Haikyuu, as its name means volleyball, is a beloved sports and comedy anime series about volleyball. Originally based on the manga series that Haruichi Furudate wrote and illustrated himself, the story is very popular worldwide with both its anime and manga series. The anime series, which started airing on April 6, 2014, has been aired on many huge platforms, increasing the number of viewers every day. Haikyuu, one of the 50 most popular anime series of all time according to the Myanimelist, was created by Production I.G.. The studio, one of the most hard-working anime studios of recent years, is also known for the record-breaking anime series, Fire Force and Cells at Work!. The last season of the anime made its final on December 19, 2020. Fans are now craving the fifth season of Haikyuu!
What is the plotline of the Haikyuu !!?
Shouyou Hinata‘s love for volleyball comes from the volleyball player nicknamed the “Little Giant” he saw on TV. Hinata wants to join the volleyball team because of this inspiration, but no men’s volleyball team is in his school. Despite all this, Hinata does not give up and seeks help from his friends. They finally manage to make it to the Middle Schools League Match. But they suffer a great defeat by Tobio Kageyama, known as the “King of the Court”.
Hinata, who put his mind to defeating the “King of the Court” and made his ambition, goes to Karasuno High School, the school where the actor named “Little Giant”, whom he admires, attended. But what’s surprising is that he’s at the same school as the “King of the Court” that he set his mind to beat. Although they do not like each other, they make a perfect pair in matches. Hinata, who is getting better at volleyball day by day, tells Kageyama that he wants to win and gets even more ambitious. Their feeling of being beaten makes them trust each other, and it is very effective in these matches. This trust allows them to be a formidable opponent in matches.
What about Haikyuu !!: To the Top?
If we don’t count the two-part OVA series that came out in 2019, we met last time in 2016 with the fantastic Karasuno & Shiratorizawa match. Four years later, it’s a new Haikyuu season. The season, which is called ‘To the Top‘, was presented to the audience in two parts. The last season of the anime has a slower progression than other seasons.
In the last season of the anime, we watched two different preparation camps. The first is that Kageyama receives an invitation to training at the Japan Youth camp. Here, Kageyama gets the opportunity to come together with Japan’s top players and hone their skills. The second is the rookies camp for freshmen in the Miyagi region, organized under the leadership of Shiratorizawa coach Tanji Washijou. Tsukishima is also invited to this camp, but guess who is almost forced into the camp even though he is not invited? Of course, the star of the anime series is Hinata! Then the national spring tournament begins, and the first part of the season is completed. In the second season of the anime, we watched a game that lasted for episodes full of flashbacks. With the flashbacks, we witnessed the life story of almost everyone on the Inarizaki team. Although many anime fans like this style, some viewers want more fluid matches in the possible next season.
Haikyuu !!!: To the Top was a new season that came years later and delighted fans. However, in some ways, it fell short of expectations. The biggest reason for this was the changing drawings. In a possible fifth season, many fans want to see old drawings first. It wouldn’t be bad for a new season to see Hinata play on MSBY Black Jackals instead of Karasuno. It was said that the drawings were bad, and the entire season has been reserved for one match, and Nekoma match wasn’t necessary, and it was said where our boys are. But despite all this, Season 4 was a beautiful anime season befitting Haikyuu. So is Season 5 really possible?
Will there be a fifth season of the Haikyuu?
The final season of Haikyuu was published in 2020 in two parts. The season, in which we witnessed another giant match, ended in December 2020. As of June 19, 2022, Production I.G or any related company has not yet renewed the series for a fifth season. No worries because we know that this was not a final. The team had stated that they are looking forward to the continuation of the series after the fourth season finale. The new season of the anime came to the screen four years later. Considering the time that has passed since the last season, it’s too early to see a season confirmation. However, it is possible to speculate about the new season in light of some main factors.
A huge thank you to the entire Haikyu!! Anime team for their continued hard work this past year!
Looking forward to the continuation!#ハイキュー #hq_anime pic.twitter.com/KU411mpHQ7
— HAIKYU!! (@Haikyu_EN) December 18, 2020
Source material (Manga compared to Anime)
There should be sufficient stock material for us to see a new season of the Anime. Haikyuu is an anime adapted from its manga. Written and illustrated by Haruichi Furudate, the Anime is broadcast by Shueisha in Japan. Viz Media, on the other hand, brings the manga series to the readers in English. The manga, which started to be published in February 2012, consists of 45 volumes in total so far. Unfortunately, the manga, whose last volume was published on November 4, 2020, ends and will no longer continue.
With the last season of the anime, 33 volumes of the manga series have been adapted; the remaining source material seems sufficient for a new season and one or two OVA episodes. This is both good news and bad news. There is no problem with source material for a new season of the anime, but a sixth season is very difficult as the manga does not continue.
| Comparison (Anime & Manga) |
|
| Season 1 | Chapter 71 (Volume1 – Volume 8) |
| Season 2 | Chapter 149 (Volume 8 – Volume 17) |
| Season 3 | Chapter 190 (Volume 17 – Volume 21) |
| Season 4 | Chapter 292 (Volume 21 – Volume 33) |
| Remaining | 112 Chapter (12 Volume) |
Disc sales in terms of the fifth season
BluRay and DVD sales are the most important factor for a new season of animes. Although disc sales have declined in recent years, this is a constant tradition in the anime industry. For an anime to be profitable enough to create a new season, it is expected to sell at least 4,000 copies. In the last season of Haikyuu, disc sales have halved compared to the previous season but still manage to stay above this threshold.
| Haikyuu!! To The Top | Volume 1 | 4794 |
| Haikyuu!! To The Top | Volume 2 | 4891 |
| Haikyuu!! To The Top | Volume 3 | 4760 |
| Haikyuu!! To The Top 2nd Season | Volume 1 | 7252 |
| Haikyuu!! To The Top 2nd Season | Volume 2 | 6158 |
| Haikyuu!! To The Top 2nd Season | Volume 3 | 6200 |
The popularity of the series
Everyone knows that the popularity of the anime is enough for a new season. The manga series has a total circulation of 50m and the anime series is just as popular. The anime ranked 38th on Myanimelist based on popularity. This rank shows how popular the anime is on social media, Google searches, and online streaming services. So much so that anime is followed by over 1 million users on Twitter.
We should underline that the manga, the original of the series, is at least as popular as the anime. Haikyuu, which has never fallen off the best-seller list, surpassed another threshold last year and has a total of more than 50 million copies in circulation. It is a fact that anime has also increased manga sales.
Finally, the Haikyuu team announced in Weekly Shonen Jump on February 21, 2022, that the series will have 10 major projects and it shows that the brand is alive and the team is working on many projects. We are almost sure that the focus will be on the new anime season in the future.
When is the release date of Haikyuu Season 5?
A new season of the anime has not been confirmed yet, but we know we will see a new season. The required source material is available, and it looks like we don’t have to wait years for a new season. We think the focus will be on a new anime season for the series as its manga series has already finished. A new season of an average anime is prepared in one year. If there is a renewal soon, we can see a new season of Haikyuu somewhere in 2023. We hope we will hear the nostalgic opening again. Stay tuned.
| Release Date | |
| Season 1 | April 6, 2014 |
| Season 2 | October 4, 2015 |
| Season 3 | October 8, 2016 |
| s4: Part 1 | January 11, 2020 |
| s4: Part 2 | October 3, 2020 |
| Season 5 | Late 2023 (Expectation) |
Haikyuu Season 5 Plotline
Since the anime follows the manga, it’s possible to know what might happen in the fifth season. The new season of the anime will cover the story from the aftermath of chapter 34. What you will read below contains critical spoilers from this new season.
Before the Nekoma match, the first character named “Tiny Giant” enters the screen: Tenma Udai. He came to watch their match as he was waiting for the Crow and the Cat to fight with hope.
It is obvious that Karasuno will not lose against Nekoma. What matters is what happens next. They will play against the team of Kōrai Hoshiumi, who is also known as Little Giant. Unfortunately, they lost this match. In the third set of the match, we see Hinata trying to reach Tanaka’s outstretched hand on the ground while falling to the ground. At first, we think that she might be tired, but then teacher Takeda confirmed that Hinata had a fever.
He was aware of this in the joyful handshake he and Kageyama had just made, but he was unsure; His hands were warmer than usual. They have to send Hinata off of the match due to her fever of 39.1. Hinata takes a hard look at her teacher, who decided, but we move on to the ‘advice about life’ section that Takeda Sensei always does, and Hinata gives herself some credit and leaves the field. As Hinata walks towards the exit door, Hoshiumi says to him:
“I will wait for you.” Although we cannot grasp what it means at first glance, this word actually represents the future. We see that Narita, a sophomore, has filled Hinata’s place. Leaving the match, Hinata sees Kenma waiting for her outside. Kenma gives Hinata her tablet so she can watch the match. Hinata is accompanied by Hitoka, the team’s second manager, and Makoto Shimada, who teaches Yamaguchi to serve. It’s possible they’re going to the hospital. On the way, we see that Hinata and Hitoka are still watching the match with great attention.
Towards the end of the third set, we see Tsukishima cramping in his leg and unable to catch the ball thrown at him. This will cause him to leave the match. It seems that this adventure, Karasuno School attended for the first time after five years, will end here. With two points lost after Tsukishima’s departure, Karasuno lost their fourth match 2-1 to Kamomedia.
According to the gossip and our predictions, the studio will adapt the entire Haikyuu manga to anime. If so, the story will travel five years into the future with the beginning of season 6. We will see that Hinata and many other characters have already graduated from high school.