Do you know that moment when a book/show/movie comes in your life the moment you need it the most? For me Haikyu!! is one of those “the right place at the right time” moments. With 2021 starting on a rough patch, the overwhelming feeling that comes with being a master student in a foreign country and in the middle of a global pandemic, was starting to crash my spirits, and I was starting to feel more alone than ever. I was begging for distraction and that is when Haikyu!! came along!
I had watched the first 3 seasons of Haikyu!! back in 2016, but because the new season took 3 years to come out, it had kind of drifted away from my mind. My roommate had just started watching it and she was so blown away with it, her excitement was catching and I’m not gonna lie I was jealous!! I wanted to turn back time and watch the anime for the first time again. So that’s how my re-watch started…
Nothing felt more like a warm blanket of comfort than catching up with my favorite characters again. Haikyu!! has this unique way of making you feel so happy, I wish I could put into words but I don’t know how to articulate the kind of warmth you feel when you watch this anime.
So … guess who watched 4 seasons in two weeks? *slowly raises hand*. Now guess who went on a buying spree and purchased the manga in hopes of filling the void till the new season comes out? Yes. Me again. My wallet is crying. No. I do not regret it because the manga turned out to be just as wonderful as the show!!
THE PLOT
Haikyu!! is a sports manga/ anime centered around Hinata Shoyo, a young middle schooler, who became inspired to play volleyball after seeing “The Little Giant” play. Being short himself, Hinata wants to prove that height doesn’t matter because he can JUMP the highest. Despite his love for the sport Hinata never got the chance to fully cultivate his skill in middle school, and in his first and final game before high school, he gets defeated by Kageyama and his team.
After his loss, Hinata swears he will do everything in his power to become better and defeat his nemesis, Kageyama, when they meet again. Therefore, he joins Karasuno, “Little Giant’s” previous team, a once powerhouse school, now considered the fallen champions and the underdogs. Hinata joins the team only to discover that his nemesis, Kageyama has also joined the same team, and are now forced to work together as partners. The manga doesn’t just focus on one player’s development and improvement as an athlete. Even though Hinata’s natural but unpolished skill is one of the main themes of the manga, the plot is much thicker than it seems. Despite the fact that the series is largely comprised of match-focused chapters, Haikyu!! goes beyond that, it reflects on how this sport has transformed the character’s lives as well as how it shapes the friendships and dynamics of the characters.
THE SPORT
If the “sport” aspect is off putting, I can reassure you as someone whose only memory of playing volleyball in high school was being told by the coach that I “play volleyball like I have never seen a ball before”, it is actually really interesting! The reason it works so well is because it reminds you all the time that the stakes are high. It is fast-pacedbut not rushed. In fact, a volleyball game can last a whole season (anime) or multiple volumes (manga) and it never, not even for a moment, feels like it is dragging on. As a matter of fact, I had to stop reading the manga so many times because it got so intense I had to remind myself to breathe.
If I am being honest I was a bit hesitant reading the manga because one of my favorite things about the show was the intensity of the volleyball scenes. They were action-packed and epic, keeping you on the edge of your seat the entire time so I was a bit apprehensive in how that would translate on paper. But Furudate draws movement in such an effective way, it radiates the same epicness as when you are watching the animated version. For those who actually love the sport and have played volleyball professionally… I have heard it depicts volleyball in a very realistic way and portraits the techniques in their true form, and actually a lot athletes themselves have admitted they get the same feelings from the manga as they did when they were playing volleyball themselves.
THE CHARACTERS
The characters are possibly my favorite thing about this manga. When it comes to stories, I am more drawn to character driven ones, where the cast of characters is strong and memorable and not just there to support the plot. It is rare to stumble upon a story or even an author who knows their characters so well. And I’m not just talking about the main characters, Hinata and Kageyama, but every character, whether they appear in few chapters or they are regulars, they have such depth and so many layers. It truly is rare to have such a huge cast of characters but care about them all and recognize their distinct personalities and characteristics. They are fleshed out and humanized, which makes their character growth even more impactful and admirable as it feels real and aspirational. I was very surprised when I found myself struggling to roote only for our main characters, when the opposite teams had such amazing and memorable players too. You are so invested in the characters, you see their determination and drive to win, so every failure or win feels so personal, no matter whether it is the antagonist team or not.
Another thing that is important to point out are the friendships. The dynamics between every character are so realistic, humorous and even precious at times. Found family is my favorite trope in stories and I believe Haikyu is the embodiment of that trope. Because the characters are so realistic and multidimensional, the interactions feel so much more genuine. Seeing the characters grow, battle their demons, learn and grow from their defeats, will fill your heart with so much joy, almost like you are rooting for a close friend.
Please please read it!! If you have not watched the anime I encourage you to do so too!! And if you have watched the anime but are hesitant to read the manga, I cannot recommend it enough! It will give you the same feelings as the show ( plus a few extra scenes 😉 ).
I’ve been thinking of watching this anime for a while now, since it’s been recommended to me quite a few times, and i gotta say – this review got me wanting to watch it immediatelly!
You have no idea how happy I am to hear that!! It’s truly a gem, I really hope you enjoy it : )