In this anime series based on a shonen manga series by Haruichi Furudate, runty junior high student Shoyo Hinata is so taken by the celebrity of a short volleyball player nicknamed the "Little Giant" that he decides to form a school club, although he and the teammates he recruits have little training. After being demolished in a tournament by a squad led by hyper-aggressive Tobio Kageyama—who calls himself "King of the Court"—Hinata is determined to continue playing at Karasuno High School—once a powerhouse in the sport but now fallen on bad days—but is horrified to learn that Kageyama has enrolled there too. Much of the first season is devoted to Hinata and Kageyama learning to work together—with the former using his speed to confuse opponents despite his diminutive size and the latter moderating his hot-dog attitude to become a team player—but other members of the squad are also given narrative arcs of their own as they overcome insecurities. This is a male-dominated tale (the only female figure, team manager Kiyoko, has little to do beyond look attractive), but the engaging characters, winning combination of action and high-school introspection, and vibrant, colorful visuals combine to make for an enjoyable series. Presenting all 25 episodes from the 2014 debut season in separate dual-language DVD and Blu-ray editions, rated TV-14, this is recommended. [Note: Haikyu!! 2nd Season is slated for release on Apr. 17.] (F. Swietek)
Haikyu!! 1st Season
(2014) 625 min. DVD: 5 discs, $79.98; Blu-ray: 3 discs, $99.98. Sentai Filmworks (avail. from most distributors). Volume 33, Issue 2
Haikyu!! 1st Season
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