ChikaIta

ChikaIta is the slash ship between Chikage Utsuki and Itaru Chigasaki from the A3! Act Addict Actors fandom.

Canon
Itaru and Chikage likely first met at an unspecified time before the events of Year 1 Main Story (2017). Itaru has been working in a prestigious trading company since he graduated from University in 2016 while Chikage, as his Senpai (Senior), had been working there for an unspecified longer time. Their relationship during this time is mostly unknown, though they were likely only passing acquaintances since they worked in different departments and Chikage was usually sent abroad on "business trips" (which were usually missions for The Organization).

The first reference towards Chikage was near the end of Act 4, when a mysterious threatening message attached to a bouquet was found after the 2nd Gen Winter Troupe's Debut Play Sympathy for the Angel. It is later confirmed that Chikage got the tickets from Itaru, having made up a newfound interest in theatre as an excuse.

While only mentioned after the event, the first time Chikage saw Itaru act was during the 2nd Gen Spring Troupe's 3rd Play A Clockwork Heart in which he played the supporting role Boyd. He states that this was when he truly began to become a fan of Chigasaki Itaru the actor. According to him, he also kept up with the actor's blog which is how he knew Mankai Company was recruiting new members in Act 5 of the Main Story (set in Year 2 AKA 2018).

When Chikage first expressed interest towards joining the troupe, Itaru informs him that they would be roommates by default, to which Chikage says works out well since they already know each other. They also establish a personal contract primarily concerning Itaru's late night gaming and streaming habits. Said contract, according to Itaru later on, is as follows:


 * 1. Do not expose my slovenly dorm lifestyle to the outside world.
 * 2. Do not get in the way when I am immersed in games.
 * 3. Do not disturb the perfect placement of electric wires and cords in my room.
 * 4. Do not move my gaming consoles or my computer.
 * 5. You are banned from entering the room when I am taking videos (primarily from 10 PM to 12 AM on weekdays).

As Chikage gets acquainted with the Spring Troupe and director, he sometimes tells lies that he plays off as jokes. Most fall for them at first, but Itaru easily realizes when he's lying. It's worthwhile to note that while Masumi is usually on edge whenever any guy is alone with the director, he says Chikage is probably fine, likely due to sensing the latter's lack of interest in women.

The next few episodes focused on the troupe getting Masumi back from his father, to which Chikage was minimally involved in, only getting dragged into it when he arrived in the morning (after "staying overnight for work") just as the group was about to leave for the airport. He actually initially didn't want to go, only doing so when told that they were all Masumi's real family. During this time, Chikage is hardly ever in his room with Itaru and the latter maintains that he's never seen him sleep in their room once.

After numerous instances of foreshadowing, Chikage ends up kidnapping the director in order to destroy Mankai Company as an ill-guided act of revenge towards Hisoka, who he believed was a traitor to The Organization and the reason why their adoptive older brother, August, was dead. As expected, the members of Mankai are in a panic at the sudden disappearance of the two. Itaru asked his other co-workers but the only details he was able to find was that the two had supposedly decided to leave on a business trip in a hurry. After Hisoka regains (at least partially) his memory, he's able to find the hideout where Chikage is keeping the director hostage. Chikage tries to kill Hisoka, but after an explanation of the truth as well as the revelation of their backstories, repents and lets the director go.

The three go home to Mankai after Hisoka calls it their new family, and Sakuya notes that Chikage's acting has changed. Before their opening performance of the 2nd Gen Spring Troupe's 4th Play The Wonderful Charlatan of Oz, Itaru described Chikage using otaku/netizen slang, which he realizes that Chikage understands, prompting him to call Chikage a netizen too. He then remarks that birds of a feather flock together and that Chikage should show that side of himself more often.

The night after their first run of the play, Chikage leaves their dorm room with his suitcase. Itaru claims to have been up due to collecting log-in bonuses for his games, but in truth he was cautious of Chikage leaving since he and the director noticed something off about him earlier that day. He asks Chikage where he's going at such a late hour, to which Chikage merely says that he's lending the suitcase to someone and is thinking of getting a new one. Though Itaru can easily tell that it's a lie, and Chikage might have known that Itaru saw through him, he pretends not to know and lets Chikage leave. Itaru sadly mutters about how he doesn't intend to come back before calling Sakuya, having decided earlier on that their bright and innocent young leader would do a better job at convincing his senpai to stay.

Sakuya ends up playing a coin toss battle against Chikage and roping him into a spring troupe tradition: sleeping on the theatre stage. He ends up telling Chikage stories about their time first year in Mankai, including how Itaru picked Masumi up from school during their run of Spring Troupe's 2nd Play Alex in Wonderland. Chikage begins opening up too, and the two fall asleep. A bit later, the rest of the Spring Troupe (including Itaru) end up joining the two. When the director arrives in the morning, they're all peacefully sprawled on top of each other in their sleep with Itaru's head on Chikage's shoulder.

After that, Chikage is able to make it through all the way to closing night and is even noted to look cheerful and refreshed at the end of the play's run. He sincerely apologizes to Mankai for the trouble he has caused, though with an elaborately spun lie of a story for an explanation since he cannot reveal the specifics of his circumstances concerning The Organization. To this, Itaru amusedly comments that he has nerves of steel to lie in an apology. By now, the rest can tell it's a lie, of course, but they acknowledge his sincerity and forgive him. Hisoka and Chikage somewhat reconnect whilst reminiscing about August as they stare at the moon. After this, Chikage starts regularly going to sleep in his shared room with Itaru.

Chikage and Itaru don't appear much in Act 6 and 7, but they do attend the Spring-Winter Troupe join training camp during the Petals Flutter, You Slumber event set in between said two acts. They're shown to be similar in that they both don't want to stay somewhere without internet signal, but different in the fact that Itaru is of course much less athletic, to the point of being incredibly out of breath just from a bit of hiking while Chikage, having gone through harsh spy training since childhood, barely breaks a sweat. Aside from having their usual banter, Itaru and Chikage were also worried about Masumi's insomnia around this time and showed concern for the younger boy in their own way. Everyone in the two troupes (perhaps Itaru the most) were glad that Azuma was able to trick Sakyo into letting them stay at a high-class and expensive place, but at the end of the event they're found out due to the director's inste post that Kazunari showed to everyone in the Summer-Autumn troupes. Sakyo scolds Azuma and Chikage as well as warns them not to scam people like that again.

During Act 8 of the Main Story, Chikage is shown to be much closer and more comfortable with Itaru and the rest of Mankai. Before Citron had to leave for his home country due to his status as Crown Prince, all members of the Spring Troupe agree to grant him a wish each. Itaru ends up going first, having to treat everyone to a free meal (of course, everyone including Chikage takes advantage of the fact that it's his treat and order a lot). On the other hand, Chikage's wish is for last and is revealed to be to help Citron disappear without anyone noticing, presumably because Citron doesn't want to go through the pain of a long and sad goodbye with everyone. At some point after Citron leaves, the director finds an encrypted microchip in the talisman charm he left behind which was originally Guy's. Due to... their expertise in such matters, Hisoka goes to ask for Chikage's help in figuring out what's inside (it turns out to be a family registry containing Guy's true identity as Nishiki Gai which helps him remember forgotten things from his childhood in Japan).

When Mankai decides to get Citron back by using Winter Troupe's performance at his coronation as an opportunity, Itaru and Chikage come alongside the rest of Spring Troupe. Hisoka and Chikage go shopping during their free time, in which they buy an ungodly amount of sweets and spices respectively. Itaru notes this and realizes that Chikage was actually fond of the Zahran spices that Citron snuck into his food. The two of them observe Tsuzuru's interactions with his older brother and in a somewhat parental way, agree that he likely turned out to be such a responsible person because his older brother is carefree like that. Later on, when they see Citron on stage, they agree with the rest of Spring Troupe that even though he's a prince, he's one of them and that'll never change. Spring Troupe originally had a plan to meet up with Citron with Mika's help and it goes so well at the start that Itaru is able to joke about it being a game to which Chikage teases him for. But on their way, Tangerine ends up running into them and pleading for their help.

Apparently, Citron's other two younger brothers who covet the throne, Orange and Navel, kidnapped Citron and he's in danger. Chikage insists to go and rescue Citron alone, asking everyone to believe in him because he'll definitely be fine and make sure he'll keep everyone safe. He promised Hisoka, after all. Despite everyone else taking his word and leaving, Itaru stays with Chikage. Chikage tries to get him to stay back by calling him dead weight, but Itaru is unshakeable. In a last effort, he insists that he can't promise to be able to protect Itaru under these circumstances, but Itaru followed him fully prepared to take the risk. Chikage muses that it's out of character for Itaru to be so self-sacrificial like this, to which Itaru says is the same for him. Chikage amusedly agrees. Surprisingly, Itaru is actually useful as he's able to bribe one of the guards with top-quality sake he got earlier. Chikage also voices his surprise at this.

They're able to eavesdrop and find out that Citron is being held in a trap cellar (though only Chikage can understand the Zahran language so he translated for Itaru). There turn out to be a lot of guards, so Chikage asks Itaru to close his eyes. Itaru asks if he means literally or metaphorically (towards the criminal acts he's probably about to commit) to which Chikage cheerfully clarifies that he means both. Itaru complies and sounds of Chikage beating up the guards ensue. When Chikage says he can open his eyes, he casually asks if Chikage killed them, to which the latter assures that they're barely breathing. Itaru compares the situation to an action game and Chikage tells him to stop being meta. They untie and rescue Citron but just as they rush back to the performance venue, the curtains are in flames and a fire is rapidly spreading.

Thanks to the quick action and guidance of Tangerine, the fire is put out without anyone getting hurt — all of these events open the king's eyes to the fact that Citron would rather stay as an actor and Tangerine would make an equally good Crown Prince, so after being removed from the line of succession he's able to go back home with Mankai as his country's Minister of Arts and Culture. Itaru and Chikage also scold Citron for acting distant from them. The Spring and Winter troupe are able to go home (along with the director) and the entire company has a party in celebration during which Itaru and Chikage tell Citron that he's not allowed to disappear or leave them. Itaru also complains about all the serious stuff that happened. On the other hand, Chikage simply starts talking about the Zahran food they got to eat and spices he brought home.

Quotes

 * Chikage - "Didn’t you practice darts?"
 * Tsuzuru - "You said you couldn’t come because of work, so he quit."
 * Chikage - "Really?"
 * Itaru - "Yup, yup. It’s senpai’s fault that I still suck. Nothing I can do about it."
 * — Scarlet Mirror Epilogue

Fanon
ChikaIta is one of the most popular ships in the A3! fandom, being second only to JuBan in amount of AO3 fanfics. Within the fandom, Chikage is usually regarded as Itaru's second love, with Tonooka (first appears in Knights of Round IV THE STAGE) as his first. Chikage and others who know of Itaru's backstory with him are somewhat hostile to him at first due to how much his betrayal hurt Itaru.

Hurt/Comfort as well as friends with benefits angst are quite common for fanfics of this ship. Many also dabble with the fact that Chikage's an MIA spy and might have to go back to that life one day, leaving Itaru or dying in the process. Chikage canonically would lay his life on the line to protect Mankai Company which he considers his new family, but he's most protective in particular of Itaru, Hisoka, and Izumi (the director).

The main appeal that many fans agree on about this ship is that they're both well-known liars and fakers, often donning different personalities when not at home (where they're roommates), but it's due to this similarity that they understand each other the best. They have a lot of banter, but they always have an absolute mutual understanding of the other which would remind many of an old married couple.

Expanding on the above, they're often treated as Sakuya's parents and sometimes Masumi's as well.

Fans headcannon Chikage as gay (due to his disinterest in women, numerous remarks of disliking women, and general discomfort when a woman flirts with him). Meanwhile, Itaru is usually interpreted as bisexual.

Since Chikage and Itaru share room 103 of the Mankai Dorms, ChikaIta shippers also celebrate 103 day on October 3 (10/3), a special day aside from ChikaIta week. To a lesser extent, fans may also celebrate March 10th for a similar reason.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

TWITTER
 * - ChikaIta Week 2020

Trivia

 * Itaru is a popular gaming streamer who goes by the handle "Taruchi" and covers his face with a red panda mask (his motif animal) to conceal his identity. Chikage, on the other hand, runs a popular curry blog, "Chikausa's Curry Blog" which is know to all spicy food connoisseurs in Japan. The "usa" is a reference to "usagi" meaning rabbit (his motif animal). The kanji for "utsu" in his last name also means rabbit. Both of these are referenced in the Main Story. While Banri also games as NEO, he doesn't stream as Itaru does. Only Chikage and Itaru have a large following on online bases where they don't reveal their identities (while Kazunari has a notable following on his Inste/Instablam account, all members of Mankai Company have one as theatre actors and regularly update it on top of their actor's blog).
 * Itaru regularly refers to Chikage as "Unromantic Senpai" or "Cheat Character" (referring to how Chikage appears to be a jack of all trades, much like how a broken videogame character would be good at everything) while Chikage in turn refers to him as his "Uncute Kouhai".
 * Chikage actually doesn't need glasses, having perfect eyesight. He likely wears glasses to further separate himself from his past persona as April, who never wore them. Meanwhile, Itaru is one of a few members of Mankai that actually need glasses despite no longer wearing them, as revealed in Tsuzuru's blog post Megane Day. This is supported by the fact that he wore glasses during his high school days. He likely started wearing contacts either at the start of his University Days or when he entered the trading company.