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Listen, you might prefer One Punch Man or Death Parade or Your Lie in April or what have you, but this was my favorite anime of 2015 by far. (I know it went into 2016 but technically it's a 2015 show)

Story: 7/10
Like the first season, the second season's storyline is very simple. Karasuno wants to do well in this tournament and get to nationals. Typical of the genre, nothing too special or new.

Characters: 10/10
This was the thing that made season two so great for me, and there was no way I could give it less than a ten. With a simple plot and ... a simple goal, this series ends up being very character-driven and this season especially makes that crystal clear. At one point fairly early in the season, the character development parade begins for a multitude of characters and it is absolutely glorious. Of course, it helps that the characters are interesting and fun to watch, too. By the end of this season, you'll only love the characters more, including characters you didn't know you loved at all.

Art: 7/10
The animation is a little rocky sometimes, but overall it's pretty great. The art style is the same as the first season, and it still works.

Sound: 9/10
The openings and endings are all phenomenal, and they all serve their purpose. The openings are catchy head-bopping tunes that get you hype for the episode while the endings make you not want to wait another week. Being the nerd for this show that I am, I've listened to both volumes of the soundtrack, and it covers a wide range of genres, instruments, and feelings to fit the moment (*cough* that one scene in episode eight *cough*).

Enjoyment: 10/10
Every Saturday for six months starting in early October 2015, I would get home from my piano lesson, put a pot of mac and cheese on the stove, and settle in for a ride, and that was the highlight of my week. This show made me laugh, it made me cry twice, it made me ship things because I'm trash, and most importantly, it made me happy and it was a feel-good series most of the time. I looked forward to every new episode from the minute I finished the last one, and it was an extremely fun six months that I would repeat in a heartbeat.

Overall: 10/10
This series isn't full of deep themes about the nature of humanity or stunning visuals or a dark and gritty storyline, but there's a lot to appreciate. From the fitting theme music to the cute designs to the varied and lovable cast of characters, the second season of Haikyuu!! goes above and beyond the first's achievements and you'll definitely find something to fall in love with.

Wow. This show was a roller coaster ride, and I absolutely loved it. After watching the first episode all the way back in December, I abandoned it to watch some other shows, including Durarara!! and Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Love!, but just a few weeks ago, I decided to give it another chance, and I'm so glad I did. I've been a fan of sports anime for a while, having watched and enjoyed Free! and Yowamushi Pedal (as well as planning to watch Kuroko no Basuke when i get a chance), but Haikyuu!! went above and beyond my expectations and quickly became my favorite sports ... anime and definitely one of my favorite anime just in general.

But enough about me, let's get onto the volleyball.

The huge overarching plot is your typical sports anime kind of thing, where the main team has to overcome the obstacles presented by other teams in order to win the championship or whatnot. In that, Haikyuu!! isn't really anything special or different from other anime in its genre. But that's okay, because it makes way for this series' biggest strong point: the impressive characters and characterization.

Of course, Hinata and Kageyama are the main characters, and their relationship is focused on the most throughout the series. They're both written extremely well, and they also have a ton of character development, both individually and as a team. But they by all means aren't the only characters in the series, and the producers make sure you know that extremely well, by making sure you both get to know and in some cases fall in love with the other, more minor characters. From the tough-looking teddy bear spiker Azumane Asahi to the super-energetic "fight me!" attacker Tanaka Ryuunosuke, as well as all the other characters you meet, the series lets you meet your teammates and know them really well, almost as if you were playing on a real team instead of watching one. Most of them also undergo a lot of character development themselves, Asahi really standing out among the rest of the team, although I can think of at least two other characters who undergo some as well. However, the main cast is huge, making for some characters to almost get left out of the action. Yamaguchi Tadashi especially comes to mind, as he sometimes gets a little bit of the spotlight, then practically disappears for episodes at a time. And even so, some of the other characters barely get focused on at all.

But that's not it. Along with getting to know your teammates, you also get to know your rivals and your enemies, too. After all, Karasuno High has to play against someone to win, right? There's a lot of focus on rival school Nekoma High and its players, especially quiet setter Kenma, in a few episodes, and the match against "Iron Wall" blocking central Dateko has a lot of focus on their team, too.

The greatest school other than Karasuno to get the spotlight, however, is definitely Aoba Johsai, Karasuno's true rival. Not only does the team have a lot of players from Kageyama's middle school, but their captain, Oikawa Tooru, is given a huge spotlight on his own in the later episodes of the series. I won't spoil it, of course, but while you might hate him early on, Oikawa just might become one of your favorite characters, and his motivations are both relatable and heart-wrenching. Aoba Johsai will probably make you question who you're actually rooting for, due to the amazing characterization on both sides of the net. That's what happened for me, at least.

The sound is great, the characters all have lots of expression and they all are voiced extremely well. The voice cast was wonderful to listen to, and Oikawa's "Yahoo!~" never gets old. Plus, the music is great. The openings and endings are all extremely catchy, but the OST that plays during the show itself is also a work of art that enhances the feeling of the series a lot and contributes to its success.

The art is also pretty great, being from Production I.G. and all, and in some cases it enhances the over-the-top feeling of the show, which I loved. There were bits when it seemed a bit repetitive, but overall, it was great visually. Some of the facial expressions were pretty hilarious, too.

Haikyuu!!, overall, is a great anime, one of the best in its genre, at least in my opinion. But hey, I played a lot of volleyball before watching the show, so maybe it's just me. Either way, it's an extremely fun watch, and it gets even better as the show goes on, at least until you end up crying over something or another. Even then, you will still love it. The elements all combine to create an amazing experience, and the characters especially stand out as characters you may just fall in love with. I'm extremely excited for season 2, and if it's anywhere as good as this season, it'll be a hit in my book.