Here's our chance!
All right!
Nice spike!
Karasuno Date Tech
Tsukishima, serve up another point!
If they keep trading momentum back and forth, Karasuno will probably take the first set.
Nice receive!
Watch out for number seven!
Right side!
But in order to get that vital lead...
you need this!
Nice job getting a hand on it!
Counter!
This is our chance to score!
C Quick!
I don't think so!
This is the first time they've put two blockers on Hinata and Kageyama's fast attack.
Karasuno Date Tech
Wow.
Set point for us against the famous Date Tech?
Haikyuu !!
I take two deep breaths and calm my heart
I take a step with my left foot to break the silence
Get your nervousness in check and reign in your mind
You have it in you
You can cast out the demons
Fate? Random chance? Questions? Answers? It's all one
This is the sign
Oh, yeah!
The world is opening to us
We pass the door,
look straight ahead, and never look back
Oh, yeah!
I put my hand to my chest
I can feel the proof that I exist
It is my beating heart
Nice receive!
Episode Eighteen: Back Protection
Karasuno's really in the groove!
Give me a set!
Right on!
Karasuno Date Tech
Whoa! Karasuno seriously took the set.
Karasuno can be scary once they get their groove on.
Do you think they'll keep it up and take the second set as well?
Thank you!
Kunimi, wake up! Move your feet! Warm up properly!
I doubt we'll see the same developments we saw in the first set.
That was close, Aone!
Date Tech, or rather their bulky number seven in particular,
We can take the next one!
is getting over the initial shock of the surprise fast attack.
Their big number seven, and also their number six toward the end, actually touched our fast attack.
Yeah, they're good.
In our current state, our attack axis is the deviant fast attack.
We can't have it contained like it was when we played Nekoma.
{=5}Hinata
{=4}Hinata
{=3}Sawamura
{=2}Sawamura
{=1}Azumane
{=0}Azumane
{=5}Hinata
{=4}Hinata
{=3}Sawamura
{=2}Sawamura
{=1}Azumane
{=0}Azumane
{=11}Tanaka
{=10}Tanaka
{=9}Kageyama
{=8}Kageyama
{=7}Tsukishima
{=6}Tsukishima
{=5}Hinata
{=4}Hinata
{=3}Sawamura
{=2}Sawamura
{=1}Azumane
{=0}Azumane
{=11}Tanaka
{=10}Tanaka
{=9}Kageyama
{=8}Kageyama
{=7}Tsukishima
{=6}Tsukishima
{=5}Hinata
{=4}Hinata
{=3}Sawamura
{=2}Sawamura
{=1}Azumane
{=0}Azumane
{=11}Tanaka
{=10}Tanaka
{=9}Kageyama
{=8}Kageyama
{=7}Tsukishima
{=6}Tsukishima
{=5}Hinata
{=4}Hinata
{=3}Sawamura
{=2}Sawamura
{=1}Azumane
{=0}Azumane
{=11}Tanaka
{=10}Tanaka
{=9}Kageyama
{=8}Kageyama
{=7}Tsukishima
{=6}Tsukishima
{=5}Hinata
{=4}Hinata
{=3}Sawamura
{=2}Sawamura
{=1}Azumane
{=0}Azumane
Which is why we will start our rotation two places ahead for the second set.
The first set rotation
matched up number seven, AKA "No Brows," head-on with Hinata.
So we're starting the set two positions ahead.
I get it.
Then Hinata can avoid being marked by number seven as closely as he was in the first set.
But he won't go completely unmarked.
The test is to keep them as separated as possible.
Besides...
The less Hinata is marked, and this is obvious, the more the others will be marked.
We can't keep depending on Hinata either.
Keeping Hinata in play keeps the rest of us in play.
I'll prove to you that I'm up to the task of being the ace.
Asahi, you're so cool!
How you've grown, Asahi.
Are we family?!
Same here!
I can't do back attacks like you, Asahi,
so I'll score lots of points while I'm up front!
And I'll be the greatest decoy!
Great. I'm counting on it.
And you can count on me!
Yes, sir!
Go, go, let's go! Let's go, Date Tech!
The Iron Wall of Date
The second set is starting.
You've got it rough too, Tsukishima.
You'll be opposite their number seven a lot more in this set.
Not at all.
No one is expecting me to face off against number seven and win.
Rocking the house is Hinata's job.
My job is to hold down the fort as much as possible while he's in the back row.
It's no different from the norm.
Besides, no matter how you look at it, their blockers have singled you out.
Give us a good serve, Tanaka!
Nice receive!
Karasuno has moved up their rotation.
Left side!
Did they do it to avoid matchups between their number ten and Aone?
Nice spike, Sasaya!
No matter the matchup, we just have to stop the spiker in front of us.
Go, go, Sasaya!
We're your average, snotty delinquents when we're out of uniform.
We have to be good juniors for the duration of the match.
Kageyama!
Yes!
Hinata had him on the hook, but he dropped it and went left!
Date Tech Karasuno
Nice, Tanaka!
Nice receive!
I'm open!
Watch for number three!
Yes!
It's only because they were targeting the long-haired guy.
Only Short-stuff can do fast attacks when the receives are all over the place.
Nice, Aone!
All right! We'll stop the next one too!
Nice, Sawamura!
Date Tech Karasuno
All right!
Hey, Karasuno's number ten has come up to the front row.
All right, bring it!
It's up! Nice going!
Kageyama, cover it!
Send it my way!
Yes!
He's even faster when he's right in front of you!
Nice, Hinata, Kageyama!
Is he a monster?!
Yes!
Date Tech Karasuno
Do you suppose Karasuno's surprise fast attack
got new life when they moved up their rotation?
But the effect will wear off as time passes.
If Date Tech can take this set and carry it over to a third set,
Karasuno will lose the advantage.
The question is, how well will Karasuno fight Date Tech's number seven
while their number ten isn't in the front row?
The outcome of the match could very well depend on how well they can fight the Iron Wall without their decoy.
Hinata, give us a good serve!
I heard that Karasuno's number ten has an amazing fast attack.
Nice receive!
I'm open!
Who is he?
He's in the back row now.
Yes!
Date Tech Karasuno
Hey, Tsukishima.
You know how you said it was your job to hold down the fort while Hinata is in the back row?
It's pretty amazing to accomplish that against an opponent like Date Tech.
I know that Hinata and Kageyama are pivotal to our current offense,
but it's also vital to endure while that combination can't be used.
It's just like having to receive to set up the spike even if you can't make the hit directly.
Holding down the fort right now is directly linked to our victory.
Sorry! Kageyama, cover it!
Got it!
When the going gets tough, it's the ace who gets all the sets.
I'm open!
Azumane!
The left spiker's coming!
No Iron Wall...
can keep me out!
The Iron Wall of Date
Date Tech's blocking is awesome!
Asahi, do it again!
Number ten is their middle blocker, but it's almost like he's their ace.
Shake it off!
Number seven's block is the strongest in the Iron Wall.
They need him up front quick or they'll be in trouble.
Let's go for another!
Yeah!
Can you endure, Karasuno's ace?
Date Tech Karasuno
Daichi, nice receive!
I'm open!
Number three!
I won't be broken twice!
He made contact!
Counter!
You're not the only ones!
Our team has a wall too!
Yeah!
Whoa, they stopped a fast attack!
Numbers three and eleven are the two tallest in Karasuno.
Nice block, Tsukishima!
You're welcome.
Yes! They scored off a block!
Good! Now if Date Tech gets the next point,
their huge number seven will go to the back row!
Next, next!
One more!
Okay!
Now widen the gap!
Yeah!
Date Tech Karasuno
Ooh, Karasuno's number ten is up front!
Okay!
Six more points.
Nail those suckers while you're in the front row, Short-stuff!
Number twelve!
It's up! Kageyama, get it!
Right!
Send it my way!
It really is incredible.
He goes for a fast attack where you'd normally use the left wing spiker.
Take that!
Yes! No getting cocky for you!
Nice, Kamacchi!
The Iron Wall of Date
Date Tech Karasuno
It's difficult to widen the lead.
Patience. Proceed carefully.
Nice, Asahi!
Here's our chance!
Give me a set!
Damn—
All right!
Nice spike!
One more!
One more point to match point!
Go! One more point!
Nice receive!
Now Date Tech's huge number seven is in the back row...
Nice receive, Noya!
Here's our chance!
And Short-stuff is still in the front.
This is their chance to widen the lead!
Kamasaki, are you hiding behind Aone and letting him hog the glory?
Huh?!
Screw you! All of us together...
make the Iron Wall!
Yes!
Shit.
Go for the next one!
I'm sorry.
Now their number seven has his turn in the front row.
We're counting on you.
It's okay.
The deviant fast attack will still work!
But...
Nishinoya!
Nice receive!
Send it my way!
That was close. A waterfall ball!
But now it's match point!
Date Tech Karasuno
Go for the point!
All right!
I know you can stop the next one!
This is only the beginning!
It's match point for Karasuno.
Now number ten is in the back row.
This is Date Tech's strongest turn for blocking.
Give us a good one!
Nice judgment call!
I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
We were lucky!
It's okay. Don't sweat it.
Hinata, you moronic, klutzy shit!
Regret it for a second and let it go!
Stop that, you idiot.
Yes, sir!
Date Tech Karasuno
If Date Tech gets two more points, it'll go to deuce.
It's a distinct possibility in the current rotation.
If it goes to deuce while number ten is out, won't Karasuno be in trouble?
Go for the next one! Shake it off!
Date Tech's number seven is amazing.
Yeah. I thought he stopped that last one.
But Asahi is in the front row now.
Now, bring on the point!
Asahi!
Azumane.
The ace is there, so it'll be fine!
Haikyuu !!
Tsukishima!
Nice receive!
Watch for the fast attack!
The placement is good, but they're on the lookout.
Number seven!
Cover it!
Azumane!
Right!
What kind of ace can't make the last hit count?!
It has to hold back a spiker it once defeated, or it's not worthy of the name "The Iron Wall"!
Moniwa, nice block!
Crap! Nobody's in the back!
It's in the air!
Cover it!
Every set is a chance!
Left! Give me one more!
Azumane!
Is the set a little too close to the net?
It's a joust!
Don't let him beat you, long-haired guy!
I'm not gonna make it!
His foot?!
Amazing!
Unbelievable!
One more time!
Nishinoya, nice save!
Get back! Get back immediately!
Secure enough approach runway, and jump your highest!
Do it as many times as it takes!
Don't stop thinking! Don't stop moving!
If you stop wanting it, the ball will hit the floor!
Kageyama, cover it!
Right!
One more time!
Until I make the point!
Asahi's favorite set is placed slightly in front of the net.
A high set.
What? What is Kageyama doing?
It's all right.
This is our best set.
Go, Asahi!
Blast through 'em, Asahi!
Go!
Date Tech Karasuno
All right!
We did it! We did it!
We have to line up.
Thank you for the match!
You did it, Asahi!
Asahi, Date Tech's block went boom!
And then they went wobble-wobble!
If it was me, I would've schwoomed!
Are we even speaking the same language?
If I'm the ace,
you guys are the heroes.
Ooh, heroes!
I like the sound of that!
You did good against that insane fast attack.
Just chalk it—
The spring!
He's right, Moniwa!
Let's take our revenge in the spring tourney prelims!
The prelims start in September, right?!
Let's get back home, formulate a plan of attack,
and take down Karasuno if we hit them in the spring tourney prelims!
The third-years won't stick around until the spring tournament.
Why not?! Are we too much of a burden for you?!
What're you talking about?
We've discussed this many times.
The third-years are done after the interhigh.
But...
You guys are tough.
{=13}The Iron Wall of Date
{=12}The Iron Wall of Date
Our school is called a powerhouse,
but us third-years have been called the odd ones out.
We're the chaff.
It's only thanks to you guys that we stayed a team that didn't dishonor the Iron Wall name.
That's why when you guys are third-years, stay on until the spring tournament!
Start prepping for it right now with a new team,
and if you can't win this year's prelims, win next year!
Take on Aoba Jousai and Shiratorizawa and Karasuno!
Beat them all and go to nationals!
But—
Got it?!
Yessir.
We can't hear you, Futakuchi!
Yessir!
Sawamura, Sugawara, Azumane!
Congrats on advancing to the third round!
Michimiya!
I thought I heard a lot of girls' voices.
Didn't you notice them?
Aya!
You got your revenge.
Yeah!
And we'll keep on winning!
Say, Ukai?
About that last set.
What did you mean when you said it was our best?
When the receives are crazy and you can't attack the way you want to,
the last ball always ends up on the left, where the ace is.
In what they call the last bastion of the attack,
I wanted him to experience how it feels to wrench a point out of that wall with his own two hands.
Thank you!
I get it.
It leads to confidence for the next play.
I heard it was bad for Azumane in particular after having his ass handed to him by Date Tech once before.
But he should be all better now.
He fought against the Iron Wall without flinching with or without a decoy.
Besides, the act of having a set sent your way is a source of pride for a spiker.
It's the greatest proof that you still have the trust of your setter.
He has two setters trusting him with the set, so how could it not give him confidence?
Date Tech's block was seriously terrifying.
Yeah.
Still, did you figure out how the Karasuno first-year duo differentiated their ridiculous fast attack?
I didn't see any tell-tale signals during the rally.
Our opponents didn't notice our signals, huh?
Yeah. We're gonna get some use out of them.
Yeah, it's a wonder you meat-heads thought those up.
W-We didn't think them up.
Thought as much.
So, who came up with them for you?
Sugawara.
You did it. You got your revenge.
Yeah.
But of course,
I would've liked to beat them with my own sets.
Sorry! Let's keep that between us.
That's a relief.
I'm glad you haven't given up on playing yet.
We've got another match tomorrow.
We're gonna go as far as we can.
Yeah.
Ooh, Oikawa!
Oikawa!
Oomisaki
Aoba Jousai
Fight, Seijou! Work it, work it, Seijou! Go!
Aoba Jousai's...
...first win.
Guess who's going to chew up and spit out king and dark horse alike...
and make it to nationals?
We are!
We run laps convinced that we will all make it
We suffer through the nights for a vision we chose on a whim
If you really want fairness then we'd all look basically the same
We will suffer through more nights for a vision instead of standing still
Our passion burns until the morning and we advance with closed eyes
I haven't forgotten you despite this passion
I run with only my headlight for guidance
No matter what awaits me I will laugh in this body I was born in
Is there someone running with your taillight for guidance?
What you call determination just means bunching up
Is someone going to follow up on all these impressions?
Will vowing to never falter let me laugh again?
Next Episode Preview
Heh! Look at him, thinking he's so big with the girls screaming over him!
We have Kiyoko on our side—
Oikawa!
What? Kiyoko?!
Kidding.
Please.
Don't do that.
Next time on Haikyuu!!:
Episode Nineteen: The Conductor
"The Conductor."