The fifth episode of the drama series "Chihayafuru: Meguri" (NTV, Wednesdays at 10 PM), starring actress Ami Touma, aired on August 6th. In the episode, Meguri (Touma) and the Umezono Karuta Club compete in the Musashino Tournament. Yui Narumi appears as the advisor of the Adore Girls' Academy Competitive Karuta Club, who are their first-round opponents, and the episode has caused a stir on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers.
In episode 5, Meguru, who had lied to her family to attend the training camp, is confronted by her mother, Touko (Yuki Uchida), and father, Susumu (Jun Kaname), who slaps her. Meguru leaves the training camp with the final day remaining, and Kanade (Mone Kamishiraishi) and the other members see her off with mixed feelings.
Meguru, whose parents won't allow her to continue playing karuta, decides to quit the club after the next Musashino tournament. Meguru and her friends begin intense training, but in the first round of the Musashino tournament they find themselves up against an unexpectedly tough opponent: Adre Girls' Academy... and so the story unfolds.
In the episode, Narumi appears as the advisor of the Adore Girls' Academy Competitive Karuta Club, telling the players before the match against Umezono High School, "You've really worked hard this past year. Take each card seriously so you don't have any regrets."
Narumi says that her participation as an extra (a spectator at the final match) in the film "Chihayafuru: Musubi" (2018) was what inspired her to embark on the path to acting, and when the episode was featured on the drama's official website, comments such as "It's fate," "It's truly fate," and "This is truly a miraculous encounter" filled social media. Furthermore, Narumi also appeared in the currently airing NHK Asadora drama "Anpan" as Kotoko Oda, which led to comments such as "It's Kotoko!" and "Is she reincarnated from Anpan?"
