Review of Haikyu!! Movie: The Dumpster Battle

It's a thoroughly satisfying under-2-hour movie that is equal parts intense and wholesome. (I wish more movies these days were under 2 hours.) It's actually rather impressive that it manages to keep the tension up in such a straightforward way. The show itself has at times used unsportsmanlike plot elements like a player cheating or audience distraction stuff, and has also presented antagonistic characters in relatively dislikable ways, but this conflict is just simply... straightforward. There are no dislikable characters, it's just got sheer good-natured competitive fun permeating everywhere. It's fun. Tone aside, the plot is pretty straightforward. Naturally. It's a movie about a singular volleyball game.Of course, straightforward isn't bad. I loved it. Like the show, as usual, the use of flashbacks is woven into the ongoing events and provides character background and depth at effective times. In terms of thrilling emotional impacts, the kind like when Tsukishima blocked Ushijima, this movie certainly has them (though, not quite at that level of thrill). I can't exactly put into words what a certain first-person point of view sequence near the end had me feeling, but if I had to try, I'd say it felt nice.

I think the one thing I was left wanting from this movie was more detail in the animation. It's not at all bad, though the quality and dynamism is something I would've loved to see utilized particularly to enhance certain moments.

And that's about it. It's a very fun movie.