cw: we briefly mention diets and dieting in the character spotlight (around 1:04:26), please take care of yourself if this is triggering for you
“I just wanna slap his hideous, beautiful face.”
It's the introduction of anime's greatest villain of all time!!
This week, em and rainbow cover season 1, episode 7 'Versus the Great King' and talk about Oikawa as a character, Oikawa as a rival for Kageyama, and Oikawa's amazing serve. You'll never guess who we cover in the character spotlight.
1:23:44 - Spoiler Zone Begins
Podcast Socials:
twitter
bluesky
instagram
tumblr
Send us an email! flyhqpod@gmail.com
Transcript available on our website, if not included in your podcast app: https://flyhqpod.buzzsprout.com
If you have the means, please consider donating to
Palestine Children's Relief Fund
Doctors without Borders
Pious Projects - donating period products to Gaza
International Rescue Committee
UNRWA for Palestine Refugees
Non-monetary ways to help:
Click to Help through arab.org
BDS Boycott List
Shut It Down 4 Palestine - find protests and actions in the United States
Jewish Voices for Peace
Decolonize Palestine - educate yourself
If you don't have the means to donate money or supplies or are unable to attend protests, please raise awareness about the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people by sharing on social media and boycotting companies based on the BDS boycott list (linked above).
cw: we briefly mention diets and dieting in the character spotlight (around 1:04:26), please take care of yourself if this is triggering for you
“I just wanna slap his hideous, beautiful face.”
It's the introduction of anime's greatest villain of all time!!
This week, em and rainbow cover season 1, episode 7 'Versus the Great King' and talk about Oikawa as a character, Oikawa as a rival for Kageyama, and Oikawa's amazing serve. You'll never guess who we cover in the character spotlight.
1:23:44 - Spoiler Zone Begins
Podcast Socials:
twitter
bluesky
instagram
tumblr
Send us an email! flyhqpod@gmail.com
Transcript available on our website, if not included in your podcast app: https://flyhqpod.buzzsprout.com
If you have the means, please consider donating to
Palestine Children's Relief Fund
Doctors without Borders
Pious Projects - donating period products to Gaza
International Rescue Committee
UNRWA for Palestine Refugees
Non-monetary ways to help:
Click to Help through arab.org
BDS Boycott List
Shut It Down 4 Palestine - find protests and actions in the United States
Jewish Voices for Peace
Decolonize Palestine - educate yourself
If you don't have the means to donate money or supplies or are unable to attend protests, please raise awareness about the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people by sharing on social media and boycotting companies based on the BDS boycott list (linked above).
Hello everyone and welcome to Fly a queer Haikyuu podcast.
em:I'm Rainbow and I'm Em so today, the day of recording, is March 2nd, which is a big strike day. It's a strike day for Palestine and we have had, like, donation links in the show notes and, if you follow either of us on Twitter, like, we retweet stuff all the time but we've yet to say, like on the pat on the podcast, free Palestine, this is a free Palestine household and it didn't just start on October 7th. This has been going on for a very long time and, yeah, we just wanted to say that this is a genocide, it's not a war, and that's. That's pretty much what I've got. I will say I do.
em:What gives me a little bit of hope is, like you know, I've been online for a long time and horrible things happen all the time and I do notice a pattern of, like you know, things are always happening in the world and then something particularly egregious happens and we all care about it for a period of time and then we kind of all move on and forget about it. But that doesn't seem to be happening with this, and I think that's with the help of like this new generation to, and just like social media. You know, you really can't look away, which is good, don't look away. Eyes on Palestine, eyes on Rafa, and yeah, so we just wanted to make that, we just wanted to say that on here and put some spotlight onto that, and if you want to talk about it more, you can email us. But we're certainly not experts. But it does not take an expert to know what's going on is wrong.
rainbow:Yeah, absolutely, and I'm going to be honest. If anybody comes at us with accusations of anti-Semitism, I will be ignoring that.
em:I don't think our audience is gonna be like that.
rainbow:I can't imagine. If you've made it this far, I think you know who we are at this point and I'm not trying to debate it, because I don't think people having a right to live is a debate and people in Palestine are dying at ridiculous numbers and it's just, it's. It's a bad thing, it's a genocide and they are like. The words that are being thrown around, not just by the state of Israel, but by even like United States ambassadors, are really scary.
em:They won't even say the word. They won't acknowledge Palestine as a place anymore. Yeah, it's really crazy. It's the end like living in America, it's like the greatest gaslighting event of the fucking century. So, but yeah, I don't really know how to segue out of this, but here we go. Yeah, I don't either. Free Palestine, free Palestine, that's the message and we'll have links in the show.
rainbow:Yeah, I'll put. I'll put several links. I've been just putting like one link at a time in the show notes for things and for different causes out there. But I'll put quite a few because again, we're recording this on the day of the strike and it'll be coming out in a couple of weeks.
rainbow:But you know there's just there's lots of things that you can do to help. There's even like non monetary things that you can be doing and keep a lookout for your local areas. You know your local organizations. You know I work at a university and they are collecting medical supplies to send to Gaza right now. So, you know, look for those things as well, because even like, maybe you have like an extra pack of band aids that you can send, like they need every little thing that they can get and you know, if you have the means, you know, just just take a little bit of time out of your day and send something their way.
rainbow:Yeah, Okay so we're going to move over to our housekeeping section now and we don't have a lot for this. But in did put a pull out on the pod Twitter asking what tsukki is listening to and you all decided he listens to music, or most of you did and then we put out what kind of music we think tsukki listens to, and dubstep and EDM one. Somebody did comment I think it was Zale, who said I they headc anon that tsukki listens to dad rock, which was not an option that we put out, but I could also see that I did think about putting that option there.
em:It's hard because I think you only get four. I could have put like six more options on there, but that is valid and then we also had so so advocate for the cake pop option, which I would buy as well. Honestly, I would kind of buy any of the options that I put on there. I was a fun little poll to do so. Thank you guys for participating in that.
rainbow:I could see tsukki honestly having like a mix like kind of like me, like I have like a nine hour long playlist that is just songs that I like and it ranges anywhere from like show tunes to Doja Cat to Trixie Mattel, like folk music, yeah, yeah. So I could see tsukki doing that. But you know the people have spoken, you know the 30 people who follow us and they've said tsukki's probably listening to dubstep, which I believe have we also talked to?
em:do we talk about this last episode about because we got the results in, for if we're doing these off the cuff, oh, yes, yes, we did so.
rainbow:Obviously, most people said that they just don't care, do what you want, which I appreciate.
em:And, for context, we've put out another poll asking we do our. You know we do our little recaps at the beginning and we were wondering if you guys would care if we do them off the cuff or if we do them scripted or if you don't care. And every most people said we don't care, do what you want. So that's what we're going to do and I think, personally, I might write them out beforehand, because I did it off the cuff last episode and I don't think it was my strongest work. But what are you going to do today, rainbow, because it's your turn.
rainbow:I have not prewritten it, but honestly, this episode is pretty easy for me to recap because I fucking love it. So, yeah, sorry to the people out there who did say that they wanted us to always write it off the or write it down. It looks like M is going to do that for you and, but thank you for all of you who participated. We really appreciate the feedback. Yeah, and so I guess, m, if you'll count me down, I'll do my recap. All right, three two one.
rainbow:The Grand King has arrived. It's Oikawa, and he's here to first stretch a little bit because he injured himself. And Kageyama talks a lot about how good he is as a player and Hinata is intimidated and Tanaka is pissed, and so they are in their game. And then Oikawa comes in as a pinch server and we get to see Oikawa's amazing server for the first time ever and he's targeting Tsukishima, because Oikawa wasn't just stretching over there, he was also observing and he can tell that Tsukishima and Hinata are not good at receiving. And Hinata is pissed that he's being left out and that he's not being targeted by these serves. So he makes a big whiny complaint right to Oikawa's face and Oikawa is confused. But then Daichi shows off that he's a good receiver. But Oikawa still manages to get the ball to Tsukishima and Tsukishima gives them a sweet, sweet chance ball. But don't worry about it, because Hinata gets a one touch in and Kageyama is able to give him his amazing free quick and Hinata locks eyes on Oikawa and slams the ball right down next to him and it's truly amazing.
rainbow:I'm so in love with this episode. And then Oikawa is frustrated, but also in awe of them, and then Karasuno goes to leave and Oikawa has to confront them at the school gate like the villain he is. And you know there's a lot of talk about receiving in this, because Daichi brings up that they're still missing a couple players, and one of them is the Garden Deity of Karasuno. I wonder who that could be. We also learned that Takata is trying very hard to find a coach for them. We learned why Kageyama is at Karasuno himself and then, at the very end, kageyama is going to serve the ball and who should come in and receive it? Perfectly, but the one, the only, garden Deity of Karasuno.
em:Da, da, da, da da da. Pretty good stuff. That was pretty. I feel like I got it all. That's. That's the episode discussion right there. Let's move on.
rainbow:And now, for who in Hype you? No, no, we have to talk a lot about this episode. I have a lot of notes. I love this episode. I realized when we started it, or when I started it last night for my homework, I was like, oh, I've rewatched this one several times, like I've rewatched Haikyuu in total a lot. But I've also rewatched certain episodes that bring me joy, and this is one of them. I just it's so good. It's so good for so many reasons, and the main one is because we get to really meet Oikawa, and Oikawa is a fun character.
em:He is. He's a fun little guy. I like I wrote that. Uh. Tanaka's reaction to Oikawa is mine. He's basically like Kakeyama. Who is this man? I don't like him. Yes, he's like. I find him unpleasant. Yeah, mr Nice Guy or whatever he calls him. Yeah.
rainbow:I yeah, when I first watched this episode, I was watching it with my friend Froggy, who we talked about back in episode zero, who introduced me, and I was like I hate this guy and she was, oh, I kind of love him. I was like, oh, I get it, I kind of love him too, but I also hate him. This is I. We're gonna do Oikawa spoiler alert. We're gonna do Oikawa for our character spotlight and I'm gonna save all of my opinions for them.
em:But let's just talk about what actually happens in the episode, because, like, oikawa shows up and the coach is mad at him because, he's like you sprained your ankle and the whole reason we like brought Kurosu no with had had Kurosu no, bring Kageyama is for you, because Oikawa makes a lot of decisions for the team he's well and we'll see when we actually play against them that he kind of is running that team Like the coach doesn't have to work too hard because Oikawa steps in. But yeah, it is. Interestingly, do learn he is the one who specifically asked for Kageyama Qn. Why are you so obsessed with me by Marae Carrie?
rainbow:Yes, but also Kageyama, like, really admires Oikawa in a lot of ways, yes, and a lot of somber respect for his great game.
rainbow:Yes, absolutely Like. I remember I was watching this in my living room and my brother walked by who, like, has never watched Haikyuu, but he walked by and like listened to Kageyama talking about Oikawa and how good he is and he was just like we get it. You want him. Like just kiss him already. Yeah, which I like. That's something that's so great about Haikyuu. Like even like somebody who has never watched it before will walk by one episode and be like this is pretty gay.
em:Oh my, seriously. I also like how Hinata's reaction to Oikawa is based very much on Kageyama's reaction. It's like, oh, he respects him. He must be pretty good.
rainbow:Oh yeah, seriously, because Hinata just thinks Kageyama is the best and he's like wait, you think this guy is the best, like I love him calling him the great king, like I think that's so, like I love that Hinata gives him a little nickname. It's so funny. And then I do like I wanted to point out that Kageyama talks about Oikawa as an offensive setter. Yes, because that's what Kageyama is too, because obviously, like Kageyama, kageyama says he learned everything he knows about serving and blocking from Oikawa, and so I think like it's just so fun with Oikawa kind of being Karasuno's first rival with, or I guess like Abajosa being Karasuno's first rival and like Oikawa being the first like rival setter and then for kind of the first Kagehina rival, because he's really set up as like, oh, this is like Kageyama's rival, but like Hinata, in the way that he does, is like, oh, you're Kageyama's rival, well, you're also mine, because I want to beat Kageyama. So therefore we have to beat you.
rainbow:Yes because I think sometimes it feels like Hinata wants Kageyama to keep being the best so that he can beat him, so that he can be the best, and so he's like, well, we're going to beat anybody else, I'm going to help you beat this person, and then I'm going to go and beat you.
em:Yeah, that's exactly it. I also love Kageyama talking about how Oikawa has a bad attitude Worst than and yeah, hinata is like you're saying that and then he's like it's even worse than Tsukishimas which is, I guess, true you know, I think so, like Oikawa is anime's greatest villain, where he's got this like such a like cheery disposition, but he'll cut you yeah he, yeah, he will like slice you down to size with a smile on his face.
rainbow:Absolutely, it is.
em:it is fun and like the glee in which he is like looking forward to defeating them.
rainbow:Yeah, that's true Because well, and I think like I think that's just kind of his personality where I feel like you could argue that Tsukishima a lot of his attitude comes from like his like weird like backstory and stuff, and maybe some of maybe there's like some personal stuff with Oikawa that we don't know about that has like caused him to be this way. But it's not like it's, it's not the same, it's just he kind of just is a shitty person.
em:Yeah Well, meanwhile, oikawa is a sadist, so yes, oh yeah.
rainbow:And then Oikawa, like when he greets Kagama, is like greeting him like oh, tokyo, it's so good to see you. Like, not like. He's acting like he didn't demand that Kagama be the setter for this game.
em:Yeah, he's acting like he wasn't a jerk to him all throughout middle school.
rainbow:Oh, my god, yeah, oh, we have so much to break down with, yeah.
em:So, as you had said in the recap, oikawa is no dummy. He has been watching them while he warms up and he sees the weakness in their defense and aims right for their weak spots.
rainbow:So I do want to say, like before, when Oikawa was like walking away to go stretch, like after he gives his little like greeting to Kagama, there's like a bunch of girls like who have been watching the game who are like screaming for Oikawa and like so excited and Oikawa has no time to like even acknowledge them because he has to like turn and give a sly little look back to Kagama and that's like gay. I have in my notes a bunch of girls screaming for Oikawa, but Oikawa is only focused on Tobu.
em:He really does fixate on his rivals on a level that others maybe don't.
rainbow:Yeah, yeah, that earns him the greatest villain in anime.
rainbow:Yes, absolutely, but yes. But then Oikawa comes in as a pinch server and he aims directly for Tsukishima, because he knows Tsukishima, because he says, like, even before he goes up to serve, he says, if they never make a solid connection with the ball, what's the point, like, what's the point of them being so good at offense if they can't get the ball up into the air? And because he's he is very observant, like, say what you will about Oikawa, like he is always paying attention to every little detail.
em:Yeah, he definitely. I mean he's a serious player. Yeah.
rainbow:So then we get to see Oikawa serve for the first time, and I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I am obsessed with the way Kawah is served. Like I find it so visually appealing the way he goes, because he, like his run up, his chest is like parallel to the floor and then he jumps up into the air. It just looks so good. Like nobody else, like even Kageyama, like nobody else serving looks as cool as Kawah does to me. Like I just think it looks like.
rainbow:I think the way they animate it is just really well done and I could just watch it over and over again. I actually took a video on my phone of his service so I could just watch it whenever I want because I think it looks so good, like and I love because they almost always give us like, they show his run up and his jump like from the side, like I hate, like it looks so good from that angle and they show it to us all the time. Like season one and two, getting to watch Kawah's serve is like, like that's the thing I miss for season three and four. Yeah, like best, best serve in all of haiku, in my opinion nobody else serves better than Kawah.
em:And this is who Kageyama has been watching and modeling after. Yes, yes he has, so he's going after and oh, I remember what I was going to say. You know his whole thing about like, yeah, your offense is good, but you won't get anywhere if you can't connect. It just contributes again to the ongoing theme that volleyball is about connection. Yes, and it's not just one or two players that make it. You got to have the whole team be strong and everything like defense and office have to be strong.
rainbow:I know, and I think you know it, I think it feels a little bit heavier in the second part of the episode, but even in the first part, like this whole episode ultimately like is about receiving and the importance of receiving, because the show is so well plotted. It's just like we're getting little bits of things before they show up. It's so fucking good.
em:Yeah, and like make that connection, how much the all that receiving talk was kind of leading up to Noya's introduction at the end of the episode. But before we get to that part, I also, during the section where he's going after a Tsukis hima in particular, yamaguchi is losing his mind on the sidelines. He is just clutching his little pearls. He is worried for his man. He keeps going tsukki. It's really cute, honestly.
rainbow:Honestly so normal Like Yamaguchi is like the number one member of the Tsukis hima Protection Squad.
rainbow:Oh, my God founder member, he doesn't even need it. I have a note here that Oikawa is so observant, and it's a good thing. He loves talking to himself, so we get some handy exposition, because Oikawa is like talking to, like literally only talking to himself. He's not talking to anyone else and he's just talking about because, like you know, oikawa keeps going after tsulki with his serves and then Daichi is like hang on, I got this. And so he like repositions them on the court so that, like he has like a bigger radius for receiving.
rainbow:And Oikawa says like oh, their captain is good at receiving, so he's like given himself more space, and yet he's Oikawa still manages to go after tsukis hima. And then we have Suga on the sideline who's also giving us a little bit of exposition and saying that you know like Oikawa is still aiming for tsukki, but he loses some of his power when he has to like use that much control, like it's a very much a balancing act with Oikawa's serve, and we see that in later episodes as well. I also said, like you know, getting into shipping a little bit I think you can see a little of Oisuga if you squint like Suga is like like kind of in awe of Oikawa and he's talking about him a lot and like that's like kind of a rare pair I enjoy and I'm excited to talk more about that.
em:Yeah, well, that's why you say that, because I was kind of appreciating. I don't even know what the ship name for this is, but Oikawa and Daichi. Ooh, a little captain shipping there. Yeah, like you know, a fun cat, I just, you know, even shipping aside, I just like the way that they acknowledge each other and can see the strengths and all that.
rainbow:It's fun, well, I think that happens a lot. I think that's something we can talk about is like the captain interactions, because this is the first time we're seeing Daichi, our captain, interact with a captain from another team and we'll see that in later episodes. The way like the captains kind of acknowledge each other and kind of like talk about each other, I think it's very interesting. So I'm glad that you brought that up. Yeah.
em:So Hinata can't be ignored, obviously, and he's so like. I love his mix of confrontational but also fearful, because he's just like yelling at Oikawa from across the net like hey, amen, me too, buddy. And then he's like running, you know, back and forth on the court and I do just wish one time I don't think they ever really do, but just kind of show give us a point of view of the game in real time, because of course there's all these like dramatic slowdowns and we're with them. But a real game of volleyball goes so fast, and especially with Hinata and his whole thing is speed. I just want to watch him in real time like skittering around the courtroom and seeing how that looks.
rainbow:Yeah, I just love him being just like pay attention to me, pick on me too, like send the ball my way, I'll receive it. He's like he's so funny and but then he, you know, he does kind of like try to cheer up Tsukishima in his own way and you can see him struggling with it. He's like I hate that guy. He's so mean. But you know what? He's my teammate. He like says the same thing that Tanaka said in the last episode and Tanaka is like very proud and it's it's a very sweet moment. And Tsukishima like because when Tanaka said that to Hinata, hinata was like oh my God, that's so cool. And then Hinata says it to Tsukishima and Tsukishima is like you don't know.
em:So he said that's cringe bro he really did, he really really did. And then that brings us to everyone gets to see the freak quick.
rainbow:Oh my God, there's a few like. I kind of have to break this down because there's quite a few things happening in it. I really love this episode so much. Um because Oikawa serves the ball again and he serves it to Tsukishima and this time Tsukishima actually like manages to hit it. And we hear yams yelling in the background. You're awesome, Tsukki. Um, I just love him so much. And I think I did say yams, get the dick out of your mouth for one second.
em:Well, Yamaguchi could rival all of Oikawa's fangirls. He has the power of a whole team of fangirls for Tsukki. He absolutely does.
rainbow:I think I might have even talked about this on the podcast before, but in the like, uh, the little, uh, haikyuu BU the little, like chibi version, there's like a. It's very early on and Yamaguchi is talking about Tsukishima and it cuts to like Yamaguchi's room and it's just filled with posters and pictures of Tsukishima. And that's so real. Yes, so uh, tsukishima hits it, but then it, like the serve was so powerful, it just goes right back over to the net and then it's a chance ball for Seijo. And I love the way Oikawa says it, in both the dub and the sub, because in the sub he says, oh, look at this sweet, sweet chance ball. And then and I have some things to say for sub versus dub later but in the dub he says, my, my, look at that delicious chance ball. And I hate him but I love him. I hate that he says that.
em:He brings a wheel, he says it, he brings a real sexual element to probably all that most.
rainbow:most others do not really does and he's, and he's just like talking this whole time. This is where, like, I'm like, oh, yes, I am an Oikawa kin because he will not shut up. He's even like when he does that serve that tsukki ends up getting. He's talking while he's serving. It's like how are you running and jumping into the air and running your mouth? He's so insane, it's so ridiculous. I love him.
rainbow:Oh, and then Hinata is so intense because even when he goes to get that one touch, because Kandachi goes to hit it over the ball, but then Hinata is there and gets a one touch and like he has that like concentration look on his face. That like predator, Sarah, I think. Like in later episodes Kageyama kind of comments on it how like it gets to a certain point in a game, especially when they're close to the end, where Hinata is really in the zone, and like Kandachi is trying to like rile Hinata up and say like next time I'll slam it down, and Hinata does not care. He just immediately races to the other side because he knows Kageyama is about to send him one of those freak quicks and oh, okay, oh, my God, it's so good. And he jumps up into the air and he's got that look on his face. That's very serious.
rainbow:He has that look and he and this is, I think, one of the only times we see, and it's not really commented on in the show, but, like Hinata, has his eyes open the entire time. He does not close them at all, which he normally has to do in order to get the ball. And it's again because I think Hinata recognizes Oikawa as a rival and, I think, another monster in a way, and so he goes to spike the ball and they lock eyes.
em:Yeah, we zoom in on.
rainbow:Oikawa was like oh sure, yes. And then the ball slams down right next to him like just inside the line. It's so fucking good.
em:I can watch that over and over again.
rainbow:And then I said needle drop for Electric Feel by MGMT and I think I actually asked him to make a TikTok for me. Do you know if the sound got taken away for that one? I believe it did. That sucks, because it's so good. Just the like. The chorus part where it's like girl got me like an electric view. You know the song? Go look up the song, put that part on on, put it on mute, play the song next to it. It's an amazing experience and just the animation is so good. I love the way Hinata is animated. I love the way his face is animated, like they put their whole pussies into this part.
em:And in Oikawa's serve too his first ever serve they really animated that extra to show like the power behind it.
rainbow:Yes, Also the like I, the making eye contact while Hinata is serving, or spiking, like that moment between Hinata and Oikawa, homoradically charged in my mind.
em:So they win the game and we get and it is just fun to watch people get blown away from like the freak quick. And this is Takeda's first time seeing it, yes. And so they all go up to him and bow to him after the game and Daiichi's like give them some encouraging words or something. Takeda is such an English teacher here, but he has a very accurate observation and he's just like you guys have something special, basically Like there's a lot of power here and I think that, like, once you learn to coordinate like, you guys are going to be a really strong team. And then he gets all blush and he's like was that too poetic? Did it turn you off? I'm sorry.
rainbow:I, oh he's so, he's like he's very passionate about it and I love it. I love Takeda so much and I will say like, while Takeda is giving this little speech, it cuts to Kagehina, who just are like very blank faced.
em:Yeah, it goes over their heads, especially when he gets to the part about my chemical reaction.
rainbow:Yeah, when he gets to the metaphor, they're like I have, no, I don't even understand the words you're using. Actually, in the manga it has a panel of them looking confused and Hinata is thinking about meat buns and Kagehina is thinking about volleyball. Like it has little little little bubbles, they're so simple, and then we kind of get into like a few confrontations here after the game.
em:We have a bathroom confrontation, yes, but Kindaichi and Kagehina have a very, what I call very haikyuu confrontation where, like there's all these emotions but it's all the talk is all about volleyball. And basically Kagehina approaches Kindaichi and he starts to say something I would be interested to see what he was going to say but Kindaichi interrupts him and he's like don't apologize. Like I don't like. What does he say? Well, we also see a flashback where it's like, confirmed, kindaichi was kind of behind the whole, like we're sick of Kagehina, we're going to reject him.
rainbow:I the fact that Kindaichi talked to their coach about the issues they were having, because I think I forgot that, like we talked a lot about it in earlier episodes, about how, like, oh, you know the way Kindaichi handled, it was very like middle school and like the coaches could have should have stepped in and they literally were given the opportunity and like you kind of see the look on the face, the coach's face, he's like it gives to me. It reads as like I don't really want to deal with this. Like it's like to him he's like well, all I have to do is teach you how to play volleyball. And it's like well, no, you have to teach them how to be teammates. And Kindaichi is coming to you and saying, hey, this teammate is not a good teammate, and like we're better off without him and that was your opportunity to be like well, you know what? Let's do some team building.
rainbow:Let me talk to Kageyama. Let's try to explain to him like so much could have been done and the coach did fucking nothing. And then he just let the team turn their backs on Kageyama and it's like do you also think Kageyama is an arrogant asshole and you wanted this to happen? Are you just lazy? Are you just like, should you not be coaching middle schoolers if you can't like handle their emotions? Like a lot of, a lot of feelings about that? So I want to talk about, like do you think Kageyama was going to apologize to Kindaichi? Do you think he was going to say he was sorry, or I?
em:really don't know. I truly have no idea what he was. You know, he probably was just because he basically, you know, kindaichi says all of this, and then Kageyama's whole point is like, which is very volleyball language, for I love you and I respect you, but what he actually says is like next time we'll beat you again, yeah.
rainbow:I think, yeah, I don't know, I think it would have been interesting. I do feel robbed of like not getting to hear, like what you know Kageyama was going to say in that moment, but I think that Kageyama has a lot of honor. Yes, I would like. I think this like he, he, because he goes to him like and it really feels like he is, like he has left his ego behind when he approaches kandai chi. He is very yes.
em:Especially in the way that he kind of lets kandai chi let out, like let into him for a little bit. He's very just like uh-huh, yeah, because I think he knows he deserves it a little bit because he I think he acknowledges that he did wrong in middle school. He might not totally understand why, maybe, or I think he's definitely starting to understand, but the fact that his team went to the length of rejecting him, he knows he done fucked up.
rainbow:Yeah, so, and maybe he wouldn't have like apologized, like said the words. I'm sorry, but I think he was ready to acknowledge that he was not the best setter that he could have been for them and maybe you know. So, like I do, I like, I really like that moment and I really think it shows a lot of kakeyama's character.
em:Well, and at the very end. So also, side note Hinata is skipping and singing about the bathroom, which he is want to do, and then he's just so adorable. I love how intimidated he is by everyone, because he kind of sees this confrontation when he runs the corner and then he like goes back to hide and he's like I should stay out of this. And then he like peeks around and is watching this happen. But yeah, what shows the most development is at the very end. Kakeyama says we will beat you. And kandai chi does not miss that. He says kakeyama said we. And then kunimi comes out and and kandai chi says like oh, I really do feel defeated because he was never able to get that kind of camaraderie out of kakeyama that Karasano seems to have been able to pull out of him.
rainbow:Yeah, absolutely yeah. So it's very clear that, like kandai chi wants to be kakeyama's rival and I think he's probably always wanted that, because he says to kageyama it's not like we were friends anyway, like that kind of like destroys the theory that they were like they had like actual friendship between them. But I think they probably were just like they were teammates, um, but I think kandai chi probably wanted to be, he wanted that rivalry that Hinata has with kakeyama and Hinata or like, and kandai chi recognizes that because he's like I feel like I've already lost. And I do wonder, because kandai chi says to kageyama next time we face each other I will win, because it's about, like, it's about their rivalry between the two of them, and then kageyama is about to say something and then Hinata shows up. So I do wonder if, like I don't know if kageyama was going to say we will win from the beginning, or if he like heard Hinata coming and saw Hinata and was like no, this is my teammate, this is my volleyball partner, like you know, and and all of Karasano is my team and we will win regardless.
rainbow:If he was planning to say it, or if Hinata like kind of sparked that for him. Like I do think it's a wonderful moment and you know, kandai chi notices it. And then kunami comes out and just like hits kandai chi and that's something I we can talk about that a little bit more where kunami like recognizes that kandai chi is still so stuck in that middle school and kunami is like move on, man, just move on. Yeah, very much so. And yeah, when he says, have I already lost?
em:and I said yes, you have to Hinata yeah, uh, his new boyfriend is gonna beat you up, yeah, and then uh, and then Hinata immediately starts bullying.
rainbow:Kageyama, he's like kageyama kun. Were you crying, oh my god and kageyama was like no, I wasn't. And Hinata's like you don't have to lie to me like. And then kageyama, like I, it's like are you purposely provoking him so that he will like grab your hair and fight?
em:you. Well, their relationship is so funny and unconventional, like I think I wrote in my notes, like they have, they've already settled into this like non friendship or like sure, they're not like buddy buddy in a traditional sort of sense, but there is such an obvious like you have to be comfortable with someone to tease them and antagonize them to that level and to and they're also so tactile with each other they're always grabbing at each other like there's just like, even though, again, like they're not friends in a in a normal sense, but they're obviously very comfortable with each other it's like they're both helga pataki, but they don't have the self-awareness that she has, because helga pataki, from her and old, knows that she's in love with arnold and like no and knows that she has a softer side, but like can't, like no, she can't express it, whereas he not.
rainbow:And kageyama are just like too wrapped up in volleyball to even recognize that they might have any kind of feelings for each other outside of volleyball. Yeah, and so they just like, are just like bullies to each other and like grabbing each other all the time, and I just I love that kind of relationship. I think it's fun. Yeah, I do too, so, yeah. So then we go from the kindachi kageyama confrontation to oikawa, confronting all of Karasuno yes, and that's such a fun scene.
em:Well, he again is anime's biggest villain and is waiting for them at the entrance to very you know, cryptically. Be like, oh, you do need to, because daichi is saying like, you know, if we had played with oikawa from the beginning, you know we would have struggled because our, our defense is lacking and oikawa's waiting there. Being like, yes, you do, you, you get it, don't?
rainbow:you. He says something in the dub like oh, spoken like a true captain, and it's just like again so unnecessary, so unnecessary and sensual for no reason and then and I love tanaka is like ready to fight him and hinita's like peeking out from behind him being like yeah, we're gonna fight. And in the dub he says like tanaka's like you want to fight? And he says like yeah, let's rumble. And it's like so cute and so funny.
em:I just hinita is tanaka's tody he is.
rainbow:Oh, it's so cute, I love him. But then, yeah, oikawa, and then like zero. And then oikawa zeroes in on hinita and I like I feel like oikawa is like low-key kind of flirting with hinita, not like a serious, like I want to like it with you kind of way, but it's there's just like a flirtatious vibe to it and maybe that's just oikawa interacting with everybody oikawa must have like a libra placement somewhere, because he is his.
rainbow:He just operates on a flirty level yeah, because he's like oh hey, chibi chan, that like he's, I think I have it written down, oh no, I don't have it written down. He says something like oh, short stuff, that was a really good one touch in broad jump you did back there. And then hinita is like all excited about the praise and is like, oh yeah, you think so because that's hinita for you and he just he loves the attention. And then, you know, oikawa says like next time we should try, we should try doing things full out from the start yes, because he wants to defeat his cute, adorable uh kohai setter in a in a one-on-one rivalry.
em:And that brings me. I want to. I want to have a headcanon moment here, because it wasn't in the specific translation I just watched, but I know I've seen it before where he refers to kakeyama as his cute, adorable um.
rainbow:I think. I don't think it's in this episode, I think it's later.
em:I think it's in another episode.
rainbow:I think it might even be oikawa saying something to a wisemee or to somebody else, but there is definitely a time when oikawa calls kakeyama his cute and I think maybe it's meant to be like diminutive for sure but shush, because I have a headcanon to talk about no, no, that's okay, I I understand.
em:Um, so I like to think, because tobyo is adorable and and we'll we'll see flashbacks to his middle school years and he is just a round little bean. And I just like to think that when tobyo first came on the scene in middle school, I just like to think that oikawa like said to a wisemee like oh, he's so adorable, I love him. Like I want to, I want to like believe that oikawa's first impression of kakeyama was very like loving and like oh, I'm gonna protect him, he's so cute. And then when tobyo reveals how strong he is, that almost then like doubles the betrayal of that for oikawa and kind of, I think, adds a level of why, like, he's so desperate to beat kakeyama. I know it's just because he's egotistical and wants to defeat his rivals, but I like to think that before he realized how kakeyama could kick his ass, he was fully ready to be a good senpai to him.
rainbow:But then I, I totally see that I buy into that headcanon.
em:For sure I could see oikawa doing that and I know it is probably mostly mocking, but there's just a lot of affection in the way he talks about him sometimes.
rainbow:I do feel like there is like a lot of unresolved stuff between oikawa and kakeyama that we just never, we never get any kind of like resolution to it later on yeah, not really.
em:They're still just like in the very end. There's just still that kind of antagonistic relationship between them.
rainbow:But you know, that's what fics are for um, and I do. I have a note here about oikawa is calling out kakeyama, but like Hinata is kind of the one taking up the challenge and the one kind of like he's the one being like, well, we're gonna beat you like he's, because they're like he's just like at this point, even though they don't realize it, like kakeyama are a pair and it's like if you, if you mess with one of them, you're messing with both of them and we'll get more of that as we face Seijo again and it is at the light it's so, so good, yeah.
rainbow:And then I do, I love um. After oikawa like walks away, kakeyama is being so cute and trying to like reassure daichi. He's like, don't worry, he always likes to antagonize people like don't, like, don't take the bait. But daichi again, like kind of I think in a way like shocking kakeyama a little bit, is just like he smiles and he's like no, he's right, we do need better defense. But luckily the guardian deity of karasuno is coming back. I love that our boy is coming, yes.
rainbow:And then we do get a little bit um of, a little bit more of seijo. After karasuno leaves. We get a wizami um bringing up kakeyama and like, oh, kakeyama has gotten strong, like we'll talk about more about a wizami and kakeyama because we don't. There's obviously not as much emphasis put on their relationship as oikawa and kakeyama, but I think a wizami, like, if a wizami had been a setter instead of a spiker, like if, like, if he had been the, the senpai that kakeyama could look up to, like imagine what the world would be. Because I think a wizami is a very good senpai and I think he like and maybe part of it is because oikawa antagonizes him so much I feel like a wizami is like, especially like, kind of like, not necessarily nice to him, but like appreciates kakeyama's skill.
em:He doesn't have and notices it. He doesn't have like that ego thing that oikawa does, he's just, I would say, a wizami has like no ego.
rainbow:Yeah, and it is a wizami's amazing I I can't wait to do a character spotlight on him.
rainbow:Yeah, he also says to oikawa something about like I don't like pretty boys who get all the girls, I'm just like uh, same yeah well and I love, because iwaizami is talking to oikawa and oikawa is saying he's not as good of a setter as kakeyama is, and iwaizumi like walks away and throws a volleyball at the back of oikawa's head and it's just like don't talk about yourself like that. He's like you're good, like he's. It's very tanaka of him, and just so violent. And I have here iwa oi flirt fighting, because that's that's how they they flirt. It's by fighting very kagehina code yes, so we have that moment.
rainbow:And then we're back at Karasuno and daichi and the and takeda are talking and we find out that takeda is working on finding a proper coach and I love the look in his eyes when he's like, because he's talking about like I've got, I've got somebody in mind, and like they haven't given me a yes yet, but like I'll keep trying. And he has I'm gonna call it like a look of hunger. And a lot of, a lot of people in the show have it, but especially Karasuno. Like he is so determined, like he knows that he is not good enough to coach them on his own. He doesn't have the technical skill, he barely knows what he's doing. And yet he but he's like, but I know what I can do to help you and that's to get you an actual coach who can help you. And I have somebody in mind and I'm going to call them.
rainbow:I also wanted to point out in this first beginning part, hina is like about to fall asleep, standing up, and Kogama has to kind of like jolt him awake. And then we see it again Like he's like trying, he's like falling asleep, leaning against a broom, and I have a note here about like he sure does tucker himself out quickly in these early episodes.
em:Yeah, well, he's running like crazy and jumping. It makes sense.
rainbow:Yeah, and it's like, and I think it's it's good to show Cause, like you know, they always talk about his stamina and his speed and I like to see that it does affect him. He's not like an energized he. Well, I guess he is an energizer bunny in that, like he does eventually run out of steam. Yeah, you know he just keep going yeah, he's still just a kid, yeah, and then we have the broken broom.
em:Oh my God, yeah. So then we're in the in the supply closet and Yamaguchi is like we should throw this broken sharp mop out. It's dangerous, which is very valid. But Suga is like no, it can be fixed and I just love it.
rainbow:Like it's foreshadowing.
em:The foreshadowing the broom is a metaphor, and the fact that he won't throw the broom away is just so sentimental for a teenage boy. Yeah.
rainbow:There's. There's a lot to talk about with that. I'm excited for the next few episodes. We really get into, like what the broken broom is about, and I'm excited to talk about like Suga's part in that whole dynamic there. But yeah, and then we see Tanaka, kagemon, hinata, going to what's the name of the store it's Sakonosha's shop, yeah, sakonosha's shop Trying to get meat buns. But we find the soccer team already got them out, which you know, canon, that Karasano has a soccer team and they already came and cleaned the shop out, and you know.
rainbow:And then Tanaka like yells at the guy and he's like who's your manager? In the dub anyway, he's like who's your manager? And you guys, like I am the manager, get out of here, go home and eat a proper meal, yeah. And then they're about to walk out, but then he's like you know what they do need, they need something. So he throws them all power bars, gives them to him for free, like he doesn't expect them to pay for it. And then, like Kageyama just uses his reflexes and catches it. Hinata gets hit in the face, because of course he does. And then Tanaka grabs his with his teeth like a fucking dog and it's so funny and is still holding it in his mouth as they're saying thank you.
em:Oh my God, I didn't even notice that. Oh it's so funny.
rainbow:I love that. And then Kageyama has a very specific look. He gets on his face when he's eating food and it's just so darn cute, Like I'm going to explode, cause he's like looking down at his power bar and he has that cute little wobbly smile and you can see it in his eyes and he's just like he just loves to eat food and play volleyball and when he gets to do those two things he just looks so cute.
em:Yes, and then we get to find out why Kageyama chose Karasano and it's because he heard that the tough coach was coming out of retirement.
rainbow:Yes, he, like, he, very like, he's talking about not being able to get into Shiratorizawa. Yes, because the entrance exam was too hard and he, he didn't get a recommendation, cause I think a lot of times, like really good players will be asked and cause I think they talk about that, seijoh asked Kageyama to come and play and I think it's kind of like the wave, like your academic stuff, if you're like really good at a particular sport or activity, but he didn't get Shiratorizawa with Shiratorizawa and we'll find out why later in the future.
em:Yes, but and we all know, kageyama is not the smartest in a classroom setting, so he was not going to get in by the conventional means, and cunty Little Suka - tsukki makes a comment about it.
rainbow:He's like oh, I guess the king isn't so good at academics. It's like you are not wrong there, sir. Yeah, um. And then they talk about uh, coach Ukai, yeah.
em:The.
rainbow:Grandpa, Grandpa Yukai, Grandpa Yukai, the crazy Crow coach.
em:Yeah, he's the one that was leading them when they were at their strongest and, I think it's Daichi who was like some of us second and third years had him and he was very Spartan like and he didn't Kageyama perk up at that. They got sparkly. They're like, oh really, he's really scary and tough on us. I think like they would have really thrived under Grandpa Yukai and it would have. I almost wish we could have had that, but it's fine with how it plays out, but it would have been really interesting and we we'll get to see him interact with Grandpa Yukai eventually, but they would have. They would have absolutely eaten all of that shit up.
rainbow:Yeah, absolutely. I also love cause. Tanaka, I think, says something to Kageyama, kind of like, picks on him a little, and he just like, right next to talking, talking to Tanaka, is right next to Tanaka and does like a little he, he, and then Kageyama, like an anger, picks Hina to up by like the scruff of his shirt or like the color of his shirt and is like holding him in the air.
em:they do this a couple of times where, like Hinata will just kind of giggle at him and then in the next shot he's got him in this like grip up in the air again. Very like, just really comfortable with each other.
rainbow:Just saying it's so, it's so funny. I think it like I, especially in these early ones, like I think you could like that. I do see where people say they're like, oh, they're like brothers and it's like that parts brotherly it's, it's all of the like, the very sibling like in that way, in that way, yes, but then it gets like less sibling, like when they make their like declaration, their lifelong declarations to each other.
em:I can't wait yeah.
rainbow:And then this is where we learn about the two positions Kageyama brings up like oh, this team still needs. And in the dub they call it a Libro, but I think the actual term is libero. I like Libro better and so I'm going to use the term Libro, and if anyone has a problem with that, I don't know what to tell you. I know that it's supposed to be libero. I don't like the way that sounds. I like Libro. Also, it makes me think of that song Libro Figo ro, figo, ro figo.
rainbow:That's what I think of every time. So I like Libro and that's what I'm going to call it. It's a Libro and then the ace. But then Daichi talks about Kurosino being able to go to nationals. He's like, I think we can get those people back and then, with the first years we have, I think we have a chance to go to nationals. And in the anime, behind him a shooting star goes by. Yes, as he's talking about that, and I love that. That's a little detail I don't think I've always picked up on, but I saw it this time and I was like ooh, I love that Daichi.
em:When he's walking away from them, he's like when Noya comes back, call him Senpai. He'll get a kick out of it just like idiot Tanaka, and I can so relate. I think if I were to be any of the haikyuu boys, I would probably be like a Tanaka or a Noya, because I would also get such a kick out of earnestly being called Senpai.
rainbow:Honestly, me too, but also, I just want to say that when they're talking about the Libro coming back, they're like, oh yeah, people call him like the genius of Kurosino, but I guess now that Kageyama is here, that won't be just his nickname. I love, from the beginning we're hearing Noya being called a genius and being compared to Kageyama.
em:He's on the same level. Basically, yeah, he's on the same level.
rainbow:We will see that more and more in the future.
em:Well, at the very end we do get. I always forget these characters do tend to get introduced right at the end of episodes, before their episode starts, so we do get to see him at the very end.
em:Kageyama is practicing his serves and first Hina to interrupt it and it goes flying and he's just like you dumbass, get out of the way. And then he goes for it again, and then it is very cleanly and perfectly received by none other than Noya, and just the coolest entrance of this show, I would say, and kind of one of the coolest entrances in anime. I feel like it's just so he's so cool and he also has such main character energy from his character design to his entrance. Yeah, it's like.
rainbow:Noya could have his own anime, for sure. And then we end on Hina to saying you're shorter than me. His very first words it shocked. He's like, oh my god, you're shorter than me. Yeah, and that's where we leave off, and we will talk a lot more about Noya in the next episode.
em:Yeah, we get into the asinoya of it all in the next couple of episodes, which I'm excited because that is a very underappreciated ship, which I only think it's simply because of the oversaturation of ships in Haikyuu that I think some of them that are perfectly good ships just kind of fall to the wayside because there's so much focus on the other ones. But it is so gay.
rainbow:Yeah, and I feel like we get a lot of it in these next couple of episodes and then like tiny little bits of it but it's not focused on as much in the rest of the show, the way that, like, because then we have season two and we have new characters that we're introduced to and characters that we get to see more of, and then season three and season four come and there's just like, like you said, it's just the oversaturation. There's so many ships out there, but asinoya is good and I do love them. I wish that there were more fixed, because there are some really, really good ones out there that I've read, but overall there's just not as many as there are for other ships.
rainbow:So, yeah, so I think that's it for the episode discussion, like, so you have anything else that you want to talk about? No, ma'am. Ok, so I'm going to talk a little bit about sub versus dub, because I do love the sub. Obviously. I think the original voice actors do a really good job. Most of them are doing like 10 times better than the English voice actors, for sure, I would say that Oikawa is where the dub really shines, like the person they got for Oikawa for the English VA is.
rainbow:He's just doing it right, and I think I've actually seen a video where he admitted he's come out and said that he played Oikawa like as a gay character. He's like I played him as a queen and it shows because he is. So I think that's part of the flirtatiousness, and I think we could maybe take a minute to talk about the villainization of gay characters in media, how problematic that is, because Oikawa, like we have you know we've said it a couple of times I would say like it's not serious when we say he's the greatest villain in anime history, just to make that clear, because I think sometimes people hear that and they're like, oh my, they get very defensive about it and like I understand if he's your favorite character and like you don't want him to be seen as a villain, but like he is an antagonist. For sure he's an antagonist. He's not actually a villain, he doesn't do anything so terrible, but like he is like he antagonizes them, he is like rather villainous, he is kind of framed as a villain.
em:Should he be next to like mass murderers Probably not no, but that's why like we're saying it with that irony, because it is so ridiculous to compare him to that level Like, of course he is a bit of a bully and antagonistic, but obviously he's not an actual monster or a villain, but it's just fun to poke fun at that.
rainbow:Yeah, it's really fun to poke fun at it and I like I think I get a kick out of it, so I'm always going to.
em:But yeah and I oh, go ahead and then just to talk about that voice actor cause, like I still, like you know, I'm not a dub girl, but I know that that voice actor like I remember when haikyuu TikTok was at its height in like 2020 and 2021, he was you could tell he cared about the character and he really interacted a lot with the fans. He had a TikTok account and he would interact all the time and like he would do lines for fans and, yeah, I think he has always been open about like oh yeah, they're all gay which I I love and I can appreciate that at least.
rainbow:Yeah, and I cause in we get to hear Oikawa and iwaiizumi talking to each other and so I said how can Oikawa's English VA be so good and he was be so, so bad? I just again I this is the first time I really realized how much I hate iwaiizumi's English dub voice. Oh yeah, nothing against the actor. I don't think he's doing a bad job or anything. I just don't think it's the right voice for that character. And it's amazing because with Oikawa I think they just got it so right, like it, just like. I think it's my favorite performance in the dub.
rainbow:I would say yeah, I could see that there's maybe some character in season three who I think does a pretty good job too. But we will get to that. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, oikawa, I think definitely number one dub performance. I love him and again like cause, in the sub the chance ball thing, he says like something like oh, the sweet, sweet chance ball. And just I love the way he says like oh my, my, my, look at this delicious chance ball Like it's so conti.
em:It does feel like he's working hard to capture the essence of the original, absolutely.
rainbow:Yeah, I think that and I think in a successful way, because, like, I think you could argue that maybe Kageyama's voice actor is trying to capture that essence but maybe just isn't getting there, and so it's coming out over the top and like a little cringe and like just not as well done.
rainbow:And again, I'm not trying to like put down any of these voice actors, I'm not saying that they're bad, like I don't want to sound like, but you know I it's open to criticism and those are my critiques of the performances. So that's all I've got for sub versus dub. And then I have a few things for the manga, because I kind of skimmed through this. This episode covers like four chapters. Oh damn, yeah. And Tanaka when and I think he says a similar thing in the sub, but when Oikawa was introduced, tanaka says Kageyama, who is that pretty gentleman, I find him highly unpleasant. Yes, I love that. And so also in the manga, instead of saying he has a bad attitude, kageyama says he's pretty twisted. And I do think the manga goes a little bit harder into like that kind of language. He is pretty funny, like yeah, she's pretty twisted. And then, yeah, and I already said the thing about like talkative speech, he not just thinking about food and Kageyama is thinking about volleyball. We get to see their little thought bubbles where it's like, oh, you stopped paying attention long ago when you stopped understanding any of the words he was saying.
rainbow:And then I also wanted to comment. I feel like in the way that the characters are drawn in the manga, I feel like they're like, especially their faces, are a lot rounder. I feel like they're more angular in the anime, and that's just something I'm just now picking up on. So I'd be interested to see if anybody else who's read the manga has noticed that. I don't really have a preference one way or another. I think I just have more exposure to the anime.
rainbow:So that's what I'm more used to. Especially like Oikawa's face, I feel like looks pretty different between manga and anime, like he looks sharper in the anime. But that also could just be part of the motion as well. We're seeing different angles, whereas in a manga it's static, we're not seeing that movement the way we are in the anime. So yeah, that's what I've got for manga versus anime. Ok. So we're going to move on to the character spotlight, and we're talking about Oikawa Toru. We're talking about anime's greatest villain. Yes, who else, who else, who else would we do? What if I was just like oh, we're going to talk about Kunami and Zodiac.
em:Oh, my god. Good job, matt, he'll, his time is coming, yeah, but it's listen, we have to talk about Oikawa.
rainbow:I'm going to read a little bit from the wiki about his personality. So I'm going to quote from the wiki real quick. Despite his flirtatious nature and childishness, Oikawa is an excellent, well-rounded player and is extremely serious about volleyball. He's known to have a quote disgusting personality amongst both opponents and his own teammates because of his smug and outwardly flippant attitude. Oikawa also frequently makes cheerful remarks, but follows up with serious or intimidating afterthoughts. He is extremely intelligent and cunning and easily figures out both teammates and opponents, weaknesses, thoughts.
em:I will say like especially this go around and because you know we've I've consumed Haikyu multiple times, now I really have come around to like I have such an affection for this character. I think in the beginning maybe I didn't as much because I am a real like Kurosino and Kagehina girly. So I mean Oikawa's my villain, obviously, and he can just be such a dick. But I now have just, I just revel in it and I enjoy it and yeah, I really like him as a character.
rainbow:Yeah, I he's, because he is a pretty boy Like I usually don't consider myself like an iwaizumi kin, but I do understand where iwaizumi is coming from with his like hate of Oikawa and like cause, like he is, he's such a smug little pretty boy and like very petty, so petty like, so ridiculous.
rainbow:And like I, every time I like think of him. I think of that Louise, quote from Bob's Burgers. I just want to slap him. I just want to slap his hideous, beautiful face Like I love him but I hate that I love him and I also hate him. Like I have so many feelings about him. Like I just, oh, he's so aggravating but he's so like he's so fun to watch. Like he is, he's like. Honestly, I don't know how I would feel if I met somebody who was just like Oikawa in real life. Sometimes I fear that I am just like Oikawa and I hate myself. No, you don't have to worry about that.
rainbow:I definitely don't have his level of pettiness. I think we share some traits, but not that one.
em:I mean to be fair. These are all teenage boys, but he is very immature and even like in the time skip, he's still pretty immature, yeah he's very immature.
rainbow:I actually have a lot of head cannons about Oikawa. Like I have plans to write a Seijo Hinata fic where Hinata goes to Seijo instead of Corosino, and it'll be a polyship fic, cause I'm a polyshipper, I ship Oikina. I don't think they're soulmates, I don't think they're end game, but I do think that there is something there for them especially. You know, we'll talk about it more in the spoiler zone. I think Oikawa to me reads as somebody who like maybe has like a narcissistic parent, like I think I can see him having like a really like bad relationship with like one of his parents. That really affects him and, like you know, maybe there was some like emotional or like emotional abuse, neglect growing up for him.
em:Well, I think it's funny you say that, cause I believe that it's like a fan in popular fan and head cannon that he is like raised by a single mom. I could be wrong about that, but I do think that that is like a popular head cannon in the fandom.
rainbow:Okay, I could see that. Yeah, I mean, haikyuu is one of those animes where you don't really get a lot about the parents at all, and so sometimes it's like you know some of these characters. You could just be like, wow, do they have parents at all? And it's like, yeah, they do. They're just like not like you know. They're just not that involved with volleyball, which I don't know. Maybe that's something in Japan is like we don't see a lot of families like supporting the teams. There's like one character we'll talk about, I think, in season two who has that. So that's something that's interesting and that's something I, if anyone, knows about that.
em:Yeah, is that like a norm that your parents don't come to your games? Like I do think that that is so strange.
rainbow:It does seem weird. Or is that just a haikyuu thing? And like there's already so many characters? If you also add like the parents for all of these characters, it's like that's too many people, exactly like maybe Furudate was just like.
em:I'm not drawing these people.
em:Yeah, it's like that would be too much yeah maybe it's really not that deep, although, like really quick side note, it does drive me crazy, because it did come out like Kageyama had a little like interview singer. I forget what the context of it was, but Furudate dropped new content and Kageyama basically confirms that, like, his parents don't come to his games and they're not the type to be involved. And let me just say I've seen some Kageyama parent defenders out there and I'm confused at you. Why are you writing for these people that we have never even met? It is fucking strange to me that your son is an Olympian and you don't come to his games. I'm gonna fight you Like that is just crazy to me. Anyway, back to Oikawa, though that's not what we're talking about right now.
rainbow:Yes, we're talking about Oikawa. Well, his parents probably don't come to any of his games either.
em:That's why he's the way he is. Yeah, that's why you act like that.
rainbow:Yes, so yeah, anything else you wanna talk about with Oikawa's personality and the way he is, and we can talk about more, because there are like other comments on his personality from like both his teammates and his opponents, so we can get into him a little bit more.
em:I enjoy writing him a lot because of his personality. It's fun to write for.
rainbow:Oikawa. Yeah, if I can insert Oikawa into a fic, I will. Actually, I had plans. I wrote Massage AU, you know, not trying to really promote it, but I wanted so desperately for there to be a part where Oikawa was involved. I just couldn't like it just wasn't working. But like I always want Oikawa to be involved, in some way.
rainbow:Especially when it comes to Kagama I think writing their interactions are really fun or Hinata I like writing Oikawa interacting with both Kagama and Hinata. I think that's a there's a really fun dynamics to write, yeah, so I do wanna get a little bit into his name, meaning His family name. Oikawa translates to extending river, because the oy is reach or extend, which I think is very appropriate for Oikawa Especially, like the beginning of this episode is them talking about him having sprained his ankle because he overworked himself?
rainbow:He is constantly extending himself and he's constantly reaching to be better, so I think that's a really genius thing. And then river kawa. Kawa, which means river, and it's used in many Japanese family names. It's pretty common. And then his given name, which is Toru, is to Pierce, which is very appropriate. I would say he pierces people with his words, with his gaze and with his serfs. Yeah, I'm gonna say he's piercing the sound barrier with his serfs.
rainbow:Yeah, and I do wanna talk a little bit about the translation, because the name Toru has kind of a long O, so it could be and this is, I think, what I see a lot on AO3 is his first name is spelled T-O-O-R-U, but in the manga it's translated as T-O-H-R-U, and again, that's just because of that long O sound. So it's Toru, which I don't know if I'm really saying that exactly right, but so I thought that was interesting. I prefer the T-O-O-R-U translations. And in the Reddit post where I got all of this information, the poster talked about how, if you're doing like a Latin to Japanese keyboard, the O-O is going to get you the result you want, whereas the O-H maybe confuses the software a little bit. So I thought that was interesting. And I've noticed this on a couple of the name breakdowns on Reddit where they say there are some ideas or themes embedded into the name which I don't entirely understand where that comes from. It's something about the Japanese characters, but I thought this one was really interesting because some of the ideas that are embedded into Toru's name are to be thorough to the bitter end, bravery and effort, and I felt like that just really matches him Like, especially to be thorough to the bitter end is Oikawa, and that's like some foreshadowing, I would say, because we really see, because we see them play Seijo twice spoiler alert, I guess, but we see them play Seijo twice and it's very interesting.
rainbow:I also wanted to say bringing in a little bit of Iwo Oe agenda here, because they are soulmates. I know I talked about shipping Oihina, but like Iwo Oe is end game, and Iwaizumi and Oikawa's Kanji and their given names combine into the word obstinate, stubborn. It's a Itetsu which is obstinate, stubborn and inflexible, which I think is very interesting and like very much and that's like the two of them together as like volleyball partners, like stubborn, inflexible, obstinate, like they are. They're like that and I love that. Okay, and then I have his character sheet, which actually his position is setter. As we know, his height is six one, so pretty tall. He's a third year, his birthday is July 20th, which is Alexander the Great's birthday, and then I think this is something a lot of people know, but so Oikawa's birthday is Alexander the Great's birthday. They share that birthday. And then Iwaizumi's birthday is June 10th, which is Alexander the Great's death date. Interesting.
rainbow:So, that's the day he died, so it's very interesting and I wonder, I wonder why Alexander the Great cause he's the great king Duh solved it for myself, obviously. So I thought that was very interesting and I just love you know, fuhrer Date does things with these names that are just so much fun and I can't wait to talk. I am especially excited for the next couple episodes and who we get to talk about. His favorite food is milk bread. Which listeners?
rainbow:You don't know this about me, but two of my favorite things are milk and bread. I am a grown adult who will drink milk. Don't at me, I don't care, your judgment does nothing to me. I love chocolate milk, I love plain milk. It sometimes worries him and I understand. It's fun. You know what I am, who I am, and I won't change it. I'm lucky. I know a lot of people as they get older, they like really can't drink milk anymore, and I will say I think I have to drink less of it, but like I don't, it doesn't bother me, it doesn't give me stomach aches, and so I will drink it until my body no longer wants me to. And then bread is amazing, I think. Listen, I've never been like a dieter. Now, I don't believe in them. I have a whole. Don't even get me started on diets, but like any diet I've ever come across is like, well, you should really cut out bread. And I'm like, well, I'm not going to do that, I'm not insane.
em:One of our favorite and we should do this because it's been a while, but one of our favorite girl dinners is bread and a block of breaches.
rainbow:Yes, we will. Yeah, we'll do. We'll heat up some breaches in the oven. It is so good, listeners, and get a yummy loaf of bread. Yes, a, really like a good one, like we'll do like a roasted garlic or something like that, like a baguette or something like that. Ooh, it's so good, and sometimes I'll add like a little bit of a fruit jam to it. That's pretty good. Or some fruit on the side make it a balanced meal. But, yeah, bread and cheese is one of the best meals you can ever have. And then we have Oikawa's current worry, which I'm going to tell you about, and then I want to get a little bit more in Oikawa's personality and particularly my head cannons for his sexuality. So his current worry was when he went and said hi to Kirasuno's cute manager. She totally ignored him and then in parentheses it says surely she was just shy. It's no big deal, really, doesn't bug him at all. Nope, not, uh.
em:Oikawa definitely thrives off the attention of his female fans.
rainbow:He does and we. I guess we can talk about it more in later episodes when we really see him interacting with the fan club. And I guess my question for you is what do you head cannon as Oikawa's sexuality Gay?
em:That man is gay, that is a gay man and like also and you're probably going about to jump into this but I think especially it can be kind of a warning sign when men are very obsessed with women's attention or like they go through a lot of girlfriends, like Oikawa does, and he talks about it more, but like he kind of just goes through girlfriends and it just feels more like they're more just decorations than anything, and that usually means actually you're gay and you're just trying to play a role that you're supposed to fill.
rainbow:Yes, I have seen a lot of people head cannon as Oikawa, like as like a by king which is valid. I'm not saying that you're wrong, you know. If that's how you see him, that's totally okay, but that's not how I see him. I very much agree with you. I see like cause the way he interacts with his fan club is very like and you know, like even in this episode, him ignoring the girl screaming for him where it's just like his focus is more on volleyball and like his volleyball rivals, like I don't think he really cares that much. Actually, head cannon, cause we, we they do talk about like his girlfriends breaking up with him and I, head cannon, that Oikawa's girlfriends always end up breaking up with him because he only ever wants to talk about like Oizemi and volleyball and his like volleyball rivals. He's just always talking about like volleyball and like men and like he like cares more about like his best friend than his girlfriends.
em:He's not chasing women because he wants them and actually likes them. It's more just about that like external validation of it.
rainbow:Yeah, oikawa, like I don't often in fix like to write a lot of like internalized homophobia or like really homophobia in general. I like fixed to like being kind of a world where it doesn't exist quite as much. But with Oikawa like I do kind of like I have some like tragic head cannons for him about like him really like repressing his sexuality and like maybe even part of that being why he hates Kageyama so much, cause he recognizes Kageyama as like another, like gay volleyball player and like is really against that and like I just see him as like not willing to like accept that part of himself. So yeah, but in like you know, I just I love Oikawa and but that's another. That is something about Oikawa is like I love him, but I also want him to be in pain, I want him to hurt.
rainbow:Yeah, cause he's just cause he does. And you know, I think another thing you could make the argument that him being so like, like using like girls as decoration is just part of his like shitty personality. But I could see it being like he's trying to like play this role of like he's the pretty boy, he's like the star of the volleyball team and like he's got all these girls who are obsessed with him and like he has to play this particular role, and you know we can talk a little bit more about that in the spoiler zone which we'll get to in just just a few moments.
rainbow:We I want to finish out Oikawa's character spotlight with his ability parameters. So his speed and his jumping are both threes. His intelligence is a four, which I thought was interesting. I I I expected it to be a five, but it's a four and maybe part of I don't know where that comes from. I don't know why it's not a five. But his power, his technique, oh no, his stamina and his intelligence are both fours, but his power and technique are fives, which is absolutely true.
rainbow:I don't think this is where we get like his little motto about. We'll talk about that when we get to it, but it makes sense. It makes sense why power especially? But yeah, and we see that in this episode we see his power and technique. One of the things is we only see his technique with serving when we get to him setting Like he is a very good setter. I'm very excited to talk about when we get to see him actually interacting with the other players and I think that's an interesting thing for the show to do. It's like they give us a little taste of him but they're like, but you have to wait to really see him in his, in his element because he is a setter, and he is a damn good setter, no matter what he says.
rainbow:There I go being a wise, me again being like why are you talking down about yourself? Cause Oikawa, like, he compares himself to other people yes, and that is that's ultimately his greatest, while he has to learn that lesson of like you can't compare yourself to others, and I think, in a way, that's where Kageyama is like, not better than him, but Oikawa, or Kageyama like, kind of has like Kageyama, like doesn't have that same issue where he doesn't like he. He knows. Kageyama knows that he is good, but he also recognizes that other people are good, but he doesn't feel as threatened by it, whereas Oikawa feels, yeah, he's very threatened by other people having talent because he's very insecure. I think you see that a lot in him. He's a very insecure player and that's part of his immaturity.
rainbow:Ok, so we are going to move into our who and haikyuu section and, in case anybody missed it, on Twitter and I think maybe also on Tumblr although I don't think I got any responses on Tumblr but we put out a call on social media for asking for suggestions for who and haikyuu scenarios, because we are quickly running out of them, I feel like, and we got some really good ones, and so I've got a document going, and so, but for the first one, I picked somebody on Twitter. Their name is Laozam Lawzam. It's L-A-U-Z-A-M. Lauzam.
rainbow:I think they were super cool. They reached out to us. I think they replied to the tweet that I did, and they gave us a few suggestions and I saved them, and so shout out to them. Thank you so much and thank you for listening. We love having you here, and so I picked one of their suggestions, which is which movie would the characters choose for movie night? And again, we're only doing characters we really talked about in this episode. So Hinata Kageyama, oikawa, Iwaizumi, tsukishima, daichi Suga Tanaka Takeda, and I think we could throw in Yamaguchi there if we wanted to. Before we even get into that, I do want to say Em and I don't know a ton about Japanese cinema, so these are probably going to be a lot of Western movies and movies that came out of the United.
em:States, which I think, since the United States seems to rule the movie world, that won't be that big of a deal anyway, but yeah that little disclaimer.
rainbow:So getting into it, hinata, what like what? And I think we could also. We can talk about what kind of movies we think they're into, but then like, specifically, what movie do you think they would pick? Like if they were having like a team movie night. Say, they all get together for a training camp and they're having a movie night, what kind of movies does Hinata like? What movie would he want to want everyone to watch?
em:I don't know. Do you have any thoughts for Hinata?
rainbow:For Hinata. I feel like Hinata likes I think he probably really likes kids movies, but is embarrassed to share that with people. Yeah, I think he likes action movies. I think he likes big explosions. I think he would love the Fast and the Furious franchise. I think he would. I think he'd probably like all the Marvel movies and like superhero movies and stuff. I you know I love Hinata, but I don't think he's thinking too deeply about the media he's consuming.
em:His movies definitely are surface level, maybe like sport movies, like inspirational sport movies.
rainbow:Yeah, he probably loves like remember the Titans and Rudy and all of those kinds of movies, maybe even the Bring it Ons. Yeah, is there any particular movie you can think of? I don't know why?
em:why Free Willy is coming to my mind. I see that.
rainbow:I see that for him.
em:He grew up with my generation so like all those like Disney original and like the really good kids movies like that he's he's bringing out Free Willy, absolutely.
rainbow:I think he loves like an airbud movie as well.
em:Yes, definitely airbud, I think so.
rainbow:Okay, moving on to Kageyama, who only watches sports movies, If he, honestly, I think, if they were going to have a game night, or if they were going to have a movie night and like every you know, they had regular movie nights and everyone got to pick a movie I think Kageyama would first come and be like, well, we're going to watch the MSBY Adler's game from 2001. And everyone would be like, no, you have to pick an actual movie. And then he'd be like I don't know. And speaking of airbud, in 2003, there is an airbud spikes back movie where airbud plays volleyball which we need to watch. I do think. Unfortunately, it might.
em:That's Hina Tizmuevi. That's.
rainbow:Hina Tizmuevi and I think Kageyama would be, like it's volleyball.
em:So that's cool, yeah, I completely agree with your Kageyama one. I don't think and it's canon too that like he got made fun of for not knowing video games in elementary school, so that boy doesn't really watch movies. If anything, maybe he watched, like older, movies with his grandpa.
rainbow:That was a thought that I had. I could see him, I think his grandpa, introducing him like To some classics.
rainbow:TCM classic movies, yeah, or even, like you know, like classic. Like you know, I think there's a lot of classic like Japanese, like martial arts movies out there. That I think because, like the Matrix and like a lot of like movies in America that came out after the Matrix were heavily influenced Kung Fu movies, that's what I'm thinking. But I could see like his grandfather like introducing him to those old like Kung Fu movies, think, like movies that like Bill from Kill Bill would watch yeah exactly Like movies about like the Shoguns and stuff.
rainbow:I think, yeah, I think of anything. Yeah, I think first Kageyama would be like, well, we're gonna watch this volleyball game, and they're like, no, we're not, you have to pick a movie. And he'd be like, what about this movie from this Kung Fu movie from the 1950s? And they'd be like I guess, so yeah.
em:And then, moving on to Oikawa, I think to keep up appearances he would pick like a cool action movie, but in his heart he wanted to bring mean girls or legally blonde.
rainbow:Totally agree. I also think he's obsessed because, like we, this is canon for whatever. I think it's canon that Oikawa loves aliens. Oh yeah, that's like a thing with him. There's a lot of like alien, like I think he has like aliens associated. Maybe that's a fan and thing. I'll look out for that. I feel like it's not. I feel like it's a canon thing. If anyone wants to send us any like proof of that, if that's true, then he's bringing signs. He's bringing signs I'm thinking even like. I'm thinking even like old, like sci-fi movies from the 50s and 60s, the like really bad ones. I think he would love those. And like Men in Black, he's watching a lot of alien abduction movies and I'm down with that you know, season two of American Horror Story was his favorite season, that sort of thing.
rainbow:So yeah, but I think you're right. Also, like, I think, I think he watches a lot of rom-coms and a lot of like Mean Girls, legally Blonde type movies. You know he was there to see the Barbie movie. He was in his seat that first day wearing all pink, ready to go. He has a Ken enough sweatshirt, definitely. Yeah, I think that's. Those are like the two sides of Oikawa tour. Yes, ok, and then a Weissami.
em:This is an easy one, because we all know he loves Godzilla.
rainbow:Yeah, it's the only movie he ever wants to watch any Godzilla movie. Yeah, and you know, and I think Godzilla and King Kong are having like a bit of pretty kind of a revival right now. I feel like there's a lot of like King Kong and Godzilla movies out there. So Oissami is living.
em:I feel like they're constantly having a revival for some reason.
rainbow:You know what I mean. You know I will say I have never seen the original Godzilla and I think I want to watch it because it's one of those movies that it's just like well, you have to watch this movie. It was so like I think it was probably really revolutionary, and I mean it was. It's like a black and white movie and it comes from Japan, I think that I've heard the dub is really terrible. We should definitely.
em:I've never watched any of the Godzilla movies.
rainbow:Yeah, I think we should definitely watch the first one and I bet like it was probably visually really cool because it's this giant monster. And then people like you know actual real life people, so I think it's probably an interesting movie, like technically. Anyway, we all know Oissami loves Godzilla and that's the movie Every single movie night. He's like do you guys want to watch Godzilla? And they're all like grown not again. Tsukishima. What kind of movies is Tsukishima watching?
em:Again, I think to keep up appearances he might just bring like a generic action film. But if he could choose, if it was just him and Yamaguchi on one of their many sleepover nights, it would be the Land Before Time series or Jurassic Park. I was just fucking thinking shit. Or like Pixar movies, because I could see Yamaguchi and I'm skipping ahead, but I think Yamaguchi would love that kind of show.
rainbow:Oh, I think Yamaguchi is an animation nerd for sure. And like, like, unashamedly loves all of those movies. No, I totally agree with that, any kind of dinosaur that I can't remember. The Good Dinosaur.
em:The Good Dinosaur, not the Good Dinosaur. There's another, it like came out in the 2000s.
rainbow:We're back.
em:We're back. No, hold on, I'll look it up. There was an animated and it was about like the extinction.
rainbow:Okay, interesting. Yeah, no, I totally agree. Yeah, he definitely loves the Land Before Time which while Im's looking that up. Jurassic Park. Was that the one?
em:you were trying to look at. That's not the one I'm thinking of, but it popped up when I was trying to Google dinosaur movies.
rainbow:Oh I mentioned it briefly just a minute ago, but I think you were still trying to think of other movies.
em:Oh sorry.
rainbow:And I think I think Stukishima would be the type of person who loved the original Jurassic Park movies and then talks a lot of shit about Jurassic World, which is fair, like no shame if you love those movies, but like, ooh, they don't have the Spielberg effect that the original Jurassic Park did. I don't think I've ever seen Jurassic Park 2, actually, but I really like the third one. I think that's a fun movie.
em:Okay, it was just called Dinosaur and it came out in 2000.
rainbow:And is it actually? Is it animated or is it?
em:CGI. It's animated here, Take a look.
rainbow:Oh yes, Okay, I have never seen that movie, but I do remember it.
em:I remember watching it, yeah okay, and the toys were out at McDonald's. Yes, yes, but yeah anyway. So any kind of dinosaur film like that?
rainbow:obviously yeah, that would definitely. That's what he yeah, and then, yeah, I think, to keep up appearances. Do you think Stukishima is into like any prestige movies at all? Do you think he's like?
em:an Oscar watcher, Maybe I feel like. I just feel like none of these boys are probably big like movie buffs in any real way.
rainbow:I think if any of them is a movie snob, it's Stukishima. Yeah, I would say Okay. So, and we already kind of mentioned Yamaguchi. You know he's probably an animation nerd, probably loves a lot of those like movies. He probably loves like Treasure Planet and that kind of stuff.
em:Okay, moving on to Daichi, I feel like he's not a movie guy. I don't know. Do you have any thoughts?
rainbow:Yeah, not really. I feel like he maybe is like yeah, again, like going with like the potentially fan and potentially canon idea that he is like the oldest sibling. I think he's probably very used to just watching whatever the younger siblings want to watch. I think he's kind of like willing. I think he doesn't like horror movies. But just moving on to Suga, I think Suga is loves horror movies. I think Suga loves like really fucked up horror.
em:I will say I think if anyone is actually into movies on a deeper level, it would probably be Suga, and maybe he would check out like weird experimental shit too. Yeah.
rainbow:I think he's like he's watching Skin of Merink I think he's watching he's watching Torture porn. I think he's watching like movies that you like can't get very easily because they're like in C17. Like I think he's watching, like you know he's watching like Ringu and Juwon the Grudge and like I think like when J-horror had its like big renaissance cause, like he was like you know he's our age, like he's a millennial, so like in the early 2000s when J-horror was really getting like the late 90s, early 2000s when J-horror was really taking off. I think he really ate that shit up and I think he's probably forced Daichi and the other some of the other like an poor Aussie I think he's probably like forces them to watch really scary movies and I think he probably does love the like you know I don't like calling it prestige horror like a lot of the newer like like I guess horror movies that are being like really recognized you know, like hereditary A24.
rainbow:A24, there we go, Like the A24 type in like Bloom House, monkey Paw that's Jordan Peele's production company, like I think. I think he's watching a lot of those and I think he's always trying to find like the newest, scariest thing out there and he's watching it and he's like laughing at inappropriate parts and he loves the soft franchise. That's just a self-insert, because I love saw. He was very excited for saw.
em:I don't know if I totally agree with this head cannon, but I grew at least a part of it.
rainbow:I just I see cause it's just like the chaos in him. I think he would like it.
em:Yeah, I don't know if he'd be a gore lover.
rainbow:But I see, I see, I guess I get that Maybe he's more into the like supernatural horror. But yeah, we can disagree on it, but no, I just I think he would, I think he cause I think Suga is the kind of character who's like surprising in certain ways and I think like people don't expect that of him, but he does, okay. And then I just a few more Tanaka.
em:He's the kung fu movie guy. He's the kung fu movie guy.
rainbow:He's the action movie guy. I think he likes horror, but he likes like dumb. He likes like the Friday, the 13th and the Halloween Not that those are like dumb, but like he likes the more like slasher movies. You know, I think he likes. He wants to see like I want to see him killed in really cool gory ways. And then I wanted to have Takeda on this list cause we get to see him a little bit more. He's probably a movie bus Pride and prejudice Pride. And yes, he is watching. Yeah, he is watching, like those like long, quiet historical dramas.
em:And like the movies that you'll watch in English class, like 12 angry men. And then what's the other one? The color purple, color purple Of my sin, men Of my sin men.
rainbow:That's when I was trying to think of thank you, yeah, he's watching those. I think he I don't know I think he's like. I think he's also into like, I think he's probably also into some A24. Yeah, like, he probably watched past lives and bought his eyes out the Oscar nom's. Yeah, he'll watch an Oscar bait movie for sure. But, yeah, okay, that was the end. Is there any other character that you want to talk about for this? Who? And Kiki's new? We'll probably bring this up, this scenario again when we have been introduced to other characters, cause I think it's a fun one. Yeah, that is a fun one. That's a fun one.
em:Thank you guys for your suggestions.
rainbow:Yes, thank you so much for your suggestions. So we're about to move into the spoiler zone, but before that, I do want to shout out our social medias for any of you who might be leaving us now because you don't like spoilers, which is totally valid. So you can find us on Twitter, instagram, tumblr and Blue Sky. Fly hq pod. That's F-L-Y-H-Q-P-O-D. You can also send us an email, fly hq pod at gmail dot com. If you don't care about spoilers or you already know what's going to happen, come with us into the spoiler zone.
em:Spoiler zone. So my big one for this episode is during Takah's speech, we get a and this is in the manga too, I think is we get a clip of Brazil? Yes, which holy shit? That is some crazy foreshadowing. It's specifically Rio.
rainbow:We see like the big Jesus statue. It's Rio which, yeah, the foreshadowing on that is intense, which, like I do cause like we get like I wonder if Furudate was planning on sending Hinata to Brazil from the beginning, because, like I think it's you can kind of see that like Furudate clearly has like a lot of admiration for like that coach of the Brazilian men's volleyball team, like there's a quote from him earlier. So I think, like there is just like, and you know, we don't know enough, I think, about like international volleyball or international sports in general to know like who, like, but Brazil does own the volleyball game.
rainbow:I know that yeah, Brazil owns the volleyball game.
em:And it makes sense too that, like Hinata was always going to need some sort of extra training, like no matter how like talented he is. He was starting so late in the game and if he's going to reach Kakeyama's level, he did kind of have to go through some sort of like intense camp of some sort. And it does make sense for him to go to Brazil and learn the beach volleyball thing. So that must have been the plan from the get go.
rainbow:And also just like him being the sun, I think it makes sense for him to go and play beach, like there's just a lot in there. So, yeah, and that's something which you know like the first time you ever watch IQ, you know, if you haven't read the manga, if you don't know what's going to happen, you're just like, oh, why are we seeing Brazil? But then, for me, the first time I rewatched that episode and we see, like having known what's going to happen, like you're just like, oh my God, like that's just like a brain breaking moment Speaking of Brazil.
em:Yes.
rainbow:Oihina fucked in Brazil. I know one can change my mind. I understand I might. You know some people might be upset about that, because some people do really just see Kakeyama's like they are only with each other, They've never touched anyone else. I just see it with Oihina Like they're both adults. There's nothing like weird about it, it's not like a predatory thing. I just think like they do because you see, in that time skip like they do have a connection, Like they become real friends and they like gain a respect for each other. I also have a headcanon that Oihina still isn't completely like comfortable with his sexuality and then like Hina to kind of helps him through that. That's like part of my like headcanon for them and I don't think that they're like like madly in love or anything. I think they have like love there, but I think they just have fun together. That's something. Oh, I forgot to mention that, but I guess it's appropriate to talk about it here in the spoiler zone. But if you have something to say, you can say it first.
em:I was just gonna add on, like I think what people cause there are a lot of like Kagehina purists out there and I see, when I understand you, because that's the kind of shipper I used to be Like I felt like even like entertaining the idea of them with another ship took away from my OTP or whatever.
em:But I think the beauty in polyshipping and what people should learn to kind of appreciate is it's not saying like everyone that you ship is soulmates, it's just appreciating that specific relationship dynamic for what it is. And I completely agree Like I could totally see like Oihina having like a small little fling. First of all it would drive Kagehina absolutely insane and you can also look at it through kind of an angsty lens too. Like if we're going along that line of like Oikawa is not totally accepting his sexuality yet and like I can really see them having a very angsty hookup where like Oikawa hasn't accepted his sexuality or his feelings for Iwaizumi. Same thing with Hinata, where it's more like not even he's just not even like really aware, but like he's starting to realize that there is something going on. Like I think that they can help each other work through those feelings and then in Canonly when they meet up. Hinata reminds Oikawa that volleyball is fun.
rainbow:Yes, and I wanted to say that I can't believe I don't think I mentioned it in the rest of the episode but the face that Oikawa makes after the freak quick, because it shows so like initially he's like aggravated that Hinata got that point and won the game for them, but then it shows it goes from Karasno or it goes to Abajosai who, like everyone else, is angry that they lost, and Oikawa has this look of awe and joy on his face, like he and we see this a second time as well in a later episode where Oikawa, I think, really truly appreciates that freak quick and like he hates it and I think he hates that Kageyama is able to do it.
rainbow:He hates the Kageyama of it all. But I do think he is like, I think that's almost like a foreshadow moment where he's like that's fun, he's like and I think part of it is because he does love to like analyze his opponents and find their weaknesses and I think for him the idea like oh, I get to find a way to overcome this quick, like it's so amazing and it's so cool and I can't wait to beat them.
em:Yeah, I think that's something that a lot of the strong players have in common is that they get excited at the chance to have a challenge in front of them, exactly.
rainbow:Yeah, but I think there is something to the like, you know, oikawa smiling at the freak quick and like he's like, oh, this is fun. And then when they're in Brazil, oikawa who, like you know, has been playing in Argentina and like I think is kind of like you know, feeling pretty isolated, I'm sure, and like probably dealing with his insecurities and feeling like he's not good enough, but then Hina helps remind him like oh, this is a fun game. I play this game because it's fun and it even like connects back to his childhood and he remembers how much fun he had playing volleyball as a child. And I think Hina does that for a lot of people, because Hina is just so bright and full of joy. And so I really do like Oikawa showing up in Brazil was great, not just because, like I think Furu Dotte recognizes that everyone loves Oikawa, and so I think the fandom was excited to see him, and I do love it. And I think it's so interesting the way that we have Hina and Oikawa and then Kageyama and Ushijima, because Kageyama is Hina's rival and Ushijima is Oikawa's rival, and so we have kind of the two of them, like these two pairs, kind of being pitted against each other and I do see a lot of Hina in Oikawa.
rainbow:I think a lot of like Oikawa's more like fun traits can be found in Hina. Actually, in that Seijo fic that I was, that Seijo Hina to fic I want to write one day. A big reason I want to write that is because I think Hinata and Oisemi would become like the best little simpai kohai buddies ever. I think Oisemi would really take Hinata under his wing that's a pun because they're wingspikers and I think Oisemi would really kind of be like a big brother to Hinata in a lot of ways and I think that Oisemi would recognize those things in Hinata that Oikawa also has. Like the good parts of Oikawa I think, like I said, can be found in Hinata. Ok, do we have anything else we want to say for the spoilers on?
rainbow:or anything else for this episode?
em:No, Brazil was the biggest thing for me.
rainbow:OK, yeah, I'm really excited to see more as we go on, mm-hmm.
em:Yeah, big things coming up.
rainbow:Yes, we have so much more to come up and Oikawa will be back, Don't worry. Oh yeah.
em:This is only the beginning. We're really I mean, we're at episode seven. Man, we're getting into it now, yeah, so we'll see you guys next week, all right.
rainbow:Yeah, thank you so much for joining us. Give us some feedback. Free Palestine and donate where you can and raise awareness as much as you can.
em:And until then fly high, Bye-bye. Happy Snow day challenge.