NOTE: The following review contains spoilers for the movie and the manga through chapter 327.
In one of my most impulsive moments, I booked a first-day ticket to see the film Haikyuu!! Battle of the Garbage Dump – an arc that I and many others had longed to see animated for years. I’ll admit, I was rather apprehensive on hearing that it would be a film rather than an episodic show, but my worries were laid to rest as soon as the screening began.
Based on the manga of the same name by Haruichi Furudate, Haikyuu!! follows the journey of high school student Shouyou Hinata as he joins the Karasuno High School volleyball club in order to become a player on par with his childhood hero: a Karasuno alum known as the Little Giant. As the story progresses, the club grows from an almost-forgotten team to a national-level squad, and the season preceding this film focused on their preparations for the national tournament and the first two games. Now, in the third round, Karasuno faces off against their longtime rival Nekoma High School, ready to recreate the infamous Battle of the Garbage Dump.
Many years ago, the two schools (Karasuno represented by crows and Nekoma by cats) were fierce rivals, competing against each other at national tournaments several times. In this movie, the two teams return to the national stage for a highly-anticipated game against each other, determined to make the most of this vicious battle.
Condensing over 30 chapters into an 84-minute film is no easy task: there are dozens of important characters, multiple flashbacks and points-of-view, and even game analysis from coaches, commentators, and spectators. In these circumstances, one may have no choice but to adapt some sections of the story while leaving others out, raising concerns over pacing and character development. But Director Susumu Mitsunaka does the long-awaited battle justice, using powerful cinematography, lively dialogue, and soul-stirring music from composers Yuki Hayashi and Asami Tachibana.
Although Hinata is the protagonist of the overall series, it’s Kenma Kozume who is the star of this show. The movie begins with a flashback to Hinata and Kenma’s first meeting from the latter’s perspective, and follows Kenma’s experience of the infamous Battle of the Garbage Dump as he observes his teammates and opponents, aims to cage Hinata and prevent him from flying, and reflects on his own history with volleyball alongside childhood friend and teammate Tetsurou Kuroo.
Kenma’s voice actor Yuki Kaji brings to life a character who may be dispassionate and subdued by nature, but has grown to enjoy volleyball and appreciate the challenges this sport has thrown his way. When combined with the stunning animation towards the end, where the audience sees the final rally solely through Kenma’s eyes in a fluid yet largely silent first-person shot, we are exposed to a Kenma who has finally reached the place Hinata promised he would – a place where he can enjoy volleyball and say so out loud. Although Karasuno wins the game and advances to the next round, Kenma is the true victor of this battle, having finally expressed – to himself as well as Kuroo and Hinata – that he likes volleyball.
Even if you walk into the theatre knowing that Karasuno will emerge the winner, you can’t help rooting for Nekoma and especially Kenma. The conversations between players during lighthearted moments leave you and half the theatre in splits, and the emphasis on “mundane” flashbacks such as team meetings and practice sessions keep the audience reminded of what is at Haikyuu’s core – the work each player puts in to sharpen the skills they demonstrate at the battle and the interpersonal relationships between them, their teammates, and their opponents.
The game ends, not with a bang, but with an eerie calmness from Kenma’s side; yet, it does not take away the viewer’s impression that Kenma was keen to win and that however strenuous the game, however painful the loss, he had a good time. Despite knowing the outcome, despite anticipating the result, I had tears in my eyes towards the end of the movie, as it fulfils Furudate-sensei’s wish of creating a story where one wants to root for all the characters. Much like Hinata, I’d forgotten that this was a 3-set game, and was ready for the fourth set before being jolted back to reality and learning that the game had ended. I’d even forgotten that the movie was barely an hour and a half long.
Although the movie neglects to give some significant manga moments the spotlight – such as Karasuno setter Tobio Kageyama’s rapidly-growing skills and a flashback to the younger days of Karasuno’s and Nekoma’s most famous volleyball coaches – the rest of the film has done the battle justice and captured the key moments that made watching this match as thrilling as reading it. The return of rock band SPYAIR with its moving theme song “Orange” only adds to the energetic and hopeful atmosphere created by Haikyuu!! on page and screen, tapping into the feelings of nostalgia and excitement one experiences on the completion of this long-awaited battle. Overall, while 84 minutes may have been relatively short for such an important game, those 84 minutes leave no stone unturned in their quest to share with us a new perspective of the battle we’ve all been waiting for.
The next installment in the series is likely to be a movie following Karasuno’s subsequent game against Kamomedai High School – an arc that will leave you on the edge of your seat whether you’ve read the manga or not. If the first movie is anything to go by, then the second one will be as much of a must-watch, with unpredictability, passion, and anticipation that gives you a sudden urge to play a game of volleyball yourself, no matter what time the show ends. In the meantime, multiple watches of the first movie will have to suffice. Given that Battle of the Garbage Dump earned over 2 billion yen at the box office in the first three days alone, it looks as though I may not be the only one tempted to return to the theatres again and again.
Here’s hoping for a speedy international release!
