Haikyuu!!: Karasuno Vs. Inarizaki Ends with Overdue Redemption

The epic showdown between Karasuno and Inarizaki just ended in typical Haikyuu!! fashion. In Episode 24 of Season 4, both teams went beyond 25 points in the final set, but it's Karasuno who earns the decisive win -- calling back to previous seasons to highlight just how far the team has come. Kageyama and Hinata, meanwhile, score the final point with a block to deny the Miya Twins' quick, a scene that draws many parallels to the end of Season 1, in which Aoba Johsai did the same to Karasuno.

When Karasuno started the volleyball season, their most impactful weapon was the freak quick from Hinata and Kageyama. Hinata believed that with the speed of the freak quick he could get “the view from the summit” past the towering blockers. Hinata thought he could use this weapon to make up for his height, though it was more than just his stature that was lacking.

For Kageyama, the weapon was the perfect way for Hinata to show off his skill and ensure he’d always have some to spike his sets. By mastering the quick, Kageyama achieved a way to be valued by his team and better utilized. Both Hinata and Kageyama did just that, putting a massive amount of trust in the technique. The reliance would be their downfall at the end of Season 1 against Aoba Johsai. Speed is not invincible, especially once teams pick up on the timing. That sent Karasuno back to the drawing board and led Kageyama and Hinata to find new ways to make the quick work.

While they eventually beat Aoba Johsai and redeemed themselves for cruising with speed and nothing else, they never fully redeemed themselves for trusting its power to fix all their problems, that is until now.

The final rally against Inarizaki sees Karasuno picks up the pace at an alarming rate in order to try to score. They have to end the match and they have to do it now. But this results in tunnel vision and sloppy play, which is just like the early freak quick: a tunnel-visioned play without many options and completely unrefined. It’s Hinata who refreshes the air before Karasuno dooms itself with a first touch that sends the ball so high up, his teammates are forced to breathe and think for a second.

Karasuno goes on the offensive, and Inarizaki responds with a block. Kageyama stops it before the ball hits the ground, but inadvertently sends it out of bounds where Tsuki gets a touch... but not enough. In comes Daichi, who returns it. The Miya Twins, desperate for a point, set up for their own quick. It seems no one from Karasuno can get back to the line, but it's Kageyama and Hinata with a perfect read and perfect block to score.

This is huge for Karasuno going forward. Not only have they advanced and sent Inarizaki home, but they have strengthened their defensive capabilities throughout this game. Kageyama and Hinata know the timing of the quick to an expert level, which is why they were able to stop it physically. But everything they learned over Haikyuu’s series culminated in the execution of the block. They know how appealing and stylish it is, and they know how easy it is to rely on. In a way, they beat their former selves. Atsumu’s inner monologue is exactly the same as Kageyama’s when Aoba Johsai delivered their earth-shattering block.

This episode of Haikyuu!!: To The Top demonstrates that since then, Kageyama has learned to properly communicate to establish trust and equal partnership. Hinata has proven that he can do more than just spike, and wants to do more than that to be valuable. The block is a symbol of that growth. Karasuno now goes into a match with Nekoma, the team that probably knows them the best. However, Nekoma isn’t used to seeing this side of Karasuno, and how much The Crows have changed could surprise them.