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.
Arata wasn't in last year's national tournament.
Arata no estuvo en el torneo 
nacional del año pasado.
Arata no estuvo en el torneo 
nacional del año pasado.
Arata não estava no torneio nacional 
do ano passado.