Despite being on the shorter side, Shoyo Hinata developed an intense obsession for volleyball after watching the Little Giant in action. Wishing to one day become the next Little Giant, Hinata took to the courts even with all odds against him. Many of the odds, he turned to strengths, while others, he simply embraced.
Throughout theHaikyuu!!series, with Kageyama, Karasuno High School, and other supporters by his side, Hinata continually evolved both as a player and a person, defying expectations and proving that what many proclaimed to be impossible was within his reach. While many recognize Hinata’s evolution, the journey, not just the final destination, makes his story one of the most inspiring in theHaikyuu!!series.
Hinata’s Early Play Style
Speed And Instinct Over Technique
At the beginning of his career, Hinata certainly lacked polish, but he made up for it with pure athleticism and determination. In middle school and later high school, Hinata demonstrated his immense stamina and jumping ability. His speed and instinct made him better than average volleyball players, but he quickly hit a wall relying on those abilities alone. While his speed would trip up amateurs, professionals only had to get used to it and could then easily shut down the next aspiring Little Giant.
Hinata’s lack of technical skills put him at a disadvantage that others could easily capitalize on, and hiscoordination with his teammates was severely lacking. Hinata was part of a volleyball team in middle school, but he was the only one interested in the sport. Where others would fumble, Hinata would use his skills to dash wherever and save the day. Unfortunately, that method of playing wouldn’t work in professional settings as he could and would easily disrupt his team’s flow. Thankfully, Hinata’s determination and eagerness to learn fueled him, and soon enough, he began to learn and develop skills that made his strengths even stronger.
Learning to Fly
Hinata’s Partnership With Kageyama And The Quick Attack
Fans ofHaikyuucertainly knowthe quick attack formedbetween Hinata and Kageyama. This attack served as the duo’s signature move during countless matches, but it was, in fact, simply the “King of the Court,” making full use of Hinata’s athleticism and jumping ability. As an offensive attack, the quick attack stunned even professional players when they saw it because of its rapid execution. The attack involves Hinata dashing over to an area with fewer blockers, jumping to spike the ball, and then Kageyama accurately setting the ball to Hinata’s hand. While the duo was famous for their destructive attack, it was heavily reliant on Kageyama. Hinata could pull it off because of his quick athleticism, but the skill and timing of the attack weretotally dependent upon Kageyama.
As Hinata became more and more aware of this limitation, he began to improve the quick attack in his own way. He opted to intentionally spike the ball towards a free area rather than with his eyes closed as he had always done. This led to him and Kageyama developing an evolution of the normal quick, calling it the minus tempo quick. In this attack, Kageyama would set the ball so that it would momentarily pause in mid-air, allowing Hinata to strike the ball accurately. This attack gave Hinata a form of control over the direction of the ball and showed his development so far.
With little improvements here and there, Hinata began to evolve as a volleyball player and even began to threatenKarasuno’s Ace, Asahi Azumane. However, as a volleyball player, while he did have his epic moments, Hinata was far from being well-rounded compared to the likes of Kageyama.
Overcoming Limitations
Training Abroad
While not many know, the story of Hinata and Kageyama extends behind their graduation as they each go on to become professional volleyball players. Kageyama goes pro straight after graduation, but Hinata, realizing his own inherent weaknesses, decided to play beach volleyball in Brazil for two years before going pro. Among the fan base, this time-skip has been received with mixed feelings, as some feel that the decision made wasn’t the best. Many feel Hinata could’ve simply continued to train together with Kageyama,a teammate and rivalwho he would have benefited a lot from rather than going all the way to Brazil. On the flip side, Hinata going to Brazil shows that he didn’t want to depend on Kageyama anymore, and would rather go and experience the intricacies of beach volleyball in an environment where he could meet varying types of players. A decision many agree with.
Becoming A Well-rounded Player
The Final Evolution
After Brazil, Hinata truly evolved as a player. During his time in high school, Hinata was severely lacking in technique, power, and game sense. But by the end of his two-year training, he had leveled up considerably in his weaknesses and had effectively maxed out his strengths.
Hinata’s true and final evolution as a volleyball player can be said to be his lack of pursuit of becoming the next Little Giant. The Little Giant was the one who inspired Hinata to become a volleyball player, but along these lines, Hinata realized he couldn’t become the Little Giant. Not only did his strengths point him somewhere else, but that job position was already taken.
Many, such as Ryunosuke Tanaka, referred to Hinata as “the Ultimate Decoy,” and the shortie set his sights on being just that. By being an ultimate decoy, Hinata was able tosimultaneously make the enemy waryof him while also giving his teammates the chance to score a point. He became a person who always tripped up the enemy whenever he was set to make a move. The split second it took the opponent to correctly predict Hinata’s next move would be when they lost. And Hinata embraced his new goal wholeheartedly.
Looking back, using Hinata as a decoy was something that Kageyama started, and at the time it would frustrate Hinata endlessly. But as a seasoned and mature volleyball player, he embraced that personality.
Haikyuu!!is available to watch onCrunchyroll.
Haikyu!!
Based on Haruichi Furudate’s Weekly Shonen Jump manga, Haikyu!! is a popular sports anime that revolves around volleyball. Despite being shorter than most players, Hinata dreams of taking the court and following in the footsteps of his idol, The Little Giant. To achieve his dream, he will need to work alongside Karasuno High School’s club members, including the selfish Kageyama.
