Fly: A Queer Haikyuu Podcast

S4E8: Challenger

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"There’s no guarantee a weapon that worked in the beginning with still work in the end. I have to keep moving forward. My greatest weapon is that no one can catch me."

This week, rainbow and em discuss season 4, episode 8 "Challenger", covering the end of the Date Tech practice match where we see some of Karasuno's plays finally come together and Kinoshita has to put his jump float serve to the test. 

Episode Discussion Begins at  05:10

Spoiler Zone Begins at 52:53

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Thanks for listening!!

rainbow

00:10

Hello everyone and welcome to Fly a Queer Haikyuu podcast. I'm Rainbow they she.

em

00:16

And I'm Em, and today we are discussing season 4, episode 8, Challenger. Challenger eight challenger. Challenger I never did watch the movie challengers with uh zendaya and the two boys and the tennis au of my dreams.

rainbow

00:31

We gotta watch that sometime we do. I've heard such good things about it. The um, one of the podcasts I love, too scary, didn't watch. Uh, emily from that podcast was obsessed with it and you know they have good. So so, listeners, a little peek behind the curtain. We have been recording, kind of doubling up when we can, and I don't remember if I talked about this in our last recording or if I just thought about it for this recording, but I had assumed that the, the lady that's with Date Tech at this practice match, is their assistant coach, but I think she's their manager.

em

01:02

You know what, and we did talk about that for the last episode, because she talks and we're like, hey, um, and I kind of had that realization too. I'm wondering what yours was. But in the manga, at the beginning of one of the chapters, there's an illustration of her and Kiyoko with, like the school flags and I was like, hmm, it's weird that they're equating them. So I guess it does make sense that she's just the manager. But how did you find that out?

rainbow

01:24

I was going to do the Date Tech coaches for the character spotlight and then I realized that they only have one coach. They apparently don't have an assistant coach, which is kind of impressive that their team is the way it is, with just the one coach. But, um, so I just, and I like found a character sheet for her and so, spoiler alert, we're gonna do her for the character spotlight. But I was like really excited at the idea that this boys volleyball team, this high school boys volleyball team, had a female coach. And it turns out, no, they just have a girl manager, which I don't know. Maybe I don't. I don't need to be that disappointed, I just thought it was a little different maybe she kind of fills both roles in a way it's very possible.

02:01

She does seem to like really work with the coach pretty directly, um. So yeah, I mean we'll.

em

02:07

We'll get into it a little bit with the character spotlight more women in men's fields, please, okay, so I mean we don't really have any. We have no time for chit chat. There's a world war on the loose.

rainbow

02:18

We have to get to the good stuff oh yeah, um, we are recording this on june 22nd 2025, so the day after US hit Iran, which I think we all saw coming.

em

02:30

It was funny, I have we have a friend in Germany and I was telling her about like coming for our wedding one day and first of all Daisy, she was like I'll come if Sleep Token's doing a concert over there. Number one. And then number two. She was like, well, have you heard the news? And I was like, oh, unfortunately, I've heard the news and you know they and a lot of, I think all of Europe has been given like a warning for like the past year of not to come here. Do not come.

rainbow

02:56

I mean, I don't, I don't blame them.

em

02:58

No, not at all. Not at all.

rainbow

03:00

This is a dangerous place to be.

em

03:02

Yes, I told her I was like you know, most of us don't want this, and it was like talking about the protests across the country and I was like we're being held captive by a cartoon villain.

rainbow

03:13

Yeah, well, here's the thing is. America right now is a country that the only people want to come here are white South Africans who think they're being genocided by their government, which isn't true. That's not happening.

03:25

There are other genocides going on around the world um generally not happening to white people, yeah, so yeah, and I think you know, and I was talking I I sent a snap to daisy as well, kind of talking about my feelings about it, and I think for people in our generation, you know, like we've already gone through this, I mean and not even just our generation but like we've done this in the 90s, like where, like we're going to war, we're attacking a country in the middle east and the islamophobia is very much there and I'm sure the people who support it are all thinking just really terrible things about the people who live there. But at the end of the day, this is mainly about money. It's about money, it's about power. It's awful. War, literally was what is it good for? Absolutely fucking nothing.

em

04:08

It's always I mean, it's always just a small group of old, rich men fighting and then the people get dragged into it.

rainbow

04:13

But the people never want it there's actually no such thing as victory in war. Everybody loses, yeah, um, it's just some people end up being richer after it. Um, so yeah, pretty fucking terrible.

em

04:28

I told myself I wasn't going to bring up the war.

rainbow

04:30

Yeah, we were like well, we don't have any chitchat for this episode, but I'm glad, I think it's important that we mark this. So eventually, maybe this will be used for historical record by future humans or aliens or the other species that you know they'll be like quick search up the queer podcasts about an anime no, here's. The thing is like the future version of a podcast will be somebody going through all of the queer podcast. Oh my god definitely oh man, I hope.

04:58

I hope you know some sort of uh ability to uh record history develops on this planet after humans are gone. Anyway, that took a turn on that note.

em

05:10

Uh, time to get into my recap yes, count me down. 

rainbow

All right, I'll count you down, ichi ni san 

em

Karasuno chips away at Date Tech's wall. Kenoshita tries to hide from glory, Hinata does some not-so-lonely passing drills and realizes that him and the ball have finally reached third base. Nationals draws nearer and our crows are ready to fly in this episode of Haikyuu.

rainbow

05:34

I love that. I made the mistake of reading your recap early and I got to the Hinata and the ball reaching third base and I was like, oh, that's a good one.

em

05:46

I didn't even mention how you misspelled lonely, loably. Listen, you think I I know what I'm saying all right.

rainbow

05:51

Well, with that, we are into this episode, and if you thought this practice match with Date Tech was over after the return of the king, you would be wrong we're far from over, because they do eight whole sets. It's a lot. It's a lot of sets. They're very tired. At the end I see why Tsukki is the way he is at the end of this practice. Match Date text blocking is impressive, as always. Aone is all eyes for Hinata.

em

06:18

I wrote Aone wants Hinata, so bad.

rainbow

06:21

He really does. Yeah, aone wants him carnally, no, but well, because they're like doing one of their synchro attacks and you know, Hinata always runs up. He does minus tempo while everyone else is doing first tempo. And so aone is watching him and uh, aone like jumps to block alongside Futakuchi and like absolutely slams into his side. Um, but they do block the ball. And then Futakuchi is just like holding his ribs, he's like rubbing them. And Aone like walks over to be like are you okay? And Futakuchi holds a hand up and he's like it's okay, I just need a minute. And like our boy is going to be like bruised by the end of this, like is it safe for him to play with?

06:58

Aone, I was gonna say I feel like he just regularly has bruises on his side from these things happening. I love that idea and I like the thoughts haven't fully formed, but ideas for headcanons and fix are like waiting, they're marinating in there. And so we're only into the fourth set and Karasuno is at set point and Ukai they're on like a break and Ukai goes up to Hinata and he tells him he's like, he's like Hinata, we need you. And Hin goes up to Hinata and he tells him he's like, he's like Hinata, we need you. And Hinata goes like I know, get lost in the crowd. Oh, what does that mean?

07:29

We're about to find out, because they start up again and Date Tech is really confused because they're going for another synchro attack and Hinata does not immediately run up in minus tempo. Asahi manages to slam it down, winning this set for the crows, which we find out from Yachi is the first set they've taken during this entire practice match, and Daichi is about to say like all right guys, time to do diving drills. But Asahi's like no man, we won. And Daichi's like, oh yeah, force a habit. And we get to see in just a minute that Date Tech does seal walking for their punishment.

em

08:02

Now, what are the benefits of seal walking?

rainbow

08:06

So seal walking for their punishment? Now, what are the benefits of seal walking? So, okay, I tried to look it up and because what they're doing is they're just literally like dragging their limp legs across the ground, right, yeah. So I found like a. I found like videos of people doing seal walking which looked very different. Honestly, didn't look like seal walking and it does look like it engages quite a few muscles in the body, like upper body stuff. So I don't know if they're just if that's supposed to build shoulder strength. Uh, listeners, if anyone out there knows what the fuck the point of this is, is it just a humiliation ritual?

08:34

is it just because it looks kind of silly, um? But? Or just to show like, hey, you cannot, you can do more than just the diving drills. You can also look like a seal um. So yeah, that's what they do, um. And then over on the sidelines, we have ukai explaining to Takeda how Hinata usually running up um first during the synchro attack. Um is like what what teams are used to? So when he waits and he goes at the same tempo as the others, it throws off their opponents. And Tsukishima goes on to wax poetic about date text blocking. I love this moment. You we've never seen Tsukishima goes on to wax poetic about Date Tech's blocking. I love this moment. We've never seen Tsukishima this excited before.

em

09:10

He really dips into his like Shigaraki voice. Here the voice actor does the villainous side really comes out. And I just wrote I think Tsukishima just really enjoys a sadistic blocking strategy.

rainbow

09:22

Well, Tsukishima is a sadist, we know this. Yeah, so he says that what makes DateTech a great team is that even when Hinata hits his quick attack, they're able to shrug it off and move on. They always manage to get two blockers on Hinata, narrowing down where the ball goes to make it easier to pick up. And as he talks about how, in the second part of the game, they can roof Hinata when he tires out, he gets really excited, relishing in the idea of taking down Hinata's freak quick. And then Suga comes in from the background to be like whose side are you on here? But like I, totally, I kind of get it Like as a blocker, and as a blocker who, like, kind of hates Hinata.

em

09:58

Right, like there are two things going on here.

rainbow

10:14

He also would just love to see Hina to get stuffed. Yeah, like I think it's pause. Oh my gosh. Yeah, for once. I wish we were a YouTube podcast, because I wish people could have seen the face you made after you said that um, okay, we are children, you know what we're allowed.

10:23

Um, so it's because Date Tech is so resilient that ukai wants to shake things up. And we flash back to that moment just a few minutes ago, where ukai told hina to to get lost in the crowd. And he goes on to talk about the first time he saw, the kagehina freak quick, which like what are you talking about, ukai? Because he says it was incredible, it was like love at first sight yeah ukai has always been a kagehina shipper and we knew this, but it's like he's talking about him seeing the quick.

em

10:51

He like it was love at first sight for him and the quick and how he didn't think anything could beat it and all that stuff.

rainbow

10:57

But I'm also just gonna go ahead and choose to believe and also, you guys had love at first sight and that's why the quick works so well well, because, if you'll remember, way back, when he saw the freak quick in season one, he was like these guys have been playing together since middle school, right Like their childhood best friends, like he's seen the soulmateism.

em

11:14

He knows.

rainbow

11:15

Like we. Just, we all know that the freak quick is a metaphor for love. Yes, end of story. And he really thought that speed was everything. But End of story. And he really thought that speed was everything.

11:24

But going up against good read blockers like Date Tech means that his speed, Hinata's speed, just eliminates him from the possible threats when they do those synchro attacks. And so Ukai thinks to himself that for Hinata, speed is his main weapon. So he may not want to slow down, even if it's the best strategy. But immediately we go to Hinata's head and he's thinking to himself there's no guarantee a weapon that worked in the beginning will still work in the end. I have to keep moving forward. My greatest weapon is that no one can catch me, and Kageyama thinks if they adapt to me, I'll adapt to them. The one who stops adapting is the one who gets left behind. They always got to keep it fresh, keep it new. Yes, and I love that they're both here and I in the spoiler zone. I'm going to get into some things about this episode in particular and how it relates to what comes later in this season, because I think there's just some. This is one of those episodes that is just like planting seeds. Just Furudate is in his best Ushijima cosplay.

em

12:23

He's gardening.

rainbow

12:24

He is gardening up a storm. So we see Karasuno do another synchro attack and Hinata is holding back again. And we see all four spikers Hinata, Daichi, Asahi and Tanaka, and kind of each of them are thinking something along the lines of like keep them guessing who's going to hit until the very end, and the ball ends up going to Daichi and he scores. And Tsukki is who's going to hit until the very end and the ball ends up going to Daichi and he scores. And Tsukki is, I think, still on the sidelines and he's thinking about how Date Tech is paying even more attention now, like Hinata is a kid who has been always begging for attention, and he suddenly goes quiet which is like kind of the way Hinata is yes, and then kagehina finally pull out one of their minus tempo quicks and it's super fast.

13:07

Kogane doesn't have time to react to it at all and like while it's happening he's like in awe of the speed. And then you know, KageHina are like coming down and they're all doing their like evil grins, like how got you?

em

13:18

I love when they kind of like duo up like this yes, and then I don't know what it says in the dub, but in the sub they're like we never said we wouldn't use the minus tempo, that's like almost exactly what they're saying.

rainbow

13:28

It's like, listen, just because we weren't using it a minute ago doesn't mean we're going to pull it out now, and like that's part of the whole thing with Kar going, and that's kind of what we go into here, because um Takeda notices that the super quick attack really stands out after so many normal quicks, and so I think that it's Ukai talking about like we need to overload them with too much information to take in, especially because they're read blocking, because when you're read blocking, you're taking in so much information to try to figure out where to go, and so if we're giving them too much, it's going to overwhelm them, and Hinata's perfect for that. He's annoying to play against Ukai's words because you never know what he's going to do next. And don't forget about how their brilliant setter isn't going to give anything away easily right, he can give the ball to Hinata really from any point in the court.

em

14:24

So so there's no true like ruling him out, and I love the animation that plays here when Takeda says the Minas Temple then bears its fangs, because there's like the teeth that slide in and then it's Hinata's face and again we get another like duo moment.

rainbow

14:38

It's really about them, like they really are like the secret sauce for this like aggressive attack strategy. And we also see like an animation, like it's kind of just a drawing here, and it's a bunch of like kind of silly looking Hinatas doing like going different directions on the court with like different colored text. That's like broad question mark minus first tempo, like what is he going to do? And yeah, like you never know. And then Yachi, she's really cute. She's like um, I don't know if this is relevant, but I heard Daddy Ukai obviously old coach Ukai, but we call him Daddy Ukai and he said once that Shrimpy's minus tempo attack is definitely impressive on its own, but they could do so much more with that thing. And Ukai's like, oh really, he said that. And then he's mad because clearly grandpa ukai figured out what they could do like way before young coach ukai and it's like, well, yeah, he's, he's got more experience. Um, I like that. Ukai's like kind of in a rivalry with his grandpa. Um. So then we have Tsukki explaining that, because of the point that Hinata just got with the minus tempo, the blockers are going to pay more attention to him and that means Karasuno will be able to score more from the sides, which will make Date Tech start to second guess themselves. So then they might start to do more guess blocking rather than read blocking, and their defensive strategy will fall apart.

15:59

And now it's the last set of the day, set number eight um. And Kageyama is setting just like always. But it's clear that Tsukishima is reaching his limit as far as stamina is concerned. And, like Kageyama is just like I've been setting just like normal. What's wrong with you, basically? And Tsukishima is like I'm not a robot, I'm not a little monster like Hinata.

em

16:18

Hinata is like, confused by Tsukki's lack of stamina. He's like he even ate lunch. Bitch, I would be Tsukki, Because what do you mean? Lunch was probably hours ago. You've done eight sets and I know it's just practice, but it's still against a hard team. And Yamaguchi, of course, runs to Tsukki's defense and is like he's not like you.

rainbow

16:39

Yeah, they're both, just like we're not the same level of monster that you are, you weird little freak, which I totally agree with. And then Kageyama remembers what Ukai said in the last episode about like knowing how his teammates are doing.

em

16:59

And it's clear he's like fuck. Now I have to think about the fact that Tsukishima doesn't have as much stamina as Hinata, and I feel like Kageyama are going through the same thing of like almost confusion for a minute.

rainbow

17:11

And then like, maybe not even being able to understand, like, oh, already, pookie, you're already tired, okay, yeah, yeah, it's well, you know, it's important for them to learn, um, that people have limits. They can't just keep going forever. So then we have Tanaka going for a line shot and it goes out, um, and Kagehima's pretty nice about it. He reassures him that it was still a good spike. He thinks to himself that tanaka was going for a cross shot. He was like I definitely thought he was going for a cross, but then he ended up going for a line. So I think what tanaka's trying to do there is kind of that thing where you like position your body so it makes the blockers think you're doing one thing when you really do another. Um, but because Kageyama said like, oh, it was a good line shot, um, tanaka does a cute little it's, it's from pokemon, right?

em

17:45

yeah, it's a pokemon reference yeah, Kageyama has learned encouragement yes, it's so adorable.

rainbow

17:51

Um, but then and I would love to know what happens in this sub, because in the dub Asahi says it wasn't encouragement I think Kageyama meant to call you a moron oh, that's, that's a miss yeah because what Asahi's saying is.

em

18:05

I don't think that was just an empty compliment.

rainbow

18:07

I think he was being honest okay, that's exactly what I thought also he was going to say and I was so confused I was like dub, what are you doing? You are completely like you're just making shit up right now like and it because it doesn't make sense for, like, what Kageyama said to be even like considered an insult, like insulting him or calling him a moron no, I think that was very lazy on the dubs part I think so too I was.

18:30

I was disappointed by that for sure, because, like to me, it was like I, like that moment, felt very much like ushi jima back in season three, telling Goshiki like what, like saying what he said, and it's like he's just being blunt and being honest and so it comes off as like something to lift you up yeah, I was gonna say this is a moment that really, like you can connect Kageyama and Ushijima.

em

18:50

They're very alike and this is a perfect example.

rainbow

18:52

Yeah, then we go over to the Date Tech side and it's Futakuchi's turn to serve. But he flubs it. It goes into the net and remember he's had those like really intense serves, this game. He's definitely the best server on um Date Tech, um, but the third years make fun of him for it. They're like laughing at him and apparently they have all day to hang around in another school's gym and watch their old team play volleyball like eight sets.

em

19:13

Are you not bored? You don't have a girlfriend. I love him. Futakuchi is just like you have nowhere else to be.

rainbow

19:18

Yeah no, they're like. No, we could be here all day and it is a little like it's kind of giving the like, like that guy who, like, graduated a couple years ago but still hangs out around the school.

19:28

Afterwards he's it's giving um, oh, what's his face? Uh, I keep getting older, but they stay the same age. Oh, shut up matthew mcconaughey in in, um, dazed and confused. That's what it's giving and it is a little like. At this point I'm like listen, I know this is a funny bit, but I'm feeling sad for these guys.

em

19:45

You should have just let them stay on the team really like clearly they want to be, clearly they're not busy studying, so they should have just stayed on the team.

rainbow

19:52

Yeah, so, um, it's Karasuno's turn to serve and Ukai clearly wants to bring in a pinch server and he looks to the sideline and Yamaguchi is radiating put me in energy. It's literally coming off of him in waves and Ukai's like well, he's certainly not afraid anymore. But instead I think I'll go for Kinoshita.

em

20:11

Yeah, and it's so funny because you said that he's NPC number two. But I said first of all, I hope Ukai let Yamaguchi play once during these eight sets, especially since he clearly wants to. But I get the feeling he didn't. And I said but sure, let's put in NPC number one. I consider Enoshita NPC number one. I think I'm just going by the numbers jerseys. It's fine, it doesn't matter, they're.

rainbow

20:34

NPCs. Well, enoshita's number six and Kenoshita's number seven, so that doesn't make sense anyway, Enoshita's six, Kinoshita's seven, narita's eight. Yes, so Kinoshita would be number one over Narita. Oh, I guess Inoshita isn't really an NPC at this point. I still consider him an NPC.

em

20:51

Well, Ennoshita actually got like an episode kind of, so I've removed him from NPC status, where Kinoshita and Narita truly are. That's fair. And Kinoshita, as his title commands, he is hiding from Coach Ukai. He's got his face turned away. He's kind of hiding behind the boys and Ukai, like a stern teacher, sees that and puts him in instead.

rainbow

21:14

And I love the way he does it. I like that he just kind of is looking at him and he like juts his chin and he's like get in there. So scary.

em

21:21

The Ukais are a scary family, so Kinoshita scary the you guys are scary family. So Kinoshita goes for a jump serve, and he does get the point, uh, to the point where Date Tech's coach says they have to do something about their receiving and I like that we get this moment.

rainbow

21:32

This is like something I think Karasuno does so good that it reminds us that like, hey, like narratively, of course this practice match is for Karasuno and so they can get through the return of the king bullshit. But like there's also this understanding not the bullshit, sorry, but so harsh, that was a little hard, but so they can get through all of that stuff. But like, but like this practice match, like Date Tech, like isn't doing Karasuno a favor here. Like they are also using this practice match and they're using Karasuno as another good team to figure out where their weak spots are and what they need to improve. And this is where I said, like I love how the coaches are using this, but it's apparently the coach and the manager who I guess the manager in for this team at least, like she really seems to understand volleyball, um, and I really like that. But yeah, I just I wish they really were both coaches.

em

22:18

I'm gonna be sad about that now, all episode and I could see how their hole would be receiving, since their main focus is blocking. But yeah, it is. I mean, you know every team is working on stuff. Now Kinoshita does next serve, is out and he's back off the court. And this is where hugh kai tells him not to look so scared every time of being called on. The next time you hide from me, I'm making you sit next to me the whole time like, okay, daddy, that's scary, daddy, that wouldn't be a punishment for me.

rainbow

22:46

I mean listen, call me what you will. I think Uka is hot in this episode.

em

22:53

I love a stern man. Could it be daddy issues Perhaps? So Kagehina go for another minus tempo, but it's blocked by Aone. Nishinoya receives and they all go in again for a synchro attack, except for Hinata who is stepping back out in his minus tempo. His job as a decoy works perfectly, as Kogane goes to block him, but Kageyama sets to Asahi instead, and Kogane's not fast enough to help block him. So then we get my favorite things Kageyama thinking about Hinata on the court. He wonders if Hinata was trying to lure Kogane out and thinks but no, he's 100 intent on hitting every time, which is what makes him such a good blocker. Was it coincidence, instinct? Regardless, he thinks I'm the one who chose Asahi, so it's still my point, all the while just staring at Hinata while he thinks about this.

rainbow

23:42

And Hinata just like looks and realize he's staring. He's like what's happening?

em

23:45

Oh my god, if only you knew what goes through Kageyama's head.

rainbow

23:49

I do. I love this moment. I want to say first of all that the minus tempo, quick looks so cool. Every damn time they do it it looks amazing, although I will say I feel like the animation in this episode is maybe not super great. Yeah, a little rough, it's a little rough in in places, um, but not as bad as we'll see in a little bit, um, a little bit later in the season. But yeah, I think it's so interesting how Kageyama is always like staring at Hinata and thinking about it and then I love how he's just like I feel like that's something we see setters do a few times where it's like well, I'm the one who set the ball, who chose to set the ball there, so it's really my point and not the Spikers and it's like why are you competing with Hinata about this? Are you adding that to your mental tally?

em

24:31

Do you think that it gets so ingrained where it's just like, well, technically Kageyama cannot handle Hinata being good, and I would go as far to say that maybe Hinata was purposely trying to lure Kogane out because he's thinking a lot more on the court yeah, I think it's perfectly reasonable to expect that, and I think I think it could be both things.

rainbow

24:49

I think Hinata is like fully prepared to hit the ball 100 of the time, but he's also like knows that like the ball might not come to me, but I still have to lure the blockers away from where it's going to go, and I do. Yeah, I think it's like you said. It's like Kageyama can't handle Hinata starting to be actually like good at this game and not just good on instinct he has to like reassure himself.

em

25:12

But I still got the point, so I'm still winning. Yeah, so Asahi goes to Spike and is faced off with Aone, again, the biggest wall in the prefecture, even stronger than last time. But somehow Asahi thinks he's not scared. Nishinoya shouts his encouragement, of course, and for the first time, this whole practice with the winning point for the final set. Asahi's little timing trick works. You see him kind of like his head like swayed a little, hold back a little bit more and then he gets the point and wins them the last set.

rainbow

25:42

I feel like you kind of see while he's in the air, I feel like you can see him like kind of like tensing his muscle, like pulling his arm back, even just a little bit further, to give himself that time. Also, I love this moment, I love that moment where he says he's not scared because, like right after that, Noya like gets the ball on, block out. And it's like he's not scared because Nishinoya is there. Stop To to to help him out.

em

26:04

This does feel like almost a quiet um wrap up of the arc of Asahi being afraid of the Date Tech.

rainbow

26:11

It is. It does feel like this is like the final wrap up, especially with Noya getting the the blocked ball, because that's what he trained for in his time away from the team, so that he could help his boyfriend and it doesn't make sense because they won't play them in nationals.

em

26:23

And then aussie's a third year so he'll be gone, so this really was like his final bow with like the wall, so I love that yeah so that's the game.

26:32

And as Kageyama is sweeping up, after the fact, uh, Kogane runs up to him and asks him about not taping his fingers. He says, like I always hurt my nails and tip of my fingers, how do you get away without taping them up? And Kageyama tells him he does finger pushups. And I said I need to know what that looks like and that it feels off when even like 0.1 millimeter between him and the ball is there. So he really tries not to tape them up. That's why I always take care of my nails and fingertips. And I said, okay, princess.

27:01

And Kogane is shook and inspired, saying he'll start finger training today, to which Furukuchi, in the background, is like you won't last three days doing that. And then Kageyama completely flubs Kogane Gawa's name, which I have finally gotten comfortable saying, and Tsukki, very helpfully in the background, is like, uh, close, but no cigar, but it doesn't faze Kogane. And Kageyama asks him about what his highest reach is, and last time Kogane checked it was 340 centimeters, but it might be even higher now, to Kageyama's dismay. So then everyone is saying their goodbyes. We have Tanaka and Futakuchi sharing fighting looks, as their other teammates are kind of pushing them away. The third years have a tense sendoff with Suga and Asahi trying to like act tough in their face. But it does not come naturally.

rainbow

27:47

Yeah, well, it's so interesting because it's like the captains are being really, or I guess, former captain and current captain, but Daichi and then the shortest one I don't know his name, um, but like they're. They're both like kind of very cordial and nice with each other and they're like oh good to see you. And then, like the Date Tech guys, the other two in the background are looking kind of menacing and then Asahi and Suga are like clearly freaked out but also trying to look menacing themselves and I just think it's so funny which it's just like Suga and Asahi like Sugauga's scary in his own way, but like not like that, and then Asahi is like not scary at all he like physically is, but he's not really aware of that and he's emotionally Eeyore.

em

28:26

So, yes, yes, but as they leave, you know Daichi and no, Asahi and Suga kind of sigh with relief and Daichi's like, well, the captain's really nice. And S with relief and Daichi's like well, the captain's really nice, and Suga's like uh-uh, he's the one who keeps the second, those scary second years on a leash, and I was also gonna say one of the Date Tech third years contemplates growing a beard like Asahi as a way to compete with them that's so funny.

rainbow

28:50

To me it's just like first of all, no.

em

28:52

I mean, are you, bokuto, come on oh my god, you know what I really warmed up to the chin strap. I think it's very suiting for him.

rainbow

28:59

Well, I feel like it's not a full chin strap, it's just like right under the chin.

em

29:02

You know, it doesn't go like along the jawline, which I think for me would be egregious, but Listen, someone took a screenshot and it looks like it might, and now there's fan art of it and I don't hate it. Maybe we'll get more evidence and we can finally confirm.

rainbow

29:16

Yeah, let's wait until the official anniversary magazine comes out and we get fuller pictures of that I don't think the fandom's ready for that.

em

29:23

I'm not. So Aone and Hinata have their typical intense bow of respect after the game. Daichi tells them all now it's a little bit later and Daichi tells everyone to take it easy with individual practice, especially those who have to bike over a mountain. And Hinata freezes because he knows Daichi's talking to him. I can't believe. After eight sets we're doing individual practice. Go home.

rainbow

29:46

Yeah, this must have been a day where they didn't have school right Like. This isn't like an after school practice match, this is like a full day practice they had on the weekend.

em

29:55

I'm actually not even sure.

rainbow

29:58

I can only assume it's that because there's you just don't have, there's not enough time, I don't know.

em

30:03

So Kinoshita practices with Noya, again Cut to him looking exhausted. But the next one he gets, Noya flubs the overhand. Hinata asks Kageyama what he's thinking when he's receiving and Kageyama very intensely goes how I'm going to kill the, the fucking autocorrect, it's how I'm going to kill the ball. But I either accidentally wrote or whatever, how I'm going to kill the boy. Hinata says sounds violent coming from you. Um, and then Kinoshita. Back to Kinoshita and Noya.

30:31

He asks Noya why he just doesn't stick with digs, since he's really good at them.

30:35

And Noya says well, I could and that's how I used to think, but there are people out there that are better than me and it's not fun to try other options when you not to try other options when you know they exist.

30:47

And Kinoshita kind of has this thought to himself well, he's like another cool speech from Noya and he thinks about how like he he wants to be on the court, but he he's also like, I think, the fear of failure, like kind of triumphs that. But now, inspired by Noya, he wants to really go for it. Yamaguchi is watching from outside, because of course him and Tsukki are going the fuck home because they're normal people, and he notes that Kinoshita consistently hits the same spot and he goes I won't lose. I think he really picked this up from Hinata, because Tsukki says having more good players isn't a bad thing and it's not like you'll lose your spot as their pinch server, but Yamaguchi says that's not what I mean and of course it's like I won't stop trying to be really good yeah, I, I love this whole moment because we do.

rainbow

31:33

You wanted to see what finger push-ups look like, and that's what Noya does.

em

31:37

Yeah, it's like a normal push-up, but I guess focused more on the fingers, the way I was thinking that Kageyama just puts his little finger on a table and then does little push-ups with just his fingies.

rainbow

31:46

You know I have a feeling that that's not quite going to build the strength he's looking for.

em

31:50

I guess not, huh.

rainbow

31:52

No. So, yeah, definitely, I'm just imagining him doing like finger pushups every night before he goes to bed. Also, I just want to say that Noya's shirt says giant panda, which I thought was really cute and random, but I loved it, yeah. And then I like that Tsukishima. It almost kind of feels like because he's very Tsukishima about it and he's kind of being like don't be dumb, they're not going to replace you. But I think he's trying to like reassure Yamaguchi, like don't worry, bae, I know it's important for you to be on the on the court, but I do. I like that Yamaguchi is coming at it from a very like Kagehina perspective of it's like. No, it's not about that, it's about like I am being now. I feel pushed to grow stronger and it's something Tsukishima still.

32:32

It's like, in a way, like you do understand, that that's the feeling kage hina gives you. You're just so reluctant about it and you hate it so much you can't understand Yamaguchi being fired up by it, right?

em

32:42

so then we have Hinata finally biking home at what? Midnight, um? And lamenting the fact that he can't practice spiking and receiving at the same time. He thinks but when Kageyama is there, I really want to practice spiking. Yeah, I'm sure he also thinks. Thinks how Grandpa Ukai's place is closed for now, but Hinata is an expert at practicing by himself. Cut to him in his backyard in the famed gray hoodie, because there has been speculation. So Hinata is wearing a gray hoodie and it looks a little big on him, and we have seen Kageyama in a very similar gray hoodie. And now, of course, I'm sure they just both own a gray hoodie hoodie, but I'll choose to believe that he stole his boyfriend's hoodie and he wears it.

33:21

I didn't know about the gray hoodie, oh, yeah, people have like screenshotted them wearing the same thing and it does fit Kageyama better than it fits Hinata. There's an argument to be made.

rainbow

33:31

I mean, listen, I love that idea, listen, I'm still part of me is still convinced that, secretly, furu Date knew exactly what he was doing with this. But I mean, I wouldn't surprise me. I think, even if you wanted to make it not romantic, it could just be. You know, Hinata took it home from a training camp accidentally. Maybe Kageyama and him were, you know, in the park together and Hinata grabbed it.

em

33:57

But what's a shared hoodie between bros?

rainbow

34:00

yeah, that's totally a normal thing that two teenage boys do. It doesn't matter that Hinata's like kind of smells like Kageyama.

em

34:07

I love that so then Natsu comes out love to see adorable Natsu and she asks him what he's doing and he says the ultimate lonely passing drills a sad name and Natsu wants to join and Hinata goes, but then it wouldn't be lonely. I was like okay, weirdo. And I said sorry, Natsu, us older siblings don't appreciate our babies until we're older.

rainbow

34:29

I do. I kind of love that Hinata is very much a typical older sibling here, Because I feel like sometimes in fics and like in the fandom, like Hinata's really headcanon as like just the sweetest older brother ever. He's so nice to Natsu and like I get that. I feel like that's a little bit of like I wish I had an older brother who was nice to me, kind of thing. But I do, I like that.

em

34:52

He's just like kind of a jerk to her's very much that and I mean it makes sense with her age difference. She's like seven or eight and he's 15, like she's probably super annoying most of the time. But what Natsu says here is really interesting because he wants, she wants to play with him and he's like you can't keep up, kind of thing and she's like but I'm first at everything in gym class and I love that peek into Natsu's character and the Hinata genes are very strong. They're all athletic. So Natsu does try the passing drill after Hinata shows her how it's done and she obviously flubs it because she's seven and the way Hinata laughs at her and says try again after a century.

35:31

I think Kageyama has rubbed off on him, because that was Kageyama a hundred percent. Hinata shows her how to do it again and he's a natural with the ball, which Natsu notices and says you're getting along with the ball now. It used to seem like the ball was a stranger, but now you guys are like best friends and she's got this big bright smile on. We get a detailed shot of like Hinata's hand with the ball and the ball looks really worn and that's where I stopped taking notes. I forget.

rainbow

35:58

I think that's it.

em

35:58

I think it just kind of ends on that thinking about like oh, the ball is like my best friend now. Yeah, hinitasgrowth.com. Oh, we do get a little quick. After credits scene of Ukai at like the bar with his friends and he's on the phone and he's like, oh, it's ready. And then it's like they cut to the poster of Nash, the poster that Yachi made for nationals, and it's just kind of a like. Here we go like this little um day tech arc is over and we're heading to nationals yeah, we have like one more kind of I consider like a transitionary episode.

rainbow

36:31

I'm really excited about the next episode, though yeah, I do love the next episode, and then we'll get into national National. So, listeners, just so you know we're going to talk about episode nine, then we're going to do our mid-season break, then we're with Nationals. We're at Nationals for the rest of the season.

em

36:45

Okay, and now it's time for a little manga versus anime. This episode covers the end of 225 to 228. And we just have some cool imagery of Hinata chipping away at Date Tech's uh, block the wall. This is when, in the manga, Hinata is like saying how he's trying to get Date Tech to notice him with the minus tempo and then fading into the crowd and what, and suga with a little like head bubble, says notice me, senpai huh, notice me, senpai, notice.

rainbow

37:14

Notice me.

em

37:17

Love that. And then there's a great detail. I wish they'd kept this in the anime, but when Hinata's biking home and he's thinking to himself I'm used to practicing alone I guess he's laughing out loud because there's like a car that passes him and a little boy is hanging out the window saying mama.

rainbow

37:33

That person's laughing at nothing saying mama, that person's laughing at nothing. That's something that I think we see a lot in the manga of like a little kid walking by and like pointing out, like that's that looks weird. And I've definitely seen that in like um doshins that I've read. Where that's a reference. There's one where it's like college KageHina and they're like kissing on a train platform and a little boy walks by with his mom and he's like mom, those two are kissing oh my god, that's so funny.

em

37:58

And then, when Hinata is explaining the lonely passing drills to Natsu, his mom actually is out and she says doesn't that just make you feel empty inside? All right, all right, you know to son. Okay, and then the only other thing I have is now. Last episode, we had the top three players with the biggest appetites. Well, Furudate-sensei gave us the top three players with the smallest appetites, coming in at number. You know what I'll do? Three to one. Number three we have Tsukishima Kei, which we do know, and we actually did. We. I don't know if we said this on the podcast, but I had like a realization with uh, I almost called you Hinata with rainbow that suki's lack of appetite is like a metaphor for his lack of appetite for volleyball. Yes, yeah, anyway, coming in number two, surprisingly, satori Tendo I think that's true.

rainbow

38:52

I think I don't know how much we really get it in the anime, but I think maybe we see it a lot in the manga.

em

38:57

I think we're supposed to see it like, I think, when Ushijima and Tendo like eat lunch together, like Tendo isn't eating a lot of his food and that's something Ushijima kind of like is like you should eat more food and then coming in at number one is Kenma, and you know there's so many people who cut a head cannon that Kenma gets a little chubby after high school because he's a computer kid and I also like, love that idea of a little chubby Kenma little chubby Kenma so adorable yes, um, and then we have.

39:27

We have the three uh, skinny queens. And Kenma is looking not impressed and he's like I don't eat like a bird, I have an average appetite. It's all the rest of you who eat too much. And Tsukki's like agreed. And Tendo says the second they stop playing volleyball. They're all going to get fat, not the fat shaming. Yeah, I honestly didn't love the skinny queen comment either. Yeah, oh, I knew you weren't going to like that comment from Tendo.

rainbow

39:51

No, no, I don't love that. You know that's not actually how bodies work.

em

39:57

but love that. Um, you know, that's not actually how bodies work, but um, but yeah, so that's it for manga versus anime.

rainbow

40:04

And now on to our character spotlight. Yes, um, so I wish you didn't have it right there so I could ask you what do you think is the assistant manager of date text name? Do you, do you know her name?

em

40:15

Name. It's Namatsu Mai but it looks like name-su when you read it as an English speaker so.

rainbow

40:29

Namatsu Mai or Mei.

em

40:33

Namatsu Mai.

rainbow

40:34

Namatsu Mai.

em

40:36

Okay.

rainbow

40:37

So it's Namatsu. It's Namu Mai, nametsu Mai, mm-hmm. Okay, so it's Nametsu, it's Nametsu Mai, and so she actually has quite a bit from the wiki for her personality Two whole paragraphs.

em

40:49

Surprising. I love it though.

rainbow

40:51

And I'm going to read the whole thing because we don't really get a character sheet for her. So Mai is generally very outgoing and cheerful. She is very supportive of her team and won't hesitate to praise them for a good play. She also has a good sense of humor. This is shown when she says nice catch to coach Owake when he caught the ball after his team messed up during a match.

em

41:09

I do love that. I love the way she says it too.

rainbow

41:12

Nice catch. Yes, it's a great moment. Maya appears to have a more blunt side to her personality. She is seen slightly disapproving of the overzealous third years when they constantly show up to spectate the team's matches. In addition, she, along with Owake, is seen having a smug face toward Coach Ukai after her team shows off their immense improvements in their serves. Wow, I think like, yeah, I feel like she like is giving coach, she's giving assistant coach more than manager. It just like feels like her and Owake are like very, are like on the same level, like the way that Takeda and Ukai are. But I don't know, maybe it's that's because there is no assistant coach, so like that's just the only other person there. Moving on to her name, meaning her family name, namatsu, it means smooth harbor. Okay, oh, interesting.

em

42:03

Okay.

rainbow

42:04

And then I just have some trivia for her, because, like she has, she technically has a character sheet, but it's like shared with another player, so it's like missing a lot of the information. We don't even get a current worry or a favorite food. So I think we should make something up.

em

42:17

Can't have too much personality.

rainbow

42:19

Yeah, well, I mean, she just has so much Her, but she's in class 2-4 at Date Tech High School. But she's in class 2-4 at Date Tech High School. Her height is 5'3" or 160.2 centimeters. And then what do you think her current worry is? People keep mistaking her for a coach. Yeah, maybe, and then her favorite food is Mochi Mochi. There we go, all right, and that's it. Do you have anything to add about the assistant?

em

42:52

coach slash manager of Date Tech. Maybe she's gonna be a coach one day I like to think that that's my head.

rainbow

42:55

Canon is that she does go on to coach volleyball someday well, thank you, my.

em

43:01

We love you. Now on to the world's favorite game. It's who in Haikyuu. This week's scenario is brought to us by mb. What big conspiracy theories do they believe in? And I got to remember what conspiracy theories there are out there. You know what? The first one that came to mind is what Birds aren't real. Who would believe that birds are not real?

rainbow

43:20

Yeah, they were created by the government to spy on us.

em

43:22

Yeah.

rainbow

43:23

Yeah.

em

43:25

Here's the thing is I think all of these boys are dumb enough to believe that, and most conspiracy theories, At least the ones we have on our list, and we have Hinata Kageyama, Yachi Tanaka Noya Asahi, Daichi Suga Ukai Takeda Aone Futakuchi Kogane and etc.

rainbow

43:44

Hinata. I feel like it'd be really easy to convince Hinata of things. And here this is like. I think one of the reasons I haven't done this one before is that when it comes to conspiracy theories, I feel like there's this idea that they're all like fun and silly, but now the people who run the american government are the people who believe in a lot of these conspiracy theories.

44:04

And so many conspiracy theories, like, are rooted in anti-semitism. So it's like it is hard because it's like oh, the flat earth thing, but like that leads to anti-semitism. The illuminati thing, the like. There's just so many things where I'm like oh, but I don't really want to put that on any of these boys. So I guess let's think of like, like the moon landing was fake. I don't think that's connected to anti-semitism, although it probably is, because the hollywood thing, oh, my god, I don't know well, we're gonna just pretend like these are all fun and silly and not rooted in hatred and alt-right beliefs yeah, and obviously we don't know about, like, what conspiracy theories people have in japan, so this is going to be very like western american.

44:44

But yeah, um, okay, Hinata, do we think that he thinks the earth is flat like?

em

44:50

I said like I don't, I I could see like kuro, like at the summer camp, being like I'm gonna convince these boys that birds aren't real and the earth is actually flat, and Hinata and Kageyama, I think would buy whatever if the if they trusted the source.

rainbow

45:07

Yeah, yeah, that's the thing I think, if they trusted the source.

em

45:11

I I'm moving on to Yachi. Go ahead. Yachi obviously is a lot smarter, but she's very fearful. I think she'd still be thinking about those clowns that popped up in 2016.

rainbow

45:20

Oh, yeah, the killer clowns that everyone thought was coming from the woods. Yeah, yeah, I think she'd be. I think she'd be like, I think part of her would be like. That's probably not true, but she's always on the lookout for, like, white face paint, you know? Yes, what are we doing?

em

45:34

I'm looking at most popular conspiracy theories. Oh, good call.

rainbow

45:37

Good call, because I truly don't know a ton I think tanaka and Noya both believe that area 51 is real and that we are in contact with aliens and that aliens maybe even like help run the government yeah you know, I think like they were definitely naruto running at area 51 that one summer oh, there's the chemtrail.

em

45:58

One fucking kylie jenner tweeted about that. We're like I don't even know what it is the chemtrails?

rainbow

46:04

oh yeah, it's the idea. So when you see like, so when uh like planes go by and like it creates, like the, uh, like it, just like creates a little cloud behind them.

em

46:13

I know that, I just didn't know what the theory like. What did they think was happening? And I guess they're like poisoning us right yeah, yeah, that's basically it okay, yeah, that one's also.

rainbow

46:23

Uh, not, that's also. It just like. So many of these conspiracy theories I feel like are things Alex Jones has like said, so I don't feel comfortable repeating them. They turn the friggin frogs, gay. I was like reading I can't remember what book it was, but it was talking about like the idea of like conspiracy theories and it's like, well, there are like actual conspiracies, like the United States government conspired to, uh like take down leftist movements in South America and put like dictatorships. Like that is a conspiracy, that was true. And like it's really hard with conspiracy theories where it's just like why are you making it so much more complicated than it is?

em

46:59

Anyway, you have a good one, well so I looked up like the most famous conspiracy theories and I'm on this Wikipedia article and they go through like through, like different, like genres of them and fandom is a genre and there's a whole paragraph about Larry's, which are people who ship Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson from One Direction, and just shipping in general is listed as a conspiracy theory. So who are the shippers? Who thinks Larry's real? First of all, it is, that's not a conspiracy theory. So who are the shippers who thinks larry's real.

rainbow

47:29

First of all, it is. That's not a conspiracy. I have eyeballs, oh my. Well, now I'm just thinking about the john lock conspiracy. I can't believe listeners. Okay, I'm like obsessed with the john lock conspiracy with the. Not that I think that it was real, but I just love that it existed. It's like, you know, like it takes all kinds um, but like, for those of you who don't know, the john lock conspiracy is about the show, the bbc show, sherlock, that you know, the one with um, oh, what's his face?

em

47:54

you know, benedict cumberbatch.

rainbow

47:56

yes, benedict cumberbatch, anyway. So the john lock conspiracy is the idea that, like, sherlock and john watson are like canonically in love and they are together in the show because people, that's a big ship and I totally see it. I shipped them. When I watched that show I didn't think the creators were shipping them because they were like outright saying like no, it's not romantic, like they're not going to end up together.

48:15

But I think it was a big movement, mainly on tumblr but it was this idea that, like they were like no, we know the truth, like the the writers, when they say certain things or they put certain things in the show, that's a secret code for us. They thought there was going to be a secret episode that came out like a secret fourth episode that came out at the end of the last season that would reveal that they were in love. It was like a huge deal. Look it up. There's like podcasts about it. I think it's such an interesting idea.

48:44

Um, I just I love that like fandom can go to that place. Um, like it's just because I could like see myself at like a different time in my life, or if I was like like a slightly different person, I could see myself like believing in that kind of stuff. So, anyway, from this list, who do we think believed in the John Locke conspiracy? I think it was Suga. Yeah, but yeah, go look it up. Um, and, and you know, just for anyone out there like listen, I know, I say like oh, I would totally believe that Fruitate is trying to like make a romantic story with this, but I think the difference is like I also know that like that's probably not the case and like I can't like know that for sure, because I don't exist inside that person's head. And like that hasn't been confirmed, would I be surprised if it came out? No, of course not. I would not be surprised, but I'm also not holding my breath. I don't think there's going to be a secret manga panel released yeah, that's gonna reveal it all.

em

49:36

We're grounded in reality, but I think futakushi would convince Kogane that birds aren't real. Agreed, I could see aone being like surprisingly into one of them I think to me he's giving like the moon landing was fake. Yeah.

rainbow

49:50

That's what he's giving.

em

49:51

I think Takeda is too learned to be big into conspiracy theories.

rainbow

49:56

No, I agree, I think he'd like he'd really logic him his way out of that, although I think it would be fun if there was like one that he really like I could see him being like. I mean, I think aliens are probably real. I don't think they're like in New Mexico. Um, I think Ukai would not necessarily like believe in a conspiracy theory, but he would like hear like rumors of something and like assume it to be true and then like go from there and then talk to us like oh no, no, honey, the world is not shaped like a cylinder. Yeah, um, that kind of thing.

50:27

Speaking of, I talked to somebody once who was definitely a flat well, not a flat earther. They just didn't believe that the earth was a globe and they thought it was like flat, with like a dome over it, which I guess is a flat earth theory. And I was like okay, but we like we've gone to space and we've taken pictures, like we've sent satellites. It's just. It just doesn't make any sense. I also do love there's like one like it's like a Facebook post from like a flat earthers group and it's like we know that there are flat earthers all across the globe.

em

50:54

Yeah, oh, yeah the globe.

rainbow

50:56

Oh, oh, so you agree, gotcha? Yeah, I'm trying to think I don't know if Asahi would really, I think he'd be really afraid of things that he hears from. Like I feel, I feel like Noya probably believes all the conspiracy theories and tells Noya, or tells Asahi all of them, and Asahi's like that can't be true. And then he's running to Daichi and he's like Daichi, is this true? And Daichi's like no, it's not true. And Suga's like except the moon landing, all right, anyone else no. I mean, I do think that Kuro doesn't necessarily believe in them, but I do think he tries to convince other people, especially Lev. Oh yeah, that they're true.

51:35

Yeah, I'm trying to think if there's any like fun, whimsical ones that don't lead back to something being harmful. But well, here's the thing is, at the end of the day, like humans aren't that good at keeping secrets. Like the CIA stuff happened like 50 years ago and we like know all about it now because a bunch of stuff was declassified. Like I just the idea that like, if you think there is like a especially conspiracy theories that have supposedly been going on for like centuries, it's like no, somebody would have blabbed, somebody would have told their mistress, who would have gotten pissed because they didn't leave their husband and then gone to the news and like thing. You know, it's just like people are actually not as competent as these conspiracy theories make them out to be, and that is the one thing that I hold on to for comfort. Yeah, the incompetence of man.

em

52:15

All right. Well, moving on from that, are birds real? All right. So you okay, I didn't have a good jump off for socials. All right, you okay, I don't have a good jump off for socials. All right, so you can catch us on twitter, instagram, tumblr and blue sky at fly hq pod. That's fly hq pod. You can also email us at fly hq pod at gmailcom fly hq pod at gmailcom. And now it's time for. And now it's time for. We're in the summit of the spoiler zone?

rainbow

52:54

Are mountains real or were they created by the?

em

52:57

government Mountains aren't real.

rainbow

52:59

No, everybody hear it, mountains aren't real. Everyone who thinks they've climbed Mount Everest, it was a simulation. Anyway, that's a conspiracy that we're living in a simulation, true? Is that a conspiracy or is it just a theory? Anyway, moving on, um, yeah, so I just wanted to talk about kind of like the foreshadowing of this episode.

53:19

Like a lot of what we're seeing here will be relevant in a few episodes, including like Noya receiving overhand and doing the finger push-ups as punishment. I think he does that against Atsumu. I'm really excited to get to that part. We don't talk enough about how you can totally ship Atsumu and Noya, but it's there. But also like Kinoshita is talking about, like thinking about how cool Noya is, and I think that's something that I struggle with a little bit with the NPC thing is like Kinoshita like kind of gets an episode the way Ennoshita does, but it's not quite the same, and then it's just Narita who gets nothing, literally nothing, like I don't even think he gets anything in. Like the Kamo uh, kamo Meidai match, like I don't know it's. It's just makes me sad. Justice for Narita, y'all.

54:01

Um, but then also like Hinata wanting to work on receives, like thinking about how he needs to be receiving more, and he can't like practice receives and spikes at the same time, and we even see so at one point. Tanaka does a spike at the very end of the episode during their like individual training. He does a spike that Noya receives um and Noya like rolls backwards um, which again is something that we see Hina to do later on. Very true, you're clock. There's just a lot going on here, man, it's a rich, rich text. Nice, all right. Well, that's all I have. Do you have anything for the spoiler zone?

em

54:35

It's a short visit to the spoiler zone. Let's get back downstairs. Let's get back down off the mountain and have a hot cup of cocoa, because I'm cold.

rainbow

54:42

That fake mountain.

em

54:45

Is it true? Find out next time and until then, fly high, unless you're a bird and you're not real.