Haikyuu!! Movie 1: Owari to Hajimari
Summary: After watching a volleyball match on TV where the "Little Giant" of Karasuno High School helps his team secure a hard-fought victory, young and impressionable Shouyou Hinata begins to play the sport in hopes that he too can soar high one day. Now enrolled at the same school as his idol, he attempts to join the volleyball team despite his short stature. Unfortunately, upon his arrival, Hinata locks eyes with "King of the Court" Tobio Kageyama—a genius setter whom he had once suffered a bitter defeat to in middle school.
Their unfriendly introduction and subsequent rivalry forces the rest of the Karasuno team to bar both of them from joining the club until they can learn to work together as teammates. Though reluctant to cooperate, their desire to play volleyball causes them to return with a proposal that will show the other members that they are capable of teamwork. As the two freshmen form an odd setter-and-ace relationship, an old rival school invites Karasuno for practice matches, reigniting competition between the two schools once more.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Description
After watching a volleyball match on TV where the "Little Giant" of Karasuno High School helps his team secure a hard-fought victory, young and impressionable Shouyou Hinata begins to play the sport in hopes that he too can soar high one day. Now enrolled at the same school as his idol, he attempts to join the volleyball team despite his short stature. Unfortunately, upon his arrival, Hinata locks eyes with "King of the Court" Tobio Kageyama—a genius setter whom he had once suffered a bitter defeat to in middle school.
Their unfriendly introduction and subsequent rivalry forces the rest of the Karasuno team to bar both of them from joining the club until they can learn to work together as teammates. Though reluctant to cooperate, their desire to play volleyball causes them to return with a proposal that will show the other members that they are capable of teamwork. As the two freshmen form an odd setter-and-ace relationship, an old rival school invites Karasuno for practice matches, reigniting competition between the two schools once more.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Available At
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Haikyuu!! Movie 1: Owari to Hajimari Trailers
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Haikyuu!! Movie 1: Owari to Hajimari Review
Haikyuu!! Movie 1: Owari to Hajimari — After watching a volleyball match on TV where the "Little Giant" of Karasuno High School helps his team secure a hard-fought victory, young and impressionable Shouyou Hinata begins to play the sport in hopes that he too can soar high one day. This overview is intentionally spoiler-free and focuses on tone and intent rather than plot specifics.
Thematically, It sits firmly within Sports conventions as a Movie work and has garnered attention (MAL score: 8.1). This work explores character dynamics, tonal shifts, and the interplay between narrative ambition and execution. The story's pacing and tonal choices are crafted to complement the central ideas, often emphasizing atmosphere and emotional truth over explicit exposition. The show's ability to evoke a consistent mood — whether melancholic, exuberant, or contemplative — is a recurring strength, and the scenes are constructed so viewers can infer stakes without needing explicit spoilers.
Characterization is a core pillar here. Protagonists and supporting figures are written with distinct motivations and narrative roles; even when archetypal, the series invests in small behavioral details that make choices feel earned. Character arcs are handled with an eye for gradualism: development often arrives through incremental beats rather than abrupt, expository shifts. The interactions between characters create texture, and relationships are used to illuminate both personal flaws and larger thematic concerns.
On the visual front, production values play a significant role. The animation quality varies by sequence but frequently showcases thoughtful direction and composition. Background art, framing, and color palettes are used deliberately to support tone — quieter scenes favor muted palettes while action or heightened emotional beats employ brighter, more kinetic visuals. Direction choices, such as camera movement and shot selection, often elevate scenes beyond their raw script, creating moments that linger in the viewer's mind.
The soundscape — score, incidental music, and sound design — complements the visual language. Music cues are placed to maximize emotional resonance without manipulating the audience with melodrama; this restraint often leads to more authentic emotional payoff. Sound design punctuates key moments, and when the series leans on silence, those quieter moments are given weight by measured audio choices.
Pacing and structure are handled with craft. Episodes are arranged to build tension and release methodically, and the narrative rarely rushes through important emotional beats. That said, the deliberate pacing may feel slow to viewers who prefer faster plot turnover; the reward is greater nuance and an accumulation of meaning across the series. Accessibility is generally good — one can appreciate surface-level pleasures, while repeat or attentive viewing reveals additional layers.
No title is without flaws. Occasional unevenness in subplots or variable animation across episodes can be distracting. Some tonal shifts might feel abrupt if you expect uniformity; others will argue that those shifts are purposeful. These are worth noting, but they seldom undercut the larger achievements of the work.
In sum, Haikyuu!! Movie 1: Owari to Hajimari offers a rich experience for viewers who value character-driven storytelling, considered visual design, and a soundtrack that supports rather than overwhelms. For fans of Sports, this is an especially rewarding watch. It's recommended for those who appreciate layered narratives and artistry in animation, and best approached with patience and attention to nuance.
Characters & Voice Actors
Hinata, Shouyou
Main
Murase, Ayumu
Japanese
Hinata, Shouyou
Main
Yang, Jeong Hwa
Korean
Kageyama, Tobio
Main
Ishikawa, Kaito
Japanese
Kageyama, Tobio
Main
Wolko, Roman
German
Azumane, Asahi
Supporting
Hosoya, Yoshimasa
Japanese
Ennoshita, Chikara
Supporting
Masuda, Toshiki
Japanese
Fukunaga, Shouhei
Supporting
Chounan, Shouta
Japanese
Inuoka, Sou
Supporting
Ikeda, Kyousuke
Japanese
Kai, Nobuyuki
Supporting
Hoshino, Takanori
Japanese
Kinoshita, Hisashi
Supporting
Sagara, Nobuyori
Japanese
Kozume, Kenma
Supporting
Kaji, Yuuki
Japanese
Kozume, Kenma
Supporting
Strobl, Amadeus
German
Kuroo, Tetsurou
Supporting
Nakamura, Yuuichi
Japanese
Kuroo, Tetsurou
Supporting
Knauer, Tim
German
Mori, Yukinari
Supporting
Naoi, Manabu
Supporting
Yamamoto, Kanehira
Japanese
Narita, Kazuhito
Supporting
Nishiyama, Koutarou
Japanese
Nekomata, Yasufumi
Supporting
Fukuda, Nobuaki
Japanese
Nishinoya, Yuu
Supporting
Okamoto, Nobuhiko
Japanese
Nishinoya, Yuu
Supporting
Saemann, Dennis
German
Staff
Matsushita, Keiko
Producer
Morihiro, Fumi
Producer
Mitsunaka, Susumu
Director, Storyboard
Kikuta, Hiromi
Sound Director
Suzuki, Takaaki
Episode Director
Kishimoto, Taku
Script, Series Composition
Oohashi, Yoshimitsu
Storyboard
SPYAIR
Theme Song Performance, Theme Song Lyrics, Theme Song Composition, Theme Song Arrangement
Aizu, Satsuki
Key Animation, 2nd Key Animation
Arakawa, Naoki
Key Animation
Araki, Ryou
Key Animation
Chiba, Takahiro
Chief Animation Director
Furudate, Haruichi
Original Creator
Hayashi, Yuuki
Music
Honda, Masayuki
Animation Director
Ishikawa, Mitsuhisa
Executive Producer
Kaiya, Toshihisa
Chief Animation Director, Animation Director
Katagiri, Takahisa
2nd Key Animation, Key Animation
Kishida, Takahiro
Character Design
Morishita, Katsuji
Chief Producer