Thread by @vitaaeris, [thread] kageyama’s development as a setter was one step forward to reach [...]

[thread] kageyama’s development as a setter was one step forward to reach its peak with hinata way before it ever did with other players:

first of all-> how tobio values his position as a setter right now:
“i know my hitters are there and waiting for the best set i can give to them”
two main points:
1. the hitters being there
2. the hitters pretending the best from the setter

now: hinata has ALWAYS been doing this

1. “being there”

shoyo was there for tobio since the VERY beginning and kept reminding him during their whole journey together.

some examples:
•their first 3 vs 3 of course, when hinata literally screamed “i’m here”
•during their summer training camp “kageyama don’t give up” cus shoyo was there and had faith in him.

•second match against seijoh: “as long as i’m here you are invincible”.
•at nationals, against inarizaki “give me the next one too”

during ALL these moments hinata was telling tobio “I’m here so don’t you dare back off!”

and kageyama knew hinata was there. he didn’t even have to trust him to be there, he just knew he would.

2. the setter doing his very best for the hitter

tobio already made perfect sets to shoyo for the freak quick to work, but then this developed. through oikawa’s advice tobio understood that he had to give shoyo even a better toss, that could have gave him more options to attack.

when was the moment in which tobio reached this exact step with a player that wasn’t hinata?

chapter 385:
“the birth of the serene king” (*shivers*)
«i have to give my hitters more options» «show them why i have faith in you» and he gave the very best toss he could to tanaka.

kageyama reached this step with hinata months before, during their training camp, learning a new complicate toss just to give hinata freedom in attack. more options.

now this situation toward hinata obviously developed too during time, as we see during nekoma match when kageyama gave hinata a different high toss than the usual ones. to give him more choices and possibilities to attack.

now let’s talk about shoyo’s ‘power’ on tobio. be their rivalry (which is fundamental for both their growths) or just shoyo’s insane presence on the court, it’s often shown during the serie how shoyo literally ‘calls’ and makes tobio doing attacks that he wouldn’t do in other-

-situations.

examples:
•the new freak quick. tobio thought it wasn’t the right moment to try it yet but then shoyo’s presence called him. “you gonna do it?” tobio didn’t even blink and tossed for him.

•2nd match against seijoh: shoyo jumped to the side at the very last moment, but too close to the net. yet he ‘calls’ him again. tobio could have tossed to another hitter but still chose shoyo, and gave him a perfect toss (it was over the net!) that could work in that situation.

•and again, final set against shiratorizawa, kageyama just came back to the court, he made a toss as first touch and then a quick set right under the net, we then get kageyama thinking along the lines “hinata made me do it again”

•inarizaki match.
hinata being merciless as he is, jumped even if the ball was going over the net. kageyama then forced himself as much as he could to give hinata a perfect toss, and eventually he was able to set with BOTH hands a ball that he was barely reaching a second ago.

•kamomedai match.
hinata improvised a new attack in the middle of the game: minus tempo + dun jump. yet kageyama beautifully adjusted to him giving him a perfect toss, even if it was something they never tried before.

hinata has always been ruthless. he has ALWAYS demanded kageyama to do his very best.

“as long as the setter has given their upmost, i’ll take it all”.

[also: during inarizaki match, on the tanaka’s focus part, ukai commented that the old kageyama would be panicking in that situation, while the new one was calm and tossed to who had more chances in scoring-

-but with hinata kageyama barely ever panicked. EVEN if they were about to do something dangerous he didn’t panick. He was DRIVEN by hinata to do his best.]

so we always had hinata doing exactly what is necessary for pro player kageyama to work as a good setter: to know your hitters are there and waiting for your best.

with the re-crown scene kageyama learned that the whole karasuno was there too and no one would have turned their backs on him.
that was necessary for tobio to get on the final step to become the setter he aimed to be toward EVERYBODY

so bless kagehina’s rivalry and hinata’s untouched power.

also bonus, some credits to both seijoh’s coach and oikawa who immediately understood what kind of impact hinata had on kageyama as a setter.

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