Hinata Shoyo may be small, but he has big dreams. He wants to conquer the volleyball world, defeat his opponents, and play with the best players as much as possible. He joins Karasuno in the hopes of becoming the next Little Giant, but does Hinata become an ace in Haikyuu?
Haruichi Furudate's volleyball-themed manga series concluded in 2020. But the anime adaptation of Haikyuu will continue with a two-part film covering the final arcs of the sports manga.
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Hinata’s Obsession to Become an Ace Explained
Hinata's desire to become an ace began when he was young, most likely in his first year of middle school.
He passed by an electronics store and came across a flat-screen TV showing Karasuno's fight in the Spring Tournament, which had a large crowd. Karasuno was a powerhouse at the time, led by its ace, the so-called "Little Giant."
Hinata was drawn to the sight of the Little Giant making a name for himself in the spring tournament.
They are both short, but the Little Giant is able to stand up to tall opponents. He was also a strong ace who could rack up scores one after the other.
This inspired Hinata to do the same, and he has since found his life's calling. He was able to personally relate to the Little Giant, better known as Tenma Udai.
But unlike Hinata, who chose to pursue his volleyball career, Tenma chose to pursue a career as a manga artist instead.
Fast forward: Hinata joins Karasuno to accomplish what the Little Giant did for the team.
In front of Karasuno's captain Daichi, vice-captain Sugawara, and the hot-headed baldy Tanaka, he declared his intention to become an ace.
Asahi Azumane was Karasuno's ace at the time. Asahi, unlike Hinata, has the build and power of an ace.
This is why Hinata is frequently envious of Asahi, who possesses everything Hinata lacks as a short player.
But Kageyama has a different point of view, and he wanted Hinata to be reminded of it all the time.
Kageyama believes that Hinata does not need to be an ace to help the team win and that the ace's score has the same value as Hinata's own score.
Fortunately, Hinata understood Kageyama's reasoning, and he agreed to serve as Karasuno's best decoy whenever possible.
But this doesn’t mean that Hinata has given up on his dream of becoming an ace.
In fact, Hinata idolizes many powerful ace players, particularly Fukurodani's Bokuto and Shiratorizawa's Ushijima (though he always denies it).
READ MORE: Who Ends Up Together in Haikyuu?
Does Hinata Become an Ace Pre-Timeskip?
Unfortunately, Hinata never became an ace in Karasuno, even after the third-year players graduated.
Instead, Tanaka became the ace during Hinata and Kageyama’s second year, given his position and powerful attacks as expected.
In his senior year, it is implied that Hinata lost the title of ace to a new player, as indicated by the number on his uniform.
It doesn’t mean that Hinata lacks the ability and skills to become an ace. He is more than capable of becoming Karasuno’s ace; it’s just that Haikyuu has a different treatment for the title.
The title of ace is often given to the wing spikers, such as Asahi and Tanaka, and not the player who can get the highest number of scores or the player who can change the pace of the game.
Despite this, Hinata continued to flourish as a volleyball player. His dreams are much bigger now and are not limited to the title of ace. He understands how the world works, especially in volleyball.
Does Hinata Become an Ace Post-Timeskip?
No, Hinata also failed to become an ace post-timeskip in Haikyuu. We assume he has long since moved on from this dream and that it no longer bothers him.
He simply wants to keep playing volleyball, reach new heights, improve as a player, and experience everything the sport has to offer, even if he does not have the title of ace.
Following the timeskip, Hinata decided to pursue beach volleyball in Rio in the hopes of improving and eventually defeating Kageyama.
Unlike Kageyama, Hinata had to seek out more opportunities to play because he isn't quite at Kageyama's level, where sports associations are eager to scout and recruit him.
In his career, Hinata was able to accomplish his dream of becoming a successful volleyball player despite his height.
He did not give up in the face of adversity, which makes him one of the best characters in a sports anime that has well-written character development and progression.
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