After Haikyuu!!'s third season concluded in 2016, fans were absolutely thrilled to hear that the fourth season would be released in the beginning of 2020. The season is split into two parts: the first part ended in April and the second part was set to be released in July. Unfortunately, the second cour has been delayed twice, with the second time due to COVID-19. Recently, fans finally got their answer as to when they would see the Karasuno players return.
In a special collaboration event between Haikyuu!! and V.League, a match was held between the Schweiden Adlers and MSBY Black Jackals, the two teams that Kageyama and Hinata respectively would play when they graduate and go pro. Volleyball players from various different teams were invited to play in this special match to celebrate both the conclusion of the manga and the premiere date of the second part. After the match ended, two trailers were shown.
Since it's been a few months since the last episode of Haikyuu!!, here's a refresher of what happened in the first part of Season 4.
Training Ahead of Nationals
Karasuno defeated Shiratorizawa and are now set to head to Nationals for the first time in five years, leading to Kageyama getting invited to an All-Japan youth training camp. To his surprise, Tsukishima is also invited to attend a prefecture-wide training camp for talented first years. Besides Yamaguchi, Hinata is the other first year not invited to a training camp, so he decides to take matters into his own hands by crashing the Miyagi training camp.
Hinata is denied entry into the camp by Coach Washijo but is given two choices: leave, or stay on as a ball boy. He chooses the latter, cleaning floors, helping set up, getting water for players and picking up balls. On the surface, it seems menial and a waste of his skill, but that gives Hinata the opportunity to sharpen his observation skills and pick up some tips on receiving. Meanwhile, Kageyama finds himself training with talented high schoolers all over Japan, including Miya Atsumu and Korai Hoshiumi, who remind him of a certain middle blocker because of their similar heights. The rest of the team are back at Karasuno, practicing on their own and with other teams.
When Hinata, Kageyama and Tsukishima return from their respective training camps, they have a practice match against Date Tech. Date Tech demonstrates how much they've fortified their wall of defense since the last time they played against them. After the match, it's time for Nationals.
The Start of Nationals
The start of Nationals is hectic, to say the least. Hinata loses his shoes and Karasuno has trouble finding their footing in an unfamiliar arena and environment. They have their first match against Tsubakihara Academy where they make some costly mistakes: Kageyama's accuracy is off and the lights blind Daichi when a Tsubakihara player does a ceiling serve. But they still end up winning both sets. As Hinata and Yamaguchi head off to buy souvenirs and watch the ongoing matches, Hinata meets Hoshiumi, who's on the way to becoming the next Little Giant.
After Nekoma qualifies as the third Tokyo representative, they go on to win their first match in Nationals while Fukurodani finds themselves in a pinch when their ace, Bokuto, gets into his "dejected" mode. He recovers when Akaashi notices Hinata, who came to watch the match, and uses him as a way to motivate Bokuro. They also win their match and move on.
The Monster Twins vs. Freak Duo
Karasuno's next opponent has a familiar face: Miya Atsumu, the brilliant setter from Inarizaki High. He and his twin brother, Osamu, make a formidable pair. Atsumu's serves are difficult to counter because he can wield two different ones -- a jump serve and a float serve. The first set has them starting out fairly evenly until Hinata jumps higher than ever, using the technique Kageyama taught him. He shocks everyone, including himself, and gets so excited at his height that he completely forgets to do the next important thing: hit the ball.
With Hinata catching the attention of the Inarizaki players, the match promises to be a nail biter. We'll find out who gets to move onto the next round when Season 4, Part 2 of Haikyuu!! begins on October 2.