Haikyu!! is a hugely popular volleyball manga currently being serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. The story centers around protagonist Hinata Shoyo, who excels at sports but has almost no competitive experience, and setter Kageyama Tobio, a volleyball genius with a difficult personality. In this article, we'll take a closer look at the Miyagi Prefectural First-Year Team Selection Training Camp, which Hinata attended despite not being selected as a member of the team, and the experiences that powered him up!
What is the Miyagi Prefectural First-Year Team Selection Training Camp?
The "Miyagi Prefecture First-Year Select Training Camp" brings together promising first-year students from within the prefecture. It was planned by Mr. Washio of Shiratorizawa Academy, one of the prefecture's top powerhouses, and its goal is to raise the level of volleyball throughout Miyagi Prefecture. The members were selected by Mr. Washio, who likes tall players, so the team is full of tall players... There's no way Hinata would be selected.
The training camp will be held at Shiratorizawa Academy, with technical instruction provided by Jozenji High School's Mr. Anahara. Karasuno High School's tall and clever middle blocker, Tsukishima Kei, has been selected. Since the camp is scheduled right before the national tournament, participation is optional, but Tsukishima decided to participate.
Introducing the Training Camp Members!
All of these first-year high school students are over 180 cm tall! Here's a quick introduction to the training camp members, who are sure to have a bright future.
■ Shiratorizawa Academy - Goshiki Tsutomu - WS (Wing Spiker)
He's the next ace, recognized even by Shiratorizawa's star player, Ushijima Wakatoshi! His specialty is his sharp straight.
■ Date Tech High School - Koganegawa Kanji - S (Setter)
Date Tech's new impenetrable blocker, known for his blocks that make even the ace cry! He's a massive setter.
■ Aoba Johsai High School - Kindaichi Yuutaro - MB (Middle Blocker)
He's also an excellent blocker, and his specialty is broad balls! He's a former teammate of Kageyama's, and hates him.
■ Aoba Johsai High School - Kunimi Akira - WS (Wing Spiker)
He's the polar opposite of hot-headed, and is a brainiac known for his late-game improvement! He's always hanging out with Kindaichi.
■Kadokawa Gakuen - Yudai Hyakuzawa (WS) (Wing Spiker)
A spiker over 2 meters tall, Azumane called his "height a lethal weapon"! Though he has little experience in volleyball, he can hit the ball from above the block.
Why was Hinata able to participate even though he wasn't selected?
As mentioned above, Hinata was not included in the training camp roster. However, with Kageyama selected for the All-Japan Youth team and Tsukishima selected for the training camp, Hinata felt he had "fallen behind," and panicked, so he instinctively went to the venue...
On the first day, Hinata received a call from Karasuno High School and received a lecture from Coach Ukai and Mr. Takeda. However, Mr. Washio said, "It doesn't matter if there's one more ball-picker," and Hinata was allowed to participate. However, since he was only a "ball-picker," he couldn't participate in practice.
After being lectured by everyone, Hinata begins searching for his purpose again!
Hinata desperately wanted to participate in the training camp, which brought together strong players. "I wanted to know what the strong players were like outside of the game and why they were so strong." However, his participation in practice was not fulfilled. "I see no value in you without a setter like Kageyama," says Mr. Washio, and no matter how much guts he shows, it seems he has no intention of letting him participate in practice. What will Hinata, now tasked with picking up balls, gain from this training camp?
Discovering a different perspective.
At first, Hinata struggles to pick up balls, but he soon learns to get them in the path of the balls. However, while his rivals are practicing right in front of him, he finds himself itching to pick up balls. Then, Ushijima Wakatoshi, who has come to join practice, asks, "So what are you doing?" and he finds himself confused.
Realizing that this wasn't going to work, he decided to change his perspective. He then began to see things he couldn't see because he was always inside the court, and realized that the court was full of information. He discovered many things he could apply to his own volleyball game, such as Ushijima's efficient reception and his split-step defense.
Using his discoveries, he begins "picking up balls"!
Next, Hinata begins to pick up balls, using the information he discovered on the court! He keeps his body flat and moves quickly to where the ball will land. His concentration is so intense that those around him think he's the only one playing a game.
Ushijima and Tendo, who faced Hinata in the Spring High School Volleyball preliminaries, also commented on how "disgusting" Hinata was. It must have seemed creepy to them that Hinata, who had previously been immature and dependent on Kageyama, was now thinking for himself and growing.
Advice for Hyakuzawa, who is struggling with the lack of experience?
Hyakuzawa, with little volleyball experience, is at a lower level than the other members. This difference in skill was most evident during two-on-two practice, where trickery was not an option. During this practice, Hyakuzawa becomes mentally and physically exhausted, and tells Hinata, "I wish you'd been chosen." However, when Hyakuzawa loses all confidence, thinking, "I'm just big," Hinata uses his signature natural flattery, saying, "Two meters is the best! The best! That's MAX talent!"
Hinata then encourages him and gives him some advice on 2-on-2. Following Hinata's advice, Hyakuzawa receives the ball and raises it high, creating time for his next move and bringing the game to a head-on challenge. His spikes, delivered from his height, are enough to compete even without advanced technique!
Hinata and the Training Camp Summary
After five days of training camp, Hinata showed significant improvement, even though he was just picking up balls. He was more motivated and enthusiastic than anyone else during the camp, which apparently made an impression on coach Mr. Anahara. Mr. Anahara even said, "The other players were definitely influenced by him!" No one can pull up balls like Hinata, who has such an impact on the other players! We're looking forward to seeing him put this skill to good use at the national tournament.
