Furudate (the author) did play volleyball but not as a pro, only during middle and high school. So yeah, they did have first-hand experience, to some extent.
fun fact: Furudate-sensei played middle blocker in high school he also mentioned in his interviews (Da Vinci April 2014 issue): "Back when I was a student, especially in high school, volleyball was everything to me. Still, I never manage to make the best of it, and that feeling of incompleteness never left me." "I started this series because I wanted to write a story about this awesome sport that I love so much... I write Haikyuu hoping to convey how fun and cool volleyball can be to those who don't know and those who already know of volleyball. I want kids to continue playing volleyball and think 'Volleyball is so cool!' "
Furudate, the author of Haikyuu, did play volleyball in school (middle blocker, if memory serves). They said volleyball was everything to them, particularly in high school, and the fact that they failed to make the best out of it left them feeling incomplete and disappointed for a long time. This was one of the reasons why they decided to draw a volleyball manga in the first place. Also, in some later interviews they mention how, during research trips to different high school tournaments, they sometimes almost "stalk" the players at the venue, trying to get as close as possible, watching how they behave during timeouts, before or after matches, etc., so that also probably adds to how real everything feels.
Triana, back at it again!! Thank you for sharing this. I guess I just figured that the author is a story-teller who just happened to be interested in volleyball. I love knowing these insights. Also, I started following you on Twitter for more of your fun facts 🤩
fun fact for Adam because he mentioned Noya and Asahi at the end: these two were created together as a complementary pair and it could be seen in stuff like their birthdays (Asahi's 01/01, Noya's 10/10), their positions of "flying" vs "guarding the ground", their names (Azumane Asahi = Eastern Peak Daybreak, Nishinoya Yu = Western Valley Evening), and of course their personalities and stature (a gentle giant and loud personality little guy). There are many cool easter eggs in character/team names etc. that I would like to share as they are relevant.
Hearing Sarah talk about being in the peak and almost at the end of her career just made this episode so much more sad and so much more special. This is why I watch you and been a supporter for so long. Sarah is such a genuine soul 🫶
I love that shot of Ikejiri's back reflected in Hinata's eye. He's watching so intensely. The little animal that tasted victory today has also never forgotten the feelings of defeat that were communicated through Ikejiri's request of Daichi. Of that middle school match against Kageyama.
I always feel bad for Michimiya here, her team never really showed up for all the practices, and while she practiced on her own she lost motivation and didn't practice as hard as she could have. Yes the author played sports, in particular Volleyball in middle and high school, its lack of popularity was a driving force in writing Haikyuu and the manga and anime greatly increased the number of youth playing the sport. Love Nishnoya's speech
Haikyuu! is one of those special shows that actually gets better the more you watch it. There are so many nuances that inevitably get missed the first time that it is almost a completely different experience the second, third, etc. time around. All of the emotional moments have more impact the second time around too. I'd argue that Haikyuu is INTENDED specifically to be watched over and over again. I love all of the moments where Adam says the EXACT same thing that Sarah said on her first watch. Having his own volleyball background give him a different perspective, and how it compares/contrasts with Sarah's experiences and perspective really make this the most enjoyable Haikyuu reaction that I've seen. I'm really loving this, you two!!
Love this comment, but i feel like it wasn’t intended to be THIS rewatchable. I feel like it creates the theme of “the thing your passionate about can end” and its stakes especially with this episode, that when you reach the end (or the part the anime is at lol) and you cant help but feel unimaginably upset that its over for now. And you cant help yearning and saying “one more!” like Hinata. You never want to leave that court, to keep playing forever. To keep connecting, and to keep flying. So i don’t know how much of this shows rewatchability is intended, but with these emotions that the show made so relatable, it’s hard to say goodbye.
I agree with Adam that the writer of Haikyuu does a great job of leaving you genuinely guessing about the future plot by presenting all outcomes as potentially meaningful to the characters' growth. I think he achieves this by focusing the show on how players process experiences rather than on the outcomes themselves, which we see much more often in sports shows/movies. (Big fan of Moneyball, since it takes a similar 'focus on the journey, not the result' approach.) Speaking of the writer, Haruichi Furudate was a volleyball player in middle school and high school. He stated in article interviews that he channeled his frustrations of defeat from his school days into the show. As Adam put it, it is indeed 'accurate to a fault'. He may not have played pro, but if Sarah can relate to it this much, he seems to have nailed it. Hope this one didn't hurt too much, Sarah! Thanks again for sharing your first-hand volleyball experiences and insight, particularly on the losing/retirement side of sports.
@adamschulz9475 Yeah, the mid-game internal monologues are great. Just wish we could do that just as articulately in real-life 😂. Quick question: have you and Sarah seen Moneyball(2011 film)? I’d love your take on it, given it’s about sports management in particular (not just about playing the game).
@@YoonbeenPark Getting athletes to understand their internal monologues is a critical part of managing athletes especially on the beach since they can't come off the court to regroup mentally. I have seen Moneyball. I really enjoyed it, as a compsci/math guy I think numbers provide a great amount of data. I don't know baseball super well but I think that application was brilliant and ahead of it's time. I think in sport the sweet spot is the merger of the "eye test" or coaches feel and what the data is telling you. I think a feeling of a match/game momentum in terms of individual performance and team cohesion is hard to quantify in the moment. I think numbers and data help you identify longer term trends and get rid of biases or an inability to see the long term.
This episode is brilliant. For 10 episodes Haikyuu takes the time to explain the very basics, the roles, the players, and most characters. Then we get to experience all of that in action in practice matches. And now we get to the real stuff, all of that, what is all of that for? Winners and Losers. You win, or you lose. And they deliver both of them in the same episode so that we get the joy of winning but also the stakes of what it would mean to lose. From here on forwards Haikyuu switch higher and higher gears because they have laid these foundations so well! Storytelling masterclass
One of the most underrated, and yet perhaps the most relatable episode in the entire series. Glad to see you both loved it! A couple of things I absolutely need to say - 1. Sarah looks way too cute when she wears the white ribbon/hairband 2. Duck adam was the ultimate boss 😂(kudos to Lydia!) 3. My heart broke a little watching Sarah cry so much I guess when I was younger, I loved Haikyuu.. but now that I’m older, and have had my fair share of successes and failures, I’m “in love” with the show.. I reckon it’s the same for a lot of people 💛
Just a little non-spoiler anecdote, the cover page of the very last Haikyu!! chapter is a panorama shot of a gym with all the relevant characters in it. Some are playing, some are on the sideline and some are on the stands, Ikejiri and Michimiya for example, are on the stands, standing next to each other. A nice little easter egg, a reminder of the influence Diachi had on both of them. Awesome reaction guys! Really appreciate the honest and vulnerable reactions! :)
I totally relate to Ikejiri when he said he was a bit jealous when he saw how upset Daichi was after the loss. Similarly, I’m a bit jealous of how emotional Sarah got when she talked about how her spectacular career will be coming to a close some time in the future. Sarah clearly loves volleyball and sacrificed so much to achieve what she has. I, on the other hand, cannot wait to retire from my desk job. 😅
Yup it's truly a blessing to be able to have or to find something that you are passionate about in life. I am someone who doesn't really have any dreams, goals, or passion, and I lack ambitition. My 'goal' in life is just to make it through day by day with my nothing special routine without struggling too much, so I relate to Ikejiri for being envious of Daichi in that sense.
it’s so clutch lmfao because i kid u not, i have watched every single haikyuu reaction to every single episode on the entirety of youtube (at least the ones in english) and now i find myself not having any fresh reactions to watch unfortunately. so yea i’m also loving this rewatch with adam too. *i personally cannot wait to see his reaction to 2x24* 😳😳😳
If that helps anything, I am not a sportsman, I have never played I think any sport, but on this episode, even I tear up and cry, this is how beautifully this anime gives the emotions to us, this is how good the writing is. Even me, who never played, and never lost such important matches, even I can relate to it, and cry with the losers, doesn't matter if I was rooting for Karasuno anyway. XD
Sarah, I remember waking up in the middle of the night to watch your games at the Olympics. And I can assure you my heart broke too when your team was eliminated. I, a mere viewer, felt awful at that moment. I can´t imagine how you must have felt that day. You are stronger that I´ll ever be and also an inspiration for all of us who would have quitted for less than that. Also, talk about stubbornness with Adam taking another year of college just to not end on a loss xD
@@adamschulz9475 Hahaha. That's cool, man. Most of us would love to have something we love so much we could do something like that. I'm loving your addition to the reactions! Keep those Kageyama-Daichi vibes, you two!
Seeing Adam's comments on the first and second episode, I knew immediately that I wanted to see Adam's reaction to this episode. Just the look at everyone other than the winners and main characters makes it one of my favourites even compared to some of the great volleyball match episodes. Its especially brutal cause of the single elimination format but I've always resonated with the idea of the episode, that because there can only be one winner, there are going to necessarily be many losers. And even though the two teams focused on for that part didn't put in the most effort, there are going to be many teams who put in the effort and put in the work but they'll also eventually lose. And they're going to be wondering the same thing as the teams who didn't put in as much effort (what could I have done? Could I have gone one step further, put in 1 more hour, etc.) And this even applies beyond sports, that if there is a 'winner' there are going to be many 'losers' who don't make it to the top, but have done the same effort as the winners. A good example of this is UA-cam. There is only 1 Mr Beast, 1 Pewdiepie, etc. even for the creators who put in the same effort. And that feeling can be so frustrating and brutal sometimes. So I really love how that is captured in this episode. For Sarah, one of the 'problems' (if you can call it that haha) of knowing the characters and the setting and the story is that the messages and themes in the episodes hit you much harder cause you're not spending time in the episode trying to remember who's who and what things are and so on haha. So, sorry, but its probably going to be worse this go around :P Regarding Adam's question about the author, he did play volleyball in school but not further. But that is where a lot of his inspiration for the story came from. Just a warning for Adam, Oikawa has a lot of fans (as Sarah knows lol). Its partially due to things you learn later on about him so if you're in these comments just a spoiler warning lol Just wanted to post that, especially cause of the spoils about episode 16 haha Also glad Adam picked up on Oikawa's vibe. He acts silly but he's a very serious person when it comes to Volleyball. Also loves the reactions. You both give great interaction and your thoughts on the episode, which is how reactions should be imo. So happy to see Adam react to this episode for the first time and for Sarah to get her second viewing (and promptly have an understandable breakdown haha)
Your thoughts about there being many losers is so accurate. It's crazy when you actually sit back and think about it. In any given volleyball tournament(for example) there are 48 teams 47 of them lose. That's 98%, those are terrible odds. They also lose week in and week out. Losing almost always leaves you with regret of what else should I have done. Prepared more, watched more film made a different decision you can obsess about those things. This process can be exhausting and put you in a really tough headspace. You are right about this applying outside of sport. Anytime there is a zero sum outcome, it's tough to be on the wrong side of that. On the flip side. Nothing feels as good as winning lol. You are chasing that high.
@@adamschulz9475 I think you mentioned a few episodes back that practicing all semester for a single-elimination tournament would be so stressful for a coach. That may seem unusual in athletics, although in Japan a lot of high school sports operate like this -- the "regular season" is technically just practice matches, and has no effect on ranking for the end-of-semester tournament at all. But if you think of this as a club rather than as a sport, you can probably think of similar approaches. For example, you may work on a science fair project for months with no chance to formally measure yourself against others until the fair itself. At that point, winners advance, and losers go home, so for a lot of people all that work comes down to a single competition. Only the winners get to move on to the next round of competition. Come to think of it, isn't the soccer (football) World Cup kind of like that? National teams play "friendly" matches that don't count for anything, and then prepare for months for biennial or quadrennial competitions where you can get knocked out in qualifying rounds after just a handful of games. Maybe that's why managerial turnover is so high at that level!
For Adam: I love your perspective always! I like to think of it as your coach perspective versus my storytelling perspective. Suga not fighting for himself more might not be ideal from a coaching perspective, but from a storytelling perspective, it was selfless and even necessary for the tone of the episode and character development. Both are super valid!
Yeah, I can completely agree with that. Suga is a is the best and an amazing team mate and every coach wants players like him on their team. It's always interesting to look at people experience and actions through different lenses. I can get behind and agree with both!
As someone who played ice hockey for almost 20 years and made it to juniors & the collegiate level, it was the greatest time of my life. Getting drafted and then being able to play at such a high level and then it all coming to an end was emotional... this episode of Haikyuu in particular hits me the hardest out of all of them in any season because I felt privileged to be able to play imo the greatest sport in the world at a high level which not that many people get to do. When our team was knocked out of playoffs for the last time and I knew that it was the last time that I was ever going to play a competitive sport I was devastated. It truly felt like life was ending because I gave up many things in life to be able to make it to where I was and just to have the opportunity to play on the ice with so many amazing players that dedicated a lot of their lives to the sport as well. I cry like Sarah did in this episode whenever I watch it since it hits me so emotionally. Sports are truly the greatest and idk where I would be in life without them, I cannot agree with Adam anymore than I already do.
First of all I agree with everything you said. Second hockey is secretly my favorite sport to play as well. There is nothing like it. What are you doing now? Do you still play?
@@adamschulz9475 I help coach a Bantam AAA team at my local rink whenever I can, my job is really demanding so I don't have as much time to give as I would like. I also try to go to a pickup mens league but I sadly don't make it as often as I would like. Hockey is a great sport, it taught me a lot about life and about camaraderie. I miss it so much, feels like a piece of my soul is missing since I don't get to play it competitively anymore.
What a great episode, isn't it? Sarah and Adam's reactions were amazing, Sarah's talk about retirement and her career in the context of this episode, got me . I have no words for that. There were many great moments in this episode but I feel there is an underrated moment in this episode which is Hinata's reaction to the first tournament victory in his life. It goes by so fast in the episode but I like that a lot for Hinata, even though it was a relatively easy win, he was so happy/thankful/appreciative of it. And also in the end when Ikejiri is leaving, Hinata turns back and looks at him, I bet he was thinking about how he was feeling when he lost in his middle school match.
Very true and this is a valid comment. We didn’t pay much attention to Hinata during these moments, but I see what you are saying. I’m glad you brought this up
When that mid-episode break hit, I legitimately forgot the episode wasn't over. There was SO much high quality content before the break with character development, conflict, tension, stakes, fulfillment, overarching thematic commentary, in a way that felt completely fulfilling. It felt like we got two episodes here.
wow honestly during that whole montage of the players that were eliminated I could see Sarah was going through it. It made me more emotional watching that happen but when y'all were discussing it and you talked about why the scene hit harder now in relation to your career it broke me and I shed a couple tears when you said that
First, Sarah full on crying!! This one always gets me teary I definitely think this is one of the most important episodes of the entire series. But before that - it's not the most obvious from the angles, but I hope you guys caught that Suga, their senior, bowed to Kageyama and Hinata when he asked them to open the way for Asahi. It's such a humbling and sincere gesture 💕 Most sports watchers, especially those who are casual watchers or weren't athletes, watch for the winners and a lot of sports/athlete stories are about those who were exceptional. But this episode acknowledges and pays respect to everyone. Those players who fought and lost, those who played with the passion, the love, the fun, the community. They might not end up being the faces of sports/athleticism, but the lovers and players of the sport are important. The experience as a player of the sport is just so important. I love that this is highlighted by the author in such a positive way!
I agree, the episode does a great job of brining everyone who watches into both the joys of winning but also the reality of competing and falling short. It highlights the side very people take time to consider.
I actually cried with Sarah during this episode 🙂 The cool thing is, I've never played volleyball or been a part of any teams, but I can still relate to the feelings of loss and pain. I believe this is why so many people who have never played volleyball consider this show to be the best sports anime. The author has done an amazing job making his story relatable to any type of audience.
"Sport is the ultimate emotion-evoker" "The feeling and the pain of losing is so much stronger than the joy that derive from winning" Thank you, Adam, for sharing about your university team. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must be. Also, thank you, Sarah, for sharing your thoughts. When Adam said 'it hits home,' I knew it would be so meaningful to Sarah. And don't worry about crying! I cry every time I watch this episode. LOL. This time, hearing what Adam talked about as a coach, trying to train his athletes to deal with feelings when they lose, made me even more appreciative of all the athletes out there. So I'd like to say thank you to all the athletes for your hard work, taking very good care of your bodies and minds, and giving it your all when you're on the court. YOU GUYS DID IT VERY WELL. Also, thank you so much, Lydia! I gasped so hard when I saw the 50-minute video. It's like you're treating me to Christmas/New Year too early or something?
Yeah, I feel it, and I`m NOT a sport person, at all. So, I only can imagine what it means to you this episode... Sarah, thanks you so much for being so authentic about your feelings, and for saying us some about how you are living with the prospect of retiring... BIG HUGS!!! Adam, I think I saw you most emotional with the little Noya speach, and I wonder why, after the "losers side of things"... but yeah, I hope this episode live up a little to your expectations. Best wishes for you both.
It was a Crying fest for me too who had watched this episode countless time loll and about Furudate Haruichi (the creator of Haikyuu) Yes he also played volleyball in middle school and high school. From one of the articles I read about Furudate sensei: "The Haikyu!! manga artist used to play as a center blocker in the team, just like Hinata. Furudate's team was able to get past the district qualifiers, but they eventually lost along the way. This frustrated Furudate, and he channeled those feelings into a timeless story. He wanted to depict the emotions of being irritated by one's surroundings when the person loses through Kageyama but also wanted to show how these feelings can be converted into determination." I wanted to give the link for the full article but it contains spoilers 😅
What I love about Haikyu is that even though, I can relate to it, because I've been in their shoes, having done sports, I can also relate to it in the rest of my life... No matter what you've worked for or struggled with the "We must never tell ourselves that we can't win" applies to all of us whether you're young or older. Haikyu is just full of "life lessons" on how to pick yourself up and carry on fighting...
Its amazing how powerful that mindset can be. It's amazing how many people I come across that lack that confidence and determination. Sport isn't the only way to gain that be it definitely can help.
I just want to thank Adam for joining us on this journey (and Sarah for bringing him in). I feel a strange sense of camaraderie for everyone who watches Haikyuu.
I've watched this show through at least a dozen times by now, I will say this episode is TOP tier episode for me, it never fails to make me cry, to feel all of the emotions, it's cathartic and heartbreaking all at the same time. I think what really stands out with Haiykuu in general is the feeling of wanting to root for everybody, not just the Karasuno boys but all the players, you just see the effort they all put in and just go "Yes! Win!" Anyway, love the reactions so far, and the discussions, you guys are the ultimate duo, I look forward to these drops every Tuesday like its hotcakes!
I know Adam was already commited to haikyu, but after this episode I think he es commited in another level since he saw the potential of the story telling that haikyu has. It's the third time that I saw this episode and gets me every time. It's so good
This episode was always a sentimental one, but I think this is the first time I've actually cried to a reaction of the episode. It might have had something to do with Sarah's explanation of how she feels like she's coming to the end of her career with volleyball, and that made the message his so much harder. Anyway, I'm really glad Adam is feeling excited about what's coming, because he's in for some excellent stuff. ^^
Oh boy. We’ve been waiting for this response. That’s the epitome of sport. That one’s victory is another’s loss. In this case literally ending the season and perhaps the last time they will ever play the game again. What an immense wave of feeling for those characters and you two watching as athletes.
the image of Ikejiri's POV when he's about to serve and he sees how all his teammates are watching him makes me cry everytime, I'm genuinely crying while writing this comment 🥲
“All the focus goes to the winner,” that is so true, Sarah. When I started watching sports competitions, it was astounding to me that everybody ‘’value‘’ winning so much. To me, the outcome of the match depends on luck too much, so rather than winning or losing, I pay more attention to the dynamic between the players and the effort they make. To me, that is more fun.
14:50 ~Adam Come Back~ 🤣🤣 Haruichi Furudate, the author of Haikyuu!!, played volleyball in junior high school and high school, and as a club member, so his descriptions are amazing, as they painfully convey the feelings of the players. Furthermore, even though Karasuno's opponents are opponents that must be defeated, it is a great work in that you can't dislike them because you can feel their feelings. Sarah from three years ago and Sarah from now, well, even though it's the same work, it wouldn't be strange if things felt different as the situation changed. Also, even if Sarah and Adam watch it several decades from now, it's likely that some new emotions will emerge. I'm looking forward to it 😊 I'm using a translation app as usual, so I'm sorry if it's hard to read.
I've seen all of these reactions, but knowing that Adam reads these so much has made me start commenting. Just wanted to let you know that we love the extra perspective on this show, and that a lot of us have added you to our personal Reaction Bro Houses.
This is the episode for me where the show went from good to special. It’s heartbreaking enough normally, but it was beautiful to get to join in for Sarah’s feelings this time around. Loving y’all’s joint reactions; I look forward to them every week!
So happy we are finally at this episode!! I was waiting for this literally since Adam started watching and wow worths the wait. Sarah don’t feel even a tidbit of embarrassment for crying on your second watch, cuz I’ve seen this anime like six times and still cried hard even just watching your reaction 😢 it does hit very hard. Can’t wait to see the next match with one of my all-time favorite blocker (we all know who he is)! Seeing Adam get this excited for it is just so perfect cuz the next few episodes won’t fail ❤
34:53 Furudate sensei (the author of Haikyuu) actually played high school volleyball in Japan, and so he would have played in these tournaments! The tournaments are largely based off real-life high school tournaments (which you can watch on UA-cam - there's even a top-ranking team called Seijoh) - and the manga was based off Furudate sensei's experiences playing volleyball and being a high school student!
like some people have said to you Sarah, watching haikyuu is better the 2nd time you watched it even though you'd already know when things came. Really enjoyed your guys's reaction, thank you!
You don't have to defend Suga to me. I"m a big fan. I think your assessment is correct. I understand what Suga was doing and I don't disagree with what the principle behind his actions. I just think from a personal coaches standpoint those things don't need to be said. I know you're a good team mate. Don't give yourself an out, earn it.
That cut to Sarah's admission of having had a full meltdown ABSOLUTELY KILLED ME 🤣i was crying as it was happening too so it was so relatable. such an incredible scene combined with that soundrack
I love that Sarah and the viewers have hyped this episode to Adam early but still made Sarah even more emotional watching it lol I'm really excited for you to react the rest of the series.
Maaan, i love this channel so much. This new series with Adam has been just as amazing if not better than the first one with Sarah alone. I think i've said this before and will say it again, when you guys share your own experiences to it, it becomes 10x better, talking about the episode. It's just so good.
Its actually normal to cry more, because you are deeper sunk into the story, since the anime is familiar, reading subtitles is easier, and knowing whats coming makes it even more enjoyable somehow
Yay! I cried just as hard as Sarah! lol This episode is so relatable and I'm so glad you both liked it! Endings are hard and to start out their journey with an episode that focused so much on endings for other players was a great move by the author. Thank you both for sharing your experiences in losing and things coming to an end.
I always recommends Haikyuu!! to everyone around me knowing i love anime and need me to recommend a good one. And i always give them notes "but you can't watch it while working or chatting or doing some chores, because you'll lose so much important points" 😊😊
I love these reactions so much. Look forward to them every week. You both give such wonderful insight from 2 different POVs. I am so happy Adam is enjoying this show. It's only going to get better and I can't wait to see his reactions to more "coach" specific moments. :)
there werr a lot of great moments in this episode but the one that pulled on me the most was michimiya sobbing. i love how Adam pointed out that even though Noya was uplifting the team, ut was specifically for Asahi. I was unable to see it that way before. and based on Sarah's reaction that was so on point that it made the scene even more powerful. i also love the tidbit about as a coach you aim to give the best preparation for your guys not just for them to win(which is obvious) but for them to not be able to say "i/we couldve done more" I only knew Sarah from Haikyuu and I am thankful for that. Love you guys and cant wait for next week ^^
You two made this episode so special, tears sprung up in my eyes at the reminiscing and sympathy, hearing Sarah talk about her career, and Adam about his youth. Poignant is the best way I can put it, you guys make me cry and laugh with your reactions. Love to you both!!!! ❤
One of my favorite episodes, very relatable for all the sports I played growing up. So glad you are reacting to this with Adam, I look forward to this every Friday. And don't worry Sarah, my first watch I bawled my eyes out. My rewatch through your first reaction I cried harder. And I have a feeling this second rewatch will somehow be even worse. But that's what makes it better!
I just got off school watching this. bro the way sarah was reacting when adam was saying that Oikawa was laid back and not paying attention got me☠☠☠ man I love all of adam's insights about how everything will translate even after they graduate and whatever they do in life.
also how humble at heart are both Hinata and Kageyama by being so happy and excited for winning their first official match even though it was an arguably easy match for their team
Sarah represents me too much in this episode, I literally cried with her the whole time. I love Haikyuu and what it transmits🧡I thought that after watching this a million times the obsession for Haikyuu would stop, but this is forever, and I'm not complaining.
Ep11- Suga didn't go there to tell Ukai about ABCD reasons he should be playing, he went there specifically to tell him, your reason A is because I am a third year, that's not a reason, remove that. Consider only BCD for me, I know you already know. If that is not enough for you to start me, so be it.
This episode always hits me so hard! I feel so seen and also more able to see other people. It's such a gift! Thank you for shining light on it and us again!
Adam's excitement after this match was exciting! Sarah your comments about ending approaching the end of your career hit me. I played soccer into college and know the feeling but I'm genuinely curious what it will be like for you as someone who's gone so far behind that that. I also am not ready to watch it because I became a fan of you after you started watching this and your true emotions are so visible that they reach out through the screen. You're the best!
For the Adam debate mentioned at the beginning of the reaction, I would like to throw my 2 cents in. I agree that it may not be the first thing a coach wants to hear is that a player is "giving" their spot up, and especially for American/Canadian sports, if you have a bad game, the next game you can be replaced, you should want every opportunity you can get to prove yourself. This episode is the embodiment of the counter-argument, because given the context of Japanese high school sports, and being "one (loss) and done" I think Suga is making the best call he could. Suga felt the pain of losing and having to see his senpais retire, year after disappointing year, because the format is so cruel, they can't expect to have an easy road, and now that he's already had his "chance" as starting setter, he doesn't care about being a starter or regular, he just wants to win, and to see his teammates win that have worked alongside him all these years. He knows Kageyama is the best chance they have because he's a generational talent. Of course he still has his pride as a player, and would give 100% of his effort if the coach and team asked him to play, but he doesn't want to lose, he doesn't want to go home, he doesn't want this to be the end of his volleyball and he doesn't want to say goodbye to his teammates. That, is why I think it was not only smart, but also very brave of Suga to "give" his spot to Kageyama. He probably could have forced himself to start instead, being a 3rd year has a lot of sway, especially for less "successful" teams, but he sees something special and wants to see how it plays out, that's how I saw Suga's interaction with Ukai anyway.
I definitely agree that the format of the season affects how I saw the interaction initially as I incorrectly assumed it would be similar to a high school season in North America. So I don't disagree with you, but here is something else to think about. I think a lot of times people are afraid of failure, they give themselves an out incase it doesn't work it. This way it hurts less if it doesn't happen. I see this with athletes all the time. We hedge our bets or don't put our goals out in the world because then they are real and people know if you fail. I"m not saying that Suga is doing this, and Kageyama is definitely better. But on a personal level for Suga he did fail last season, the team lost. Saying you can play someone else, takes the responsibly off of him to evaluate the team. Doing this gives you an out. This is also something that affects my view on this, seeing people take this approach in real life.
@@adamschulz9475 I agree with you 100% and this doesn't only happen in sports, it also happens everywhere in the world, a lot of people settle for lower positions because they are scared of responsibility even if they are super competent. I think as a coach you should definitely strive to make your most competent players feel like they want to play and they want to succeed, and to want them to go out and set examples for your younger inexperienced players, I think that is a very reasonable viewpoint, and I get why you would think that considering your coaching background and career, thanks for the response!
I am same with Sarah and probably most of the fans that watches haikyuu many times now, that the more you watch it, the more you become emotionally invested and appreciate the scenes more. Every episode just become more special the more you watch it. Love u Adam and Sarah ❤
I love that Adam talked about Suga giving up his position, finally i heard someone that thinks the same as me. PS: love the content, huge fan from argentina
I ran cross country in high school and college, and I can SO relate to the immediate frustration and reflection after a close loss. So many thoughts of "if only I had done x" flash through your mind one after another. No worse feeling than finishing a race right behind someone you KNOW you could have beaten if you had done a few small things differently, or exerted yourself 5% more.
Best episode ever! Excellent reaction from both Sarah and Adam. This is the height of what great reaction should be on youtube, people who really knows about volleyball reacting to an amazing anime about volleyball.
"There's just so many ways it can go, and I have no feel for how the writer is going to take this moment. Which is awesome, because that's how sport is." Again, Adam hitting the nail right on the head. It really is the beauty of Furudate's (the author) writing! Haikyuu definitely hits even harder on rewatch(es), and that is saying something because the emotions already hit like a truck the first time around. Seeing and hearing Sarah get so emotional got me all misty-eyed as well. Never apologize for the tears; I assure you we have all cried at one point or another (or... multiple lol) throughout the course of this story.
the whiplash I got from 🦆 Adam to “win for us too” 😂😂😂😢😢😢 Love how the haikyuu appreciation has connected me to know more about Sarah and her sport/life insights and now Adam’s too. That makes me emotional…Thank you for your reactions so far thank you for sharing a piece of your passion for the sport it really warms the heart 🥹❤
I'm not a sports person but I was a class president at school and ended up being the head of student council in my final year. I was also team captain in any summer camp that i ever went to. Rewatching this episode reminded me of how much Haikyuu influenced me as a leader. Sports can be a good metaphor for real life conflicts. Daichi is a great example of a leader who is a pillar for everybody else, not the genius of the team but a foundation on which everything else is built. Suga is an example of self-sacrifice that every leader has to go through for their team. On the other hand, Michimiya's example reminds me of how no matter what result we get, as a captain you have to put your team before your own feelings. Even if those feelings are extreme anguish from failure, your team comes first, and by giving up as a captain you are giving up on tour teammates. Just so many great lessons to be learned here.
The interesting thing about this episode is that I'm not even an athlete but it resonated with me in a way that it reminded me of those times I failed at things and felt sorry for myself and asking how I could have done it any better. I cried a lot in this episode because I did have regrets in life which made me realize that I should always try to endeavor to perform my best every time. There wasn't anything flashy about this episode (except maybe for Noya's Rolling Thunder Again lol) but it was incredible how the author was able to capture this much insight and feeling from the players, and gave highlight not just for the winning team but also the losing team who are most likely feeling crushed by the defeat.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Furudate (the author) did play volleyball but not as a pro, only during middle and high school. So yeah, they did have first-hand experience, to some extent.
fun fact: Furudate-sensei played middle blocker in high school
he also mentioned in his interviews (Da Vinci April 2014 issue):
"Back when I was a student, especially in high school, volleyball was everything to me. Still, I never manage to make the best of it, and that feeling of incompleteness never left me."
"I started this series because I wanted to write a story about this awesome sport that I love so much... I write Haikyuu hoping to convey how fun and cool volleyball can be to those who don't know and those who already know of volleyball. I want kids to continue playing volleyball and think 'Volleyball is so cool!' "
@@miu01011996 thanks for citing the interview, always thought these were urban legends since they were never cited
Furudate, the author of Haikyuu, did play volleyball in school (middle blocker, if memory serves). They said volleyball was everything to them, particularly in high school, and the fact that they failed to make the best out of it left them feeling incomplete and disappointed for a long time. This was one of the reasons why they decided to draw a volleyball manga in the first place.
Also, in some later interviews they mention how, during research trips to different high school tournaments, they sometimes almost "stalk" the players at the venue, trying to get as close as possible, watching how they behave during timeouts, before or after matches, etc., so that also probably adds to how real everything feels.
Triana, back at it again!! Thank you for sharing this. I guess I just figured that the author is a story-teller who just happened to be interested in volleyball. I love knowing these insights.
Also, I started following you on Twitter for more of your fun facts 🤩
fun fact for Adam because he mentioned Noya and Asahi at the end: these two were created together as a complementary pair and it could be seen in stuff like their birthdays (Asahi's 01/01, Noya's 10/10), their positions of "flying" vs "guarding the ground", their names (Azumane Asahi = Eastern Peak Daybreak, Nishinoya Yu = Western Valley Evening), and of course their personalities and stature (a gentle giant and loud personality little guy).
There are many cool easter eggs in character/team names etc. that I would like to share as they are relevant.
Oh that is cool. You could tell they are a pair (friends off the court etc) but those little details are really interesting.
Please share them all!! Wow this is awesome now that I think about it, I'm so happy about it.
I like the irony of Ikejiri calling himself the extra in the episode where he's the protagonist.
Cool comment, never thought of it this way.
I guess, Ikejiri’s story is just a different kind of story.
@@Koshak87 Replay Value made an excellent video essay on this episode (highlighting this aspect in particular)
Oh please, you made me cry in one second.😭
@@dhirjogani7295 thanks for the tip! =)
Hearing Sarah talk about being in the peak and almost at the end of her career just made this episode so much more sad and so much more special. This is why I watch you and been a supporter for so long. Sarah is such a genuine soul 🫶
You hit the nail on the head 🥺
For the reaction of Adam he didn't expect it as well
This mean so much. Thank you ❤️
Sarah talking about her own career and how re-watching this episode at this particular time just made me
Sports is emotionally evoking. Greatly said by Adam. Honestly such a beautiful thing. Cheers to Haikyuu and Sara!
Oh man that hit me hard 😭
I love that shot of Ikejiri's back reflected in Hinata's eye. He's watching so intensely. The little animal that tasted victory today has also never forgotten the feelings of defeat that were communicated through Ikejiri's request of Daichi. Of that middle school match against Kageyama.
I always feel bad for Michimiya here, her team never really showed up for all the practices, and while she practiced on her own she lost motivation and didn't practice as hard as she could have.
Yes the author played sports, in particular Volleyball in middle and high school, its lack of popularity was a driving force in writing Haikyuu and the manga and anime greatly increased the number of youth playing the sport.
Love Nishnoya's speech
Yeah my heart broke for Michimiya during this episode, especially when she held it together for her teammates and then broke down when she was alone 🥹
Adam went from, "I'm starting to get into it ... "
To full-blown pregame analysis. Nice job Sarah! You're both awesome to watch!
lol yeah, I'm hooked.
Haikyuu! is one of those special shows that actually gets better the more you watch it. There are so many nuances that inevitably get missed the first time that it is almost a completely different experience the second, third, etc. time around. All of the emotional moments have more impact the second time around too. I'd argue that Haikyuu is INTENDED specifically to be watched over and over again.
I love all of the moments where Adam says the EXACT same thing that Sarah said on her first watch. Having his own volleyball background give him a different perspective, and how it compares/contrasts with Sarah's experiences and perspective really make this the most enjoyable Haikyuu reaction that I've seen. I'm really loving this, you two!!
Thank you for that! I am definitely enjoying watching and reacting with Sarah. I'm glad you are enjoying it.
I understand what you are saying 100%. The things I am noticing this time through are so much deeper and detailed than the first time through
Love this comment, but i feel like it wasn’t intended to be THIS rewatchable. I feel like it creates the theme of “the thing your passionate about can end” and its stakes especially with this episode, that when you reach the end (or the part the anime is at lol) and you cant help but feel unimaginably upset that its over for now. And you cant help yearning and saying “one more!” like Hinata. You never want to leave that court, to keep playing forever. To keep connecting, and to keep flying.
So i don’t know how much of this shows rewatchability is intended, but with these emotions that the show made so relatable, it’s hard to say goodbye.
I agree with Adam that the writer of Haikyuu does a great job of leaving you genuinely guessing about the future plot by presenting all outcomes as potentially meaningful to the characters' growth. I think he achieves this by focusing the show on how players process experiences rather than on the outcomes themselves, which we see much more often in sports shows/movies. (Big fan of Moneyball, since it takes a similar 'focus on the journey, not the result' approach.)
Speaking of the writer, Haruichi Furudate was a volleyball player in middle school and high school. He stated in article interviews that he channeled his frustrations of defeat from his school days into the show. As Adam put it, it is indeed 'accurate to a fault'. He may not have played pro, but if Sarah can relate to it this much, he seems to have nailed it.
Hope this one didn't hurt too much, Sarah! Thanks again for sharing your first-hand volleyball experiences and insight, particularly on the losing/retirement side of sports.
I would agree with the assessment that it is journey or character focused. You get to see every players thoughts even mid rally which is really cool.
@adamschulz9475 Yeah, the mid-game internal monologues are great. Just wish we could do that just as articulately in real-life 😂.
Quick question: have you and Sarah seen Moneyball(2011 film)? I’d love your take on it, given it’s about sports management in particular (not just about playing the game).
@@YoonbeenPark Getting athletes to understand their internal monologues is a critical part of managing athletes especially on the beach since they can't come off the court to regroup mentally. I have seen Moneyball. I really enjoyed it, as a compsci/math guy I think numbers provide a great amount of data. I don't know baseball super well but I think that application was brilliant and ahead of it's time. I think in sport the sweet spot is the merger of the "eye test" or coaches feel and what the data is telling you. I think a feeling of a match/game momentum in terms of individual performance and team cohesion is hard to quantify in the moment. I think numbers and data help you identify longer term trends and get rid of biases or an inability to see the long term.
This episode is brilliant. For 10 episodes Haikyuu takes the time to explain the very basics, the roles, the players, and most characters. Then we get to experience all of that in action in practice matches. And now we get to the real stuff, all of that, what is all of that for? Winners and Losers. You win, or you lose. And they deliver both of them in the same episode so that we get the joy of winning but also the stakes of what it would mean to lose. From here on forwards Haikyuu switch higher and higher gears because they have laid these foundations so well! Storytelling masterclass
I totally agree. They have done an amazing job with the story telling to this point.
and to think it can still go deeper in the "winning and losing" topic..........argh, I just LOVE Haikyuu
Watching this at my lab and the pet duck Adam took me out much harder than it should've xD Kudos to Lydia!
I always think about this video when I hear Sarah say "Aadaam" 🤣 I'm glad I wasn't the only one
I was watching this back and was caught completely but surprise. I was killing myself laughing.
This edit shocked me and I was on the floor. Lydia is a goddess
👀 😆
One of the most underrated, and yet perhaps the most relatable episode in the entire series. Glad to see you both loved it! A couple of things I absolutely need to say -
1. Sarah looks way too cute when she wears the white ribbon/hairband
2. Duck adam was the ultimate boss 😂(kudos to Lydia!)
3. My heart broke a little watching Sarah cry so much I guess when I was younger, I loved Haikyuu.. but now that I’m older, and have had my fair share of successes and failures, I’m “in love” with the show.. I reckon it’s the same for a lot of people 💛
Haikyuu ages like fine wine. The more experienced you are, the harder it hits.
Y'all make me want to get married just so I have someone I can drag to watch my favorite anime with me. 😂
Just a little non-spoiler anecdote, the cover page of the very last Haikyu!! chapter is a panorama shot of a gym with all the relevant characters in it. Some are playing, some are on the sideline and some are on the stands, Ikejiri and Michimiya for example, are on the stands, standing next to each other. A nice little easter egg, a reminder of the influence Diachi had on both of them.
Awesome reaction guys! Really appreciate the honest and vulnerable reactions! :)
I totally relate to Ikejiri when he said he was a bit jealous when he saw how upset Daichi was after the loss. Similarly, I’m a bit jealous of how emotional Sarah got when she talked about how her spectacular career will be coming to a close some time in the future. Sarah clearly loves volleyball and sacrificed so much to achieve what she has. I, on the other hand, cannot wait to retire from my desk job. 😅
Absolutely same.
Yup it's truly a blessing to be able to have or to find something that you are passionate about in life. I am someone who doesn't really have any dreams, goals, or passion, and I lack ambitition. My 'goal' in life is just to make it through day by day with my nothing special routine without struggling too much, so I relate to Ikejiri for being envious of Daichi in that sense.
@@rebe_eka meanwhile me i have a dream but reality slaps me and i have to face the fact that sometimes its not just for you and it sucks 😐
Just want to say, thank you Sarah and Adam for making these videos
it’s so clutch lmfao because i kid u not, i have watched every single haikyuu reaction to every single episode on the entirety of youtube (at least the ones in english) and now i find myself not having any fresh reactions to watch unfortunately. so yea i’m also loving this rewatch with adam too. *i personally cannot wait to see his reaction to 2x24* 😳😳😳
Ah it’s so good seeing Sarah react even more emotionally on the second run through. It’s one of the best shows ever
I’m so happy you’re here with us ❤️
If that helps anything, I am not a sportsman, I have never played I think any sport, but on this episode, even I tear up and cry, this is how beautifully this anime gives the emotions to us, this is how good the writing is. Even me, who never played, and never lost such important matches, even I can relate to it, and cry with the losers, doesn't matter if I was rooting for Karasuno anyway. XD
I think that everyone who works towards a goal can understand the disappointment when it doesn't go the way you want it to. That feeling is universal.
Everyone in the comment section ready to ask Adam like Hinata to Kageyama after talking to Kindaichi after the practice match...
"DID YOU CRY?!?" 🤣🤣🤣
That’s me literally every episode to him 😂😂😂😂
@@SarahPavanVolleyball Don’t worry Sarah we’re gonna get him soon enough no one can escape the feels forever 😂
Sarah, I remember waking up in the middle of the night to watch your games at the Olympics. And I can assure you my heart broke too when your team was eliminated. I, a mere viewer, felt awful at that moment. I can´t imagine how you must have felt that day. You are stronger that I´ll ever be and also an inspiration for all of us who would have quitted for less than that.
Also, talk about stubbornness with Adam taking another year of college just to not end on a loss xD
That match was heartbreaking, an absolute feeling of devastation. Yes most people who know me would say I am stubborn lol.
@@adamschulz9475 Hahaha. That's cool, man. Most of us would love to have something we love so much we could do something like that. I'm loving your addition to the reactions! Keep those Kageyama-Daichi vibes, you two!
22:13 Oikawa looked really proud there, love it
Seeing Adam's comments on the first and second episode, I knew immediately that I wanted to see Adam's reaction to this episode. Just the look at everyone other than the winners and main characters makes it one of my favourites even compared to some of the great volleyball match episodes. Its especially brutal cause of the single elimination format but I've always resonated with the idea of the episode, that because there can only be one winner, there are going to necessarily be many losers. And even though the two teams focused on for that part didn't put in the most effort, there are going to be many teams who put in the effort and put in the work but they'll also eventually lose. And they're going to be wondering the same thing as the teams who didn't put in as much effort (what could I have done? Could I have gone one step further, put in 1 more hour, etc.) And this even applies beyond sports, that if there is a 'winner' there are going to be many 'losers' who don't make it to the top, but have done the same effort as the winners. A good example of this is UA-cam. There is only 1 Mr Beast, 1 Pewdiepie, etc. even for the creators who put in the same effort. And that feeling can be so frustrating and brutal sometimes. So I really love how that is captured in this episode.
For Sarah, one of the 'problems' (if you can call it that haha) of knowing the characters and the setting and the story is that the messages and themes in the episodes hit you much harder cause you're not spending time in the episode trying to remember who's who and what things are and so on haha. So, sorry, but its probably going to be worse this go around :P
Regarding Adam's question about the author, he did play volleyball in school but not further. But that is where a lot of his inspiration for the story came from.
Just a warning for Adam, Oikawa has a lot of fans (as Sarah knows lol). Its partially due to things you learn later on about him so if you're in these comments just a spoiler warning lol Just wanted to post that, especially cause of the spoils about episode 16 haha Also glad Adam picked up on Oikawa's vibe. He acts silly but he's a very serious person when it comes to Volleyball.
Also loves the reactions. You both give great interaction and your thoughts on the episode, which is how reactions should be imo. So happy to see Adam react to this episode for the first time and for Sarah to get her second viewing (and promptly have an understandable breakdown haha)
Your thoughts about there being many losers is so accurate. It's crazy when you actually sit back and think about it. In any given volleyball tournament(for example) there are 48 teams 47 of them lose. That's 98%, those are terrible odds. They also lose week in and week out. Losing almost always leaves you with regret of what else should I have done. Prepared more, watched more film made a different decision you can obsess about those things. This process can be exhausting and put you in a really tough headspace. You are right about this applying outside of sport. Anytime there is a zero sum outcome, it's tough to be on the wrong side of that. On the flip side. Nothing feels as good as winning lol. You are chasing that high.
@@adamschulz9475 I think you mentioned a few episodes back that practicing all semester for a single-elimination tournament would be so stressful for a coach. That may seem unusual in athletics, although in Japan a lot of high school sports operate like this -- the "regular season" is technically just practice matches, and has no effect on ranking for the end-of-semester tournament at all. But if you think of this as a club rather than as a sport, you can probably think of similar approaches. For example, you may work on a science fair project for months with no chance to formally measure yourself against others until the fair itself. At that point, winners advance, and losers go home, so for a lot of people all that work comes down to a single competition. Only the winners get to move on to the next round of competition.
Come to think of it, isn't the soccer (football) World Cup kind of like that? National teams play "friendly" matches that don't count for anything, and then prepare for months for biennial or quadrennial competitions where you can get knocked out in qualifying rounds after just a handful of games. Maybe that's why managerial turnover is so high at that level!
For Adam: I love your perspective always! I like to think of it as your coach perspective versus my storytelling perspective. Suga not fighting for himself more might not be ideal from a coaching perspective, but from a storytelling perspective, it was selfless and even necessary for the tone of the episode and character development. Both are super valid!
Yeah, I can completely agree with that. Suga is a is the best and an amazing team mate and every coach wants players like him on their team. It's always interesting to look at people experience and actions through different lenses. I can get behind and agree with both!
As someone who played ice hockey for almost 20 years and made it to juniors & the collegiate level, it was the greatest time of my life. Getting drafted and then being able to play at such a high level and then it all coming to an end was emotional... this episode of Haikyuu in particular hits me the hardest out of all of them in any season because I felt privileged to be able to play imo the greatest sport in the world at a high level which not that many people get to do. When our team was knocked out of playoffs for the last time and I knew that it was the last time that I was ever going to play a competitive sport I was devastated. It truly felt like life was ending because I gave up many things in life to be able to make it to where I was and just to have the opportunity to play on the ice with so many amazing players that dedicated a lot of their lives to the sport as well. I cry like Sarah did in this episode whenever I watch it since it hits me so emotionally. Sports are truly the greatest and idk where I would be in life without them, I cannot agree with Adam anymore than I already do.
First of all I agree with everything you said. Second hockey is secretly my favorite sport to play as well. There is nothing like it. What are you doing now? Do you still play?
@@adamschulz9475 I help coach a Bantam AAA team at my local rink whenever I can, my job is really demanding so I don't have as much time to give as I would like. I also try to go to a pickup mens league but I sadly don't make it as often as I would like. Hockey is a great sport, it taught me a lot about life and about camaraderie. I miss it so much, feels like a piece of my soul is missing since I don't get to play it competitively anymore.
What a great episode, isn't it? Sarah and Adam's reactions were amazing, Sarah's talk about retirement and her career in the context of this episode, got me . I have no words for that.
There were many great moments in this episode but I feel there is an underrated moment in this episode which is Hinata's reaction to the first tournament victory in his life. It goes by so fast in the episode but I like that a lot for Hinata, even though it was a relatively easy win, he was so happy/thankful/appreciative of it. And also in the end when Ikejiri is leaving, Hinata turns back and looks at him, I bet he was thinking about how he was feeling when he lost in his middle school match.
Very true and this is a valid comment. We didn’t pay much attention to Hinata during these moments, but I see what you are saying. I’m glad you brought this up
When that mid-episode break hit, I legitimately forgot the episode wasn't over. There was SO much high quality content before the break with character development, conflict, tension, stakes, fulfillment, overarching thematic commentary, in a way that felt completely fulfilling. It felt like we got two episodes here.
wow honestly during that whole montage of the players that were eliminated I could see Sarah was going through it. It made me more emotional watching that happen but when y'all were discussing it and you talked about why the scene hit harder now in relation to your career it broke me and I shed a couple tears when you said that
First, Sarah full on crying!! This one always gets me teary I definitely think this is one of the most important episodes of the entire series.
But before that - it's not the most obvious from the angles, but I hope you guys caught that Suga, their senior, bowed to Kageyama and Hinata when he asked them to open the way for Asahi. It's such a humbling and sincere gesture 💕
Most sports watchers, especially those who are casual watchers or weren't athletes, watch for the winners and a lot of sports/athlete stories are about those who were exceptional. But this episode acknowledges and pays respect to everyone. Those players who fought and lost, those who played with the passion, the love, the fun, the community. They might not end up being the faces of sports/athleticism, but the lovers and players of the sport are important. The experience as a player of the sport is just so important. I love that this is highlighted by the author in such a positive way!
I agree, the episode does a great job of brining everyone who watches into both the joys of winning but also the reality of competing and falling short. It highlights the side very people take time to consider.
Adam is an amazing reactor along with Sarah. He must be a great coach.
I actually cried with Sarah during this episode 🙂
The cool thing is, I've never played volleyball or been a part of any teams, but I can still relate to the feelings of loss and pain.
I believe this is why so many people who have never played volleyball consider this show to be the best sports anime.
The author has done an amazing job making his story relatable to any type of audience.
"Sport is the ultimate emotion-evoker"
"The feeling and the pain of losing is so much stronger than the joy that derive from winning"
Thank you, Adam, for sharing about your university team. I can't imagine how heartbreaking it must be. Also, thank you, Sarah, for sharing your thoughts. When Adam said 'it hits home,' I knew it would be so meaningful to Sarah. And don't worry about crying! I cry every time I watch this episode. LOL.
This time, hearing what Adam talked about as a coach, trying to train his athletes to deal with feelings when they lose, made me even more appreciative of all the athletes out there. So I'd like to say thank you to all the athletes for your hard work, taking very good care of your bodies and minds, and giving it your all when you're on the court. YOU GUYS DID IT VERY WELL.
Also, thank you so much, Lydia! I gasped so hard when I saw the 50-minute video. It's like you're treating me to Christmas/New Year too early or something?
Lydia is a queen and she deserves allll the love!
This comment almost made me cry.
Yeah, I feel it, and I`m NOT a sport person, at all. So, I only can imagine what it means to you this episode...
Sarah, thanks you so much for being so authentic about your feelings, and for saying us some about how you are living with the prospect of retiring... BIG HUGS!!!
Adam, I think I saw you most emotional with the little Noya speach, and I wonder why, after the "losers side of things"... but yeah, I hope this episode live up a little to your expectations.
Best wishes for you both.
It was a Crying fest for me too who had watched this episode countless time loll and about Furudate Haruichi (the creator of Haikyuu) Yes he also played volleyball in middle school and high school.
From one of the articles I read about Furudate sensei:
"The Haikyu!! manga artist used to play as a center blocker in the team, just like Hinata.
Furudate's team was able to get past the district qualifiers, but they eventually lost along the way. This frustrated Furudate, and he channeled those feelings into a timeless story. He wanted to depict the emotions of being irritated by one's surroundings when the person loses through Kageyama but also wanted to show how these feelings can be converted into determination."
I wanted to give the link for the full article but it contains spoilers 😅
What I love about Haikyu is that even though, I can relate to it, because I've been in their shoes, having done sports, I can also relate to it in the rest of my life... No matter what you've worked for or struggled with the "We must never tell ourselves that we can't win" applies to all of us whether you're young or older. Haikyu is just full of "life lessons" on how to pick yourself up and carry on fighting...
Its amazing how powerful that mindset can be. It's amazing how many people I come across that lack that confidence and determination. Sport isn't the only way to gain that be it definitely can help.
I just want to thank Adam for joining us on this journey (and Sarah for bringing him in). I feel a strange sense of camaraderie for everyone who watches Haikyuu.
I've watched this show through at least a dozen times by now, I will say this episode is TOP tier episode for me, it never fails to make me cry, to feel all of the emotions, it's cathartic and heartbreaking all at the same time. I think what really stands out with Haiykuu in general is the feeling of wanting to root for everybody, not just the Karasuno boys but all the players, you just see the effort they all put in and just go "Yes! Win!" Anyway, love the reactions so far, and the discussions, you guys are the ultimate duo, I look forward to these drops every Tuesday like its hotcakes!
I know Adam was already commited to haikyu, but after this episode I think he es commited in another level since he saw the potential of the story telling that haikyu has.
It's the third time that I saw this episode and gets me every time. It's so good
This episode was always a sentimental one, but I think this is the first time I've actually cried to a reaction of the episode. It might have had something to do with Sarah's explanation of how she feels like she's coming to the end of her career with volleyball, and that made the message his so much harder. Anyway, I'm really glad Adam is feeling excited about what's coming, because he's in for some excellent stuff. ^^
Oh boy. We’ve been waiting for this response. That’s the epitome of sport. That one’s victory is another’s loss. In this case literally ending the season and perhaps the last time they will ever play the game again. What an immense wave of feeling for those characters and you two watching as athletes.
the image of Ikejiri's POV when he's about to serve and he sees how all his teammates are watching him makes me cry everytime, I'm genuinely crying while writing this comment 🥲
“All the focus goes to the winner,” that is so true, Sarah. When I started watching sports competitions, it was astounding to me that everybody ‘’value‘’ winning so much. To me, the outcome of the match depends on luck too much, so rather than winning or losing, I pay more attention to the dynamic between the players and the effort they make. To me, that is more fun.
14:50 ~Adam Come Back~ 🤣🤣
Haruichi Furudate, the author of Haikyuu!!, played volleyball in junior high school and high school, and as a club member, so his descriptions are amazing, as they painfully convey the feelings of the players. Furthermore, even though Karasuno's opponents are opponents that must be defeated, it is a great work in that you can't dislike them because you can feel their feelings. Sarah from three years ago and Sarah from now, well, even though it's the same work, it wouldn't be strange if things felt different as the situation changed. Also, even if Sarah and Adam watch it several decades from now, it's likely that some new emotions will emerge. I'm looking forward to it 😊
I'm using a translation app as usual, so I'm sorry if it's hard to read.
I've seen all of these reactions, but knowing that Adam reads these so much has made me start commenting. Just wanted to let you know that we love the extra perspective on this show, and that a lot of us have added you to our personal Reaction Bro Houses.
This is the episode for me where the show went from good to special. It’s heartbreaking enough normally, but it was beautiful to get to join in for Sarah’s feelings this time around. Loving y’all’s joint reactions; I look forward to them every week!
This time through hit different. I was a mess. This episode will always be top 5 all-time for me
So happy we are finally at this episode!! I was waiting for this literally since Adam started watching and wow worths the wait. Sarah don’t feel even a tidbit of embarrassment for crying on your second watch, cuz I’ve seen this anime like six times and still cried hard even just watching your reaction 😢 it does hit very hard. Can’t wait to see the next match with one of my all-time favorite blocker (we all know who he is)! Seeing Adam get this excited for it is just so perfect cuz the next few episodes won’t fail ❤
34:53 Furudate sensei (the author of Haikyuu) actually played high school volleyball in Japan, and so he would have played in these tournaments! The tournaments are largely based off real-life high school tournaments (which you can watch on UA-cam - there's even a top-ranking team called Seijoh) - and the manga was based off Furudate sensei's experiences playing volleyball and being a high school student!
watching this episode 7 times, still crying
like some people have said to you Sarah, watching haikyuu is better the 2nd time you watched it even though you'd already know when things came. Really enjoyed your guys's reaction, thank you!
Just rewatched Sarah's first time; she definitely cried more this time around, coz she can feel herself coming down from the clear view at the top.
I am here to defend Suga!
You don't have to defend Suga to me. I"m a big fan. I think your assessment is correct. I understand what Suga was doing and I don't disagree with what the principle behind his actions. I just think from a personal coaches standpoint those things don't need to be said. I know you're a good team mate. Don't give yourself an out, earn it.
Louder for the people in the back!! 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻
yes, his excitement makes us so happy lol
日本バレーボール協会の取り決めにより、インターハイの大会で男子がモルテンのボールを使う時は女子がミカサを使い、春高の時は逆になり、男子がミカサ、女子がモルテンを使います。
次の年は交代で前の年の逆のボールでスタートします。
アニメにもちゃんと反映されています。
烏野対常波の試合で男子チームが使っていたボールはどちらだったか覚えていますか？😊
そんな理由があったんですね😮 公式戦前の練習でボールが一種類なことに一瞬違和感を持ったけれど、試合が始まりすぐに忘れて調べたことがありませんでした。謎が解けて良かった。
教えて頂き、ありがとうございました🙏
That cut to Sarah's admission of having had a full meltdown ABSOLUTELY KILLED ME 🤣i was crying as it was happening too so it was so relatable. such an incredible scene combined with that soundrack
I love that Sarah and the viewers have hyped this episode to Adam early but still made Sarah even more emotional watching it lol
I'm really excited for you to react the rest of the series.
I’ll never not have a meltdown when I watch the winners vs losers segment. It just hits every time.
Maaan, i love this channel so much. This new series with Adam has been just as amazing if not better than the first one with Sarah alone. I think i've said this before and will say it again, when you guys share your own experiences to it, it becomes 10x better, talking about the episode. It's just so good.
Its actually normal to cry more, because you are deeper sunk into the story, since the anime is familiar, reading subtitles is easier, and knowing whats coming makes it even more enjoyable somehow
Your whole conversation and thoughts through the episode just made me love it even more than before, I'm so excited to see more reactionsss 😭💌
Haikyuu is a love letter to volleyball.
love adam responding to comments even if theyre from months ago lol
Comin' back to this one and yup there's the tears again. Every time with the tears.
Yay! I cried just as hard as Sarah! lol
This episode is so relatable and I'm so glad you both liked it! Endings are hard and to start out their journey with an episode that focused so much on endings for other players was a great move by the author.
Thank you both for sharing your experiences in losing and things coming to an end.
I always recommends Haikyuu!! to everyone around me knowing i love anime and need me to recommend a good one. And i always give them notes "but you can't watch it while working or chatting or doing some chores, because you'll lose so much important points" 😊😊
23:36 bless you for trying to hold back your tears 😭
Adam and Sarah best couple and best reaction videos ever ❤
I hope Sarah will give us two episodes a week sometimes I can't wait for more
32:26 noooo wayyyyy.. that is some wild Adam lore wow
I love these reactions so much. Look forward to them every week. You both give such wonderful insight from 2 different POVs. I am so happy Adam is enjoying this show. It's only going to get better and I can't wait to see his reactions to more "coach" specific moments. :)
Love seeing how invested Adam gets in the matches. Sending good vibes to you both!
there werr a lot of great moments in this episode but the one that pulled on me the most was michimiya sobbing.
i love how Adam pointed out that even though Noya was uplifting the team, ut was specifically for Asahi. I was unable to see it that way before. and based on Sarah's reaction that was so on point that it made the scene even more powerful.
i also love the tidbit about as a coach you aim to give the best preparation for your guys not just for them to win(which is obvious) but for them to not be able to say "i/we couldve done more"
I only knew Sarah from Haikyuu and I am thankful for that. Love you guys and cant wait for next week ^^
You two made this episode so special, tears sprung up in my eyes at the reminiscing and sympathy, hearing Sarah talk about her career, and Adam about his youth. Poignant is the best way I can put it, you guys make me cry and laugh with your reactions. Love to you both!!!! ❤
One of my favorite episodes, very relatable for all the sports I played growing up. So glad you are reacting to this with Adam, I look forward to this every Friday. And don't worry Sarah, my first watch I bawled my eyes out. My rewatch through your first reaction I cried harder. And I have a feeling this second rewatch will somehow be even worse. But that's what makes it better!
I just got off school watching this. bro the way sarah was reacting when adam was saying that Oikawa was laid back and not paying attention got me☠☠☠
man I love all of adam's insights about how everything will translate even after they graduate and whatever they do in life.
what I love the most here is the idea of them feeling acknoledge by the enemry team taking them seriously
also how humble at heart are both Hinata and Kageyama by being so happy and excited for winning their first official match even though it was an arguably easy match for their team
I legit cried throughout the whole episode and this is my 5th time watching it lollll and this is my feel good anime
Sarah represents me too much in this episode, I literally cried with her the whole time. I love Haikyuu and what it transmits🧡I thought that after watching this a million times the obsession for Haikyuu would stop, but this is forever, and I'm not complaining.
Ep11-
Suga didn't go there to tell Ukai about ABCD reasons he should be playing, he went there specifically to tell him, your reason A is because I am a third year, that's not a reason, remove that. Consider only BCD for me, I know you already know. If that is not enough for you to start me, so be it.
This episode always hits me so hard! I feel so seen and also more able to see other people. It's such a gift! Thank you for shining light on it and us again!
Adam's excitement after this match was exciting! Sarah your comments about ending approaching the end of your career hit me. I played soccer into college and know the feeling but I'm genuinely curious what it will be like for you as someone who's gone so far behind that that. I also am not ready to watch it because I became a fan of you after you started watching this and your true emotions are so visible that they reach out through the screen. You're the best!
For the Adam debate mentioned at the beginning of the reaction, I would like to throw my 2 cents in. I agree that it may not be the first thing a coach wants to hear is that a player is "giving" their spot up, and especially for American/Canadian sports, if you have a bad game, the next game you can be replaced, you should want every opportunity you can get to prove yourself. This episode is the embodiment of the counter-argument, because given the context of Japanese high school sports, and being "one (loss) and done" I think Suga is making the best call he could. Suga felt the pain of losing and having to see his senpais retire, year after disappointing year, because the format is so cruel, they can't expect to have an easy road, and now that he's already had his "chance" as starting setter, he doesn't care about being a starter or regular, he just wants to win, and to see his teammates win that have worked alongside him all these years. He knows Kageyama is the best chance they have because he's a generational talent. Of course he still has his pride as a player, and would give 100% of his effort if the coach and team asked him to play, but he doesn't want to lose, he doesn't want to go home, he doesn't want this to be the end of his volleyball and he doesn't want to say goodbye to his teammates. That, is why I think it was not only smart, but also very brave of Suga to "give" his spot to Kageyama. He probably could have forced himself to start instead, being a 3rd year has a lot of sway, especially for less "successful" teams, but he sees something special and wants to see how it plays out, that's how I saw Suga's interaction with Ukai anyway.
I definitely agree that the format of the season affects how I saw the interaction initially as I incorrectly assumed it would be similar to a high school season in North America. So I don't disagree with you, but here is something else to think about. I think a lot of times people are afraid of failure, they give themselves an out incase it doesn't work it. This way it hurts less if it doesn't happen. I see this with athletes all the time. We hedge our bets or don't put our goals out in the world because then they are real and people know if you fail. I"m not saying that Suga is doing this, and Kageyama is definitely better. But on a personal level for Suga he did fail last season, the team lost. Saying you can play someone else, takes the responsibly off of him to evaluate the team. Doing this gives you an out. This is also something that affects my view on this, seeing people take this approach in real life.
@@adamschulz9475 I agree with you 100% and this doesn't only happen in sports, it also happens everywhere in the world, a lot of people settle for lower positions because they are scared of responsibility even if they are super competent. I think as a coach you should definitely strive to make your most competent players feel like they want to play and they want to succeed, and to want them to go out and set examples for your younger inexperienced players, I think that is a very reasonable viewpoint, and I get why you would think that considering your coaching background and career, thanks for the response!
@@taylordlongcrow :) always love a good discussion and another viewpoint.
I am same with Sarah and probably most of the fans that watches haikyuu many times now, that the more you watch it, the more you become emotionally invested and appreciate the scenes more. Every episode just become more special the more you watch it. Love u Adam and Sarah ❤
I love that Adam talked about Suga giving up his position, finally i heard someone that thinks the same as me.
PS: love the content, huge fan from argentina
Just started the video and already know I'm going to cry at this one--I have every one of the 8+ times I've watched it before.
"win. then win some more. then win for us too!" 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I ran cross country in high school and college, and I can SO relate to the immediate frustration and reflection after a close loss. So many thoughts of "if only I had done x" flash through your mind one after another. No worse feeling than finishing a race right behind someone you KNOW you could have beaten if you had done a few small things differently, or exerted yourself 5% more.
Adam responding to comments is wild lmao he really reads comments 🤣🤣
i loooove how much emotional we all get as we rewatch this damn show. i adore your reaction videos tysm for all the insight you two bring us!!!!
Ok...how in the flipping world does Sarah remembers the episode numbers for absolutely everything on her finger tips? Like..how?
THE LONG AWAITED EPISODE 🫶🏻
Best episode ever! Excellent reaction from both Sarah and Adam. This is the height of what great reaction should be on youtube, people who really knows about volleyball reacting to an amazing anime about volleyball.
I just now noticed Adam has kuroos hairstyle haha
Truly a much stronger reaction. Damn near made me sympathy cry.
"There's just so many ways it can go, and I have no feel for how the writer is going to take this moment. Which is awesome, because that's how sport is." Again, Adam hitting the nail right on the head. It really is the beauty of Furudate's (the author) writing!
Haikyuu definitely hits even harder on rewatch(es), and that is saying something because the emotions already hit like a truck the first time around. Seeing and hearing Sarah get so emotional got me all misty-eyed as well. Never apologize for the tears; I assure you we have all cried at one point or another (or... multiple lol) throughout the course of this story.
I expected Adam to comment on Suga talking to Kageyama about Asahi because he told him to do, what Adam said to do a moment earlier.
the whiplash I got from 🦆 Adam to “win for us too” 😂😂😂😢😢😢
Love how the haikyuu appreciation has connected me to know more about Sarah and her sport/life insights and now Adam’s too. That makes me emotional…Thank you for your reactions so far thank you for sharing a piece of your passion for the sport it really warms the heart 🥹❤
I'm not a sports person but I was a class president at school and ended up being the head of student council in my final year. I was also team captain in any summer camp that i ever went to. Rewatching this episode reminded me of how much Haikyuu influenced me as a leader. Sports can be a good metaphor for real life conflicts. Daichi is a great example of a leader who is a pillar for everybody else, not the genius of the team but a foundation on which everything else is built. Suga is an example of self-sacrifice that every leader has to go through for their team. On the other hand, Michimiya's example reminds me of how no matter what result we get, as a captain you have to put your team before your own feelings. Even if those feelings are extreme anguish from failure, your team comes first, and by giving up as a captain you are giving up on tour teammates. Just so many great lessons to be learned here.
I didn’t expect to cry like this 😭 but me and Sarah are twinning 🥹
Oikawa only can disrespect opponent coz he is the Haikyuu's GOAT 😇
The interesting thing about this episode is that I'm not even an athlete but it resonated with me in a way that it reminded me of those times I failed at things and felt sorry for myself and asking how I could have done it any better. I cried a lot in this episode because I did have regrets in life which made me realize that I should always try to endeavor to perform my best every time. There wasn't anything flashy about this episode (except maybe for Noya's Rolling Thunder Again lol) but it was incredible how the author was able to capture this much insight and feeling from the players, and gave highlight not just for the winning team but also the losing team who are most likely feeling crushed by the defeat.
Oh boy, I wasn't ready to shed so many tears first thing in the morning but here I am
Yeah, neither was I 😅