Haikyuu!!

Ever since having witnessed the "Little Giant" and his astonishing skills on the volleyball court, Shouyou Hinata has been bewitched by the dynamic nature of the sport. Even though his attempt to make his debut as a volleyball regular during a middle school tournament went up in flames, he longs to prove that his less-than-impressive height ceases to be a hindrance in the face of his sheer will and perseverance.

When Hinata enrolls in Karasuno High School, the Little Giant's alma mater, he believes that he is one step closer to his goal of becoming a professional volleyball player. Although the school only retains a shadow of its former glory, Hinata's conviction isn't shaken until he learns that Tobio Kageyama—the prodigy who humiliated Hinata's middle school volleyball team in a crushing defeat—is now his teammate.

To fulfill his desire of leaving a mark on the realm of volleyball—so often regarded as the domain of the tall and the strong—Hinata must smooth out his differences with Kageyama. Only when Hinata learns what it takes to be a part of a team will he be able to join the race to the top in earnest.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Hinata, Shouyou Main

Murase, Ayumu Japanese

Kageyama, Tobio Main

Ishikawa, Kaito Japanese

Oikawa, Tooru Supporting

Namikawa, Daisuke Japanese

Nishinoya, Yuu Supporting

Okamoto, Nobuhiko Japanese

Kozume, Kenma Supporting

Kaji, Yuuki Japanese

Tsukishima, Kei Supporting

Uchiyama, Kouki Japanese

Kuroo, Tetsurou Supporting

Nakamura, Yuuichi Japanese

Sugawara, Koushi Supporting

Irino, Miyu Japanese

Tanaka, Ryuunosuke Supporting

Hayashi, Yuu Japanese

Yamaguchi, Tadashi Supporting

Saitou, Souma Japanese

Kananiwa, Kozue Producer

Maeda, Toshihiro Producer

Morihiro, Fumi Producer

Matsushita, Keiko Producer, Production Assistant

Reviews

Feb 23, 2025

jennisiaria

Recommended

Haikyuu!! is an absolute masterpiece, and by "masterpiece," I mean it's the anime that makes you want to become a volleyball player even if you’ve never touched a volleyball in your life. Like, I went from “What’s volleyball again?” to “If I start practicing right now, I might be able to spike like Hinata in a decade… or two.” This show is that inspiring. But also, let’s be real—it’s the reason I’m now unreasonably obsessed with jumping. I just want to feel the air beneath my feet, you know?

The story is as simple as it gets: a bunch of high school students trying to become ... the best volleyball team in Japan. But somehow, Haikyuu!! manages to turn this into the most intense sports drama where every match feels like it’s life or death (spoiler: it’s volleyball, not a war). The stakes are ridiculously high. It's like every serve is a potential universe-shattering event. The anime presents volleyball with so much passion that by the end of the match, you’ll be standing up, yelling “Kageyama, GO FOR IT!” like you’re personally invested in whether or not this poor teen can finally pass the ball to Hinata. Don’t even get me started on the tension every time they face a rival team. It’s like, “Oh, these kids are just playing volleyball,” but you feel like someone’s about to dropkick the Earth into space with their spike.

Speaking of characters, let’s talk about Hinata. The guy is a human cannonball with the energy of ten thousand children who’ve had too much sugar. He’s short, but he jumps like he’s trying to escape the planet’s gravitational pull. The show constantly makes you believe that Hinata’s lack of height won’t stop him from doing the impossible, which, spoiler alert: he does. Every time he gets a point, it feels like the biggest underdog win, and I’m sitting there on the couch like, "YES, YOU DID IT, YOU SPICY CINNAMON ROLL."

Then there’s Kageyama, the guy who’s basically the walking definition of "talented but has zero chill." He’s the type of guy who takes his job too seriously and expects you to do the same. Kageyama's not here to make friends; he’s here to make perfect sets, and if you don't like it, well... you better get out of the way. His awkward yet fierce relationship with Hinata is basically the heart of the show. It’s like two angry kittens trying to learn how to work together while simultaneously hating each other’s guts, but also knowing deep down that they need each other to succeed.

Then we have the other characters—Tobio, Yamaguchi, Tsukishima—who, let’s be real, are all equally amazing and equally hilarious. There’s always that one character who’s too cool for school, and Tsukishima is that guy. He’s the guy who’s too chill, with that classic “I couldn’t care less” vibe but is somehow still a key player on the team. His dry humor? Iconic. And don’t even get me started on Yamaguchi’s glow-up. This boy was once unsure about his role and now is out here making clutch plays that make you scream at the screen. Haikyuu!! has this magical way of making every character feel like an MVP.

The animation is just… chef’s kiss. The volleyball action is beautifully intense. The spike shots? So cinematic, it’s like watching The Avengers fight each other, but instead of lasers, they’re spiking balls. Every jump, every serve, every block feels as epic as a sword fight, and don’t even get me started on the way they animate those intense moments of silence before a big play. It’s like time slows down, and you're about to see history being made… with a volleyball.

Let’s also talk about the music. Haikyuu!! knows exactly how to build hype. The moment the music kicks in during a dramatic play, it’s like the soundtrack to your life has just started. You feel like you’re the one on the court, and you suddenly have the power to take on an entire team by yourself. When the soundtrack hits at just the right moment, you feel like you could run a marathon—or at least spike a volleyball at light speed. But also, you’ll probably need a nap after all the emotional exertion from just watching these kids play volleyball.

One flaw? Maybe the fact that after each match you’re left wondering why you’re not spending every waking minute practicing volleyball. If watching Haikyuu!! doesn't make you want to become an Olympic-level athlete or join a volleyball team just for the intense team bonding, then I don’t know what will.

In conclusion, Haikyuu!! is an anime that turns an ordinary high school sport into an emotional rollercoaster of passion, friendship, and spiking balls with so much intensity you’ll wonder if you’ve been accidentally trained in volleyball by the end of it. It’s a masterpiece in the way it makes you feel everything. And no, you don’t have to care about volleyball to love it. But after watching it? You might just start. So grab some popcorn, sit back, and get ready to see a bunch of teenagers push themselves to the absolute limit—all while making volleyball look way cooler than it has any right to be.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Oct 8, 2022

Official_16

Mixed Feelings

Funny

Wouldn't really recommend. I mean it's alright and all but I wouldn't say it's the best sports anime (its hajime no ippo btw) I just don't think I'll rate the other seasons. I've watched them but they are all mediocre as well. Would not recommend it, but if I do you might enjoy it more than me.

Characters like daichi and tanaka were cool but other than that. Mid characters left right and centre. Hinata is the most generic of the lot but other than that he isn't that bad.

Story was alright honestly, nothing too bad at all. Art style was a little iffy at times ... and the only real strength was the animation whenever hinata hit the ball.

I didn't like it a lot but maybe someone else would. Hope I don't get judged for my tastes.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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May 6, 2024

RyuYuri

Not Recommended

Funny

Literally on of the most boring anime I have ever seen

"Haikyuu" didn't quite hit the mark for me. Despite, I found it lacking in excitement and originality. The storyline felt predictable, and the characters failed to capture my interest...well oikawa did a little but the rest of the charecters are very basic and I didn't like the comedy in the anime it's so corny...

I can appreciate the effort put into portraying volleyball dynamics and the animation was perfect actually, but idk i really felt sleepy watching this anime . Overall, "Haikyuu" didn't manage to engage me in the way I had hoped.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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