Haikyuu!!

MisyRose Jun 3, 2013

9

I love this series. It's hard to say why; it isn't very popular and there isn't anything special about it. There is the typical hot-blooded shounen hero who is a little ehh... on the IQ scale but is actually a hidden genius at the game and his dark-haired talented rival who initially clash in everything but gradually realises that they have things in common and work extremely well together to pulverise their enemies. Oh, and in true sport manga fashion, they are the underdogs. Does it sound a bit familiar? So, my point is, there isn't much to differentiate it from the rest of the sports manga aside from the fact that it's about volleyball which is considerably rare compared to all the baseball mangas that are a dime a dozen. But nevertheless Haikyuu!! is a manga that I look forward to reading, suffer heart problems when there isn't any new chapters, and fangirl immensely over cool scenes. Why? Like I said at the start, it's hard to say. It has nothing in particular that stands out from the crowd, but what it does have is simply a combination of little things that works, and works very well. There's just something about it that makes you feel good. The cliched talks and speeches and one liners makes me inspired instead of wanting to groan and shout for them to get along with it, the comedy actually makes me laugh and the characters are all so likeable! Plus, some (important) matches are done in like four or five chapters! Do you know how much of a miracle that is? Do you know how weird that is, how strange, how praise-worthy? I have read my fair share of sports manga and let me tell you, NO (important) MATCHES ARE DONE IN MERELY FOUR/FIVE CHAPTERS! There is one particular manga called Rookies whose matches can drag on for twenty-odd chapters. Can you imagine the pain in slogging through them? (I would recommend reading it anyway fyi) I have nothing to entice you to read Haikyuu!! except for my whole hearted recommendation that this is great which I can't back it with actual proof but man, you've got to read it! Also, Furudate Haruichi really knows how to make things cool. There are some important scenes where the pose, the angle, the facial expression and all-round awesomeness just made me stop for a moment and seriously fangirl.

J24601 Jan 2, 2017

10

I'm going to preface this by saying, I'm not usually a fan of sports. I have no interest in real life sports, however, Haikyuu! brings something to the table that makes me keep coming  back and anxious for the next chapter. I truly love this manga, the characters are well developed and believable as is the storyline. I also thoroughly enjoy the art.

fowlartemis Dec 14, 2020

10

"Opportuinities favor those with the prepared mind." Haikyuu is the best manga/anime by far. I am not the person who likes sports anime, as a matter of fact this was my first sports anime. I sat down to see the first episode and it was worth it. What gets you here is the fact that it is too realistic, each one of us has a character we can relate to and not a single character that is a villain or is to be hated. It a beautiful representation of not everything in life is easy, miracles don't happen and hardwork never fails. Not everyone gets to be a hero, not everyone gets a chance to play but each person, even the crowd that cheers for you, is important. You find yourself rooting for everyone in the manga. There is not a single team that you can condone or hate, that is the most heartbreaking part, you are happy for the team who wins and but absolutely devastated for the team who loses. In the end the manga is all about the beauty of playing a sport and striving to be better person than you were yesterday. One of the major themes is 'Connect', how there are always 6 people on the court ready to give their all, ready to connect with the ball, and you will see as the story progresses how the matches against each other once or twice a year made realtionships so strong that all of them are still connected in their hearts.  And the thing most relatable about Haikyuu is, nothing is guaranteed, victory or a loss, it all depends on YOU. As long as the ball does not touch the ground, the set ain't over, the match aint over, THE GAME AIN'T OVER.The sheer deligence and sportsmanship is enough to motivate anyone reading this manga or watching this anime. Seriously I cannot recommend it enough. If you want your anime experience to reach another height, Watch this/ read this anime.