Haikyu!! 2nd Season
“When Volleyball Dreams Take Flight”
Just take me back! 2015, and Haikyu is rising, capturing hearts left and right. I still remember, as if it were yesterday, Hinata and Kageyama, the dysfunctional duo, bringing everything to the table, everything that an anime fan could ask for. Haikyu is one of the most well-rounded anime series we've had in recent years. The series has the perfect blend of every genre element, and it knows how to execute everything flawlessly, thus explaining the worldwide success it's gotten over the years.
However, it's been a long time since the volleyball anime last saw the light of day, and I’m sure that just blows everyone’s mind. But the series is back, and finally, here, the newest movie is going on sale this week with the Blu-ray release. What a time to just look back and reminisce over everything that Haikyu has brought forth, especially the second season since this is the one where they pull themselves together, train, and hone their skills, all the while acknowledging their weaknesses and drawbacks since you can't win without first seeing and correcting what's keeping you from winning in the first place. There are many life lessons in Haikyu, and they become quite noticeable as the series continues. That said, let's take this trip down memory lane and dive right in!
Character Development at its Finest
Sure, the first season wasn't that far behind compared to the sequel regarding character development. But we can all agree that it's this season when we see the boys hanging out with some of the best that the country has to offer, and that, in turn, allows them to study and learn from them, all the while building these bonds that are sure to go a long way. Plus, those penalties are a total treat to watch since seeing our favorite characters swimming on the court makes it known loud and clear that letting it all out and resetting before correcting what's wrong is the way to deal with almost all of your problems. Also, seeing the duo go from tasting defeat at the hands of the best setter to working on everything and knocking him out at the end of the season makes us all realize that the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears were completely worth it in the end.
I think this is something that always ends up working in Haikyu's favor. The series just uses sheer hard work and determination as its bread and butter, a lot more when compared to other anime that define the sports genre itself. I remember this being something that drew me towards Haikyu in the first place, and it’s great that the author didn’t get rid of it, even at the very end. Plus, I think it's one of the most natural ones out there since most of these shows employ a bunch of characters playing the sport while going full Dragon Ball Z mode on each other, and that just takes away the fun from the game. I don’t want the ball to catch fire or you to suddenly transform into Super Saiyan Lebron James. Play normally!
Great new Additions
Season 2 of Haikyu featured a lot of new faces. Sure, it was difficult to recall many of these faces, given their limited screen time. That’s a given since we only focus on the training camp for most of this season. But what was remarkable was that we got to know these new characters who were only supposed to be a frame in the opening theme song earlier, which got us all hyped and excited to see how they played in a real game on the court. Not to mention the fan-favorite moment where the dysfunctional duo finds themselves on enemy lines, running into no one but the biggest dog of them all, Ushijima Wakatoshi or Ushiwaka. That scene where Hinata Shoyo just pounces toward the ball and jumps even higher than the legendary high schooler still gives me goosebumps even today.
I think that spelled a lot of hype for the upcoming match against Shiratorizawa, and I can tell you will all agree that they nailed that adaptation, season 3. Exploring new strategies, changing themselves through and through, and helping each other to cross that finish line altogether, Haikyu is just so good, to be honest. I think the anime made many people start trying out volleyball as a sport. The sport has also benefitted from the series' popularity, especially among teens and young adults. Just recall how many times someone has drawn an analogy to these characters after watching some real-life volleyball players on TV? A lot, right? I'm sad about how it all ended, and I'm sure everyone is, but I'm grateful I got to see this story to the very end!
Spyair Being Made for Haikyu
We all know that Ike from Spyair has sung some fantastic songs. But if 'Imagination' from the first season was not enough to get you hyped up and ready to take on the entire world right away, he hit us with 'I am a Believer,' which still hits hard even today. Not to mention the opening cinematography, where the ball syncs perfectly to the music, beat by beat, showcasing just what peak volleyball animation looks like to everyone.
Watching Blue Lock now, I can’t help but notice just how ahead Haikyu was back in the day, especially now that it’s 10 years old or something, which is crazy if you ask me. Who can forget this season's classical OST, 'Above'? ‘I’m Hinata Shoyo of the concrete; we’re going to beat you and go to nationals!’ Damn, that was something else, even in the face of the supposed best player out there. That’s just one of those OSTs I can remember now, but I know how well Haikyu plays with music. The soundtracks are a massive part of the series and have defined some of the most iconic moments the series has gifted us with over the years. These are the songs and moments that we go back to, and the fact that they’ve survived the test of time tells us a lot about the magic Haikyu brought to our screens back in the day.
As if it wasn’t obvious already, Haikyu is a must-watch. I don’t care if you don’t like sports anime or volleyball in general; if you’re bad at it and want to stay as far as the sport as you can, even then, it’s one of the best anime series you can watch. It showcases hard work, dedication, and determination in such a beautiful and natural manner that you can’t help but fall in love with the series the moment you dive into the first episode. It’s no wonder that the series has become such a worldwide phenomenon over the years and it’ll continue to do so until the anime adaptations have stopped coming out. The film Dumpster Battle was a success. I can only imagine the next one following in its footsteps, if not better, given how, with Haikyu, the next entry consistently outperforms the previous one by a wide margin.
For the rating, I’d easily give it a 9/10. It’s one of the best anime series out there, and the second season featured some of the greatest moments that the anime is known for. I’ve watched Haikyu more than twice, and every watch reminds me of how special an anime it is. I’m excited to see more from the author and watch the movie as soon as it becomes available, no matter what time it is. I’ve waited a little too long, and I’ve gotten tired of it! If you’re one of those who haven’t picked up Haikyu yet, an offense for which you should serve jail time, I can’t recommend this show enough, as you read earlier. It’s one of the best anime series you can watch and will be worth every second of your time. So do yourselves a favor and watch it. People who’ve watched it need to watch the movie since we need those sales to increase!
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