Less Hilarious, More Essences I Love it

No Game No Life Episode 9 Review

This week of No Game No Life truly entertains me with its creative storyline and motivation parts plus some interesting effect.

The episode was started with little Shiro, who in her childhood was sent into the orphanage. She was a natural born genius at games and while many persons taught her different games, no one could really entertain Shiro. One day Sora and his parents entered the orphanage and adopted her. Then, Sora greeted Shiro for the first time asking her to join him in the game.

Continuing last week episode, Shiro woke alone in her chamber and she knew that Sora was missing. Later, she asked Stephanie Dola and Jibril about who is the imanity ruler, which they said that she was the single ruler of Imanity. Knowing very well that Sora was real, she told them about the missing brother and how they could forget him. Jibril asked her to play chess and lose and purpose so she could forget about her brother.

Just when she was about to lose, the imaginary of her brother told her that no matters what Blank never lose. Shiro won the game by changing her knight movement. After realizing about the game from the last episode between Blank against Kurami and Fi the elves, Shiro deducted that her brother was losing in purpose. Afterward, Stephanie Dola suddenly tripped over three othelo pieces that scattered in the floor. Shiro realized that the game from last episode was not over and Sora entrusted her with the three pieces to finish the game and to save his existence.

Shiro played the last three piece of the othello and won the game. Her winning reanimated her brother as well as making Kurami lost her memories. Sora told her that he apologized for disappearing suddenly. Then, Sora gave Kurami’s memories back and finally they reached an agreement and the loser party would become the winner’s spy.

The episode truly gives important info during the airtime, which truly captivating me. Have you ever noticed why Sora and Shiro have different hair color? They are not related by blood or in other word they are adopted sibling. Their bond forged through communication with each other and their love for game; which accumulated over time.

This episode was using a unique color palette to show how Shiro’s world turns into a black and white world without her brother. It reflects Shiro’s lost of spirit and the fear of losing Sora. After Shiro regained her hope, and with the sudden realization that Blank never lose any games, Shiro winning move turns the entire imanitys continent back into a colorful place. This reflects how Shiro’s regained back her spirit and motivation to move forward.

No Game no Life, while usually hilarious and filled with comedy, can also make an episode that is serious but full with motivation. For example, Sora said that even if we were born without wing, we should create one to fly. It implies that even if our life stays the same, we shall never give up to create our own future. The wing embodies our passion, our dedication, or even our creativity while the sky embodies our hope and dream.

Sora’s speech about how people could not change themselves but their ways of doing thing truly captivated me. As an Individual, we are born with our own set of values that our family and friends give to us and then later the communities where we live reshape our way of thinking. As a unique individual, we can’t easily change our behavior or personality over night.

However, No Game No Life, in here represented by Sora, emphasized that we CAN change how we do thing. Even if we have wrong methods to solve problems, as long as we can change them, we can avoid repeating the same mistake over and over

The episode was finished with again another exaggeration moment between the sibling and the best friend. However, I was truly satisfied with the episode since I watched not only another fine episode of No Game No Life but I also learn some life lesson along the way

Last episode focused on the new characters Asahina and Nishinoya and this episode explored their back-story further. While Haikyuu!! Drama felt a bit too overdramatic, I found the sentiment plays well. In fact, watching this episode, I was overwhelmed with the feels and I wanted to praise the producer for creating such a heartwarming episode. 

Watching previous episodes I was worried that Haikyuu!! spent too many time developing the protagonists instead of side characters. However, this episode finally showed their importance. And as I watched the episode, I felt how the show’s focus finally switched from the protagonists to the side characters and how they started to receive better development.

For starter, Asahina was a volleyball player at heart. As the team’s Ace, he was the team’s hope for winning. However, his last defeat threw him over the edge. He felt responsible that anything that he had done could not win the team. As the team’s main offense, he started to question his ability. It was humane for Asahina to feel powerless with his limits and I could feel his emotion when seeing the tower of defense that he had seen and how his shot failed.

His best part of the episode was her realization of his fear. In reality, he was afraid for disappointing his friends that he lost his passion for Volley while none of them blamed him. After accepting his fear and finding back his passion, he resolved to take the ball and unleashed his power spike, which power break through the opponent’s block.

Second, Nishinoya, the chibi Libero, got more screen time in this episode. He hated Asahina’s decision to left volley because he felt responsible with the blocked spikes either. Even with the failed spike; if he could return the block they could still make another momentum. As consequences, He trained extensively to become better defender by focusing in returning blocked attacks. I loved his dedication in this episode and how funny Tanaka reaction to him. He showed us how important Libero as the team defender. In the last part of the episode, he finally took the returned spike with his palm’s shoulder and managed to send the ball back to Sugawara.

Last but not least important was Sugawara’s maturity. He was the person who realized how the loss affects the team’s harmony. The last episode showed how he finally took the initiative to speak with Asahina. He was truly a great person who considers his teammates more than his position as the team setter. Sugawara persuaded Asahina not only for Nishinoya but also for reuniting his team again.

In the beginning of the match, he explained his decision to step back as the main setter knowing that Kageyama’s abilities would suit the team better. Actually he also suffered from the teams lost and openly admitted that he was afraid giving another toss. With his mind cleared, he threw away the hesitation and told Asahina how eager he was to give him his usual toss

The episode was full with emotions and while the protagonists have to take the back seat, I thought it was important for an anime to explore the side characters’ growth as well. Haikyuu!! is not a show about two characters only. It was a show about a volleyball team with its abundant casts. Right now I felt happy with the series direction. It started to take the characters’ development deeper and seriously, and a good anime would cover even the least important character’s to show us how alive they are.

Nobunaga the Fool Episode 21

Impression

With the series getting closer to the end, Nobunaga the fool didn’t take any brake to reserve the body count. First, the episode was started with Caesar asking Nobunaga to join him creating a perfect utopia in where every people would life in happiness. In the aftermath, Nobunaga’s refusal seems agreeable because sharing the world where every person could life without pain or strive is like creating a dull place. What is the fulfillment of life if you did not strive to get what you want?

Then we have Jeanne whose inconsistency angered me more than even her stupidity. She said back then that she would accept her fate completely but now she was thinking about fighting fate itself by trying to stop Nobunaga. She should know very well that nothing stop Nobu when he made a decision but now she wanted to stop him just because he reject Caesar’s offer. How Jeanne choose Caesar’s ideal world while she knew Nobunaga had saved her ass countless times was beyond me.

Last, we have the battle between Nobu and Caesar with Ichihime in Caesar’s cockpit. After defeating Caesar, the vampires that used to be Caesar’s allies struck and wound both Caesar and Ichihime. The episode was ended with their death and some screaming.

I knew from last episodes that Ichihime would not live till the end. So many dead flags were already spoken and her word from this episode clearly yell like “this is my last supper bye” but the thing that surprised me more was Caesar’s dead. He was supposed to be on par with Nobunaga himself but why did they make his dead quite cheap. Where is the same Caesar who, while in losing battle, suddenly turned the tables and activated the special regalia? But seriously he was dead because he could not see Nell attacks? With his agility he should at least give decent fight before falling to such cheap trick.

Talking about cheap death, we could also see Nell and Bianca’s death. Nell struck Caesar, along with Ichihime and for unknown reason-Bianca. Then Caesar slashed Nell and killed his ex-allies with one blow. They were both non-human characters; to be precise they were vampires and yet they were killed altogether so easily as if they were just a tool created to justify Caesar and Ichihime demise.

I have complicated feeling regarding this episode. The problem is both Ichihime and Caesar could not make me sympathized enough to feel sad with their passing.

Ichihime's dead was sad but it would become more effective if her death was sudden. With her dead flags rising higher than others, I could only guessing when she would meet her end. In fact, seeing her live by the end of the series would make me surprised (If she DID live in the end I would think Gonzo start trolling again)

Caesar is one tough guy in this series but after backstabbing Takeda Shingen and killing Nobuhide karma would hunt and put him to rest. The chance of seeing Caesar live unscathed till the end is slim and only a glorious last battle death can redeem his wrongdoing (when his time come, we get the cheap one T-T)

The vampires, Bianca and Nell, have too little screen times that whether they live or not mean nothing to me. I feel somewhat happy because they finally got rid of the unnecessary characters but sad because their death was too fast as if they were not even vampires but normal humans.

With so many deaths, I don’t even know how many characters will survive in the end. Mitsuhide already killed Nobukatsu and just like Caesar, karma could kill him either. If we follow the real life story, Jeanne will be executed or she might die protecting Nobu. Himiko death flag is already given and we just have 50% chance to see whether she survived or not. As for the enemy, it is possible that Alexander become the last person that Nobu fought and defeat in the final battle and even Nobu himself was not safe from heroic last scene death. As for Hideyoshi, he was death once but the possibility of another dead is still possible.

The only character I can gamble my money to live by the end of the series was actually Leonardo Da Vinci. For some reason he reminded me of Fudo Gen from Sosei no Aquarion or Aquarion Evol. He seemed more like an observer who know about the outcome of the events and his calm and collected nature, complete with his antique gestures, which reminded me again to Gen, made me certain that he might be the only man standing in the end.

Warning - The synopsis contain some spoiler for the movie plot. While I am doing my best to limit the spoiler, some story elements will be covered. Unless you already know the plot, reading the synopsis may spoil half the fun. If you haven’t watch the movie or know the plot before, you could stop right here. Thank You

 Makoto Yuki, the protagonist

During midnight, Makoto Yuki a new transfer student entered the Gekkoukan High dormitory. Inside he met a mysterious boy who suddenly asked him to sign a contract. After signing it, the boy disappeared in the shadow and another person suddenly questioned him. The person was a teenage girl with middle-short hair and fair complexion and with her stuttering voice, it was clear that his presence frightened her. The girl, Yukari Takeba wanted to pull her evoker before her senior, Mitsuru Kirijo halt her. Mitsuru explained to her that he was assigned late to their dormitory and Mitsuru asked her to show his room.

After a brief introduction with the school life, Makoto’s entire life change during the full month of April, a giant monster injured Sanada Mitsuhiko, a S.E.E.S member, and it moved closer to the dormitory. A panicked Yukari woke Makoto and asked him to follow her to the rooftop. The Monster, which is called shadow, caught with them and it struck and injured Yukari. Makoto, who already seems to know about the monster and his newfound ability, took the evoker and unleash his other self; a Persona entity called Orpheus. He defeated the monster, collapsed and turned unconscious for one week.

Makoto and Yukari came back from the hospital while the chairman of the S.E.E.S, Shuji Ikutsuki, waited for them. He met with Makoto and explained about the ordeal that he experienced. He told Makoto that the students that reside in the dormitory were members of Special Extracurricular Executions Squad or abbreviated S.E.E.S. He also explained to Makoto about the S.E.E.S mission, the Dark Hour, the Apathy Syndrome, as well as the appearance of shadows. In short, he officially asked Makoto to join S.E.E.S and help them with the investigations.

 

               Full Moon Phase

While the S.E.E.S members discussing about the new team member named Fuka Yamagishi, Mitsuru came and explained a case about two female students found with Apathy Syndrome in the school gate. Later, they knew that Fuka Yamagishi have been missing for a week before the incident happened. After finding a small lead regarding to the females students, Makoto, Junpei, and Yukari went to the Port Island Stations, a place where thugs and delinquents hang out.

Yukari’s harsh words stir trouble with the delinquents of Port Island. Fortunately, Aragaki, a friend of Akihiko and a former S.E.E.S member, happened to be there. He saved them and told them about the event of the two female students. It turned out that the students along with Natsuki Moriyama locked Fuka Yamagishi inside the gymnasium. When they decided to open the lock, Fuka was not found inside the gym and then the shadow caught them.

With the revelation of Fuka’s whereabouts, the team went to the gym during the dark hours and divided into two. Akihiko and Junpei teamed as the attack squad and Yukari and Mitsuru guarded the entrance of Tartarus. Meanwhile, Makoto was accompanying Natsuki in the dormitory.

The attack squad found Fuka inside the Tartarus and they handed her the evoker. Later they realized that they entered the Dark Hour during full moon phase when suddenly Mitsuru called for emergency. Meanwhile, the mysterious boy appeared once again and told Makoto that he would face two ordeals today.

Back to the attack squad, they found that either Yukari or Mitsuru were wounded because of two gigantic shadows’ attack. One of them represents King and the other represents Queen. Both Junpei and Akihiko fought bravely against the two shadows. Yet, their combined effort still could not defeat them. Before the S.E.E.S lost entirely to the shadows, Makoto came to the rescue and along with Fuka, who is now acting as the team’s support; they defeated the shadows. The movie was closed with Fuka came back to the school and Natsuki, while forgetting the event, became her close friend.

 

Orpeus Struck the King

In  2006, Atlus created another episode of their Persona Series. It was named Persona 3, a role-playing game for Playstation 2. The game was a success and players and critiques received the game positively. Due to its popularity, Atlus later made another improvement with releasing Persona 3 FES, complete with additional scenes and costumes, and ported Persona 3 for Playstation Portable.

Regardless of it popularity, it takes another 8 years before Atlus decides to make the animation of Persona 3. In contrast with Persona 4 the animation, which is consist of 26 episode long, Persona 3 is divided into 3-4 movies, with each movie takes a duration around one and a half hours.

The atmosphere for the storyline is dark and gloomy. The movie focuses more in the horror of the 13 hours, the shadow and the battle of S.E.E.S members rather than the comedy or school-life part of the game. With fewer hours than Persona 4, Persona 3 has to focus more with the main storyline and there will be fewer filler in the movie. In addition, since the game already came out years ago, the viewer who already finished the game knows about how the story end; but I will not spoil it here for the sake of new viewer.

                       

Atlus decides that the protagonists name as Makoto Yuki. From the movie I can see that Makoto is not very talkative and he has cool demeanor. In addition, he is a type of person who does any given task without asking questions or disagreement just like any good soldier would do.

Now we could finally see how our main character actually behaved in the canon anime and how the event of the Persona 3 actually happened. In addition, Atlus tried to preserve the cast’s personalities with their game counterpart and hoping that it will not turn off the fans’ familiarity to the game.

I admit that the picture quality of the anime was very good and it has vibrant color. It is quite contrast with the movie’s more dark and serious theme. However, I find the colors good and pleasing. Also, being the incarnation of the original, the animation is more detailed and the characters face have been redone to meet with the standard of new generation anime. As for the music, the anime used the game tracks to fill the anime soundtrack. Atlus already did it before with Persona 4 the animation; in which additional songs was added to accompany the game’s soundtrack.

Glossary

Apathy Syndrome – A condition when a human lost his/her mind and Consciousness. They lost their ability to act and think and sometimes they only mumbling unknown or mysterious words. It is revealed that shadows infect human with apathy syndrome.

The Dark Hour – An additional hour which took place right after midnight. During the hour, ordinary persons turn into coffins and they may not realize about the time freeze. During the dark hour, shadows hunt for the human who did not become coffin.

Evoker – Evoker looks like an ordinary gun but it was not even a gun to begin with. In order to unleash their persona, S.E.E.S members pointed the evoker to their head and pull the trigger. After pulling the trigger, the persona residing inside them will appear. It is no wonder that they still carried traditional weapons like bow and sword while investigating the Tartarus because Evoker itself practically is not a weapon.

Persona – Persona is the other self, the mask, or the other entity that reside inside the human. They could attack the shadow using either magical or physical abilities. Their form varied from an Angel like creatures to a demonic god, or even mythological deity.

Each member of S.E.E.S has his or her own persona with the exception of Makoto who could unleash more than one Persona. In short he is special.

S.E.E.S (Special Extracurricular Execution Squad) – On paper it was an extracurricular club but it membership was never open for public. In reality, S.E.E.S was a special operation squad in which every member was a Persona user. They fought shadows and investigated the Tartarus during the Dark Hour. Current S.E.E.S members are Makoto Yuki, Yukari Takeba, Iori Junpei, Mitsuru Kirijou, Akihiko Sanada, and Fuka Yamagishi

Tartarus. Tartarus is a looming giant tower, which replaced the Gekkoukan High School building during the Dark Hours. It has more than 200 stories and inside it, shadows lurk and attack any people who enter their territory. The origin of the Tartarus remains a mystery

The Man who is called “ACE”

Summary

The person who took Kageyama’s serve was shorter than Hinata, which make Hinata somewhat relieved and happy. When the senior came, they introduced him as Nishinoya, a second grade high scholar and he was the senior of both Kageyama and Hinata.

 The manliest line ever

He had a conversation with Kageyama regarding to their junior high school origin as well as his reason for entering Karasuno. In contrast to his first serious impression, he said that the main reason he entered Karasuno was because he likes the school’s boys and girls’ uniforms.

 Rejoice we have a tsundere here

He asked the senior about whether Asahina senpai came back to the volley club or not. Daichi reluctantly said that he was not planning to make a come back. The hot-blooded Nishinoya became enraged and left the gymnasium saying that he would not enter the team if Asahina did not coming.

Hinata met Nishinoya outside the gym and he asked Nishinoya to teach him receiving the serve since he was bad at it. Nishinoya, who like to be praised, told Hinata that he would teach him though he wanted to do it because Hinata called him Senpai.

When Hinata trained his receiving skill, he asked Nishinoya about the person named Asahina. He was the former ace of Karasuno and for some reasons; he decided to give up being volleyball player. Nishinoya later explained that he like being a libero because as long as libero still touch the ball, the team would not lose. He also encouraged Hinata that his position as a decoy is important for the team.

I am not surprised if he was the coach. The op kinda spoil it 

That night, Takeda sensei met a person named Ukai and discussing about being the Karasuno High team coach. While Ukai insistently declined, He told him that Karasuno’s newest team has potentials and Ukai might change his opinion if he watched them play.

In the next morning, Sugawara decided to persuade Asahina for coming back to Volleyball club. Asahina refused the persuasion and went outside the classroom. In there, he met Hinata and Kageyama who intend to met him. After Sugawara introducing the new freshmen, Asahina gave his support for them but that was all he could give since he decided not to make a come back. Meanwhile, Takeda sensei managed to make the new practice match schedule.

Suga chan you are scaring me now

Sugawara explained to them that Asahina gave up volley because he was the type who shoulder all of the burden alone and his loss affect his spirit.

In the gymnasium, Takeda sensei announced that he arranged new match for the team during the last day of golden week. They were about to do practice match against team Nekoma from Tokyo. He also added that their new coach might change his mind if he heard their school met Nekoma High School.

If Nekoma is the cat and Karasuno is the crow, now where is the garbage dump?

Nishinoya said that despite the promising newcomers, he would not join the practice match as long as Asahina did not join the club.

Ougi Hyper Special Kageyama Toss

The next day, Hinata and Kageyama met with Asahina again and although he had no intention to come back, Hinata explained to him that he envied his abilities. He also noted that with Kageyama’s support, the same problem that he also used to encounter was no longer. Before coming back to the class, Kageyama told Asahina that he was not doing everything alone although Kageyama admitted that he used to consider that the other members were not essential for him.

Episode Impression

We get new characters in this episode. Nishinoya the Libero and Asahina the Ace. In my opinion, this was a character introduction episode with some spice of comedy in it.

The focus of the character this episode is good especially for Asahina. Being the team Ace, he felt responsible to the team loss. Yet he could not accept the condition and decided to stop playing volleyball since he felt that he no longer could not win the game.

Nishinoya, who respected him as the team ace felt betrayed by Asahina’s decision to leave the court. He wanted to give him another toss and if he had to join the new team, he felt that if they win without Asahina’s guidance, it means that they would not need him to win. He merely could not abandon Asahina taking all the blame. Should they win, he should take part as the team not as an ex-team.

The new characters impress me that despite being their introductory episode, they showed me that they have the feeling of loss and frustrations. They are given their character depth and emotion. Nishinoya was fiery and he looked like a hot-blooded person but actually he was the type who could not abandon his friend in despair. Asahina was more calm and mature but deep inside he was traumatized to make another mistake. He thought he had lost his prime and could not burden his team any longer while it was actually his own assumption.

I knew this episode was not as intense as the previous episode but with the right doze of characterization, comedy and the story direction, the information’s for this episode was satisfying. I will wait for the match next week anticipating what could change Asahina decision to enter the again again.

Haikyuu!! Episode 7 Review

Episode Summary

Oikawa, main setter for Aoba Josai and was a very laid back person with an aura of confidence around him. Later on Kageyama commented that he was a very aggressive setter with a terrible character. It revealed that he was Kageyama senpai in the previous school as well as the person who teach him how to do the jumping serve.

No you don't. It was his biggest selling point

The Aoba Josai coach asked Oikawa to do warm up before entering the match and without the setter presence, Karasuno was capable of scoring point by point.

However, right at Karasuno's match point, Oikawa entered the match as the main setter. His presence alone was enough to create tension within the Karasuno team members.

 I don't know which face is funnier Hinata or Tanaka

He aimed at Kei and used one of his most powerful jumping serve. It made the ball deflected from Kei’s arms to the upstairs tribune due to its extremely powerful forces, in which made the other team members quivered with fear.

Oikawa targeted Kei again and he had scored another point. Then, he said that he knew both Hinata and Kei were newcomers in Karasuno because they were bad at receiving. Hinata, who felt sorry for Kei' humiliation, taunted Oikawa to serve him the ball.

Knowing they were at disadvantage, Daichi rotated the position and let him became the center receiver. Using a precise serve, Oikawa served to Kei once again. This time he decreased the power and Kei could receive the ball.

No matter how difficult the situation is the hero will be there to save the day

 Oikawa, who was too overconfidence, knew that the ball would land at their territory and he gave Kindaichi a toss. Little did he know that Hinata had a very good reaction and he managed to tip the ball. In a flash movement, he ran to the other side of the net and jump. Kageyama used the moment and send him perfect toss, continued with Hinata spiked the ball right beside Oikawa. With the spike turned in, Karasuno beat Aoba Josai, one of the four top schools volleyball team, in a volleyball practice match.

After the match, Oikawa came to Karasuno team and said that Aoba Josai did not use the regular set up for the practice match. He explained that he would play as the setter for the entire game in the official match. In addition, he challenged Kageyama to duck it out in a setter battle in upcoming match.

I am challenging you with this shining finger of truth

With the next official match getting closer, Oikawa mentioned that receiver could not improve over night. Yet, after Oikawa leaved, Daichi reassured his friends that they still got the secret weapon called the guardian deity of Karasuno.

In the gymnasium, Daichi thanked Takeda sensei for his work. He told his worries about the upcoming match because of the team defense were still lacking and he was afraid he could not guide the team when they were at loss. Takeda sensei said that he would find the right coach for the team members and with his confidence, it obvious that he already had the lead about who was going to be the next team coach.

When Karasuno team walked home after practice, Tanaka asked Kageyama why he did not enter a more prestigious school like shiratorizawa. Kageyama replied that since he was entering the school without recommendation, he was not accepted because he lack the scores needed to enter the school via normal method. Their conversations later turn on to how Karasuno still lacking a libero as a defender and an Ace striker for offence.

Hinata's mind "why did I am the one you let your anger on. I was only smirking"

Kageyama said to the senpais that they mentioned the guardian deity before, which meant they still have another team member who was good at receiving and he would make a come back. Sugawara replied that back then Karasuno had promising members but they could not applied their strengths very well. He also added that if the experienced members united with the new team member, they would win the summer inter-high national tournaments.

In the next morning, Kageyama practiced serving the ball when Hinata suddenly appeared and took the serve. After telling Hinata to take the ball, he tried another serve when suddenly a mysterious person came and took Kageyama’s serve with pinpoint accuracy.

Episode Impression

The setter from Oikawa was started his debut and he proved to be a nightmare for Karasuno’s team. While it was evident that he did not enter the match from the beginning, the serve was enough to send chill for the team members.

I thought the episode started with a fast paced volleyball action and then it went slower in the mid and final part. The episode also tried to build the tension between Kageyama and Oikawa as both played as setter. It’s intriguing to see who will outsmart the other in the official match

The episode tried to tell us new members for the upcoming episode and we could expect two new members. One is a receiver and one is an ace or active attacker.

Regardless, I consider the episode as another solid episode. It was good to see Kageyama’s new personality and how his ex-team members reaction to him. Also Hinata started to show his skill in improvising with his movement and he started to show more confidence in his abilities.

Haikyuu!! episode 7 review

Episode Summary

Meanwhile, two Aoba Josai volleyball team member, one of them were Kageyama’s former teammates, had a conversation about Kageyama and they also discussed about Karasuno’s pretty manager as well as the intimidating guy with a shaved head (Tanaka).

 Peek a Boo

Right at that moment Tanaka and Karasuno members reappeared and they tried to intimidate the Aoba Josei players. Still, the sudden appearance of Daichi help reduced the tension and although they tried to make Kageyama’s angry, he could retain his cool.

After entering the gymnasium, they found that all of Aoba Josai team members as highly competent and capable in both offense and defense. Again, although unintentional, Karasuno high members’ comments only managed to stress Hinata more.

When Hinata went to the bathroom, he met with the two members of Aoba Josai, with one is Kageyama former team member. They asked about how Kageyama’s doing in Karasuno and whether he still retained his difficult mannerism.

 Haikyuu's new genre Tae Kwon Do

Although both of team agreed that Kageyama was still a difficult person, they differ in opinion about his toss. The ex-member said that his toss was terrible, while Hinata said that it was amazing. The ex member told Hinata that Kageyama would discard any person who could not receive his toss and it made Hinata become more pressured.

 Even the juri become Hinata's victim

Hinata, who already become overwhelmed by pressure, started the match with so many mistakes. He even accidentally hit Kageyama’s head when he got to serve in the final game point for Aoba Josai due to his nervousness.

 From behind it looks like a hat

To his surprise, Kageyama does not discard or threaten him. Instead he asked Hinata to reclaim back his composure. It made Hinata realized that he only let the fear got into him. Tanaka also said that even if he got switched he should only think it later when it happened. He pointed out that as lousy as Hinata was, the team members would be his allies and they would support him till the end.

 Too my surprise, Haikyuu!! also becomes a horror flick anime

With the newfound spirit, Hinata tried to spike another fast attack but missed. It turned out that Kageyama hit the ball to high and he apologized, which surprised his former team member.

The match continues and Karasuno regained their team spirit. They keep adding point using Kageyama as a setter and Tanaka and Hinata as a spiker/ decoy. After Karasuno won the second match Hinata said to Daichi that he found out that there were many persons who is better than him when he joined as a team.

 Daichi get angry with the producer since his anime keeps changing direction

During the break, the aoba josai team members gathered and discussed how could Kageyama changed. The instructor explained that Kageyama pinpoint the ball position and it was Hinata who jumped randomly and hit the ball without even looking.

In the aftermath, Karasuno kept adding point and they already at the final game number when Hinata scored the win for the second match.

Kageyama explained to Daichi the possibility of Aoba Josei not using their main setter. Immediately, the main setter of Aoba Josai (Oikawa) came to his team.

Episode Review

I have no complaint with this episode. The game is back to the anime and I was entertained with the comedy as well as the story.

Hinata nervousness stem from his fear from being replaced. However, as a man who could not accept defeat, his fear was logical. After all, he wanted to become the main team members of the Karasuno volleyball team. If he was replaced, his dream would shatter and he would only become another bench warmer. It was good to see that Hinata finally overcome his burden and realized that in the team, every team member worked hard to achieve the same goal. Winning.

It was this episode that told us the other members have no intention of switching him off. They all are team members and no matter what happened, every person in the same side of the net is his ally.

Another interesting point from this episode was Kageyama.  He shows that he is capable to change. In the first episode of Haikyuu!!, he could not even accepted mistakes and he would never apologized to anyone should he made a mistake. Yet, he done remarkably well in developing his maturity (although his short fuse remains)

The episode also adds the heated rivalries between Kageyama and Kei, with each of them considered the other one nuisance and it was actually made for comedy purposes.

The appearance of the actual server of Aoba Josai would make the next episode more interesting. What is the abilities that Aoba Josai setter has?