Oikawa Tooru is Not a Genius and that’s okay - a (very long I’m so sorry) thread

MANGA SPOILERS

I was thinking about Haikyuu again (as I am prone to do at any given time since liking this anime is literally my dominant personality trait) and I remember how, before the last chapter dropped, I had only one (1) criticism of the manga.

Now don’t get me wrong. I fucking love this manga. It’s my favourite and I think it will be for a very long time. I love everything about this world and will sing Furudate’s praises until the day I die.

But there was just one thing. That one thing, that every time I thought about I would get annoyed, angry even.

That one thing was Oikawa Tooru.

Furudate is no stranger to writing excellent character arcs. You don’t even need to think that hard - Tsukishima is a prime example of how Furudate manages to teach us something about ourselves through developing a character.

And that was the one thing I always loved about Haikyuu - and I’m sure most (if not all) of you can agree with me. Everybody in the show had fully developed stories and the manga came in full circle.

Except Oikawa.

You see, a few days before the last chapter dropped I was trying to think about what Furudate was trying to teach us with Oikawa’s character.

In simple terms this is what we know: Oikawa Tooru developed a love for volleyball at a young age and has been playing it for the majority of his life. He doesn’t have any natural talent that allows him to be good at the game - all he has is how much work he’s willing to put in.

And work he does. Sleepless nights, training to the point of injury, Oikawa would stop at nothing to ensure that he’s the best. And, yknow, that’s an extremely positive trait to have.

But it never seemed to get him anywhere.

Because of the Kageyamas of this world. The Hinatas of this world. The Ushijimas, the Hoshiumis, the Nishinoyas and anyone who has a natural talent that he just couldn’t manage to beat because well, hard work can’t beat talent if talent also works hard.

It’s painful to see as someone who identified with Oikawa to an unimaginable level. I watched Oikawa work and slave away and I saw myself. I saw the person who knew that there’s nothing really that makes me special at this one thing but do I put in the work just to be recognised

So when Seijoh lost to Karasuno and Oikawa never managed to take his team to Nationals, I was bitter. Yes I fucking love Karasuno and seeing them being able to go to Nationals was everything I ever wanted and more, but what about Tooru?

What about the boy who’s been shown time and time again that he just can’t beat talent.

What was Furudate trying to teach us, to teach me? That no matter how hard I worked, I couldn’t make it? That due to forces outside of my control, success will always be out of my reach?

But of course they wouldn’t do that.

For lack of better words, I was so fucking overjoyed when I realised that Oikawa found a way to fight, to fly. He was so goddamn aware of the limitations that were in his way and he said fuck it, I’m meant to play on the world stage and I will play on the world stage.

In the end, Oikawa Tooru was able to make it to the Olympics not because he was special. Not because of luck or a special set of circumstances. This was pure unadulterated hard work and passion and look where it got him.

Oikawa Tooru is not a genius, has never been a genius, and will never be a genius. But he has never let that stop him, and it shouldn’t stop you either.

TLDR: Oikawa is a fucking great character with an excellent concluding arc so please respect him more

- end of thread -