You see, in all the years I’ve been watching anime, one subgenre I’ve never really gotten into is sports anime. To be honest, I think it stems from the fact that I’m not really that interested in actual sports. It all takes too long and all that drama can feel a bit too forced for my liking. But there’s one series I’ve been meaning to check out for a long time, and I keep telling myself I’ll eventually watch it because everyone I know loves it more than anything. This is Haikyuu.
This isn’t about me watching Haikyuu. I’m sorry. Or maybe it’s not a series. It may sound silly, but today I’m here to tell you about Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle, and yes, I know it picks up near the end of the series, but hey ho, what better way to decide if you want to check something out than to watch about 90 minutes of breezy film? Of course, I doubt it would be fun for someone who knows nothing about Haikyuu, but that’s one of the main reasons I actually wanted to check it out, but I’ll come back to that later.
Watch on YouTube
High-Q!! Dumpster Battle picks up immediately after the fourth season, pitting Hinata Shoyo and the rest of Karasuno High’s volleyball team against their rival Nekoma in the Spring National Tournament. Despite the two schools having played against each other before, this is the first official match between the two schools, so the stakes are raised a bit on this occasion for obvious reasons (and FYI, the entire movie is just one match, so don’t ) that much downtime is expected). As someone who knows literally nothing about the series straight away, the biggest surprise is who the main focus of the movie actually is.
Hinata, the small, energetic red-haired protagonist, takes a bit of a back seat for this, focusing instead on her personal rival and friend, Kenma. The movie gives us a few flashbacks to help establish their dynamic, with Hinata inspiring his rivals to do better as well, and the kind of protagonist that acts as a good foil to someone like Kenma who acts like he’s not. Make it clear that it is. I also really like volleyball. The focus on Kenma certainly impressed me based on my own expectations, and it certainly would have been the case for the original manga as well. For fans of the series, it’s a little more difficult.
Kenma is a bit of a strange character, introverted but smart. The movie is about him finding his momentum on the volleyball court, and that evolution I found fascinating. His backstory was really well intertwined with the game, and we got to see how he became a volleyball player thanks to his childhood friend and teammate Kuroo. Their relationship in particular was a joy to watch, providing a clear example of why people are so invested in Haikyuu.
Manage cookie settings
As for the animation, there’s not necessarily anything special about it (it’s volleyball, after all, so how rough can it get?), but there’s some really fun direction there. The camera work was dynamic and passionate, helping to build tension throughout the game. You could feel every spike, cringe at every miss, cringe at every reception when the ball came hot on you. It’s probably one of the most important elements of sports anime. If I’m not invested in the sport itself, why am I watching it, even if I don’t like it? But the movie quickly put me on the spot and even made me think, “Hey, should I go watch real volleyball?”
I think that’s one of the most complimentary things I can say about the movie. I have to admit that, for the most part, I felt lost when it came to character relationships. There’s a lot to balance, and no context is given at all as to why some of the characters you don’t play in the match are important, but again, this is more important to me than the movie. But eventually I decided I wanted more of this in my life. I miss you Haikyuu
No, I don’t think The Dumpster Battle is the perfect game to jump into if you’re new to the series. But to be honest, I don’t think it matters that much. It mostly comes across as an extended episode, and it works well enough as a teaser for a series that clearly has a lot of heart and energy. I mean, you’ve won over Haikyuu fans. I’m going to watch the volleyball anime, and I’m sure I’ll have a good time.
High-Q!! The Dumpster Battle is released in UK and US cinemas on May 31 and will be available subtitled and dubbed.
