Slow Starter

Slow Starter
Japanese Title	スロースターター
Romanized Title	Surōsutātā
Chapter Information
Chapter Number	135
Arc	Spring High Preliminary Arc
Volume	Destroyer
Release Date	November 22, 2014
Chapter Guide
← Previous Chapter	Both Teams
Next Chapter →	Momentum Swing: Part 3

"Slow Starter" (Japanese: スロースターター, Surōsutātā) is the one hundred thirty-fifth chapter of the Haikyū!! series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate. It was published in the 52^nd issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump's 2014 series.

Overview

With help from Sugawara, Karasuno is able to recover several points, but, proving how quick they are to adapt, Aoba Johsai turns things around once more.

Plot

Thanks to Sugawara helping Karasuno recover three points in a row, Takinoue and Shimada praise the player substitution plan as the Aoba Johsai team discuss their next course of action.

Sugawara serves once more and it's clear he's once more targeting Kyōtani. However, Hanamaki moves to make the receive instead and Kyōtani is now free to join in the attack. The second-year wing spiker spikes past Hinata and Daichi and ends Sugawara's serve. Tsukishima is sent back in but rotates out with Nishinoya.

Tanaka is able to get a point back when he spikes past a double block. After several plays, Oikawa was forced to make the first touch. He calls Watari to make the set. The libero makes a jump set to Kyōtani and he scores when Hinata is unable to completely block him. When Kindaichi serves, Hinata tells himself not to completely focus on Kyōtani. Oikawa eventually sets to Kyōtani who once more tries his sharp cross shot and scores for Aoba Johsai when Kageyama is unable to pick up the receive.

Karasuno calls a timeout now that Aoba Johsai has reached 20 points. Though Saeko feels confident that Karasuno would be able to get the third set if they were to lose the second set, Shimada declares that Karasuno should try to win the second set so Seijoh will not have the chance to win the game themselves.

Kindaichi's serve goes into the net and Tanaka serves next. While watching Oikawa, Hinata spots Matsukawa running from behind Kyōtani and the hesitation causes him to jump late to block Kyōtani. Oikawa is amused at seeing how Hinata not trying to pay too much attention is actually causing him to do the opposite. Daichi does his best to keep the team together and encourage them not to let Seijoh take the set.

When Kyōtani serves and lands a service ace, Ukai realizes that putting Kyōtani into the game was big gamble for Seijoh but doing it has worked in their favor. Ukai calls for Karasuno's last timeout and continues to see that what Seijoh has been doing for most of the set is getting Kyōtani into a rhythm. With him in the game and disrupting Karasuno so much, the momentum seems to be on Seijoh's side.

As the teams go back onto the court, Ukai calls out to Yamaguchi to be patient as the first-year silently pleads to be put in the game.

Appearances

• Aoba Johsai High
  • Takahiro Hanamaki
  • Nobuteru Irihata
  • Hajime Iwaizumi
  • Yūtarō Kindaichi
  • Akira Kunimi
  • Kentarō Kyōtani
  • Issei Matsukawa
  • Sadayuki Mizoguchi
  • Tōru Oikawa
  • Shinji Watari
  • Shigeru Yahaba

• Karasuno High
  • Asahi Azumane
  • Chikara Ennoshita
  • Shōyō Hinata
  • Tobio Kageyama
  • Hisashi Kinoshita
  • Kazuhito Narita
  • Yū Nishinoya
  • Daichi Sawamura
  • Makoto Shimada
  • Kiyoko Shimizu
  • Kōshi Sugawara
  • Ittetsu Takeda
  • Yūsuke Takinoue
  • Ryūnosuke Tanaka
  • Saeko Tanaka
  • Kei Tsukishima
  • Keishin Ukai
  • Hitoka Yachi
  • Tadashi Yamaguchi