• I have to admit, I'm not knowledgeable about kurata at all - but the film (based on the anime series) was exciting, fun, and quite satisfying.

    Chihaya Ayase (perky, beautiful Suzu Hirose) scrapes together a five-some of kurata players at school; she's so intense after a match that she falls fast asleep afterwards. She's always liked Arata (Mackenyu), a kurata champion through generations, but another player loves Chihaya too, making for a rivalry on several levels.

    Director Norihiro Koizumi captures the excitement and frustrations with high level kurata play, but it's the humor that makes the film so infectiously enjoyable. Suzu Hirose is particularly funny, a whirlwind of nervous energy.