Single-Celled Organisms

"Single-Celled Organisms"
Japanese title	単細胞生物
Translation title	Tansai Bōsei Butsu
Chapter Information
Chapter number	3
Arc	Karasuno High Team Formation Arc
Volume	Hinata and Kageyama
Release Date	Match 5, 2012
Chapter Guide
← Previous Chapter	Karasuno High School Volleyball Club
Next Chapter →	The Greatest Teammate

"Single-Celled Organisms" (Japanese: 単細胞生物 (たんさいぼうせいぶつ) , Tansai Bōsei Butsu) is the third chapter of the Haikyū!! series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. It was published in the 14th issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump’s 2012 series.

Overview

Hinata and Kageyama aren't allowed to join the team until they accept each other. Out of desperation, they decide to challenge the third years to a match and one of the second years, Tanaka, agrees to be on the first years' team and starts helping them practice in secret.

Plot

Hinata and Kageyama are told that until they accept each other as teammates, they aren't allowed to join the team, so they resort to begging. Nothing changes despite the many attempts of the two and after a while, they decide to challenge the third years to a game to prove that they can work together as teammates. The third years agree but on one condition; if Kageyama loses, he can't be the setter as long as the third years are still around. This shocks the setter and angers Hinata as he is not getting punished/attention, but Hinata then states nonchalantly that as long as Kageyama is a regular, it doesn't matter what role he plays, angering the latter. Kageyama grabs Hinata and yells that the setter is the best position and brings up reasons such as the setter being the leader of the team and being responsible for the “awesome” spikes. They then wonder about how they could practice when they can’t use the gym, and Tanaka secretly whispers to them through the window that the gym opens at 5 in the morning. The next day, Kageyama and Hinata come in early to practice, only to find the door locked. However, Tanaka surprises them by arriving with the key, stating that they have to call him senpai. While unlocking the door, he thinks back to Daichi’s words, revealing the reason for why Daichi is being so hard on the first years. He wants to change Kageyama and make him realize that he has to rely on his teammates and if he decides to rely on Hinata, they can form a new combo. Hinata’s high athletic abilities combined with Kageyama’s superior setting skills may lead to new changes to Karasuno.

Appearances

• Shōyō Hinata
• Tobio Kageyama
• Daichi Sawamura
• Ryūnosuke Tanaka
• Kōshi Sugawara

Chapter notes

Character revelations

• Hinata practiced volleyball in the corridors and corners of the gym during middle school because he didn't have a place then.
• Kitagawa Daiichi lost a close game at the end of the middle school tournament. Kageyama Tobio’s picture was in the newspaper, therefore it can be inferred that it was partially his fault for the loss.
• Karasuno’s volleyball team usually plays a 3-on-3 game between the first years to help them get a feel of the club.