Hai-Kyū!! (ハイキュー) is a Japanese slice-of-life shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. The main protagonist is a high school boy named Shōyō Hinata and his passion for volleyball with big dreams of being a champion. But he is faced with one drawback—his short height.
The manga began serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump in February 2012 and took 8 years to complete. Based on Crunchyroll—the manga ended on November 4, 2020, with 45 volumes. The anime adaptation presented by Production I.G aired on MBS (Mainichi Broadcasting System) in 2014 and ended in 2020 for a total of 4 seasons.
If you are a fan of Haikyuu, read on! No spoilers ahead.
Plot
With dreams to be the best volleyball player in school, Hinata strives to beat his rivals despite his lack of stature (being only a little over 5ft 4”).
But he can jump up to 50 inches and has a competitive spirit to match. His life changes upon meeting Tobio Kageyama “The King of the Court,” who happens to be a middle school volleyball star player who would defeat him and later be the person (and friend!) who would later inspire him to become the ace of their high school’s volleyball team.
They eventually teamed up at Karasuno High School where they would train to be the best players in Japan.
The pair is ranked #9 in the top 10 love-hate relationships in anime by CBR.com. Often squabbling with one another, with no choice but to work together to reach their goals.
Season 1
Haikyū!! Season 1 had 25 episodes with episode 1 premiering on April 6, 2014. The season ended on September 21. The opening songs for episodes 1-13 were “Imagination” by SPYAIR, and for episode 14, “Ah Yeah!!” by Sukima Switch.
The opening song for episodes 15-25 was tacica’s “Leo.”
Season 2
Haikyū!! Season 2 also had 25 episodes running for about 24 minutes each and aired from October 4, 2015 to March 27, 2016.
SPYAIR again did another song called “I’m A Believer” for the opening credits of episodes 1-13 and BURNOUT SYNDROMES with their song “FLY HIGH!!” for episodes 15-25.
Season 3
Haikyū!! Karasuno High School vs Shiratorizawa Academy (ハイキュー!! 烏野高校 VS 白鳥沢学園高校) aired from October 8 to December 10, 2016, with only 10 episodes.
The opening song was “Hikari Are” by BURNOUT SYNDROMES and for the closing credits, a track by Nico Touches the Walls’—”Mashi Mashi.”
Season 4: Haikyū!! TO THE TOP
The long-awaited final season had 25 episodes—premiering on January 11, 2020, but got delayed due to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans had to wait for the second half, which eventually ran from October 3 to December 19, 2020. Other musical artists that contributed to the soundtrack were SUPER BEAVER with the track “Toppakou” and “Kessen Spirit” by CHiCO with HoneyWorks.
Legacy
As written on CBR.com, Haikyū!! is number 1 on their list as the Best Anime to Watch with Mom for its wholesome storylines and quirky characters—a must-watch for anyone who loves volleyball (or not).
The anime was also featured in NHK’s documentary “We Became Strong Through Manga” まんがで強く バレーボール ハイキュー featuring the effects of Haikyū!! on Japanese youth and professional athletes. There was even data showing an increase in men’s high school volleyball clubs with members cheering “I love Hinata!”
The series’ positive impact was far-reaching, too–a writer based in Australia even wrote a lengthy piece on how it’s helped her cope through the tough year that was 2020.
No doubt this sports-based anime had a powerful impact on Japanese pop culture—encouraging positivity, sportsmanship, and athletics. The manga won the 61st Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen manga in 2017 with 50 over million copies in circulation.
Video game adaptations were also released on Nintendo 3DS and Playstation 4.
About Haruichi Furudate
According to Looper—the shounen manga creator was born in Iwate Prefecture in Japan and moved to Miyagi where he spent about 10 years there. He went to college at Sendai Design Training School.
He explained that the places he grew up in deeply influenced the popular volleyball arc. Coincidentally, Haruichi also played volleyball during his high school years and seemed to prioritize sports over academics.
“I started drawing because I wanted to play volleyball.”—Furudate
He gained success at the age of 25 upon the release of his first manga “Ousama Kid,” and eventually won honorable mention for the 14th Jump Treasure Newcomer Manga Prize.
Haikyū!! is about one boy’s perseverance to overcome challenges and fulfill one’s destiny in a volleyball-themed arc. With a group of lovable characters and hilarious antics, each season offers light-hearted life lessons and laughter.
If you’re set on watching Hinata and friends, you can enjoy the 4 seasons and 4 movies of the franchise. There are 5 OVA (Original Video Animation) also available.
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