Haikyuu!! might just be the most popular sports anime of all time. Haruichi Furudate’s manga concluded its run in 2020, producing 402 chapters and 42 volumes in the process. The anime has produced over 80 episodes and a couple of movies, with 2024’s Dumpster Battle feature covering roughly up to chapter 324. While almost there, the adaptation still has some content to cover, so Karasuno High’s beloved characters are likely to make a comeback sooner or later.
Karasuno High may be the team to take the main stage for the majority of the series, but Haikyuu!! is just as much about this club as it is about their relationships with their opponents. In addition to the main Karasuno members, many other players from away teams play a critical role in the entirety of the anime. All the friends and foes (but mainly friends) the powerful Kage-Hina duo meet throughout their journey make for a lengthy roster.
Long-time fans of Haikyuu!! have shown a lot of love to the wide cast of players, appreciating each one of them for their unique playstyles and personalities. For any dedicated fans or any new faces looking to get into the series, here are the profiles of the main characters in Haikyuu!!. Questions like “How tall is Hinata Shoyo?” will be answered.
Updated on September 28, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Two more Karasuno High club members have been added, and they are both fairly quiet and subdued.
Haikyuu!! Statistics Chart
When it comes to volleyball (among a handful of other sports), statistics like height can be very important to a player’s overall profile. While it may be a trivial detail in other cases, these dedicated volleyball players make it a point to record their heights as accurately as possible. To help these stats be much more accessible, the following table has been made to keep track of each main character’s age, birthday, and height.
Shoyo Hinata
Played For: Yukigaoka Junior High, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 1 (Endings and Beginnings)
- Position: Captain, Outside Hitter, Middle Blocker
- English VA: Bryson Bagus
- Japanese VA: Ayumu Murase
The main protagonist throughout the series, Hinata, is a cheery, optimistic, and hardworking member of the Karasuno team. While he is on the shorter side (regarding volleyball players), he doesn’t let that stop him from dreaming big and still being a serious threat to opposing teams. Hinata grows exponentially throughout the anime; from struggling with his rivalry with a former opponent, Tobio Kageyama, to working side by side with him and acting as Karasuno’s power duo.
In many ways, Hinata is the prototypical battle shonen lead: hard-headed, endlessly positive, and narrow-focused. However, he rises above most of his peers through sheer personality alone, and he is constantly one of the funniest parts of Haikyu!!
Tobio Kageyama
Played For: Little Falcons, Akiyama Elementary, Kitagawa Daiichi, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 1 (Endings and Beginnings)
- Position: Setter
- English VA: Scott Gibbs
- Japanese VA: Kaito Ishikawa
Hinata’s partner in crime and also the series’ deuteragonist, Kageyama, is an essential part of the story as he plays a large role in Hinata’s (and also his own) personal growth. Kageyama and Hinata act as foils for one another yet still manage to make each other stronger. In the beginning, Kageyama is seen as a selfish “King Of The Court” who doesn’t understand teamwork; however, throughout the series and his journey working alongside Hinata, he eventually matures.
The once egotistical and cold Kageyama slowly blossoms into a cooperative team player who constantly brings out the best in not only Hinata but also the other students who step onto the court alongside him. An argument could be made that Kageyama is Karasuno’s most important player, the tactical powerful responsible for managing the tempo.
Daichi Sawamura
Played For: Izumitate Junior High, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 1 (Endings and Beginnings)
- Position: Captain, Outside Hitter, Opposite Hitter
- English VA: Justin Doran
- Japanese VA: Satoshi Hino
Third-year and Team Captain, Daichi, is often seen as the “dad” of the group and is constantly left to deal with the younger members’ quarrels and antics. Daichi is the backbone of Karasuno; without his leadership, the members lose motivation and direction. He is by far one of the more mature members of the team and knows not to crack under pressure, even if just to keep up a calm appearance for the sake of reassuring the rest of the players.
Daichi knows how to keep the other players in check, particularly Hinata and Kageyama during their early days when they were struggling to see eye to eye. As a dependable receiver, Karasuno’s captain is a crucial part of the team, even if he is really just a good player rather than a great one.
Koshi Sugawara
Played For: Nagamushi Junior High, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 1 (Endings and Beginnings)
- Position: Setter, Vice-Captain, Pinch Server
- English VA: Adam Gibbs
- Japanese VA: Miyu Irino
While Team Captain, Daichi, is often seen as Karasuno’s father figure, Suga serves as the team’s tough but fair mother figure. Suga is a kind upperclassman and often comforts the other members when they’re down, but still makes sure to scold them when they are in the wrong.
Sugawara is a setter and also the Vice-Captain of Karasuno. However, don’t be fooled by his kind demeanor, Suga tends not to hold back when it comes to reprimanding his teammates when there’s an important lesson to be learned. On the court, Suga tends to shine at reading a match’s flow, allowing him to step up to the plate and connect plays. He is the type of player who brings out the best in others while not necessarily shining himself.
Asahi Azumane
Played For: Sekodai Junior High, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 8 (He Who Is Called “Ace”)
- Position: Outside Hitter, Ace
- English VA: Orlander Jones
- Japanese VA: Yoshimasa Hosoya
While Asahi is the team ace and stands a daunting six feet tall, he’s much less menacing than he looks. While he is often teased for having a “scary” appearance by other classmates, he’s incredibly kind and wouldn’t hurt a fly. This gentle giant is surprisingly very sensitive and often lets the stress and/or guilt of a match’s outcome weigh on his shoulders, despite being a third-year with more experience.
Even with Suga and Daichi being his age, poor Asahi often finds himself being scolded by the two for not being confident enough in his abilities. As the team’s ace, he puts himself under considerable pressure to perform, a role that he has not always felt up to fulfilling. Still, despite his wavering confidence, Asahi is an absolute powerhouse who is a threat to any competing team. If he has the opportunity to spike the ball, it is almost a guaranteed goal.
Yu Nishinoya
Played For: Chidoriyama Junior High, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 7 (Versus the Great King)
- Position: Libero
- English VA: Greg Ayres
- Japanese VA: Nobuhido Okamoto
While height can be an advantage in the realm of volleyball, second-year, Noya, is proof that even shorter players can have their time to shine. Noya is the libero of the Karasuno team and uses his height to his advantage. While taller players excel at things like spiking or blocking, he specializes in agility. His abilities make Karasuno’s defense a force to be reckoned with.
Even with being the shortest member of the team (even falling a few centimeters behind Hinata), Noya contributes just as much as everyone else. Although not exactly the most patient person ever, his unwavering determination and relentless energy help to keep up the team’s morale when they are facing off against overwhelming opponents. Karasuno is always better when Noya is on the court.
Ryunosuke Tanaka
Played For: Oujitsu Junior High, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 1 (Endings and Beginnings)
- Position: Outside Hitter, Ace
- English VA: Greg Cote
- Japanese VA: Yu Hayashi
Second-year and wing spiker, Tanaka, is a great upperclassman to his younger teammates. He often acts as a mentor to Hinata and Kageyama, keeps Tsukki and Yamaguchi in check, or breaks up any fights. Despite Tanaka’s best efforts to come off as intimidating and tough, deep down, he’s a kind person who genuinely cares about treating his teammates well and taking good care of his underclassmen.
However, when it comes to Tanaka on the court, it’s as if he’s a completely different person. He may have a heart of gold, but when it comes to going up against his opponents, he’s incredibly competitive and tends to be a prideful person.
Chikara Ennoshita
Played For: Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 2 (Karasuno High School’s Volleyball Club)
- Position: Wing Spiker
- English VA: Adam Noble
- Japanese VA: Toshiki Masuda
Chikara Ennoshita does not get all that much time to shine in Haikyuu!!, but that does not mean he is not an important part of Karasuno’s team. Essentially, this second-year student acts as Daichi’s vice-captain, serving as a calming influence on both the more energetic and younger players. While by no means terrible, Chikara is admittedly a pretty average player who does not shine in any specific area on the court; that said, he does not have any obvious weaknesses either, so he is a flexible option to have on the bench.
Chikara is a useful hand and head to have around, and he is more than capable of stepping up during clutch situations, like when he needed to replace Daichi during the Wakutani Minami High match. While ultimately a minor player in the grand scheme of things, he does contribute to the overall show.
Kei Tsukishima
Played For: Amemaru Middle School, Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 3 (The Formidable Ally)
- Position: Middle Blocker
- English VA: Leraldo Anzaldua
- Japanese VA: Koki Uchiyama
Middle blocker and first-year, Tsukki began his journey on Karasuno as a cold and uncooperative teammate. Although he still may have a bit of a way to go, Tsukki’s personal growth throughout the series was key to the team’s overall chemistry. Tsukki started as an aloof person, participating as a part of the team but not finding any real drive or motivation like the other members.
Eventually, Tsukki had his big moment where he realized the game and his teammates meant a great deal to him. While his love for mocking his companions never really subsides, Tsukki’s attitude becomes far more teamwork-oriented in the sequel seasons of the anime. The journey was long, but he eventually realized that he did not need to suppress his love for volleyball.
Tadashi Yamaguchi
Played For: Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 3 (The Formidable Ally)
- Position: Middle Blocker, Pinch Server, Captain
- English VA: Cameron Bautsch
- Japanese VA: Soma Saito
Yamaguchi, despite his tendency to crack under pressure, is Karasuno’s pinch server. Yamaguchi is a first-year and Tsukki’s closest buddy. It was thanks to Yamaguchi’s perseverance that roped Tsukki back in when he began to waver the team’s synergy.
Yamaguchi was initially introduced as a very nervous person and as a result, didn’t perform well under pressure, which was when the team needed him the most. With the help of his teammates and their support, Yamaguchi eventually overcame his anxieties and learned how to handle the pressure like a pro.
Kiyoko Shimizu
Manged For: Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 1 (Endings and Beginnings)
- Position: Manager
- English VA: Rebekah Stevens
- Japanese VA: Kaori Nazuka
While not getting the same spotlight as the players, club managers are important in their own right, often helping to maintain the team’s morale and assisting with the training. Karasuno’s volleyball club has two managers: Kiyoko and Yachi. Both characters bring unique energies to the team’s dynamic, and they balance each other well. Out of the two, Kiyoko is arguably the more memorable character, but they are mostly seen together.
Although subtle, Kiyoko gradually grows more confident as the anime progresses, going from an observer to somebody who is more willing to open-up and interact with the players and coaches. She might not have the loudest personality, but she has a strong presence.
Ittetsu Takeda
Coached For: Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 5 (A Coward’s Anxiety)
- Position: Teacher Advisor, Coach
- English VA: Gareth West
- Japanese VA: Hiroshi Kamiya
Although not the most experienced head coach, Mr. Takeda still served as one of the main catalysts of beginning Karasuno’s journey. The faculty advisor is a soft-spoken person. Due to his lack of experience in volleyball, he recruited (after much persuasion) Keishin Ukai to handle most of the practical coaching, while he took care of arranging matches against competing schools.
While Takeda doesn’t take a hands-on approach with the team most of the time, he always helps out with fixing dynamics and strategies. Ultimately, Takeda is a fairly small part of Haikyu!! who mostly exists to support the students; that said, he is a generally pleasant presence.
Keishin Ukai
Played/Coached For: Karasuno High
- First Appearance: Episode 5 (A Coward’s Anxiety)
- Position: Setter, Coach
- English VA: David Wald
- Japanese VA: Kazunari Tanaka, Hisao Egawa
Keishin Ukai is the capable coach of the Karasuno volleyball team. His status as a Karasuno alumnus initially made Ukai refuse the position as coach, as he was insistent on keeping his time at Karasuno as nothing but “pleasant nostalgia.” After Takeda made many attempts to get him to reconsider, Ukai eventually gave in to his pleas and formally took the position of Karasuno’s Coach. His competitive nature also shines through as a coach, and he is very much in it to win.
Coach Ukai was a setter on his team back when he was in high school, and he utilizes his years of experience when teaching and mentoring his team. Funnily enough, Ukai struggled to make Karasuno’s team during his high school years, so he was probably not a top-tier player. That said, he clearly loved and still loves the sport, and he is perfect as a coach.
Tetsuro Kuroo
Played For: Hikarigayama Fighters, Nekoma High
- First Appearance: Episode 11 (Decision)
- Position: Captain, Middle Blocker
- English VA: Ty Mahany
- Japanese VA: Yuichi Nakamura
Kuroo, Nekoma’s fierce captain is also the team’s middle blocker. He’s also well known as the “scheming captain”. Kuroo’s presence was essential to Tsukki’s growth in the series. Despite them being from rival schools, Kuroo took it upon him to practice with Tsukki (along with other opposing team members) and helped Tsukki better understand both himself and the sport.
While rather immature at times, he still takes his title as captain very seriously and is often seen scolding others or making sure fellow teammate, Kenma, doesn’t get too invested in his video games during practice.
Kenma Kozume
Played For: Nekoma High
- First Appearance: Episode 11 (Decision)
- Position: Setter
- English VA: Clint Bickham
- Japanese VA: Yuki Kaji
Kenma may be a soft-spoken person, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t pose a threat on the volleyball court. Kenma is often referred to as the “brain” of the team and is responsible for keeping the team composed and decoding any opposing team’s weaknesses. Many of Kenma’s fellow teammates are rather loud and energetic, making him stick out rather easily.
While he enjoys volleyball, he also enjoys video games as well and is constantly being scolded by team captain, Kuroo, to focus.
Toru Oikawa
Played For: Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High, Aoba Johsai HIgh
- First Appearance: Episode 5 (A Coward’s Anxiety)
- Position: Setter, Captain
- English VA: Chris Patton
- Japanese VA: Daisuke Namikawa
Oikawa may be a third-year and the captain of Aoba Johsai, but that doesn’t stop him from continuing his infamous feud with Karasuno’s first-year, (and fellow setter) Kageyama. During the earlier arcs of the series, Oikawa served as one of the main antagonists.
Oikawa may seem like an arrogant and prideful person, but when it comes to what’s best for the team, he’ll always do what’s right. However, many other teams don’t often see this side to him and give him unflattering nicknames, like “Trashykawa” or “Crappykawa”.
Hajime Iwaizumi
Played For: Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High, Aoba Johsai High
- First Appearance: Episode 6 (An Interesting Team)
- Position: Outside Hitter, Ace, Vice Captain
- English VA: Benjamin McLaughlin
- Japanese VA: Hiroyuki Yoshino
Oikawa’s partner and vice-captain, Iwaizumi, is also a third-year at Aoba Johsai High. Iwaizumi and Oikawa’s chemistry wasn’t built overnight; the duo has their long childhood friendship to thank for their synergy on the court. Iwaizumi is a triple threat, being Aoba Johsai’s ace, vice-captain, and wing spiker.
Iwaizumi often acts as a foil to Oikawa and is there to give him a helping hand or to call him out on his childish behavior. The two work together to bring out the best in Aoba Johsai.
Takanobu Aone
Played For: Date Tech High
- First Appearance: Episode 9 (A Toss to the Ace)
- Position: Middle Blocker
- English VA: Mike Haimoto
- Japanese VA: Hiroki Matsu
Date Tech’s infamous “Iron Wall” is more commonly known as Aone. Aone is a second-year and acts as the main pillar of his team’s line of defense, standing tall as a six-foot-tall middle blocker. However, don’t be fooled by Aone’s cold and intimidating outward appearance; he’s actually quite kind.
Aone has shown on multiple occasions that he is one of the more mild-tempered members on his team and is even the one to break up any fights or arguments as he dislikes conflict among his friends.
Kanji Koganegawa
Played For: Date Tech High
- First Appearance: Episode 19 (The Iron Wall Can Be Constructed Any Number of Times)
- Position: Setter
- English VA: Mason Butler, Kiba Walker
- Japanese VA: Masayuki Shouji
First-year, Koganegawa, is the setter for Date Tech. Koganegawa is almost the complete opposite of Aone. Koganegawa is loud and energetic, often resorting to acting first and thinking later. While very motivated to better his skills for himself and his team, he often is misguided and tries to improve in the wrong areas.
While fellow teammate Aone tends to keep to himself and is soft-spoken, Koganegawa is quite the opposite and is very outgoing and often befriends other players on opposing teams.
Kotaro Bokuto
Played For: Ushinokoku Lions, Ushimi Middle School, Fukurodani Academy
- First Appearance: Episode 30 (Center Ace)
- Position: Outside Hitter, Ace, Captain
- English VA: Ian Sinclair
- Japanese VA: Ryohei Kimura
Often compared to an owl, third-year Bokuto is both the ace and captain of Fukurodani’s volleyball team. Bokuto was first introduced as one of the top five aces in the country. While a powerful player on the court, Bokuto is incredibly fickle and allows his emotions to get the better of him; especially in tense situations.
This causes a bit of turmoil in Fukurodani, but luckily, Bokuto has his best friend, Akaashi, to help keep calm and level-headed to get back into the game and dominate the other team.
Keiji Akaashi
Played For: Mori Junior High, Fukurodani Academy
- First Appearance: Episode 30 (Center Ace)
- Position: Setter, Vice Captain
- English VA: Jeremy Gee
- Japanese VA: Ryota Osaka
Akaashi is Fukurodani’s clever second-year vice-captain and setter. Akaashi is very quiet most of the time and is often responsible for keeping team captain, Bokuto, in check whenever he happens to find himself at loss or discouraged.
While Akaashi tries his best to call Bokuto out for his childish antics and allows him to learn lessons on his own, it also seems that Akaashi gives into Bokuto’s immature behavior and still gives him the praise that Bokuto craves from his teammates.
Wakatoshi Ushijima
Played For: Shiratorizawa Academy Junior High, Shiratorizawa Academy
- First Appearance: Episode 14 (Formidable Opponents)
- Position: Opposite Hitter, Ace, Captain
- English VA: Joe Daniels
- Japanese VA: Ryota Takeuchi
Third-year Ushijima is the captain and ace of the Shiratorizawa volleyball team. He served as the main antagonist during the arc in which Karasuno faced off against his team. Ushijima is a very cold individual and often comes off much too blunt for his own good, and makes others feel unwelcomed.
Ushijima, unsurprisingly, has the tendency to take things literally, making him difficult to befriend and joke around with. Ushijima is a very rational person and dislikes people with baseless confidence or unjustified optimism.
Satori Tendo
Played For: Shiratorizawa Academy
- First Appearance: Episode 40 (Growing Fast)
- Position: Middle Blocker
- English VA: Jessie James Grelle
- Japanese VA: Subaru Kimura
Tendo is Shiratorizawa’s third-year middle blocker. He is often referred to as “Guess Monster” by others due to his eerie ability to consistently deny opponents with his blocks on the court. While off the court, Tendo tends to be loud and cheerful, often found annoying his fellow members for fun, he is a completely different person when in a game.
Tendo has the ability to hone in on the game and focus all his energy on reading his opponents. Tendo’s encounter with Hinata was an important one as he then learned that his ability to read his opponents was a skill Hinata excelled at as well.
Yuji Terushima
Played For: Johzenji High
- First Appearance: Episode 37 (Up Above)
- Position: Outside Hitter, Captain
- English VA: Connor Borne
- Japanese VA: Takuya Eguchi
Terushima is the captain of his volleyball team at Johsenji High. He is a second-year student and is very energetic. He often acts childish and doesn’t take things very seriously as he states that his place on the team was purely for fun and doesn’t genuinely care about the sport or getting better.
However, after Terushima’s encounter with Karasuno High, he began to see things differently and understood that victory was much more satisfying after putting one’s heart into the sport.
Atsumu Miya
Played For: Yako Junior High, Inarizaki High
- Appearance: Episode 63 (Perspective)
- Position: Setter, Captain
- English VA: Blake Jackson
- Japanese VA: Mamoru Miyano
Atsumu is the second-year starting setter of Inarizaki High’s volleyball team. Atsumu is a sly person; he often enjoys provoking others around him while keeping a cool exterior in order to get a rise of them even further. Atsumu is also a hard-headed and stubborn person and very rarely listens to others.
While Atsumu enjoys playing around with others and getting the best of them, he still puts all he has into volleyball and takes his position on the team very seriously.
Osamu Miya
Played For: Yako Junior High, Inarizaki High
- First Appearance: Episode 73 (Day Two)
- Position: Opposite Hitter
- English VA: Daman Mills
- Japanese VA: Hideaki
The second-year and wing spiker of the Inarizaki team is Atsumu’s twin brother, Osamu. Unlike his brother, Atsumu, Osamu is not much of a hot head and is very laid back. However, even with his calm demeanor, Osamu, like his twin brother, still takes his place on the team very seriously and can still get overly competitive at times. Osamu and Atsumu often (sometimes unknowingly) work together to better each other and improve their skills for the team.
Although Osamu is serious about his role in Inarizaki, Osamu’s other passion is food, and often gets distracted by it even on the court.
Aran Ojiro
Played For: Inarizaki High
- First Appearance: Episode 73 (Day Two)
- Position: Outsider Hitter, Ace, On-Court Captain
- English VA: Camryn Nunley
- Japanese VA: Jun Kasama
Aran is a third-year student at Inarizaki High and is one of the volleyball team’s wing spikers. Just like Bokuto, Aran was one of the top aces in Japan. Unlike some of his teammates, Aran is a very level-headed person and very mature. He’s often the “straight man” to many of the other Inarizaki’s other wacky antics, always calling them out on their nonsense.
Aran has known the Miya twins from a very young age and has grown accustomed to their childish behavior over the years.
Shinsuke Kita
Played For: Fueneku Middle School, Inarizaki High
- First Appearance: Episode 73 (Day Two)
- Position: Outside Hitter, Captain, Defense Specialist
- English VA: Kevin Thelwell
- Japanese VA: Kenji Nojima
Kita is both the captain and wing spiker on Inarizaki High’s volleyball team. Kita is a third-year student and is known to be a bit on the blunt side. While Kita may seem a bit intimidating because of his cold demeanor, Kita is actually a very kind-hearted person deep down.
Kita takes his position as captain very seriously and takes it upon himself to always ensure to take good care of his fellow teammates; especially when they are sick.
Rintaro Suna
Played For: Inarizaki High
- First Appearance: Episode 73 (Day Two)
- Position: Middle Blocker
- English VA: Howard Wang
- Japanese VA: Nobunaga Shimazaki
Suna is the quiet second-year middle blocker of Inarizaki. Suna is frequently seen with a very cold, deadpan expression on his face. However, Suna sometimes enjoys watching petty conflicts between his teammates. While still a bit of a slacker, Suna is a very calculated person and often takes the time to analyze each situation carefully.
Suna excels at reading other players and understanding their playstyle in order to make them predictable to him and his team.
Kiyoomi Sakusa
Played For: Dosho Junior High, Itachiyama Institute
- First Appearance: Episode 61 (Self-Introduction)
- Position: Outside Hitter, Ace
- English VA: Clint Bickham
- Japanese VA: Kosuke Toriumi
Sakusa is the ace and wing-spiker for Itachiyama Institute. Sakusa was also named one of the top aces in the country, which was particularly impressive as he is only a second-year student. Sakusa is a very calm and collected individual and always takes the time to assess every situation in order to make the best move. He is a very cautious player on the court but still very competitive.
Sakusa is also known to be a perfectionist and germaphobe.