Featured Anime: Haikyuu!!

Sports animes. We all love ’em, even for some of us who are ridiculously unathletic (like yours truly). Some of my favourites are The Prince of Tennis, Free!, and Kuroko no Basuke (I don’t watch them completely to fangirl over the guys okay).

This season, I’m having an addition to my list.

Having just gotten over the craze of Kuroko no Basuke Season 2, Haikyuu!! serves as a fresh take on typical sports manga/anime.
Unlike the stoic and (perhaps a little) deadpan hero in KnB, Haruichi Furudate’s Haikyuu!! features an energetic and absolutely adorable protagonist whose over-enthusiasm and ability to be easily amazed wins you over immediately.

Haikyuu!!

Manga cover.

Hinata Shōyō has never experienced playing volleyball as a team. Without a proper club in middle school, he could only practice by himself (or practice with the girls’ team, even). However, when he does manage to enter a tournament, he was completely wiped out by the “King of the Court” Kageyama Tobio. Any veteran otaku would know these two would meet again in the near future, and sure enough these two reunite in high school as teammates of the Karasuno Volleyball Club.

The main character, Hinata.

Kageyama, the “King of the Court”

Plot

I like how the general plot of Haikyuu!! steers away from the path of typical sports manga/anime. Haikyuu!! focuses more on the team – what playing volleyball and their respective positions in the court mean to each individual member.

The invincible duo.

There is a certain depth to this manga/anime that seems to be absent from the rest, such as what Coach Ukai said in Episode 9:

That gym and club room may still be the same…

…but I can never go back.

It was a limited time with its own distinctive feel.

The atmosphere belongs to that place and time alone.

What he says here really strikes a chord deep in my heart. It reminds me of how I feel about my old high school club.

Characters
I don’t ever say this about any other anime, but all the characters in Haikyuu!! are “unhateable”. We can sympathize with all of them, their backstories are relatable and none of them are boring. Seriously. Not a single one.
My favourite character is Nishinoya!! I love his strong passion for the team and how much he respects his seniors (especially the ace). And he’s so cute when flattered by Hinata calling him “senpai”.

Of course, all the other characters are amazing as well (such as Tanaka, man that guy can really crack me up). Like I said: unhateable.

Tanaka’s hilarious face.

Tanaka again.

The captain lectures him.

You see why I like this guy? Do you see!??

The ace Asahi.

I don’t see how this the title of this match is cool.

The first-years in their club jackets.

Have I mentioned their amazing facial expressions!?

Songs

The opening, Imagination by SPYAIR sounds like a typical shounen theme song while the ending, Tenchi Gaeshi by Nico Touches The Wall was a little too ‘country’ for my liking at first but after 11 episodes of this awesome anime both songs are now permanently stuck in my head.