Fly: A Queer Haikyuu Podcast
We look at Haikyuu through an intersectional, queer lens.
Fly: A Queer Haikyuu Podcast
S2E21: The Destroyer
"The spike doesn’t feel as good if it doesn’t crush somebody and land for the kill."
This week, rainbow and em talk about season 2, episode 21 "The Destroyer" and discuss Mad Dog's anger issues and how his hyper-aggressive playstyle affects the game. For Who in HQ? they talk about what other clubs would try to recruit our favorite players.
39:24 - Spoiler Zone Begins
Podcast Socials:
twitter
Send us an email! flyhqpod@gmail.com
Transcript available on our website, if not included in your podcast app: https://flyhqpod.buzzsprout.com
Resource List Doc
Links for Palestine, Congo, and Sudan:
Daily click on arab.org
Palestine Children's Relief Fund
Doctors Without Borders
E-sims
Decolonize Palestine
International Rescue Committee's fund for Congo
Save the Children - Congo
Congo Fundraiser
Muslim Aid for Sudan
IRC fund for Sudan
Save the Children - Sudan
Thanks for listening!!
Audio Credit: Positive Day by FSM Team
https://www.free-stock-music.com
rainbow
00:10
hello everyone and welcome to fly a queer Haikyuu podcast.
em
00:13
I'm rainbow they she and I'm m, and today we're talking about season 2, episode 21 the destroyer or, as my d DVD calls it, the breaker.
rainbow
00:25
Less cool. It's less cool. It means the same thing, but it's lamer. I'm gonna break you. I'm gonna destroy you.
em
00:34
Either way, it's too violent language for a volleyball game, and here we go.
rainbow
00:39
But I think it's accurate.
em
00:41
Yeah, very true for who this episode really is all about.
rainbow
00:44
Yeah, absolutely. But before we get into that, I just want to give one more reminder that our one year anniversary is coming up on February 3rd and we want your input on how you think we should celebrate. So if you have any ideas for some listener engagement type things we can do to celebrate one year of doing this podcast that we love so much, please let us know. You can dm us, you can send us an email.
em
01:08
However you want to reach out, feel free to do so yeah, we reminded you twice now, so don't say that you forgot our anniversary. I expect flowers and chocolates and a diamond ring.
rainbow
01:19
It's like santa baby. Well that's all I have for housekeeping. Is there anything else you want to discuss before we get into this thing?
em
01:27
We're getting into the game. I want to play that YouTube sound. It's like the news. So yeah, let's get right into the recap. Count me down Three, two one. Oikawa pulls the puppet strings and karasuno desperately tries to fight against an unexpected new player. Mad dog is the double-edged sword that hurts both enemy and comrade in this episode of haikyuu okay, yeah.
rainbow
01:55
So I guess we can just jump right into the episode, because we pick right back off where we ended with the last episode with the cliffhanger yes, of mad dog spiking that ball through.
em
02:05
Did he make it? No, he did not.
rainbow
02:12
It was out, so he knocks Kindaichi out of the way for nothing, it's out and it costs them the first set.
em
02:18
And Oikawa is all of us mentally, I think. Right now he's like not only was that ball obviously meant for Kendaiichi, you pushed him out of the way to do that and it didn't even work, and you cost us the set. Where do I even begin to yell at you? And then Daddy Owaisami comes in with a bonk on Mad Dog's head and says that was dangerous. And Oikawa was like yes, that's a good place to start.
rainbow
02:40
Yeah, Oikawa, didn't even think about the danger.
em
02:45
He was just like I didn't even think about the danger. He was just like you lost us the set. Well, the like the Iwaoi parentage is very strong in this episode.
rainbow
02:49
Yes, absolutely, and I did want to mention so. Right after Mad Dog does his spike, we get this little music sting. That's like. It's very like saxophone going ham for a second. I loved it.
em
03:03
It's very unsettling and it always plays when Mad Dog does some crazy shit, or I think it also plays when we meet your favorite character in season three. Anything that's unsettling. We get this unsettling sax to go with it.
rainbow
03:14
And I love it.
em
03:15
I'd make that my ringtone if I could, and so now, what was Mad Dog's reasoning for going so hard for a ball that clearly was not meant for him? I don't remember he goes. I was frustrated because I have been sitting on the sidelines this whole time and I really wanted to hit the ball, and Oikawa's like that's not a reason.
rainbow
03:33
It's so ridiculous Like we talk a lot about selfish players in this show, but Mad Dog is the most selfish, like he's only thinking about getting to hit the ball himself.
em
03:44
He doesn't care about anyone else on the team, and I will get into this a little bit later, because Hinata says something that I think really like highlights the difference between Mad Dog and pretty much almost every other volleyball player we've met. We're like Mad Dog kind of has a different relationship to this game and it's interesting so anyway. So we continue on. So the first set goes to Karasuno Suga. I think thinks to himself, lucky, I love all the Seijo hijinks we get in this episode.
rainbow
04:14
We're getting a lot of like Oikawa reacting very funny and Awazami being, you know, having to be like the tough love dad to Mad Dog. And then we have Hanamaki and Matsukawa just in the background, kind of like joking about it.
em
04:22
Yeah, seriously. And so, despite that flub, Mad Dog is starting the second set with Seijo and this is where we have Kageyama saying to Hinata he's replacing Kunimi. So he might be really smart, Because Kunimi is kind of like the Kenma of Seijo Well, I guess Oikawa technically is, but Kunimi is in the way that he wants to play as little as possible, but he has good strategy. That's interesting.
rainbow
04:45
So in the way that he wants to play as little as possible, but he has good strategy. That's interesting.
em
04:48
So in the dub, instead of saying smart, he says quick yeah, I didn't think that was fitting, because he literally isn't no Kunimi is.
rainbow
04:55
Yeah, Kunimi, like, he really like waits and takes his time, which which I I kind of think what Kageyama is saying here almost doesn't make sense, because it's like, well, if they're replacing Kunimi with somebody who plays just like Kunimi, why would they do that? What's the point in subbing him out? If they're replacing Kunimi with somebody else, it's because their play style must be different.
em
05:15
I mean, you know, there are reasons, I guess, for switching out. Yeah, I don't know.
rainbow
05:20
Yeah, I guess that doesn't make sense really yeah, either like the dub and the sub. It's like well, Kageyama, why would they switch Kunimi out with somebody who's just like him, which maybe, maybe, that's maybe the the dub actually does make more sense. Maybe they're saying like, well, if they're switching out Kunimi, who's usually more of like a slow player and like waits until the end to really get into gear, they're putting in Mad Dog because he's faster, he's going to be a different player than Kunimi.
em
05:45
I think you're giving the dub way too much credit and I feel like that was just a different way to say smart, say you're quick on your feet. I guess I'd love to move on.
rainbow
05:53
I know you would um, I also just want to say so we get I think this is where we get kind of background information on mad dog and that the he only listens to and respects Awaisamee, and that's because Awaisamee has beat him in every single like bet and challenge that Mad Dog has set against him. And then we see just like Awaisamee hitting a baseball super hard and winning an arm, wrestling competition and like winning a race against him, and I just love that. Awaisamee is just, he's just such a badass and he's so good, but he's not even like a smug asshole about it and it's not even like I'm gonna beat you, mad dog, and show you up, it's just like, no, I'm just better in every way.
em
06:29
Yeah, and Kunimi is kind of like what are we alpha wolves here?
06:33
yes yeah, it's literally. Oikawa kind of says to him like play how you want, just don't interfere with us. And mad dog kind of just like grunts. And then iwa says like just don't do any more dangerous plays. And he says okay, and Oikawa's like why don't you answer to me? But then someone says well, the one who will be using him is Oikawa. So I really imagine like Iwa is keeping the dog on the leash while Oikawa tells him where to attack.
rainbow
06:59
Yes, it does kind of feel that way, I think even maybe not in this episode, but in another episode we kind of get that.
em
07:06
Oh, my favorite bit? Yeah, it's not in this episode, we'll talk about it later. We start the second set with an out for out serving. Asahi is out, and then Oikawa is also out. They both whiff it. Sekishima serves it over and Iwa just saves it, and then this is where I really start to feel like a sports announcer. Of course, serves to Mad Dog, mad Dog gets it in, but this is where we get to see Hinata react to the nickname of Mad Dog and of course he thinks it's so cool. Someone give Hinata a nickname.
rainbow
07:31
Well, he's already been given the nickname of the greatest decoy. He's just rejected it because he doesn't think it's cool. Right To be fair. But yeah, Hinata loves a nickname he nickname. He hears anyone else's nickname and no matter how dumb it is.
em
07:48
He's like, that's so cool, he's such a shonen protagonist very much that.
rainbow
07:49
yeah. And then is this when we get the insane cross shot yes, the hard cut shot.
em
07:54
So mad dog finally earns his place on the court and scores a point here. Basically, he runs parallel to the net when Oikawa serves to him and spikes the ball in this like severe diagonal that gets past the blockers.
rainbow
08:10
Yeah, because he's going up against three blockers it's Tanaka, Hinata and Kageyama and if he were going for just a normal cross shot or a line shot, he would definitely be blocked. But because he's going at such an intense angle he's able to get it like right past them and into the court and I will always love the way Hinata reacts to cool opponents.
em
08:30
He gets all blushy and is like wow, so cool.
rainbow
08:32
While the rest of his team is stressed out. I know everyone like tanaka and kagam are growling in anger and Hinata is just like oh my god, he's like fangirling in this on the side.
em
08:42
Yeah, and poor Ukai is like between the serves from iwaoi. And now this guy you know he's worrying about how they're going to measure up. Mad Dog spikes it in again and we have Kendaiichi hesitating. He's afraid to get bit by the dog.
rainbow
08:57
Yes, and I love this is a great Oikawa episode because we really get to see his range as a character, because he's really silly at some points, like when he's like reacting to Mad Dog and he's doing his weird like silly faces. But we also get to see him being so intense and we get to see that master, manipulator side of him where he's like talking to Kindaichi and he's like you know, don't be afraid to get bit, like I saw you run away. And then we kind of get it later where, like Oikawa gets this look on his face, where he's like playing Mad Dog like a puppet.
em
09:24
Yeah, no, this is definitely just as much of an Oikawa episode in that way and I love how you know, just when he gets all like quiet with his little game strategies, like I would be so intimidated to be his teammate. I would be. I would be Kindaichi very scared, and I like the way that he's like because he says shrimpy. You know, Hinata could even tell that Kindaichi wasn't going to go for it, so he went to block Mad Dog.
rainbow
09:47
Yeah, and then, oh and then.
em
09:49
we have Mad Dog going for another spike, yes, and this time he accidentally knocks down Hanamaki with his momentum. But he's okay. And now that's three points in a row that Mad Dog has taken.
rainbow
10:00
He seems to earn as many points as he loses here yes, well, because then he goes, he gets triple blocked again and this time he didn't do his diagonal run up, so it's just like straight on with the blockers and where you know somebody else could have done a feint or a dink, he slams the ball as hard as he can and of course he gets blocked out like it's. It's an immediate like block and we all saw it coming and everyone's like, and Oikawa says something of like why. You know, why didn't you just try a dink or a faint? I think the assistant coach is yelling from the sideline. He's like why did you do that? And mad dog says the spike doesn't feel as good if it doesn't crush somebody and land for the kill.
em
10:38
Yeah, and then I love everyone's reactions to that. I love noia in the background like smiles. I feel like he's like yeah, I could understand that line of thinking.
rainbow
10:46
Which, yeah, that's very Noya. And then like and everyone's like exasperated and Hinata is so defensive. He's like he's really missing out if he thinks feints are lame he in the sub.
em
10:56
It's like missing out on the pleasure of a good dink. What a waste. And this is the part where I'm like it's so interesting because Mad Dog I don't think he gives a shit about the actual game, like this just feels like this is just Mad Dog's favorite way to get out aggression. Like he doesn't give a shit about teamwork, which is what volleyball is all about. So yeah, and then Tanaka says to Kageyama what was that about him maybe being smart and Kageyama's, like I just said, he might be, but everyone kind of is like that is stupid.
11:24
Basically, yes, and also right before that happens. Oikawa uses mad dog as a decoy, which genuinely pisses mad dog off. But Oikawa says that is what makes you an even better decoy.
rainbow
11:36
I will sharpen your fangs even more yes, because he's like, well, because Oikawa, just he knows how to use his players and he knows he's like I'm gonna use mad dog's aggression and'm going to get him so riled up and I, going back to Hinata, kind of defending fake outs. Do you think there is a part of him that thought that what Mad Dog said, or at least the way he said it, was kind of cool. And that's like adding to like him being mad where he's just like listen, you said that really cool. And all where he's just like listen, you said that really cool, and all. But also feints are awesome. Yeah, probably, I think. So I think there was an internal struggle for Hinata and then there's a part because I think Hinata is talking about Mad Dog's cross shots.
em
12:14
Yes. So, mad Dog, he whiffs it again. And then this is where we have Hinata gushing about how cool his spike is, and Oikawa agrees in his head, and we get the explanation of how, like his abdominals and like there's his back muscles are really strong. So, like the way he does it, he'll like really lean back and then snap forward, and that's why his spike is so powerful.
rainbow
12:34
And in the. I just love the way Oikawa says it in the dub, because he overhears what Hinata's saying and he's like, I know right, like in his head, as if he's responding to Hinata, and it's just like so, gay, they're meant to be friends, okay. They really are.
em
12:49
And we have the Seijo coach says tenacity and boldness you can't use the Mad Dog if you're scared. Because I think the assistant coach says to him wow, I'm surprised, honestly, that he's still giving balls to Mad Dog, because it is kind of a crap shoot whether he's going to hit it or not, but that's the whole point. Oikawa says, like we know, he's a double-edged sword. That's why we're using him and you have to. Just you can't be afraid, or else you won't get the best out of him.
rainbow
13:12
Well, because I think somebody I don't know if it's now or if it's later-edged sword like they, it's a risk to bring Mad Dog out and again, I don't think this is said explicitly, but I do wonder if Mad they were saving Mad Dog, if they wanted to wait to take that risk when they were playing Shiratorizawa.
em
13:34
But they had to with Karasuno well, I feel like they were ready for Karasuno to be tough, so I think that they were just whenever we need to shake things up, when things aren't going our way, that's when we bring him in, and I think that they were ready to do that with Kurosano okay yeah, I think that's true.
rainbow
13:50
yeah, so they bring they bring him out in the first set and it does backfire on them, but the second set is going pretty well. For Seijo, we get Iwazami's serve, which you know I love when I really love when anyone on Seijo serves, but especially Owaisumi and Oikawa. And so Owaisumi serves and it's really hard and Noya receives it and it looks really cool. It's all like whoosh and you can like see the air moving around the ball because, like, because Owaisumi's serve is just that strong and like you can just see like the force of it in Noya's receive, and I just thought that was a really cool moment of animation.
14:25
Yuk guys says something about Iwaizumi's serves being like really strong and powerful like Oikawa's, and we've seen Oikawa has been trying really hard to do like really powerful, fast serves, but they've kind of been going out. They haven't been very successful and we'll see if that continues. Yeah yeah, and we see Hinata makes a note that mad dog's spike has moved from first or from third tempo to second tempo. yeah, yeah, so like they're, they're changing up the tempo, which I love. Hinata noticing that. I love that. He's like he has learned about tempos now, and so not only can he apply it to his own spikes, he can also recognize the tempos of other players.
em
15:06
Right, and then we get kage hina trying something new yeah, so Hinata is rotated to the back without getting a spike in. Kageyama signals to him that it's time for the back attack. Unfortunately, Oikawa thought the same exact thing, and so, while it's very cool and Hinata goes for his back row attack, he is blocked out and Oikawa walks up to the net and says to Kageyama did you think now was the time to use that? So did I. And we have, you know, Kageyama in the foreground being like stay calm, stay calm. And then in the background, Hinata's like my background attack debut.
rainbow
15:40
I know he's so upset, Oikawa's just so cunty about it. He's just like, yeah, I also thought that was a good idea.
em
15:50
And, like in the manga, it's just a little more illustrated about how much Oikawa is a master commander, because he says in the manga a little bit more specifically like you know, you didn't use shrimp at all in the front, so you thought now would be the time. Like the game sense is there. Yeah, he knows what's going on and now we have Suga is being called to the bench and he will be swapped out with somebody.
rainbow
16:10
I guess yeah, and it's interesting because when we first see Suga go up, so we have Shimada, Takinoe, Saeko and Yachi in the stands and they're providing a lot of exposition, this episode especially towards the back half. But Shimada says, you know, he sees Suga ready to come in and he says I don't think Kageyama is doing that badly, it's just that Oikawa is doing that much better, which I think is interesting. And so it seems like Suga is maybe going to go in for Kageyama, but then we see he's holding the 11. He's subbing in for Tsukishima.
em
16:40
Yes, we come back in. I believe this is where we have the commercial break right.
rainbow
16:45
Yeah, I think we have a brief, like I think Takanoe briefly explains substitutions to Saeko because she has no idea what's going on.
em
16:58
So they call it. They're talking about strategic player trade, whereas in sometimes you swap out players because the people on the court are exhausted or injured. But this is more like strategic, of like there's a game plan or we're trying to switch things up. So that's why why you know Suga's not swapping out Kageyama because he's tired or doing bad. Suga is being swapped out with another person because they have a strategy in mind, and I love how Ukai says to himself we won't just let you take it like he's gonna fight. This is their version of swapping out and throwing in a new thing, to kind of try and throw Seijo off their rhythm exactly yeah, like they are.
rainbow
17:28
Seijo already did that to karasuno, introducing mad dog, and so Ukai decides okay, it's time to bring out somebody else and do kind of the same thing to them, which I think is interesting, because I think Suga and mad dog are just so different when it comes to their play styles and the effect they have on the team and the court.
em
17:49
So I think that's very interesting and right before Suga gets put on, Oikawa nails a serve.
rainbow
17:56
He locks the fuck in for this serve. I love this particular moment of him serving, like his eyes get that dead-eyed look in them, dead-eyed intensity, I guess Finally getting the combination of speed, power and accuracy. He's been working towards this whole game and everyone is shook by it.
em
18:17
Yeah, Daichi thinks to himself. It's like getting slapped in the face really hard. And it's the reality of like. They've both been working and improving for this tournament. Neither of them can let the other win. This is be. If they win, it's gonna be a very hard one. Seijo is ahead 17 to 13. As Oikawa goes in for another serve, they're able to pick this one up, with Tanaka getting a block point off Mad Dog. That's important to note for later.
rainbow
18:42
And then we have Suga, who comes and switches out with Suki and he goes and talks to Kageyama about a little game plan well, and I think it's interesting because tanaka and mad dog kind of lock eyes when they have that and it's like, oh, something's gonna happen there and it does. I feel like mad dog is like a more, like a more gruff and intense version of tanaka he's extremely antagonistic.
em
19:03
The he's looking for a fight. What is going?
rainbow
19:06
on at home. Yeah, we don't. We don't really get that deep into his backstory and we should, because there's things going on there and again it's one of those things where it's like, oh, coach well, I'm gonna, we'll get into, because we do kind of like get a backstory, but it's not sufficient enough for me no, no, it's not.
em
19:21
So Suga serves, and we see what the plan is. He aims specifically so that mad dog has to pick it up, which stops him him from attacking. This way, they do get a point. Suga is able to do this again and I said how Nekoma of him honestly.
rainbow
19:35
I was just thinking as you were saying that, I was like you know what? That's something we see a couple times in this series. Yeah, yeah, and then is it time. Is it time for their special attack?
em
19:48
Well, Suga serves again, and then Suga and Kageyama do that like little switch up thing that they do, so that now Kageyama is actually going to be one of the attackers and everyone's like what, what? And in their you know confusion, Kageyama slams it through with a straight, and which is always a nice treat, especially for us Kageyama stans, who don't get to see him do much else, but set, so he gets it. And then Hinata is like damn it, Kageyama's straight is so cool.
rainbow
20:12
I love. I love Hinata being like so reluctant to compliment him but thinking he's so cool at the same time, like I just, oh man, you love him so much and you think he's just the coolest volleyball player in the world and that really pisses you off. And it's okay. It's okay that you want to kiss him, yeah, but I. And it's okay, it's okay that you want to kiss him, yeah, but I think it's important to point out that this is a five man synchronized attack, so there is nobody to pick up the ball if the spike doesn't work, like all of the spikers are going for it.
em
20:43
It's a bold move. It's very karasuno. Who's all about the offense?
rainbow
20:46
very, very karasuno. And then this is where I have my note about getting a lot of exposition from the crowd. Um shimada is explaining the reason why Suga got brought in when he did. He's explaining that their weakest rotation is when Tsukishima is up to serve, because he's in the back and can't block and I think they have their shortest spikers up at the front. They have Hinata andaka. So defensively and offensively it's kind of their weakest. But bringing Suga in where they did really changes things up and it opens Kageyama up to be able to spike and I think Suga is a better receiver than Tsukishima. So defensively, on the back, at least things are a little bit better.
em
21:25
It is like there are just so many pieces to consider in a volleyball game, and the manga even goes a little bit deeper. It outlines, like what their strongest offense rotation is don't ask me, because I don't remember what it was and their strongest defense, and then, yeah, outlining like every single time they rotate.
rainbow
21:41
It's almost like a little bit different of a game and I think it's that's something that kind of I, you know, going into the like creation of this manga. Like Furudate had to think about all of that, like you have to think about those rotations, and it's just so clear that so much thought and care was put in to all of this and like making sure that it made sense storytelling through a game as not, I don't want to say complicated, but you know complicated as volleyball like that's impressive there it's it.
22:12
I think it is a complex game. There's a lot going on. When you have, when you have more players, it's going to become more complex, and especially with the way like, because you know, in something like soccer or football you have, like, these players have these particular positions and, like, the defenders in soccer are always going to stay, like, more towards the back and the forwards are going to go forward. But in volleyball, everyone, like is all like, everyone will take, except for the libro has a chance to be in all of those different six positions and it's always going to change the way the the play is going to go. so I do think that's very interesting and it's one of the reasons I think I enjoy watching volleyball so much is because you're always getting something different. Yeah, and so we have. Suga is still serving, but Seijo has adapted quickly, as always, and now it's Maki who is taking the receives. Mad Dog is getting out of the way. Maki is taking those receives so that Mad Dog can get an approach and can spike.
em
23:08
Yes, so then Suga gets pulled off and he laments how he wished that he could take Karasuno at least to a tie. But now they're at 18 to 16. Tanaka gets another point past Mad Dog, just taking note. So then we have Seijo keeps giving ball after ball to Mad Dog and Karasuno is wary. You know they're doing that so that when they don't pass to him it throws us off.
rainbow
23:30
And Hinata is like you know, don't focus too, like, no matter how many times they give it to Mad Dog, be ready for anything yeah, I think it's interesting that they're using Mad Dog as a decoy and that's kind of pissing Hinata off, because Hinata is usually the decoy. That's confusing everybody and I like Hinata in the dub. He says something he's like I won't be fooled again. So then it's Kutani up to serve and he is absolutely breaking his back to serve this ball. This is where we really get to see that like bending his back, so like he's like bending in half backwards and then snapping forward to serve. Does it go out or does the ball go in with that serve? I can't remember.
em
24:06
I think it goes in. I remember them saying like, like oh, his serves are also trouble.
rainbow
24:10
Yes, because then we have both Shimada and Ukai talking about the effect that Mad Dog has on the momentum of the game. Because Shimada is saying it's really dangerous to have this player coming in, it's dangerous for Karasuno to have this player coming in and changing the momentum in this way, like it's, and Kasayuko is saying she's like well, they won, karasuno won the first set, so even if they lose the second set, they can still win the third. And Shimada is saying like no, it's, it would be better if they went ahead and won this second set. Because if they go, if they lose this one, going into the third one, especially with Mad Dog and the way he's changed the momentum, it's going to be a really tough third set yeah, there's a lot about momentum and morale here, like the way that the attitude is at the end of the set can carry into the first one.
em
24:54
Yes, absolutely. So we're getting towards the end of the set here and they you know Karasuno uses a timeout just as villain Oikawa is like, oh, we're in a good spot, and they time out and they go back in and Hinata does ultimately get tricked and Oikawa does think to himself trying not to think about something is the same as thinking about it. Mad Dog's attacks are just too powerful and they call another timeout in desperation. So basically what's happening here is like and Ukai kind of thinks to himself I kind of thought they had used Mad Dog, like his purpose was done, but as we go on he's just getting used more and more and more.
25:31
And we have the coach from Seijo who thinks or says or narrates that you know Mad Dog is a slow starter, so they had to take a minute to get him in. And they say this more in the manga about how Mad Dog makes Seijo a bit awkward at first because their attack pattern is now so different and violent. But now they they've had basically all the second set to get into a rhythm and Mad Dog is like we're only just getting started here. Yes but then we have, at the very end of the episode, Ukai he's like thinking to himself.
rainbow
26:07
He's like's like be patient, I see you over there, Tadashi. And then it pans up to Yamaguchi with a very determined look on his face, he is ready to get into this game and pinch serve. And I'm so excited because that's the end of the episode. We end on that and I love that. It's just a little tease. It's like we're going to get a Yamaguchi moment next episode. Are you ready gonna get a Yamaguchi?
em
26:31
moment, next episode. Are you ready? And yes, I am, I want to watch it right now. There's a great. There's violin here with Yamaguchi, like, it's like the saxophone's cool cousin. Yes, oh, I love it. I'm very excited. So we'll have to see. You know, will Seijo ultimately take this second set? I don't know, guys, it's getting cray, cray, uh.
26:48
So now on to manga versus anime. I don't think I had. I mainly had notes about. So I will say, in the manga, as I mentioned, I think it just gives a little bit more of Oikawa being the puppet master and you know, the, the neighborhood guys really break down the game stuff, but otherwise it was very similar. but there were just illustrations that I thought were funny at the end of, because this episode covers chapters 132 to 135. At the end of 133, we have Hinata thinking hard about animal-based nicknames and yachi's in the background saying he looks so concentrated and cool, and then yamaguchi says don't let him fool you. And then, at the end of 134, we have Noya wishing Oikawa did all the serves and Inoshita goes don't give me nightmares.
rainbow
27:36
I love that. I love the idea of Noya just dreaming of getting to receive Oikawa's serves.
em
27:44
Noya and Hinata love being challenged the most, I think.
rainbow
27:48
I love it. I would love a little drabble of a fic that's about Noya having tiny little crushes on all the best servers that they go up against and Asahi being really jealous, yes, but then Noya being like no, it's okay, Asahi, yours are still my favorite. Serves to receive All right. Are we ready for our character?
em
28:08
spotlight. Yes, who else could it be but the Mad Dog himself?
rainbow
28:12
Yes, Kyotani Kentaro, who I don't. I think I maybe used his actual name once and the rest of the time we called him Mad Dog it is a cool nickname. It is a cool nickname and that's kind of just what they all call him. I love that. Even the coaches are like this Mad Dog guy and it's like I don't know, maybe your adults learn his name.
em
28:31
Maybe are like this mad dog guy and it's like I don't know. Maybe your adults learn his name, maybe this seems like a very troubled kid and we should get into a counselor.
rainbow
28:35
I don't know it's you know, it's just one of those things where it's like, wow, not every team has a Takeda who's worried about their emotional well-being certainly not,. Yeah, so I have. A note from the wiki about his personality, quote he's said to have the best ability among the second years at Aoba Johsai high, but his brash attitude and lack of teamwork has led to troubled relationships with others, most notably his upperclassmen. He's seen to be hot-tempered and usually has a frown or scowl on his face. He doesn't seem to show any respect for the third years other than Iwaizumi, irritating them and shocking the first years. Upon Kyotani's return to the team, which I mean, that's totally his personality. moving on to his name, meaning unfortunately there's not a lot going on here. in my opinion, like his family name is Kyotani, which means capital, city, valley, and then his given name is Kentaro and it means wise, great son, which is interesting. I just I, you know, usually furudate, I feel like puts a lot more and I guess the nickname is good enough.
em
29:34
Is Furodate like channeling something about his high school bully with this character? Because I just don't know. Do you think that's what's going on? Here, Maybe he's so angry but has no love in his writing whatsoever.
rainbow
29:48
No God, he's so mad. And so, moving on to his character sheet, he's like eating some sort of meat bun or something.
em
29:54
He's eating his favorite food, which I won't say, but it does say on the bag fat chicken.
rainbow
30:01
So he loves fat chicken. Yeah, he's just walking with his little scowl on his face. I do like his hair, I like his little like, I like his dyed blonde hair and I like his little like cutouts and stuff it is. It is kind of cool. So, yeah, he's at Aoba Josai High School. He's in class 2-1. His position is wing spiker. His height is 5'10", which I forgot to convert, but it's OK. His birthday is December 7th, so he is a Sagittarius, yes, and I've never met a Sag guy that I trust.
em
30:33
You know what and that's fair.
rainbow
30:35
I don't think you should trust Mad Dog very much. His favorite food is Hami Mart's fried chicken.
em
30:41
This would be my favorite food. I think Like grocery store fried chicken Fuck yeah.
rainbow
30:46
Yeah, im loves a deli chicken finger, let me tell you that, and nothing wrong with it. They're pretty good. and then moving along to his current worry, is this dan this is dan from game crumbs. His current worry is that lasalle's new crispy chicken bites are pretty hard to pass up to. So I think his current worry is he can't decide which is his favorite chicken nugget,
em
31:23
Wait okay, kin, I kin him. This is a kin. This is now my top kinny Kin K-I-N For sure. That is so funny. I love that all he's thinking about is chicken God bless you know what.
rainbow
31:28
But again going to his headcanon, tragic backstory, it's like, oh man, you know they could have gone deeper with that current worry. They didn't. Well, yeah, yeah, all he's thinking about is chicken. why is he so aggressive? Tell us, why isn't anyone giving him a nutritious meal? Moving on to his five point ability parameters, his intelligence is a one.
em
31:51
This is a read. This parameter is a read.
rainbow
31:54
Yes, his technique and his stamina are threes. His speed, his power and his jumping are all fours, and I'm so shocked that his power is not a five. Like what does it take to have your power out of five?
em
32:04
I feel like I think it might be the fact that they're growing boys still, because I feel like we don't really see fives until we get to the time skip and they're adults playing in major leagues yeah, no, I agree, I'm trying to remember if a wise amies was a five, because I think that would make sense.
rainbow
32:21
If a wise amie was out of five, mad dog would be out of four because, as we've seen, he's not as strong as a wise amie yeah, I'm just like I don't know.
em
32:29
We'll have to look back because I don't remember a lot of fives.
rainbow
32:31
But yeah, we'll take a maybe. Maybe that's something we can do in an episode, once we've like finished season four in the movie and all that, maybe we can do a comparison of like pre-time skip and post-time skip character sheets. Yeah, that'd be cool. I think that'd be really fun. Yeah, okay well cool. Are we ready to move on to the world's favorite game?
em
32:49
Let's do it. It's the world's favorite game. It's who in HQ? This week's scenario is brought to us by Gemerald. What other clubs at their high school would try to recruit them? Okay, could even be for the coaches, slash advisors. We could talk about Ukai or Takada, but okay, so yeah, and today we'll talk about Hinata, Kageyama, Kyotani, Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Suga, yamaguchi, Ukai, Takeda and anyone else that we think of. So what other clubs at their high school would try to recruit them? Hinata, any sports club. Well, especially, I feel like, as the, the, because right now he's just people don't know him quite, they're. The murmurs of his greatness are just beginning.
rainbow
33:28
So by third year, every sports club wants a piece of Hinata well, I think, because even I think in the manga when Hinata is like running to like go to the gym because he's just joined the volleyball club, he like it's there's like a hallway full of like people who are just like hey, do you want to join our club, do you want to join our club? And like these basketball guys approach Hinata and they're like hey, do you want to join our club? And he like does like a like a quick, like, run around them and they're like, whoa, that kid's fast. So like I do think I think basketball track, any of the running clubs, because I think track and like long distance are different. I don't know there's like a lot of different running clubs, but yeah, I think any of the sports clubs would. I can't think of anything outside of sport, any other kind of club outside of sports that would want him well, Hinata, his whole thing is that his athleticism.
em
34:18
so for that we're gonna do the other sports. I like with Kageyama, people think that like he looks smart and serious, so like maybe smarty pants clubs would try and approach him and then quickly learn he's pretty stupid, like maybe the debate club would be like oh well, all he has to do is like glare at the other person and they'll be scared and they won't want to debate him.
rainbow
34:37
But then they realize that he can't speak outside of volleyball terms. Right, I'd be like well, what are the topics we're debating, Are we right? I'd be like like well, what are the topics we're debating? Are we debating whether or not a jump serve or a float serve or a spike serve is better?
em
34:50
they're like never mind. Uh. I could see the wrestling team approaching kyotani because he's so intimidating looking yeah, I definitely think.
rainbow
34:59
yeah, one of those clubs like a wrestling kind of thing. But I think with his attitude, I don't see him being approached by a lot of clubs.
em
35:09
Yeah, no, he's not being approached by clubs, he's being approached by gang members.
rainbow
35:13
That's what I was thinking. Yeah, like some Yakuza guys are like hey, bud, you look like you need a real family to take care of you, because your own family isn't.
em
35:21
Kyotani is a youth at risk.
rainbow
35:24
You know what? It's a good thing he's on the volleyball team. Yeah, keep him off the streets.
em
35:28
It saved him from a life of crime, oh my. God whatever club it's called at Oren High School, is it a host club? It's a host club. That is what Oikawa is being the girls are like.
rainbow
35:39
Please join our host club, please please leave, because, well, that makes sense, because he is the Tamaki of haikyuu. And yet, no, absolutely. I was also thinking like student council would probably want him. I could see like the drama club wanting him to be like the lead, anything that's like all about his looks right and popularity stuff, yeah, but then he's just like no, my whole. And that's the thing with like all like Hinata, Kageyama and Oikawa it's just like no, my life is volleyball you think I have a personality outside volleyball.
em
36:11
You're dead wrong.
rainbow
36:12
You're absolutely wrong. I mean I was like, yeah, I'm a bitch, but on the court I think, a wise to me, I think, similar to Hinata, a lot of sports clubs, baseball, basketball, soccer, definitely wrestling after that arm wrestle.
em
36:25
Oh my gosh yeah definitely wrestling.
rainbow
36:27
Yeah, same as them anything outside of sports that we think they want. I'm gonna tell you.
em
36:32
I was not an active. You were an active member of your school. I was not, so I don't even. What clubs are there? Art club, debate club and sports.
rainbow
36:39
That's what I know about theater well, I'm just honestly, I'm kind of just going off of like other anime that I've watched and manga that I've read, with like what kind of clubs I've seen in there's the occult club from jujutsu kaisen that itadori was in.
em
36:55
what about Suga? I feel like Suga people would want him in gentle things because they think he's gentle but he's not yeah, they'd want him in like flower arranging, tea ceremony club, yeah, that kind of stuff.
rainbow
37:07
Like an art, yeah, like an artsy type club. I could see them wanting him for for like a student council type thing too, or maybe like an archery club, archery hello yeah all right, yamaguchi.
em
37:22
I think yamaguchi just maybe has like some nerdy friends who wants him to join their like manga club or math club or something.
rainbow
37:30
Yeah, would any of them be in a literature club, doki Doki style.
em
37:37
None of them have a love for literature. Oh wait, Takeda, that's where Takada's going.
rainbow
37:40
Yeah, Takeda, they want him to be the literature club Ukai, the cigarette smoking club oh my god yeah, like when he was in school I don't think any other clubs wanted him and then as an advisor, I don't know if any of the other clubs want him. No, maybe an agricultural club, because he does. He works on his family farm oh, that's smart.
em
38:00
Yes, could be, but I think he's on the corner smoking cigs.
rainbow
38:04
Yes, yeah, and then talk about, like we said, a literature club, a poetry club Tsukishima.
em
38:08
If there is a dinosaur club, he will be a part of it oh, here's the thing.
rainbow
38:12
We know that there's not a dinosaur club at karasuno because he's still on the volleyball team and he would have quit to for dinosaur club for sure. We know but, I think we said before like chess, I think the chess club would want him. The debate team would probably also want him. They'd be like well, yeah, he's mean.
em
38:30
Yeah.
rainbow
38:31
That kind of thing. Would any of them be in the math leagues? Tsukishima yeah, I think all the smarty pants clubs want Tsukishima. Yep, same with Yachi. And that's it for our who and Haikyuu scenario. Thank you, jimro, that was lovely and, as always, if you, out there listeners, have any ideas, please feel free to write in, send us a DM, an email, whatever you want. And Em, how can they reach us?
em
38:55
Well, you can reach us through Twitter, instagram, tumblr and Blue Sky at flyhqpod. That's F-L-Y-H-Q-P-O-D. I've been a little more active on there lately as social media drags me back in by its fingernails. So hey, that's fun, and if you hate social media, you can email us at flyhqpod at gmailcom. That's F-L-Y-H-Q-P-O-D at gmail dot com.
rainbow
em
39:26
Okay, do we have anything to talk about in the spoiler zone? Okay, so I just had one little note of how you know. Hinata is always lamenting about having a cooler nickname.
rainbow
39:29
But he will get a cool nickname in the time skip ninja Shouyou I was thinking about that while we were watching the, while I was watching the episode and Hinata was thinking about getting a cool nickname, I was just like he does get a really cool nickname. He's going to be Ninja Shoujo. And again, he is already the greatest decoy. He just thinks that's lame because Kageyama gave him that nickname. Yeah, and he won't accept it. But no, he's a ninja. He's like Naruto. He's just like Naruto. Did they give him that nickname because he's from Japan? Yes, he's just like Naruto. Which, like? Did they give him that nickname because he's from Japan?
em
40:07
Yes, is that racist, playfully?
rainbow
40:12
Lightheartedly perhaps. Yeah, like when somebody calls him and Oikawa, Jackie Chan, and they're like you mean Ken Watanabe? Yeah, yeah, in the Brazil arc.
40:22
Yeah, well, you know, xenophobia exists everywhere, or just a lack of like cultural understanding exists everywhere, and I did want to say so. We see here mad dog playing the way he does. It doesn't seem like he's gonna go very far in his volleyball career, but he does end up joining a division two team. Is he also on the frogs? Yeah, he's on the frogs with it's the funniest group of people. It's mad dog, Kogane and Tsukishima, which I, I don't know, I don't know what to tell you, man, that is a very un like.
em
40:56
That is a very unexplored section of canon. I feel we we need to talk about that more. I actually.
rainbow
41:01
Yeah, I mean, if anyone out there knows of any fix about Tsukishima being on the Sendai Frogs where we get to see Kyotani and Kogane more, especially with how different like Kogane is, particularly because at least Suki and Kyotani are both miserable. Yeah, I don't know. I think it's going to be interesting, but, yeah, that's all I have for the spoilers. And do you have anything else that you didn't write down?
em
41:26
Nope, no, next episode we'll see if we can hold against Mad Dog. Yeah, only time will tell. Will we get rabies from the bite? We'll find out. Until next time, fly high.