Haikyuu’s contribution to the revival of Volleyball has been immense. People barely watched the sport or wanted to play it professionally. But Haruichi Furudate wanted to change sports with his masterpiece. It is fair to say that Haikyuu is one of the most influential sports anime ever and has managed to change the sports taste of millions of people.
Currently, the 2024 Paris Olympics is taking place. Only Gen Z (people born in 1997-2002) people are the only ones to show the most interest in Volleyball. While the sport does not come under the top five sports in the world, one person’s effort changed an entire generation’s view. Another reason why the anime and manga industry becoming mainstream is a good thing.
Haikyuu’s Influence Has Helped Vollyball Soar Up To The Skies
Haruichi Furudate began Haikyuu’s serialization in February 2012 and concluded in July 2020. It also had an anime adaptation, and countless people joined the volleyball revolution. The story follows Hinata Shouyo’s journey to become the best basketball player. Soccer, Basketball, Cricket, Tennis, etc., has worldwide followers.
But the views are slowly changing. A poll conducted in 33 countries, with more than 25,000 votes, proved that volleyball has earned a place among Gen Z. They are the only generation to show interest in the sport at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The poll conductors confirmed that Haikyuu’s massive influence is one of the reasons for the outcome.
The anime showed that volleyball can also be captivating. A split second can change the entire outcome of the game, and concentration is key in this sport. The spiker is not always the most important player, and all the players have substantial roles to fill. It is fair to say Haikyuu repeated Tom Cruise’s Top Gun trend with the sport.
Top Gun featured the life and struggles of a Naval Pilot. Due to its massive success, many people wanted to walk down the path of a Naval Pilot. The same happened with Haikyuu. Haruichi Furudate wanted his peers to get immersed in the sport. His magnum opus made it a popular sport not only in Japan but also in other countries.
The mangaka has beautifully portrayed all the minute details. His narrative, the characters and their growth, and the emotional and physical turmoil each player has to go through are perfectly described in the manga. Apart from making people take an interest in sports, Haikyuu has inspired several sportspersons to take up professional volleyball. Haruichi Furudate has excelled in his mission to make volleyball popular again.
Fans Are Grateful To Haruichi Furudate’s Haikyuu
It is never an easy task to revive a dying sport. But Haruichi Furudate managed to do the impossible with his masterpiece. People need to have a mental fortitude to watch Haikyuu. The tense moments, especially Karasuno vs. Shiratorizawa, can make anyone feel they are in the match. Fans are grateful to the mangaka for gifting them such an experience.
After the poll, countless fans have commented on social mentioning how much they love Haikyuu. They even compared it to the Naval Pilot surge, mistakenly wrote it as Air Force, after Top Gun. One of the things that Furudate sensei did gracefully was to depict Hinata Shouyo’s journey after he graduated from Karasuno. He went to Brazil to practice and improve his shortcomings.
He was all alone and often reminisced about Karasuno’s days. His daily life included working as a pizza delivery guy and honing his volleyball skills. Several fans may be inspired by the adrenaline rush during the match, but the journey for consistency is harder than anyone can imagine. Nonetheless, Furudate sensei has done his job, and now it is time for the next generation to hold up volleyball’s popularity.
Haikyuu can be streamed on Crunchyroll, and the manga is available on Viz Media.
