Haikyuu s3 ep12:

Can we talk about this moment here? It was very small and very quiet. Hinata bows to Hoshiumi because he'd just heard Hoshiumi say to the reporter what he'd always wanted to be told: "Even if you're small, it doesn't make you completely helpless." (contd.)

What's important is that Hinata is already bowing before Hoshiumi turns to see him. Hinata didn't necessarily care if Hoshi saw him, he was just showing respect to this other small teenage boy who'd just been called a 'little giant,' the title Hinata has coveted for years.

Hinata's growth during the ball boy arc is more than just athletic mindfulness and foresight on the court. He is also becoming more mindful of the players around him, and how much more he needs to grow to catch up to them.

Earlier in this very same episode, the third years tell the visiting ex-Karasuno captains that Hinata picked a fight with Ushijima, reminding us how, just like a typical shonen protagonist, Hinata will boldly declare to someone's face that he's going to defeat them.

But then, he doesn't.

He didn't immediately defeat 'Grand King' Oikawa and Aoba Johsai. He didn't easily overcome the Iron Wall of Date Tech. He and the rest of Karasuno barely slipped a win by Shirtorizawa. They have known failure and defeat themselves, which makes them hungrier for victory.

Hinata most of all. More than anyone, except maybe Kageyama, he wants to stay on the court the longest. He wants to become strong.

But then he faced absolute humiliation, and was basically demoted to less than worthless by Washijou in front of Tsukishima and other first years.

Hinata was /humbled/.

For a week, he felt like he was repeatedly getting kicked into the dirt every time he had to act as Washijou's ball boy. He was in pain because he wanted nothing more than to play. And meanwhile, his partner/rival Kageyama is at the All Youth team playing +

with other incredible players and teams. Hinata was crushed.

And suddenly there's a shift.

His attitude is quieter, more observant. He's still bright and loud, of course he is, he always will be. But I'm reminded of Daichi describing Nishinoya when he was first introduced:

"He's a loud guy. Yet when he plays he gets surprisingly...quiet."

The ability to focus and connect plays is what Hinata learns from his time as a ball boy. From that, he learns to observe people around him. Focus, connect. Hinata sees another shorter player, like him, saying a small body is still a valuable body on the court, and he listens.

Moved and filled, not with resentment or fear or envy, but admiration and respect, Hinata gives a little bow to the back of this small giant, the back of an ace, which is compared to Bokuto's large and strong back in this episode, and to the ace T-shirt Hinata had just bought.

Then Hinata turns and leaves. He doesn't expect anything from Hoshiumi, or declare he will defeat Hoshi and his team. He bows, quietly, reverently, because he knows it's not that easy anymore, in fact it never was that easy. It's about focusing on what he can do to win and +

connecting the plays, connecting with people, who will help him get to victory. This, too, is volleyball. This, too, is how we live.

But Hoshiumi does turn, and he does see Hinata. And I like to think that right then is when their rivalry began.

Hoshiumi understands how his words must affect Hinata. He wants everyone to be "freaked out" by a smaller player being so good. Instead, this teammate of the genius setter Kageyama Tobio from the All Youth Camp is bowing to him, gratefully, respectfully.

It unnerves Hoshiumi. It unnerved me. It's so unlike Hinata not to confront, even mildly, this potential new opponent.

But, of course, it's actually so very like him after all. Because he has grown. He is growing. And he returns to Karasuno with that look, that intensity, +

and the team feels the same chills up their spines as I do when I look into Hinata's eyes.

"I'm so glad I made it here."

He is glad to see such strength.
He is /grateful/ to know there are others like him, stronger than him.

I have no grand conclusion here. I was just incredibly moved by this very small moment. I'm grateful to how the animation is treating this season with such care and devotion to the manga, making Furudate's vision come to life in such a colorful and powerful way.

I think the small moments like this, a reverent bow to an opponent who frightens you (Hoshiumi, Aone), a handshake with an opponent who encourages you (Daichi and Kuroo, Tanaka and Tora), and a smile between opponents who are your friends (Hinata and Kenma, Suga and Yaku), +

the small moments like these are what makes this series so powerful, and yes I always relate these long threads back to the series as a whole, but that's what we're all here doing, isn't it? As we near the end we look back on this journey and we realize how much we've grown too.

Forgive me, I'm rambling now. I'm filled with too much love and joy by and for this series. Please likewise keep up the love and joy in your own lives and in your experience watching/reading Haikyuu <3

if you've made it this far and enjoy these kind of threads, I'm hoping to do a lot more of them as I dive deeper and deeper into Haikyuu during self isolation lol. help out a stranded nonbinary writer in this time of quarantine https://twitter.com/sagechantobiho/status/1112910362381185024?s=19