"Senpai's Determination: Part 2" (Japanese: パイセンの
Overview
Tanaka is having a rough time after being repeatedly blocked and hitting a spike out of bounds during crunch time. He perseveres despite the piling pressure, but the situation worsens when he is denied a toss in favor of Asahi. Thanks to Hinata's encouragement, he started believing in what he can do to help the team. Even though he deems himself to be a player who's nothing special, Tanaka refuses to give up at anything.
Plot
Tanaka's spike lands out of bounds, pushing the set into a deuce once again at 25-25. Everybody watching is well-aware of the graveness of this situation. Tanaka's missing spike isn't a simple mistake but a sign of the immense pressure exerted by Inarizaki blockers. Despite Daichi telling Tanaka to not stress over it, Tanaka is starting to fall apart under the pressure. Meanwhile, the two teams continue to size each other up. Osamu is surprised to find Tanaka spiking a straight through even though he is on guard to block a straight. Tsukishima is also pondering about how Suna's last spike bypassed his block completely. The spectators are worried about Tanaka's mental state after his failed spike, but the second-years are confident that Tanaka will be alright.
Tanaka feeling the pressure after all the setbacks.
As the match continues, Ginjima hits a powerful serve into the net, resulting in a net-in serve. This forces Kageyama to make the first touching, thus leaving Tsukishima to follow up. Not wanting to give up, Tanaka calls for a toss ready to fulfill his role as a wing spiker. However, Tsukishima opts for a back row attack with Asahi instead. Asahi's spike successfully breaks through the block and fell down on Inarizaki's side, earning a point for Karasuno.
Despite having one setback after another, Tanaka maintains a cheery front to celebrate with his teammates. Kanoka and her teammates understand Tsukishima's decision to break up the bad rhythm but can't help feeling bad for Tanaka. Their thoughts are interrupted when Hinata calls out to Tanaka while switch in. Hinata flatters Tanaka for supporting Tsukishima's block since middle blockers usually have to block alone. He thinks having Tanaka as support is extra reassuring and even compares it to Date Tech's powerful blocks.
Tanaka, despite his tough exterior, is just as vulnerable to negativity.
Afterwards, Tsukishima aims his serve at Aran. Osamu immediately prepares for a minus-tempo quick unbothered by having only one blocker committing to him. Just before he spikes, Osamu notices Tanaka coming in to complete a two-men block. He quickly switches to hitting a straight that ends up perfectly received by Daichi. The rest of Karasuno gets excited over this chance of counterattack. While Kageyama prepares for his setup, Tanaka moves in ready to spike. Tanaka reveals that he thinks of himself as an average guy who doesn't particularly excel in anything, especially on a team like Karasuno. However, he believes this is no excuse to give up, even during times when his negative thoughts consume him. Tanaka refuses to waste time feeling sorry for himself and calls out for a toss wholeheartedly.
Appearances
- Ryūnosuke Tanaka
- Osamu Miya
- Rintarō Suna
- Hitoshi Ginjima
- Kōshi Sugawara
- Kazuhito Narita
- Hisashi Kinoshita
- Kanoka Amanai
- Suguru Daishō
- Mika Yamaka
- Daichi Sawamura
- Kei Tsukishima
- Shōyō Hinata
- Chikara Ennoshita
- Tadashi Yamaguchi
- Yū Nishinoya
- Asahi Azumane
- Tobio Kageyama
- Hitoka Yachi
- Keiji Akaashi
- Kōtarō Bokuto
- Keishin Ukai
- Ittetsu Takeda
- Makoto Shimada
- Yūsuke Takinoue
- Aran Ojiro
- Atsumu Miya
- Kiyoko Shimizu
Chapter notes
Character revelations
- Tanaka is the only one out of the current second-years to have never left the club.
Trivia
- This chapter shares the same title as Volume 23 Chapter 200 in Japanese.
- In the English translation, the chapter title is changed to "Senpai's Determination: Part 2" while Chapter 200 is called "An Upperclassman's Determination."
