Thread by @wrenrouge, 318: A Comprehensive Chapter Analysis A thread So much info is given [...]

318: A Comprehensive Chapter Analysis

A thread

So much info is given to us in 318, that I’ve decided to break down what I love about it to get some insights on what this chapter brings to the table wrt to Kuroo’s development, Kenma’s development, and their relationship dynamic. Yes, this chapter is about all three.

Let’s start with Kuroo.

Right off the bat, this chapter establishes some details about Kuroo’s life, such as:

-He was an incredibly shy and withdrawn kid when he met Kenma.
-He lives with his father, grandmother and grandfather.
-He went to Kenma’s house when he was left alone in his own house.

-His family moved to Tokyo and next door to the Kozume Residence when he was 8.
-He played in a volleyball team before he moved.

Let’s talk about the first point in greater detail.

He was an incredibly shy and withdrawn kid when he met Kenma.

Kuroo was really shy to the point where he doesn’t really say anything at all. He hides behind his dad and just follows along when Kenma suggests playing video games. Even when Kenma asks him if he wants to play something else, he shows Kenma silently what he would like to do.

Before that moment though, you can see the conflict in his face of if he should show Kenma what he really wants to do.

In terms of Kuroo’s character at this point in his life, this can mean that he first needs to establish some kind of connection and familiarity with someone before he feels safe enough to express his interests.

Also, the fact that he played in a team before he moved to Tokyo, and that we are shown his previous teammates’ well wishes implies he had a level of comfort and familiarity before, meaning he probably was not as shy and withdrawn before he moved to Tokyo.

This can be further proven when Kuroo mentions he doesn’t do well in new places. When he has to start over from the beginning in a new place, Kuroo goes back into his shell. To me, this means that his shy and withdrawn demeanor is partially conditional.

Another characteristics that this chapter brings is a glimpse of Kuroo’s unwavering loyalty and devotion to his friends (in this case Kenma).

Kuroo could have definitely found other people to play volleyball with, but he continued playing with Kenma, because Kenma is his friend, he is familiar, and that is enough for Kuroo to hang out with him.

Not to mention how effortlessly he showcases how well he can understand other people and their feelings. He’s really empathetic and makes an effort to understand the people around him.

The crux of Kuroo’s character arc, is when he meets Nekomata. What’s important about this scene is that it changes Kuroo’s perspective of how one should play volleyball and how one should treat others who are new at the sport. It taught him how to be a better player and a mentor.

Kuroo likes volleyball, but he knew he had limitations. Enter Nekomata, who basically said that if one cannot spike the ball over the net, then you just have to lower it, and that if you love something, and work on it and enjoy it, growth will come.

And Kuroo took those words to heart. He became even more in love with volleyball, he became better at it as he learned to love it more, and even in things unrelated to volleyball, he grew from them as well.

Kuroo is a mentor, this is one of his roles in series. We can see it when he starts showing Kenma how to play volleyball. We also see it when he encourages Kenma to be a setter and takes his abilities and likes/dislikes into consideration.

We also see his leadership skills at the start of the chapter when he gives advice to Lev about scoring an impactful point instead of 20 consecutive points. Notice how he allows Lev the chance to piece together what he’s trying to say.

He doesn’t give Lev the answer, he encourages Lev to find the answer on his own.

There is probably way more information about Kuroo you can glean from 318 alone, but I will stop here as I’ve said a lot as it is.

Let’s talk about Kenma.

Some things we learn about Kenma in this chapter:

-He met Kuroo when he was 7.
-He lives with his mom and dad.
-He only ever considered learning to play volleyball because Kuroo wanted to play.

-He admits he probably likes watching volleyball more than actually playing it.
-Before Kuroo introduced volleyball to him, Kenma wasn’t sure what else to do but play video games with Kuroo.

In this chapter, Kenma takes the role of the narrator. He is narrating how he saw Kuroo grow, but even so, there are still details about him that one could extract from the text.

One example is how considerate he is about others and their wants/needs, in this case Kuroo’s request to play volleyball.

Even though that was not what he wanted to do, nor what he originally asked, he still went ahead and played volleyball with Kuroo, suggesting he is thoughtful when it comes to his friends.

He also expresses that he’s not very good at volleyball and that Kuroo should find others that are better than him to play with. I think this shows Kenma not feeling good enough to be Kuroo’s partner and not allowing himself to see that Kuroo thinks of him as a friend.

We also get an insight on how perceptive Kenma really is. Here we see him understanding how Nekomata’s words and actions shaped Kuroo’s core beliefs.

We also see that even though Kenma thinks Kuroo is more obnoxious about playing volleyball, he fundamentally understands that it’s just Kuroo loving the sport more and more everyday.

These are instances in which we realize how much Kenma actually cares about volleyball. He might not be as outwardly passionate about it as Kuroo, but he certainly loves watching the games and devising his own strategies from the ones he sees, which we later see him using.

And Kuroo later confirms that Kenma will definitely pour his soul into something he likes, in this case volleyball.

And honestly, yes, Kenma loves strategy most of all, when it comes to volleyball, but here he finally admits that actually playing the sport isn’t so bad either.

That’s all I really have for Kenma as of now, but I’m sure there’s way more interpretations and analyses one can do about Kenma’s character arc through this chapter alone.

Let’s talk about Kuroo and Kenma’s dynamic.

Now that we have studied them as individuals, let’s look at their relationship and why it’s an important feature for their growth as characters. Since I kind of sprinkled in some analysis already within their individual examination, I’ll focus on newer points.

We’ll start here, the literal moment when their relationship shifted. I say this because here, Kenma initiates a change in what they usually do (play the same video game), he’s even shown to be a bit nervous about asking.

Kuroo, on the other hand, takes a leap of faith, and decides to trust Kenma with showing him his interests and what he likes to do. He’s also shown being nervous about it. Essentially, this is the first time Kuroo trusts Kenma as a friend.

Here, we see Kenma trusting Kuroo back. Not only does Kenma now respect Kuroo through this exchange, but he also values what he has to say. He trusts that Kuroo’s comment about the spots being “nothing but a little internal bleeding” is true and he has nothing to worry about.

In these panels, we see how they go inside the gym to face their next challenge together. Kuroo wanted Kenma to be there with him, because he doesn’t do well in new places.

Kuroo wanted Kenma to be there with him, because Kenma was familiar. Essentially he views Kenma as his anchor and support.

And from these panels, not only do we get that Kuroo is acutely aware of Kenma’s feelings, but the fact that Kenma walked by when this exchange happened is important.

One reason is that it assures Kenma that Kuroo understands him, and another reason is that it allows Kenma to realize his actual feelings for volleyball.

Literally the next panel after, is this one, where Kenma admits that if Kuroo was any different, he wouldn’t have gone through the hassle of learning to play volleyball. It’s, in a way, an indirect way of saying, “Thanks for sticking around and making an effort to understand me.”

Within 318, we see how Kuroo and Kenma’s dynamic was established and how it evolved into what it is now. It shows how their mutual trust began, as well as why they value each other so much.

The fact that Kenma narrates this chapter is important too, because it shows us the reasons why Kenma views Kuroo as his partner, as the title implies.

I will stop here. There’s a myriad of ways to look at this chapter, but this is my interpretation of it. 318 showcases so much about Kuroo and Kenma as individual characters, yet also gives us insights as to why they work well together.

End.

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