Everything you Need to Know About Haikyu!

Well-made shonen anime has become a huge hit. It is undoubtedly one of the most well-known anime "genres," with innumerable manga adaptations and original programs produced for fans. It can be challenging to decide which anime series to watch in a category with many options. Still, there are some shounen anime so outstanding they stand above the rest and should be on every fan's must-watch list until they've seen them all, like every sports anime that you shouldn't miss.

The best aspects of battle shonen and slice-of-life are combined in sports anime to create a subgenre with limitless potential. In fact, there is one sports anime that took over the attention of all anime fans all over the world, Haikyuu. Read on and learn everything you need about one of the greatest sports anime, Haikyuu!

What is Haikyu!?

Haikyū!! is a shounen sports anime series created by Production I.G and Toho in collaboration with the Japanese television network MBS, based on the Haruichi Furudate manga. This anime has five OVAs, four feature films, and four seasons. "Haikyu!!" is the anime you need if you're in the mood for some upright, hard-working characters and nail-biting volleyball contests. Additionally, Haikyuu is a tale of a high school volleyball team that was the underdog and is hilarious, motivating, and entertaining. They put much effort into winning the championship as they realized the benefits of working together.

In addition, this anime follows the life of middle school student Shoyo Hinata, who fell in love with volleyball after watching professional volleyball on television and joined the school's volleyball club. Despite his small size, Shoyo practices his athletic abilities to play volleyball. His ambition is to resemble the "Tiny Giant," a professional volleyball player. After entering high school, Shoyo joins forces with Kageyama, a former foe. The teammates combine Shoyo's athleticism and Kageyama's game knowledge to win volleyball championships. Moreover, many of the characters are relatable. Along with the main characters, Shoyo and Tobio, other popular characters helps to win the hearts of all anime fans worldwide.

What is Haikyuu all about?

Shoyo Hinata develops a passion for volleyball after watching the "Tiny Giant," a similarly diminutive high school student, play on TV series. Hinata is immediately driven to learn and forms his own middle school volleyball team, even if he is the only player for two years. They eventually persuade some friends to join, and they take part in a regional competition. Because of their inexperience and untrained teammates, Hinata and his team lose to Tobio Kageyama and his team, who are known as the "King of the Upper Court" for both their talent and their arrogant demeanor. Despite being smaller than Kageyama, Hinata has an impressive vertical jump. Hinata becomes even more determined as a result of this crushing defeat. Hinata vows to attend Karasuno High School, the high school of his hero.

Hinata is shocked to discover that Kageyama has also chosen to enroll in Karasuno, the high school where the "Little Giant" plays. After the Little Giant era, it is claimed that Karasuno lost its standing as a prestigious institution and started to be referred to by the moniker "The Wingless Crows" by other local teams. The pair creates an explosive new volleyball style and an unusual but potent setter-spiker pairing by combining Kageyama's great setting skills with Hinata's exceptional agility. Along the way, Hinata and Kageyama encourage one another to perform to the best of their abilities, and Hinata forges bond with his first true team, kicking off Karasuno's quest for atonement to clear their name and go to the Nationals.

Best Haikyuu Characters

1. Hinata Shoyo 

Hinata, the series' main protagonist, is a cheerful, upbeat, and diligent member of the Karasuno squad. Hinata has grown significantly throughout the series, from struggling with his rivalry with a former opponent, Tobio Kageyama, to working alongside him and serving as Karasuno's power duo. Despite being on the shorter side (in terms of volleyball players), Hinata doesn't let that stop him from dreaming big and still be a serious threat to opposing teams. Hinata's bright and upbeat personality warmed even Kageyama's, stone-cold heart. 

2. Kageyama Tobio

Kageyama, Hinata's partner in crime and the series' deuteragonist, is a crucial component of the plot because he significantly impacts Hinata's (and his own) personal development. At the program's start, Kageyama wasn't particularly well-liked by his students or teammates because of his quick temper and arrogant demeanor. He was also first viewed as a self-centered "King Of The Court" who didn't comprehend collaboration during the series. However, Kageyama and Hinata serve as one another's foils while still managing to strengthen one another. That said, Kageyama, who was formerly chilly and pompous, gradually developed into a productive team member.

3. Yuu Nishinoya

In volleyball, height can unquestionably be an advantage, but second-year Noya is proof that even shorter players can succeed. The libero for the Karasuno team, Noya, makes good use of his height. Noya excels at agility, whereas taller players excel at techniques like blocking or spiking. Because of Noya's skills as a libero, Karasuno's defense is a formidable opponent. Noya makes an equal contribution to the squad despite being the smallest (even behind Hinata by a few millimeters).

4. Kei Tsukishima

Tsukki, a first-year middle blocker, arrived on Karasuno as a chilly and uncooperative teammate. Even though he still has room for improvement, Tsukki's growth during the series was crucial to the team's overall cohesion. Tsukki initially came off as a distant and chilly individual who participated in team activities without showing the same desire or motivation as the other team members. His big moment was when Tsukki finally understood how much the game and his teammates meant to him.

5. Ryunosuke Tanaka

Ryunosuke Tanaka is a second-year wing spiker and a great older sibling to his younger teammates. Tanaka frequently tutors Hinata and Kageyama, manages Tsukki and Yamaguchi, and arbitrates disputes. Tanaka tries to come across as stern and scary, but in truth, he is a kind person who genuinely cares about treating his teammates well and watching out for his underclassmen. Conversely, Tanaka behaves like he is totally different when he is on the court. Tanaka may have a pure heart, but when competing against opponents, he can be quite competitive and arrogant. Tanaka is dependable for maintaining his resolution in the face of difficulty. Although he lacks particular abilities, as Hinata and Kageyama do, his extraordinary mental toughness makes him an excellent teammate.

6. Daichi Sawamura

Third-year and team captain Daichi is frequently left to handle the conflicts and antics of the younger members as the group's "dad." Daichi is the center of Karasuno; with his leadership, the group's members would be inspired. He is certainly one of Karasuno's more seasoned members and is conscious of the value of maintaining composure under pressure, even if just to reassure the other team members. Together with his leadership skills, Daichi is recognized for his formidable defense. You can count on him to handle a difficult serve or receive a spike, even though he may not be the best player.

7. Asahi Azumane

Asahi Azumane has a big impact on the attack of the team because he is Karasuno's only ace. Asahi's powerful spikes have the strength and determination to cut through a lot of obstacles. Because of his height and strong strength, he may also aid the team's defense by deflecting opponents' spikes. Asahi looks intimidatingly mature, and a lot of people think he's a scary person. He's a gentle giant who takes criticism and errors personally. Even though Suga and Daichi are older than him, poor Asahi frequently receives criticism from the two for not having enough faith in his skills. However, when Asahi is on the court, his duties as the ace transcend his concerns. He even learns new moves in other games, like the back row attack and the delayed spike, which he uses to good effect.

8. Koshi Sugawara

While team captain Daichi is frequently viewed as Karasuno's father figure, Suga acts as the team's strict but fair mother figure. Suga is a kind senior who frequently consoles the other members when they are upset while correcting them when they have done something wrong. Sugawara is the vice-captain of Karasuno and a setter. Don't let Suga's kind demeanor deceive you; when there's a crucial lesson to be learned, he frequently doesn't hold back when reprimanding his teammates. Sugawara is a very capable setter, even if he lacks Kageyama's brilliance since he bases his settings on the preferences of each player. Sugawara also has excellent game sense, enabling him to devise plans easily during games based on his attentive observation of rivals from the sidelines. His float serves are another one of his powerful pinches serves.

9. Tetsuro Kuroo

The volleyball team from Nekoma High, Karasuno High's "destined opponents," is captained by Kuroo. He is well known for his exceptional read-blocking abilities, which allow him to block strong serves from spikers like Bokuto, one of the top five in the nation. Kuroo is an all-around player who excels on both offense and defense. He is also a skilled offensive player. He can confuse the defensive blockers with his Personal Time Difference Attack by changing the time of his jump. By limiting or blocking a spiker's path, he uses his blocks to pressure opponents and receives simpler for his team to handle.

10. Kenma Kozume

Although having a soft voice, Kenma is a threat on the volleyball court. The team's "brain," commonly referred to as Kenma, is responsible for keeping everyone calm and spotting any weaknesses in the opposition. Kenma quickly stands out because his colleagues are often boisterous and energetic. He likes playing video games in addition to volleyball, and team captain Kuroo constantly reprimands him for being uncooperative.

11. Toru Oikawa

Toru Oikawa, one of the best players in the area, is well renowned for his powerful, accurate jump serve, which he has honed since a young age. Whether they are aimed straight at an opponent or a space between two players, Oikawa's serves are highly accurate and frequently end in a service ace. His talent is in his instinctive ability to bring out the best in each of his teammates, which he accomplishes by identifying defensive gaps and placing passes so they can score. He also has the ability to pull off unexpected dumps, which is another way he may shock opponents.

12. Hajime Iwaizumi

Iwaizumi is Oikawa's partner and vice-captain. He is also a third-year student at Aoba Johsai High. Iwaizumi and Oikawa's on-court chemistry wasn't created overnight; it is a result of their extensive childhood friendship. Iwaizumi is Aoba Johsai's vice-captain, wing spiker, and ace, making him a triple threat. Iwaizumi frequently serves as Oikawa's antithesis, lending a helpful hand or correcting him when he exhibits infantile conduct. The two collaborate to bring out the best in Aoba Johsai. 

13. Kotaro Bokuto

Bokuto is the ace and the captain of the Fukurodani Academy volleyball team. He is one of the top five aces in the nation. Thanks to his extraordinary strength and skill, he can easily go around two-person blocks. Because of his powerful spikes, not even one of the toughest blockers can stand a chance against him. Bokuto is also a fearsome server with a strong jump-streaming service that throws opponents off guard. Indeed, Bokuto is a strong player on the court, but he is also highly impulsive and prone to losing control of his emotions, especially under pressure leading to some confusion in Fukurodani. Fortunately, Bokuto has his best friend, Akaashi, to help him remain composed and level-headed to get back into the game and outperform the opposing team.

14. Keiji Akaashi

Akaashi is the smart second-year vice-captain and setter for Fukurodani. Akaashi is frequently responsible for keeping Bokuto under control when he becomes lost or sad. Most of the time, Akaashi is remarkably silent. Despite Akaashi's best efforts to call Bokuto out for his childish antics and let him learn lessons on his own, it appears that Akaashi falls into Bokuto's immature behavior and continues to give him the praise that Bokuto needs from his pals.

15. Wakatoshi Ushijima

Ushijima, a third-year student, is the Shiratorizawa volleyball team's captain and ace player. He was the primary antagonist in the story arc in which Karasuno battled his group. Due to his extreme coldness and tendency to come off as far too direct for his own good, Ushijima often leaves people feeling unwelcome. On the other hand, his skill set is unmatched; he excels as a server, a blocker, a defender, and one of the finest opposite spikers on the show. He can regularly deliver potent spikes and serves throughout the entire match, thanks to his outstanding stamina. His left-handedness is his most effective weapon, which gives his spikes a distinctive spin and makes it challenging for opponents to receive. Ushijima is among the top three aces in the nation and the top ace in Miyagi Prefecture, a real testimonial to his power and talent.

16. Miya Twins

Atsumu is the starting setter for the volleyball team at Inarizaki High School in his second year, while his twin brother Osamu is a wing spiker. Atsumu is a cunning individual who frequently delights in agitating those around him while maintaining a cool demeanor to rile them up even more. Atsumu is a person who rarely listens to others and is hard-headed and unyielding. On the other hand, Osamu is much more laid back and less of a hothead than his brother Atsumu. Osamu, like his twin brother, maintains a composed exterior but nonetheless takes his position on the team very seriously and occasionally exhibits excessive rivalry. Osamu and Atsumu frequently collaborate to better one another and enhance their abilities for the team.

17. Korai Hoshiumi

One of the athletes invited to the All-Japan Youth Intensive Training Camp was Hoshiumi. He is a terrific all-arounder who is renowned for his quickness, agility, and strength. Due to his height and remarkable jumping ability, he is compared to the "Little Giant." Despite his short height, his unique sprinting style allows him to get past taller blockers. His spikes are strong and hard to receive because of their strength. He possesses a wide variety of assaults in his arsenal, which he flawlessly executes, including wipes, straights, crosses, and feints. Also, while playing outside hitter as his primary position, he demonstrated his natural setting abilities at the prestigious All-Japan Camp, demonstrating his versatility.

How Many Seasons Haikyuu has?

The anime was initially broadcast in 2014 on Crunchyroll with English subtitles and the Japanese Mainichi Broadcasting System. The opening theme of each season and the OVAs follow Hinata and the Karasuno High Volleyball team as they overcome challenges and achieve their goal of competing at the national level, following the first season, which included 25 episodes, a second and third seasons were released in regular order in 2015 and 2016, respectively. During the third season, the program briefly took a break until returning with season 4 Haikyu!! To The Top, which was released in early 2020 and broken into two parts. The first part debuted on January 11, and the second part was scheduled to debut in July but was delayed due to the pandemic and eventually debuted on October 3. 

But, there is cause for optimism because a special ceremony will mark the manga's tenth anniversary, and it is anticipated that the upcoming season will be unveiled. While waiting for the countdown, people speculated about what it may reveal. Most of them thought a fifth and final season would be revealed, but that wasn't what transpired. Specifically, it was established on August 13 that Haikyuu! would, in fact, be coming to an end, but not after a fifth season! In particular, it was made known that the series will not conclude with a fifth anime season as most fans had assumed, but rather with a two-part movie conclusion. Although a precise release date hasn't been announced, we don't anticipate the movies to hit theaters before late 2023. While waiting for the last part of the anime, here's a short refresher on the past season.

Season 1

Haikyuu season 1 has 25 episodes, wherein episodes 1 through 14 make up the Karasuno High Team Formation Arc, which concludes with the Interhigh Arc (episodes 15-25). Hinata's enthusiasm for volleyball was sparked after witnessing a national championship game on television. He joined his school's volleyball team, Karasuno, because he was adamant about becoming a world-class volleyball player. Karasuno handily defeats Tokonami to start the prefectural tournament preliminaries, which is where the Interhigh Arc begins. They overcome the "iron wall" of Date Tech. However, the third game features a rematch with Aoba Johsai, and Karasuno loses.

Season 2

The Tokyo Expedition Arc is adapted in the second season, as well as the Spring High Preliminary Arc. Nekoma invites Karasuno to a training camp. The team practices against Fukurodani and other teams while some players try out new tricks. The Spring High Preliminary Arc started with Karasuno opening battle with Ohgiminami High. Kakugawa, Johzenji, Date Tech, and Aoba Johsai are listed afterward, while Kasrasuno remains undefeated. Karasuno will advance to the finals and will represent Miyagi Prefecture in the Spring High Tournament.

Season 3

Season 3 concludes the Spring High Preliminary Arc. Karasuno High earned its berth in the competitive Spring competition following its victory over Aoba Jousai High. Karasuno must defeat Shiratorizawa to advance to the national finals. The opponent's ace, Ushijima, is the only thing standing in their way. It is Karasuno High's final opportunity to put everything they have into winning, so they must exert every effort possible. Both teams are anxious and excited to give it their all to win the championship; however, in the end, Karasuno wins the battle.

Season 4 Part 1

The fourth season features the Tokyo Nationals storyline. The Karasuno High volleyball team won the most desired ticket to the nationals after their victory over Shiratorizawa High. Then, just as everything is starting to build up, the team is temporarily broken apart as two members, Kageyama and Kei, are invited to attend special training camps. Kageyama is invited to the All-Japan Youth Training program to compete with other players. Also, Kei Tsukishima invited to a top rookie training camp. In the wake of his friend's departure from the special camp, Hinata feels abandoned while the Karasuno team doggedly continues their own practice matches. The Karasuno volleyball team worked to strengthen their weaknesses and increase their proficiency as the day of the upcoming nationals drew near. Their goal was to take home the famous national championship trophy.

Season 4 Part 2

The season 4-second cour features Karasuno Junior High attending the nationals. In their first game, they did well against Tsubakihara Academy. Kageyama found dealing with the Miya brother to be quite hard. The loud applause and boos from the supporters of each club make the situation uncomfortable. Kageyama takes the attack on Hinata as inspiration for himself. The more the game progresses, the more aggressive it must be for Karasuno to defeat Inarizaki High. Karasuno defeats Inarizaki to move on to the third round.

Best Haikyuu Mechandise

Fancy yourself a Haikyu!! If it's fan favorites you're looking for, start by perusing this list only available in the Sugoi Mart Haikyuu collection. In honor of the start of a brand-new volleyball season, we've compiled some of the best Haikyu merchandise available so you can show your support like a real MVP - have fun!

1. Haikyu!! Long Sticker Box Set

2. Haikyu!! Illustration Book

3. Haikyu!! Jigsaw Puzzle (300 pieces)

4. Haikyu!! Mini Plush Mascot Shoyo Hinata