Chihaya Ayase, Taichi Mashima, Yusei Nishida, Kanade Oe, and Tsutomu Komano are in the same grade. Sumire Hanano and Akihiro Tsukuba are in the same grade. They are all members of the Mizusawa High School Karuta Club and get along well! Update: Wow, over 50k hits! Thank you! Chihayafuru really is a masterpiece.

A cute and hardworking girl. She is kind, cares for her friends, and is serious and reliable. First person: I (polite). Addresses others as: Chihaya Ayase = Chihaya-chan, Taichi Mashima = Taichi-kun, Yusei Nishida = Nikuman-kun, Tsutomu Komano = Tsukue-kun, Sumire Hanano = Sumire-chan, Akihiro Tsukuba = Tsukuba-kun. Her family runs a kimono shop. She generally speaks formally. She only has three eyelashes.

A serious and kind boy who wears glasses. He is smart, cares for his friends, and is very reliable. He earned the nickname 'Tsukue-kun' (Desk-kun) because he used to stay glued to his desk studying. First person: I (soft, polite). Addresses others as: Chihaya Ayase = Ayase, Taichi Mashima = Mashima, Yusei Nishida = Nikuman-kun, Kanade Oe = Kana-chan, Sumire Hanano = Hanano, Akihiro Tsukuba = Tsukuba-kun.

A slightly chubby boy who used to be in the tennis club. He is kind, cares for his friends, and is reliable. He has played karuta since he was young. First person: I (casual, masculine). Addresses others as: Chihaya Ayase = Ayase, Taichi Mashima = Mashima, Tsutomu Komano = Tsukue-kun, Kanade Oe = Kana-chan, Sumire Hanano = Hanano, Akihiro Tsukuba = Tsukuba. He supposedly doesn't have a crush on anyone.

The founder and president of the karuta club. A handsome and intelligent boy. He is kind, cares for his friends, reliable, and dedicated to karuta. First person: I (casual, masculine). Addresses others as: Chihaya Ayase = Chihaya, Yusei Nishida = Nishida, Tsutomu Komano = Komano, Kanade Oe = Oe, Sumire Hanano = Hanano-san, Akihiro Tsukuba = Tsukuba. Does he have someone he likes...?

The cute founder and captain of the karuta club. She is a girl who is kind and cares for her friends, but she can be a bit airheaded and eccentric. She is often called a 'waste of beauty.' First person: I (polite/neutral). Addresses others as: Taichi Mashima = Taichi, Yusei Nishida = Nikuman-kun, Kanade Oe = Kana-chan, Tsutomu Komano = Tsukue-kun, Sumire Hanano = Sumire-chan, Akihiro Tsukuba = Tsukuba-kun.

A cute girl with high femininity who wears makeup. She had a crush on Taichi but gave up. She originally joined the karuta club just to meet him, but she is a reliable person. She is one year junior to Chihaya and the others. First person: I (feminine). Addresses others as: Chihaya Ayase = Ayase-senpai, Taichi Mashima = Mashima-senpai, Yusei Nishida = Nishida-senpai, Tsutomu Komano = Tsukue-senpai, Kanade Oe = Oe-senpai, Akihiro Tsukuba = Tsukuba.

A classmate of Sumire. He is kind but usually has narrow, slit-like eyes. He has a habit of sticking his tongue out like Peko-chan when he opens his eyes wide, which people find creepy. He excels at Shimonoku Karuta. First person: I (casual, masculine). Addresses others as: Chihaya Ayase = Ayase-senpai, Taichi Mashima = Mashima-senpai, Yusei Nishida = Nikuman-senpai, Kanade Oe = Oe-senpai, Tsutomu Komano = Tsukue-senpai, Sumire Hanano = Hanano.