Story: 7/10
Haikyuu!! Season 3 is rather different from the previous 2 seasons, in the sense that it does not focus on the duo, Hinata and Kageyama. Instead, the star of the show is Tsukishima Kei, one of Karasuno's middle-blockers. What I like about the story is that the rivalries are well played out and despite that the match was rather predictable (no spoilers), the characters show that nothing comes easy and there is no one team which overpowers the other totally. This season is filled with emotions and epic moments, which is another strong point.
However, the plot has quite a few weaknesses. I didn't like how Ushijima was stupidly overpowered. The show emphasized very strongly on his spiking skills and the fact that he was left-handed, which is something I don't get because I am sure that he is not the only left-handed spiker in Haikyuu!! Also, this season has too much explaining, which is a typical fault in many sports anime. I understand that there should be explanations for the volleyball techniques but the explanations are over-done. It is better to show more and tell less.
Art: 9/10
The art and animation is consistent and is fluid, as expected of Production I.G., the studio which produced Kuroko no Basuke and Shingeki no Kyojin. The art for the opening and ending were excellent.
I liked how the studio uses metaphors to show the team''s feelings and challenges. For example, the scene in the opening where the Karasuno team is in front of a mountain which morphs into an eagle (representing Shiratorizawa) depicts the challenges the team faces. The lighting is darker in this season, compared to the other seasons. This increases the intensity of the matches. Kudos to the animators!
Sound: 9/10
The opening and ending tracks are recycled and have the same theme as the OSTs from previous seasons. Voice-acting is on point in general and the voice-actors did a great job in expressing the characters.
Character: 8/10
As I've emphasiised in the 'Story' section, Kageyama and Hinata do not receive a lot of development in this season. Tsukishima Kei's character development is one of the highlights of this season. From a disinterested player, he had changed into one of the star players who is determined to fight with the team till the end. His character development is indeed impressive and flows nicely over the 10 episodes. Tsukki, you're the real MVP of the season.
Shiratorizawa's introduction is effectively and they are great opponents. The Shiratorizawa team is memorable, especially Tendo Satori the 'Guess Monster'. Overall, the team is not stupidly overpowered, maybe except for Ushijima.
Enjoyment: 10/10
Full of intense action and episodes that leave the viewer hanging, it is no wonder that Haikyuu!! Season 3 is currently the top sports anime on MyAnimeList. I had enjoyed this season very much and every episode had left me hanging on my seat and wanting more.
Overall: 9/10
Haikyuu!! Season 3 wasn't a disappointment and I had certainly enjoyed it. I am looking forward to Season 4, which should be coming out next year. I would highly recommend this to every sports anime fan. However, I would encourage you to watch the previous seasons to get a grasp of the characters.
Thank you for reading this review and I hope you have a nice day!
