"Another Challenger" (Japanese: もう１
Overview[]
The flashback of Hinata's early days in Brazil continues. Hinata and Oikawa got reacquainted over dinner as Oikawa revealed his motivation to come overseas. Later, the two were challenged to a beach volleyball match.
Plot[]
After meeting in Rio, Hinata and Oikawa sent a selfie of themselves making silly faces to their former teammates. Now second-year university students, Kindaichi and Kunimi, were shocked to find the duo together overseas. Kageyama, playing for the V-League team Schweiden Adlers, was also dumbfounded and felt the need to show the picture to his teammate, Ushijima.
Back in Rio, Oikawa revealed that he now plays in the Argentinian League as a setter for Club Athletico San Juan. Hinata grew excited and invited Oikawa to play volleyball until Hinata's stomach growled out of hunger. Oikawa offered to treat Hinata to dinner, and the two chose a restaurant nearby.
The two conversed lightheartedly throughout the meal. When asked why he chose Argentina, Oikawa explained that he was inspired by a veteran Argentine setter, Jose Blanco. During elementary, Oikawa and Iwaizumi watched an exhibition match between Argentina and Japan in Sendai. Once Blanco was switched in, Oikawa was fascinated by Blanco's ability to restore the team's balance and vastly improve the ace's shaky performance. Oikawa asked Blanco for an autograph after the match. However, Iwaizumi had already used the autograph board they bought together, leaving Oikawa to use his jock-strap for the signature instead.
Hinata recognized Blanco as the coach of a V-League team, and Oikawa explained that he met with Blanco during high school when he became unsure of his volleyball path. Blanco saw through Oikawa's uncertainty and advised him to challenge his own limits instead of being held back by what he perceived to be others' "gifts". Oikawa then decided to learn from Blanco and eventually followed him to Argentina. He admitted that going overseas was earlier than expected but maintained that his ultimate goal hasn't changed.
Afterwards, Hinata once again invited Oikawa to play beach volleyball. Despite his earlier confidence, Oikawa struggled to adapt to the sand. Hinata, having been down earlier, remarked that meeting Oikawa really lifted his spirit. The two are soon approached by two locals who challenged them to a match. Hinata and Oikawa eagerly accepted.
Debut[]
- Others
- Jose Blanco
- Gabriel (Unnamed)
- Gino (Unnamed)
Appearances[]
- Karasuno High (Former)
Chapter notes[]
Character revelations[]
- Kunimi and Kindaichi went to university after high school.
- Oikawa is currently a setter for Club Athletico San Juan, a professional volleyball team in Argentina.
- Jose Blanco is revealed to the one in Volume 17 Chapter 146 advising Oikawa to look past talent and persist in pushing his own limit.
Errors[]
- There's an error in which Kageyama's phone is drawn differently between pages.
Trivia[]
- The flashback of Kunimi and Kindaichi commenting about Oikawa is a continuation of the snippet first shown in Volume 11 Chapter 97.
- Schweiden Adlers is a reference to the real life V-League team, Oita Miyoshi Weisse Adler. In German, "Weisse Adler" means "White Eagle".
- Tachibana Red Falcons, the V-League team that Jose Blanco was coaching at, appears to be based on Suntory Sunbirds, whose logo is a Red Falcon.