Ask any anime fan in Malaysia – and they’ve definitely heard of “Haikyu!! (ハイキュー!!)”. The manga franchise is about high schooler Shoyo Hinata and his determination to be a great volleyball player despite his small stature. This slice-of-life sports manga is one of the best-selling manga series of all time, and along with its anime adaption, it has become an iconic franchise, amassing millions of fans worldwide.
In 2022, on the franchises’ 10th anniversary, “Haikyu!!” announced a two-film series titled “Haikyu!! Final” that will tie up the anime series that has been on air since 2014. The long-awaited first film, “Haikyu!!: The Dumpster Battle”, was finally released in Japan on 16th February 2024 and immediately became a box office success. Three months later, the movie will hit Malaysian cinemas – and here’s why we think you should watch the film:
The Movie Is The Continuation Of The Anime From The Last Season
The last time we saw Hinata and his friends on the screen was in 2020 when the fourth season of the anime, “Haikyu!! To The Top”, premiered. In that season, we saw Karasuno High School go up against Inarizaki High in the All Japan High School Volleyball Championship Tournament and eventually win the game to face Nekoma High – where this movie starts.
Given the four years it took to continue the story, we can say that this movie is one you should watch, especially if you have been following the series. In our opinion, it’s worth going to the theatres to see how much Hinata has improved as an athlete and how the Karasuno High School Volleyball Team regained their status as a powerhouse in their prefecture.
However, you need to be familiar with the series before going into the movie, or you may find yourself confused because you won’t get much backstory.
The Movie Will Replace A Standard 24-episode “Haikyu!!” Anime Season
As mentioned, this movie is one of two films that will tie up the “Haikyu!!” anime series. Unfortunately, that also means this movie will essentially replace a standard 24-episode season. With no plans to continue the series, this movie is the only way to watch the “Interhigh Nationals” arc – which spanned several chapters in the manga – be adapted into an animation.
Does this also mean that the movie will skip some scenes? Yes, because the animation team had to condense a lot of chapters into only 80 minutes. However, no worries because you will still be able to watch the most important parts – and from what we saw, you won’t feel robbed of anything.
Dynamic Action Scenes That Truly Capture How Exhilirating Volleyball Can Be
Just to be clear, Haikyu isn’t an action movie, and there isn’t an actual battle going on – but that doesn’t mean the scenes are anything short of dynamic and exhilarating. In fact, the manga and anime have been lauded as having a realistic depiction of a volleyball match and even praised by professional volleyball players.
There are plenty of scenes in “Haikyu!!: The Dumpster Battle” that we can pinpoint as being brilliantly animated to prove the excitement of the sport. However, there is a particular scene told from the perspective of Nekoma High’s Kenma Kozume, which, in our opinion, really captures the adrenaline a player would feel being on the court in a critical moment of a match.
Emotional Bond As Friends Off-Court & Opponents On-Court
With “Haikyu!!” being a sports anime, expect scenes showing how the characters work together on the court. Fans would already know about the chemistry of Karasuno’s dynamic duo, Hinata and Tobio Kageyama – but in this movie, we’ll also learn about how Nekoma’s Kenma and Tetsuro Kuroo went from childhood friends to partners on the court.
We’ll also see how characters in the movie develop friendships off the court, which in turn helps them build a sense of healthy competitiveness that drives them to be better. Another thing we’ll be able to see is how certain characters gradually find respect for the sport they play because of the people around them.
“Haikyu!!-style” Comedic Moments That Bring Out The Giggles
While the movie does have its action and emotional side, it won’t stray far from being an entertaining animated film. The comedic moments brought by the many characters, like Karasuno’s Koushi Sugawara and Nekoma’s Shohei Fukunaga, help to break the tension in some scenes and keep a good balance of emotions.
Even without exaggerated movements or quick-witted puns, some characters made the cinema chuckle just through their facial expressions. We like that these funny moments aren’t too forced and perfectly littered throughout the film to keep viewers’ energy at bay. We also noted some iconic moments that appeared in the manga, so if you’ve read the series, you’ll want to look forward to these scenes as they pop up in the film.
Check out the trailer below:
Catch “Haikyu!!: The Dumpster Battle” exclusively at GSC.
