Summary
Haikyuu!! released in 2012 sparked a passion for volleyball among Japanese youth, with the number of students joining volleyball clubs increasing significantly. Many players have been inspired and motivated by Haikyuu!!, reading the manga with their teams and finding personal resonance with the characters and plot. Unlike other sports anime, Haikyuu!! succeeds in presenting realistic volleyball action in an engaging and inspiring manner, resonating with athletes worldwide and attracting new players to the sport.
It’s not surprising that anime and manga are present in many corners of Japanese society, with the exception of one specific sports series, Haikyuu!!helped revive a declining sport in the country thanks to its popularity.
Sports have always been popular in Japan. Many sports around the world are played but volleyball, especially among youth, was in active decline in the early 2010s. Other sports, such as baseball and soccer, are gaining traction. more participants and viewers. It seemed like volleyball was definitely going to become a niche sport in the future, but that all changed in 2012 when Haikyuu!! manga began to be serialized.
Haikyuu!! Has been extremely popular among young people
Created by Haruichi Furudate
Before the release of the best sports manga and anime ever released, the number of students in volleyball clubs in Japan plummeted. There were about 41,000 students participating in clubs, but that number dropped to 37,000 in 2012. Clearly the sport is becoming less popular over time in Japan. That all changed in 2012 when the first chapter of Haikyuu!! published in Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine. In the following years, the number of students studying volleyball and joining clubs increased. By 2016, there were more than 46,000 students participating in volleyball clubs and this number has continued to increase since then.
It’s no coincidence that the numbers skyrocketed at the same time as Haikyuu!! Start serialization. A 50-minute NHK documentary in 2016 revealed that many players were inspired by Haikyuu!!. Some fans said: “We read Haikyuu!! with the whole team every week and we look forward to it.” Others said: “Even though this is a manga it really gives you motivation.” Such a mentality is shared by many young Japanese volleyball players, sometimes even older players. Professional volleyball player and member of the Japanese national team Masahiro Yanagida said that the manga impressed him on a personal level and that he tried some of the moves shown in the board.
The sports genre is filled with great anime and manga: classic Slam Dunk, Kuroko No Basket, Hajime no Ippo and the recent bestseller Blue Lock. Although entertaining, they are not very practical. Stunts like Kagami jumping from the free throw line or Nagi making catches are unbelievable even for the best athletes ever, even more so for students. first year high school student. Haikyuu!! on the other hand, it is realistic and at the same time very interesting. Young athletes who witness Hinata training hard and competing against taller players may see themselves doing it as many shorter players have done well in volleyball despite their height. their.
This series, while less flashy than most sports anime, still manages to dramatize nondescript real-life actions, and they do it in a way that doesn’t feel forced. It’s inspiring to read and watch, and many new volleyball players, not just in Japan but around the world, have started playing the sport thanks to anime. Although the iconic Slam Dunk has also inspired new and existing players, Haikyuu!! celebrated a much more impressive feat, yes great influence on sports culture in Japan and around the world.
Source: Haikyuu!! NHK documentary, shared by Triana Nero (YouTube)
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