Fly: A Queer Haikyuu Podcast
We look at Haikyuu through an intersectional, queer lens.
Fly: A Queer Haikyuu Podcast
S3E10: The Battle of Concepts
"The more ambitious his goals, the more he’s going to struggle.”
This week, rainbow and em discuss the final episode of season 3, "The Battle of Concepts" and freak out about the conclusion to the Miyagi Spring High Qualifiers final game, an adorable UshiTen moment, and KageHina rivals.
Episode Discussion Begins at 4:13
Spoiler Zone Begins at 48:16
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Transcript available on our website, if not included in your podcast app: https://flyhqpod.buzzsprout.com
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Links for Palestine, Congo, and Sudan:
Daily click on arab.org
Palestine Children's Relief Fund
Doctors Without Borders
E-sims
Decolonize Palestine
International Rescue Committee's fund for Congo
Save the Children - Congo
Congo Fundraiser
Muslim Aid for Sudan
IRC fund for Sudan
Save the Children - Sudan
Thanks for listening!!
rainbow
00:10
hello everyone and welcome to fly a queer Haikyuu podcast. I'm rainbow, they she
em
00:13
and I'm em, and today we are talking about the season finale, season 3, episode 10 the battle of concepts Creationism versus evolution.
rainbow
00:28
It really is just like conservatism versus progressivism.
em
00:31
Honestly staying with a big, strong dummy or doing new stuff.
rainbow
00:36
Breaking traditions so you can grow stronger, or sticking to the same thing over and over again.
em
00:42
We'll find out very soon because we are literally on like the last move. But before we get into that, we've got some stuff to say.
rainbow
00:50
Yes, yes, you know, as has become usual on this podcast, we're going to talk about the horrors that persist in this world, and I think it's. You know this episode will come out a few weeks after the recording, but you know, I'm sure we will still be dealing with the government-sanctioned kidnapping and sending people to concentration camps, or I guess it's just the one concentration camp in El Salvador that we know of. They want to build five more. That's true. Yeah, yeah, no, that's true. So if you're hearing people talk about these as deportations, they're not. They're not deportations. Deportations require due process and these people are not getting due process. They are being kidnapped by the government and it's it's very scary.
01:35
Our hearts go out to anyone who has family members dealing with this, who, you yourself, are vulnerable to this. For those of us out there who are, you know, privileged enough to not be quite as vulnerable, it's very important that we keep an eye out on our communities. You know, I once again urge everyone to check your local area, see if there's some sort of MigraWatch or IceWatch out there, some sort of network where people are keeping track of ice activity, you know, at least see if there's a hotline you can call if you see ice in your area so they can let people know and just, you know, know your rights, look them up for your state and never open the door to police or ice and never talk to police or ice. I wanted to get that out there. Um, I think it's important that we Hold on.
em
02:23
Kiki doesn't think it's important, kiki is a Republican.
rainbow
02:28
So we just wanted to put that out there. And you know, take care of yourselves, take care of each other. We are so much stronger together. They are trying to isolate us, they are trying to scare us, and it's okay to feel those feelings of fear, but just know that you know they can't control you, but at the same time, nobody is free until we are all free. So keep working towards the freedom of your fellow human beings.
em
02:50
Thank you, rainbow. Now on to more Haikyuu-focused things. A little bit of housekeeping. We got another. I hate to call it a fun fact. It's kind of a somber interesting fact from a listener, Emily. They pointed out that in episode eight of season three, we talked about that really inspiring line that Ukai shouts how about? Volleyball is a sport where you're always looking up? This is actually the very last line that Ukai's voice actor, Tanaka Kazunari, recorded before tragically passing away in 2016 from a brain hemorrhage. He was only 49 years old and I noticed that his voice actor changed a bit In episode 9 and 10, they had to, you know, rush to replace him because he passed away in the middle of, towards the end of recording season 3. It's such a good line and it's kind of beautiful and sad that that was the last thing he left us with before passing away. So thank you, Emily, for letting us know. We all noticed by season four that the voice actor had changed. But yeah, that was just an interesting thing to note. Yeah, rest in peace.
rainbow
03:56
Tanaka yeah Kazunari.
em
04:00
And with that we're going to move into this episode.
rainbow
04:04
We promise that it's not going to be sad anymore or depressing. Ready for the recap? Yeah, I'll count you down, Okay Three two one.
em
04:13
It's an action-packed beginning to the end of this nail-biter of a match. Despite Ushijima's brute strength, the Crows officially overwhelm Shiratorizawa with a 21-19 victory. Karasuno is officially on its way to nationals. It's such a good episode and like it's so funny because it's really like the first 10 minutes is just pure game and I have so many notes for the first half, and then they don't do the commercial break until like the last five minutes. But yeah, so we start off with some total offense.
rainbow
04:43
Yes, we do. It's kind of we're backtracking just a little bit. This is something Haikyuu doesn't do too often, where we're really seeing the last few things that happened leading up to that back row minus attack that Hinata does, and we hear Ukai again talking about how this is their total offense. But they're really weak defensively because Noya isn't on the court, Daichi's in the front, Hinata's in the back and he's not the best receiver, and so he notes that it's really going to be up to our blocking and we see Tsukishima.
em
05:15
Yes, and he gets that one touch, and then we have Ushijima saving it.
rainbow
05:25
Yeah. So what happens is Taichi is up to block but he's not able to block Hinata's minus tempo Because I think it's important that Tendo, I think, is out during this. He is off the court because the Libro is in the back. So Taichi is trying to block Hinata's minus back attack and he doesn't quite get it. But then Ushijima is there to stop it from hitting the ground and he's yelling get it to Shirabu. He does not want to lose to Hinata he is very fierce in in this up.
em
05:47
He just said he calls Shirabu's name and he, just like you, we don't get a lot of emotion from Ushijima, but you can tell he is pissed and he spikes it and I don't know if it's on purpose or not, but he spikes it directly into Hinata's face, knocking him completely backwards. Tanaka picks it up and sends it back over to Shiratorizawa's court. And this is where we have. Ushijima is literally not literally, but he looks like he's on fire and Goshiki has a thought that he knows the toss isn't going up for him and that's annoying, but he wants to see Ushijima spike, which is even more frustrating to him. And then this is where we get Tsukki's little three person block plan.
rainbow
06:26
Yes, so the whole game they've been leaving the line shot open for Ushijima to hit it and it's gone straight to Noya. But Tsukki Shima, like we see like a little flashback of when he got back he said hey, about the three man block, and we see his plan is he wants to close off the line shot to force a cut, a cross shot instead, and Ushijima, because he's like almost been trained at this point to go for those line shots, he has to break form and do a cross shot instead yes, they're trying to throw him off and it's a good plan, a good trap but not enough.
06:59
Well, this is also this is why Kageyama switched with Hinata yes, so and yeah, and so Tsukishima's done this, and we saw in the last episode and they replayed it again that Kageyama switches with Hinata and that's so Kageyama can be in line to receive the cross shot, because he sees what Tsukishima is doing.
em
07:17
Right. So Ushijima does. Despite this trap, he does the cross shot and Kageyama is there to get it. He's a genius and Tsukki and Hinata are shook that he was able to pull that off. And this is when we get the imagery of Ushijima holding their heads down with force.
rainbow
07:32
Yes, and again, the animation in this episode is so good. Ushijima's spike is really cool. The way that they animate this, it's all like there's like a almost like a colored filter over it and it's all like there's like a almost like a colored filter over it and it's like a black background and it's almost like shaky. It looks really really cool. And, yeah, I love the visual imagery of Tsukishima and Hinata being held down and Hinata's like he's so damn cool.
07:57
Yeah, I love, just like Goshiki, he's so mad that Ushichima is so cool. It really gives me chills every time we see this and I know there have been times where I have actually teared up watching this scene because we're kind of flipping back and forth between this imagery of Tsukihina being held down and between what's happening in the game and we see the senpai coming in to save the day. We see Tanaka, Asahi and Daichi and we see them on the court like saving the ball, getting it back up in the air, and that translates into their three the three of them picking Ushijima up so he's no longer crushing Tsukihina.
em
08:31
Right when Tsukihina and Hinata's heads are down, a hand shoots out, and that's when we have Daichi saving it and then Asahi and Tanaka helping, and yeah, then we got that imagery of them helping to push it up. Because, like, as much as we will switch between, like, concentrating on how everyone contributes, Daichi's receives and Tsukki's blocking and Hina does crazy moves, like it all is a group effort to beat this. Really, this one fucking guy.
rainbow
08:54
Yes, and it really is like so beautiful that it's like these two first years who are being held down and it's their upperclassmen coming to like help them. I think that you know there's just. I feel like there's so much meaning in this episode that I'd like to talk about at the end, once we've reached the conclusion.
em
09:09
And so they make it. So it's Karasuno's chance ball, but Hinata isn't running up right away, which is which throws Shiratorizawa off. They notice this, and even Kageyama looks surprised. We have Grandpa Ukai smiling, thinking he's slowing down his tempo from minus to first to blend in as he and he runs up with everyone for the attack. So now Shira Torazawa really can't be sure who's going to hit it, and we have imagery of all the like. I am in tears for this entire section, where we have all the imagery of the crows flying at the eagle.
rainbow
09:39
Yes, they're flying at the eagle and it's a very cool, like cinematic shot. It's slowed down, everyone's in slow motion. We have Kageyama setting the ball, we have everyone going to jump, the camera is rotating around them and it's as we're seeing Hina to go for a spike that we see the crows like flying along with him and then it transfers into them in the sky, attacking the eagle and Hina just slams it through and gets the winning point attacking the eagle.
em
10:06
And he slams it through and gets the winning point as the ball slowly and dramatically starts to go to the ground. Grandpa Ukai thinks volleyball is a sport of height. It is an absolute that tall players are strong. Strengthening each player is a strength and so is finding new ways to fight. That's exactly why there are so many different attacks and defenses today. The great coach, ari sellinger, said there is no reason to believe that there will be no development or changes in the future. This really feels like I mean this whole manga is, but like these moments in particular feel like such a love letter to volleyball and what it's all about. And I did a little bit of Googling into Ari Selinger and it sounds like he he like brought the US Olympics women's team like to become a powerhouse in the 80s and he introduced like a lot of like combination attacks and stuff like that.
rainbow
10:49
So I mean he would be very proud of karasuno, I think and I think it's interesting that he was a, he coached a woman's team and brought them up because I feel like they've talked about hina to using techniques that usually see in women's volleyball, and I think there is like and maybe this isn't like um, like um, a purposeful commentary, but I think you can look into that and you can read from that that like hey, it's like there is almost this like kind of like gender subversion there as well as well of just like hey, you know, like it's not just like men's volleyball, yeah, that's changing the game and like there are things that I think men can learn from women and bring into sports.
11:23
Um, and so I I really like, even if that wasn't put in there purposely, I like that it's there for us to see. I also want to note Washijo's face when Hinata gets that spike. He is like shocked, but also it feels like there's almost a look of awe, like he can't believe this is happening there's like an angry smile yes a la Kageyama you know, a lot like everyone who's ever played Hinata yeah, um, yeah.
11:48
And so you know Hinata hits it, they get the point and there's a silent moment after the ball hits the floor and then all we hear is the whistle. And then there's another like moment and then karasuno's cheering section breaks out into thunderous applause. It's, it's so good. I have, um, I have just like a quick like note of everything that like kind of happens. Do you mind if I just go through that? So we have Yachi Yachi fainting and psycho catching her. We have a kitaru who's still down like in the doorway from when he ran back with tsukishima, and there's some like random guy in the doorway with him and he's like hey, you see that kid in the glasses, that's my my brother, that always gets me.
12:23
It's really, really sweet. And then and then, finally, on the court, the team they have their moment of celebration and all the third years come together and they're hugging each other and they're crying and I just I can't. They did it, they're going to nationals just like they said they would.
em
12:38
I love the way Daichi like turns around and he's so like dazed and exhausted and he just grabs onto Asahi and Suga joins and they just start screaming and I think it's kind of interesting because they're celebrating and then we have the first year. Tsukki Kagehina are kind of like, I think they're just like dead tired. But I think it's a different, like like the third years, this is like a really emotional moment for them because this was really their last chance to to grab this chance. And the first years, especially like Tsukki and Kageyama, are more of the logical side of things and they they're kind of just like watching, almost a little confused, at this display of emotion.
rainbow
13:14
And then all the second years run and jump them yeah, I really I do like that we get like the third years because I think it makes sense. Like you said, suki Kage are more like logical and I think Hinata, he's just so like, so cocky in that way that where he's just like no, we're going to nationals, it's going to happen, whereas the third years have spent two years being beaten down and not getting practice matches, like the first years have had such a different experience on Karasuno than our third years and even our second years have had. Um and so, and I think it's so beautiful that we get this like moment, because we had the moment earlier in the season, because, isn't it true? In the manga, the third year flashback comes much earlier. Right, yes, like it happens in technically, what we saw is season two, so I think it's very important that they moved it up.
13:56
I think that was very smart. I think that's more cohesive for the story they're telling in season three, because we get early on the the first years or the third years as first years and then we get to see them as third years. They are going to nationals, they're gonna do it and like even going back to the end of season one. They wouldn't have this moment if they had decided to quit the team and focus on their careers and I know in this moment there is no way they regret making that decision. It was totally. Whatever comes in the future, it is worth it to have this moment with their friends and their team. Yes, so we go.
em
14:29
We go to Shiratorizawa's side and they're they're obviously sad and we go to the sidelines and tendo breathes in and he says farewell, my paradise it honestly is sad because I think that's one of the few, that's one of the only places tendo felt like he could do his thing, and be himself.
rainbow
14:46
He could be himself and be accepted for it and like loved for it. And and I do, I love that moment and you know, as I feel, like I said way early on, that, like I, I love that Shiratorizawa loses and I do like watching them lose this. But for the individual players, it's Haikyuu does this where it's just like I am sad for them. It it does make me sad that, like their time is over and like this team with Ushijima and Reon and Tendo, like they don't get to play together after this Right, and that is a sad thing. Sucks to suck, yeah. And then I love the shot of Tsukihina Kage staring down Ushijima while he walks away.
em
15:24
Yeah, because really I mean again, it was a whole team effort, but I feel like it's those three in particular that really like were the reason that they won.
rainbow
15:39
Yeah, well, and Kagehina had like the background story with Ushijima and they had that like confrontation with him and then Tsukishima it wasn't until this game but like it was really him and Ushijima, like he was always there to block him, except for when he got injured, right.
em
15:51
Now in the stands, Oikawa is wishing that Ushijima looked more upset, and I meant to say this last episode. I fully believe, listen. I believe that Oikawa wishes that they had both lost, but I think if you put a gun to his head and force him to choose who to root for, it would be Karasuno it would absolutely be Karasuno.
rainbow
16:07
Yes, I, I totally think so. I think there is a part of him that is happy that Ushijima has lost, and I think it comes out in the dub. What he says is he's like oh, he can't even be sad about it, like he's an enormous emotionless bastard. And you know what he wants to see Ushijima crushed yeah, sorry, sorry, not gonna happen.
em
16:24
Washijo as so Karasuno, you know says thank you to the coaches and they didn't really get like a little talk with them, which I felt like usually happened, and maybe that's just because of who the coaches are. But as they walk away, Washijo asks the other coach if number 10 is about as tall as he is, and then he says he'll probably grow. The higher his goals get, the more treacherous his path will be, and I feel like this is the beginning. Like Washijo, I think cares about Hinata, or is at least like interested. I feel like Hinata, by defeating them, proved something to Washijo, and Washijo wasn't able to defeat him with all his 40 years, and maybe he's almost giving Washijo a sense of hope that it doesn't just have to be big, tall players that can make it I think it's so important that we got a view, that we got a look on Washijo's face while Hinata was spiking that last hit.
rainbow
17:12
I think that is so very telling and, yes, I'm very excited, like you know, folks. Um, it's not really a spoiler, but like we're not done with Washijo, and we are very excited for what we get to talk about with him later on in the series back in the stands again, Iwaizumi.
em
17:28
I just love like this proud father moment. But he just says Kageyama does good work, Oikawa and him talk. And Oikawa lines out like did you notice? Like suki you talking to them and was like they probably were planning for that three block where they blocked his straight and that's why Tobio switched with Hinata and Iwa goes your student's not bad. And Oikawa obviously has to be like he's not my student. And then he goes on to say well, all of their good work only happened because of the blocks of that first year with the glasses. And he also says I guess shrimpy is a spiker you want to toss to. No wonder he's got Tobio wrapped around his little finger Oikawa knows.
rainbow
18:07
Oikawa knows what's going on there. Everybody knows every yes, everyone can see it. Everyone can see their soulmate ism. Um, it's yes, it's really yeah, I really like it. And then, um, Oikawa is like pushing awaisami away. He's like like, come on, I don't want to choke on my own barf at this award ceremony.
em
18:26
Oh my God, and we also just have a little moment of ROG. Random old guy. The way he's cheering, he's like clapping fast and like it looks like he's on the verge of cheers. It made me laugh out loud.
rainbow
18:37
And Yachi like literally cannot stop crying, and neither can the vice principal. And I love when we see like the like because his wig has fallen off at some point, and the excitement and there's like a like a shining spot off his bald head. It's so funny.
em
18:50
So now on the other side, Shiratorizawa is shell shocked that they actually lost. Shirabu says well, leon kind of checks on Shirabu and he's like I just didn't expect to lose and Leon's like I don't think any of us did.
rainbow
19:05
No, they didn't expect to lose, and Leon's like I don't think any of us did. No, they, they were so sure, they were so sure they were gonna win. And I think that goes back to the complacency that comes with being a powerhouse you win, and you win, and you win, and you start to believe that you can't lose and especially, like you know.
em
19:18
Maybe they're so used to just beating Seijo, but it's like this team won against all the other teams for a reason. Maybe have your guard up a little bit. Yeah, washie Joe has no kind words for his team. He goes, we'll have what.
rainbow
19:30
No, I'm sorry, I'm just holding up my hand because I just this fucking guy.
em
19:35
He's like we'll have a meeting when we get back to school. Get on the bus. You'll be doing 100 serves.
rainbow
19:40
And I just I really I hope he's not too hard on them. I know he, I don't know what he's going to say. I don't know, maybe he is like shook enough from his like worldview being changed because of Hinata, but it's just like god, I hope we don't see him.
em
19:54
I will say I was gonna save this for the manga versus anime bit, but I'll just mention it now. I think in the manga Tendo remembers the whole like I'll make you run back to the school and he thinks that. And then Washijo says get on the bus. I think that that's Washicho's version of like, being kind by not making them run to school.
rainbow
20:14
He's like, yeah, I think like he's got to recognize that they did, they played an amazing game. They fought till the very end. It's just, you know, at the end of the day, karasuno, you know they've evolved, they are an evolved team and your team, you've been doing the same thing over and over again.
em
20:30
Right. So I've noted that Karasuno is a much more emotional team in comparison. Takada is sobbing with joy and I love the way Ukai grabs Daichi and says, good job completing that three-person block. And then he grabs Tsukki and says, no matter what anyone says, you're the MVP today.
rainbow
20:46
And that is true. And we have Yamaguchi like very excited that you know Tsukishima is getting this praise. But then Yamaguchi notices that Tsukishima has like almost a disappointed look on his face after Ukai walks away from him. Oh, and something I forgot, I wanted to highlight um, when Karasuno is thanking their cheering section, Daichi holds up the good luck charm that Michimiya made for him and she has a little like moment of like, oh, and it's very sweet. Yeah, they're cute.
21:09
And then do you have anything else to say about karasuno before we go to ushi ten? Nope, I love this, I love this little scene. I love getting ushi ten stretching together. You just know, since first year they've always done their after game stretches together and had a little debrief. And and I also, before we get into what they talk about, because I think it is important, I just want to note that tendo shoes are white and Ushijima shoes are black and I just like that. I like that. They're a little. They got little opposite shoes. Of course, tendo mentions he talks to Ushijima about like you looked mad there at the end, and Ushijima says like I wanted to beat him, I wanted, I wanted to show him I'm stronger than him, and he says I wanted to rub it in. Not very mature of me, I guess he's like is that I wanted to say I'm stronger than you.
em
21:50
Is that childish of me? I guess he's like is that child? I wanted to say I'm stronger than you. Is that childish of me? I still wanted to say it. And Tendo, I just love their dynamic. Tendo's like isn't what drives most people childish in general.
rainbow
22:00
I love that and I think that's such a good insight into Tendo's character and like it's a good reminder that like he is the guest monster because he's good at reading people and I think he, like you know I just oh, I would love it. I like Fix from Tendo's perspective because he is like you know, he sees that in people I think even Watchy Joe. I think he has like childish motivations he wants to. He's still stuck as that like hurt, traumatized teen. We're not traumatized, but he's still that hurt teenager who was told he wasn't good enough because he was short and that's like what his whole coaching career has been has been shitting on other little guys because he was shit on and yeah, I mean, they all just want to like beat each other.
em
22:36
They're all little rivals and it is it comes from, I think, a very like pure childish kind of nature. Tendo goes on to say that was a great straight. I feel like I got to see a new side of you. That's the Hinata effect. I feel like Hinata brings that out of anyone. Yes, he then goes on to tell Ushi that he's quitting after high school, but he'll watch him on TV and brag that they were best buds and he's like you have my permission in your documentary to name me as an old teammate or like I can interview as your old teammate and Ushijima's like okay.
rainbow
23:07
Yeah Ushi, yeah Ushijima. I don't even know if it's like a confused okay or if he's just like okay. I think like that's just not what Ushijima thinks about. He's like he's not thinking about like being famous or being getting sponsorships or being in a documentary. He's just thinking about like I will continue to play volleyball, I will continue to strengthen myself, I will continue to be somebody that my teammates can rely on.
em
23:34
So Ushijima finds Kagehina standing at the scoreboard and tells them he'll defeat them next time an interesting threat, considering that this is ushiwaka's last year of high school and he would only see them again on a professional level he knows.
rainbow
23:40
He knows that they won't give up. He knows that he will be seeing them again in the future and that's something we will talk about next season as well. Their opponents recognizing who they are, that they are fellow volleyball idiots or volleyball monsters, right before Ushijima walks up kagehina because they're looking at the scoreboard and Hinata says like almost begrudging, like ushiwaka was so damn amazing he was, and after he says that, kagehina.
em
24:06
I love their reaction. They're so ridiculous. They wrestle to basically like Hinata, like bumps in front of Kageyama and is like I'm going to prove that I'll be on the same level as you. And then Kageyama bumps him and is like I'll make sure you say I'm better than Oikawa. Everyone has their goals, I guess.
rainbow
24:23
It's just they're so adorable and I bet Ushijima doesn't like react a ton to this, but I hope in his head he's a little bit like, oh, like, oh, these two are adorable, it's like I remember being a first year with tendo yes, um, and then is this where we get the tsukiyama moment in the bathroom.
24:39
Yeah, so we have tsukishima in the bathroom. He's washing his face, and my, my note here is just like you got to find the right balance, because he went from not caring enough to caring too much it reminds me of when Ennoshita was upset in the bathroom.
em
24:53
Even though he did a fine job, he like didn't want to like get too ahead of himself or something. These boys are just so ridiculous. Sometimes he's being emo in the bathroom and Yamaguchi finds him and is like you know, we got to get to the award ceremony and Tsukki just starts. He's upset because he said he was going to stop a few of Uchijima's blocks and he only stopped one. And just as he's about to say how lame Yamaguchi is, like it's not lame, are you stupid? We have to go to nationals, nationals, but first the award ceremony and then he storms off.
rainbow
25:24
I love this new Yamaguchi who's not afraid to tell Tsukishima what for, and Tsukishima agrees he's like yeah, as always, he like straightens himself up and then he smiles. Boyfriends yes, and so it is award ceremony time I'm crying again.
em
25:42
The captain and vice captain of Karasuno accept the like certificate and the trophy and the rest of the boys have a medal on and Hinata's standing there looking so proud, so proud.
rainbow
25:52
This is, and it's also official. Also official and like I don't know who the fuck this guy is, who's giving them these awards. I like that we just get like it doesn't matter who cares. I'm sure, like in Japan, like we're like you know, people know, like oh yeah, that's, this is the person who hands out awards, but like honestly, I wouldn't know who who hands out the awards at our high school tournaments. I don't know anything about sports. Um yeah, and he needed to look so freaking proud with that medal around his neck. It's so cute and like it's talking about like you will represent our prefecture in the spring national tournament.
em
26:25
They're legit as hell. So then later on they have dinner at that little restaurant they always go to and half the team is like falling asleep in their food and Takeda is still crying. Takada is drunk.
rainbow
26:37
It's so fucking funny because, like uka is just like he's talking about the team and he's like come on, guys, my, like my uncle's son like does this kind of thing at the table? Like grow up. And then Takeda is like he like he has this head down weeping, and then he like looks up and he's like I'm so happy. And then Ukai says Specs, that's real sweet, but maybe you should slow down. And also, that's the eighth time you've said that listen Takara.
em
27:00
I got it baby he worked so hard to help get them there.
rainbow
27:04
He's so proud he's really and you know what, yeah, and like the, I'm so happy, it's not about him, he's so proud of the team. I'm sure he's already finding ways to be like oh, you know, like I didn't do anything, it was the team who did stuff, and it's like no Specs, like you were the one who gave them these opportunities to grow.
em
27:20
We finally get the commercial break and then we come back to. I don't know if it's the next day or whatever, but we're at school.
rainbow
27:26
And there's a congratulatory banner for the volleyball club. Congratulations on making it to nationals.
em
27:32
Yeah, Karasuno actually gets to celebrate their team again for the first time in a few years. Back in Hinata's class he has a very proud smile on as other kids fawn over the fact that they're going to nationals and they're like, oh, you had some strong third years and scary second years and that beautiful manager. And they ask like, where's nationals gonna be? And he's like Tokyo national is gonna be. And he's like tokyo and these little fuckers a couple of the boys who obviously weren't there are like um, oh, so you're gonna be like the water boy.
rainbow
27:58
Fuck you. I said fuck these little guys, fuck these little boys who think Hinata is a water boy like he got the game winning point. They'll see, they'll all see, they'll all see. No, and I do. I love that like. This is not the first time Hinata has been like around like his classmates talking about the volleyball thing.
em
28:16
I bet he is like the most popular kid in their class like if, like, I think I feel like he's like how you were in school, like he didn't have trouble with friends and like had has friends of all different, like uh, groups and stuff yeah, like he's.
rainbow
28:29
He's like a great equalizer, like he can talk to like anybody and from any. I mean he made friends with Kageyama.
em
28:35
He can make friends with anyone uh, in Yachi's class she is concentrating hard on a rough sketch of their next poster and it's cute. The girls are like, oh, you know, she's been working a lot lately, all for it to be the manager. That's, that's too bad. And other girls like yeah, she looks like she's having fun and she is our little villager bee.
28:55
She really knows what she's doing In the club room, Hinata, with his little meat sweater. It just says Oniku on his sweater. He got a text from Kenma, his little bestie, saying congratulations, and they talk about how the Tokyo qualifiers work out, where Tokyo is so big that they'll have two representatives at nationals. Four teams go against each other and two will end up representing nationals. They're excited. You know, Nekoma is really going to be their next big challenge and Hinata is like it'll be great to play against Nekoma, right, Kageyama I love how he looks to Kageyama for validation and Kageyama.
rainbow
29:39
Mr Cool Guy is like well that. Then he runs to the balcony and looks up into the sky because he's the main character, the most main character move ever, and he's like, he's like, yeah, he's like it's gonna be the battle of a century or something, and that's the end of the episode.
em
29:44
However, there is post credits well, there's, there's credits.
rainbow
29:48
so instead of our regular ending, we get like the credits are over, um, like a series of shots of really like the town, like preparing for Karasuno. They're like Saeko is at the Tanaka family restaurant, like they have it on their menu, like letting people know, like, hey, they're going to nationals like donate some money. We see Shimada in his shop. He's accepting donations, Ukai is on the phone with, and Takanoe and him are in the store and like they're getting excited for things. We also get to see, we get a little peek at Tokyo and we see the team banners for those four teams who are going up against each other and Nekoma and Fukurodani facing off on a set of stairs. And then it ends. The credits end on Yachi's beautiful poster with Hinata up in in the air, looking very much like the little giant with the way we see him in the first episode.
em
30:37
Yachi knows who the main character is? She sure does. And then, after post-credits, we have what will actually not really a spoiler alert, but this is how we'll start season four and, interestingly enough, season four has a new animation style, so it's kind of cool to compare this little scene with the different animations. But we have the team are recording their jumping heights for the nationals brochure and Hinata goes up to jump and everyone is watching intensely and, uh he, his jumping height is just as high as Asahi's, but still not as high as Kageyama's. And Kageyama is all too pleased to know that. And Hinata is like like all right, next challenge is blocking. And Kageyama's like whoever loses has to buy gun gun yogurt for the next week.
rainbow
31:20
I love their little competitions. You know, everything with them is a competition. I bet they even like I'm gonna get higher on the next English exam. I'm gonna get like every, it's so cute. I love them. Um, because and because Kageyama is just just as into it as Hinata is. Yeah, that's their love language. And then we see Takada getting a phone call and then he runs into the gym and what's his news in?
31:45
Kageyama has been invited to the youth training camp yes and every and like Kageyama looks like, has like a shocked but like proud look on his face and Hinata looks up at him in wonder.
em
31:56
In absolute wonder and everyone is excited or is shocked by this. They obviously know what it means and it's the youth it makes me think of when Ushijima is the youth representative, and it's like these are the kids who are going to go on to probably be in professional volleyball and even the Olympic team.
rainbow
32:18
So it's a very big deal that Kageyama got invited and then that is officially where we leave off season three. Yeah, and we'll talk about that, the scene again in season four, because it's extended a bit and they're like, we see a little bit more, I think, happening, um, and that'll be exciting because I do, I love because, like, as soon as Hinata like does his like, he does what he needs to do to measure and like, before Yachi can even measure it, he's like how high? And Kageyama's like yeah, tell us, because it's a competition.
em
32:39
They have no chill, they really don't.
rainbow
32:41
Okay, all right. Well, that's the end of the fucking episode. That's the end of season three. Can you believe it?
em
32:48
I can't believe it. I can't believe we only have one more season left. Thank God it's a 25-episoder.
rainbow
32:53
Yes, we have one more 25-episode season, we have a movie, we have some OVAs, and then who knows when the next movie is coming out, or maybe the season I don't know if we've talked about.
em
33:03
Did we talk about the water commercial? Oh no, we didn't. Guys, I'm sure if you're on Twitter, you they did like a Haikyuu water commercial Aquarius, which I thought was fun because Rainbow's an Aquarius, but it's a short commercial of Hinata like doing, and I think they probably have been reusing animations and whatnot, but he looks so like the animation and everything is very crisp and clear looking and it's, I think, a great sign that they're trying to like raise money for, hopefully, a season.
rainbow
33:30
I hope it's a season. I'll be really, because you know, I think we've talked about it on the podcast before that. We got word that they're doing. You know, the next movie is no longer called the Final Movie, Yup, and it's about Fukurodani.
em
33:41
Well, no, that's an OVA. Oh right, right, right. Excuse me, they are getting an OVA. Yeah, it's like versus the little giant. Which then, I think, would really set them up for a season of the time skip.
rainbow
33:55
Yeah, Again, it's like listen, I still don't think they can put the whole time skip into a movie, absolutely not. They need to put it into a season. It needs to be a season and I really hope that that's what they're gearing up for. If we just get a movie, obviously I'll still watch it, but it's going to be like the Nekoma thing, where it's going to be a little bittersweet of just like well, I'm glad we got something, but I want more, and it's not just that I want more. I think the show deserves it. I think this series and this story deserves to be told to its fullest.
em
34:24
I really don't want the final like big game I'll just say that to avoid spoilers to be stuffed into a movie. That would be horrible. It already was not great for Nekoma's game, but like this it needs time. Give her time.
rainbow
34:38
The season could be like well, I won't get, I'll get into spoiler things, but yeah, we'll talk about that in the spoiler zone, but for now let's move out of spoilery territory and into manga versus anime.
em
34:48
Okay, manga versus anime. This episode covers chapters 188 to 190. I already mentioned the Washijo note, and another interesting change is in the manga when Ushijima goes up to Kagehina. At the end they're not standing in front of the scoreboard, they're talking to Hinata's childhood friends, and after Ushijima walks away, after the little confrontation, both of his friends have the thought bubble holy crap, just who is Shou-chan now Like? Both of his friends have the thought bubble holy crap, just who is Shou-chan now Like? Yeah, he's so buckle in. He's only beginning. There's also a cute little bonus illustration at the end titled Overwhelming Joy, and it's just a rough sketch of Tsukki being tackled by Nishinoya, with Yamaguchi excited in the background. But then the next little panel right under that is Suki, because Nishinoya went right into his stomach. So then we have Tsukki bent over in pain and Yamaguchi is like Suki, and then in the background Noya has tackled Asahi, but his whole body is wrapped around Asahi's face. I love that. I enjoyed that a lot.
rainbow
35:51
Yeah, honestly, if you could send that to me, I'll post just especially just the aussie one oh, absolutely okay.
em
35:58
So then and this isn't this might be in like one of the movies or something where they go more in depth of the whole game or whatever, but uh, this wasn't in the episode. We have Shiratorizawa being back at the school after the game and we have Ushijima giving advice to the second years. He talks to Kawanishi about how he's going to be the new cornerstone of their blocking without Tendo. He phrases it like now that Tendo is no longer with us and Tendo's like please don't kill me off, and he tells him to improve his serving. And then he goes on and tells Shirabu to make the best of each of their hitters. You know, now you don't just have the golden boy, you've got to work with everybody and to work on his receives, and so on and so forth. He gives every team member similar, just kind of like blunt, but I would love this kind of like advice Like this is what you need to work on. That's it Like no frills, but not trying to be hurtful Very direct feedback, right? Goshiki is nervously waiting for.
rainbow
36:56
Which is really beautiful. It's really beautiful. And you know, for all the shit I've talked about Ushijima this season, he's a good ace, he's a good captain, he's a good senpai. And then Goshiki cries right.
em
37:08
Yes, and I cry and we all cry. Now I don't know where this lands. If this is in an OVA, perhaps, but it's not in this episode. So I wanted to point it out. Because next we get Nekoma and they're getting ready for their qualifiers and we have the Nohebi captain, the snakes, and they're bickering and they're very petty. He's like goading Kuroo about his hair and how does he make it tall to like make his height taller, and then like they're just poking at each other. And then Lev comes up from behind and is like we're different now and they have like a moment where Yaku is like you took a really long time in the bath, like taking a shit, and Lev is like how did you know it was long? And Yaku was like I meant the length of time, not the actual length of it. Love the love Yaku moment about poopy. And then the only other thing is there's a bonus story towards the end of, I think, 190. And we have a few.
38:03
You guys, as fans will know, enoshita is like into directing movies and there's like all these different movie posters of these different genres and if you are not familiar, look them up, because there's several. There's like horror and action and like fantasy the Harry Potter one we talked about but this one is about the three girls. So Psycheko, Kiyoko and Yachi are like kind of like the spy girls, and I had to roll my eyes a little bit because it's basically about Yachi lamenting the fact that she was put next to two busty women and she's flat and the first years of all. People are like trying to cheer her up. Hinata says well, you're still growing.
38:42
And Kageyama, who has a one-track mind on Hinata, assumes that Hinata's talking about his own growth and is like don't rush, squirt or whatever. And he's like I'm not talking about that. I understand when you hear boobs, you go offline because you don't care, because you're gay, but pay attention. And then Tsukki is just like what does he say? Tsukki says some people like smaller girls, which is whatever. And then Yamaguchi comes in and says what is attractive to is different to each person, which actually comforts Yachi. And Takada says out of all of them, Yamaguchi will have the least trouble finding a girlfriend. Well, he's got a girlfriend and his name is Tsukishima.
rainbow
39:16
I do Listen. I do believe that Yamaguchi would have the easiest time dating because Tsukishima is a total cunt and Kagehina are obsessed with each other and volleyball.
em
39:25
Seriously, Yamaguchi is, I think, the closest to that as well, and I think I've said this before, but like if I had to pick a straight ship, YamaYachi is very cute, I think, yeah.
rainbow
39:35
And I you know like that is. There's some annoying stuff going on in there with like the small boob thing, but I think it is cute that her like four fellow like first year boys are like not in a creepy way but are just like trying to cheer her up. That is a little. You know what they're all such lesbos for her, absolutely.
em
39:51
It's very sweet. Okay, and that's it for manga versus anime. Then what comes next in the manga is Nekoma versus Fukurodani, is um Nekoma versus Fukurodani, yes, which I think we get ovas about that, yeah, so we'll probably be skipping ahead in the manga because we're going right to well, not right to nationals, but we got, it definitely goes out of order at this point for the pod purposes of the podcast, we're going to do season four first, then we'll talk about ovas, then we'll get into the movie yeah, and then we'll see how long it takes us to get through all of that.
rainbow
40:20
Fingers crossed we get a new movie, um, in between then and then if we don't, if we have to wait for a movie, we'll figure some other stuff out. But, baby, we've got I. I was doing the planning, um, and season four is taking us into early november, so you've got several months with us. Oh fun.
em
40:35
Yeah, it's like right before your birthday so, as we do with the last episodes, uh, rainbow is going to walk us through the ending songs and animations and all that, and so we will not have a who in Haikyuu or a character spotlight. We'll have lots of new characters to get into next season, though, so don't miss it too much. Yes, and with that, rainbow, take us away.
rainbow
40:55
Okay. So I think I've probably mentioned this before, but season three has my favorite opening and endings. But the song and the animations for me are just like top tier. I think they're perfect, um, I really love them.
41:07
So the um opening song is oh, I actually didn't write down um, but it's, it's Hikari uh Ale. I have no idea. I think so it's spelled A-R-E, but I think it's pronounced uh with an L, um because of the, the Japanese language and their R-L thing. They've got going on and, oh, my god, I really wish I had written down who it's by. I did that for the ending song anyway. I think it's by Burnout Syndrome's um.
41:32
They've done quite a bit, but I have, as usual, I have the lyrics and I have a little note about, kind of, some of what we see in the animation. So I pulled out some of the lyrics that I thought were particularly um interesting or poignant for this season. So first one is like lighting a fire to the cells of the body. I breathed in the air as much as I could, with blood and sweat as offerings and admiration as the sacred fire. Oh, wow. And then so, and the the title, hikari ale, means let there be light, and I even took note of the kanji for this one, because the kanji for the that first part, like the Hikari part, it kind of almost looks like some sort of like the sun rising with like the rays. Do you see the kanji there? He means sun. Yes, that's why I have to contribute. Yes, yeah, so Hikari Ale.
em
42:25
Hikari Aleikari, ale oh yeah, yes, you got it.
rainbow
42:29
Um, and then there's only one reason to kick the ground I can fly even more radiant, radiantly. Let there be light. Your sparkles from today will light up a hesitating friend's way, which that was giving tsukishima to me. He's the hesitating friend. Hell, yeah, yeah, um. The wall that stands high, the monsters that feed on worries. What drills windholes through them is the slight possibility and the courage to believe. And then I? This line was so kagehina to me so I had to pull it. Let there be light. Go, matching your steps with the shadow.
em
43:04
Kageyama's the shadow.
rainbow
43:05
Kageyama's the shadow, Hinata is the light. They are complimentary, yes. And then for the animation. Again, I think this is like the crow versus eagle imagery throughout the season and throughout this opening animation I think is really cool. We have, like it starts with Karasuno on a mountain peak looking up at this mountain that then turns into a giant eagle and then we cut to Shiratorizawa, watching a flock of crows fly into the air. There's lots of gameplay with focus on Karasuno's defense and Ushijima spiking. There's a super cool shot of Ushijima like turning to the camera, followed by Hinata, like in front of him, doing the same, and both of them have these really intense looks in their eyes. We have a shot of Hinata going for a spike and it's super cool because he's like at the very top of his jump. The image turns into a crow, like diving down below, and then we see the ball landing on the court and we end on both of the teams approaching from either side of the net and there's a flash of lightning and in that flash of lightning we see a giant eagle versus the flock of crows. It's so fucking good. It's just listen.
44:13
You know everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but this is just one of the best. I think everybody the animators, the, the musicians, everyone put their whole pussies into this one and yeah, and the music is really good. So that is the opening, and then we have the ending, which is so simple, but it's still my favorite fucking ending, and I really love the song. It's Mashi Mashi by Nico Touches the Wall, and Nico Touches the Wall has done earlier songs and I only grabbed a few lyrics from this.
44:41
I want to face the challenge. Even when you second guess yourself, hold on to your beliefs and fight through. There is a chance right there. There's a chance and take it. Yes, and even if people keep saying that you are naive, no matter how many times you are told that you're wrong, now it's up to you. And then now it's up to you is like my favorite long ato wa kimi shita eres, ato wa kimi shidai.
45:08
I fucking love that song. It's so good. That's gonna be the song I learned. I used to like learn Japanese pronunciation, um and then. And so what we have for the animation is we just have a scrolling drawing of all of the team, all like the major teams that Karasuno has faced, starting with Shiratorizawa, and what I love about this drawing is that we get to see every character's personality in it and we really get to like and like the vibe of their team. So I just have like a list I'm gonna run through. So we have Ushijima running like upright, um, and Nintendo is doing like a creepy, like Naruto run he's like bent in half yeah he looks like a scary monster.
45:46
Um, we have Date Tech, uh running, so they, they come next and the third years are in their school uniforms, like in the background cheering them on. Um, we have Josenji being wild, with their manager leading them. We have Fukuro Donnie um with Bokuto like swinging around wildly and the managers are like pushing and pulling him along, while Akashi just like runs ahead, just like not paying any mind. We have Nekoma and we have like some of the guys in the background carrying Nekomata, who's like grinning. We have Yamamoto, like looking like a punk, and then we have Kuroo is running and he's like all like excited and he's got Kage or not Kageyama. He's got Kenma by the back of his shirt, like bringing him along, while Kenma's just playing his video game. We have Seijo and we have Mad Dog running, very dog-like. And then, probably my favorite part, is Owazumi, with like kind of a pissed off look on his face, is running but he's got his hand like kind of pushing Oikawa forward, because Oikawa is not running. He is strolling casually like he couldn't be bothered. God, what a smug little prick. I love him.
46:50
And then we have Karasuno and everyone is just perfect. All of their fans are behind them, and this is the first time I really paid attention to it. But Narita and Kanoshita are in the background with the cheering section. They're not even with the team. Kanoshita is up with the team, rip, rip to our boys, um, and then you know just another.
47:12
Tanaka is running on all fours like a fucking animal, suki is like barely jogging, and then it the very like I guess it's the beginning of the drawing, but the last thing we see is Kageyama like stooped, like he's about to jump up in the air, and Hinata is already up in the air in like spike position, and oh, it's just so perfect. I want, like, I want each of those like teams, like isolated, and I want, like all of them, to be my computer background, and I would love to see the team that we, the big team that we meet next year, um, even the, the team that we'll get to see in the new movie that's coming out. I would love to see what their versions of this would look like yeah, they really do capture the personalities perfectly.
em
47:51
So, as I said, we don't have any who and Haikyuu or anything. So, before we get into the spoiler zone, let me hit you with our socials. We're on twitter, instagram, tumblr and blue sky at fly hq pod. That's F-L-Y-H-Q-P-O-D. You can also email us at FlyHQPod at gmail dot com. That's F-L-Y-H-Q-P-O-D at gmail dot com. And now it's the spoiler zone PU.
rainbow
48:16
this thing has been stinking up all season. All this stuff is rotten. It's just gotten only worse. I'm glad we get to close the door on this one.
em
48:24
Yeah, get ready for a new spoiler zone next season. The only thing I had to say is I think it's cute that, you know, while Ushiten are stretching, tendo declares them best buds, and in the time skip they have that really cute thing where they're like we're best friends.
rainbow
48:39
Yes, and I also want to say that moment happens when somebody is making a documentary about Tendo because he's a chocolatier.
em
48:46
yes, a very spin of the yes sure.
rainbow
48:52
I'm running out of my words, it's okay. I just wanted to note, when we've got that moment of um Hinata done his back row attack, everyone's kind of frozen. Ukai's talking and we see black and white feathers floating down, and it's specifically as Grandpa Ukai is talking about how volleyball is ever evolving and how, like, short players like can find ways to be strong.
em
49:15
And.
rainbow
49:16
I know that, like the white and the black feathers you know it's crows and eagles but it also reminds me of Hoshiumi and I feel like we get a white and black feather imagery used for hoshihina during their match, and I think it's just very interesting. I don't know if, like, if I'm just reading too much into it or if that really is, because specifically they're talking about like small players who are able to overcome these big giants, and that's what what Hoshiyomi is, and so I think it's interesting. Rather than an eagle and crow, we get a white and black feather because Hoshiyomi is his team's mascot, or seagulls, and he like weirdly, looks like a seagull. He's like the most like anime character of all of them. So, yeah, so really excited about that. And then, yeah, just for the time time skip, like the Jack Adler's game needs a season, especially because we have to do the Brazil arc yeah, that's what I wanted to, like.
em
50:07
The Brazil arc, I think could be done in like the first maybe five episodes, and then you can give the rest of it to black Jack. Black Jack, what is it? The black jackals? Yeah, jack Adler's game, yes, so yeah, I just I think a season would really make sense. So, fingers fucking crossed, y'all.
rainbow
50:25
Yeah, you know, let's just, let's keep our hopes up, keep our heads held high All right Season three Farewell my paradise.
em
50:33
And we'll see you again for season four. Oh, and the week after this will be another season break. This time it's going to be me and my friend Alex. While she visited me back in February, we recorded her reaction to the pilot. She's absolutely not an anime girly, so it's fun. So look out for that. And then after that week we'll be getting into season four, which is a favorite for a lot of people. I hope you like our takes. We're excited and sorry, no, go ahead. I was gonna say one last time for the moo. Until next time you guys fly high
rainbow
we did it, thank you.