Haikyuu’s Sudden Popularity

Haikyuu is an anime about volleyball that recently got very popular.

Haikyuu has many volleyball teams in the show. The main team is Karasuno, which used to be a very well known school but then lost its power over the years. Though two first years joined and now they are back on the road to becoming a powerhouse school. The main character is Hinata Shoyo, a 5’4 15-year-old. The story is very captivating, in the very first episode Hinata sees a volleyball player that goes by “The little giant”. The little giant was 5’5 which is very small for volleyball. 

Seeing someone his height playing volleyball and being so well known awoke something in him. He was inspired to finally play the sport he wanted to because he knew that if someone else did it he could. So he ends up going to karasuno as the little giant did. The story is relatable for many people, lots of younger men struggle with confidence because of their height. This brings light to that and shows that even if you are short, you can accomplish anything you want to. 

The anime came out in 2014, so it is relatively old. But, it has recently gained a lot of popularity as the fourth season came out this year. It was almost as if it became popular overnight. There have always been many fans, as the art style and diversity in the characters really sets it out from other anime. All the characters are shown to have their own internal struggles, and all have their own unique personality. Many people began noticing that they could relate to the characters they liked, which ultimately contributed to the anime’s increase in popularity. 

However, as any anime or show would have, people began hating on the creator and the fans for how they showed their appreciation for the show. Luckily, it is mostly ignored as the fans continue to focus on the show and support the creator. The popularity started on TikTok mostly, then transferred over to Instagram and other social media. Many fans who were scared to be vocal about their love for the show were finally talking about it, all of this popularity gave other people the confidence to talk about it. 

Now, many people may think that when I’m talking about the popularity it is mostly teenagers. But the national Brazil team even went so far as adding one of the characters to its official roster. The show has inspired many people to play volleyball and created a big community of fans. People from all over the world can talk about the show they love, and not have to worry about being judged for it. This show has really changed many people’s lives, even before the sudden surge of popularity. Men’s volleyball isn’t talked about as much as women’s is, but this has brought more light to it and helped bring more awareness to the sport. This surge of popularity has benefited many people all around.