‘Haikyu!!’ Will Get You Psyched For The Tokyo Summer Olympics

Not only will Haikyu!! get you in the mood for the Tokyo Olympics (which is nearly upon us!), but it also just may change your life. I’m not saying you’re going to suddenly consider becoming a volleyball pro, but even if you don’t like the sport, you’ll find yourselves entertained by the comedy, impressed by the animation and character work, moved by the life lessons, and maybe, just maybe, even a little excited about volleyball.

Anime is the umbrella term for animation coming out of Japan. It spans every genre and covers content for people of all ages and interests. Anime could be anything from Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning 2001 fantasy film Spirited Away to long-running ninja action adventure series Naruto. And when it comes to the sports genre, anime just happens to do it oh so right.

Haikyu!! is an animated comedy-drama series that revolves around the sport of volleyball. First written in manga (Japanese comics or graphic novels) form by Haruichi Furudate from 2012 to 2020, the show breathes added life, color, and movement into Furudate’s already gripping and well-written tale. Both works follow Shouyou Hinata, a short boy who gets inspired to play volleyball after witnessing the skill and vertical leap of a local high school player dubbed “The Little Giant” in a televised championship volleyball game. In his quest to fly high despite his 5’3″ height, jubilant and dedicated Hinata encounters a long list of new friends and foes upon arrival at the former powerhouse (and the Little Giant’s alma mater) Karasuno High, now disparagingly called “The Fallen Crows.”

Haikyu!! is funny while simultaneously remaining gripping, informative, and at times quite intense. This is a testament to writing so good it transcends potential language and cultural divides. One minute there might be a joke that maybe only the audience members who were born and raised in Japan will understand, and then the next there will be a silly and visually hilarious moment that needs no subtitles or explanation to be utterly delightful to any and all viewers.

The team dynamics are both relatable and realistic, with guys like perfectionist and short-tempered setting prodigy Tobio Kageyama and antagonist and frustratingly tall Kei Tsukishima bumping heads with Hinata from the start, which leads to all three challenging each other to grow and improve in both their volleyball skills and general mindsets.

If you’ve ever played a sport in your life (especially if it was in high school), this show is going to resonate with you big-time. Haikyu!! captures the essence of team sports, the camaraderie, the rivalries, the joys of improving and winning, and the frustrations and lessons that come out of loss. Whether your team or school was a sports powerhouse or if you never won anything at all, you’ll be able to find a Haikyu!! squad or character to relate to.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, perhaps you’ve never played sports, are ambivalent towards them, or really dislike anything that revolves around sweat and exerting physical effort. Even then, this is still a show you can love, if only you give it a chance. The writing and character work is strong enough that it’s easy to care about each individual character, not only on our protagonists at Kurasuno’s team, but also for every single team they play.

That’s one of the most incredible and unique things about Haikyu!! that differs from other popular and widely known sports movies and shows, from Hoosiers to Friday Night Lights, where we care about and focus on our coach, our team, and their dynamics within the group, but their opponents outside of that aren’t as important. Haikyu!! makes every opponent and side character feel like they could be the protagonists of another story, pulling you in and making you care before you know it, so that it often becomes difficult deciding who to root for.

But most of all, you should watch Haikyu!! because it is impactful and, at its core, so human and heartfelt. No matter our interests or personality, each and every one of us has a passion or goal (or we’re trying to find one!) and we can relate to the elation, roadblocks, pain, and fun that comes out of chasing or discovering it. Haikyu!! has some touching and wise things to say about life, and it delivers these messages through the accessible lens of a high school sports team. Whether the character is a star, a bench player, or even a team manager, any of them could be you or me.

With the Tokyo Olympics beginning in mid-July, there is no better time to start Haikyu!! than now. Give it a (cut… or maybe a straight… That’s right, you’ll learn ALL the cool volleyball lingo!) shot, and you’ll get hooked, entertained, and inspired in no time.

Watch Haikyu!! on Netflix