Lauded as one of the sports series in anime and manga history,Haikyu!!stands at the top of many fan rankings forbest sports animeas it is one of the most critically acclaimed anime series of the past decade. However, there is one amazing thing about the series' high-intensity matches that elevates the anime to such high levels while also showing the intricacies and beauty of volleyball itself.
Like all sports anime, matches are fundamental and integral toHaikyu!!, serving as a source of character development, insight into the cast, and plot advancement, among other things. However,Haikyu’s matches feature a unique element that keeps them fresh and consistently entertaining:they emphasize the importance of different positions and roles in volleyball. This approach allows viewers to fully appreciate the numerous beautiful aspects of the sport, where everything works together like cogwheels, with each part being equally necessary.
Each Match Has A Central Theme
While the matches emphasize teamwork, particularly for a team like Karasuno that isn’t good individually but shines when they synchronize, there is still a central theme for throughout the series that shows what goes into a certain skill or a role, and how important they are in a match. This is good for many reasons, the most obvious being that it gives even minor characters the development they deserve. This is one of the many reasons the series' cast is held in so popular, as the spotlight is constantly passed around while still maintainingHinata and Kageyama central roles inHaikyu!!.
Another strong aspect ofHaikyu!!‘sapproach is that the full picture of volleyball as a sport is displayed. Like all sports, there are many factors at play and rules worth considering, andHaikyu!! perfectly puts all of it on display. This is one of the reasons thateven professional athletes say thatHaikyu!!is realisticand portrays the sport well, hiding nothing from the readers. It also doesn’t glamorize the sport, and instead opts for the realistic and sometimes hard-to-stomach approach, like the reality of talent, opportunities, injuries, and more.
Haikyu’s Matches Always Gives The Spotlight To Other Characters
Everyone Gets Their Time To Shine
Despite having a large main cast,Haikyu!!manages to give all of its cahracters their time to shine, and while the starting players obviously get more screen time and development, everyone gets their moments. The best example is in the match against Wakutani Minami, one of the prefecture’s best players. While the team was doing great, the captain, Daichi, was unfortunately injured and had to leave the match. He was the glue that bound the team together and a key part of their defense, so the loss was definitely huge. However, this is when, the second year Enoshita was subbed in as the substitute captain and this is where he finally bloomed.
It’s True: The Manga Everyone Called Haikyu’s Successor Is Ending Way Sooner Than We Expected
Mangaka Yugo Kobayashi announced Ao Ashi is coming to a close with the end of its 40th volume after a decade in circulation.
While he definitely couldn’t fill the huge shoes of his senior, this match solidified him as the next captain when Daichi retired by proving he was a worthy leader who was good at defense and keeping the chaotic trio in check. Another example is the second match against Aoba Johsai, where Karasuno was getting pulverized by their opponent’s ferocious serves. As the situation looked more grim than ever, Yamaguchi was put in as the pinch server. The last time he was in a match went terribly for him, but after grueling practice, he not only managed to muster confidence in his serve, but he scored multiple times in a row and gave the time a fighting chance.
From Tsukishima leading Karasuno’s blocking against Shiratorizawa, Yuki, and Lev showing the importance of the synchronization between blockers and liberos against Nohebi, Azumane proving why the ace is the hope of the team against Date Tech, and many more matches where a character or characters were used to portray a different aspect of the sport. This gave way to these characters finally blooming and becoming so much more interesting, and this way of always rotating the focus of the match was brilliant, to say the least.
Haikyu Respects Its Characters A Lot
The Series Treats Its Characters With Respect
Haikyu!! skillfully utilizes its matches to delve into the various aspects of volleyball and the unique personalities that characterize the sport. From Hinata’s chase after elevation to Kageyama’s evolution towards collaboration, and Nekoma’s focus on defense as an “unbreakable wall,” every match represents a small scale of development, tactics, and enthusiasm. Even characters that seem like they aren’t important such as Shimizu get their moment that characterizes them beautifully and makes the already amazing cast of the series that much more vibrant.
Haikyuu!!
Cast
Haikyuu!! is a Japanese anime series based on the manga by Haruichi Furudate that follows Shoyo Hinata, a high school student determined to become a top volleyball player despite his short stature. Through resilience and teamwork, Hinata joins Karasuno High’s volleyball team and forms a dynamic partnership with former rival Tobio Kageyama. The series highlights their journey to national tournaments, emphasizing themes of perseverance and sportsmanship.
