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i don’t think people talk enough about the fact the main reason kageyama is more critical of hinata is because he knows what he’s capable of.
right from the beginning of the novel. chapter ONE. kageyama plays mr hinata shouyou and his first impression is of this player that could be PERFECT just with a little more practice.
if he has all that... is still a sentence unanswered throughout the series but it’s pretty easy to think about what he would’ve been thinking. a perfect opponent for him, someone who could compete with all his experience and athletic instinct.
it’s been stated plenty that kageyama simply has trouble expressing his thoughts in a “””socially acceptable””” way (huge quotation marks), so of course his first instinct would be to ask him what have you been doing? what practice have you been doing?
one thing that ALWAYS stuck with me even beyond the addition of 387 was this line. why would kageyama tell him to get stronger if he wasn’t under the impression that hinata could possibly get better? would he share his grandfathers words with someone he didn’t believe in?
no doubt in his mind does he have that hinata could possibly not have the potential... and he even admits he’s going to use his own experience to make sure hinata gets better during the three on three.
the only time it’s ever shown is slightly wary on letting hinata shine through is during the camp arc, and that is solely for the reason that he’s SCARED. he’s found a perfect person to work with, a perfect opponent, and yet now this partner wants to do something crazy-
-when what they have is already good. he thinks he’s brought out hinata’s full potential, and he has, but he hasnt let him use it as much as he can BUT!!!!! you know what?
he gets over it. quickly, might i add. with the input from oikawa, ukai jr., and more importantly hinata himself, kageyama realises that he’s not helping hinata get better but limiting to him to the skill set he already has.
i cant see into kageyama’s brain. no one can but kageyama and furudate. but i bet he was only scared because he thought hinata was already the BEST at spiking that he could be. once he rewrote that in his head and realised greater things were possible,
he never limited hinata again. one of the most important scenes in this dynamic, is the day he solidifies the idea that he KNOWS he can do better.
not only that, but he immediately goes into teaching him how. showing him what to do, strengthening not only the idea that he KNOWS he can get better but that he WANTS him to get better.
and you know what also can be brought into this concept? THIS scene, that viz fucked up so terribly. i’m going to go into the japanese raws for this one because i refuse to look at the ha! one more time.
furudate chooses to bring back the get stronger scene for a reason. not only is kageyama, in his own way, telling hinata to hurry up and take care of himself, get better and BEAT him,
he also is convinced. 100% belief. that hinata can do that. kageyama doesn’t just say things that he doesn’t believe. his honesty is one of the most important aspects of his character, and he says that 今回も俺の勝ちだ with no hint of uncertainty.
the reason he says it with such conviction is because he KNOWS. he has seen hinata grow and he is WAITING. and he will tell hinata what he means (aka critique) because he is absolutely sure that hinata will meet what he asks of him.
and of course we have chapter 387, blessing and curse, with all its kageyama brainrot written into each picture and phrase. we have the moment kageyama realises he’s FOUND him.
the ever evolving, ever growing opponent that he has been waiting for forever. the boy he had watched get better his whole life. and you know what kageyama does? he praises him AND tests him. with his serves and his sets and his blocks.
because there is no doubt in his mind that this is in no way the limit of hinata’s growth as a volleyball player. it’s not just because kageyama’s some ass (he isn’t) or that he hates hinata (he doesn’t). he simply knows what hinata can do. and shows him
the bounds he has yet to surpass on his own. after all, isn’t that the whole point of the series? isn’t that what it’s always about? having someone there that can challenge you???
thank you furudate for such a lovely series again we all love you thank you for adding so many important life lessons you are the best
