it's (not) just a sports anime
i watched the latest haikyu!! movie in theatres a few weeks ago, and it has completely rekindled my love for the series, so much so that i've unwisely binged two seasons during finals week. if you don't know, haikyu!! is a volleyball anime about two former rivals, hinata and kageyama, that end up going to the same high school and joining the same team. kageyama is a prodigy setter trying to change his tyrannical tendencies by being more considerate of his teammates, and hinata is an athletic but otherwise untalented shortie who was inspired to play volleyball after seeing a player called "the little giant" on TV. together with the rest of the karasuno high school team, they challenge and even defeat opponents that are ranked top nationally. it's a real underdog, rags to riches, david versus goliath story, and my friends know i'm an absolute sucker for that.
one of my favorite things about haikyu!! is how well written and developed all the characters are. everyone gets their own moment to shine, and even the side characters that only appear for an episode or two have backstories and lines that make my heart swell. it's also very realistic. karasuno doesn't win every game just because they're the main characters. in fact, they have some heartbreaking losses, but they keep looking forward and work hard to improve and try again next game.
whenever i recommend this anime to people, i can tell they're always a little bit dubious. their expressions say, it's just volleyball, how good could it be? in response, i like to say there are only two kinds of people in this world: those who love haikyu!! and those who haven't seen it. on that note, i wanted to share some of my favorite moments from the show! mild spoilers ahead :)
1) the moment when tsukishima gets hooked on volleyball
tsukishima is a smart, aloof, and sarcastic middle blocker who doesn't really care about volleyball at the beginning. unlike his teammates, he never puts in extra practice or shows any passion during games, and his mantra is "it's just a club" (the inspo for the title of this post hehe). he slowly begins to change after he and his team go to a training camp in tokyo, where the aces of other schools goad him into extra practice. when he asks how they can stand to put so much effort into a high school club, one replies, "the joy you feel beating the guy in front of you, that moment when you're able to pull out 120% of your potential is everything. when that moment arrives for you, that's the moment you'll be hooked on volleyball."
for tsukishima, that moment occurs in season three during their game against shiratorizawa. as shiratorizawa's ace, ushijima, scores point after point with his powerful serves and spikes, tsukishima can't fully stop him, but he puts up a good defense that slowly chips away at the opponent's confidence. tsuki finally manages to shut out ushijima at set point. the scene gives me shivers and brings me to tears every time, especially when his whole body starts shaking from excitement and he yells for the first and only time in the entire series. i think there's something so wonderful about the moment a hobby turns into a passion.
2) tanaka's and kita's monologues during the inarizaki match
karasuno v. inarizaki is easily the best match in the whole series for me, and it's moments like this that make it so. i grouped these two together because i think they're quite similar. these characters will never be prodigies like kageyama or stamina monsters like hinata, but they play an undeniably important role in their respective teams. wing spiker tanaka had been targeted the entire set because the opponents thought they could break his spirit, but that moment when he calls out for the ball again is even more victorious than when he actually scores the point. i love the line "when my mind ends up nosediving in negativity, i end up thinking i'm nothing but average. but still, my average self... do you really have time to look down like that?”
inarizaki's captain kita only plays for, like, half a set, but he's one of my favorite characters. he's cool and dependable to the point where his teammates call him a robot, but his moments of care and emotion clearly show his heart of gold. i love his mindset towards volleyball and life. he does things methodically and believes that he's built from his daily routine-- the process is what's important, and the results are just a byproduct. he says something like, "i don’t understand the point of getting nervous. you only get nervous when you try to do better than what you can. everybody does stuff like eat, sleep and go to the bathroom, and nobody gets nervous over it. it’s the same for volleyball. you just do the same stuff you’ve done every day in practice. why get nervous?" although i don't think i fully agree with what he says, the sentiment has helped a bit with my anxiety and imposter syndrome.
3) hinata after his ball boy era
as mentioned earlier, hinata is a clumsy and untalented middle spiker who admits himself that he's only on the starting lineup because of his synergy with the talented kageyama. one day, he sneaks into a training camp that he wasn't invited to and becomes their ball boy. after observing and learning from the top players, he brings those skills and surprises even his own teammates during the inarizaki match. one of the best moments during the game is when he finally receives the opponent ace's spike. you have to understand, his past receives were mostly just flukes where he got hit in the face or on the foot, so this moment where he gets a clean receive against such a strong opponent means a lot. despite his efforts, karasuno actually loses this set point and everyone is devastated, but hinata cheers them up with his childish simplicity when he exclaims, "DID YOU SEE MY RECEIVE? now watch me get the next one!!"
another great moment that makes hinata the mvp of this match is when he slows down the pace by making a high toss and gives his teammates time to breathe again. it's so simple yet heartwarming, and i think these two moments truly show hinata's humility, positivity, and development. his brightness really brings up everyone's mood too; i've always loved and envied those types of people.
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i cannot believe i've written over a thousand words just yapping about anime, but it felt nice to write again! if you've read this far, thank you. i don't think i've done this show enough justice, but i hope my love for it is contagious.