Original subtitles

May, Five years ago

Karasuno Sports Park Gymnasium

I'll see you at this year's national tournament.

But you say that every year.

Shut up. This year for sure.

We're looking forward to the "battle at the garbage dump"

at this year's nationals!

Unfortunately, both schools were eliminated

at the Inter-High preliminaries in June.

In March of the following year,

Karasuno High School of Miyagi

and Nekoma High School as second to represent Tokyo

attended the spring high-school volleyball nationals, but...

Karasuno was defeated in the third round,

and Nekoma was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Though both teams repeatedly played each other in practice matches,

they never battled each other in a public arena.

Eventually, both coaches retired.

Subsequently, both teams plunged into a period of steady decline.

Karasuno High School Volleyball Club

But now...

Ah!

The rematch of destiny is about to begin!

Haikyu!!

Episode 12: The Neko-Karasu Reunion

Kenma.

Hey, you're with Nekoma?

Oh. Yeah.

Why didn't you tell me?

Because you didn't ask...

But you said, "see you soon."

You must've known something.

Your t-shirt said "Karasuno High School."

Hey, hey, hey.

What business might you have with our setter?

It's fine.

S-Sorry...

You, too...

What business might you have with our first-year?

Is there a problem?

Wanna fight, city boy?

We're going to "fight." That's why we're here to play the match.

And stop the "city boy" thing. It's embarrassing.

Yamamoto, you're always quick to pick a fight. Stop it.

It makes you look stupid.

I'm sorry about that. He's an embarrassment.

I'm sorry, too. I'm embarrassed.

A lady... manager... beauty...

Score!

A lady manager.

We win yakisoba bread.

I'll make you regret this!

Taketora-san, you can't escape.

How come you know that guy?

I met him by coincidence during a town run.

He said he's Nekoma's setter.

Setter...

We're looking forward to our match today.

We're look forward to it, as well.

Wow, the ceiling's so high!

This is normal.

This guy is the crafty type.

It's been eight years. What's with the hair, Ukai?

Shut up, Naoi. You haven't changed a bit.

Hey, Keishin.

It has been a long time, Nekomata-sensei.

You look just like your geezer of a granddad.

I'm Takeda. We spoke on the phone.

Thank you very much for engaging us today.

You barraged me with calls until I had no choice.

I-I'm sorry.

I'm just kidding. Just kidding.

We've had good practice matches these last three days.

We're looking forward to today's match.

Yes. We are as well.

Even though my opponent isn't that geezer Ukai,

I'll show no mercy.

Let me be frank.

We've all just met.

We're awkward and fragmented.

But regardless, we're facing our first match.

We know nothing about Nekoma's team, nor the kind of walls we'll hit.

But when we find a wall,

that's our chance to jump over it.

We're like the blood in our veins.

We must flow without stopping.

Keep the oxygen moving

and your mind working.

Let's do this.

Yeah.

Kuro, can you stop giving those speeches?

They're embarrassing.

Who cares? They help set the mood.

They're supposed to be thought-provoking.

And that's that.

We're on time.

It's been so long...

since the last Battle at the Garbage Dump.

We now begin the practice match of

Nekoma High School versus Karasuno High School.

Let's play.

You're not nervous today, right?

Right.

Wow.

Short...

D-Don't underestimate me!

I'm not underestimating you at all.

Really?

Yeah.

Underestimate him at least a little, you bastard.

Shoya.

I told you I thought we're a strong team,

but it's not me that's strong.

It's everyone together.

Kenma, nice serve.

Asahi-san.

All right.

Sorry, a little short.

That's what you get for ditching a month, Asahi-san.

I'm sorry.

Kageyama, cover.

Yes.

Amazing speed. What the...

A fast attack from a place like that?

What the heck was that?

He wasn't watching the toss.

That was amazing.

I'm shocked.

Nice, Shoyo.

Thanks.

Here goes.

Fukunaga.

All right.

Nice receive.

Another fast attack.

That one was inevitable.

We're counting on you.

We're counting on you.

Yeah.

Good job.

Thanks.

Their libero is trouble.

Huh?

He's never seen Asahi-san's spike, yet the ball hit his hand.

I'm sorry.

Excuse me. Please take this.

Oh, yeah.

Don't mind, don't mind.

Nishinoya-kun switches position fast.

Yes, liberos specialize in defense,

so they can go in and out of the court often.

Net

Vanguard

Rear guard

In our team, the middle blockers, Hinata and Tsukishima,

rotate to rear guard to hit serves,

and when one rally is finished, Nishinoya makes the switch.

My turn.

This is ridiculous.

Forced to time out.

Their libero and spikers are good.

The most ridiculous of all is that setter.

He's a monster.

He tosses with incredible speed to the highest spiking point.

His control is as if he's threading a needle.

So he's a genius. We can't help that.

But, a genius in their midst doesn't guarantee their victory.

If Shoyo is the heart of their offense...

all we need to do is stop Shoyo.

Shoyo?

That speedy #10.

That #9 and #10 are, in a manner of speaking...

an oni and his iron club.

For starters, we steal the oni's iron club.

Nekoma Karasuno

Amazing. We're doing well.

I'm getting the creeps.

Huh?

Like we're being watched, and analyzed...

Damn it.

Nekoma Karasuno

Don't mind, don't mind.

That was close.

Sorry.

Their #7... he's following Hinata.

Nekoma moved the blockers to the side.

Yeah.

A dedicate shift.

Those blockers aren't there to mark the ace.

Maybe...

they're trying to pin down Hinata?

We can't let Shoyo move around so much.

From what I've seen,

Shoyo simply dashes to where there are no blockers.

So if the blockers move to one side,

he'll move to the opposite side.

Then all we have to do is chase him.

Yes.

I think anyone would be shocked the first time they saw that attack.

But even if we can't clear the first round of the game...

As they keep repeating the same move...

We'll get used to it.

Chase #10. Chase #10.

Touched again.

Fast attack's coming.

Damn.

Don't mind, don't mind.

That was a two-attack.

Hey, don't get too overt.

They can detect even the tiniest fault.

In front!

Sorry, Noya-san! Cover for me.

I got this.

Right!

What? Kageyama called for a toss?

Kageyama. Last.

Hey, that's called a straight. It goes straight along the sideline.

Learn to discriminate with your spikes.

This guy's so good, it's irritating...

Totally.

Nekoma Karasuno

Nice one, Tsukishima.

This guy is intelligent.

He observes and thinks carefully.

The complete opposite of Shoyo.

Nice serve.

Yamamoto.

All right.

Nice receive.

Who should I toss to?

To the right?

To the left.

I knew it. He's watching me.

He also responds quickly...

All right.

His glance just then... was a feint.

He's not good with people,

so he's concerned about what other's think.

Hence he's good at observing people.

He comes up with good theories.

Theories like, "I bet this guy moves like this."

But that alone is not the strength of our team.

I've never made many friends.

I'm not good with people, and I don't want to interact with them.

And yet, I'm very concerned about what others think of me.

My nerves were always on edge, because I didn't want to be noticed.

My only buddy was Kuro, who is my age and lives nearby.

I don't particularly like sports,

but I've played volleyball for a long time.

I reluctantly let Kuro talk me into joining the junior high volleyball club.

It was sort of fun.

I continued doing it in high school, just because.

The school was strong until shortly before I joined.

There were many people.

I didn't think I could handle it.

First-year, you're a slow cleaner.

We can't go home!

Why are my senpai so bossy,

just because they were born a year or two before me?

Don't quit.

You have sharp observation skills, and take directions perfectly.

The first and second-years know you're awesome.

You will definitely make our team strong.

He doesn't stand out.

Huh?

Even a beginner can sense Kageyama-kun's amazing presence.

But though Nekoma's setter-kun

might be doing amazing things, but you can't tell.

It's because of their stable receiving.

In developing a diverse offensive, it's receiving that's important.

You want receives that cleanly return above the setter's head.

Their setter can utilize his talents because of the receivers.

For Karasuno, setter Kageyama unifies our awkward team

with his overwhelming talent.

In Nekoma, setter Kozume is supported by the entire team's receiving power.

We're like the blood in our veins.

We must flow without stopping.

Keep the oxygen moving

and your mind working.

One touch!

Nice cover, Yaku-san.

We have no superhuman ace. But all we have to do...

is modestly, carefully, keep scoring one point at a time.

Nekoma Karasuno

All right.

Kageyama. I'll slam the next one. Give me a toss.

It's their set point. If you miss, we'll lose the set.

I know. I'll score.

Nice receive.

But even if we can't clear the first round of the game,

As they keep repeating the same move...

We'll get used to it.

Nekoma Karasuno

I got you, at last.

All right.

Hey, we can't afford to get discouraged.

We'll take back the next set.

There's no such thing as an unstoppable spike.

Don't think otherwise.

You'll score next time, Hinata.

Wham!

Yes.

Yikes, again...

All right.

Nice block, Inuoka!

It's not dumb luck.

Their #7's getting used to Hinata's moves.

Karasuno Nekoma

Daichi-san, nice cover.

Left.

Tanaka-san.

You're wondering why I don't switch Hinata out, aren't you?

Not really.

If this were an official tournament, I might.

But this is my chance to find a solution.

But if Hinata starts to lose his will to fight,

it might be better to let him sit one out.

He

Damn.

It didn't work.

All right.

He was completely shut out of his first and last match in junior high.

And in high school, he couldn't overcome Tsukishima's height at all.

Regardless, he finally acquired a

method to fight against opponents much taller than him.

It's Hinata's unique and strongest attack...

but it was stopped by a single blocker.

The "human wall" that breaks the will.

The more you run into it, the more discouraged you feel.

He's smiling.

Hey.

Something's different.

Different from the time when I couldn't see the "other side" because of blockers.

I was at complete loss for what to do.

But now it's different.

I can tell they're matching me by the skin of their teeth.

I used to be afraid of blocks. I hated them.

But when that guy's in front of me, I feel excitement.

With your toss, and with some kind of strategy,

I'm sure we can break through this wall.

One more time...

Send me a toss.

That goes without saying.

Karasuno Nekoma

Nice serve.

That toss, did Hinata just...

He saw it.

He trusted Kageyama with the ball all this time!

All he ever did was give it a full swing...

T-Time!

It's not that I didn't trust your toss, umm...

I wonder.

What are you panicking about?

Kageyama.

Give Hinata a softer toss than usual.

Not the usual direct delivery.

An indirect delivery?

In...

Instead of the usual fast toss on a straight trajectory,

it's a slightly floating kind of toss.

I realize it might be hard to suddenly change tack, but...

I'll do it.

Why are you changing the toss?

To give Hinata an advantage in the air.

I saw Hinata trying to thwart the block while in mid-air.

Huh?

He probably saw Kageyama's technique

to thwart a block, and tried to copy it.

He just failed miserably.

I've been spiking without thinking all this time...

Now that I have to coordinate with the ball on my own, I don't know how.

Karasuno Nekoma

Time, once more.

Hinata, I want you to relax.

Yes.

I'm s-sorry. I've missed so many.

What are you saying?

It's because of you I get to freely spike.

It's okay to have matches in which I look cooler than you.

Although Asahi-san's scoring more.

Shut up. Anyway, it's fine. Right, Asahi-san?

Huh? Oh, right, right.

We'll make up for lost points.

Although you might get switched, if you keep blowing it.

Tsukishima.

If you're learning something, then give it all you got.

You're alone when you jump,

but remember that we're all behind you.

Besides, the ace says he'll make up for lost points.

Daichi, don't put pressure on Asahi.

What if he gets hurt?

That's right. His heart is made of glass.

Please stop ganging up on him.

Asahi-san.

Left.

Go.

Nice course.

Karasuno Nekoma

Again, all he can do is hit returns.

What can we do to help him improve?

It's only natural he can't do a play he's never done before.

Bring it on.

But everything you learn, you learn by doing.

Remember Karasuno's Little Giant?

The ace Hinata-kun idolizes?

He lived up to his name. He was only 170 cm tall.

In the beginning, he was constantly blocked.

But in the latter half of his second year,

he was peerless when it came to battling mid-air.

He couldn't overcome the blockers' height,

so he aimed at spaces in between them.

He'd make the ball touch the blockers' fingertips on purpose,

and make it ricochet.

That's how he conceived his own style of battle as a short player.

I'm just repeating the story my granddad told me.

Former Coach Ukai?

Yeah. I remember everything my granddad told me really well.

Because people don't have wings...

We look for ways to fly.

Shucks, that was out.

That was awesome.

That was awesome, Shoyo.

One more.

Next Episode Preview

Your shrimp-chan was quite amazing.

Though his last spike was out.

Oh, no. Your Inuoka-kun was even more amazing.

Though he was naturally quite impressed.

Um, I'm kind of scared...

Episode 13: Rival

Next time on Haikyu!!: "Rival"