Haikyuu!!

Commentary on Part 1: You just have to accept that things will most likely slow down and calm down after an awesome treatment like we got in the 2nd and 3rd seasons. Except that I hadn’t imagined it that way. The first half of the series is safely the worst thus far of an otherwise excellent anime. Kageyama's training camp has a little something going for it (which is pretty much because of Kageyama himself), and I didn't need the gift of prophecy to figure out that all those national team candidates will one day be on the other side of the net as Karasuno makes his way deeper into the tournament. Let's remember what makes Haikyu!! so great: In its best parts it serves up suspense, action, and even here and there a funny moment. It's as if there was no trace of these attributes in the parallel Hinata storyline; he himself doesn't undergo any more complex development himself, time simply stops completely for a few episodes except for suffering Hinata's obnoxiousness. In the second half, thank goodness we get back into game rhythm! I'll make a fist now and then, give a chuckle now and then, and that's what I want from Haikyuu!!!. Graphically, I found the previous series cleaner and more playful, here I can feel slightly sloppy sequences, but nothing that spoils an otherwise good impression. We've got the weakest season behind us, but the next one promises to make up for it properly. 4 stars / Commentary on Part 2: I'm getting more and more uncertain feelings from this, and I feel like I've reached the stage where Haikyuu!!! can't bring me anything new. This doesn't necessarily mean anything negative, but the enthusiasm with which I devoured more and more episodes of the previous season is outta there. Not only do I expect that the boys from Karasuno are simply good and if by chance they don't win, they'll at least play an even game. The problem is that one of the main assets of the series has turned into a liability. As Haikyuu!!! has managed to portray even the opposing players sensitively and commendably, and has given almost every single one of them at least a hint of a unique soul, we've accumulated too many of these characters on the set in the meantime, and I'm losing my natural interest in following the history of the 3rd alternate opponent in the second round. Unfortunately, the anime stubbornly clings doggedly to fully introducing all of the characters, and unfortunately does so sadistically right in the middle of a game. The viewer all horny for volleyball action must painfully delay his "climax" until it starts getting downright annoying, plus there are more than a few scenes that are more than a little static. Towards the end, following the established templates, we get things up and running again, the tension of the game could literally be cut with a knife, except that due to the disjointed beginning I am a bit more distant towards Kageyama & Co., because we are still too much devoted to the feelings of our opponents and thus I cannot enjoy the game woes and delights of our heartthrob champions fully. Even animation-wise, it's not quite right: the body proportions cease to be proportional and instead become slightly flatter, and for the sake of the series I won't comment on the ultimate graphical fiasco of Episode 2. Overall, I can't shake off much of the bland aftertaste and unfulfilled satisfaction that, by this point, this brand has rather guaranteed. We'll see if it gets better. A weak 4 stars (10.04.2020) (weniger) (mehr)