“It was beauty that killed the beast"
rainbow and em spend the first 13 minutes of this episode talking about King Kong. It's a really fun discussion, but if you'd rather skip straight to the Haikyuu talk, that begins at 13:32.
This week, rainbow and em cover season 1, episode 12 'The Cat and Crow Reunion' and talk all about Nekoma and Karasuno as teams and rivals. This episode is all about Nekoma, so if you're a cat lover, this one is for you.
1:01:33 - Spoiler Zone Begins
Podcast Socials:
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 the International Rescue Committee
“It was beauty that killed the beast"
rainbow and em spend the first 13 minutes of this episode talking about King Kong. It's a really fun discussion, but if you'd rather skip straight to the Haikyuu talk, that begins at 13:32.
This week, rainbow and em cover season 1, episode 12 'The Cat and Crow Reunion' and talk all about Nekoma and Karasuno as teams and rivals. This episode is all about Nekoma, so if you're a cat lover, this one is for you.
1:01:33 - Spoiler Zone Begins
Podcast Socials:
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 the International Rescue Committee
Hello everyone and welcome to Fly a queer, haikyuu podcast. I'm Rainbow and I'm Em and we have to talk about King Kong.
em:Don't be confused You're still in a haikyuu podcast, but we just got to talk about some other things.
rainbow:Yeah, so last step for context last night Em and I decided to watch Kiki's Delivery Service on Max and you may be wondering how does that lead to King Kong? Like this we finished Kiki's Delivery Service, we go back and we had searched for it and we just put in KI and it came up and then when we went back, the search page was open and King Kong the original from 1933, was right there and we were like, oh, we should like check this out. I want to see what Kong looks like.
em:Yeah, yeah, I've always wanted to check out and kind of compare, like what does this look like?
rainbow:Yeah, so we and we didn't watch the whole movie. We just kind of, like you know, we skipped through until they were like on the island and also spoiler alert for King Kong if you've never seen it or don't know anything about it.
rainbow:Almost 100 years spoiler alert yeah, almost 100 years. It's been remade several times. It's been parodied to death. It's one of the most parodied things, I think, in existence. But so we skipped ahead to when they were on the island. And also I didn't realize this because I'd watched the 2005 Peter Jackson King Kong, which we'll talk about. I thought, like all of the stuff with them being on the island and with the dinosaurs, I thought that was new for the new movie, I had no idea that was from the original too. Like I feel like Peter Jackson really stuck to the original in certain ways, maybe in ways he shouldn't have. so like, yeah, like we got, we watched, like the dinosaur fight, the fight between Kong, and just like a t-rex, a very crappy looking t--Rex. They were like it was like stop motion, like I don't know if it was like clay or like what they used or if they were just little puppets. It looked so bad. But at the same time I kept in my mind but in 1933, this would have been incredible.
em:Yeah, yeah, we're trying to keep that in mind the whole time, but to us it just was like OK it was like really, and then, you know, and we're also used to like better stop motion.
rainbow:I think, too, like stop motion has come a long way since the 30s, like they were using green screen technology which we didn't even realize they had. I think we think that a lot of things that we are like using today are like brand new, but I think they've been around for a long time, like even 3d. I think the first like 3d glasses came out like the 30s or 40s, like people have ever since, like the ability to film has come out. We have been playing with ways to do that. So, yeah, so we saw, you know, we saw Kong like you know, rip open the T-Rex's jaw and then play with it a little bit and then pick up the girl. And it was, and like when you like, they went to like wide shots of Kong carrying Anne. It was just like a little limp rag doll in the pub stand. It was very funny. So, yeah, we did that, and then we watched the very end of it.
em:Yeah, and so we kind of just fell down this King Kong hole because we just skipped to the parts with Kong. We don't care about the greed of man, that's not important to us in this movie, and it was very bad. And then we were like, well, we should watch the 2005 one to compare, and the 2005 one is three hours long, and so that was a lot of skipping around. We don't even get to the monkey until about an hour and a half in and, of course, like it is way more impressive, especially with the gorilla itself, like Andy Serkis does. The motion capture and the emotion in this gorilla's face is so much different. And you know, in the 30s one, anne, or I don't even know if she has the name we skipped around.
rainbow:Yeah, it's Anne.
em:I heard them say we skipped around a lot so we missed a lot of context, but she mainly just kind of screams and is the pretty girl you know. It's much more basic in the 30s but in the 2005 one played by Naomi Watts, the beautiful Naomi Watts.
rainbow:Definitely thought it was Nicole Kidman all of this time, because they look exactly the same and sound very alike as well, like them screaming. It's the same person.
em:Which is funny because they're best friends in real life. Fun fact. But Anne has a lot more agency in this one. So like after a very racist scene with the like island villagers giving her up to Kong for like what's the word? Sacrifice, sacrifice. You know. She fights back, she like stabs him in the hand and he lets go, and then she does like little dances for him, and then he's intrigued and like they, just like I wasn't ready for the romantic subplot of King Kong.
rainbow:Basically it's okay of King Kong. Basically it's okay because here's the thing we were like laughing watching the end of the 1933 movie and just like, oh, look at the Empire State Building. And like the, the plane and everything like. Oh, the stop motion is so silly.
rainbow:Watching the end of the 2005 version, tears streaming down my face because they really do. It is like they make this connection. It like seems very romantic. I'm sure you could make an argument that it's it's not so romantic, but it is like, even if it's not like sexual, it's like romantic, like, and Naomi Watts, like Anne feels, like feels feelings for Kong, like she sees this monster.
rainbow:And I think you also get more context in that one and again, because we skipped around, maybe we do see this in the 1933 one, we just missed it, but like in the 2005 one, kong takes Anne back to like where he lives, like his home, and there's all of these like gorilla, like giant, like Kong sized gorilla skeletons around. And, of course, I had to say a devastating thought out loud which was like do you think that? Like? Because it was clear that this was like his family, his loved ones, like do you think like they like died elsewhere on the island and Kong brought them back home to like rest, like to be their final resting place. And now he's just the last one, he's alone. Yeah, we just got.
em:I feel like we just got more of a human like story of Kong and their connection. Yeah, it's about as romantic as a giant gorilla and a lady story can be. There's a whole scene where, you know, after they drag him to New York and then hees and he's looking for Anne and he's just picking up random blonde woman and then tossing them aside when he realizes it's not her, but then they find each other and then he takes her to Central Park, they play on the ice and there's just so many different scenes where they're just looking at each other with such meaning and then they get shot at like it was just really romantic. And of course, then I was like okay, so a Kagehina story where Kageyama is the gorilla and Hinata's the little person that he's throwing around, because it always comes back to uh Haikyuu, and you were saying another ship, yes, so I was thinking Ushioi for Kong, and, and, and.
rainbow:Then Iwa could play Jack, who in 2005 was played by Adrian Brody. And can we talk about that nose? I wasn't prepared.
em:I always forget that Adrian Brody just has, like, such an interesting face well, I was saying Adrian Brody is is like qualifies as weird, hot, like he's hot, he's a little weird looking yeah, a little bit like Killian Murphy, where it's just like you got a face.
rainbow:That like, if it's like, if you just saw him on the street you'd be like, oh, that's just a normal looking guy, but in a movie you're just like, oh, he's kind of hot right yeah, so like, yeah, there's just so many scenes where they're like falling in love and even like back when they're on the island because, like you know, anne finds a time to like escape from Kong because obviously he's a big scary gorilla who was like yelling at her and pushing her down. Oh, and that's the thing like she's like dancing for him and she keeps like like doing pratfalls because she's an entertainer. That's like her backstory and so she's like using this to survive.
rainbow:She's like, well, if I can keep him entertained which like let's talk about how often women have to do that, am I right? if I keep him entertained he won't kill me. And then like he thinks it's funny when she falls and like she tries juggling for him and he, he just like snubs his nose, he's like snubs her. He's like, yeah, that's not that funny. The personality on this gorilla, yeah, he's so much more expressive in this one. Yes, the faces on the 1933 gorilla were just hysterical.
em:There were like two modes. It was just like faraway shots and then up close was just this creepy smile thing. I don't know. Yeah, it was very off-putting.
rainbow:Yeah, so it was just like Hong had so much like emotion and then, like, after Anne runs away and then he has to, they gave him three T-Rexes to fight in the Peter Jackson one instead of the one in the 1933 one. And then I like really wanted to watch that scene because I was like, because I remember watching King Kong when it came out I think we got it from Blockbuster, shout out to my other oldies and I very distinctly remember the T-Rex fight and him opening up the T-Rex's jaw, which is like very much, like, like is very much honoring the original movie. And then he even does the thing where he like plays with the jaw to make sure it's dead. And I just think they got the like guerrilla isms right. As far as I know.
rainbow:I'm not an expert, but like from what I've seen of like gorillas in the zoo and like videos of them, like because they are very expressive, like it is very it's like, yes, we do definitely share, like a lot of ancestry with gorillas and but like, after he like rescues her from that, he's all like mad at her yes, yes, he's like annoyed that she ran away and he's kind of like huffing and like walks off.
em:But then she kind of runs after him and he's like all right and like puts him on her shoulder, like they just have such a like it's very beauty and the beast romance, which is my shit.
rainbow:Like I was like I ship this and I'm I'm not even sorry well, and that's it's very clear, because, even like the end of the movie, after Kong falls from the Empire State Building, the somebody says, like oh, the plane shot him down. And then, in 2005, this character is played by Jack Black, the guy who, like, led this expedition and brought Kong back, and like he's like the greed of man, he's you know, he's capitalism, the man, he's the one who does this and he says oh no, it like it wasn't the planes, it was beauty that killed the beast, which is bullshit.
rainbow:It was you.
em:You did this, and I think that because that's from the original movie and I think that that line doesn't really hold up in this new one because, yes, in the old movie it is just this beautiful woman he chases after and king hong has a very like racist undertone message of like white women shouldn't date black men, like it's really gross and so like I just don't think it translated, especially because anne wasn't just some beauty and it really was just men's greed that killed king kong, not so it's just that didn't translate. But all this to say, if I may transition we were watching kiki's delivery service.
em:Because our family is expanding and we are. We have officially adopted a new kitten that we are probably going to name Kiki.
rainbow:Unless we find a name that matches her personality differently. If we get to know her and we find another name, we have a few others.
em:Yeah, we don't have to quite yet. We have to deal with apartment complex bullshit. We're taking her to the vet today to get her rabies shot and then we're hoping to bring her home by like Monday, Tuesday. You know we're eager now, but yeah, she's a little tuxedo kitty.
rainbow:Maybe we'll post a picture of her on the Twitter, because I'm sure y'all would love to see her Well, as soon as we. Well, we have a picture from when we met her with the foster. So, I might even go ahead and post that, because by the time you hear this, you, if you follow us on Twitter twitter you have already seen pictures of this cat for sure. We're recording this like two weeks in advance, yes, and so by that point we will have flooded the pod timeline and our individual timelines.
em:Yes, yeah, and this is. It'll be our first pet together. It's kind of our way of celebrating because our two-year anniversary is coming up next week yes, april 11th, uh next week, as of this recording yeah. So we were like because last year we did a trip and we were kind of talking about what we want to do this year and we already were planning on getting a kitten around this time of year. So we're like, well, that'll be our anniversary, yeah, instead of spending money on a trip.
rainbow:We'll spend money on a cat which, honestly, I feel like we're gonna end up spending more money on this cat than we would have spent on a trip. And worth it? Oh, absolutely, we're very excited and I okay, we can.
rainbow:We move on to housekeeping in a second, but I do. I feel it is important to mention going back to the king kong stuff, both the 1933 version and the 2005 version. Lots of racism in there in different ways. The 2005 version had blackface in it, which is so fucked fucked. I just feel like we should mention that and if people want to learn more about that, there are so many things on the internet that you can find. But I was just like I still can't get over the blackface. I'm like what do you mean? We're using blackface in 2005? I don't care that it was the 1930s and they would have done that. They did it back then because they were terrible and racist and we don't do it anymore because we know it's terrible and racist. But you know 2005, you know we really have we really come that far?
em:Well, yeah, that's what I'm kind of. That's what I was thinking too. It's like I feel like we made some progress with Anne, but, like, as far as the racism in the movie, really not that different and maybe even a little worse.
rainbow:Yeah, honestly a little worse. Like they included characters of color just so that they could kill them in service for, like a white character storyline and their emotional development and the blackface we're talking about.
em:It's when king kong is being shown off in new york and in the. What kills me is in the original they don't have because they basically they. It's a lot more fanfare in 2005 and they have these like white people dressed as the villagers in blackface and they didn't even have that bit in the original.
rainbow:Like that was a whole ass choice you made yes, yes, and like so many people had to like be aware of that you were doing this, and not a single like. Maybe there were people who are like, hey, maybe we shouldn't be doing this, but not enough of them and not enough people in like who are making decisions on like a high level.
rainbow:We're like, hey, maybe we shouldn't do this yeah and that movie won like awards and shit and like peter jackson won awards for it. It's just ridiculous. But anyway, and you know, go and watch some behind the scenes stuff because, like andy surfacus was there when naomi watts was filming a lot of the gorilla stuff and I think that really helped bring out the emotion and they had like very real chemistry and like you feel it on screen between kong and ann. So anyway, that's, you know iwazumi would love this section. Oh, I did want to.
rainbow:Going back to my headcanon I know we have to move on in my Ushioi headcanon, iwa plays the, the Jack character who's played by Adrian Brody in the 2005 version, and I have an idea that at the end they all end up happily together, you know, just living on Skull Island, and then Godzilla shows up for Godzilla versus King Kong, but this time godzilla ends up accidentally kidnapping a wise meat and then they become best buds and then they all become friends and they all live in a fun, weird little polycule
em:Please do. A Q and A episode a reminder coming out after episode 13. It will be replaced. It will be released in place of episode 14. So it'll be, like you know, episode 12 and then 13, q, a and then 14. So if you hate q and a's, I'm so sorry you're gonna miss out on a week. for those of you who love it, keep sending in questions. The q and a episode will be out may 6.
rainbow:Yes, okay, so hold on to your hats, yeah, and then we will be right back to our regularly but regularly scheduled programming. After that, episode 14 will come out on May 13th and then we'll keep going from there, probably through the end of season one, and we might do another episode between season one and season two. I don't know if it'll be a Q&A, maybe it'll be something else, maybe we'll dedicate that to shipping or talking about fix or something. If anyone has any ideas for what they want that episode to be, let us know.
em:We love to hear it yeah this podcast is a group effort with all of you.
rainbow:I was kind of like looking, because I plan out our recordings and our episode releases on my calendar and it looks like we'll be finished with up with season one sometime in like end of June, in the end of July, maybe August, so you know, in the summer. So we we got some time. We got some time to get through this but I'm excited it's gonna be here before we know it. So, yeah, I think that's it for housekeeping. Are you ready to do your recap?
em:yes, let's get into episode 12. All right, I'll count you down. All right, three, two, one. It's the battle between nekoma and karasuno, the rebirth of an old rivalry. Karasuno meets their neekoma counterparts and battle for the first time in years. The differences between the two teams are highlighted in this episode, as Karasuno has genius players and flashy offense. Nekoma has a much more subtle but solid approach to defense and strategy. Hinata is once again up against a tall, tall wall, but this time things are different.
rainbow:This time, hinata can find a way to fly. Oh, I gotta you know what I think.
em:I gotta start re uh writing out my recaps this might be my life's purpose is writing episode recaps you're killing it.
rainbow:Do you want to do them every time?
em:well, we can talk about that, so let's get into it so this episode starts with a flashback to the original ships between grandpas the nekomata and Grandpa ukai, talking about how you know we're going to get you at nationals. And then Takeda kind of comes in with a little voiceover of like but they would never make it to nationals and eventually both coaches would retire, and kind of explaining how both teams kind of like declined after their like rivalry coach boyfriends retired but now they're both getting strong again.
rainbow:Yeah, well, I have a note here that Nekoma and Karasuno are both stronger when they have each other and it's just like and I'm sure that's very big in a lot of sports anime and like shonen anime in general, but like in Haikyuu it's just like a rival always makes you stronger and it's so important and like you need that kind of relationship.
rainbow:And that's what Nekoma and Karasuno had and yeah, so they got weak. But now Takeda and Nekomata are there and young ukai and his little ex from when they were in high school I did I was like we get to see that.
em:We get to see them again. That's right at the top. I love how he kind of makes fun of ukai's hair. It's very ex-lovers. They all get to meet their kind of counterparts and Hinata's like why didn't you tell me you were in Nekoma, kenma and Kenma's just like you didn't ask.
rainbow:Very typical Kenma, very Kenma, yeah. And then Yamamoto, uh see, is like squaring up to Hinata, and then Tanaka has to come and and say and like save him. And they really do like. They look so alike. I've read fics where they are like twins and they make sense.
em:They are very much like the same person, like they're the very clear like okay, you're the Karasuno version of this person, and blah blah exactly.
rainbow:And then and I do, I love this little moment because then, yamamoto sees Kyoko for the first time and it's just like, oh, she's so beautiful. And then there's like a callback to what happened in the last episode, because then it's, I think it's inuoka, and then I don't remember the other guy's name. He's like their backup league or libero. I think he's like a first or second year and they had, like they were the ones that yamamoto was like I bet a yakisoba bun that they don't have a pretty girl manager. And then so, like, inuyoka and this other guy are like, yay, yakisoba. Because they're like, yay, we lost. And then, like there's like a shoujo filter over Yamamoto as he's looking at Kiyoko. It's like because he's not like outright harassing her, but it is just like.
em:So it's a little bit like okay, really, but it's funnier than the other stuff that we've seen with kyoko, because, like, he's just like, oh, she's so beautiful, my heart yeah, and then, like you know, because when tanaka and yamamoto are squaring up like suga and then the other person from nekoma are like both apologizing on their behalf, like sorry, our embarrassing second year, and yaku because they are kind of the counterpoints yeah, where like they're.
rainbow:they're the ones who are, like you know, calm a lot of the time, but then they can be chaotic and get people in line, and then we have another pretty popular ship of Kuro Daichi.
em:The two captains meet and they're shaking hands and they're both kind of having this like fake smile on. They're just like we're looking forward to the game, but they're both kind of thinking like he's the crafty type.
rainbow:Yeah, I think in in the dub they say like he's the shrewd type. Whatever that means. Yeah, whatever that means, I love it. I listen. Sorry, nico. I love kuro dai. I think they're a great ship. She's not gonna like hearing it. I, I don't care.
rainbow:I think that is my favorite kuro ship, aside from kuroken yeah, yeah, outside, like, if Kenma and Kuro aren't together, yeah, it's definitely Kuro die for me. I think they're fun, they just and we'll get to see more of them like there's a lot more interactions between them and they're just. And again, this is another like Daichi interacting with a captain. The captains always have a special little uh interaction between them. They have a special little bond and they're fun. And yeah, and they are kind of like opposites in like a lot of ways too. We don't get too much into Kuro, but like he is a middle blocker and so I think it's interesting. Daichi is like solid like receiving defense and Kuro is solid like blocking defense, like they both are like defenders for their team, but in different ways and then in this moment as well, Kageyama asks Hinata how do you know that guy Meaning Kenma?
em:And Hinata tells him oh, he's Nekoma's setter. And then Kageyama's little fire background pulls up and he's like setter.
rainbow:Yes, he's just like. Oh, you were talking to another setter. It's giving you know other setters.
em:I fucking love that Literally. I know that canonly he's just like oh, it's another setter, but I like to also think that, like Hinata's talking to another setter yes.
rainbow:And so we get we get to really meet Nekomata and he's fun. He's just like a jolly old man. I love old old men, characters where they don't actually have eyes, because they're just like their eyes are, so like they're like closed all the time.
em:Yeah, yeah, and he's. He's a little scamp too, because he's just like, even though my old rival's not here, I'm excited to play or whatever.
rainbow:Oh, he's so good. Yeah, I'm excited to talk more about him because I just I think he's like one of the best coaches. I think he's, he's, yeah, and there's especially when we get to talk about the the battle of the garbage dump movie. I think that's when we really get to talk about Nekomata and like my feelings on him yeah, he's definitely one of my favorite of, like the other team's coaches.
em:He's very observant of them. He clocks Kageyama's genius, which we'll get to like. He's very observant. You can tell why Nekoma is the kind of team that it is absolutely yeah so we're about to start the game.
rainbow:I have a note here about Hinata being so excited to play. He's all blushy, he's like cause, and I realized this is his first game that he gets to play in his new Jersey and it's just another. Like Hinata is just, he really is reveling in like being on a real team and it's just like he's always excited about it and I just, oh, he's just happy to be here, I'm so excited for him. Yeah, and then we get kuro's little speech oh my god.
em:Yes, thank you, that's exactly what I was going to talk about. I love like kuro gives his like little pep talk to the team right before the game starts, and I don't know if you have a direct quote of it.
rainbow:It's like we are blood, we are something and like we all like work to.
em:I don't I should have written it down it's basically saying like kenma's gonna be our heart and soul, you know, work with him. And then afterwards you know Kenma's all embarrassed and he's like do you have to include that in your little speech? It's embarrassing. And everyone's like no, it gets us hyped up. And Kuro's like yeah, too bad, and I just love their dynamic, like I ship them, but also like they like Kuro's kind of like a dad to Kenma in a lot of ways, like he's just he's, he loves him so much and is so proud of him and all he does is embarrass him yeah, it's really great.
rainbow:Well, and I love. First of all, I have the note that kuro is such a loser because that is like he's. Well, because that speech it's not. I think he even calls him maybe this is more in the dub than in the somebody he calls kenma the brain and it's because and we learn later that kuro is like a science nerd in a lot of ways, but like it very much is, and it's like kind of, it is like giving the philosophy of Nekoma and it's almost like foreshadowing so for what happens later in the game, where, like they are the blood, like they are the ones who like give the receives to Kenma so that he can do the sets that he does and he has all of these options and he can like do his strategy.
em:I think he even says like and to go with that, they're lining up and Kenma says to Hinata from across the net it's not me that's strong, it's everyone together, which of course we've already. We keep getting this lesson over and over again about connection, but Nekoma is a really great example of that.
rainbow:Yeah, and this whole episode we could just like. I think maybe at the end of the episode we should have a discussion about like Nekoma as the rivals for Karasuno. They're the perfect rivals. Yes, and why? Yeah? And I guess we'll kind of just get into that as we talk about this.
em:There's also just really quickly in the background. Noya is still scolding Asai-san for missing a month of practice.
rainbow:Of course he is. He's like that's what you. He like misses a. He like I don't know what it is Does he mess up on a serve or something I missed, whatever it was. Oh I think it was a receive. I think maybe he like received the ball, but it became like a chance ball and Noe's like that's what you get for skipping for a month. He'll never let him forget it. Also, shimada and Takanoe from the neighborhood team, come to watch them, come to support them, and I forgot that they were in this episode.
rainbow:Oh shit but yeah, at the very beginning, I think it's before they start the game they like come in to watch them play and it's like, wow, that's the beginning of something.
em:And they will always be around. Because they don't have lives? I don't know.
rainbow:Bless them. There are a few episodes where they explain how they're able to come to the games, yeah. And then Kageyama, because I think Inuyoka says something to Hinata about, like as an insult, and Inuyuka's like oh no, it's not five minutes. And Kageyama, because he's always paying attention to Hinata at all moments, is like he's still as paranoid as ever and I just think it like speaks to Kageyama, like knows that Hinata, being short is not what his problem is Like, his problem is that he doesn't like have the skills that he needs.
em:Quick sub versus dub moment, because the context is completely different. In the sub the kid goes to yeah. Hinata's like, uh, are you underestimating me? And the kid's like, no, I'm not underestimating you. And he's just like, oh, okay. And then kageyama in the background is like, at least underestimate him a little, because he wants them to underestimate hinata to be a decoy. So that's totally different.
rainbow:The dub completely fucked that up. Yeah, wow, no, that is very different. Yeah, that is true, and that just makes more sense in the episode. I'm actually mad now, because that makes more sense for the episode, because this whole episode is kageyama like being like, like slowly, like at first hinata is working as a decoy, but like slowly they're getting used to him and it frustrates kageyama. And I want it because I feel like I think in my mind, I think a lot about hinata playing nekoma and what that means for nekoma, but like it is, it's just as much of a challenge for kageyama as the setter and I think he really loves that, and so I'd like to keep track of that as well.
em:Yeah, well, they both thrive off a challenge. So the game begins and, of course, right away they hit him with the freak, quick and everyone's like what was that?
rainbow:and you can see kenma falling under hinata's spell.
em:That like that, that thing where it's just like, oh, I want to play him, he immediately can tell hinata's interesting and then so do the freak quick, and then they successfully use him as a decoy right after that so I think nekoma is like oh okay, karasuno has some fucking haunches behind them like they know what they're doing, but kenma is watching and he's observing.
rainbow:And this is something we like they talk about in like later episodes and seasons as well, where, like Nekoma does tend to take a minute to get set up. They really like they give Kenma that time to observe and figure out what the best defense is going to be and then, once they figure that out, it's over. I have it like once Nekoma gets their defense together's over for the other team, it's over for these bitches.
em:Ken was a gamer and that's like his main personality trait. He's good at strategy, yes, and he's always.
rainbow:He always thinks about things in terms of video games, like there's later in the episode inuyaka, like that, because inuyaka keeps blocking hinata and like kenma is like thinking or saying something.
em:Like it's just like when you're having a hard time, like beating a level in a video game, the more you do it, the better you get at it yes, and this is kind of our first introduction to this free quick is not impossible to block, like it's a fancy trick, but you can get used to it and they need to learn that lesson because it's not always going to work like teams and not just Nekoma, but all teams will eventually get used to this. Yes, so this is the first time the freak quick has really been challenged. So Kenma observes this and they time out and he tells them. Like you know, they're, the heart of their offense is Shouyo and I also love like one of the guys is like Shouyo and Kuro is immediately like it's the number 10, it's my boyfriend's little boyfriend.
rainbow:I guess, yeah, that, okay, that is a question I had later for sub versus dub and something that the dub does. That pisses me off Because it's like they don't understand like the importance of like so many characters like call other characters by their last name, which I think is like a very like a very like formal thing. It's like a, you know, it's a formality and like part of like the social or part of like Japanese culture. But then it is significant when a character calls another character by their first name, kenma does it. There's a character later who in the sub and in the manga, like instead of calling him Hinata, calls him Shouyou, and I think that's important for like their relationship but also for like who that character is. And the dub doesn't do that. It has Kenma calling Hinata Hinata and not Shouyo.
em:And it's just like what, if you guys cared a little bit more these are the kind of subtleties that are hard for me to ignore, yes, and that's why I really can't really enjoy the dub. But yeah, so there's that little moment, and then, and, and so he says, like Shouyo is the heart of their offense, so we have to go after Shouyo. And he tells that kid, inuoka, inuoka to to just keep following him. He clocks that Shoya was basically just running wherever there are not blockers.
rainbow:Yeah, and I think it's Kageyama who's like oh, they're doing an area block. And so he talks about the different kind of block that they're doing and how they're not bunched up and they're not trying to hit Hinata all at one place because they know now that that won't work.
em:Yeah, they start to follow him. Kageyama, you know, knowing being a volleyball genius, clocks what they're doing. He's like oh my god, they're already on to us.
rainbow:Yeah and I do have a note here about libero love, because yaku, like I think it's asahi's spike, he like of course it is, it's asahi's spike. And yaku doesn't, like he goes to save it, he, he still doesn't quite get it. I think it bounces off his arm, and goes out. So karasuno still gets the point, but like it shows Noya talking to Suga and like clocking that and being like wow, that Libro is really serious, like he has never played, he's never seen Asahi play and yet he was able to like get his hand on that spike. And that's amazing. And that's something like we don't talk enough about Yaku and Lev and the like respect they have for each other as Libros.
em:Yaku and Noya. That's what I meant. Okay, we haven't met love yet. Oh, rainbow does not love love, but we'll get to that when we. We'll get to that bridge when we cross it.
rainbow:I'm so upset at myself for even bringing him up when he's not here. Anyway, yeah, the the respect that Yaku and Noya have for each other is is pretty amazing, and I love it.
em:During this time out as well. Uh, grandpa, I keep calling him grandpa. Nekoma recognizes kageyama's genius and he calls uh kagehina a demon in his club yes, this is where we get that yeah, very badass, nickname.
rainbow:I like that a lot and I think has like a connection to like japanese, like folklore or literature or something I think, so I don't know much about understanding, yeah but and it does make sense, and is this, is this the part where he says like one day, like once, hina to like hones his skills, it won't be a demon in its club, it'll be a demon and another demon. I don't know if he says that yet okay, that might come later.
rainbow:okay, yeah. And is this the part where he, where kageyama, tells hina to he has to be selective with his spikes? The line shot shot thing, yeah, oh yeah, the line shot thing, yeah.
em:I think so because I have it up next to my note. I love this. So obviously Kageyama is a setter and we've really mainly seen him setting, but he knows that Nagama is getting is on to them and I think he decides to throw him off a little bit and he calls for a toss and hits it. And he's such a fucking annoying badass because he hits it perfectly and then immediately turns to Hinata to give him a mini lesson. That's called a line shot, like make sure you know the difference between what you're doing. And then in the background I don't remember it's a couple of the second years, I think that are like he's such an annoying genius, like he's so good and just like it's so casual for him.
rainbow:Well, and I have a note here about like Kageyama telling hinata to be selective with his spikes, like he isn't closing his fucking eyes when he hits. It's like what do you mean, kageyama? You're literally, you are deciding the hit based on your toss and you're like what are you talking about?
em:and I want to talk about that a little bit more in the spoiler zone too okay, yeah, yeah, but yeah, I just love that, like kageyama is constantly angrily giving hinata little volleyball lessons throughout the game.
rainbow:This is, I think, also in the same area. We get Kenma kind of observing the other team and he observes Tsukishima and he says Tsukishima is the complete opposite of Hinata and I love that we get that reminder. Like again, they are foils for each other, they're both middle blockers but they are complete opposites.
em:And he's completely right, and it is. It's amazing that speaks to kenma's intelligence that he clocks that immediately and he tests it because he does like this faint glance. He looks to the right, so so suki starts to go for it, but then he goes left and and then that's when he can confirm for himself like, oh yeah, suki's watching me and kageyama clocks what kenma's doing.
rainbow:Yeah, because this is also, I don't. I I think I always think of this game as like, oh, it's Hinata. Anytime Nekoma and Karasuno play, I think of it as Hinata versus Kenma, but it is also very much like Kageyama versus Kenma, like the games are kind of. It always kind of happens like this, especially with the big teams that they play against, where it kind of becomes a setter versus setter type thing, where, like, we kind of are seeing them interact. There's exceptions to that, I will say, which we'll talk about, but you know, I'm thinking anytime they play Seijo.
rainbow:That's, you know, the setter versus the setter kind of and like that's kind of what we're focusing on, and it happens later in another game that we can talk about.
em:And then we get into. We get a little bit of Kenma's backstory.
rainbow:Yeah, this is definitely the Kenma episode, the very first kenma episode. Yeah, because we we get to learn about him like, and I I think it's kind of. I think it starts with maybe like nekomata observing kenma and being like kenma like isn't really like the, the type to really go for things, but like you know, he is like the strategist on the team and it kind of like. Then it kind of flashes back to kenma in middle school and how he's like always alone and like playing video games and he's very like awkward and has trouble like meeting new people and making friends. What the grandpa.
em:I think what Grandpa Nekoma says is something along the lines of His name is Nekomata, by the way, but I do love calling him Grandpa.
rainbow:Nekoma and I'm okay with that.
em:With all the respect in the world, grandpa Nekoma says something about how, like you know, kenma doesn't like to be observed by people and I, as a person who also struggled in school being very awkward and introverted and like didn't really want people's attention, I totally relate to this whole thing of like because of that that bore, that bore like Kenma being observant of people because he's kind of his guard is always up. So, yeah, we go to middle school and he's awkward and alone and he has no friends except for Kuro.
rainbow:Yeah, because he's always been friends with Kuro and Kuro's always convinced him to play volleyball with him and it kind of showed you like I joined the team in middle school with Kuro, convinced me to join the team in middle school and it was fine, and then I joined in high school and it was hard like the the the third years were like really mean to him and like bullying him, yeah, and I wanted to point out, like kenra is really one of the few, or at least the first, that seemed to really question the hierarchy stuff yes, I love that.
rainbow:Yeah, he's like. I don't understand. He's like why do the second and third years? They were only born like a year or two ahead of me. Why does that mean they get to treat me like shit? And it's like yeah, why is that?
em:and I'm glad we have that point of view because I think you know we've talked about like the eastern versus western, like ideologies and how the collectivism of the eastern and like that seems to really be supported in haikyuu.
rainbow:But we do get someone who's questioning it because, yeah, of course there's going to be people who abuse that and are dicks because they're the sunbaes well, that's exactly it because, like I think, in karasuno is where we really get to see, like the senpai kohai relationship is, like we see healthy versions of that, where there is mutual respect between the upperclassmen and the underclassmen, whereas on a team like nekoma, like you said, it seems like the second and third years really abuse that power and they think of, like they think they are superior to them because they are the upperclassmen, yeah, and it's just like. No, that's not what it is. It's just that you have more experience and you should be teaching that experience to the younger ones. And there is, like you and we've kind of seen it and it's like it's not something that I think is really explained to us because it doesn't need to be for Japanese audiences, but it is the first and second years are the ones who clean up the gym.
rainbow:The third, like whenever they're in training camp and they have to take baths, like the third years go first, then the second years, then the first years, and that hierarchy is very enforced and it's just like years, and that hierarchy is very enforced and it's just like, and that's something like you know, when I think about you know how I, how I wish society was set up. It's just like well, I don't want that aspect of it, but I like the like. Senpai kohai, like you know, taking responsibility for the people who are like coming, coming after.
em:Yeah absolutely, and Kuro is a year older than Kenma and, you know, after Kenma expresses that, like he kind of was being bullied by the senpais, Kuro is. They're standing in a sunset by the river and Kuro says to him, like you know, stick with it. You're strong, your observational skills will really he was like the first and second years see your strength and like we're going to be strong because of you in the near future.
rainbow:Well, and I wonder if Kenma's whole like I wonder if part of Kenma's whole like I wonder if part of kenma's whole like, oh, like I don't like the hierarchy thing is because he's always had kuro, who is a year older than him but seems to treat him with the same respect he would treat anybody else, and so I think for kenma he's just not used to the idea that like, oh, I have to give like deference to this older person because he's like because I have this person who's a year older than me and he's a fucking loser.
rainbow:like doesn't deserve my like. But not to say that kenma, because kenma clearly does respect kuro and loves him, and like is playing volleyball because of him well, and he's very blasé when he talks about it.
em:He's like, yeah, I continued just because because kuro wanted me, but like you don't have to do it, you are still here and that's where the love is exactly. So after that flashback, hinata goes for the set point and the freak quick gets completely blocked for the first time. Talking, what's his name? Inuake, uh, inuyoka, inuyoka, inuyoka.
rainbow:he's been on him and he kind of has been touching it a little bit, but this is the first time he fully blocks it and it's like oh no well, and I think this because I think it's ukai who says this yeah, because takeda and ukai are talking about nekoma, and ukai says something that I love and that is so important. It's kind of like the thesis for why nekoma makes the best rivals for karasuno and he says the most important component for a diverse arsenal of attacks is solid receiving, and he's talking about how, like their receives are so solid and like they get, they get them to the setter and then the setter is able to make all of those decisions.
rainbow:Yeah, which just is like yeah, that, and it seems like that is the way nekoma nekomata prefers his teams.
em:That's how he sets his teams up yes, and this is when we get hinata's first spooky face, because he's getting blocked and he's getting blocked and his team is worried that he's going to lose his will, getting blocked, and the other team, nekoma, assumes he will lose his will as well, but he needs to scare everyone with his smile because this time is different and he explains this to kageyama. he can tell that they're trying hard to keep up with him and now that he has a team and a way to figure things out, the challenge is exciting.
rainbow:Instead of defeating, yes, and like you can tell kageyama's like yeah, exactly, yes, thank you. Yes, I love you. He's like you get me. yeah, I have here, because I think ukai says something about like he's. He's like I hope this doesn't make hinata lose his will to fight.
em:And I went, not hinata this only fires him up more. Are you kidding?
rainbow:me, yeah, and then we get scary and it does like shock everyone, because everyone on nekoma's side is like what the fuck is this? Why does this kid look like this? He's so terrifying. I really love it. Yeah, and I I have a couple notes here about like this episode focuses a lot on how kageyama is holding the team together with his sets. Yeah, they talk about that. How like it's really kageyama's sets are like what is making karasuno's place possible?
em:well, grandpa nekomaoma highlights the difference that Kageyama is the genius holding together his awkward team for now. That's where they're at right now, whereas Nekoma the team is supporting Kenma.
rainbow:Yes, yeah absolutely, and they're all good enough to support him. I also have a note here that Hinata asked that one where he got completely blocked. He asked for that from Kageyama. He was like hey gonna, I want to go for it this time. Like I want to hit it, I'm gonna get around the block.
rainbow:He's like, trust me to kageyama and then he gets blocked and I that's. I think that's very interesting and we talk so much with inata and kageyama about trust and I wonder if, like, there is a little bit of kageyama maybe feeling like, oh well, like how much can I trust hinata? Yeah, with the ball on his own. If this is what happens, like we come up against a team that figures out how to block him, like can he overcome that? And at this point it seems like maybe not yeah, and well, suki kind of is.
em:He's up standing by the sidelines and he kind of looks over at ukai and ukai is like you're probably wondering why I'm not pulling him yet and he's like if this was a real match maybe I would, but this is a practice match and I want to give Hinata a chance to kind of figure out how to get around this and that's where he says, like, if this makes him lose his will to fight, I will pull him out.
rainbow:But that will never happen because, like, all Hinata wants is to keep playing volleyball, and if he's getting blocked, that's not going to mean he's going to give up and let himself be pulled out.
em:That means he's going to fight harder and he says to kageyama all I want is one more set yes, and so then hinata does try to fight and he keeps his eyes open with the next one he goes for and he misses it. But ukai, immediately is like time out. because like they're all shocked that hinata tried to do it with his eyes open and it's really cute. immediately after hinata is like rushing to say to Kageyama it's not that I, I don't trust your tosses or anything and Kageyama's like what are you freaking out?
rainbow:about. He's like yeah, yeah, I know, I know I do have, because Hinata talks about like it's weird being the one to make the decision about where the ball goes, and I I have a note here Hinata's Hinata's basically like oh, it's weird to be the top, I haven't been in this position, yet ukai times out and tells kageyama to try a softer toss, and this is kind of a preview of what they'll do more of in the summer arc in uh, in season two.
rainbow:Yes, but basically trying to like not don't be so pinpointy, because now hinata's got his eyes open, let him try and fight as well yeah, well, and and there is like a part where, like Hinata is like talking about, like sorry that I I keep getting blocked, and Tanaka's like no, don't worry, man, like I I'm getting lots of spikes. And then Noya comes in. He's like well, asahi's gotten more points than you. And it's just like Noya like pick a side. Do you want to bring Asahi down by continually reminding him he left, or do you want to build him up by reminding him he keeps getting points?
rainbow:it's both it's always noise nothing if not honest. Yeah, absolutely, almost to a fault. And then tsukishima tries to be a dick to hinata and daichi comes up behind him and even like I love that the daichi effect even like works on tsukishima where he's just like, oh, oh, no, I'm caught, daddy, daddy caught me.
em:Uh, yeah, tsuki can't help but but razz him obviously. But yeah, they're all kind of just very reassuring, like no, no, go ahead, keep eating shit, we'll be here for you. and then I have a lesson of the day moment. Grandpa nekoma says everything you learn. You learn by doing yes which is so true, and also like goes along with the like do it. If you're scared, do it scared like, especially for my kinetic learners out there. I don't know if I said that word right.
em:But I can only learn things by doing Kinesthetic, kinesthetic. Yeah, I knew there was a K.
rainbow:Yeah, and that's kind of that's how I learn. I really have to like do something over and over and over again, and I also have to like read about it and watch videos before him visual and kinesthetic yeah, I love it. And then I there's like a moment where, like I think hinata, I think he's even just thinking in his head about like his it's like towards the end, where he's like getting excited about like okay, yes, this is like a chance for me to like learn and to grow even stronger. And like you see kageyama like looking at hinata and like noticing like him, smile about it, and I'm like kageyama, you always noticing hinata all the time.
em:He's always got one eye on his boy the entire time. He really does and then, on the sidelines, ukai talks about the little giant and how he also struggled in the beginning because of his height and all that. But it was like the second half of the year he really learned how to fight and he quotes his grandpa another great quote which we both wrote down did we, do you want to say it? No, you can say it, because people don't have wings.
rainbow:We look for ways to fly, which chills yes, it is, and I feel, like you know, we could have a conversation here about like inequality again and how, like you know, the nekoma team has like the, they have the privilege of an experienced coach. Their school, I think, has more money, like the gym that they're in for this practice match is like way bigger, is like bigger and like nicer than the karasuno gym, because hinata makes a note of at the very beginning. He's like whoa, look at this gym and I think somebody's like it's just a gym and it's just like better than your gym. And so, like nekoma has like the these, they also have like the privilege of like already having receivers who know what they're doing. And then you know karasuno, just like they have less and they're just more of a ragtag team. They're not as well put together.
rainbow:I think there's also something, something to be said for the fact that they have three first years on their starting lineup in karasuno, and I don't think nekoma has that. Their team, their startup, is main. Their starting lineup is second and third years who've already played together for at least a year, some of them even two years, and then and then there's hinata who just like is like the least privileged of all of them and has all these things he has to overcome, but he doesn't have to do it alone no, he has his team there and as he says this amazing quote hinata does he?
em:like you know, he's got the blocker in his face, but he hits it at kind of a different angle and he gets it past the block.
rainbow:It's out, but the point is he got it past the damn block he got it past the block and inayoka is like oh, hinata, that was amazing. And hinata like and this is where we get a really intense Kagehina moment where Hinata like lands and then he looks up and he's like one more, yes, and Kageyama's right there and oh, it's so fucking good, and that's the end. That's the end yeah, I actually want to get like a screenshot of that moment now for for our episode card.
rainbow:I think it's fun to watch Kageyama repeatedly, just kind of be blown away by hinata's determination yeah, he's like I can't wait till we get to the moment where he's like no longer surprised by it we did kind of some sub versus dub thoughts, uh, throughout the episode.
em:But you seem to you have a couple notes here.
rainbow:I do so one of them. We already covered about kenma calling hinata shoyo in the sub, which is better and more accurate and, like I, I think maybe that changes. I think maybe in later seasons maybe they correct that. but again, it's just one of those things where it's just like, hey, maybe we get people who actually care about these things and who understand, because that could be they could just not understand the significance of that, and it's just like maybe we should hire people who do yeah, like I don't know what the process is for dubbing, but yeah, if it just feels like they're really not trying very hard to get the context of things and again, and you know what, this is the first season, so that makes sense.
rainbow:I think. Maybe it just wasn't as big and so maybe I think in the later seasons it does become more of an important thing we can talk. Well, we'll talk about season four when we get there, but yeah, som the only other note that I have, which I think this is kind of appropriate but we get to hear grandpa ukai's voice and he kind of sounds a little bit like a snot-nosed brat of an old man he still sounds like an old man, but he sounds like a little like I don't know.
rainbow:He sounds like a little shit really, which I think is appropriate. Yeah, because both grandpa ukai and grandpa nekoma, as you call him, are like yeah, nekomata and grandpa ukai are both just like kind of little shits yeah, they're both little shits, they're both little like rivals and I just love them. Yeah, and there's just like yeah, and there's so much challenge there and I love that nekomata is like not afraid to challenge coach ukai and takeda yeah, so that's all I really have for sub versus dub thoughts.
rainbow:I love kuro and kenma's voices in the dub. I think they're very appropriate. Kuro's voice is so, so deep, and he sounds a little evil and I think that's appropriate. I don't have anything for manga versus anime. Okay, you want to go into?
em:our character spotlight.
rainbow:Yeah, is there anything else we needed to talk about for the episode discussion? I think we're good. Yeah, we talked about a lot, yeah, okay, so obviously, for our character spotlight, we are doing none other than Kozume Kenma. Come on, what else would we do? And this I did. I got a lot more for his name breakdown in this one, which I'm excited about, but first I just want to touch a little bit on his personality. So, I pulled this from the haiku wiki quote kenma usually has a quiet, composed and analytical personality. He rarely, rarely loses his temper and usually does not get too excited or fired up about most things, with a few exceptions being video games and heatnita which is so true.
rainbow:Yes, and I I do love kenma. I think he's such an interesting character and I feel like one. I haven't seen a ton in anime but is just like. He's just so like and I really I like the like what we talked about earlier, his like being so like against the hierarchy thing. I think that's a fun part of his character. Yeah, that I don't really think about quite as much, but yeah, he's in love. He loves video games. You know, we learn that more and more as as we go on, as we learn more about him. Yeah, and he is quiet and composed, but you see, even in this episode, that, like Hinata gets him hyped. Yes, you see, even in this episode, that like hinata gets him hyped. Yes, hinata gets him excited. Okay, so I want to go into his name meaning, because his name meaning is very fun. I like it.
rainbow:So his family name is kozume and he's one of the few characters who we call by his given name rather than his family name and so his family name translates to lonely, slash, independent claw, but may also be associated with like small claw, because the ko K-O means alone, and it's used in words such as isolation, orphan without friends and many other words that have something to do with loneliness and independence. Wow, and then zume is nail claw or talon, usually read as tsume, as in tsu T-S-U-M-E as a standalone word, but changes to Zume Z-U-M-E when making a compound word. So, yeah, so his full, his last name is Lonely, independent Claw, and then his given name, kenma. The word actually means polishing and it includes polishing, and that includes the polishing of surfaces as well as polishing of one's skill. So the kin is to sharpen or to study, and it appears in words such as research and training, and ma is to polish, which is to polish, improve or brush, so like.
rainbow:His full name together is, you know, like, so, which I think is interesting. So like thinking about like him, being like the lonely claw, and of course claw is related to them being cats. Then also like the independent, like lonely thing. I think makes a lot of sense for kenma. We see that in this episode but then also like to sharpen or to study, to train to improve, like that is what kenma is not just, I think, not just for hinata, but also for kageyama, because kageyama is like I think he learns a lot from Kenma.
rainbow:Yeah, and it's one of the reasons I have headcanons about them being friends later on, but we'll talk about that in the spoiler zone. So I think I talked about this a little bit when we talked about Oikawa's name meaning and that and again, I can't really explain this phenomenon, but I guess there are wishes embedded, embedded in certain names, and there were two wishes for kenmas and one of them I didn't write down which I guess it kind of like worked too, because it was about like getting like stronger and like training. But I really liked this one, which I'm not gonna even try to pronounce the japanese because I'll butcher it, but it translates to to be a person who does not spare effort when doing things.
em:Oh my god which is kenma furudate really did not miss with these names no, especially like I.
rainbow:There's at least like two characters, I think, on every major team where it's just like oh, your name means something very important for your character, for your role in the story, like it's very well thought of, like honestly, haiku really inspires me to think more about the names that I give my characters and like what they're, they mean, and like that's just something like storytelling corner just for a second. Like stories where, like, the characters are the center of it, are always going to be so much better. I think that's, for me, why I like haikyuu more than like maybe some of the battle animes, where it seems like the focus is very much on, like their cool powers and like less on like their characters yeah, I feel the exact same way.
em:You get way more invested with character driven stories.
rainbow:Yeah, absolutely. And then I just wanted to talk about his character sheet. Uh, kozume kenma is in class two, three. Okay, his, his position is setter. Of course he's five seven okay that's about. You're five, seven, or five eight, five, eight, five, eight. Okay, you're taller than kenma. He probably even looks uh shorter because he's slouching all the time. Yeah, he is a second year in high school. His birthday is october 16th. Libra, libra. How do you feel about that?
em:you know, libra, I love libras, I'm a fucking libra. I wouldn't be surprised if he has, like, uh, some water placements or something. But you know, libras are very, they're balanced. Is libra an earth?
rainbow:sign. That is an air sign an air okay, I was gonna say I was thinking, I was like you said water placements, and I was just like Kenma is giving air sign for sure.
em:Yeah.
rainbow:And that makes sense. I'm learning. Do you guys enjoy the little astrology corner?
em:we get every time.
rainbow:Yeah, I always, yeah, I mean listen, we're going to keep doing it because I like it so, but hopefully other people like it too. I'm sure some people enjoy it. And then his favorite food is apple pie, which, if you've ever read a kuro ken fic?
rainbow:I'm sure that that's been brada. well, there's. I've often like read fics where it's just like oh ken was apples flavored like his. His shampoo smells like apples, like so much apple stuff. then his current worry summer is too hot, winter is too cold. I, spring and fall are the best seasons.
rainbow:They're better because they're not too hot, not too cold. And then his five point ability parameters His power is a one, his jumping and stamina are twos, honestly surprised. His stamina is a two, his speed is a three, but his technique and intelligence, both fives.
em:Oh, wow.
rainbow:Which makes sense? Yeah, definitely for intelligence. And you know what technique too? Yeah, because he really is able like, as you know, he's able to get the ball to them in so many different ways kenma would destroy me in any kind of tabletop strategy game. I I don't I don't want to play any games with kenma. I want to. I would watch him stream suika game. I would love that. I bet he gets like 5 000 points, 50 000 points. Oh yeah, okay, yeah. Anything else you want to say about kenma?
em:I just love him and I like thinking of headcanons, of why he decided to dye his hair blonde yeah, yeah, what?
rainbow:why I yeah? Because I think they even talk about it in like an OVA or something Like we get to see it at some point, or maybe it's in season four, after he dyes his hair. I think, yeah, I love it. I love his little pudding head. I think he's cool. I love how he dyes his hair blonde once and then it's like I do not give a, I'm never doing this again. Look at my roots forever.
em:Yes, Okay, are we ready to move on to who in Haikyuu? Yeah, let's go into who in Haikyuu. Who in Haikyuu? This week's scenario is who in Haikyuu would be this character from the Office? So sorry if you don't watch the Office, but I'm sure you probably at least know the basic main characters.
rainbow:Yeah, and, for context, em and I recently finished a rewatch of the Office, recently finished a rewatch of the Office the US.
rainbow:We haven't watched the UK one, I think the US one is the one most people know about, even if you've never watched it. You've seen the memes. You've seen at least one Michael Scott meme, or a Pam meme, or a Jim meme, yeah, or a Dwight one that one meme of him saying there's too many people, we need a new plague Back. Maybe this was insensitive, but back at the very beginning of the pandemic, during lockdown, there was a thing on I think it was on Twitter or Facebook. It was like what's a meme that hasn't aged well.
rainbow:And I put that one up because I was like ooh, yeah, yeah, that's rough.
em:Be careful what you wish for.
rainbow:Yeah, so we are doing the Office. Yes, because I was deep in my office, brain rot rot when I uh started doing this outline we're doing hinata kageyama kenma kuro inuoka, grandpa ukai nekomata tanaka yamamoto suga yaku and daichi.
em:Yes, so hinata hinata.
rainbow:I see I do want to do like a Hinata Kageyama as like a Dwight and Jim thing where. Kageyama is Dwight obviously yes and Hinata is Jim. Because of that whole like because Hinata is constantly kind of bullying Kageyama very true and you know Kageyama is constantly berating Hinata back feels very Jim and Dwight, yes, although Hinata not quite as mean to kageyama as jim is to dwight. Jim's an asshole. Yeah, yeah, but the kind of those two.
em:And then, of course, obviously you want to do like the jim pam kageyama thing no, I think jim and dwight work for pretty well, all right kenma is kind of like first season kelly, where she's very first season kelly is the opposite of how she is in the rest of the show, where she's very demure and quiet.
rainbow:Hear me out stanley just wants to sit there and do his word word puzzle, do his little word searches.
em:That did I stutter yeah, no, you're right, I retract kenma stanley. He just he wants to be left alone and play his little game.
rainbow:Yes, uh, kuro is it mean if I say andy?
rainbow:why, andy, I don't know, just like that, like I guess the loser aspect of him, but I guess it's not I, I guess not really, I don't he could be. I I think you could do a kuro, kin, jim and pam au, I think, where ken was like the little yeah, especially with like kenma. Like pam at the beginning, like the first like three seasons, like doesn't really know how to like stand up for herself, or like you know, like she's very, like she is more quiet and stuff, and then like and just the whole, like jim quietly being in love with pam, like I really feel like kuro is just quietly in love with kenma and is like, is like although with kuro I think kuro would be more content to just like be in love with kenma from afar, whereas jim is like has to leave because he's so in love with pam yeah, I have a lot of kuroken feelings.
em:You sure did you want to share any with the class. No, I just. I agree, I think kuro has been quietly in love with kimba this whole time and I think I believe that kenma is like kind of emotionally constipated, at least especially when they're young. Yeah, and it takes.
rainbow:They have a long story but they're end game, yeah, obviously inuoka he's like kind of like an andy I guess, like he's very cheerful, I was gonna say he's giving more andy than kuro is for sure.
em:Yeah grandpa ukai. Can I make grandpa ukai and nekamota creed?
rainbow:just because they're the old men.
em:Yeah, both of them both of them creed my favorite character, by the way honestly so funny.
rainbow:I love when he's like the only difference between me and a homeless man is this homeless person, is this job and how he's like. He's so funny. He's like constantly like stealing things from other people. I love when they think the office is shutting down and he starts selling all of the office supplies and he makes like a thousand bucks or something yeah he's just always doing crimes in the background.
rainbow:I, yeah, I love him so much. tanaka. He's really feels like andy or kevin. Oh my god, he's giving kevin. Yeah, he could be kevin, kevin. Yeah, yamamoto and tanaka, because they're the same person, are both giving Kevin.
em:Tanaka would be in the warehouse, but I don't feel like he's a Roy or a Daryl.
rainbow:That's true. Yeah, Tanaka and Yamamoto would be warehouse guys. Yeah.
em:Suga Oscar. Yes, I can get down with that. Yeah, gay and intelligent and over it.
rainbow:Yes, over it.
em:Yes, absolutely, would it totally leverage uh, michael scott harassing him to get a three month vacation. Yes, yaku, yaku is ryan's little friend from new york city that dwight thinks is a hobbit.
rainbow:Yes, yep, you're right. You're right. daichi, jan. No, I couldn't do that.
em:No, I couldn't know he's fucking. He's charles idris elba. Oh, my god, yes, yes, he is yes he absolutely, absolutely, yeah, and no, I don't think there's anybody in haikyuu that I would curse with calling michael scott yeah, no, we really didn't give anyone michael, and I don't really think anyone acts like Michael yeah, they're like.
rainbow:Michael Scott is just such a unique character like who else? Is like him because like I, even like I know somebody in my own life who's a Dwight unfortunately yeah, but like I just I know nobody is Michael Scott, no, no, there's only one.
rainbow:Yeah, so, yeah, so I think that that's it for who in haikyuu. the office, you know it's got problems. Uh, certain things have not aged well. I have a lot of feelings about michael scott and his character and the way everyone, which, honestly it's so typical. He's just like a white man and everyone's concerned about hurting his feelings, even though he is constantly doing terrible, doing and saying terrible things to other people all the time and like perpetuating inequalities.
em:Yeah, very true, I definitely like. I watched it a lot when I was younger, like early 20s or whatever, and I fucking loved that show. And then watching it again so much later, I'm like, oh my God, people actually do suck so bad.
rainbow:But it's funny and it's a cultural phenomenon, Well and it's one of those things where, again, it's like you don't a, it's funny and it's a cultural phenomenon, well, and it's one of those things where, again, it's like you don't, a character doesn't have to be like a good person to be an interesting character. And, and I will say, steve Carell's performance is a big part of the reason I think we love Michael Scott so much, because he is so terrible and wacky and awful, but then, like there's so much emotion, he's very genuine. Yes, he's very genuine and, like you see, the genuine emotion, and I think steve carl is a great actor, yeah, so that's our take on the office.
em:before we get into the spoiler zone, I'll hit you with our socials real quick, as we always do. You can find us on twitter, instagram, tumblr and blue sky at fly h q pod. That's f-l-y-h-q-p-o-d. Send us an email if you want to write something longer than a twitter. Dm at fly h q pod at gmail dot com.
rainbow:and now we're going into the spoiler zone, the zone of spoil. We're here. All right, yeah, let's just talk about nekoma and karasuno, because this is the. This is truly the beginning of the rivalry and from here on out, this is the beginning of of a major arc. A major arc.
rainbow:Karasuno is not able to win a single set against nekoma until they get to that game at nationals.
rainbow:Yeah, and that's and I love that part in the manga where and I can't wait to see it in the movies where they like they go through the first set and Karasuno wins that first set against Nekoma, and it's like and and the whole team is freaking out. They're so excited and like people in the audience are like they're acting like they just won the game. It's just the first set, what's the big deal? And it's like you don't understand how important this is, how many times they've lost to them, and it feels like it's almost kind of like when hinata finally beats kageyama, yeah, in like the jack adler's game, where, like, even nekoma is like happy for them. They're like you, you guys did it. Look at you, look at how far you've come. It's so wonderful. Yeah, I, just they, and this is the beginning of them kind of becoming friends, like you see yaku and suga interacting at the beginning when they're talking about tanaka and yamamoto, and like they really become like friends and like they just they.
rainbow:They love each other yeah, no, they are the ultimate rivalry in this show yeah, and just like they you know, like I'm gonna be interested to see how neekoma changes and improves throughout, because you know they also have to like grow so that they're able to face Karasuno on the court and like it's just, it's like fate, it's like now is the time, this is the team and this is something that we hear about, I think, at the end of, like season four. It shows like Grandpa ukai and Coach ukai talking to each other about how like it's not this old rival, like it's it's. It is, in a way, an inherited rivalry, but it's not the same. They're not doing it because Nekomata and Grandpa ukai were rivals. They're doing it because they have developed their own rivalry, yeah, and it's, it's yeah, it's just great.
rainbow:And then I wanted to talk about Nekomata as a growth tool for hinata specifically, and like his receiving and how. Like I think it's interesting that and it's not something I really thought about or connected with that hinata is opening his eyes and it's in the spring training or the summer training camp arc. It's against nekoma that he's trying to open his eyes and that leads to the fight with kageyama. And that's why I brought up the thing about trust. Is like do you think for Kageyama, this was like a sign to him, like no, I can't trust Hinata to make these decisions and that's part of why he's so insistent that they don't change the freak quick.
em:Oh yeah, I don't probably Sorry, I just hit you with that. Yeah, I think Nekoma is really like their ultimate, like they're the reason Hinata is like oh, I have to grow.
rainbow:Yeah, I have to grow and learn to receive. And Hinata, like this game, means so much to him. Like you see that when they finally get to play the game, the Nekoma versus Kurosano, the battle of the garbage dump is like it's important to every single one of them.
em:And that's why it's so great. Yeah, good episode. We're excited for the next one.
rainbow:Yeah, I'm excited to talk more about kuroken they're gonna be fun to talk about later on. We get, we get, we just get more and more from them I really enjoy them, especially in the summer training camp. Arc yes, yeah, absolutely I like we get, because we get a good chunk of them in season four as well we get a few episodes that are specifically and specifically focusing on kenma in his first year and I'm excited for that and I'm now sitting here wondering when we're gonna get this fucking movie in america.
rainbow:I just give it to me, give me the battle.
em:I want to see it also the first one of the first haikyuu tattoos I ever really considered I don't have any haikyuu tattoos yet, but, like uh, the cat and the crow yes, when I I do.
rainbow:I love that, that visual symbolism there of like them in the, the, in the dumpster, like in the garbage pit, at the dump, like you know, and and it is like I think it's funny because like cats and crows are, like they're dumpster animals, like how many times have I seen either a cat or a crow at a dumpster? Rarely do I see them both at the same time, but one day I will and I'll get a picture of it Both.
em:friends of witches but that's another topic entirely. Oh my god. No, that's so true I need to write. Not that Haikyuu is witchy in any way, no, haikyuu isn't but the way.
rainbow:I want to write a fucking witch au for this. One day I will build that masterpiece and it'll be wonderful. All right, yeah, I think it's it.
em:That's it for this episode keep looking for ways to fly and until next time, uh, fly high.