Chihayafuru Vol. 1 Kindle & comiXology

I've been a big fan of this manga for years now and am ecstatic to see it available officially in English.The story begins with Chihaya as a young girl, falling in love with the game of Karuta, alongside her two friends Wataya Arata and Mashima Taichi. The first volume masterfully establishes the bond between the three of them, which is the foundation upon which the story as a whole is built. The artwork is beautiful, and though only a few characters are introduced in this volume, there are so many fantastic characters to look forward to as the story progresses. The characters are, I feel, Chihayafuru's strongest point. There are no true antagonists, only rivals who receive the same care and development as the main characters. Even the most periphery characters have a story, and Suetsugu is fantastic at imbuing them with the sense that their lives continue outside of the brief times we see them.Kodansha have stated that, if there is enough interest/sales are decent enough, Chihayafuru will receive a physical release too. And for those that enjoy this first volume, there is also a two season anime adaptation that really does justice to this beautiful manga!