Title: Haikyu!! 3rd Season on Blu-ray

Director: Susumu Mitsunaka

U. S. Distributor: Sentai Filmworks

U. S. Release Date: 11/26/2019

Format: Blu-ray / 10 Episodes / 250 Minutes

Genre: Sports action and drama

Age Rating: TV 14

Overall Personal Rating: A

Synopsis:

The Karasuno High School Volleyball team is fighting its way up the levels of the Spring High School National Volleyball Championship. Can their stamina hold up? Season 3 gets in depth of the final match. The best of 5 sets will determine who advances. As they take the main court to face Shiratorizawa Academy High School, a team currently undefeated in their prefecture, each player must come to terms with their own weakness and form an even more complex team dynamic.

Both teams are forces built up from their training, fueled by their past that drives them and their goals pulling them into the future. It is not just a sport of the body, strength and skill but it becomes the energy each team member brings, the understanding they have acquired through hard work and pain, the connection to each other that make the sum greater than the parts.

Commentary:

Season Three of Haikyu!! totally delivers an exciting anime. It doesn’t disappoint and holds up to the standards of the series. Full of heart and energy there is not need to like volleyball or any sports to enjoy the series or season 3. There are these little lessons built in when some of the characters are talking, so you’ll get enough of the ground rules to understand the essence of the game play. I also think you could jump into season 3 without having watched previous Haikyu. At first, I thought it would have been a good idea to catch a few episodes of the end of season two, but I got over it by the second episode. You don’t need it. There is just enough of an introduction. The quick intro to the main rivals in center court was nice to get further into what drives them and to remember the game is important to both sides. This season really does zero in on the dynamics of the play and the community. It is more about the teams and the game instead of focusing on the two main characters, Hinata and Kageyama as before.

Visual is another thing that makes this a great anime, specifically the depiction of the action and emotions. Wow, what action, even down to the amazing spin of the the ball. The art depicts the human condition, the complexity of thoughts, feelings combined with physical moment, strength and tension. The animation portrays the inner strength and physical power of the players, their speed, movement and energy. There was interwoven set of techniques used; motion, directed light, frozen scenes, time lapse, camera angle movement, sound, color, atmosphere, close up, back ground memories that help us to understand motivation and actions. Not all techniques are able to express the significance of one moment of inspiration for the character to the audience the way anime can.

Another layer that forms the quality of this animation is the sound support, including the music. The music gets amazing sometimes. Not overbearing, but I usually make a point to notice it. It too was good at building the drama and anticipation, a real chill builder in the right moments. The sound effects, the hits, the sneakers on the glossy gym floor, were also well done and really helps put you in the action.

In English, you can watch it either subtitled or dubbed.

Overal Grade: A

“Height is a huge advantage in life.” But if you have a disadvantage, overcoming it is Haikyu!!… volleyball anyone?