Shiratorizawa Academy (Japanese:
Uniform[]
The boys' uniform consists of a white jacket, light blue dress shirt, purple tie, purple plaid pants, and brown loafers. The girls wear a white jacket, light blue dress shirt, purple bow tie, purple skirt, and grey sweater.
The boys' volleyball club's uniform consists of a white tracksuit with purple accents. The members wear black t-shirts and purple shorts during practices. During official matches, they wear a white jersey with the sleeves being purple, the bold purple vertical stripe on side of their jersey and shorts, and number on the jersey top in purple. The captain of the team wears the number 1 jersey. The libero's uniform is a purple jersey and purple shorts with white accents, lettering, and numbers.
Volleyball Club[]
The Boys' Volleyball Club is considered a "powerhouse". According to Tanaka, the volleyball team has ranked among the top 8 in Japan for several years.[1] It has been noted by the captain, Wakatoshi Ushijima, that Shiratorizawa supposedly never weakens no matter what. In accordance with that, Shiratorizawa had been undefeated and the Miyagi Prefecture representative at national tournaments for generations, only having lost to Karasuno recently and not making it to nationals five years prior when the Small Giant was on the team. The current team being so strong that during the finals match against Karasuno, Shiratorizawa students were already assuming their team would win and were making travel plans to watch them at nationals. Additionally, Ushijima is one of the three best aces in the country and is currently one of Japan's under-18 (under-19 in the anime) volleyball representatives for the Youth World Championship.
Shiratorizawa, combined with their clean reception and precise sets, is exponentially strengthened by the super-ace Ushijima, who tears down blocks and strategical plays of its adversaries (as seen in the battle against Aoba Johsai in the Interhigh preliminaries). The team's main strategy is to focus everyone's strength to support Ushijima, hence the reason why it's symbolized by a single eagle. This is unlike Karasuno with its multiple crows as it focuses on teamwork and individual strength.
Shiratorizawa's most notable players are captain and ace Ushijima, one of the top 3 aces in the whole nation, along with Itachiyama's Sakusa and Mujinazaka's Kiryu, and middle blocker Tendō, also known as the "Guess Monster" with guess blocks that stop the opponents' spikes no matter where placed.
The team has also defeated Aoba Johsai in the final match of the Miyagi Prefecture Interhigh Preliminaries and advanced to Nationals. The team's third-years had decided against retiring for a chance to compete in the Spring Tournament.
The most well-known generation of Shiratorizawa is the current one, but the most successful one was Ushijima's father's generation. Utsui's generation had a 190 cm ace and had probably won first place in Nationals[2].
Members[]
Later Members
Former Players
68th Annual Prefectural Athletic Volleyball Tournament[]
According to Coach Ukai, Date Tech lost to Shiratorizawa in the 3rd round, and Shiratorizawa eventually won 1st place.
Third Round
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Date Tech High School (2:? / ??,??)
Final
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs ??? (?:?)
Interhigh-Preliminaries (2012)[]
For Miyagi Interhigh Preliminaries, Shiratorizawa was registered as team 55, Block I. Their venue was the Shiratorizawa Civic Gymnasium along with Block J. They were exempt from the first round of matches and played over the span of three days (one game on the first day, three on the second, one on the third). They made it to the finals after beating the winner of Block F and the winner of either Block E or Block B (it is not revealed exactly which block Shiratorizawa faced). For the finals, they played against Aoba Johsai at the Sendai City Gymnasium. Because they won, they became Miyagi Prefecture's representative for the Summer Interhigh National Tournament.
Second Round
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Ohgiminami High School (2:0 / 25-10, 25-6)
Final
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Aoba Johsai High School (2:0 / 25-22, 25-23)
Interhigh National Tournament (2012)[]
It is confirmed through Tendō that Shiratorizawa played against Inarizaki in the Interhigh Tournament.[3]
Unknown Round
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Inarizaki High School (?:2/??)
Spring High-Miyagi Prefecture Representative Playoffs (2012)[]
Because they won the Interhigh Preliminaries, Shiratorizawa was exempt from the first preliminary.
For the representative playoffs, Shiratorizawa was registered as team 1. They played at the Sendai City Gymnasium over a span of three days (one game on the first day, two on the second, one on the third). After losing in the finals to Karasuno, they became Miyagi Prefecture's Playoffs runner-up.
Main Preliminary[]
First Round
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Niikawa High School (2:0 / 25-15, 25-12)
Quarterfinal
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Hakusuikan High School (2:0 / 25-17, 25-19)
Semifinal
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Kesenike Nishi High School (2:0 / 25-20, 25-21)
Final
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Karasuno High School (2:3 / 25-16, 29-31, 25-20, 27-29, 19-21)
- Set three's score was changed to (25-18) in the anime.
Spring High-Miyagi Prefecture Representative Playoffs (2013)[]
Semifinal
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs ??? (??:2 / ??)
Spring High-Miyagi Prefecture Representative Playoffs (2014)[]
Final
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Karasuno High School (??:3 / ??)
Shiratorizawa Academy Junior High[]
Shiratorizawa Academy Junior High (Japanese:
Boys' Volleyball Club[]
Just like its high school counterpart, the junior high Boys' Volleyball Club is considered the strongest team in Miyagi Prefecture. They frequently take first place in tournaments.
One of the team's most prominent players was Wakatoshi Ushijima, who was nicknamed 'Young Giant'.
The boys' volleyball club's uniform consists of a white tracksuit with purple accents. During official matches, members wear purple shorts with a vertical stripe down each side, and a white jersey top with purple accents and a purple number in the center.[4]
Members[]
Former Players
Matches[]
- Shiratorizawa Academy Junior High vs Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High School (2:0 / ??-??, ??-??)
- Shiratorizawa Academy Junior High vs Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High School (2:1 / ??-??, 27-29, 25-21)
- Shiratorizawa Academy Junior High vs Ushimi Middle School (2:?)
All Japan Middle School Athletics Tournament[]
- Shiratorizawa Academy Junior High vs Dōshō Junior High School (2:1 / ??-??, ??-??, 25-22)
Practice Matches[]
- Shiratorizawa Academy vs Karasuno High School (Past) (2:1 / ??, ??, 28-26)
- Shiratorizawa Third-Years vs Rookie Training Camp First-Years (?:? / ??, 25-14, ??, ??)
- Shiratorizawa + Alumni vs Rookie Training Camp First-Years (25-21)
Trivia[]
- The 'shiratori' in 'Shiratorizawa' means 'swan', but since it's composed of two kanji characters that literally read 'white bird', Ushijima has been symbolized as a mighty white eagle.
- Many famous athletes have graduated from the school.
- Ukai described Shiratorizawa as a spear that only uses brute strength to destroy.
- No more high schools in Miyagi prefecture can challenge Shiratorizawa so they have to practice with schools outside of the prefecture or college students.
- While only a horseback riding club is shown in the manga,[5] the anime has also shown the school to have a large running track.[6]
- The volleyball club has its own bus and a cheering squad consisting of Shiratorizawa fans, students, cheerleaders and musicians. During the finals against Karasuno in the Spring High qualifiers, many students from Shiratorizawa wore their school uniforms and joined the cheering squad. In addition, they also sing the school anthem, where Sendai Castle is overlooking the city of Sendai.
- Most Shiratorizawa volleyball club members' (coaches and players) family names come from names of onsen (hot spring) locations (towns and establishments) in Yamagata Prefecture.
- Shiratorizawa provides dorms for its students.[7][8] The rooms are shown to be able to house two students at a time with either bunk beds or separate beds and desks provided for students to use.
- Shiratorizawa Academy is based on Tōhoku High School in Miyagi Prefecture.[5]
- Although Soekawa has been established as the vice-captain, in the Viz translation, Reon is said to be the vice-captain.
- #11, Toast Townsperson B, was given their name after the Haikyuu VolleyCamp community discovered he had no name.
- During the Rookie Training camp, an unknown player wearing the number 6 is seen playing in the practice matches against the first-years. It's most likely he's a middle blocker.[9]
- Tendō has stated that, when he was a first-year, Shiratorizawa lost during a tournament, which resulted in the team having to run back to the school. However, it's unknown if this is true or if he was simply trying to scare Goshiki.[10]
- Although Kai Akakura is stated to be the libero wearing the number 13 jersey, a different player is seen wearing the jersey during Shiratorizawa's match against Karasuno. It is unknown if this was an error or number switch.
- It is unknown if Shiratorizawa follows a numerical order by year level similar to Karasuno, as third-year Yamagata has a lower jersey number than the majority of his younger teammates, and first-year Goshiki has a higher number than several of his upperclassmen.
- According to Hinata, Shiratorizawa is roughly an hour from Karasuno and an extra half hour from his house.[11]