Haikyū!! (ハイキュー!!) is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. Individual chapters have been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump since February 2012, with bound volumes published by Shueisha. The series was initially published as a one-shot in Shueisha's seasonal Jump NEXT! magazine prior to serialization. As of October 2016, twenty-three volumes have been released in Japan. The manga has been licensed in North America by Viz Media.
This is a list of all the episodes in the anime. Season one aired from April 6, 2014 to September 21, 2014 with a total of twenty-five episodes. Season two aired from October 4, 2015 to March 26, 2016 with a total of twenty-five episodes as well. A third season will air from October 7, 2016 to ___ with a total of ten episodes.
Hinata is inspired by the Small Giant playing volleyball on TV. Three years later, Hinata goes to his first ever volleyball tournament and his team is paired against Kitagawa Daiichi, the school of Kageyama Tobio, also known as the King of the Court. Their match against each other leaves them both interested in their skills and sparks a rivalry. However, they meet again the next year, but this time as team mates in their new high school–Karasuno.
Hinata arrives at Karasuno High School determined to join the volleyball club and defeat Kageyama. He is shocked when he walks into the gym and finds that Kageyama is a potential member of the Karasuno team as well. They fight right away and when captain Daichi Sawamura arrives, he throws the two out and tells them they can't join the club until they start to get along. Instead of agreeing to work as a team though, they challenge the 3rd years to a match on the condition that if they win, they join the team.
Sugawara starts helping Hinata and Kageyama practice in the morning. After hearing Hinata's jaded opinions of Kageyama, Sugawara encourages him to work with the first year setter because he could become Hinata's most formidable ally. As the days pass, Hinata slowly improves, but his relationship with Kageyama isn't going anywhere until they encounter Tsukishima and Yamaguchi, the other first years applying for the club. Tsukishima's insults about Hinata's height and Kageyama's past motivate the two to team up to win on Saturday.
The practice match that will determine Kageyama and Hinata's future with the Karasuno High Volleyball Club begins as Kageyama, Hinata, and Tanaka battle Tsukishima, Yamaguchi, and captain Daichi in a 3-on-3 match. Kageyama and Hinata can't coordinate initially due to Kageyama's old setting habits and constant harassment from Tsukishima but with encouragement from Sugawara, they manage to figure out a way to utilize their skills to create the perfect attack.
Kageyama and Hinata begin to get in sync. As Kageyama's sets start hitting Hinata's hands every time, Tsukishima is forced to change his blocking tactics. This frees Tanaka up on the other side, and Kageyama, Hinata, and Ryuunosuke's team is able to rally and win the 3-on-3 match. Kageyama and Hinata are accepted as official team members. Just then, advisor Ittetsu Takeda arrives and announces he has been able to arrange a practice match with Aobajōsai. However, there is one condition: Tobio Kageyama must act as the setter for the entire match.
Karasuno goes to its practice match against Aobajōsai High. Before the match even begins, Kageyama runs into his old teammate, Kindaichi Yutaro, who continually calls him "King of the Court" and declares that he will defeat Kageyama. Once the match gets underway though, Kageyama and Hinata's quick attack proves to be an effective weapon. However, Kageyama reveals that he doesn't think Aobajōsai's current setter is the official setter.
Oikawa suddenly shows up for the match. He is revealed to be Aobajōsai's captain and the official setter. He is also Kageyama's senpai from middle school. Oikawa enters the game and immediately targets his perfect serves at Tsukishima who can't receive them properly; this allows Aobajōsai to catch up to Karasuno. It isn't until Daichi changes their formation that Karasuno is finally able to win the match against Aobajōsai. However, Oikawa says that when they next meet, Aobajōsai will be using all of its aces from the start, and a very different result will be expected. On the bus ride home, Daichi reveals that Karasuno also has a few surprises. Their libero, Yu Nishinoya, is about to return and completely change Karasuno's dynamics as a team.
Yū Nishinoya returns and helps the team get better at receives. However, Nishinoya refuses to play in any game until their ace, Asahi Azumane, returns. Meanwhile, Takeda is persistently trying to persuade Keishin Ukai into becoming Karasuno's coach. Keishin tells him that he isn't like his grandfather, the original Coach Ukai, and has no interest in babysitting a bunch of teenage boys; but Ittetsu comes up with a plan that he believes will convince Keishin into becoming the coach: setting up a practice match with Nekoma.
After hearing about the practice match, Keishin Ukai agrees to become Karasuno's coach but after the practice match finishes, he's quitting. To learn the strengths of each of the current players, he arranges a game against the Neighborhood Volleyball Association Team, a group of people that happen to be alumni of Karasuno High School. Nishinoya and Sugawara are placed on the Neighborhood team to balance out the teams. Filling in the last spot for the Neighborhood team is Asahi Azumane. Now, Asahi must prove that he deserves the ace title and get past the triple block of Kageyama, Tanaka, and Tsukishima to regain his confidence.
10
"Admiration"
June 8, 2014
The practice match between Karasuno and the Neighborhood Association continues, the Neighborhood team having won the first set. Ukai sees firsthand how Hinata is the ultimate decoy and learns how quickly Kageyama and Hinata have grown together as a duo. He also witnesses how difficult it is to keep up with Hinata's speed. However, an off-speed serve allows the Neighborhood team to get four points and take a 24-18 lead. On the final point, Tanaka finally gets the chance to spike, but Nishinoya receives it, allowing Asahi to end the game with a killer spike. Now, Ukai must decide who the regular starters will be.
Karasuno heads off to training camp. During a team jog, Hinata gets lost and runs into a volleyball player in a red jersey named Kenma. Before Kenma reveals which team he plays for, one of his teammates shows up and leads him off to a practice match. After hesitating to decide on a starting lineup, Ukai goes with Daichi, Nishinoya, Asahi, Tanaka, Tsukishima, Kageyama, and Hinata. Ukai reveals that Nekoma doesn't have outstanding players, but they are a team that thrives on receives and kills. Karasuno's players receive their jerseys and Hinata has the number 10, the same number as his idol, the "Small Giant." He learns that the Small Giant was on the Karasuno team that made it to nationals and thinks that it's fate. The practice match day arrives; Nekoma and Karasuno line up outside and meet each other face-to-face.
Nekoma and Karasuno begin their match with Kageyama and Hinata performing a quick attack that gives Karasuno a lead in the match. Nekoma realizes that they're up against a genius setter, so they decide to start marking Hinata. Hinata's blocker gets used to his speed and feints and slowly begins to block Hinata's quicks, allowing Nekoma to win the first set (25-22). However, Kageyama uses this opportunity to teach Hinata how to do a straight attack and how to find the holes in the opponents' defense. Hinata manages to change his spike's path in mid-air during set 2. Hinata realizes that he has a new, dangerous weapon to go along with his quick attack if he can master it.
Nekoma and Karasuno play the second set to an epic (25-23) showdown but in the end, Karasuno falls just short. Hinata asks for rematches over and over again. After the match, the members bond with each other while cleaning up the gym. Despite being thoroughly crushed, Karasuno vows to get revenge on the national stage. In the end, Ukai announces that he's staying as Karasuno's official coach.
The bracket for the Inter-High is announced. Karasuno conducts its final practices, working on back-end spikes and signals. The manager Shimizu Kiyoko finds and cleans an old Karasuno flag that says "Fly" and presents it to the team to boost their morale. Hinata and Kageyama reveal that every morning, they race each other to the gym. Kageyama currently leads 32-30, but Hinata vows to defeat him in every way possible until they can face-off in a match against each other again. Yamaguchi secretly works on the jump float serve so he won't be the only first year without an ability to contribute to the team.
Karasuno arrives for its first matches. In the entrance, people talk about how Karasuno did well in the past but now, they are the "Fallen Crows". On the women's side, Karasuno's girls' team contemplate how they should have practised more. Aobajōsai watches from the stands and wonders how the addition of a coach and two new players will change Karasuno's attack. Karasuno's match against Tokonami begins. Kageyama sets to Tanaka for a quick spike. The second point goes to the ace, Asahi. Finally, Kageyama and Hinata's quick spike is unveiled on the third point. It is only set 1 but Karasuno leads 3-0, and other people have just realized that Karasuno is back and possibly better than ever.
Karasuno's 'boys' team wins set one (25-12), but the captain's old friend delivers one phrase that makes Karasuno stay serious for set 2. Kageyama gets five quick service aces, and Karasuno's boys' team wins set two 25-14. The girls team isn't so lucky as they lose (2-0) and wonder what they could've done to be able to keep playing. After some promises are made to those who have lost, Karasuno's first years learn how three months before, Karasuno was shut down by Dateko, their second round opponent; that match is also the reason Asahi left the team. Ukai goes with the same lineup from game 1 and Nishinoya delivers a speech that boosts the team's morale. It's now time for match 2; Karasuno has to find a way to defeat the Iron Wall of Dateko.
Dateko and Karasuno battle it out in the second round. Dateko's giant, Aone, reveals that he is targeting Hinata, forcing Kageyama to reveal the super quick attack. The super quick attack seems to give Karasuno a slight advantage, allowing them to take an (18-16) lead. When the giant targets Hinata on a super quick attack, Karasuno is able to reveal their last ace. Karasuno perfects their version of Nekoma's "Pipe" by getting a delayed toss to Asahi, who is set up behind Hinata. Karasuno has now played all their trump cards, or so everyone else thinks.
Karasuno manages to win set 1 (25-21). For set two, they perform a double rotation to get Hinata away from the Giant #7. This frees up Hinata for more quick attacks, but Karasuno now has to rely heavily on Asahi's ability to blast through the Iron Wall as he faces #7. When Hinata becomes the vanguard up front, Karasuno is able to slowly increase their lead. However, Hinata rotates to the back with the score (24-22). Karasuno knows they will be at a disadvantage if the game goes to a third set. The only way to win the second set is to rely on Asahi. Karasuno ends up winning and as the team is leaving the gym, the players look over to see that Aobajōsai is up (24-13) in its match.
Karasuno observes Aobajōsai's second match and decides to focus on attacking Oikawa. The match takes place the next day, and Karasuno seems to be more motivated than ever. Oikawa does a quick setter dump to give Aobajousai a 1-0 lead, and he follows it up with a fake dump serve giving them a 2-0 lead. However, Kageyama reveals that he has tricks of his own that haven't been revealed yet and pulls a serve dump.
Oikawa and Kageyama continue to match up head-to-head to prove who's the superior setter. Their junior high days competing against each other are shown and when Aobajōsai begins to predict Kageyama's moves, he is then subbed out for Sugawara so he can clear his mind.
Sugawara subs in for Kageyama, and Aobajōsai wins the first set. Kageyama is shocked as he watches Sugawara reveal his real setting abilities. Aobajōsai is shocked when Hinata doesn't speak or call for the quick spikes. Karasuno takes the lead in set 2 but Oikawa's predictions start coming true, allowing Aobajōsai back into the match.
After being subbed back in, Kageyama begins trying to communicate with each of his teammates. He learns where the best setting point is for each member. Tsukishima comes up with a new attack that proves Karasuno can be a threat from all fronts.
Aobajōsai begins to pull away in set 3, forcing Coach Ukai to make some drastic decisions. Yamaguchi is subbed in as an ace server, but the pressure proves to be too much to overcome. A service error occurs, but the error allows Karasuno to calm down and get back into the game.
24
"Removing the Solitary King"
September 14, 2014
Kageyama begins to match Oikawa point for point. The teams become dead even and long sets begin to drain both teams. Oikawa acknowledges that Kageyama has realized what teamwork is all about and is no longer the solitary King. Aobajōsai wins in the end.
After suffering a heartbreaking loss to Aobajōsai, the third years must decide if they will retire or participate in the spring tournament. Kageyama and Hinata vent their frustration in the gym. The winner of the fall tournament is revealed, and Karasuno begins their first real practice to get ready for the spring tournament.
After losing in Interhigh, Karasuno High is busy practicing. As Coach Ukai wishes for more practice matches for the team, Ittetsu Takeda barges in with great news: Karasuno has been invited to take part in Nekoma's training camp! Kageyama and Hinata get lost during a run and ends up meeting with Shiratorizawa Academy's Ushijima. After Ushijima claims that the only good player from Aobajōsai High is Oikawa, Hinata challenges him.
Hinata, Kageyama, Nishinoya, and Tanaka are devastated by the possibility of not going to Tokyō if they fail any of their exams. Daichi vows that the entire team will go and thus forces the four to study, though it proves to be much of a challenge. The second years study at Tanaka's place. Kageyama and Hinata are having a harder time, however, with Tsukishima reluctant to spend much time tutoring them. Luckily, Hitoka Yachi, the possible new manager, proves to be a great help at teaching the duo.
Hitoka feels conflicted about joining the volleyball team. After watching their practice match against Ōginishi High, she starts to see the charm of the team. However, she is having a difficult time expressing her feelings to her mother, afraid that she might disapprove. Luckily, Hinata helps her overcome it by showing to her that even a small role such as a "Townsperson B" can be great.
After Hinata and Kageyama finish their supplementary exam, Saeko Tanaka takes them to join Karasuno team at Tokyo training camp. Now they're on the team, Karasuno wins their first match on the day; however Eikichi from Shinzen High manages to touch on Hinata's quicks. Later on, Hinata meets the half Russian player from Nekoma Lev Haiba; Lev promises him that he will be the first one to stop his quick.
Hinata expresses how he wants to improve so that he would be capable of competing by himself, but Kageyama replies that in doing so he would break the team apart. Hinata interprets him as being unsupportive of his wishes, and they argue to the point they ignore each other. The team worry about the situation and hope that the two would reconcile soon.
Kageyama seeks out Oikawa for help regarding Hinata's wish to hit the quick on his own will. Coach Ukai takes Hinata to see the former coach of Karasuno's volleyball club to get some advice on how to improve his skills and learn to fight on his own. The two first-years learn that Hinata has the absolute leadership in the attack, so Kageyama has to learn to give Hinata the tosses he wants, and Hinata has to learn more about the techniques to different quicks in order to improve.
Karasuno arrives at Saitama for the training camp. They practice against Fukurōdani, and Hinata realises that Kageyama's tosses have changed so now the latter will have to work harder in order to hit them. However, the two first-years aren't the only ones who are trying new moves, and the other schools recognise their efforts in doing so.
Tsukishima begins to think that he shouldn’t put so much effort in training anymore like his brother did, to avoid being disappointed if he fails. Despite practising very hard, Akiteru failed to become a regular player for Karasuno due to the number of more talented players on the team, including Hinata’s idol, the “Small Giant.”
9
"VS "Umbrella""
November 29, 2015
Karasuno is up against Nekoma in a practice match, and Hinata recognises that Kageyama had subconsciously tossed the ball the way he used to when Hinata's eyes were closed. The middle blocker points this out, so Kageyama decides to practice on his own in order to give Hinata the exact tosses he wants. This causes Hinata to be free to join Tsukishima's practices with Kuroo, Akaashi and Bokuto. Lev joins in, and their 3-on-3 match gives Hinata the chance to learn new moves he could use against future opponents.
10
"Cog"
December 5, 2015
For the last practice match of the training camp, Karasuno is against Fukurōdani again. This time, they have somewhat polished their moves to the point where they are able to gain points and become neck-to-neck in the scores. Takeda likens their mastering of the new skills and executing them to gain points as cogs working together. Their ability to have improved so much in a week and catch up with their team in terms of points causes Bokuto to fall in a dejected mode.
11
"Above"
December 12, 2015
With Bokuto in his dejected mode, Karasuno learns from first-hand experience why Fukurōdani is considered one of the top volleyball teams in Tokyo. Fukurōdani ends up winning the match, with Bokuto scoring the final point. The training camp comes to an end with a barbeque for the players. Karasuno returns back to school to continue practising and honing in their skills, and other volleyball teams of Miyagi are busy practising for the Spring High Tournament.
12
"Let the Games Begin!"
December 19, 2015
Karasuno's first opponents are Ougiminami High, one of the teams Shiratorizawa had defeated in the Interhigh. Former Coach Ukai comes along to watch Karasuno play, and the general public comment on how much Karasuno has changed from the rumours. Hinata bumps into Yoshiki Towada in the bathroom and vows that Karasuno would beat their team and their future opponents in order to make it into the nationals.
13
"A Simple and Pure Strength"
December 26, 2015
Karasuno's first opponent is Kakugawa, a volleyball team that has a player who is 201cm tall. Former Coach Ukai comes to watch the match, and Karasuno tries their best to work around the height advantage their opponent has. After their win, Karasuno bumps into Johzenji, who is fated to be their next opponent.
14
"Still Growing"
January 9, 2016
After the match, Karasuno reflects on their performance and seeks areas they could improve on. Tsukishima seeks help from his brother and coach on learning how to block spikers who are taller and stronger than him. Kageyama spies on Aobajōsai and is astonished by Oikawa's skills as a setter. Karasuno goes back to Kanto and practise perfecting their new skills, showing their opponents how much they had improved since the last training camp. They arrive back in time for the match against Johzenji.
15
"Place to Play"
January 16, 2016
Karasuno arrives at the stadium to play their game against Johzenji. They win the first set, but expect the next set to be harder because the Johzenji team takes many risks and are unpredictable.
16
"Next"
January 23, 2016
Johzenji tried a spirited fightback after a stern talk by Hana Misaki, but failed as Terushima's attempt to copy Karasuno's Minus Tempo Stop Toss Spike went out of bounds. This would cost them the match, prompting Hana to resign as their manager. Karasuno are now against Wakutani South, a team that has a captain with skills similar to the Small Giant, as noted by Coach Ukai. A little over halfway through the first set with Wakutani, both Daichi and Tanaka dive for a ball, and the two end up colliding.
17
"The Battle Without Will Power"
January 30, 2016
Daichi is injured and has to go to the infirmary, so Ennoshita takes the captain's spot in the game. Ennoshita reflects on how he had abandoned the volleyball club when he was a first-year, and decides that he would not run away from this match. Yamaguchi is subbed in as an ace server, and he is able to get one float serve past the net.
As Aobajōsai's match against Date Tech starts, Karasuno's match against Wakutani continues. Despite the weakened defence with Daichi's absence, Ennoshita finds a way for the team to continue scoring. Hinata incorporates the new moves he learnt during the Tokyo training camps, and Karasuno is able to gain victory against Wakutani.
19
"The Iron Wall Can Be Rebuilt Again and Again"
February 13, 2016
Date Tech is up against Aobajōsai. Karasuno watches on from the stands, and sees the new setter, Koganegawa, on the courts amongst the remainders of the team they had played against last time. His height makes the match intense, but from his lack of experience as the trademark iron wall, Aobajōsai is able to gain victory with their ace's strong spike earning them the winning point.
20
"Wiping Out"
February 20, 2016
Aobajōsai starts the match with Oikawa's serve, and the team is able to recognise that Karasuno have improved immensely as a team. Despite Hinata and Kageyama's new quick having been altered slightly, the Seijō third-years are able to think of a tactic to narrow its path to one they can handle more effectively. Karasuno pulls ahead in the first set, but a new player from Seijō is subbed in and completely changes the rhythm of the game.
21
"The Destroyer"
February 27, 2016
Karasuno recognises that Kyōtani is a double-edged sword in the match: he makes just as many mistakes as he does attacks, and if Aobajōsai does not use him successfully, his presence in the game can backfire their intentions to increase their offensive power. Sugawara is subbed into the game to help Karasuno gain more points, but is soon switched back out when the formation changes. Coach Ukai considers bringing Yamaguchi in as a pinch server to win the second set from Aobajōsai.
22
"The Former Coward's Fight"
March 5, 2016
Yamaguchi is subbed in as the pinch server and his serves are able to gain Karasuno more points. The gap between the two teams have shrunk, but Oikawa's strong serves win Aobajōsai the second match. Now they have to get to the third match to determine the winners.
The two teams are battling to win the third match, and Kyōtani's efforts are starting to become more reckless. He gets switched out, and has to calm down in order to play again. With the help of Yahaba, he does get back on to continue scoring points against Karasuno, and is finally able to play with Aobajōsai as a teammate. With Karasuno in the lead, would they be able to win the match to proceed?
24
"The Absolute Limit Switch"
March 19, 2016
It's the last match, and Karasuno is in the lead. Aobajōsai and Karasuno try their hardest to win, with the thought that the strongest six would be the ones who claim victory. But triumph is with Karasuno, as they win the match with Kageyama and Hinata's quick spike. Oikawa reflects that it is impossible for someone with no natural talent to beat any volleyball genius, no matter how much he trains, strategize or who his teammates are, but he would continue on the path straight ahead of him with everything he's got.
Karasuno are through to the finals to determine the Miyagi representative for the Spring High Tournament. Aobajōsai lament on their loss, but vow to beat Karasuno the following year. Oikawa bumps into Ushijima, in which the latter tells him that he had chosen the wrong path, but the former tells him that there is no one team that can guarantee victory. Later on, Ushijima approaches Karasuno at the entrance of the gymnasium, and Hinata and Kageyama vow to beat Shiratorizawa to make it to the nationals.
It's the start of the game against Shiratorizawa, and Karasuno's supporters are there to cheer the team on. The starting players of both teams are introduced to the audience and the first match begins with Ushijima scoring a kill off Nishinoya. But the libero is not discouraged, instead is ready to play with his teammates against the left-handed ace.
Karasuno tries their best against Ushijima and his team in the first match, though it is difficult. Facing a left-handed player is rare, and it shows when Nishinoya continues to have trouble receiving Ushijima's powerful spikes. Unsurprisingly, Shiratorizawa takes the match 25-16 but Karasuno refuses to give up without a fight, with the will to block Ushijima and stopping their opponents from scoring any more points.
