Have you seen “Haikyu!!: The Dumpster Battle” yet, or are you planning to watch it on the big screen soon? Are you excited to see Karasuno and Nekoma clash in a game with no rematch?
The WeirdKaya Team was fortunate enough to attend a special screening hosted by GSC, giving us an early glimpse of the movie!
So, was it good? Was it bad? We’ll discuss it without revealing any spoilers!
Exceptional animation quality
I must highlight the outstanding animation in this film right off the bat.
As a devoted Haikyu fan, I naturally rewatched all four seasons and the OVAs before heading to the theatre.
Haikyu has consistently delivered top-notch animation—beautiful graphics, meticulous details, and fluid motion. The only exception was the start of Season 4, which saw improvements once the national spring tournament began.
But, trust me when I say the action scenes in this film will astonish you with their next-level animation and sound design!
The volleyball match between Karasuno and Nekoma was incredibly dynamic and vibrant. Each spike and receive was packed with impact and speed, making you feel as if you were in a war zone. The rallies were so intense that I felt a void when they ended.
A standout moment was a continuous shot from a player’s point of view, offering a fully immersive experience of the intense match.
Balls flew at full speed, players reacted amidst chaos and shouts—everything was happening at once.
For me, that single shot alone was worth the price of admission!
While the budget might make this seem expected, I genuinely enjoyed the action scenes and would definitely watch them again.
Will Haikyu fans enjoy it?
There’s a divide between manga readers and anime-only fans, each potentially viewing this film differently.
For manga readers, concerns about the film’s length, which is 1 hour and 25 minutes, were voiced even before its release.
To put it in perspective, the film covers more than 30 manga chapters, with a screen time equivalent to four episodes of Haikyu, while Season 3’s battle against Shiratorizawa spanned 10 episodes covering about 40 manga chapters.
As an anime fan, I can’t speak for manga readers, but I believe the film handled its pacing well, incorporating essential character backstories and paying enough homage to memorable Haikyu moments.
However, it did feel like the team was pushing to fit all the character moments into one movie, which at times felt rushed.
In my view, they managed to maintain the emotional depth despite the fast pace, but some fans might still looking forward to more character moments from the movie.
Is it worth it?
To summarize, the movie boasts excellent action scenes and a decent exploration of the characters’ backgrounds.
It captures the intensity of the match and includes enough callbacks and inside jokes to delight any Haikyu fan.
While it covers a fair amount of character development, it doesn’t delve as deeply as other major matches that span more episodes.
I sincerely believe that if you go into the cinema with the right expectations, Haikyu fans will still love it, and casual viewers can admire the animation.
So, don’t miss out! The film starts showing at GSC cinemas beginning tomorrow, May 16th. Grab your ticket and join Hinata and Kenma in The Dumpster Battle!
