When “Haikyuu!!” season 1 ended, there was a lot of excitement from fans, old and new alike, for the next season. Haikyuu!! Season 1 leaves a bittersweet feeling in the hearts of many fans, ending with a loss, but promising a far higher peak of success further on.

While season 1 may have ended in a loss for our beloved Crows, this is far from the end. The Volleyball Inter-high may have ended for Karasuno’s volleyball team, but there’s still the spring tournament to look forward to. But first, the team needs to practice harder, and develop new skills to rise past their failure. The team also gets a new assistant manager, Yachi Hitoka.

Season 2, presents an engaging storyline, with the first half showing us how hard everyone is working to get a better chance at winning the spring tournament. Yamaguchi starts to hone his new serve. Hinata begins to try to hit the ball with his eyes open. Kageyama changes his sets to a harder, but far more advantageous set. Tsukishima works on blocking, taking advantage of his height and observation skills. The rest of the team strengthens their on court teamwork, working on a synchronized attack, which lets every available player run to the ball at the same time in order to confuse their opponent. The second half of the season shows us the fruits of their labor while playing against stronger inter-school volleyball teams.

Karasuno also highlighted the importance of camaraderie among their team and other competing school teams. For example, when Yamaguchi fails at first to utilize his new skill due to nervousness, the team doesn’t berate him, nor do they shun him. Instead, they tell him to cheer up, and they encourage him to try again, and lo and behold, he manages to cinch 5 consecutive points the next time he’s on the field. Another good example of camaraderie is the training camp held by Nekoma High in Tokyo. Although there are several different teams present, from Fukurodani, to Karasuno, to Nekoma, and many other teams, they all work together to improve each other, going so far as to coach members of other teams. In one such scenario, Hinata is taught by Bokuto of Fukurodani how to perform a feint to trick the opposing team. In another such scenario, both Bokuto and Kuroo of Nekoma teach Tsukishima how to properly block, as well as predict where the ball will go and when to jump.

Season 3 is even more thrilling than season 2. After winning against the opponents that snatched victory away from them in Season 1, Karasuno’s volleyball team must face off against Shiratorizawa’s volleyball team, and their powerful cannon of a player, Ushijima Wakatoshi. Ushijima is left-handed, which is a very big advantage in the world of volleyball. In this season, all of the things that the team has done to improve pay off. After a long, hard, and close battle, they win the spring tournament, successfully securing their spot in the Nationals. Here, we even see the culmination of one of the greatest character arcs in the show.

I mentioned in the review of the first season that character arcs are given ample time to develop, and there are no better examples than Seasons 2 and 3. One of my personal favorites is Tsukishima’s character arc. In season 1, our first impression of Tsukishima is a mean, almost bully-like character. However, Season 2 actually shows us the reason Tsukishima feels impartial to volleyball, and it shows us how Tsukishima began bonding with other players. Season 3 shows his character arc coming to a head.

All throughout Seasons 1 and 2, all of the other characters, both minor and major, have criticized Tsuki for being cold and too “ordinary” compared to the others. However, the latter half of season 2 showed Tsuki starting to try harder, using his smarts to predict the opponent’s plays and becoming a fully committed blocker. In this season, we see one of his most triumphant moments. He managed to successfully bait, and block, Ushijima’s killer spike, when basically no one else could. I, personally, still go back to that moment to watch his triumph, and it gives me goosebumps every single time.

Seasons 2 and 3 tell a story of sowing and reaping, of growth and eventual success. From personal development to team development, the show handles all of it spectacularly. I love the characters in this anime because they actually change in front of our very eyes, pulling their own weight while doing their best to raise up the others, even if they are from different teams. Rivalries are present, yes, but these rivalries are healthy ones. In this anime, there is no hostility, nor is there any blatant hatred. There are only friendly rivalries and competitions; no sabotage, no scheming, no backstabbing. In all, Seasons 2 and 3 of Haikyuu!! show us character arcs, friendships, healthy rivalries, and so much more that make so many fans fall in love with it every day.