Before we begin, I'd like it to be known that this series of Haikyū! (ハイキュー!) has been highlighted as my favorite show for quite a long time. How exactly is this a big deal? Despite the ratings that I give to almost every anime being generous, I would have to say that this one is well worthy of the rating-scale at 10. There comes too of the saying that I am, in actuality, a very meticulous person when it comes down to watching a show; I'd prefer the shows that I've watched to be meaningful, containing some underlying message that may be served as a
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moral— and yet at the same time, I'd also like them to be absolutely thrilling to the bone, in other words, interesting/enjoyable enough to maintain my attention throughout the whole episodes.
Now, onto the main review. Please be mindful as there may be MINOR SPOILERS up ahead.
• Story: 9.5/10
In the second season, we continue to follow the tale of Karasuno team taking on the obstacles in order to reach for the top. That's it; that's the whole story put into short. However, it's how they took on the obstacles that significantly places an imprint on how the tale is executed. Asides from the main characters, we could see various supporting characters are also struggling with their own issues as well.
Since the beginning of the first season, we could see that the series is bundled up of several things— and they've made sure to include a few matters that are or could be inevitable in real life, such as the importance of exams. It's an understatement that the story does mainly revolve around set of emotions, the challenges taken up by people, and how they respond to/cope with their current situation. What I like about the overall story is how realistic at times this series can be: like how people deal differently with their losses, that talent is something that is nurtured, etc. Furthermore, in the second season, we get to see some more of the supporting characters having their screen time and tidbits of their background.
And while those things I've mentioned above are happening, regardless, they still managed to make them related to volleyball as how it should be— to which pinpoints the fact that they did not get sidetracked from their main plot line.
What makes Haikyū! (ハイキュー!) even more unique is how they explained the volleyball game exactly works which includes the basics, and the tactics/techniques on how to do each move. Throughout the whole seasons, they have also shown that teamwork and communication are the key factor within the game. But most of all, they had done a particularly good job in conveying their messages; one example being that no team is guaranteed to be more invincible than the other; no individual is better than the other.
The only complaint that I have here, however, is that there is a lack of small injuries that could be inevitable when it comes to playing volleyball in reality. As a volleyball player myself, I've always come out of the volleyball practice with few injuries, and I had a sprained finger for few times. It's quite baffling that they didn't mention any of this as volleyball is a game full of risks, what more with mainly hands, but then again, if exercised and played with enough caution and in a proper form, it's possible to come out of the game unscathed. Still, they should have mentioned this— in fact, the Mangaka should have mentioned about the possible risk of breaking a finger or a hand.
Other than that, there were also few moments within the anime that feels unnecessary to me, including a few ones that are unrelated to volleyball, but I realized it's these little things that make the show and its story more believable and realistic. After all, the world is not thoroughly centered around volleyball. I'm glad that this series had also displayed that at few points.
• Character: 10/10
What is a show with a story line that has potential but with butchered up characters? Horrible. On the other hand, what is a show that seems to have a boring story line, but has characters that are written well? The opposite. As much as characters do share the same important role as the story line, characters play a significantly higher factor in becoming a great story. No one would want to watch a show with an interesting plot but all of its characters are written so badly, they basically ruined the potential of the show. Haikyū! (ハイキュー!) is fortunately, and definitely, the latter.
Haikyū! (ハイキュー!) showcases that the supporting characters in here also get as much support as the main characters. It doesn't matter how minor or insignificant they are, in the end, they've brought something to make the show have more purpose. Perhaps this is one of the few things that the series is trying to highlight; in one of the early episodes, and since the first season, we could see that the supporting cast got to have their own screen time. But wait! This may be a coincidence, but they've also put in a message that supporting characters do matter. This can clearly be seen in the episode where Hinata Shoyo, the main character, told to Hitoka Yachi, whom is a supporting character, that even the supporting characters can fight.
Quote taken out of context: "Townsperson B can fight too!" [ From Hitoka Yachi to Madoka Yachi, her mother. ]
Moving further, all of the characters in this show are quite impossible to hate. Or at least, I found it impossible to hate. I could have disliked a few of them but as time grew, I found myself to become fond of them. In general, every single character here has a personality of their own and there are those that share a few similar traits among them. Now that I look back, there's not a single character in this show that has uniquely stood out from the rest; it's as if they were all equally unique altogether. Yet at the same time, each character has their own quirks and perks that made them distinguishable from the rest. If you think long and hard enough about it, it could be safely deducted that these characters are quite a paradox. Hinata and Kageyama, for an example, may seem like they're complete opposites of each other when in truth, they share many similarities.
Character development is evident in this series. Overcoming fears, handling insecurities, going through conflicts, effort in order to become a better person/player— it's right there. I'm pretty sure that by now, you've all noticed that I'm mostly talking about the characters but that's because, and I repeat, they are the MAJOR key factor in a story. The progress of the character development is at the right pace; not too slow nor not too fast, otherwise, the off-pacing will make it seem unrealistic. By the end of this second season, you could see that our characters ( especially the ones in our protagonist team, Karasuno. ) are different compared to before. They've changed but not completely enough for us to notice right away. And it's not just them.
I'd love to say more about the characters, because really, they're all superb in their own way. Honestly. I love all of them.
• Art & Sound: 9/10
The art is not that unique, but it's enough to make it seem decent which is also a factor ( but not much ) to make a great anime. The background noises are subtle often times, and depending on the atmosphere of the moment, the soundtracks fits the mood suitably. The voice acting of the characters are quite great, they've done a good job in expressing themselves! On the other hand, the opening and ending songs are all nice as well, catchy even, and in my opinion, they are better than the ones used in the first season.
• Enjoyment: 10/10
I think it's very obvious that I enjoyed Haikyū! (ハイキュー!) a lot. From the small and fleeting moments, to the sad ones, to the ones where hilarity ensues, and some more; this show is comprised of a lot of things. Truth to be told, even with this quite long review I put here, it still can't do much to express my love for this anime series.
• OVERALL: 9.5/10
If you haven't watched this anime, please do give it a try! But that is only if you're willing to do so. I, myself, admittedly felt bored in the first few episodes of Haikyū! (ハイキュー!) but it really depended on my mood that time around. On the other hand, to those who have already finished the first season but has yet to watch the second— then I recommend this season to be watched. ♥
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Jun 2, 2016
Haikyuu!! Second Season
(Anime)
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Before we begin, I'd like it to be known that this series of Haikyū! (ハイキュー!) has been highlighted as my favorite show for quite a long time. How exactly is this a big deal? Despite the ratings that I give to almost every anime being generous, I would have to say that this one is well worthy of the rating-scale at 10. There comes too of the saying that I am, in actuality, a very meticulous person when it comes down to watching a show; I'd prefer the shows that I've watched to be meaningful, containing some underlying message that may be served as a
...
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