With a title like Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle<\/strong>, you know this must be an anime film, but the Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle<\/strong> in question is in fact an important high school tournament. Karasuno High School from Miyagi face their big city Tokyo rivals, from Nekoma High. Newcomers to the franchise might not immediately realize Karasuno\u2019s energetic, under-sized striker, Shoyo Hinata (voiced by Bryson Baugus in the English dub) is the main protagonist of the early seasons of the TV series and editions of the manga. Instead, the film largely focuses on Kenma Kozume (Clint Bickman for the English version), Nekoma\u2019s setter and key strategist.<\/p>\r\n
<\/ins>\u00a0 \u00a9Courtesy of Toho, and Crunchyroll.\u00a0 The animation is not as distinctive as that of First Slam Dunk<\/strong> (an obvious comparison film), but Mitsunaka employs a variety of techniques that enhance the game\u2019s physical and psychological challenges. Production I.G is still probably best known for the \u201cGhost in the Shell\u201d films, so obviously they know how to successfully render highly kinetic action. In fact, the animation really opens up the film, through tunnel-vision effects and expressionistic depictions of players\u2019 subconscious anxieties. If you like the article, share your thoughts below!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n
Like Hinata, the cerebral Kozume is also smaller than the average volleyballer, but he has a talent for cooly analyzing his opponents\u2019 defenses and developing on-the-court counter-attacks. Kozume has an unusually keen grasp of the game, but his coach openly questions his passion for winning. Kozume readily admits he only started playing volleyball as a favor to his best-friend Tetsuro Kuroo, Nekoma\u2019s team captain. Even Kozume would be hard-pressed to explain what the game means to him, besides the intellectual satisfaction of picking apart opposing teams and perhaps the pleasure of spending time on the court with Kuroo.<\/p>\r\n![\"Haikyu!!1\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Haikyu.png\")
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For new arrivals to the Haikyu!!<\/strong> franchise, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle <\/strong>holds up quite easily as a stand-alone viewing experience. Right from the start, newcomers will get a sense of what makes the franchise so popular with its anime and manga fans, by the way it thrusts the audience into the on-court game-play.
Frankly, many Americans do not think very much about indoor volleyball during non-Olympic years. However, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle <\/strong>so clearly depicts the teams\u2019 strategies and the roles each position plays in executing them, first-time viewers will likely leave with a fresh appreciation of the sport. Arguably, this might be the best volleyball film of all time, unless you also count Top Gun<\/strong>. (Frustratingly for volleyball players, movies like \u201cAir Bud: Spikes Back\u201d do not offer much competition.)
One of the most refreshing aspects of the film is the lack of villains. Mitsunaka\u2019s adaptation of a single match, multi-chapter manga story-arc, fully humanizes the players on both teams. They are all just kids, playing to exhaustion and leaving their hearts on the court. Over the course of several games, Mitsunaka adroitly reveals their personalities through their play on the court. It might sound simple, but the way it plays out is surprisingly complex and rewarding.<\/p>\r\n<\/ins>\r\n
The characters have traditional manga\/anime look, consistent with the franchise\u2019s history, but they have been given sharper, cleaner definition for the big-screen. For the English dubbed version, Baugus and Bickman nicely express the contrasting personalities of Hinata and Kozume. They are both well-developed characters audiences will root for, even though they play on opposite sides of the net.<\/p>\r\n![\"Haikyu!!2\"](\"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Haikyu2.png\")
\u00a9Courtesy of Toho, and Crunchyroll.\u00a0
Unlike, many anime movies, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle<\/strong> directly continues from where the last season of the TV series ended, carrying the story forward, so it will have real meaning for established fans. (For the record, there is also a Marvel-style post-final-credits stinger that supposedly teases the next film, but it is likely to confuse more than intrigue viewers who do not recognize the new characters.)
Regardless, lazy P.E. teachers could do far worse than showing \u201cHaikyu!! The Dumpster Battle\u201d in class, when it eventually releases on DVD formats, because it really shows the value of teamwork and celebrates good sportsmanship. Both teams deserve to win and they each have their chances\u2014that is what makes it such a great match.
Indeed, this is a really good volleyball match and a highly entertaining film. Enthusiastically recommended for Shonen Jump fans and volleyball players yearning to see their sport finally get a quality cinematic treatment, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle<\/strong> opens this Friday (5\/31) in theaters nationwide.<\/p>\r\n
Grade: A-<\/p>\r\n