The Wings of “Thinking” Depicted in “Haikyu!! TO THE TOP” — The Day Shoyo Hinata Learned to “Look Carefully”

This season depicts the further evolution of Karasuno High School, who have finally achieved their long-awaited goal of reaching the National Tournament, as they go through the All-Japan Youth Training Camp and the Miyagi Prefecture First-Year Selection Training Camp.

The greatest appeal lies in the objective perspective and deepening of thought that protagonist Shoyo Hinata acquires during the camp he participated in as a mere “ball boy.” Beyond just power and speed, his “quiet awakening”—mastering the essence of receiving and deciphering information on the court—vividly bears fruit in the fierce battle against the powerhouse Inarizaki High School. It is a soul-stirring work that showcases the “intellectual enthusiasm” of high school students who never stop thinking as they aim for the “view from the top.”

As the Karasuno High School Volleyball Club prepares for the National Tournament, news arrives that Kageyama has been invited to the All-Japan Youth Intensive Training Camp. Furthermore, Tsukishima is invited to the Miyagi Prefecture First-Year Selection Intensive Training Camp.

Hinata, who was not chosen for the camp, decides to crash the Miyagi Prefecture First-Year Camp, but…!?

“Donpishari” (Perfect/Spot on). With that single phrase, the despair of seeing the “freak quick,” which they had developed themselves, copied right in front of their eyes by the enemy. The second round of the Spring High National Tournament. The opponent is Inarizaki High School, a favorite to win, boasting the strongest twins in high school volleyball, the Miya brothers.

Haikyu!! TO THE TOP (Season 4) Cour 2 was an overly dense season that poured almost all resources into this single match. Offense and defense that make your hands sweat, psychological warfare in extreme conditions, and the background dramas held by the players of both teams. The way these intertwine intricately and converge into the climax is truly the pinnacle of sports anime.

However, the true protagonist this time is not the ace who decides the spike, nor the genius setter. It is the evolution of a single player named Shoyo Hinata, who experienced “ball retrieval” in the corner of the court and learned to “think” about volleyball. Today, from the perspective of a veteran columnist, I will dig deep into the reason why this Inarizaki match shakes our hearts so much.

The biggest highlight in the 4th season TO THE TOP is the inner growth of the protagonist, Shoyo Hinata. Until now, he was a player who “flew” with exceptional physical ability and reflexes. However, through the forced participation in the Miyagi Prefecture First Year Selection Training Camp (ball retrieval), he added “seeing” and “thinking” to his weapons.

The decisive moment in the Inarizaki match. Against the opponent’s powerful spike, Hinata instantaneously calculated the position of his ally’s block, the spiker’s form, and the trajectory of the ball, and entered the optimal receiving position. He, who used to move only by instinct, constructed logic and intentionally raised a “good receive.” That scene where Kageyama involuntarily called out “Nice receive.” And “the day Shoyo Hinata got hooked on volleyball deeply once again,” witnessed by Tsukishima. That moment harbored an emotion that gave goosebumps, more than the moment a flashy spike is decided. The moment a compass called thought was added to the wings called physical ability. The crow truly began to fly in the national sky.

The charm of the opponent, Inarizaki High School, is also indispensable when talking about this work. The No.1 high school setter, Atsumu Miya, and his twin Osamu. While possessing genius skills, they are “strongest challengers” who always continue to try new things. Their figure copying Karasuno’s freak quick instantly and evolving during the match is admirable, even as an enemy.

And the captain who leads them, Shinsuke Kita. He is not a genius. However, through daily repetitive practice and the attitude of carefully piling up obvious things (routine), he brings immense stability to the team. “I don’t need applause. I’ll just do it properly.” His words and spirituality teach us that flashy plays are not everything in volleyball. Kita, who calmly analyzes geniuses and acknowledges their efforts more than anyone else. Because his episode was carefully depicted, Inarizaki went beyond a mere “enemy to be defeated” and was engraved in the viewers’ hearts as a beloved rival team.

The point where Haikyu!! achieves a unique evolution while being a legitimate successor to Slam Dunk lies in the “spotlight on supporting roles.” Volleyball is a sport where, except for the serve, one cannot score alone. The competitive characteristic premised on connecting and supporting creates depth as an ensemble drama.

What was particularly impressive in this work was the episode of Ryunosuke Tanaka’s “heartbreak” and “awakening.” Tanaka is thoroughly marked by the opponent’s block and his heart is about to break. However, he chooses the path to overcome it with a new weapon called “super straight (extreme line shot)” without running away. “By the way, do I, an ordinary guy, have time to look down?” When facing someone stronger than oneself, how do you behave? That choice determines human strength, this famous scene taught us.

Also, Kinoshita, a pinch server, and Nishinoya, a libero, overcoming fear; everyone standing on the court is depicted as a protagonist. The heat of the cheering squad supporting them, the prayers of the managers. Not “one hero,” but the preciousness of “fighting with everyone.” This multi-faceted perspective elevates Haikyu!! from a mere sports perseverance anime to a textbook of life.

Haikyu!! TO THE TOP maintained a very high quality in terms of animation and direction. Especially in Episode 26 (the final episode), the cut where the ball and line are reflected in Hinata’s eyes. And the silence and explosion at the moment of victory. The heat of the animators overflowed from the screen, creating a sense of presence that almost made us viewers run out of oxygen.

The long Inarizaki match has been settled, and next is finally the “Battle at the Garbage Dump” against the destined opponent, Nekoma High School. Crows and Cats. Offense and Defense. Two schools with completely different styles colliding on the national stage. Just imagining it makes my heart pound from now.

If you haven’t touched this enthusiasm yet, please watch it through from the first season. And if you have already watched it, please look back on the trajectory of their growth once again. There, surely, the brilliance of youth that never fades no matter how many times you watch it, and hints for living are packed.

• Shoyo Hinata: Voiced by Ayumu Murase
• Tobio Kageyama: Voiced by Kaito Ishikawa
• Daichi Sawamura: Voiced by Satoshi Hino
• Koshi Sugawara: Voiced by Miyu Irino
• Asahi Azumane: Voiced by Yoshimasa Hosoya
• Yu Nishinoya: Voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto
• Ryunosuke Tanaka: Voiced by Yu Hayashi
• Kei Tsukishima: Voiced by Koki Uchiyama
• Tadashi Yamaguchi: Voiced by Soma Saito
• Kiyoko Shimizu: Voiced by Kaori Nazuka
• Toru Oikawa: Voiced by Daisuke Namikawa

• Original Creator: Haruichi Furudate
• Director: Susumu Mitsunaka
• Series Composition: Taku Kishimoto
• Character Design: Takahiro Kishida
• Music: Yuki Hayashi, Asami Tachibana
• Animation Production: Production I.G