Review of Haikyu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle

This movie is the closest that Haikyuu!! has ever felt to a real volleyball game. That is both a positive and a negative. That direction choice was bold and might alienate some people, especially those who prefer more character and less action. I liked the new direction they took, as I felt it highlighted the excitement of playing old rivals and practice partners in a real game. The battle of the garbage dump lived up to the hype for me, though I did miss some of the fun character moments from the manga. Ultimately, this movie will be somewhat polarizing. I think those who haveread the manga have a higher chance of disliking the movie than those who are anime only, personally. One thing must be said though, it's always nice to see more Haikyuu!!. One of the greatest sports manga of all time deserves the love and attention that they brought to this film, even if they couldn't adapt every moment and every nuance of the manga fully into a single 90 minute movie. I enjoyed the movie, myself. I think it's the most technically impressive Haikyuu has ever been, and the story is great as always, even if it isn't portrayed as deeply as I'd like. If they made this movie 2 hours long, it would have been perfect.