Haikyuu!!

It kinda bothers me there isn't a thread for it yet. So, yeah.

Chapter 159: I'm really liking Tsukishima's newly found determination to do his best, not just doing well enough. Maybe he'll block one of Ushiwaka's spikes, even if only once.

It's not my favorite sports manga, but it's very well done and I follow it regularly.

The blonde glasses guy (I'm not good with names) is my favorite character too, I hope he'll get to shine during this match! Surely seems like the story is setting him up for it.

It's the art that sells it for me. It does an excellent job of conveying the intensity, especially notable in a sports manga that's rather grounded.

Chapter 160: Of course Shiratorizawa turned it around. Still, pretty suspenseful chapter. Although I'm confused the translation said 'Match Point'. I thought they needed to win three sets to win the match?

Okay, reviving this thread because the second season of Haikyuu!! is airing right now, woooooot

It's a pretty solid premiere episode; they animated that chapter of Kageyama and Hinata meeting Ushiwaka during a run earlier and made for a fantastic climax to this episode.

The animation is gorgeous.

Yachi next week! I can't wait!

Updates on the manga: The current training arc has actually been very interesting so far. It doesn't quite follow the usual formula, with the emphasis being more on honing intuition rather than training from hell or developing a special move.

The more this manga goes on, the more I like it. I only hope we'll get to see Karasuno's current ace shining a bit more, since he's my second favorite character after Tsukishima.

I'm also curious about how he'll set up stronger opponents than Shiratorizawa. It's been estabilished that Ushiwaka is top tier as a player, but the whole team was built around him. I think the final boss will be a team that has another of the top three aces and other players that, while not on that level, will be able to rival him.

That actually reminds of a teeny tiny niggle I have with the series— I don't feel Asahi gets enough panel-time for supposedly being the ace. Heck, most of the game-ending shots are spiked by Hinata! Though it does make sense since he has the most synergy with Kageyama, and their special quick really is broken.

As for future opponents:

• They don't necessarily have to be stronger. Shiratorizawa was strong but they were the kind of team Karasuno does best against. Karasuno has a hard time fighting against the calculating type (which is another reason to look forward to their rematch with Nekoma).
• Fukurodani will be a threat too. Bokuto will plunge into that match at his top-3-level best and unlike Shiratorizawa the team also works together.
• Miyagi Prefecture apparently has a higher-than-average proficiency for volleyball, so I'd expect some of the enemies at Nationals to be around the level of Datekou.
• We sort of have a final boss already— the team that has Sakusa, current #1 ace spiker, and also the favorite to win the tournament.

It makes sense for Asahi to get more failed spikes, since in a way his role is pretty thankless: when nobody manages to get in a good position, they toss to Asahi and hope he can just push through the wall, which has a pretty low rate of success (but it would be even lower if they tossed to anybody else). But he really deserves more screentime and development. I loved the part during the training camp arc where he intimidated Hinata with sheer determination when Hinata was unconsciously trying to steal the "ace" spot.

Next arc is up. Date Tech vs Karasuno!

Hype. It did seem strange that the author bothered to introduce the new relevant Datekou setter only to have the team job to Abajousai.

Preview for season 3

Is anybody else still following this? During the last year or so, Haikyuu was probably my second favorite Jump manga after My Hero Academia, and these last chapters have been pretty crazy!