Haikyu!! Episode 11 Recap – “Decision”

One more training episode before Nekoma…

Haikyu!! Episode 11 Recap – “Decision”

I don’t mind having another training episode to be honest. It allows for more character moments and also for more great comedic moments. It’s four more days until the practice match against Nekoma. During that time, Ukai is running training camp to improve the team’s deficiencies. If nothing else, they do seem to be getting better at receiving. We’ll see how much next episode.

The advisor Takeda asks Ukai if he is worried about picking the starting lineups. Ukai is undecided about one specific position – the setter. Kageyama has the talent, but Sugawara has the experience and a rapport with the ace Asahi. However Kageyama has enough talent to surpass that experience very quickly. Ukai can sympathize with Sugawara on being a benchwarmer in his senior year, but knows that he can’t base his decision on a player’s feelings.

The starting lineup for the match against Nekoma

This is happening while the rest of the team is out on a run, where Hinata immediately gets separated from the rest of the pack. It’s there he runs into another volleyball player, Kozume Kenma, a setter. He’s from the Nekoma High School club – they don’t tell us this until later in the episode, but come on. They even have a cat sitting beside him and he looks like a cat. Kenma is a bit odd; he doesn’t really play for fun and plans to quit once high school is over. He doesn’t hate volleyball particularly, he just doesn’t like getting tired. He’s called away by his captain, and promises to see Hinata soon.

Now heading back to meet up with the rest of the team alongside Sugawara, Hinata expresses his annoyance at being treated as a set with Kageyama and not as an individual. He wants to stand out on the court with his own merit as well. This prompts Sugawara into approaching Ukai that night. He acknowledges that he’s not the starting setter, but he’s not going to give up, and will look for any chance to contribute. Even if Kageyama may deserve the position more than him. He wants to be a part of the team before he moves on past high school, along with Sawamura and Azumane who are also in their final year. Both of them are listening in, and promise silently to do their best as well.

Kozume Kenma, setter for Nekoma

Unfortunately Sugawara isn’t in the starting lineup. (See picture for starting lineup). Ennoshita and some of the other cuts tell Hinata and Kageyama that even though they aren’t starters they don’t want to be left in the dust either. I have a feeling they might become more important once the third years move on.

Their uniforms arrive and Hinata gets no.10 by coincidence. It’s the number the Little Giant wore when he went to the Nationals. I love how it’s by pure coincidence :P! Last thing we learn before the episode closes is a quick read on Nekoma’s team. They don’t have any standouts, but they are steady and keep the ball in play until an opportunity arises. Next episode: the match against Nekoma begins! I can’t wait!