Ossu!
Hello, wing spikers, liberos, setters, managers, coaches, and supporters! Welcome to the Karasuno High School Volleyball Club! I am Quilava the Flamethrower, and I'll be reviewing the last episode of Haikyuu!! Season 3, Episode 10 (only like three weeks late!! Sorry, I was busy processing it, along with Yuri!!! On Ice. Help me...).
First Years:
The Baby Crows
First of all, let's look at how far Karasuno's VBC has come since the first season. Tsukishima didn't care about volleyball, Kageyama didn't trust his teammates, Hinata didn't have any game sense, and Yamaguchi had no courage or way to fight. Now look. Tsukishima saved his team with his read blocking in prefecture finals, earning them a spot in Nationals. Kageyama has learned to sync up with his teammates in order to get the best (or at least, better than Kunimi and Kindaichi) results, Hinata concentrates on the best moves he can possibly perform (such as running into a block to make the wall higher and stronger), and Yamaguchi puts pressure on the opposing team with his jump floater serve, as well as scored about five consecutive service aces in the second match against Seijoh, helping them tremendously in getting into finals against Shiratorizawa.
Second Years:
Improve for the kouhais and senpais
And now let's look at the second years. All of them had a hand in Karasuno's Certain Victory against Shiratorizawa (except Kinoshita, but come on, he was probably great for moral support). Tanaka, as always, and as reliable as he is, fought for the entire match, even as his strength and stamina started to give out-he scored Karasuno's first point in the match, somewhat breaking Shiratorizawa's momentum, and giving much needed hope to the crows, which was crucial for their mental stage. Narita held the fort down for Karasuno while their MVP, Tsukki, was out for the count due to injury. You go, Narita!
I wish Ennoshita had had a chance to play in the match against Shiratorizawa, but the accomplishments do not only show in
the finals. He was able to sub in for Daichi, who is the pillar that holds and supports the team, in the match against Wakunan (known for their tenacity), which is
not an easy feat. In the same way that Narita helped hold down the fort until Tsukishima got back in Finals, Ennoshita held the fort down until the end of the match when Daichi was hurt. That specific match, was, quoting Coach Ukai, "about the captains".
And finally, Nishinoya.
Okay, this may be a bit biased, because he's my favourite character in the entire franchise.
But seriously, why shouldn't he be.
Okay, everyone.
Get ready for an essay....
First of all, he learned how to perform a libero's toss in order to give the team more options for attacks (crucial to Karasuno's messy play style). Those tosses were essential for Karasuno against Shiratorizawa (although they were ultimately shut down against Tendou). And the countless saves he performed that weren't highlighted. And the fact that he SUPPORTS THE TEAM FROM BEHIND. That is so, so important for them. Since his legendary first appearance in the first season receiving Kageyama's killer serve, to his diving at Tsukishima after their last point, he has been there, paving the way to victory for the entire team. Don't forget that his saves are highlighted to a degree and are among the most epic moments in the franchise, but his moves aren't focused on in the same way the freak quick is. In my opinion, this is on purpose. Throughout the whole series, Nishinoya constantly tells the team—"All of you, keep your eyes forward. Because you have me guarding your backs." Keep your eyes
forward...you have me guarding your backs. This motif, this symbol, is a necessity to the entire franchise. That is how important he is, and he isn't focused on, he isn't
overly flashy, because he guards their backs. His point is to keep the ball in the air. He doesn't score points. He doesn't spike the ball, he doesn't score service aces, he doesn't do dumps. He just keeps the ball in air, and doesn't get tons of flashy attention like the spikers. That's why Nishinoya isn't showcased.
Anyways, the reason why that one quote about guarding their backs is what the franchise rides on: guarding their backs doesn't just mean keeping the ball from touching the ground. It also means that he will encourage them to keep going. "All of you, keep your eyes forward". To me, it symbolizes his belief in his teammates to win midair battles(again, another huge and relating motif). Without that line, Karasuno would be over. Think about it. He saved the ball in a crucial moment in the match against Dateko, he encouraged their ace to fight when the team needed him, and, in the match against Shiratorizawa, he reminded them of his reliance on them to win the match. Receives don't win a match. Spikes do, but the receives keep the call connected in order to score points, which is Nishinoya's job. Even if their thighs split, they need to keep doing their part, and he does his. That is what team is. Everyone does their part.
Anyways, enough about Nishinoya(as much as I'd like to keep talking about him). It's time for the cornerstones of the team-the third years.
Third Years:
Finally Flying High
I feel like I can't really talk about the third year much individually. As their jersey numbers symbolize, they are a team.
The third years came to Karasuno around the time Karasuno lost its status as a powerhouse. They had high hopes in their first year-they could get to Nationals and revive their reputation. But they lost spectacularly; however, they never lost their hopes and expectations. The pain they must have felt in their second year when their senpais had lost all hope(their Nationals-striving Captain had graduated, leaving doubtful second year's to take over the team) must have been excruciating, but in their third year, they showed their senpais. They pulled through and made it to Nationals as third years. When all hope had been lost, the first years came along, and under their guidance and leadership, the entire team rose up and made it to Nationals. The scene that killed me most in the last episode of the third season was the scene with the third years. Daichi had been the one out of the three to plant to dreams of Nationals inside of all of their minds in the first place, and so the animators had started with him. He turns around, stunned, as reality hits him- they did it. They worked so hard, and had made it to Nationals. Then he latches on to Asahi, who had fought with him till the very end. Asahi, who had initially quit in their second year because he thought he wasn't valuable to the team. Asahi had such a huge part in them going to Nationals, holding out as the ace, acting as a beacon of hope when all seemed lost. And last of all, Sugawara runs up to them, crying, and hugs them. I think Sugawara killed me the most, because he was the only third year who wasn't a starter. But his part was maybe the most essential of all-giving up his spot so that his kouhai, Kageyama, could push the team forward. Although it's cruel to say the truth, Sugawara is not an outstanding player, and he never was. Kageyama was the setter who could score the most points, which is obviously the most vital thing to winning. And he willingly told Ukai to give the spot to Kageyama. He is the person behind the scenes, and he is not given enough credit for sacrificing pride for the good of the team(again, this is also something the entire franchise runs on). His sacrifice has paid off, and his choice has taken them to Tokyo's Orange Court. And those hopeful first years who struggled through years of doubt and disappointment, have pulled through. They have shown the world what they are made of. And that is why that scene of the three of them together, sobbing with joy and relief, clutching and squeezing each other, breaks me every time. Because they have finally made it.
And lastly, one bit I picked up from Shiratorizawa is this- Tsutomu crying. He is the only first year starter on the team, which is significant in itself. But his admiration towards his senpais, especially Ushijima, probably gave him such pride and determination("Stay determined, Tsutomu!") to be going to Nationals. No doubt he highly, 100% believed that he would be going to Nationals with his amazing senpais. But they didn't, and now the upperclassmen will be graduating. The fact that one of the third years was comforting him says a lot, because he's just a first year. He'll have more opportunities in the future, but he wanted to badly to do it with Ushijima and the others.
Hopefully you picked up these symbols and motifs too(although my ideas are, in fact, vague), and a reminder that Haikyuu!! Season 4 will be coming out next spring(I think it was April, 2017).
Arigatou gozaimashita!
Karasuno, fly!
"...guarding their backs doesn't just mean keeping the ball from touching the ground. It also means that he will encourage them to
keep going."