Was Chihayafuru anime canceled or axed? Some fans believe it ended earlier than expected for a number of reasons.
In this article, we break down the main factors behind Chihayafuru anime’s situation.
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Was Chihayafuru anime Season4 Canceled or Axed? Reasons Explained
The anime adaptation of Chihayafuru was likely discontinued, as no sequel has been announced for more than five years since Season 3 and the story has not been adapted to its conclusion.
“Chihayafuru” was serialized in “BE・LOVE” from the February 2008 issue through the September 2022 issue.
The film adaptation was released as a two-part series: *Chihayafuru: The First Part* on March 19, 2016, and *Chihayafuru: The Second Part* on April 29 of the same year. Subsequently, the concluding installment, *Chihayafuru: The Final Chapter*, was released on March 17, 2018.
It was also adapted into an anime series; the first season aired from October 4, 2011, to March 27, 2012, the second season from January 11, 2013, to June 28, 2013, and the third season from October 23, 2019, to March 25, 2020.
It looked like Season 3 had been canceled.
It seems the third season of the “Chihayafuru” anime had a lot of scenes cut toward the end, making it feel like it was abruptly canceled.
そういやちはやふるのアニメ３期まで完走したんだけどこれもしかしてアニメの次シーズンは作られる気配ないやつか？？？ちょこっと情報検索したら３期の終わり方が完全に打ち切りのそれだったっぽくて続き気になるやんか…
— こまけだ (@komakedara_jk) February 23, 2024
Since the original manga is still ongoing, the possibility of an anime adaptation isn’t entirely out of the question; however, it has been pointed out that producing a new season would be difficult due to production schedule and budget constraints.
As viewers, there is a strong desire to see how Chihaya and the others grow and to find out the outcome of the Meijin and Queen tournaments, and it seems many are satisfying that desire by continuing to read the original manga.
While it is expected that calls for a sequel to the anime will continue, there have been no new announcements as of now.
failed to capitalize on the movie's popularity
The anime adaptation of *Chihayafuru* aired its third season in 2019, following the release of the final installment of the popular live-action film series in 2018; however, it’s possible that the anime failed to fully capitalize on the film’s popularity.
The live-action film generated significant buzz thanks to its casting of young actors and Perfume’s theme song, but it’s possible that the synergistic effect with the anime wasn’t fully realized.
Furthermore, since the target audiences for the film and the anime differ, the excitement surrounding the film may not have directly translated into higher viewership ratings or DVD sales for the anime.
Consequently, it is speculated that investment and interest in producing a sequel waned, ultimately leading to the third season ending in a manner that felt like a premature cancellation.
The final episode of the original manga sparked mixed reactions, which also affected the anime
The ending of the original *Chihayafuru* manga—in which the protagonist, Chihaya Ayase, was expected to end up with Shin Wataya, devoted solely to karuta—instead caused a massive backlash when she chose Taichi, so if the anime had aired this ending, it would almost certainly have sparked a similar controversy.
In the original manga’s final chapter, Chihaya’s decision to choose Taichi came as a surprise to many fans, sparking a storm of mixed reactions on social media.
This ending drew particular criticism from readers who supported the relationship between Chihaya and Shin, which affected the overall reception of the series.
Consequently, it has been suggested that if the anime production team had adopted this ending, they might have decided against producing a sequel out of fear of further backlash and viewer resentment.
As a result, it is speculated that they chose to abruptly conclude the story with Season 3 and opted not to adapt the final chapter of the original manga into the anime.
How far does the final episode of the *Chihayafuru* anime go? Where does the original manga pick up?
The “Chihayafuru” anime aired for three seasons and covered up to Volume 27.
Therefore, if you want to follow the story after the third season of the anime, you can start reading from Volume 28.
By the way, the “anime” is progressing as shown in the table below.
| Anime | Manga |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | Volumes 1–9 |
| Season 2 | Volumes 9–17 |
| Season 3 | Volumes 18–27 |
⇒Watch the anime “Chihayafuru” on Amazon Prime Video
Final Thoughts on Chihayafuru anime Season4
In conclusion, there are strong signs that Chihayafuru anime may have been canceled.
Overall, several factors discussed above likely influenced how Chihayafuru anime ended.
The anime may have struggled to continue because it was unable to fully build on the attention created by the live-action films, and the final ending received mixed reactions.
However, Chihayafuru was clearly a series that inspired strong passion among its readers. The fact that so many fans remain invested in it shows how engaging the story was.
It may still be worth checking out for yourself.
⇒Watch the anime “Chihayafuru” on Amazon Prime Video
