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Live-Action Chihayafuru Films' Videos Feature More Love Advice

TOHO began streaming two more collaboration videos between the upcoming live-action films of Yuki Suetsugu's Chihayafuru manga and NTV's ZIP! morning program on Wednesday and Thursday. The videos feature the character Chihaya (played by Suzu Hirose) quoting the Ogura Hyakunin Isshū, the collection of poems used in the karuta game, as advice on love.

The first video gives advice on people worrying that they might love someone so much that everyone around them notices it. Chihaya quotes poem 40 in the Hyakunin Isshū by Taira no Kanemori, which speaks of the difficulty of hiding whether one is in love, and to fully embrace it instead. Within the original manga's story, the poem is karuta Queen Shinobu Wakamiya's favorite, as it begins with her name.

The second video gives advice on people who constantly send messages and texts to their lovers, and expect a reply every time. Chihaya quotes poem 74 by Minamoto no Toshiyori, which compares the coldness of a lover's behavior to cold mountain gales. Chihaya advises that sending too many text messages may prove annoying to the other person, and that if they don't reply, one should instead tease them.

TOHO previously streamed two similar videos earlier this week.

The first film, Chihayafuru: Kami no Ku (Chihayafuru: Upper Phrase), will open on Saturday, and the second film, Chihayafuru: Shimo no Ku (Chihayafuru: Lower Phrase), will open on April 29.

The film stars (from left to right in below photo):

• Yūki Morinaga (Kanojo wa Uso o Ai Shisugiteru) as Tsutomu Komano, a member of the Mizusawa High School Competitive Karuta Club
• Yūma Yamato (Silver Spoon, Crows Explode) as Yūsei Nishida, a member of the Mizusawa High School Competitive Karuta Club
• Shūhei Nomura (Taifū no Noruda, live-action Daily Lives of High School Boys, Hibi Rock: Puke Afro and the Pop Star) as Chihaya's childhood friend Taichi Mashima
• Suzu Hirose (Crows Explode, Umimachi Diary, Mamoru Hosoda's The Boy and The Beast) as Chihaya Ayase
• Mackenyu (Kamen Rider Drive: Surprise Future) as Arata Wataya, the childhood friend who leads Chihaya and Taichi into the world of karuta
• Mone Kamishiraishi as Kanade Ōe, a member of the Mizusawa High School Competitive Karuta Club

Norihiro Koizumi (Midnight Sun, Kanojo wa Uso o Ai Shisugiteru, pictured far right) is directing the films.

The rest of the cast includes:

• Jun Kunimura (Black Rain, Kill Bill, live-action Attack on Titan's Kubal, The Wind Rises' Hattori) as Chiba's teacher and mentor Harada
• Mayu Matsuoka as the "karuta queen" Shinobu Wakamiya
• Miyuki Matsuda (Hot Road, ZOO) as the teacher Taeko Miyauchi at Chihaya's Mizusawa High School
• Hiroya Shimizu (Slayer's Chronicle) as Akihito Sudō, a member of the Hokuo Academy Competitive Karuta Club
• Ryōtarō Sakaguchi as Hiro Kinashi, a member of the Hokuo Academy Competitive Karuta Club

Pop group Perfume will perform the film's theme song "FLASH.