Why Haikyuu!! Spiked My Interest and Won Me Over

My knowledge of sports is minimal. I’m an avid baseball fan and have been obsessed with volleyball since I used to play in high school, but I sit to watch any other game if someone else is watching. Since I am such a big volleyball fan, a friend suggested Haikyuu!!, an anime based around the sport. I decided to give it a chance, but an anime about sports is never on my radar to keep my interest. 

I am HOOKED! Here is why you should be watching Haikyuu since sports are on hiatus.

About the Show

We follow Shoyo Hinata as he tries to follow in the footsteps of the famed volleyball player, the “Tiny Giant,” to whom he relates. When he arrives at his high school, Karasano, he realizes he is on the team with his rival, Tobio Kageyama. They try to work together on the same team, and we learn that their skills together create magic on the court. With their teammates, they continue to dominate and work to go to Nationals!

The Characters

Something that was brought up was that the main characters in anime are usually whiny, and people get tired of them. Haikyuu is actually not like that. There is bickering between the characters like Hinata and Kageyama, which brings some humor to the show. However, overall, the characters all develop and mesh together. This makes you root for the team easily throughout the whole anime. 

Even the rivals of the team are well thought out. You have a love-hate with their opponents, but you understand the motivation behind them, too, so you respect most of their opponents. 

Growth

As I stated before, the characters continue to grow because they push each other, and their rivals make them adapt. It is excellent because it’s always realistic growth. It’s never too fast but not painstakingly slow, either. As the team develops, the viewers’ faith and commitment to the team grow. You become attached to the team’s victories and losses, which gets you invested in the story. 

The Strategy

As a sports anime, you expect to learn about the sport the characters are playing. This isn’t a mindless volley back and forth, but the characters explain why they use their chosen tactic as they play and encounter obstacles. Whether from the coaches or the players, they explain what they will achieve and why this is the best play for the team.

The Action

Watching this anime provides all the action you would expect from an anime but without the fighting, which fills you with adrenaline. There were moments when I wanted the characters on the central team to fight someone on the other team. But the satisfaction of them spiking and blocking the other team also helps with that feeling. 

I personally yelled when they scored a point. Probably so loud that my neighbors probably thought I was watching an actual sporting event. I highly recommend this anime. It’s the best of both worlds if you like sports and anime.