Let me guess, you’re trying to see who’s above Oikawa right? Well, have I got news for you. Haikyuu is a popular sports anime that shot to fame during the 2020 lockdowns. Thousands of people became avid anime watchers because of the show.
It kinda felt like having solace and comfort amidst going through the worst crisis in the history of mankind. But that’s not the point.
Haikyuu is a sports anime about volleyball. But more specifically, Shoyo Hinata and the volleyball team of Karasuno High School were willing to give it all they got just so they could get to the nationals.
After years of training, rejection, and failures, Karasuno High School had a eureka moment. In the last year of seniors Daichi Sawamura, Koshi Sugawara, and Azumane Asahi, four new freshmen from different campuses entered the school.
They were: Shoyo Hinata, Tobio Kagyema, Kei Tsukishima, and Tadashi Yamaguchi. These freshmen were the hidden gems and geniuses of their own school, and they became the frontliners of Karasuno as they faced giants in the court.
However, Haikyuu does not solely feature the story of Karasuno. It also emphasized their opponents and the skill set these rivals had against Karasuno. Haikyuu is best known for its setter-spiker duos. Because of that, we usually see scenes of these partners executing their signature attacks in court.
The following are Haikyuu’s Top 5 Setters with their corresponding Spikers:
5. Kozume Kenma and Tetsuro Kuroo
It may come as a shock to everyone who has not seen the show, but I would personally think that KuroKen reigns this list at number 5. Though they are great partners in court, Kenma is more of a thinker than he is a setter. He manages the court, and Kuroo executes the plan.
4. Toruu Oikawa and Hajime Iwaizumi
Oh come on, there’s a reason they weren’t able to reach nationals. Iwaizumi and Oikawa have impeccable teamwork. They work well together as pairs, but let’s face it, as skilled and talented as King Oikawa was, Iwaizumi wasn’t really on par with his standards. A spiker who can’t keep up with the setter is never going to get to the top. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the pairing, it’s just that there are others who do better than them.
3. The Miya Twins (Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu)
Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu’s capability to copy their opponents is a great plus to their already honed skills. Though they were aired for a considerably short amount of time during the fourth season, we see how well they handle themselves even when they are already in a pinch. Atsumu’s setting skills were polished because of his love for the sport, but Osamu’s spiking skills are present because of his desire to follow his twin.
It is undeniable, however, that these same sets of skills got them to the top almost every single time. Atsumu’s knowledge of his teammate’s skills and the skills of their rival is what makes him one of the greatest setters who deserve a spot at the top.
2. Tobio Kageyama and Hinata Shoyo
You may be surprised that Hinata and Kageyama don’t sit at the top, even though Kageyama is considered the “King of the Court.” This is because they still have flaws where others have gains, and though this is not surprising (since they only worked with each other that year), it is definitely a disadvantage. I’m speaking only based on the current arc that is released in the anime.
Kageyama and Hinata are the devil duo, but they need to work on more things (which we can definitely anticipate as it has already been released in the manga) for them to become the greatest pair. But, nonetheless, the skill set of these two are equally matched. They are undeniably prodigies of the volleyball world and it is amazing how they both come together to get out of extremely hard circumstances
1. Akaashi Keiji and Bokuto Kotaro
Finally, the pair that reigns above them all, Akaashi Keiji and Bokuto Kotaro. Bokuto and Akaashi are a great pair. They match each other’s dynamics, and Bokuto’s lack of confidence is mostly filled in by Akaashi’s capability to adapt to situations. Akaashi’s ability to manipulate and control the situation is seen when Bokuto loses his drive and excitement for the game, a.k.a, when he gets weak. The flow of the game doesn’t stop when Bokuto stops because Akaashi pushes through with the same vigor regardless of who he sets to.
Now do take note that this ranking is only based on personal points of view and opinions. The only ranking that is canonically available in the manga is the top 5 spikers (which, of course, wouldn’t include key figures and characters who actually made it to the nationals).
Haikyuu is still available for streaming on different platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll. It is also revealed that news about the next arc of the series will be revealed soon.
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