The beauty of sports is aptly captured by the anime Haikyuu!! The anime features an under-dog volleyball team — Karasuno High, as it starts gaining momentum as a powerful team.
The anime focuses on themes of talent, workmanship, teamwork, and mental growth through the characters. It does not solely focus on the journey of Hinata Shoyo and Kageyama Tobio honing their temperaments and skill.
Still, it features various other hard-working and talented players that provide a challenge. Take a look at the strongest players in Haikyuu.
Disclaimer: We believe that it would be unfair to judge all characters by the same standard as the different positions in volleyball require mastery of different skills — mental and physical.
This list is based on those who are likely to bring victory to their teams. For a more accurate and detailed list, you may refer to our other articles on Haikyuu — Top 10 Wing Spikers, Top 10 Setters and Top 10 Libero.
10Kenma Kozume
Kenma Kozume is the setter for Nekoma High. Despite his average ability and stamina, Kenma holds the title of one of the strongest players due to his intelligence. He is ardent proof of the fact that volleyball does not only test the physical abilities of a player.
Kenma, known as the “Brain,” devises some of the most intricate strategic plans that can break the opposing team’s spirit. His keen observational skills help counter the opposing team’s strategies, players, and team dynamics.
As a setter, Kenma is a decent player, but he serves as the mastermind behind Nekoma’s offensive counterattack.
9Tetsuro Kuroo
Tetsuro Kuroo is the captain and middle blocker of Nekoma High. Kuroo is an expert at coordinating his blocks with timing and by reading the spiker.
This makes his blocking an impregnable defense that pressurizes his opponents. Kuroo jumps at vertexes when the ball is spiked downwards, allowing him to block spikes from taller and stronger opponents.
Tetsuro possesses exceptional speed, technique, and game sense, and is an all-rounder player that contributes to Nekoma’s offense and defense.
8Korai Hoshiumi
Korai Hoshiumi is a wing spiker at Kamomedai High. His short and lean body build attributes to strengths similar to Hinata, such as high-level stamina, extreme agility, and flawless jumping power.
Yet, he differs from Hinata due to his vast volleyball experience. Hoshiumi is an excellent all-round player who provides great offensive attacks and stable defense for his team.
He performs accurate and powerful spikes but is fluent in strategic techniques such as feints, crosses, wipes, and straight spikes. Hoshiumi’s jump serves to have extreme power and accuracy and are to be looked out for.
7Kiyoomi Saksua
Kiyoomi Sakusa was Itachiyama Academy’s ace spiker and was #1 among the top three aces within the country in his High School days. Sakusa’s flexible wrists allow him to manipulate the ball with extreme precision.
He is able to perform accurate shots with controlled snaps but can serve a dangerous spin serve when required. His swift and powerful spikes are quick to penetrate even exceptional blockers. He has a great game sense, which helps him strategize calmly and analytically.
6Koutaro Bokuto
Koutaro Bokuto is the captain, ace, and wing spiker of Fukurodani Academy. He was one of the top five aces in the country. Bokuto specializes in cross spikes and straight spikes to the point that they’re almost untouchable by his opponents.
He is extremely skilled at performing feints and wipes. He holds a good sense of the game and the ball, allowing him to execute insane cut shots through blockers.
Bokuto’s unwavering spirit creates a rock-solid foundation for the team. Kuroo claims that he performs at the same level as the top-tier aces when he’s serious.
5Toru Oikawa
Toru Oikawa is the captain and setter of Aoba Johsai High. Oikawa has mastered the jump serve with acute accuracy and power and is unmatched.
His greatest strength lies in his natural athleticism, powerful serves, accurate aims, excellent strategic sense, and charismatic spirit. Oikawa is able to bring out 100% of his teammates and exploit the opponents’ weaknesses to break them.
As a setter, he can cater to his teammates’ needs, which is an excellent mark of intuitive intelligence. Oikawa can channel his strengths and solidify the entire team.
4Atsumu Miya
Atsumu Miya is the setter of Inarizaki High School and holds the title of the “best high school setter” in Japan. Miya proves this with his perceptive and excellent setter skills that accentuates the ability of the spiker.
He can tweak and improve the sets with accuracy, which makes spiking easier for the team. Miya’s skills stand almost equal to Kageyama.
His adaptability and speed allowed him to execute the quick attack — being the only person to pull it off. He acts as a service ace with his mastery over jump and float serves.
3Wakatoshi Ushijima
Wakatoshi Ushijima is the captain and ace of Shiratorizawa Academy. He holds the position of one of the top three aces in the country.
His sheer strength powers his spikes and serves to the point that his opponents are unable to receive or block it. He also has an advantage as a left-handed person.
Due to his excellent physical condition, Ushijima has high endurance abilities as he can increase power even after five sets. He makes powerful jumps and a strong jump serve.
2Shoyo Hinata
Shoyo Hinata is a middle blocker at Karasuno High. He has explosive energy that powers his excellent jumping skills and great agility.
Hinata’s strength lies in his mobility and a vast inventory of skills. He acts as the ‘greatest decoy’ for the team. The more he strengthens his skills, the more opportunities he gives his spikers to score.
Hinata’s quick reflexes allowed him to execute the quick attack that gained Karasuno High a lot of points. After his training in Brazil, Hinata can jump serve, receive, and set at a professional level.
1Tobio Kageyama
Tobio Kageyama is hailed as the “King in the Court” or a genius setter. He is the setter for Karasuno High. Kageyama holds excellent technical and analytical skills, where he is able to pinpoint the trajectory of the ball he sets accurately.
His analytical skills allow him to analyze the placement of the court and manipulate it to his advantage. Like a true setter, he alters his set according to the spiker’s needs and abilities.
This allowed him to create the renowned Quick Attack with Hinata, who was relatively inexperienced. He performs a calculated and accurate jump serve as well.
HONORARY MENTIONS
The list is updated according to the manga and purely features those players who are currently participating at the high school level.
There are two volleyball players that would have made it to the list as they had a lot to offer during their games at the high school level. They were left out as they were graduates who either left volleyball or are playing at a higher level.
The honorary mentions include libero Yu Nishinoya from Karasuno High and libero Motoya Kamori from Itachiyama Academy.
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