"Middle School Story" (Japanese:
Overview[]
Kageyama's past and the meaning of his nickname are revealed. Hinata helps him realize that he isn't as alone as he thought, and they finally form a partnership.
Plot[]
In a flashback of the final game of the prefecture semifinals, Kageyama yells at his annoyed teammates to move faster while his coach looks on with disapproval.
In the 3-on-3 game, Tanaka easily spikes past Tsukishima, and Hinata goes to spike the next ball, shocking everyone due to his high jump. However, Tsukishima blocks him easily. He taunts Hinata but then turns his attention to Kageyama, teasing him about his "King's Toss" that confuses both the opponents and teammates. Kageyama replies calmly that no matter what, he will still win, but Tsukishima then brings up his nickname, and Hinata asks about the meaning of it. Tsukishima informs Hinata about a game in middle school where Kageyama was forcibly benched after being too oppressive.
In a flashback, Kageyama tosses recklessly, and his teammates yell at him for being unreasonable, but Kageyama ignores them and replies that they have to match the speed and height of his tosses to win. The next play, he tosses again, but no one is there to spike it, and it hits the floor behind him. His coach then tells him to sit down on the bench already.
In the present, Kageyama tells Tsukishima that he is right, and tossing but not having anyone behind him frightens him. Hinata interrupts and says that it's only a story from middle school and he is here now, so the past doesn't matter anymore. The next play, Kageyama is confused about whether to toss to Tanaka or Hinata, and he ultimately chooses Tanaka, but Hinata jumps up behind him and yells loudly that he is there now even if no one was there before.
He hits the toss, but it only goes over the net lightly. Before Kageyama can yell at him, Hinata states that he doesn't care about what happened during middle school, but he will hit any toss, jump anywhere, and hit any ball. Hinata finishes by telling Kageyama to continue tossing the ball his way, showing their newfound partnership.
Appearances[]
- Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High
- Kaito Hashikami (Flashback)
- Yūtarō Kindaichi (Flashback)
- Akira Kunimi (Flashback)
Chapter notes[]
Character revelations[]
- While Daichi doesn't excel in attacking ability, his defensive skills are perfect. His main weapon is his steady receive.
- The nickname "King of the Court" was given to Kageyama by his teammates at Kitagawa Daiichi, meaning a "selfish, tyrannical dictator" (Japanese:
利 己 的 で専 制 的 な独 裁 者 Riko-tekide Sensei-teki na Dokusai-sha).