let’s talk about haikyuu!! // nothing has any right to be this GOOD

Hi friends! So…I have fallen into the hole of the Haikyu*! fandom. And I know a lot of you are probably wondering what the heck that is and before I explain, I would like to name some facts about me. You know, because I’m selfish. Just kidding, I swear there’s a good reason.

*and my hero academia but let’s not talk about that now

1. I DON’T LIKE SPORTS. My family loves them a lot, specifically basketball and football. And I, despite playing several sports, just never rode that wave to their immense disappointment.
2. I don’t really watch TV. And even if I do find a show and enjoy it, I almost never watch it obsessively.
3. I’m not the biggest anime watcher? Like, I go through phases with it if that makes sense.

and haikyuu!! breaks all three of those undeniable so-called FACTS i just mentioned.

I watched all four seasons at a faster pace than what is probably healthy. It’s ridiculous how good of an anime, let alone show, it is. So! If you’re wondering what it’s about, let me finally tell you.

Basically, it follows a boy named Hinata (ginger kid) who’s super short, but wants to become the greatest wing spiker in volleyball. He was inspired by a player called The Little Giant who played for Karasuno highschool who was also short but insane at the game. So, he also is HIGHKEY rivals with a setter named Kageyama (black-haired kid on the far left) and the two swear to beat each other in junior high. But guess what!!! When they both pick highschools, turns out they’ pick the same one and now they’re on the same team!

this has some of the most INCREDIBLE art direction, plotting, and character development I’ve ever seen.

I knew nothing about volleyball, and had zero interest in this beforehand. Now, I just throw out volleyball jargon in a random conversation because I’m literally way too obsessed. Actually, I enjoy watching professional volleyball players (such as the Team USA libero) react to certain sequences of Haikyu! and turns out, there are a LOT of advanced techniques used in the show. But they’re taught so naturally??? Like, I almost never feel more confused than normal???

THIS HAS NO RIGHT BEING SO ENTERTAINING EITHER. The third season is literally a ten episode long volleyball game. And it is intense. Every play shown has you on the edge of your seat, and you become so invested in every single character. One of the things I love about it is that not only do you get to watch our two main characters grow, but you also watch the entire Karasuno team and learn their backstories. Over time, they form great dynamics with opposing teams that work so very well. I literally love every character dearly* which is super rare for me.

*at least the ones whose names i can remember. there’s a lot of characters.

Season 1 is a great introduction to most of the Karasuno members, and two awesome teams. It has a bit of a slow start as far as the first half goes but you’re quickly hooked on the volleyball action and the character relationships! That feeling only grows as the stakes get higher, and new characters are introduced.

Season 2 IS SO GOOD BYE. There’s a training camp arc where we get to meet so many amazing characters and teams who play a big role in the anime. It’s also just so endearing watching the team’s hard work pay off.

would die for these two btw

Season 3 is just a ten-episode long game but it truly hit me as I was watching it how invested I was. All I could think was, “How and why am I finding this so entertaining????” and honestly, the answer is that the anime perfectly balances the dramatized volleyball action with providing the background stories of the opposing team, and going deeper into Karasuno’s heads with every new play.

Season 4 is my personal favorite. The art style changes here, which works for some characters and less for others, but I was able to truly appreciate the brilliance of the art direction in this season. ALSO. MY BOYS HAVE GROWN UP SO MUCH. Throughout every season, you watch everyone grow and evolve and change. But Hinata and Kageyama in the fourth season…it is truly mind-blowing. That’s how you do brilliant character arcs. You see the extreme pay-off of the previous seasons as the stakes continually raise. Plus, you know, there are way too many incredible characters in this season. I get more Kuroo and Bokuto so um yeah that’s a plus. My only complaint is the lack of Oikawa.

Also, it has no right being this hilarious. The dub especially sacrifices some of the seriousness for hilarity. The banter, the sarcasm, the occasional face receive on Hinata’s part…they just come out of nowhere and hit you unexpectedly with humor! It truly does strike the perfect balance.

Anyways! That was my really long-winded rambling about this random anime I binged. I’m really trying not to rewatch it because haha this really isn’t healthy!! But I would really highly recommend giving this a chance even if you’re like me and would normally never watch this in a million years. It’s insanely good. Talk to me about this if you’ve seen it, and even if not, I’d still love to hear your thoughts!

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