Chihaya Ayase is a girl in elementary school whose world changes when a quiet transfer student named Arata Wataya introduces her to competitive karuta, a Japanese card game based on the Hyakunin Isshu poetry anthology. Arata, a prodigy who dreams of becoming the Meijin, the men's national champion, sees a raw talent in Chihaya that her older sister, a model, does not. Alongside Chihaya's ambitious childhood friend Taichi Mashima, the three form a deep bond through the game. They compete together and promise to one day meet again on the grand stage of national tournaments. Soon after, Arata moves back to his native Fukui prefecture, and the friends lose touch.

Years later, Chihaya enters high school still obsessed with karuta, determined to become the Queen, the women's champion. She is reunited with Taichi at their school, Mizusawa High. Together, they set out to build a competitive karuta club from scratch. They recruit an eccentric group of classmates: the quiet but brilliant strategic thinker Tsutomu Komano, the powerful and passionate former player Yusei Nishida, and Kanade Oe, a lover of classical poetry whose deep understanding of the cards' meanings gives the team an emotional anchor. Under the reluctant guidance of their teacher Taeko Miyauchi, the newly formed Mizusawa Karuta Club enters the Tokyo qualifiers for the national team championships.

The film follows the team's struggle to find their footing, learning to trust one another and developing unique play styles that blend speed, memorization, and intuition. Chihaya's natural reflexes and extraordinary hearing make her a formidable attacker, while Taichi's calculating and athletic approach makes him a steady defender. Their path is blocked by powerful rival schools, particularly the elite Hokuo Academy, led by the aggressive and technically perfect Akihito Sudo. As the team fights for a chance to go to nationals in Omi Jingu, the spiritual home of competitive karuta, Chihaya discovers that Arata has quit the game. Believing in the promise they made as children, she dedicates her team's journey to proving that the world of karuta is still where they belong, hoping to reignite Arata's passion and bring their trio back together.