gripping – a mixture of tradition, speed, and raw emotion.
One by one, Umezono players began to fall behind. Murata Chieri (Arashi Lina) and Yakumo Chikara (Sakamoto Manato) couldn’t hold their ground.
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Meanwhile, news arrived that Hokuyo had surprisingly beaten Adore, meaning Umezono’s only way through was to upset Mizusawa directly.
The final cards became a meguri-ai (fateful encounter). Meguru gave it her all, whispering a quiet vow to her coach: win or lose, she had grown into herself.
The last card slipped just out of her hand – Mizusawa triumphed 4-1.
Instead of despair, the gym echoed with applause. The “defeated” were celebrated, and Kanade’s tears confirmed her growth into the very reader she once dreamed of becoming.
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Characters Wrapped
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Meguru (Touma Ami) – She may have lost the nationals spot, but she gained clarity: what she was chasing wasn’t just victory, but the bonds of her team.
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Kanade (Kamishiraishi Mone) – Once a shy girl in the original story, now a poised reader, fulfilling her teenage promise. Her presence stitched the past to the present.
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Chihaya (Hirose Suzu, cameo) – Not the star this time, but her shining-eyed support from the sidelines reminded viewers of the torch passing from one generation to the next.
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The Umezono Team – From Murata Chieri’s grit to Yakumo Chikara’s near win, each carried the weight of revival. Their near-upset of the champions is a victory in spirit.
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Chihayafuru: Full Circle Ending Explained
The drama deliberately dodged the “easy win” trope. Instead of giving the protagonist an underdog miracle, it grounded the finale in reality: talent, history, and persistence matter.
Umezono lost – but not in vain.
Meguru’s discovery was simple yet powerful: the treasure wasn’t a trophy, but the team itself, and the fact that their fight against the champions was worth everything.
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By showing Kanade still “in a team” even years after high school, the series underlined its central message – youth doesn’t vanish, it transforms.
Fans online were split, with some gutted by the loss but many touched by the honesty. The writers wanted to honour the spirit of Chihayafuru: not just chasing crowns, but finding your place in the flow of time and friendship.
TLDR + Short Review
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Chihayafuru: Full Circle/Meguri (2025) ends bittersweetly. Meguru and Umezono lose to Mizusawa in the final qualifier, dashing their national dreams.
Yet the loss brings growth, understanding, and the realisation that youth is about the journey, not just the trophy.
Short Review: With 10 episodes, the dorama balanced nostalgia and new energy. While some fans hoped for a “fairytale win,” the finale’s realism gave it a mature edge. A solid continuation that felt like a true full circle.
FAQs
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Q: Did Umezono make it to the nationals?
No. They lost 4-1 to Mizusawa in the final match, just one step away from the championship.
Q: Why did the ending surprise fans?
Because many assumed the underdog Umezono would win dramatically. Instead, the show chose a realistic and bittersweet close.
Q: What role did Kanade play in the finale?
She was the reader for the final match, fulfilling her old dream and symbolising the bridge between past and present.
Q: What does the ending mean for Meguru?
Meguru realises her true victory lies in the bonds with her team, not just in titles. Her smile at the end shows acceptance and growth.
Q: Is this the final Chihayafuru story?
The dorama closes the current arc, but the message leaves the door open for future generational stories. After all, karuta – like youth – is endless.
Photo: NTV