Reunion and Failure (Japanese: “
Overview[]
Kageyama encounters one of his old teammates, Kindaichi. Hinata gets convinced by Kindaichi that if he doesn't play the way Kageyama wants him to, the setter will kick him out of the game. Due to Hinata's anxiety, he messes up several times in the first match and accidentally serves a ball at Kageyama's head.
Plot[]
Hinata apologizes profusely to Tanaka, but the latter ignores him and tries to cheer him up about the game instead. However, he only succeeds in making Hinata more nervous than he already is, and the latter rushes to the bathroom promptly. Kageyama threatens to hit Hinata, but Sugawara holds him back before he could go anywhere.
Elsewhere, two members of Aoba Johsai are walking together and talking about "him," who turns out to be the King of the Court, Kageyama. One of the two members is Yūtarō Kindaichi, a first-year and middle blocker of Aoba Johsai and Kageyama's former teammate from Kitagawa Daiichi. Kindaichi states that Kageyama really isn't a big deal because he's too egocentric and as a result, is not suited for teamplay. The other boy makes jokes about Karasuno such as the "erotic"-looking female manager they have and the crude and stupid-looking player (Tanaka), but they are interrupted when the said boy surprises them from the corner of the building. Followed by Kageyama, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi, Tanaka angrily states that if they look down on Karasuno, Karasuno will chew them up and spit them out, intimidating both of the Aoba Johsai members. Tsukishima adds on by mocking the two but before the team can do any more, Daichi finds them and forces Tanaka to apologize. As they are leaving, Kindaichi stops Kageyama and taunts him by using his nickname, but Kageyama walks away without arguing back, confusing Kindaichi who automatically assumes that Kageyama is only pretending to be passive.
Karasuno enters the gym where Aoba Johsai is and after introductions, Tanaka tries and fails again to reassure Hinata, and the latter ends up running to the bathroom again. After he exits, he bumps into Kindaichi who's complaining about Karasuno after the humiliation they caused him earlier, and Hinata recognizes him as a "shallot-shaped silhouette" next to Kageyama during the middle school tournament. Kindaichi teasingly asks Hinata if Kageyama is still just as arrogant as he was during middle school, and Hinata replies that Kageyama is worse. He is a complete, arrogant dictator that Hinata's oppressed under. Kindaichi and Hinata complain simultaneously about Kageyama to another boy from Aoba Johsai, but they have different opinions about Kageyama's toss. Kindaichi calls them the worst while Hinata says the opposite, but Kindaichi replies coolly that Hinata only says that because he has never hit a toss in an actual game. Kindaichi says coldly that Kageyama is too egocentric and even though he's a setter, he can't perform his job correctly—enabling the spiker to hit the toss, a natural skill for the position. What Kageyama needs are game pieces that he can move according to his will. Kindaichi's interrupted by Tanaka who tells the two guys that Kageyama has changed and will prove to them in the game. As he's looking at Hinata for backup, the latter starts freaking out again due to Kindaichi's words and worries about the possibility of Kageyama kicking him out of the game if he messes up. Hinata ends up making another trip to the bathroom.
The game starts with Aoba Johsai's serve, but Hinata messes up several times due to his nervousness, and Aoba Johsai gets the first point. Kageyama ends up losing control of his temper and yells at Hinata as Kindaichi watches on in triumph. At 24-13 in the first set, the rotation changes with Hinata as the server, a move that stresses out Kageyama and Daichi. Hinata serves right as he is having another freak-out, and it hits the back of Kageyama's head.
Debut[]
- Aoba Johsai High
- Takahiro Hanamaki (Last name)
- Hajime Iwaizumi (Last name)
- Issei Matsukawa (Last name)
- Shinji Watari (Last name)
- Shigeru Yahaba (Last name)
Appearances[]
- Aoba Johsai High
Chapter notes[]
Character revelations[]
- There are at least three gymnasiums in Aoba Johsai High School.
- In Aoba Johsai, the average skill level is high, almost as if the school gathers players that can become aces. They're well known for the strength of their blocks.
- Though it is mostly Hinata that uses the nickname "scallion head/shallot head" or, in this case, "turnip head" (Japanese:
カ ブ の頭 Kabu no Atama) for Kindaichi now, it was Tanaka that came up with it. He called Kindaichi the nickname first, but the latter didn't seem to notice it (either because he was too distracted by Tanaka's other insults to notice, or because he didn't realize the meaning of the nickname).