With many of us cooped up at home, the main source of entertainment has become finding new movies or binging shows; one of my personal favorites during this time has been the anime “Haikyuu!!,” based on the manga by Haruichi Furudate. The plot mainly follows the story of Shoyo Hinata, a 5’4 ginger, working to pursue his dream of becoming the next “Tiny Giant.” Typically, height is a valued component of being a volleyball player, but since Hinata was lacking in that department, he would need plenty of help getting to the skill level of his favorite player, who was a little guy just like him.
This help would come from the support of his new team in Karasuno High, which also happened to be the same school the Tiny Giant attended when his team made the Nationals. The kind Sugawara, inspirational Daichi, determined Kageyama, jokester Tinaka, and so many others help each other out, and these characters really make the show. Although the plot is as simple as a volleyball team going to practices and tournaments, the energy and uniqueness of the characters make them all very relatable and likeable in their own way, so it can definitely be enjoyed by people even if they aren’t huge fans of volleyball itself.
The characters had me laughing alongside them, and even going through all the same emotions as one does while watching a real sports tournament, anxiously awaiting their next move. The first season aired in 2014, with Season Two and Three following in its footsteps, both being released years after. Season four didn’t come out until this year, leaving fans waiting and wondering its fate. In fact, while the first fifteen episodes of season four came out in the beginning of the year, the rest of the episodes didn’t start coming out until recently in October due to delays stemming from COVID.
Regardless, Haikyuu!! is a great show to give a try to if you’re looking for a simple show to get your mind off of things, or to binge in its entirety with its quick, twenty minute episodes. It can be found on platforms like Netflix, 4anime, or Crunchyroll. It’s a lighthearted and fun show perfect for any age, and I’d say it’s suitable for pretty much anyone!
