Olympic Volleyball Player Reacts to Haikyuu!! S2E8: "Illusionary Hero"

[@SarahPavanVolleyball]

This was hands down my favorite episode of Season 2 so far. It hit me in a different way than my top episodes of season 1, too. Such a wide range of emotions watching this one!

[@jasperavelis9678]

Did you ever have that one singular moment that sticks out in your memory that hooked you on Volleyball?

[@ziruihuang4104]

I just recalled that way back in season 1 you already said that Tsukishima gonna be so important for Karasuno. I was really impressed that you called it so early!

[@tefi1602]

I just can't wait for you to find IF Tsukki has THAT moment

[@carlo6267]

Yeah, do you have that moment where you were able to do a move in an official match that makes you "Ah, this what I have been practicing for all this time. I am glad that I stick through all those hardship".

[@Azelis_]

@@jasperavelis9678 I'm also curious about it. Thank you for asking her. I can't wait to hear her story !

[@Ella8i8]

I always felt sorry for Tsukishima's dad. He set up basketball hoop in the backyard for his boys, but both of them ended up playing volleyball.

[@sanik1939]

😅😅😂🤣🤣🤣🤣.......I never even thought of that😅😆😅😅...

[@sindri1447]

lol XD

[@-piras]

omg yes lol

[@iekha_triples7718]

This is the first time i read someone mentioning it... Hahahahaha

[@Intersectingstuff]

HAHAHA

[@skyefox]

The really sad part is that Tsukki's brother is actually a really good player, being the ace of a middle school team and shown when he's able to receive the ball straight into the basketball hoop. The Karasuno roster at that time was just so deep that even someone as skilled and passionate as him was relegated to not even suiting up during games.

[@Allen-qs2xr]

Tsukki's brother being so good but not even on the bench, is exactly why Tsukki thinks about even if he becomes the best on his team also means nothing with nationals, with the world to take on. And with another supposed Tiny Giant to take on in his own team, it really helps shut him down even more. But in the end, we see him taking on the Sun, perhaps a reflection of the tale of Icarus too, to show the turn after his recent new understandings. Haikyuu is so impossibly beautifully written.

[@namelessking111]

@@Allen-qs2xr That's an A+ way of putting it into words. The more i rewatch Haikyuu through the lense of many different reactors, the more i realize just how brilliant the mangaka of Haikyuu is.

[@seekittycat]

I like how Tsuki wasn't upset because his brother wasn't some super star player, but he's upset that "volleyball made my brother tell this lie" and seeing his brother so hurt by something he loves is what hurts Tsuki. How his brother smiles but cries when nobody is watching, how he kept going back for the whole 3 years. Tsuki's conclusion that nothing really matters in the end is interesting too. Tsuki is such a deep thinker he doesn't come at the expected conclusions at all. One of my favorite episodes

[@fablihakhan904]

Omg yes!! The fact that Tsukki wasn't upset at his brother for lying but tried to understand his brother and came to dislike the thing that made his brother so is when Tsukki became the best for me.. And then he went and called Yamaguchi cool.. ..my heart

[@solrm122]

The brother is on the team is just that the Karasuno team at this time (the time of the little giant) was so popular that it had a really deep bench and so not all of the players can be out on the court, they probably only have the starting and second string out in the court and he's 3rd or 4th string.. so he's in the stands cheering his team.

[@submandave1125]

Think about how your girl Yachi, even though she's a team manager, still has to watch from the stands because only one manager is allowed on the bench. Even in the US, some sports teams are limited in how many members can "dress out" for a game.

[@girot9853]

That's right. It is common in Japanese high school club activities. There are dozens of strong schools, for example, the popular baseball club has more than 100 members. The hurdles for them to play in the game are very high, and at the same time it is difficult to get uniforms and even get on the bench.

[@submandave1125]

@@girot9853 As a club activity, I suspect the school can't really exclude anyone who wants to participate as long as they show up for practice and follow the club rules. If they get to play in the game or even dress out, however, is a mater of discretion and means.

[@JayDpwnz]

Yes, in a previous episode - Tanaka's sister even confirms he was on the team.

[@presidentjesus5063]

The smile on Sarah's face when Bokuto mentioned about having "a moment that hooks you to volleyball" was everything. You gotta tell us what that moment was for you!

[@cocoars]

This!❤

[@ramosaral]

When Tsukishima says "It is just a club," the moon is hidden behind the clouds, symboliing his doubt and troubled mind. When Yamaguchi confronts him and he realises at last, the clouds disperse and the moon shines bright. I love how they use the imagery and symbolism in Haikyuu. Tsukishima's arc is definitely the best arc.

[@pedantic79]

Sports in Japan is a club activity, so Tsukki's brother got a jacket and practiced. However, for matches when a club has too many members, only the best players dress. In other sports, the non-dressing club members would be something like the "practice-squad".

[@abclookmypee]

oh wow, did not know that

[@togetherwevlog5]

Pay attention to the group that is Tsukishima, Kuroo, Bokuto and Akashi. Somebody explained the representation very well that Kuroo (Black Cat), Bokuto and Akashi (Night Owls) are drawn to Tsukishima (Moon). This is the reason why these four players are my personal favorite. I cannot wait for you to reach Season 3 already!

[@M2BLAQ]

I never realized that! That also explains why Lev and Inuoka the "lion cat" are drawn to hinata who's the sun

[@richy1493]

WTFFFFF i always keep learning new stuff. I love haikyuu so much

[@TrianaNero]

Tsukishima's conflict is not only incredibly well-handled, but also so relevant to both real-life and even to the phenomena of sports genre in general. It gives (in my opinion) a very satisfying answer as to why people get really involved in and passionate about something seemingly as trivial as sports (when compared to, say, fantasy or smth similar). Not to mention just how relatable the situation of trying to tone your enthusiasm down to avoid hurting yourself is. And Bokuto being very open-minded about this, reminding Tsukki that it's not necessary that his own approach would suit him, is also very nice of him. This episode is such a masterclass in writing

[@MegaRemington13]

SPOILERS AHEAD Hearing what they say about 'having your moment' and Yamaguchi saying how it's about pride and not winning makes me think about the scene at the end of Season 2 between Oikawa and Ushiwaka. I wonder if Ushiwaka has ever actually had that moment, since he seems to place more value on strength and ability over 'worthless' pride. In counterpoint to that, you have Oikawa who could be called an almost entirely pride driven player. Oikawa 'I believe, says he's been facing Ushiwaka since First-Year MIddle School, that means he's faced him for 6 years, and stated to have only taken one set in all those years, keeping in mind that's possibly twice yearly, but he defines his abilities not by talent, but by his efforts he's put into it, I wouldn't be surprised if that one set he took off Ushiwaka was his 'moment'. He pursues his goal with no intentions of being stooped even if he loses, he'll keep trying again and again because he's already tasted his goal. Maybe I've read all of that wrong, I don't know, but I feel like there is something to be paralleled between this episode on 'your moment' and only needing pride.

[@minsungseungmin]

I don't think Akiteru *meant* to lie about being the ace, at first at least. When Kei asks him what position he plays, and said, "The same as in high school?" he casually answers, "Yeah." I think Akiteru was thinking in terms of middle blocker, wing spiker, etc. Which he WAS the same as in middle school. But Kei thought he was talking about being the ace, and Akiteru just couldn't stand to disappoint him, so the lies began.

[@sofia.1403]

I love this episode, especially because tsukki is one of my favourite character and this is the starting of his amazing character development. One thing Furudate said and that I think it's pretty cool is: "His (Tsukki's) last name has ‘moon’ to contrast Hinata’s ‘sun’. But I named him ‘firefly’ (Kei) because he can emit light on his own.”

[@germaineteo1438]

fun fact: "foot" in japanese is "ashi足" and asics is Japan is pronounced "Ashikkusu" aka. "Ashics". So the logo of the foot and "ics" is a whole pun on the Asics name in Japan

[@nicolasrojas7988]

by the way, i think that, when tsukki's brother say "ma'a na" (translated like "yup") as answer to the question if he is still the ace, it means "something like that" insteaed of "yup", is not a absolute yes, and i think it makes more sense

[@Ella8i8]

Fun fact about twisted brand names in Haikyuu. When the manga this show is based on was first published, the author would brand Mikasa ball as Wikasa, but later, when Haikyuu became more known, they were allowed to use the official Mikasa logo. Also, some other well-known Japanese volleyball "brands"(I will not name them, not to spoil things) were happy to lend their symbols for the story.

[@Melanie-vl1fz]

I think Tsuki’s brother was on the team since he had the team jacket on. It’s just that there were so many members at the time that they couldn’t all be on the bench. So the players that didn’t make it into the regular team or bench had to be on the stands.

[@jeune-fou]

IDK if you guys noticed but when Yamaguchi turned off the tap to stop the water it was as if the character was indirectly telling us he wouldn't be that "lame" crying kid anymore. Haikyuu is really strong at putting discreet messages like that to make you understand what characters feel.

[@Kingsley.82]

I love Yachi's little moments in these episodes. Taking notes, worrying about the players, mimicking yamaguchi's "tsuuuukiii". Such a good move to add a new character to have to explain stuff to instead of always explains things to Hinata with the added bonus of giving Kiyoko more screen time 😍

[@morik7709]

Tsukki's older brother belonged to the club certainly, but it is the upper limit 14 people that can get on the bench.

[@TrianaNero]

Your excitement is so contagious, your reactions have a very comforting vibe to them much like Haikyuu itself. Thank you for being such a wonderful presence!

[@Teaoni]

Right!! At the end when she had that big smile on the face I couldn’t help but feel the exact same and ended up having a big smile on my face too

[@zee_silivalleygirl]

I knowww her reactions are as wholesome as the show, the vibes are good

[@tinathena17]

One of the reasons why waiting for her reactions even if it takes long, is worth waiting for.

[@gh-ps5es]

Tsukishima's brother was on the team, but the team was so big that they didn't have place for him on the bench. He was prioritized below the bench players. That's why it was even more shocking to Tsukishima. He thinks his brother was so extremely passionate and loved volleyball so much that he lied to his own family but in the end he couldn't even make it on to the bench. So what was the point of all that in the end...?

[@Ella8i8]

It's like current Aoba Jousai, Dateko or Shiratorizawa. They also have so many members, that half of them end up out of the roster and makes up the cheer squad.

[@gastonkostas2520]

I just love Haikyuu's overall theme of Passion and Hardwork VS Talent. One of my fave concepts in this episode is probably Bokuto's. He basically says, in order for you to enjoy Volleyball, you have to be good at it. Improving yourself, reaching your potential (regardless of how good you'll truly end up as a player in the future) and seeing all that progress come to fruition is what makes the hardwork extremely satisfying.

[@mukullataroy2195]

Tsukki's arc is such a slow burn but sooo satisfying. Great reaction, Sarah! Loved it as usual!

[@mikkosimonen]

Akiteru isn't just a fan, he's on the team. Most of the teams we see have some players in the stands because they have more members than they can put on the bench.

[@kunterborn1]

I wouldn't say that my volleyball experience is similar to Akiteru's (I was not as good as he is), but at the beginning of my sophomore year of high school (20 years ago), I was cut from my school's volleyball team. My sister was in eighth grade at the time and was already an emerging player. Unlike Akiteru, who has a huge age gap with his brother, I'm not much older than my sister, so she knew what had happened. Despite her knowledge of the situation, I still felt miserable, like I had let her down and that I was an embarrassment. I've often wondered how my sister felt during that time. Did she feel like Tsukki? I'm truly enjoying your reactions, especially to this arc, which is one of the best evolutions of character in the series. I cannot wait for you to see how the sun and moon interact from here on out.

[@danah-hx6mk]

never feel worried that your constant smiling through scenes may look weird, I assure you that we all love seeing you enjoy and be so excited about this show and all its details and beautiful moments :') so glad you finally got to see Tsukki's (and also Yamaguchi's) backstory! I adore their development endlessly

[@zze86]

Tsukushima's arc is one of the best in all of anime IMO because it's so nuanced and the author really took the time to show and develop the character. It basically starts at S1E3 and doesn't culminate until S3E10. Three complete seasons! The opposing names and personalities also applies to their VB game and story arcs as well. They're both middle blockers but Tsukushima is shown as almost exclusively defense-oriented while Hinata is almost purely an offensive weapon. Their names also reflect their respective arcs. Hinata is the "main" character and we understand him almost from the very get-go as if the sun was shining on it the whole time. Tsukushima is almost a cipher until this episode (and again, his arc isn't even close to finished) as if concealed in darkness...but when the moon comes out, boy does it shine! Also, love the last scene of the episode, when Tsukki looks at Hinata and it switches to a moon showing during the day.

[@MH-ql4nh]

And it's also shown in their personalities. Hinata is so brash and aggressive (Yachi mentioned that being in his presence is like under direct sunlight), while Tsukki is calm and cold, like the moon. On the court it's great to have Hinata the sun as decoy, but sometimes when the team is in trouble (i.e. in darkness) you do need the moon as well. I love how the moon is obscured when Tsukki is in a slump, but when he gets 'enlightened' the clouds parted. Great symbolism!

[@Professor_Wisteria_]

one of the first times i physically popped off and actually left my couch watching anime was when i first saw Tsukki block that single spike. it's such a huge moment not only for the team to gain momentum but for him as well, he finally fell in love with the game. god this show is good

[@mauriciopizarro2077]

Amazing reaction as always. A few other details that you may not catch was that Tsuki asking to Bokuto and Kuroo is has a meaning since him is "moon" and Bokuto is called always as "owl" and Kuro is the captain of nekoma "Cats", so its like the moon is talking with nocturne animals and that is so good. Also, in the end when Yachi repeat the "sun vs moon" you can see the moon on the morning sky, meaning that Tsuki will be present and try to shine even if the sun (Hinata) is out there.

[@FuFightersStudio]

The Owl part is due to Fukurodani - フクロウ (Fukurō) means Owl in Japanese and thus since Bokuto is the face of the team he is dubbed an "owl" (same symbolism is used with other schools that have a singular strong player - such as Shiratorizawa). His name - Bokuto also means Horned Owl (if I simplify the process) - he also looks like one. A small additional trivial - Kuroo stands for a black tail - he is the tail of Nekoma's Cat. Haikyuu has tons of hidden meanings in names.

[@sindri1447]

@@FuFightersStudio Kuro is also the color black and is just a very generic name for a black cat in Japan.

[@erict1628]

29:56 While it's true that Kuroo was helping Tsukki out of friendship, he did have ulterior motive to do so. The same with Nekoma coach using his influence to get Karasuno into this volleyball network with the other Tokyo teams. One huge reason: The Battle of the Garbage Dump at Nationals. See, Nekoma (and Fukurodani) and Karasuno are from different prefectures, so the only time that they could play each other in an official match is at Nationals. And the only way that is going to happen is if Karasuno wins the prefectural qualifying tournament. That means Karasuno has to become a strong enough team to beat Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa. So there is incentive for Kuroo, Bokuto, and Nekoma coach to help Karasuno players to become stronger.

[@JiyutoSeigi]

Few lines in fiction have hit me as hard as "What do we need other than pride?"! Delightful reaction as always!

[@Flistatec]

I have been waiting ALL WEEK for this very episode. Love it so much. Also: Akiteru (the brother) was on the team, he just didn't even make the bench.

[@zee_silivalleygirl]

Sarah i love that you can’t stop smiling that’s how i feel about this show too, it’s so wholesome and not in a shallow or fluffy way, just in a “my babies are so precious and they’re experiencing character developmenttt” kind of way. Killing it as always, great reaction!!

[@melinadesh]

i just love how other players and coaches are happy about karasuno's players' improvements instead of getting frustrated

[@LixienXIII]

12:43 he wasn't a fan. It's just that there's a limited number of players that are allowed on the bench. Meaning that he wasn't good enough to even be there unfortunately.

[@girish2754]

"What else do you need besides pride" - one of my favorite lessons from Haikyuu

[@cafegoose]

Every time I really want to see Sarah & Adam’s reaction to an episode, but it doesn’t come out until a few days later, I go back to watch Sarah's first-time reaction😂

[@Shirley36]

Akiteru (Tsukki's brother) was actually on the team, that's how he has a jersey. It's just that at the time that Akiteru was in Karasuno, the school was at the strongest that they've ever been, which means their team was just so massive that there was no room for him to even be on the second string. It's actually really sad, because he was a skilled player. The team just had so many others that played better.

[@sauntering6952]

this episode still remains one of my favorites to rewatch to this day. not only does it have the amazing start to tsukki's arc but also the iconic oya oya oya

[@enjoyingquietly]

Tsukki's character development is one of the greatest things in Haikyuu!! on another note: there's something that I love in shounen anime and that is rivals helping each other to improve, because that will make you work harder, too

[@theecat3689]

YESSSSS Omg so excited hihi. Was expecting the wait to be longer since it's currently beach vball season so this is a great surprise! much love ♥️

[@Intersectingstuff]

It's very cool that you noticed Tsukki's brother lying even without the big scenes yet!! I'm amazed by your attention to details❤️

[@siendris2056]

Bokuto's speach gets me every time. he talks about something that is very dear to me, he talks about the moment you get hooked to volleyball. if you play a sport, if you are lucky enough, you will do something in a game, a specific action, a specific moment that will get you hooked ,that will give you that excitement and adrenalin that you'll never forget. for me was a spike from the 3m line in the middle of the court; the ball was there in the air and at the time i didn't even practised a spike from the back line; i didn't think too much, i just went for it and scored. when i came back to my sense and realized what i did, I had a rush of adrenaline that i'll never forget. THAT was the moment i got hooked to volleyball. i Hope you all had one as well

[@oOSaraOo]

Sarah, definitely remember Bokuto's line "But once that moment arrives for you, that's the moment you'll be hooked on volleyball" for the future ;)

[@beepmeepful]

4:00 Fun fact about the almost branding, Asics is pronounced “ashi-kusu” in Japanese. Foot/legs in Japanese is “ashi”. So the pic of the “foot-ics” is really a pun on the Asics name. I’ve loved these small details too!

[@anaa00991]

It was Tsukishima's older brother who lied, but I felt so embarrassed and depressed when he got caught 🙂

[@PheonixDeath1]

I think he was on the team because he had the jacket he just wasnt even back up potential. Then again alot of ppl who got 0 playtime were at least courtside so maybe someone else knows better than me.

[@muhammadnazrin3390]

The roster was just too deep back then, i guess. He's probably a third stringer who couldn't even make the bench. He probably still participates in practice (can't really fake long hours of practice) but at the time his abilities just weren't good enough.

[@lucasmelee]

This is one the biggest game changers in the anime IMO, when I first read that in manga form years ago, it got me chills. I thought: "ok this won't be your ordinary sports anime, the author will give actual depth to the characters" . The training arcs are truly fantastic in haikyuu, not only because we see skill improvement but we see the formation of the bonds between characters. Bokuto's words are definitely something to use in all aspects of life.

[@shivabitaraf2757]

thank you for your videos. today I has a very bad day because I had a heavyinjury on the court and my doctor told me there is no way I am allowed to play until next year. I was completely destroyed emotionally but now I'm watching my favourite kind of video. thank you for this. you made my day better.

[@Teaoni]

I hope your injury gets better, please make sure you get lots of rest and take care of it as much as possible! I’ve been in that situation so many times before so I know how you feel, please stay strong! 🙏🏻❤️

[@jinkxyash1367]

Hope you recover soon

[@warrensee410]

There is a Chinese saying " Resting now so that you can walk a longer distance in the future". Take this time off to train yourself in other aspects of the sports or outside the sports.

[@mulfandisallowed9345]

nooooo... you can smile as much as you want! i just found your channel and been watching your reactions and your other videos for these past week.. i love this

[@viporto13]

Tsukkishima arc is one of the slowest, but also one of the best

[@junotmintz7404]

Whew, this episode always gets me -- Tsukki's inner struggle reminds me so much of myself at that age (just with arts instead of sports). For years I was afraid of letting myself love anything enough to work hard at it, because I didn't think I'd ever be good enough anyways. So half-assing everything and acting aloof was my way of trying to protect myself. Great reaction as always Sarah! Your wealth of knowledge, compassion, and accomplishments as an athlete make me so proud to have you represent Canada on the world stage. 🇨🇦 Sending love from Toronto

[@elisabethn2893]

I always love how clear it is here that Hinata respects him "of course he is my rival, he is everything I'm not" and the short and succinct "if the choice is between being good at volleyball or sucking at it, it's obvious which one is cooler" in regards to Tsukki always being cool

[@Dylamn]

Your commentary on this show truly is unlike anyone else's. You sound like you directed the damn thing.

[@Teaoni]

Exactly! Compared to other reactors who talk a lot over the episodes and miss lots of important dialogue and moments, her commentary is really good. I really love how she really enjoys it and pays attention, then explains how she feels when she pauses. That’s what I love about her reactions so much

[@RobustPhysics]

Hi! Now that you have seen this episode, I have a question for you. What was the moment that got *you* hooked on volleyball (if there was one)?

[@jasperavelis9678]

Would love to know this as well.

[@carlossalgado8676]

This show stays undefeated with its character development and attention to detail, I’ve watched the show several times and only just now noticed that even in yamaguchi’s bullying flashback, tsukki has a moon on hoodie, reinforcing his moon imagery.

[@heisenberg6197]

I bet sarah's gonna cry on "that episode"

[@LeeLikesFrenchFries]

The asics knockoff in haikyuu is called "ashiics". In Japanese, foot = "ashi". So "foot" logo + "ics" = "ashi" + "ics". Hope that helps!

[@ojyattamonse]

嬉しくてにやにやしちゃうwww

[@MH-ql4nh]

I can never get tired of Bokuto's explanation about being hooked on volleyball (or generally any sport/activity). Bonus because he said that not everyone has 'that moment' and it's still alright too! Tsukki's arc is so well-written, and I can't emphasize that enough.

[@mars-rk5yx]

after watching this episode Tsukki has automatically become my favorite character, no one will ever take his place. Even after the 4th time I watched this anime he has always remained my favorite. I can feel his emotions and fears as mine. Do the bare minimum, be sufficient but not extraordinary for fear of trying and failing. When you have talented people around you who succeed in what they do, but you know that others people try hard, but they fail and it hurts... So you wonder: "why i should try if I will never be so good? There will always be someone better..." I feel everything he feels. And every time I watch this episode I cry i love this episode and your reaction

[@Malo-Hombre71]

Kuroo and Bokuto are the best big brother combo that take Tsukki to the next level

[@KK-qz4jp]

I think they elaborate more on it later but Kuroo does have a great reason for helping them! They eluded to it in the past so all I will say as a reminder is "Battle at the garbage dump".

[@swlfangirl]

Yessss this is one of my favorite episodes I’m so glad you enjoyed it too, and Bokuto and Kuroo and Akaashi do a lot to foster Tsukki’s talent and skill. I’m so excited for you to see how he grows from that

[@dizont]

Saw a new reaction video come out, immediately clicked! These videos really keep me going, with my master thesis and work overload. Thank you so much, that you find time for these silly reaction videos!

[@ryancooper6329]

"But once that moment arrives for you, that's the moment you'll be hooked on volleyball" That quote will forever be one of Haikyuu's Highlights for me.

[@Baens293]

You may not believe but i actually have a big smile on my face watching your reaction too ! Love this so so much ❤️

[@user-lo8lu7fp9s]

Thank you sending Sarah-san. I watched Haikyu anime dozens of times and remembered the lines, but until you pointed out, I couldn't find it (Yamaguchi himself pointed out Tsukishima the "lame" that he had heard when he first met Tsukishima). I was impressed again. ・ As you may know, Mikasa and Molten are cooperating with this animation, so the volleyball drawn is genuine article(？). If you look at the end roll, the name will come out. As you say, "Potari Sweat" comes from "Pokari Sweat", but this is not officially recognized, but "Potari" is an onomatopoeia that means water droplets, sweat, and tears fall in Japanese, so it is a well-made fake name. I like it.

[@belinjera]

The thing about Kuroo and Bokuto helping their opponents is a theme always present in sports anime. You want to play against players at their best, because winning a game from someone who isn't trying their hardest means nothing to them, and I think that's actually really cool.

[@StaticLog]

I just want to say, I love Sarah's reactions, she really makes me feel like I'm watching with a friend, an incredibly knowledgeable friend lol.

[@TheAnanthvarma]

not sure if you noticed or not but ever since grandpa coach Ukai said to keep touching the ball, Hinata has religiously been doing that in every practice since then. The boy is just too dedicated :D

[@Auroku93]

I still love that 90% of Kuroo's expressions are " Cat-that-caught-the-canary" lol

[@yuanyuan850510]

Sarah couldn’t help but smile constantly watching this, and I couldn’t help but smile constantly watching Sarah watching this ☺️ Just adorable

[@alalcrumo]

Tsukki's episodes always make me a bit emotional, i like the different point of view he brings to Haikyuu, because most characters are so assertive and positive in their approach to volleyball, but Tsukki is slightly more self-conscious and that makes his own insecurities more apparent. I still think his growth was one of the best in the story, it's so well developed because it's present in every season.

[@musingmiyu]

I absolutely loved seeing the smile on your face towards the end, it's truly contagious! I love your character analysis, everything was spot on. Especially what you said about Yamaguchi being the one to bring Tsukishima out of his funk. And love love the growth that you see in Tsukishima. (and how great is the sun/moon symbolism??) Thanks so much for another great reaction. ❤️

[@SappyNoypi]

I'm glad this episode has become your favourite. Because the writing and the character development of this show is really amazing even compared to other anime of this calibre. It is why we love this anime so much. 🥰

[@erict1628]

Tsukki's brother was on the team, just not the starting team, meaning starters + bench players. During his playing time, Karasuno was a powerhouse, so they had a lot of strong players and not all players will get to play regularly. They showed that Tsukki's brother was a really good player, being an ace in middle school. Unfortunately, just too many good players wanted to go to Karasuno at that time.

[@animagamer2]

The saddest part of all this is that Tsuki's brother was really good by high-school standards. On most other teams in the prefecture, he would definitely have been in the running for Ace. It's just Karasuno at the time was just *that* good. And right now Karasuno looks like they're on the path to regaining their former glory so you can understand a little bit about Tsukishima's hesitancy. His big brother who he idolized couldn't cut it on a powerhouse team and he was probably better when he was Tsuki's age than Tsuki is now. So why bother? In Tsuki's mind, there are just those who have the talent to make it work and those who don't- that's what his brother's experiences thought him.

[@caitie8921]

The character development in season two is so good! Glad you’re enjoying it.

[@JeM130177]

I've seen this ep so many times but I still cried through this entire video. This show man. What a gorgeous thing it is!

[@SmallOneEyedKing]

This is one of my favorite episodes in haikyuu and the way you smiled and enjoted it warms my heart as well. I love yo lu commenting everytl detail by your volleyball expertise.

[@mani3001]

Seeing you smile like that and feel the tension in the more dramatic moments is great. It’s always so obvious that you enjoy the show and I love that

[@EnriqueGarcia-tc6uy]

I think there is a story arc from Sarah hating Tsuki to having empathy fir him. :)

[@takaakids4]

I can hardly wait for the moment !!

[@cherryblossom2270]

I really enjoyed, thank you ! pronunciation of Bokuto is perfect !

[@irem8513]

Akiteru was on the team but at the time Karasuno had a lot of members, so he didn't even make the cut to dress up and wait on the bench.

[@amandanaoexiste]

omg yessssss this is one of my favourite episodes I'm so glad you are reacting to it!!!

[@Faelitu]

YAAAS!! She's back! ❤️❤️💪🏻

[@AnimeCreation234]

Sarah's a pro at pronunciation of names 😁😍

[@elliefigs2532]

Your excitement for Tsukishima's growth is making me excited too!! i love your reactions so much❤

[@jvgoddard4296]

I love Sarah, she just gets it!

[@QnTn15]

Thanks!

[@Ryan_gogaku]

This is one of the most tragic parts of how high school sports are organized (in Japan, and maybe elsewhere) for me. It would certainly be possible logistically to field more than one team from certain schools and give more players chances to participate. The logistics and money of it would be tricky, but ultimately, if we aren't organizing high school sports so that the largest number of people possible can have the most experiences possible, then what are we trying to do in the first place? Think of how much better the third-years would be if more of them could get real game experience as first-years.

[@hermeshemp6271]

Just watching this scene between Tsukki and Yamaguchi makes me tear up even watching this video with Sarah. Such a powerful scene. This is how anime makes us cry!

[@osteogent6445]

This episode is one of my favourites and I always love how weighty Tsukushima’s block looks, like it’s just a crushing weight, as a smaller player I’ve known many blocks like that 😅

[@melanieortiz889]

Yaaasss!!! This is one of my fav episodes from season 2!!

[@joekerr9892]

cant wait for your season 3 reaction. 😭

[@linkthai1995]

lmao you just went from "what's his problem" Tsukishima to "our boy" Tskukishima, that's Sarah's character development arc.

[@fedegela]

Using a shirt that looks like the moon surface meanwhile reacting at this chapter in particular, was a really nice coincidence haha

[@tsubasangel]

:) Great video! I'm so glad you liked this episode about Tsukki! Bokuto and Kuro are both awesome and helpful upperclassmen!

[@solusgamer164]

don't forget to like the video yall. Give that algorithm some love for the greatest Haikyu reactor.

[@my.name_00]

Sun versus the Moon; there are times when moon is more visible even at the broad daylight.