The Tokyo Olympics and the volleyball anime series Haikyu!! had a combined surprise moment of victory. “Imagination” by SPYAIR’S played during a significantly memorable moment for both Haikyu!! and the Tokyo Olympics. The song played at the end of the match between Japan and Venezuela’s volleyball teams. Fans noticed that the widely loved song played when Japan claimed its first win at the Olympics in 29 years.
THEY PLAYED THE HAIKYUU THEME SONG!!! pic.twitter.com/4UI7l4u9uD
— Anja 🇸🇮 | 🕯️Yuzu Euro Tour🕯️ (@kurooscoffee) July 24, 2021
(Semi-spoiler alert) The Haikyu!! series has close ties to the Olympics as well. The Olympics serve as a natural end for many of the beloved characters of the series. However, it was still exciting to see Japan hold high regard for the very widely loved Haikyu!! series. With the anime theme playing over Japan’s notable Victory, the series has found a new life well before the fifth season gets aired.
Haikyu!! and the Tokyo Olympics Pride
Haruichi Furudate’s original manga, Haikyu!!, has been praised by fans around the world, including professional volleyball players. These praises have ranged from how well the series emulates the actual sport, to how it sparks interest in the sport for many young readers. Furudate’s manga came to an end in Shueisha’s Weekly Jump magazine last year, with the anime ending around the same time.
Haikyu!! tells the story of a high school volleyball team and the relationships between those players. The story mainly revolves around Shoyo Hinata, a rather short boy determined to become a great volleyball player, and his rival Kageyama Tobio. The most recently ended season four was probably the most important out of the entire series of Haikyu!!. Both Hinata and Kageyama grew tremendously as people and as players, as well as exploring the growth of the other team.
The series as a whole has become one of the most popular sports anime worldwide. The animated Haikyu!! series has also broken many records. As of November 2020, Haikyuu!! had sold over 50 million copies.
Though there has not been any news on the fifth season, what do you think of the Tokyo Olympics and Haikyu!!’s celebration of victory?