#They’re not role models or beacons of morality or anything to look up to they’re just people

[suganovakawa]

i don’t think i’ll ever be able to account of how thankful i am for haikyuu. words alone couldn’t describe how much of an impact a simple anime has left me with.

knowing it’s finally reached its end is beyond mind boggling to me. even after just learning about haikyuu this year, watching every season like my life depended on it, it’s put me through a whole rollercoaster of emotions. i don’t think people understand how powerful this anime is; how furudate turned volleyball, a sport that’s not too popular amongst others, into something that millions will remember as long as they live.

through shoyo hinata, tobio kageyama, karasuno, and so many others, we were able to live through what it was like to thrive on the court— the small morals and lessons that were taught to each and every one of us. endless players putting all they have, all that they are, out in the open for their opponents to see. the passion all of the teams put into their games is truly admirable, and just watching the matches made adrenaline run through my veins.

i felt goosebumps, chills, the rush of scoring points. through haikyuu i could feel the heart wrenching pain of losing a game, as well as the triumph of emerging victorious after a long, strenuous battle. as a libero myself, my arms felt sore after watching a game. i looked up to nishinoya throughout the whole series, using him as my motivation and inspiration to improve upon my own abilities as a defense specialist. because of him, i can say with great pride that i have indeed improved (as well as improvement can go during quarantine), and that’s just the beginning.

in just a short amount of time, haikyuu has taught me so many things. i may not have been part of the fandom for very long, but the impact this anime has left on me will always be cherished in my heart. each character brought important lessons to the table (or should i say court?), and seeing how it can all come full circle in the end is the most beautiful thing i could ever think of.

haikyuu taught me to never give up, to always put your everything into what you love most, and that anything is possible when you put your everything into it. to take that passion, and utilize it. use it to its full potential, because with it, you’ll go far. the best example is our wonderful tangerine baby. coming from middle school, merely watching a nationals match through a tv screen on his way to school— next thing you know, shoyo becomes the inspiration that led him to becoming the talented pro player he is today. starting off by practicing alone in middle school, to practicing with the best of the best in the pro leagues, it’s truly an inspiration to see how far passion can take you. hinata defied doubt, and that really stuck out to me.

living through the world of haikyuu reminded me of why i love volleyball, and why i joined in the first place. knowing the characters held the same amount of passion towards the sport as i once did when i first started— it rekindled the fire in me, and i’ve had a profound love of the sport like never before. using the lessons that haikyuu has taught me, i’m going to push myself forward, whether it be in volleyball, academics, or any other avenue i wish to pursue.

so, thank you, furudate. thank you for a beautiful, inspirational eight years. you’ve touched the hearts of many people, and the emotions you gave us with every episode will be cherished in many hearts. thank you for every character you introduced to us throughout the entire series, and thank you for the lessons you’ve instilled in those who embrace the passion as their own.

and my own personal little appreciation for the birthday boy, tooru oikawa. the great king deserves every bit of attention he gets. the lessons he’s taught me are to cherish forever. he’s my favorite character for a reason. he fought for what he has just as much as everyone else did, and it did him amazing at the end. the impact he left on everyone else is astonishing, and he’s got his own protagonist aura about him that he deserves entirely. to not spoil for anyone who hasn’t read the finale i won’t go into specifics, but i assure you, he’s nicknamed the great king for a reason. tooru, i love you. i genuinely look up to you, and even though you were nothing but a little shit when you first appeared, there was so much more to your character that made me completely enamored. and though i love every character in haikyuu, you’ll always have a special place in my heart.

this anime will always be my favorite, and it will forever be that way. i could ramble on ages about how haikyuu has changed me, but i’ll settle for what i’ve written above.

maybe it’s scary that i’ve grown so attached to each and every one of these characters? i can’t help it. their color, their individuality, their personalities... you really can’t help but fall in love with each and every one of them. even if they are purely fiction, they’re my role models, the beacons of hope i look up to, because that’s what they deserve.

the most important thing furudate taught us is that haikyuu was never about winning. volleyball shouldn’t be about winning or losing. while victory is a bonus, what players should always remember from it is the journey they took to get to where they stand, and the people you meet along the way. the relationships and impacts a simple sport can bestow upon you, is humbling, in a sense. volleyball is, indeed, about having fun. and furudate damn well made us remember that with that beautiful, tear-jerking finale. haikyuu is a never ending cycle for those involved, and the anime will continue to live on, even after the final arc.

all good things must come to an end, but i’ll still cherish haikyuu everyday, because the lessons and emotions it gave me will always be eternal. i would say farewell, my paradise, but really, i’m not going anywhere! i’m going to be sitting here within the fandom, keeping the anime alive as it should be.

and so, with that said,

happy birthday, tooru oikawa.

and,

thank you, furudate.

thank you, haikyuu.

thank you for showing me that my dreams are worth chasing, and that i can have the courage to do anything.