Haikyuu!! S1

bingeconnectco
Aug 10, 2020
5 min read

Updated: Aug 12, 2020

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Coming-of-age, Sports

Run Time/Episode Length: 1 season, 25 episodes, 24 min/ep

Cast/Production Staff:

Studio: Production I.G
Written by Haruichi Furudate (Manga creator), Taku Kishimoto (screenplay)
Directed by Susumu Mitsunaka, Tetsuaki Watanabe

Murase Ayumu → Hinata Shouyou

Ishikawa Kaito → Kageyama Tobio

Uchiyama Koki → Tsukishima Kei

Saito Soma → Yamaguchi Tadashi

Hayashi Yu → Tanaka Ryunosuke

Okamoto Nobuhiko → Nishinoya Yu

Hino Satoshi → Sawamura Daichi

Irino Miyu → Sugawara Koushi

Hosoya Yoshimasa → Azumane Asahi

Nazuka Kaori → Shimizu Kiyoko

Summary

Shouyou Hinata, a short middle school student, gains a passion for volleyball after watching a volleyball ace nicknamed "Little Giant" on TV. He forms a volleyball team at his middle school and enters a tournament alongside his team. Unfortunately, the team is brutally defeated in the first match by the star player and the "King of the Court," Tobio Kageyama. Hinata vows to surpass Kageyama and one day defeat him, yet after entering Karasuno High School, he finds that Kageyama is his teammate. The duo must now learn to work together to overcome their respective shortcomings and help his team qualify for Nationals. Based on a popular shounen manga by Haruichi Furudate, Haikyuu!! is an emotional sports comedy following two volleyball players as they embark on a journey of personal growth.

Characters

Hinata Shouyou

The main protagonist of the show. A first-year high schooler who has an intense passion for volleyball and constantly strives to improve his skills in the sport. He has a cheerful, straightforward personality and easily befriends others. He is a part of the Karasuno volleyball team and plays the middle blocker position.

Kageyama Tobio

The deuteragonist of the show. A first-year high schooler who is talented in volleyball and has been playing the sport since he was young. Despite his talent, he struggles with communicating with his teammates and was nicknamed the “King of the Court” for his arrogant, sullen attitude. He is a part of the Karasuno team and plays as a setter.

Tsukishima Kei

An exceptionally-tall first-year student who has a cold, snarky personality. He mentions that he doesn’t care much about the sport and is annoyed at needlessly hot-headed people. He is a part of the Karasuno team and plays the middle blocker position.

Yamaguchi Tadashi

A first-year student who is childhood friends with Tsukishima and is constantly seen around him. He is a shy person who sometimes feels inferior to his teammates and is determined to improve at volleyball. He is a part of the Karasuno team and plays as the pinch server.

Nishinoya Yu

A second-year student who is referred by his team as the “Guardian Deity” for his exceptional skills at volleyball. He is energetic and often comes up with crazy shenanigans, although he is able to remain serious in-game. He is a part of the Karasuno team as the libero.

Tanaka Ryunosuke

A second-year student with a loud, hot-headed personality. He is extremely supportive of his friends and has a strong mental fortitude in-game. He plays as a wing spiker for Karasuno and strives to become the next ace player of Karasuno.

Sawamura Daichi

The third-year captain of Karasuno. He is caring yet strict, which allows him to resolve conflicts amongst his team and help them grow. Daichi is a well-rounded player and plays as a wing spiker for Karasuno.

Sugawara Koushi

The third-year vice-captain of Karasuno. He has a patient, gentle personality and acts as a pillar of support for his team. He is dedicated to the sport and wants the best for his team, although he can be mischievous. Sugawara plays as a substitute setter for Karasuno.

Azumane Asahi

The third-year student at Karasuno. He is quiet and is often called “glass hearted” by his teammates for his sensitive nature. He is also shown to feel insecure about his skills, although he later grows into a strong, dependable player. Azumane is a part of the Karasuno team as a wing spiker and is currently the ace player.

Shimizu Kiyoko

The third-year manager at Karasuno. Shimizu is responsible for the behind-the-scenes work for the team, including scheduling practice matches, researching opponents, and washing the jerseys. Although she appears calm and distant, Shimizu cares a lot about her fellow teammates and does her best to help them succeed.

BingeConnect’s Opinion

Although Haikyuu is a sports anime, BingeConnect believes the highlight of the show is its diverse cast of characters. Every character has their own background, struggles, insecurities, and eventual growth. Furthermore, the character growth is extremely realistic and inspiring to watch; among the wide cast, any viewer can find characters that they can relate to and root for. In addition to the individual characters, the characters’ relationships (between teammates, between classmates, between mentor and disciple, between siblings... ) are also executed well. Particularly, the protagonist team Karasuno is like one big family who grows and overcomes difficulties together. Haikyuu’s diverse cast makes it an emotional rollercoaster: it is a show that you can sometimes laugh to, sometimes weep to, or sometimes relax to after a long day.

If you’re looking for a sports anime, Haikyuu is also an excellent choice. Even if you’re new to volleyball, the show explains the sport so that it is easy to understand. However, BingeConnect has seen complaints from professional players about technical inaccuracies in the show. Similarly, BingeConnect has seen complaints from non-volleyball players that the matches are sometimes long and grueling to watch—although BingeConnect believes that they are a great way to establish character growth.

The technical aspects of Haikyuu are also done well. The art is stunning and the animation is fluid, making the matches within the show easy to watch. The OST, composed by Hayashi Yuki, fits perfectly with the emotions the show conveys. The premise of Haikyuu is not exceptionally unique as the show follows a typical shounen underdog format. Considering that Haikyuu focuses on a cast of high schoolers, the show can also get a little dramatic at times and the pacing can be slow. Overall, the characters and their relationships are really the highlight of the show.

Overall, BingeConnect would recommend Haikyuu to anyone who wants to watch a character-centric slice-of-life show. The show is not only about volleyball, but also about team-building, pursuing your passion, overcoming obstacles, and so much more.

Fan Resources

Fandom subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/haikyuu/
Buzzfeed Character Quiz: https://www.playbuzz.com/noahwilson10/what-

haikyuu-character-are-you

Pixiv Fanart Page: https://www.pixiv.net/en/tags/ハイキュー!!

Trivia

Q: What is the mascot of Haikyuu’s protagonist volleyball team?

A: A crow!

W: What real-life school is Karasuno High School based off of?

A: Karumai High School, Iwate Prefecture!

Q: When are the birthdays of the protagonist, Hinata, and the deuteragonist, Kageyama?

A: Summer solstice and winter solstice, respectively!

Aggregate Ratings

8.7/10 IMDb

4.9/5 Crunchyroll

8.6/10 MAL

Aggregate: 9.0/10

Critic Quotes

“Every character has a backstory, everyone has doubts, baggage, and potential, and the best part of Haikyuu is the way the show integrates those relationships and character stories into the actual sport.” - Rafael Motamayor, Slash Film

“‘Haikyuu makes a very good job of explaining the sport, both in terms of rules and tactics, to the point that it becomes very fascinating watching it, even for those that aren’t interested in the particular sport.” - Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse