#setter and ace server

[ywaizvmi]

SAY HELLO TO AOBA JOSHAI'S CAPTAIN & VICE CAPTAIN, SETTER AND WING SPIKER, BEST SERVER AND BEST ACE

[illumoonated]

You voted, now here's your Most Attractive Haikyuu!! Team lineup:

Setter: Oikawa (30.8%) narrowly beats out runner up Akaashi (29.5%)

Middle Blocker: Kuroo sweep (41.4%) with Suna Rintaro following (23.4%) (This poll had 111 votes (the most of all the polls)! Well done Kuroo!)

Wing Spiker: Osamu Miya can go home to rag on his twin because he won easily with 48.8%, everyone's favorite captain Daichi followed (14.6%)

Ace: Sakusa (27.9%) wins with Iwaizumi close behind (20.9%)

Libero: Yaku had the biggest win margin with 54.4% (Nishinoya followed with 22.1%)

Pinch Server: Representing Karasuno, Suga (50.8%) ekes out a win against Shiratorizawa's own Semi Eita (41.3%)

Conversely, here is the LEAST attractive Haikyuu!! team according to your votes:

Setter: Koganegawa brings up the rear of the brutal setter poll with 1.3% of votes

Middle Blocker: Three-way tie between Lev, Aone, and Kindaichi (1.9%), BUT Lev took the longest to get a single vote though so to me, he's the real loser <3 (which is hilarious considering the time-skip iykyk)

Wing Spiker: Tanaka may have gotten zero votes, but he's number one in our hearts!

Ace: Tie between Hoshiumi and Futakuchi (both got zero votes awwww)

Libero: Watari had no votes (I'm sensing that buzzcuts do NOT get you far...)

Pinch Server: Honestly, there were so many players with no votes that I'll just say that at least Yamaguchi clinched 3rd place with 7.9% of votes 😮‍💨

[gregrulzok]

I think one of Haikyuu's greatest strengths as a sports animanga is how well they portray the passion and love that each player could have for their position.

We meet Hinata, who wants to be a Spiker, an Ace - what a cool title!!! The position that scores the most points!!! Asahi and Tanaka are both strong spikers and they're direct lines of offense, they're the ones the audience watches for those big WOAH moments.

And then we meet Kageyama, who is so passionate about being a Setter - the team's control tower!! The one who can draw out those amazing spikes is the setter after all, he's the one who watches and analyses things the most closely, the one who can best understand the other players. Kenma, Oikawa, Suga, all of them have their own way of strategizing and drawing on their team's power and boosting them.

And THEN we meet Nishinoya and HOLY SHIT - the whole game is impossible if the ball doesn't connect. He's the one covering them, the reason they can fight freely is because they can rely on someone to pick up the slack and correct mistakes. A strong receive is the team's lifeblood - just look at Nekoma, look at Daichi, how cool is it to be able to keep the ball in play no matter what.

And Hinata doesn't end up being a Spiker - he's a Middle Blocker, and at first it might seem less cool but then we meet Dateko, and they're such a threat just off of their blocks alone, holy shit, "The Iron Wall"!!! Being able to shut out even the strongest, most complicated play, to stop the games momentum in its tracks... That's what Tsukishima ends up excelling at, eventually, and THERE'S where his smarts can come in, even if he isn't good with people the composure to calmly watch the plays and stop them in their tracks is thrilling.

And then there's serving - first with Kageyama we're hinted at how powerful a good serve is, and then we see how terrifying Oikawa can be with it. "The Ultimate Play would be one where 25 points were scored with just the serve" - because you don't even give your opponent the chance to fight! And if you do it right, it isn't even about power or speed!! A little bit of technique with it is all Yamaguchi needed to become a strong asset, and a Pinch Server can turn the entire course of the game around with just a few plays!

I don't know. I guess maybe it's because I played volleyball too, but seeing this genuine... Not even just respect, this REVERENCE for each and every role a person can fill - seeing why these characters love the game, how it helps bring out their strengths, how every person with every build and every skill level can not only contribute something but GENUINELY LOVE their contributions... It's just amazing. It makes you so genuinely invested in them, their plays, it makes your heart pump because you understand why THEY'RE so thrilled so intimately.

I'm. Gonna get emotional and sentimental under the cut.

When I was a player - we were a small local team, we never played official games, we weren't even any good and almost none of the players took it seriously, but - I practiced the hell out of my receives. I wasn't the best at it on the team and I didn't really want to be libero either - but I was solid enough to do it with some amount of confidence. I couldn't serve for shit, and my spikes were weak (though I apparently had great timing). I was too short to block effectively, and right as I started practicing my tosses the team disbanded.

But I was solid at receives. I had that going for me.

And in one of the only practice matches we ever played - they had a strong server. Nothing supernatural, just a lot of power.

Two failed receives by my teammates later, it came at me.

I remember it so vividly - steadying my body, crouching, the way my arms pressed together. The ball hitting my arms with enough force to send me reeling back. But it went up, clearly, well enough for a clean toss to follow. I don't even remember if we scored that point - I think we did.

I stood there for a moment, stunned. I stared ahead. My arms were stinging and my heart was beating so hard that I barely noticed our captain running over and slapping me on the back and calling my name.

I don't know. It's not really anything special - it's not like I'll have an opportunity to play it again outside of maybe (and that's a hefty maybe, I don't even know 11 people, let alone 11 people I could convince to play with me) just fucking around with friends. It's not like it was an official match. It's not like our team was good. It's not like we even won.

It was one point in one game years ago with people I never want to talk to again (for external reasons).

But I. Did that.

I didn't have much going for me as a child, I guess, and that's the first vivid memory I have of actually doing something SO right.

I didn't even spike it. It was just a receive.

It felt so fucking good.

I played volleyball, too.

Haikyuu is so fucking good at capturing that exact feeling, you guys.

[causenessus]

binary stars

part 0.05. intros. GROUP COUNSELING HOURS

NOW FEATURING...

THE STAR AND HER PLANETS ‧₊˚✩彡

y/n l/n .°˖✧

manager of the seijoh volleyball team after she quit playing in secondary school to focus on her studies and because she did not appreciate the radioactive energy of the girls' volleyball team. grew up alongside tooru and hajime due to proximity and their shared love for volleyball. now co-parents the boys’ volleyball team alongside hajime as she tries to convince herself that what she feels for tooru is just platonic </3 - her private is where she gets a little silly or tries to cope w her feelings - tooru used to be on it but after he accidentally leaked a photo she had posted on it, he lost his privilege (in his defense he thought she looked stunning and didn't see the point of sharing it with only like, 7 people but it was over for him) - currently allowed to see her private: seijoh 4 minus tooru and her group featured below <3

FEATURING...

kiyoko shimizu & sugawara koushi .°˖✧

shimizu

karasuno’s volleyball manager. shimizu first met y/n when they were both starting out as managers in their first years. they bonded during that time together, taking notes during a match together and then exchanging numbers to keep in contact. suga came a little later but ever since then, the three have been close friends. if y/n co-parents seijoh’s volleyball team with hajime, shimizu and suga co-parent y/n. shoyo noticed how much they cared for y/n and wanted to be apart of the family too <3

suga

setter, pinch server, and karasuno's vice captain. he’s not even entirely sure how exactly he and shimizu became co-parents for y/n. he definitely gets multiple evil stares burning into the back of his skull from karasuno’s third years + tanaka and noya but he wouldn’t give up his bond with either managers for anything. along with kiyoko, they give y/n advice on everything she’s going through and are always there to support her <3

FEATURING...

kuroo tetsuro & hinata shoyo .°˖✧

kuroo

captain of nekoma’s volleyball team which is currently manager-less </3 as a result, since they're close to seijoh, if they really need a manager, y/n helps out if she can. over time, she grew closer to kuroo who also hung around with tooru a lot. kuroo views her as a little sister which is why he works along iwa as a double spy ❤️ is also besties with bokuto who has somehow been looped into this trip (he’s not complaining)

shoyo

aspiring ace !! karasuno’s tiny giant <3 wing spiker, and 50% of the weirdo duo. like bokuto, was lowkey looped into whatever this solar system is but he’s also not complaining. he kinda let himself in because he was upset that he was left out whenever shimizu and suga started talking. then, in his first match with seijoh, he realized who they were always talking about. he introduced himself when he saw suga and shimizu talking with y/n who immediately adopted him - also means that he does not get added to the gc until after karasuno's first practice match w/ seijoh </3

not featured:

iwaizumi hajime </3

a price he must pay as a double spy along with kuroo. haji’s known tooru and y/n since forever so it’s to be expected that he hears both sides but he can’t be in two places at once. he was glad when kuroo entered the picture because he could be sent to take care of y/n while haji sat through tooru’s woes. the two then share information and scheme, just like kiyoko and suga. the four sometimes all share ideas and worst comes to worst, makki and mattsun also join. haji also sees y/n as a little sister and would give her anything (snacks from a vending machine or gas station) <3

full picture sugawara's using to make fun of shoyo bc everything hates me </3

m.list | next

[ioveaether]

NEW ROMANTICS | social media au

shoyo hinata x male!reader

Characters (2/2)

Tadashi Yamaguchi - 1st year, electrical engineering major. roommates with tsukkishima. he's a really a shy and anxious person, but overall a really nice guy. he do also likes to tease his friends along with tsukkishima. he's quite the bookworm actually. whenever tsukkishima leaves the apartment (either to go to the grocery store, or just for a small walk), he always finds him with his face in another book. he's also a backup middle blocker and pinch server in the volleyball's team.

Kei Tsukkishima - 1st year, history/sports major. roommates with yamaguchi. a very blunt guy, who loves to rile up his teammates all the time. some people even describe him as an asshole sometimes. but despite the whole arrogant personality, he also has a really low-esteem and thinks of himself as inferior. usually if he's not with yamaguchi, he has his headphones on and listening to mysic, ignoring everything around him. he also plays as a middle blocker in the volleyball's team.

Koushi Sugawara - 3rd year, educational psychology major. roommates with daichi and asahi. he's a really soothing and gentle person, and also the biggest supporter and encouragement in the volleyball team. even with his calm personality, he's also really chaotic at times, that even daichi himself has to stop him from doing something. he plays as a backup setter for the volleyball team, and is also the vice captain.

Daichi Sawamura - 3rd year, sociology/political science major. roommates with sugawara and asahi. he's a very caring and responsible guy, who always puts his team and friends first. but behind that patient and understanding persona, he's also really terrifying if you anger him. he's like the dad of the group in some way... he plays as an opposite hitter and captain in the volleyball team.

Asahi Azumane - 3rd year, fashion design major. roommates with sugawara and daichi. as a person who looks quite scary, his personality is actually the opposite of his appearance! he's a quiet, gentle and slightly anxious guy. his friends has said that he takes everything to heart, which leaves him depressed at times. he plays as an opposite hitter in the volleyball team, and is also the ace (even if he doesn't really see himself as one...)

Chikara Ennoshita - 2nd year, psychology/biology major. roommates with kinoshita and narita. he's usually quiet and reserved, sometimes acting bold only in front of the other second-years. beside [name], he's also able to control tanaka and nishinoya if they ever do something stupid. and whenever someone is having a hard time, he loves to lend a helping hand and listen to the person's problems. he's also a backup outside hitter in the volleyball team.

Hisashi Kinoshita - 2nd year, sports major. roommates with ennoshita and narita. he's a kind and somewhat shy individual, but he do gets along very well with his team and [name]. he also really likes to tease and make fun of his friends. because of his somewhat busy schedule of working in the café and looking after his two little sisters, he doesn't really hang out with his friends a lot, except when he has volleyball practice. he's a backup wing spiker and pinch server.

Kazuhito Narita - 2nd year, business major. roommates with ennoshita and kinoshita. a calm and friendly guy, who doesn't get riled up very easily. usually people mistake him for tanaka or "tanaka's twin". his friends one even saw him with a girl, that they have never seen before, and since then they tease him about his "secret girlfriend". he's a backup middle blocker for the volleyball's team.

Kiyoko Shimizu - 3rd year, business/sports major. roommates with yachi. she's a really quiet and reserved girl. normally, even if she doesn't show it a lot, she's a really caring person towards her friends and the team. she's known as the "3rd year beauty", because of her looks. and because of that, both nishinoya and tanaka are like her "guardians" and protecting her from people trying to flirt with her (she just ends up smacking them instead...). she's also one of the karasuno volleyball team's manager, along with yachi.

taglist - @does-directions @phoenix-eclipses @takuyas-boyfie @loveelylacey @pleniluneg4ze @1s3v3n1 @jaynawayna @crownj1min @eli-chris @eldritch-possum @averagetmblrusser (bolded means i cant tag you...)

NEW RROMANTICS - previous | m.list | next

© ioveaether

[volleyball-narumitsu]

Volleyball AU - Team Positions (Subject to Change)

Original Team:

*Gonna go more in depth later, but keeping it shorter for this one*

Phoenix Wright:*

Powerhouse Blocker + An equally powerful Wing Spiker (He used to play both, but after the disappearance of Edgeworth, he refused to be a spiker primarily). Biggest weakness is his serving - He absolutely fumbles them.

Miles Edgeworth:*

The Demon Spiker (tm). Also a shockingly good Libero (which he refused to play as a standard, because that’s not the way he was taught by his mentor). Only plays Libero against Phoenix, provided that Phoenix will agree to be a Spiker.

Maya Fey:

The setter of all time - but a very distinctly different type than Mia was. Where Mia had been known for her impressive trick shots, Maya’s style is harder to hit, requiring a level of trust from her spikers that is hard to achieve off the bat. She pairs off well with Phoenix, their familiarity and level of trust from years of working together creating a powerful duo. She regularly sets for one other person - the aloof Fransiska Von Karma.

Fransiska Von Karma:

A year younger than Miles - she too was taught the way of merciless spiking, a one woman leader pushing her way through the competition. Her shots are said to be whip fast and just as powerful, and as such she also finds it difficult to find a setter who will match her. Maya’s shots are a lot slower than she used, and force her to change up her own style to match, unlocking a surprising set of skills that she hadn’t expected in her own style.

Dick Gumshoe:

An excellent blocker, but will Spike or Set if it requested of him. Had spiked for Edgeworth for a while, as his easy going nature allowed him to be one of the few players that could work in conjunction with the prickly Spikers.

Larry Butz:

Service Ace. Nouf said.

Second Generation:

Apollo Justice:

Wing Spiker, incredible Vertical ala Hinata from Haikyuu. Plays with incredible energy, and feels like he has a lot to prove. Will Spike for anybody who will Toss for him.

Athena Cykes:

Primarily a setter; Probably one of the best read blockers on the team as well.

Trucy Wright:

*In this AU, I see her as Phoenix’s younger sister-

An excellent Server in her own right, she also is a pretty good setter. She primarily struggles with blocking, but her ball returns are pretty solid. Above all, her serves are incredible, and she is an incredible Pinch Server.

Klavier Gavin:

An excellent blocker, he uses his height to his advantage. He’s pretty even across the board with other positions, but none of them quite standing out.

Kristoph Gavin:

Like his brother, he’s more of a jack of all trades. His serves are well known, but he’s very evenly talented across the board, espousing the merits of flexibility as a player and for the team as whole.

Simon Blackquill:

Spiker. Hits hard, blocks pretty well.

Ema Skye:

Pinch Server + Assistant coach. Originally was planning to become a Spiker Powerhouse like Lana, but wasn’t able to find her stride in time. Working in the meantime to improve enough to be on the court more often.

Honorary Mentions:

Kay Faraday:

Libero. Her unofficial mentor ends up teaching her quite a bit about it growing up, and well - she’s a force to be reckoned with. She’s also incredible fast and unafraid to throw herself into crazy positions, and both work in her favor quite well.

Sebastian Debeste:

Originally training to be a spiker like his own father, he also ended up under the mentorship of the Demon Spiker, who taught him a different style of Spiking (honed by his own experiences with a certain Blocker)

Lana Skye:

Well known spiker, known for her trick shots and perfect form.

Mia Fey:

Setter. Her volleys were said to be unbeatable, and she could play with pretty much any spikers and line up some truly impressive shots. In the years before her injury, she played with both Lana and Godot, the triple threat gaining a large reputation as one of the best trios out there.

Godot:

Originally a spiker who also worked with Mia. Disappeared for several years, but reappeared in his senior year for one more round.

Pearl Fey:

Younger than the rest of the crew, still finding her positions. However, she’s known for her hard hitting volleys.

[flyingwargle]

no matter how many years have passed, suga will never tire of entering the sendai city gymnasium.

he still remembers the first time he stood beneath the lights, on the court with his teammates, faced against their opponents. he was overcome with nerves in that match, which affected his tosses and made them lose the first set. although they managed to turn it around and win, that match was a wake-up call that yes, he is the team’s setter, he is the conductor of their offense, and whether they win or lose depends on how effectively he utilizes his hitters.

it was a burden that he was happy to carry, as he did not stand alone on the court. even when he was relegated to the sidelines in his third year, he still held that burden as vice-captain, as a mentor for his underclassmen, as a role model for his teammates to follow.

even though he left the court for good after graduation, he still carries that responsibility, honored to do so for the rest of his life, because he knows that his underclassmen are destined for greatness in a way that he never will be.

the first day of the inter-high preliminaries falls on his birthday. last year, it coincided with the third day, where he watched his underclassmen lose to datekou after a long and hard match. his tears were not out of pity but pride, proud of how tanaka filled asahi’s role as the ace, how ennoshita became the new defense specialist after daichi, how kinoshita improved significantly as a pinch server. the dinner afterwards was not mired with frustration but determination, as the team promised him to bring home victory at the spring tournament as a belated birthday present.

this year, he enters the stands with daichi and tanaka. asahi has a major project due after the weekend, ennoshita is knees-deep in research for his kinesiology paper, and neither kinoshita nor narita could get away, either. and last suga heard of noya, he’d taken off to his first adventure in mexico.

tanaka greets his underclassmen that comprise of karasuno’s cheering squad. he introduces them to daichi and suga, their juniors bowing in respect. suga gives a wave and turns to the glance down at the court, where the referees are talking on the sidelines, few members of the press snapping photos on the side. team banners are tied along the railings, their teams huddled on the stands as they wait for their match to begin.

“who’s the new captain?” daichi asks after tanaka joins them. “yamaguchi, right?”

“i wouldn’t be surprised if he made tsukishima vice-captain,” suga adds.

“nah, it’s actually kageyama,” tanaka says. “yamaguchi texts me sometimes for advice, and whenever i about kageyama, he says that he helps with strategies and formations.”

“that’s more than my vice-captain did,” daichi drawls, shooting a look at suga. “i remember entrusting the team to a certain second-year more than my vice.”

suga huffs with a roll of his eyes. “it’s my birthday, you know. let’s save the slander for another day.” he is about to say more when the gym doors open and the first competing teams step onto the court upon a shower of applause. they’re quick to join in, breaking off to point when karasuno enters. “there they are!”

“tsukishima looks even taller,” daichi remarks. “yamaguchi looks more muscular, too.”

“hinata’s still the shortest!” suga laughs. “even though he grew so much!”

tanaka cackles. “he still looks like a first-year compared to everyone else.” were it not for his aura of a veteran emanating around him, he could still be easily mistaken as a rookie at his first official high school match.

suga watches them take their team jackets off and step onto the court to warm up, his eyes roaming their backs. yamaguchi wears the #1 jersey proudly, tall and strong. tsukishima took #3, off to the side to talk with an underclassman. hinata wears #5, standing at the end line as he waits for his turn. when the net is clear, he makes his approach, pulls his arms behind him, and jumps.

kageyama, clad in the #2 jersey, tosses the ball with lightning speed, and hinata spikes it in the blink of an eye. behind him, the cheering squad shouts, “nice kill!” and “nice toss!” daichi whistles. “their quick is as fast as ever, right, suga?”

he doesn’t reply, transfixed on kageyama. as a third-year, he exudes a much more refined aura, someone more confident in himself, his tosses, his teammates. everything about him promises that he’ll get the ball to where it needs to go, that he’ll bring his team to victory. it’s confidence that suga wishes he had in the past, in himself and his skills.

it’s not just that. kageyama leaves the net as the next team warms up, and although hinata flanks him, their juniors talk to them, anxious and nervous. he watches him comfort the one wearing the #9 jersey, and although he can’t hear what he says, it has to be reassuring. or, maybe not, because hinata’s laugh reaches him from the stands, along with, “kageyama, you never know what to say!”

soon, the teams line up to greet each other. kageyama stands beside yamaguchi, followed by tsukishima, their libero, and then hinata. suga still remembers when they first joined the team, their round faces and eyes bright with possibility, their animosity and rivalry, their teamwork and synergy. to think that he taught hinata how to receive, watching him slide across the court flawlessly after a pass. to think that he taught kageyama about teamwork, watching him high-five his hitter after he scores. to think that all his underclassmen were weak and inexperienced, to standing tall in their team jerseys.

he might not get a car for his birthday, or world peace, or anything extravagant, but to see how far his juniors have come is the best present he could ever ask for.

[cebwrites]

still thinking ab my silly little volleyball au with tae's team...

tenzo has s1 tsukki's "it's just a club activity" mentality because he's a new member among this group of already close/established friends -brought in to fill the gap left by their previous captain no less - but slowly becomes one of the team's trusted pillars with his consistent receives like daichi 🥺

who would've known "volleyball saved my life" takeru, "i probably wouldn't be here without these guys" mizuki, hagane/kamizuki "the court gave us somewhere to belong" kotetsu/izumo, and uzumaki "i can't be anything but his ace" inaba would sway tenzo's wooden heart at least a little

alto putting their hand on his shoulder saying it's hard not to be influenced by these guys, huh? and then runs up to everyone else laughing in the sun, tenzo's left wondering if it's really alright for him to fight alongside them if he doesn't have the same commitment but yomu pats his back as he passes and tae smiles at tenzo with the rest of the team that reminds him that it doesn't matter if his motivations don't match everyone else because he's WANTED on this team and they're going to win oh i'm going to be ill

not sure what they'd all be doing in the present but i'd imagine like the haikyuu boys some of them went to rep japan and some didn't

inaba runs a little soba stand with his girlfriend, zumo's a tattoo artist and tetsu works at an autoshop a block or two away so he's always there to bother his husband during lunch, kohaku is a sign painter, tenzo (goes by yamato these days to everyone except tae) is predictably an architect, yomu married rich and they never saw him again (he still texts pictures of his cats but isn't very social), mizuki teaches night school but coco earns more as a fashion designer, and rio's a lawyer

their coach is a pet groomer and if you see them frequently enough you'll notice the funny toothpick guy and the funny mask guy still hanging around, takashi's still studying medicine, and shisui works in marketing for the uchiha business firm and ends up running in the same circles as rio a lot

i'm conflicted on whether tae should still be playing professionally at 27 (if he is inaba, kohaku and tenz are probably there with him) or if he's found himself a job that has nothing to do with volleyball; probably would end up travelling a lot regardless however since that's just who he is he absolutely would coach at the local youth center though and organize little food drives/community events as often as he can no matter what path he took

they're in frequent contact despite busy lives and hang out often but all meet for drinks once or month and pretend like they haven't seen each other in decades. when they go to the beach and the net comes out they're just as competitive as they were 5-10 years ago, just with a lot more complaining about joints after </3

oh and just for fun, their numbers and positions :3c

1# Shisui - Captain (Former) / Wing Spiker / Outside Hitter 2# Tae - Captain / Middle Blocker / Setter 3# Kohaku - Vice Captain (Former) / Middle Blocker / Setter 4# Inaba - Wing Spiker / Opposite Hitter / Ace 5# Kotetsu - Wing Spiker / Outside Hitter 6# Izumo - Setter / Outside Hitter 7# Tenzo/Yamato - Vice Captain / Middle Blocker / Opposite Hitter 8# Mizuki - Libero 9# Yomu - Pinch Server / Middle Blocker 10# Aiji - Wing Spiker / Outside Hitter 11# Hotaru - Setter 12# Hazuki - Middle Blocker

[suckishima]

hi guess what i'm still not done yelling about chp 298 and the serve and block, so let's talk about the actual volleyball of it and how it contributes to the impact of the moment and solidifying it as a thing that they earned together

yamaguchi goes up for his second serve in the match, after having just gotten an ace, and this time kai bumps it relatively easily

and yamaguchi is already thinking about the serve and block, bc for him that's his next goal if he can't get another service ace. he sees it as his job to disrupt the first pass so that the setter can't make as good of a set—and that's what those little flashbacks depict, botched digs from tough serves leading to the setter having trouble getting under the ball/to it in time so the hitter is limited and then gets stuffed

so yamaguchi is disappointed, he think because kai got the ball up and to kenma in a perfect arc, that he didn't do his job well enough

and while it's true that kenma does get to set off of a good pass, there's more to it than that, and tsukki knew it before the ball even left kai's hands

tsukki sees it as more than just disrupting the ball's path to the setter, it's also about taking away options of hitters to make tsukki's job easier as a blocker. and we can see in the first panel i posted what tsukki has already seen, that yes kai got the ball up, but also he took a knee, he had to get low so he likely won't be back up in time for an approach, and yamaguchi aimed it between kai and yamamoto so yamamoto also is hunched and kind of stuck behind kai and in a bad position to get going for a run up

something which, furudate takes a moment to show us again here—kai and yamamoto are nowhere near in position to spike the ball, the rotation has yaku on the court so he's not an offensive option, meaning that it's only kuroo and fukunaga that the blockers need to worry about tracking

and we get to see tsukki think about all of that on the next page too. i like how kind of quick and staccato these panels come across, you can almost read tsukki's inner dialogue even though we don't see it: "yamamoto and kai are down, not contenders. fukunaga coming for an approach on the right, kuroo coming for a quick right down the middle, kenma already in the air, which of them will he choose?"

furudate is really trying to emphasize to us that yamaguchi's worth as a server isn't just in getting aces, or making the ball wobble perfectly to botch the opposing team's receives—yamaguchi is also getting better at aiming and disrupting the court in other ways. and that in turn compliments the ways we've seen tsukki's skills improve over the series too, this type of reading the court and the players (one aspect of "total defense" as the series calls it) that he's gotten better and better at as the matches go on

and the ukai reiterates it for us too so we can read it in addition to having just seen it. "a level-headed, disciplined shield," is exactly what you'd call tsukki's style of blocking, it's why he's so consistently effective and scary as a blocker on his own, "and its bes possible partner, one that makes its decisions easy," perfectly sums up yamaguchi here too, his serves have come far enough that he can disrupt the court in multiple different ways and narrow the path for tsukki so his job can be easy.

but what i also think is important here is that neither of them started here, it took a lot of time and practice to reach this point and they both had to work hard in order to be someone that could be of use to the other and pull it off. if yamaguchi hadn't gotten better at serving he wouldn't be helpful to tsukki's blocking decisions, and if tsukki hadn't had both the aptitude for calmly reading the court and following kuroo's advice about having less wussy block form, then he wouldn't be any help to yamaguchi's serves when the other team does get a hand on them.

and because furudate makes sure to let us know that they both earned their way here with their hardwork and dedication, it makes the emotional impact of the moment hit even harder because we know and feel that it didn't just come from nothing

it takes a strong shield and a sharp spear

[afterthelambs]

One of my friends wants to make art for our group as a christmas present and asked us for requests, so I combined my shuake brainrot with my ushioi brainrot to create the most cursed AU I can think of

Volleyball teammates!? Friends!? To hell with that! Why am I inferior to you!? I was extremely particular about my sets, my serves, my triple homo spike passes! So someone would want me at nationals! I am an ace server! A setter! But you... You're just some lefty opposite hitter trash living in a rich school dorm!? So how!? How does someone like you have things I don't!? How can such a worthless piece of trash be more special than me!?

[remtrack]

now what if i actually write a haikyuu au for skz ... plot wise i have no idea what to do tho 😓 but imagination wise i have a vision for volleyball!skz (aka my attempts at getting a self-indulgent pretty setter seungmin)

CIELLE. if u do it best believe i am EATING it up!!! also omg same i've always thought of seungmin as a setter... 💭 while we're at it let me tell u what i think the boys wud be 😋 (the new movie dragged me back to haikyuu brainrot i fear)

hyunjin wud be a middle blocker not bcs he likes it but bcs he's the tallest so it was js kinda pushed onto him. he grew to enjoy it though!!!

lowkey i think changbin would be a pretty cool spiker Likeeee... he puts his force onto those spikes. in my head he's like bokuto. he's the ace best believe

chan is also middle blocker energy 2 me IDK he feels like it!!!! good at reading people. also i think he would have killer serves

han libero energy... 💭 i think. i can't elaborate it's js in my head!!!!!!!!!

jeongin's also a middle blocker 2 me i have no idea why. i feel like he gets fired up if he doesn't get to predict the opposite's moves 🥴 he cud be a spiker too. he reminds me a little of suna

minho pinch server!!!!!!!!!!! if i speak!!!!! he gives that energy off U GET MEEE.?

spiker felix. IMAGINE IT. he can jump rlly high hes like hinata

i agree with the seungmin pretty setter agenda btw 🤝 canon! also if they were a team they'd b like nekoma lowkey yeah

thank u for listening to my ramble love U

[illumoonated]

Let's build the most attractive Haikyuu!! team! -- Round 6: Setter

Middle Blocker poll

Wing Spiker poll

Ace Poll

Libero poll

Pinch server

NOTE: Semi Eita and Sugawara Koushi were spared this probable bloodbath and sent to the pinch server poll instead to give the "pure" setters/this poll more room. Thus, they are not listed here (even though both are very, very pretty in their own right).

[hq-analysis]

Haikyuu!! Chapter 249: Cacophony and Silence

This chapter is EPIC.

No, not because of this, though I’ve been waiting for Hinata emulating Hoshiumi.

But because of THIS.

Hinata, dramatic much? I don’t realize you could be such a drama queen.

I honestly cackle, cackle seeing these panels as prone as I am to second-hand embarrassment. 

Everyone’s perfect reaction is perfect. Suga and Yamaguchi’s being adorable. Kageyama being Kageyama. But interestingly, he only scolds Hinata for trying it during spiking/scoring.

It’s just so Hinata, who just wants to practice his jump.

(You should have given him the chance Daichi)

Honestly, the nerve to pull off a new, untried move in the middle of Nationals, against the second strongest team. But thanks to that…

Oh hello. Hinata, you put yourself in their radar. Just like you always do. Good job, despite your epic fail. You’ll get it soon and knock people’s socks off, as usual.

Now that we’re done rolling on the floor laughing and breaking the tension. Let’s dig into the chapter.

@spring-emerald noted that Inarizaki has managed to get to Nationals in THREE times consecutively, which… makes at least half of the team National regulars, and this current lineup is the one that gets the the farthest, and closest to the top. While Hinata gives us the impression that it’s business as usual, it’s kinda hard when we’re given so many hints how strong this team is. It’ll be Shiratorizawa all over again?

The only difference, other than being in the Nationals, is that Inarizaki has eighth player.

Additional psychological pressure actively using the supporters. It’ll be the first time for Karasuno to experience this. Hopefully they’ll get used to it.

Wait… I feel like we’re missing someone. Why court captain for Inarizaki and team captain for Karasuno? Wait, we’re shown the captain before right?

Wait, he’s not a starter????? I thought with his attitude he will be, but he’s NOT? WHY? Is he injured, like Oikawa? Is he a pinch server? Is the current lineup is not the best/strongest lineup???????? A team captain who is not a starter is more than odd, it’s suspicious for a team as strong as Inarizaki. Damn, this looks like it’s gonna be a long, tough match.

Back to the lineup. Tanaka,  Hinata/Noya, and Daichi are at the back. Kageyama, Tsukishima and Asahi are in the vanguard. Interestingly, they are not using the same order used against Aoba Josai (Daichi, Asahi, Tsuki/Noya at the back, Hinata, Tanaka, Kageyama) but using the same order used against Shiratorizawa. So Ukai’s strategy is not on the order… or not? What does he have up his sleeve?

On less serious note, I kinda like the brothers dynamics. Osamu gives the impression of the long-suffering brother having a twin like Atsumu. He gives as good as Atsumu, despite his calmer and more disinterested demeanor (rather reminds me the MBs)

Osamu’s toss in the beginning strengthens fandom’s speculation that Inarizaki might be using two setters strategy, despite Osamu stated as Wing Spiker. Who knows? Miya also looks rather normal here? He’s not as irritating, somehow. Just a typical perfectionist (coughOikawacough). The glare is awesome btw.

Lastly, just some random observation.

The annoying girls Miya’s glared into silence are twins with mirroring bangs, just like the Miya twins. And that enlarged Karasuno pre-game cheers shows jumping Noya and Hinata, and oddly fired up Asahi. Despite not losing his habit of writing people on his palm, Asahi is much calmer now and more comfortable as the ace. I’m proud for Asahi.

And it kinda occurs to me, Inarizaki’s name. INARIzaki. Inari, the fox, the trickster god…. Coincidence?

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

OKAY SO HERES WHAT IVE DECIDED I agree I think gojo would be the ace cause like . Yeah KDJKDJFKDJFJ but I’m seeing suguru as a setter,, dependent, knows how to work his team to bring the best out in everyone,, changes the way he acts to suit the other person better. Maybe ill just do the whole cast why not

Nanami - middle blocker

Yuuji - liberio I could also see spiker but imagining him as a liberio is something so special

Megumi - wing spiker but in the same way daichi is where he focuses on receives or pinch server

Nobara - spiker

KDJFOCJDOFKFJ maybe I will need to think of it more for the other characters

REMMMMMMM YOU LITTLE GENIUS THESE ARE ALL PERFECT AAAA <3333

yuji as the libero is SO real?????? he would love being the team’s guardian angel T_T… keeping the ball from hitting the floor……. watching over everyone’s backs…… SETTER SUGU IS SO REAL TOO can u even imagine the stsg team play here …. sugu giving toru the perfect sets ……. him spiking it oikawa style to the point where it almost deflates 💀💀 they would scare me so bad. but i also feel like sugu would do well in literally Any position he’s so terrifying LMAOO

GUMI & NOBARA AS SPIKERS IS SO REAL TOOOO i can literally see nobara in front of me ……. i know her strikes are LETHAL when she gets the chance. nanami as the middle blocker feels so fitting too !! i feel like haibara would also be one ….. and i can see shoko as a libero or a setter !! not like she’d be on the boys’ team anyway but yk 😔😔 i can dream ….. also i love how gumi’s position implies that he’s an ace !! or that he could be one !!! that feels so fitting to me he’s our ace boy <3333

ok but rem i need to hear alll ur thoughts…. if the jjk cast was in hq what characters do u think they’d get along with?? i can imagine gojo bothering tsukki with bokuto and kuroo LOL he would get no rest 😭😭😭 he would have the greatest beef w oikawa though i just KNOW they hate each other. but i feel like sugu would fit right in w seijoh…. cue oikawa trying to convince sugu to join their team while gojo fumes in the background LMAOO

[derangedanomaly]

Is it ok if we do the rp thing on your blog? Like when Kris talks to Ace? I'd love to talk to my boys lol. Unless you'd rather do it on the server? It would have to be later tho cause I'm playing games with my sister rn.

Of course you can RP in my blog!! :D

Anyone can tbh. I'm not some "rule setter"- If someone does something that I don't like, I'll just tell them. 🤷‍♀️

You're definitely free to interact with my characters however you want!! :D