Hump Day Husbandos: Yuu Nishinoya (Haikyuu)

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Conor Evans
October 6, 2021
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It’s time once more to get overly excited about the wonderful men of anime, and this week I will be talking about Haikyuu’s very own Libero, Yuu Nishinoya. Keeping in tune with the husbandos that I have contributed to this blessed section on Rice Digitial, I have added in another character who gets me hyped up every time he’s on-screen! So, it’s time to celebrate one of my favourite characters from one of the most motivational sports anime out there.

Humpday Husbandos: Yuu Nishinoya (Haikyuu)

Who is Nishinoya

Nishinoya is one of the more important characters in Haikyuu, as he is a part of the Karasuno Volleyball team — the main team that we follow throughout the story. Nishinoya plays the part of the Libero with the team, and this is a unique role within volleyball when compared to the other positions on the court.

Most positions in volleyball rotate and change from being primarily offensive positions and defensive positions, but the Libero is an exclusively defensive position within the sport. Rather than moving around and switching between the front and back of the court, they are the pillars of defense and therefore remain at the back. The role is usually given to the players with incredibly good reaction times, lightning-fast reflexes, and the ability to read and predict where the ball is going to go after being spiked.

After graduating from junior high, Nishinoya made the decision to attend Karasuno and joined their volleyball team for 2 reasons — the volleyball uniform looked cool, and the girls’ uniform was cute. Nishinoya’s childhood was one filled with him being fearful of anything and everything, but after a conversation where his grandfather told him that fear holds us back from the joy of life’s experiences, Nishinoya changed and from that day onwards became the lovable character he is today.

Why We Love Nishinoya

There is a lot to love about Nishinoya, but to begin let’s talk about his personality as a character. Nishinoya is a hilariously energetic and boisterous character both on and off of the volleyball court, and this leads to some great character moments — he is quite literally just that passionate and fired up about volleyball that he can’t help himself.

He is the type of character who will perform a great defensive manoeuvre and then give it a name like “Rolling Thunder”. However, the coolest part about Nishinoya’s character is the way that he can completely switch his energetic and excitable personality off the court into something that exudes confidence and fearlessness on the court. No matter how scary the opposing team’s spiker may seem, the team can count on their Guardian Deity of Defense.

Nishinoya, similar to the main protagonist Hinata Shoyo, is one of the shorter members of the Karasuno volleyball team, standing at around 5 feet 3 inches. I mentioned how one of Hinata’s most endearing characteristics is how optimistic he is considering his status as an underdog. Nishinoya is just as impressive as Hinata, especially when you realize it is his job to stop the scariest members of the opposing teams.

Why You Will Love Nishinoya

Nishinoya is the embodiment of pluckiness and the will to never give up, no matter how insurmountable the wall may look — there is always a way to knock it down. Sure, he isn’t the character making all of the insane jumps and spiking the ball to score, but his character defining moments are just as hype as anyone else’s.

One of Nishinoya’s greatest strengths is something that not only positively impacts the cast of the series, but also the viewer — he can put everyone in a good mood. Nishinoya doesn’t care for outside opinions and goes above and beyond to support his teammates by not only being their pillar in-game, but also being the rock they can always fall back on when they’re feeling down and defeated.

Truly a hero for the ages! Or at least the volleyball court.

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