!, from the kanji 排球 "volleyball") is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate.

The story follows Shoyo Hinata, a boy determined to become a great volleyball player despite his small stature.

An anime television series adaptation produced by Production I.G, aired on MBS from April to September 2014, with 25 episodes.

He joins his school's volleyball club – only to find he is its sole member, forcing him to spend the next two years trying to convince other students to help him practice.

In the third and final year of junior high, some of Hinata's friends agree to join the club so he can compete in a tournament.

In his first official game ever, they suffer a crushing defeat to the team favored to win the tournament – that included third-year Tobio Kageyama, a prodigy setter nicknamed 'The King of the Court' for both his skill and his brutal play style.

The two spark a short rivalry, and after the game, Hinata vows to defeat Kageyama in high school.

[4] Karasuno is revealed to have lost its reputation as a powerhouse school following the era of the Little Giant, often being referred to as 'The Wingless Crows' by other local teams.

[5] However, by combining Kageyama's genius setting skills with Hinata's remarkable athleticism, the duo create an explosive new volleyball tactic and develop an unexpected but powerful setter-spiker partnership.

Both Hinata and Kageyama aspire to be professional volleyball players, and make a promise to one another after they graduate from high school that no matter what, they will both play on the same court again.

[12][13] At their panel at New York Comic Con, North American publisher Viz Media announced their license of the manga and released the series in 2016.

[14] Shueisha began to simulpublish the series in English on the website and app Manga Plus in January 2019.

Volume 33.5, which includes a 16-page manga, character illustrations, the storyboard for chapter 322, and a Q&A with Furudate, was given to the Haikyu!!

[20] A radio drama for the series was broadcast in November 2012 on TV Tokyo's Sakiyomi Jum-Bang!

[23] An anime television series produced by Production I.G aired from April 6 to September 21, 2014 on MBS, other JNN stations, and with English subtitles on Crunchyroll.

[25] For episodes 14 through 25, the opening is "Ah Yeah" by Sukima Switch, and the ending is "LEO" by Tacica.

Two more OVA episodes, "Land vs. Sky" and "The Path of the Ball", adapting the Tokyo Nationals qualifiers story arc from the manga series, were released on January 22, 2020.

[56] In April 2024, Crunchyroll announced that they had acquired the North American and select international theatrical rights to the film.

A series of stage plays titled Hyper Projection Engeki: Haikyu!

!, directed by Worry Kinoshita, began running in 2015, starring Kenta Suga as Hinata.

[91] Leroy Douresseaux of Comic Book Bin praised the story for its in-depth examination of personal and mental struggles in addition to athletic struggles, noting its prominent focus on character drama and team dynamics outside of volleyball.

[100] Kim Yeon-kyoung, captain of the South Korean National Women's Volleyball team, reacted to and analyzed Karasuno's final rally against Aoba Johsai in season 2, expressing that while a few moments were exaggerated and impossible to do in real life, she was pleasantly surprised by its portrayal of high-level volleyball and thought it was "fun to watch".

"[103] Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network commented on the development of non-players like Karasuno's team manager, Kiyoko, stating that "her triumphant jump as she brings Hinata his lost sneakers is a beautiful statement of the fact that she's just as much a part of the team as any of the boys".

[104] Silverman also comments on the anime's attention to detail, noting the inclusion of deep breaths in, the movement of muscles in player's legs, and point of view shots that follow the ball during rallies.

[105] Isaac Ackers applauded the anime for its creation of intensity without having to use the speed of real-life sports, noting that it "[tightens] its focus on individual moments, making each point a peak and each second leading up to those peaks essential.

It hangs on specific plays, stretches out the time the volleyball is in the air, emphasizes the moments in between.

"[106] Rafael Motamayor of Slash Film commended the anime, stating that "the best part of Haikyu!!

is the way the show integrates relationships and character stories into the actual sport", noting that "what may look like a simple toss suddenly turns into a vital lesson in building trust with your teammates, and the planning and staging of a spike also means addressing and confronting years of self-hatred and doubts".

He also complimented the combination of Production I.G's fluid animation and Yuki Hayashi's soundtrack, which "[elevate] a simple game into an operatic duel of fates", with "visual metaphors that [turn] every pass into a battle".

for its outstanding characterization and for its execution of an entertaining story, even for those who do not enjoy sports or have no volleyball knowledge.