Haikyu!! is a volleyball-themed manga currently being serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump as of 2018. Haikyu!! follows Hinata Shoyo, a boy who aspires to be like the former ace of Karasuno High School, as he enrolls at the same school and improves his volleyball skills alongside his teammates. Haikyu!! is home to many popular characters. This time, we'll take a thorough look at the appeal of Hinata Shoyo, one of the most popular characters and the main character of the series.
Karasuno High School's Strongest Decoy!! Hinata Shoyo
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
Hinata Shoyo is the protagonist of Haikyu!! and a first-year student on the Karasuno High School volleyball team. He has orange hair, big eyes, and a very bright and positive personality. He hates to lose in competitions and is often seen competing with his teammate Kageyama. He is also someone who continues to work hard and single-mindedly to win. As a result, he is constantly evolving and trying to learn new techniques and tactics. In middle school, he was hardly able to practice due to the small number of club members, but since joining Karasuno High School, he has been a player who has rapidly improved his skills.
Hinata Shoyo's dream is to become the former ace of Karasuno High School! The Little Giant
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
As mentioned earlier, Hinata Shoyo joined Karasuno High School in order to become like the ace of Karasuno High School that he admired on TV as a child. At this point in the story, no details about the "Little Giant" that Hinata Shoyo admired have been revealed. However, they play the same position and wear the same number 10 jersey. He is currently competing in the Spring Volleyball Tournament, where he uses his combination plays with Kageyama, such as weirdo fast breaks and negative tempo fast breaks, as his weapons.
Karasuno High School's Strongest Decoy!! Hinata Shoyo's Special Skills
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
So far, we've introduced the personal stats and details of Hinata Shoyo, the protagonist of Haikyu!!. So, what abilities does Hinata Shoyo have, and what makes him so strong? Let's take a closer look at some of his unique traits.
Small but impressive jumping ability that thrills the crowd
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
Hinata Shoyo's greatest asset is his jumping ability. Despite only standing in the low 160cm range, he possesses the highest jumping ability of any Karasuno High School student, and is adept at aerial combat. This allows Hinata to face larger opponents without hesitation despite his small frame. As his position is middle blocker, his jumping ability is also useful for blocking. Furthermore, he has the mobility to make the most of his jumping ability. This allows him to avoid opponents and make broad attacks, or quickly get up to speed on an attack.
A sincere heart that completely trusts Kageyama and a strong desire to win
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
Hinata Shoyo's other strengths are his sincere heart that trusts him and his strong desire to win. Hinata doesn't have the skills to fight alone. This is because he was the only member of the team in middle school and wasn't able to practice properly. However, after entering Karasuno High School, he met Kageyama, who makes the most of Hinata's jumping ability. This allows Kageyama to toss the ball at just the right time, giving him an extremely fast attack known as the Weirdo Quick Attack. Hinata's ability to continue jumping while trusting Kageyama is also a talent, and his single-minded determination to do anything to win is invaluable. His mental strength to not give up until the game is truly decided can also be said to be one of his weapons.
Karasuno High School's Strongest Decoy!! Hinata Shoyo's Relationships with Other Characters
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
So far, we've introduced Hinata Shoyo's personal details and strengths. So, what kind of people are around Hinata, and what kind of relationships do they have? We'll introduce some of the most important characters related to Hinata Shoyo.
The genius setter who controls Hinata! Kageyama Tobio
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
Kageyama Tobio is a first-year student at Karasuno High School, where he plays on the volleyball team alongside Hinata Shoyo. He has short black hair, sharp eyes, and a burning passion for volleyball. He possesses the skills of a genius setter and is also able to make the most of Hinata's excellent athletic ability. He is also a rival of Hinata Shoyo, and has been hostile towards him since they faced each other in the final middle school tournament. However, like Hinata, he hates to lose and has a strong desire to win, so they are quickly becoming good partners. The quick attack technique that the two combine to form is also a major weapon for Karasuno High School.
Hinata's Big Brother!! Tanaka Ryunosuke
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
The next character related to Hinata Shoyo is Tanaka Ryunosuke. Tanaka Ryunosuke is a second-year student who plays on the volleyball team at Karasuno High School, the same school as Hinata Shoyo. He has a distinctive shaved head and is a manly, reliable character. He is a very kind and reliable big brother-like character who tries to calm Hinata down when he is nervous and encourages him. As the ace of Karasuno High School, he is highly skilled and scores many points. He is also someone who benefits greatly from Hinata's quick attacks as a decoy.
A super rookie who views Hinata as a rival! Haikyu!! Lev
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
The next character related to Hinata Shoyo is Haikyu!! Lev. Haikyu!! Lev is a first-year high school student, just like Hinata Shoyo. He attends Nekoma High School in Tokyo, and despite being a first-year student, he is a talented player who serves as a regular. He has distinctive gray hair and is extremely tall at 194.3cm. Like Hinata Shoyo, he has little experience in volleyball, but his superior physical ability makes up for his lack of technique. After meeting Hinata at summer training camp, they hit it off and have become friends but also rivals.
Kenma Kozume, the Nekoma High School setter, keeps a close eye on the ever-changing Hinata!
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
The next character related to Hinata Shoyo is Kenma Kozume. Kenma Kozume is a second-year student at Nekoma High School and plays the setter position. He has blonde hair and a dark, pudding-like head, and a quiet personality. He has been friends with Hinata Shoyo since their first practice match between Nekoma High School and Karasuno High School, and even though Hinata is a year younger than him, they have a friendship-like relationship. Kozume Kenma is interested in Hinata's constantly evolving growth rate, and looks forward to a serious match where a loss means immediate defeat. Kozume Kenma has excellent analytical skills, and is adept at identifying his opponents' weaknesses and outwitting them.
The mysterious player nicknamed the "Little Giant"! Kouki Hoshiumi
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
The last character related to Hinata Shoyo is Kouki Hoshiumi. Kouki Hoshiumi is a member of the Kamomedai High School volleyball team and plays as a wing spiker. He is characterized by his spiky grey hair and large eyes. Like Hinata Shoyo, he is short at just 160cm, but has extremely high jumping ability. In addition to his jumping ability, he also has excellent technique, earning him the nickname "Little Giant" during matches. Hoshiumi Kourai has been selected for the All-Japan Men's Youth National Team training camp, so it can be said that he is just as skilled as Kageyama, and is currently even stronger than Hinata.
Karasuno High School's Strongest Decoy!! The Charm of Hinata Shoyo
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
Hinata Shoyo's charm lies in his dedication, unstinting efforts toward his goal despite his inexperienced volleyball skills. His lack of skill makes him want to cheer for him as he seeks out what he can do and gives it his all to win matches. Additionally, Hinata Shoyo is always cheerful and positive, and watching him is inspiring, which is probably why he's so popular. His incredible growth rate and unyielding mental strength to become stronger are things we can look forward to in the future.
[Haikyu!!] Karasuno High School's Strongest Decoy!! A Thorough Explanation of the Appeal of Hinata Shoyo!! Summary
Source: Haikyu!! © Haruichi Furudate/Shueisha, "Haikyu!!" Production Committee, MBS
This article explores the appeal and characteristics of Hinata Shoyo, the protagonist of Haikyu!!. Hinata is a bright, straightforward character, typical of shonen manga, and is a character many people will sympathize with and root for. Haikyu!! is very passionate and has many touching scenes, so it is recommended for both men and women.
