Top 10 Most Beloved Haikyuu!! Characters

Haikyuu!! is becoming one of the most popular multi-media franchise in Japan with a very popular Manga and Anime and a lot of merchandising behind it. One of the biggest reasons for this is no doubt the large cast of loveable characters, who are great athletes and great looking (As well as the wonderful managers!). There's so many of them that we wanted to show you our Top 10.


10. Bokuto Kotaro

Bokuto is so goofy it's hard not to find him immediately loveable. Though he's Fukurodani's ace and captain he can have such a silly and childlike demeanor at times it's disarming despite his immense talent. Bokuto is known for his mood-swings depending on how things go on the court, and can become a little depressed if things aren't going his way.

This makes him seem even more like a fluffy puppy you need to cheer up (Akashi's job, basically), but his energetic and boasting demeanor usually boosts the spirits of his team. He's a powerful spiker, among the top 5 in the whole nation and is a raw force on the court, much to Bokuto and his team's delight.


9. Daichi Sawamura

Daichi is the rock-steady captain of Karasuno, and although he initially looks rather standard as a player, Daichi is an absolutely integral part of the team. Defensively he's second only to Nishinoya, and his ability to receive the attacks of opponent's are an anchor to his team, often setting up Hinata and Kageyama's quick, or an attack from Ryuunoske Tanaka or Asahi. But beyond his defensive acumen, his leadership abilities as a captain are his primary weapon.

Daichi's character design itself oozes leadership. His everyman look and his sure eyes and face are easy to put your confidence in. Daichi is friendly and always has a smile on his face but step out of line and he can get really scary. This carrot and stick approach help make him such a great leader. Definitely a guy you can take home to your parents!


8. Azumane Asahi

I kind of have a crush on Asahi, so this may be a little biased, but I feel Asahi is one of the most underrated characters in the entire series. Asahi was devastated with Karasuno's lost to Date Tech, and felt that he failed the teammates who put their trust in him. He's big and strong, but he also is very deep-feeling and sensitive. Asahi is a gentle-giant type, so when he felt he wasn't able to contribute it hurt him very much.

However, his teammates wanted him to come back, because Asahi is still a skilled, dangerous player. He has tremendous strength and is still an effective wing-spiker, and carries the mantle of Karasuno's ace well. Asahi is one of the offensive threats, along with Tanaka and Hinata, that make Karasuno so dangerous. He's also such a great looking character, his long hair and multiple hair styles give off the vibe of a guy who's not afraid to be a little different who's also pretty mature. I think that if people look deeply they can all find a little bit more to love about Asahi.***


7. Kozume Kenma

Kenma really appeals to me as kind of an outcast and loner type character who had trouble fitting in, but thankfully has found a home and friends in Volleyball. Since Kenma is uneasy around other people but wants people to like him, he became very aware of their tics and mannerisms which leads to his skills as a setter.

Kenma may not be physically exceptional, but he has an ability to read and react to the play that's second to no other, and can notice the opponent's strengths and weaknesses exceptionally well. Kenma is a cutie that's easy to root for, and we're glad that Tetsuro Kuro was always around to get him to play volleyball. Plus, I love his budding friendship with Hinata.


6. Koshi Sugawara

Sugawara got sort of waylaid by Kageyama, whose natural and explosive abilities as a setter trumped Sugawara's experience. But his personality and poise kept him in the fight for Karasuno and this is part of what makes him so great. He may not have absurd talent but he is smart and experienced, and has the faith and loyalty of his teammates, always giving them a boost in morale.

His ability to recognize strategies and think of counter attacks also always proves him useful to the team. Sugawara is a beautiful guy with a beautiful personality and his veteran presence is a great asset to Karasuno.



5. Oikawa Toru

Oikawa, the seems like he always has a legion of girls screaming his name and it's easy to see why. He seems like a love interest out of a Shoujo manga at times. First off his Volleyball acumen is incredible and he is likely the strongest setter we've seen so far in the animen (although Kageyama might eclipse him in the future, the age gap as present makes Oikawa the real king of the court), making him the beating heart of Seijoh. He's supreme at reading the abilities of both his teammates and his opponents, as well as making tactical adjustments based on the situations at hand.

Finally, he has a dominant sere that can take control of games. Oikawa also has a personality that's hard not to love, he can be charming, flirtatious and even smug but he backs it up with an intelligence and understanding that give him maturity beyond his years. He's prime boyfriend material for any of the girls at Seijoh.


4. Tsukishima Kei

Tsukki can feel like kind of a jerk at first, and throughout the series he does get a kick out of getting on Kageyama or Hinata's nerves. But when you think of Karasuno's exceptional first years, you should also think of Tsukki and not just Hinata and Kageyama. His height isn't his only asset, as he is a key part of Karasuno's blocking unit and develops into an exceptional blocker over the course of the series. As time goes on you begin to see why Tsukki has the personality he has. His coldness, distance and apparent disinterest is a result of him getting burned in the past.

However, Tsukki finds out for himself that Volleyball is important to him, and it's also somewhere he can be with his childhood friend Tadashi Yamaguchi. Tsukki is sort of the guy version of an Ice-queen, who it'd be fun to see melt by someone he was interested in!


3. Hinata Shoyo

Hinata is the driving force behind the storyline of Haikyuu. He was enamored by the little who, despite his slight stature was dominating the volleyball courts and leading Karasuno to national level competition. Hinata is gifted with a natural athleticism that he hones with constant hard work and practice. He's able to make up for his short size with his jumps, and his quickness makes him an incredible spiker.

Hinata is, as a first year, competing with guys much older than him, who are the best of the best among third years, and Hinata is standing his ground. He has the ability to become, along with Kageyama, truly transcendent talents in volleyball. He's also completely adorable, he's fiery and cheerful and lives for the sport. He's also just a nice guy and easily befriends Kenma as well as the regularly quiet zone from Date Tech. Hinata is the adorable, enviable center of Haikyuu that keeps us coming back and back again to the series!


2. Tobio Kageyama

Kageyama at times feels like he has a one track mind. He lives, eats and breathes volleyball. He was such a prodigy that the extent of his abilities at a setter basically made him unable to work with in Junior High school, where his teammates simply couldn't connect with ridiculously quick and accurate set's. His ability, matched with Hinata's has a destiny to be a dominant force in Japanese volleyball to come and could restore Karasuno to glory.

Kageyama has come a long way from his original personality, and has learned to be more respectful and match his abilities to the strength of his team. He still is quick to anger and temperamental when it comes to Hinata, he is kind of a Tsundere around Shoyo to be quite honest. But no doubt Hinata's skill and talent are a big part of what makes Tobio such a good fit for Karasuno.


1. Nishinoya Yuu

The Guardian Deity of Karasuno, the rolling thunder phenom himself Nishinoya Yuu! Loud, brash, bold and a little ridiculous sometimes Nishinoya is the rock of Karasuno high school. As a Libero his defensive abilities and superb receiving abilities are fundamental to the team's success.

He boasts insane reactions speeds and his superb athleticism and agility make it a difficult task to score against him. His acrobatic receives give such a boost to his team's morale and can often change the complexion and momentum of a game. Nishinoya is a huge part of the Karasuno spirit and I adore his relationship with Asahi.


There are so many loveable characters in Haikyuu!! I still feel bad about leaving some of them out. I wish I had space for Lev Haiba, Iwaizumi Hajime, Kuro Tetsuro, Tadashi Yamaguchi and Ryunosuke Tanaka just to name a few!

I also would love to give a shout out to the wonderful Karasuno Managers Kiyoko Shimizu and Hitoka Yachi (Saeko Tanaka also gets a mention!) If there's any other character in Haikyuu!! you love let us know in the comments below and let us know how you feel about the list!

Thanks for reading!

haikyuu-dvd-Bokuto-300x428 Top 10 Most Beloved Haikyuu!! Characters

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Author: CJL

Long Islander who loves anime. Interested in politics, philosophy and also a huge fan of sports and video games. Just about any series can get me going if it’s done well. From cute girls doing cute things shows, to gritty-action or space-opera or mecha series. Comment on my articles, let’s get a conversation going.

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