The 15 Most Popular Haikyuu!! Characters, Ranked (2024)

Even those who’ve only been anime fans for a short while know about Haikyuu. One of the most popular sports anime, Haikyuu is also one that has had the largest impact in the sports anime genre. Fans have enjoyed watching the exciting wins and devastating losses of Karasuno, the team that the show follows most closely. On a more individualistic level, fans have also enjoyed cheering on their favorite characters, like Hinata and Kageyama.

However, Haikyuu's interesting characters aren't limited to the ones on Karasuno. From Shiratorizawa to Aoba Johsai, each team that Karasuno faces have a medley of well-developed characters. Clearly, Haikyuu's popularity is in large part due to the intriguing characters that are encountered at every turn. Naturally, some have risen to the top in popularity, whether its because of their impressive determination, snarky attitude or joyful demeanor.

Updated on November 18, 2024, by Natasha Elder: Fans of Haikyuu are immediately drawn into the show by routing for Karasuno, much like fans of real sports teams. However, what makes them stay are the personalities and skills of their favorite characters. From Akaashi's cool personality to Tendo's delight in the dismay of others, there is someone to connect to for virtually every type of viewer. With Crunchyroll recently adding the 2024 film, Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle to streaming on October 31, 2024, we have highlighted the popularity of even more characters, as well as added images that emphasize their unique attributes.

15 Ryunosuke Tanaka Is Full of Passion

He Is Exuberant When He Expresses His Feelings

Tanaka is an exuberant Karasuno player, almost always loudly proclaiming his feelings whether they be frustration, happiness or even love. He also supports his teammates just as loudly, encouraging them during times of low morale. Additionally, he has many humorous moments with Nishinoya, one of his closest friends, as they bounce off each other. Their dynamic alone is one of the reasons sports anime fans should watchHaikyuu.

Tanaka also has a fair amount of depth, though. He sincerely cares for his teammates, and takes losses to heart. As such, he trains hard to learn new tricks, such as a super straight shot down the line. His mental fortitude is also commendable, as well as a large part of the reason that he is able to consistently give it his all, no matter the opponent. Altogether, Tanaka’s hidden depths and his dependability on the court have made him one of Haikyuu’s most popular characters, but there are plenty of others even more renowned than Tanaka.

14 Atsumu Miya's Cocky Attitude Is Backed up by Real Skill

He Was Able to Become a Pro Volleyball Player Due to His Success

When first introduced, Atsumu was a divisive character due to his arrogance. While he was clearly skilled, his disdain for others, including at times his own teammates, was off-putting to fans. However, it quickly becomes clear that he has earned his superior attitude due to his immense skill in volleyball. While this doesn’t quite make up for his condescension towards others, nor his snide remarks, it does alleviate some of the distaste for his behavior.

The immense pressure that Atsumu puts on himself also makes him a more sympathetic character. Although he can be harsh even to his own fans, Atsumu does so in order to play a better game. Seeing Atsumu work so hard has caused many fans to support him. He and his brother, Osamu, also have many funny moments that work to bring levity to Atsumu, too.

13 Daichi Sawamura Is Reliable Both On and Off the Court

He Is Always Able to Motivate the Rest of the Team

As the captain of Karasuno, Daichi is predictably reliable both on and off the court. On the court, Daichi excels at receiving strong hits, fulfilling a necessary role in a team that often struggles with returning spikes. Additionally, Daichi manages to provide organization to the team, reeling Hinata back in when his enthusiasm gets the better of him, and ensuring that they keep their structure when they start becoming overwhelmed.

Off the court, Daichi is similarly important in managing the team. He stops fights between Tsukishima and his teammates, and helps to organize study sessions for Hinata and Kageyama in order to keep their grades up. Daichi’s reliability is a big part of the reason that many fans like him, as he acts as the eye of the storm in a team that can get out of control.

12 Satori Tendo Loves to Demoralize His Opponents

His Unique Personality Has a Way of Standing Out

As a player, Tendou is very different than most other middle blockers. Unlike Tsukishima or the middle blockers of Date Tech, Tendou bases many of his decisions on his intuition instead of by following the volleyball’s or the other team’s movements. While this means that Tendou’s game is not always consistent, he is by-and-large successful in stopping the ball.

To add to the difficulty Tendou’s opponents face, he is very good at demoralizing others through his comments. He delights in taking away his opponents’ hope due to the fact that he was called a monster by other players as a child. His great friendship with the stoic Ushijima only further emphasizes how unorthodox his personality is. Tendou’s wild play style and unpredictable mood swings have endeared him to fans of the anime.

11 Hajime Iwaizumi Counterbalances Oikawa's Fervor

His Dedication to His Friends Makes Him Popular

As one of the wing spikers, and the ace, of Aoba Johsai, Iwaizumi became known for his hard strikes and impressive serves. As the vice captain of the team, Iwaizumi also tends to help boost morale when the captain, Oikawa, fails to do so. Furthermore, Iwaizumi acts as a much-needed voice of reason when Oikawa starts to become unnecessarily rude. For example, Iwaizumi calls Oikawa out for his treatment of Kageyama.

Iwaizumi’s even-keeled disposition makes him a very respected teammate, is simultaneously a well-liked Haikyuu character, and an underrated character. Despite how often Iwaizumi teases Oikawa, his care for the setter, as well as the rest of the Aoba Johsai team, is clear to see. Though other teams sometimes think he can be intimidating, he is really a loving character at heart.

10 Keiji Akaashi Was Fukurodani Academy’s Setter

He Gave Up Sports After High School

As his team’s vice captain, Akaashi was usually calm even during stressful situations. He also addresses people respectfully, but that may be due to the fact that most of his teammates were older than him. Despite that, he could not help but make fun of people for the silly things they did, especially with his friend Bokuto. He could also be surprisingly blunt and sarcastic with his comments.

After a time skip, it is revealed that he didn’t continue playing volleyball as an adult, instead becoming an editor for a shōnen manga, Akaashi gave it his all during his time in high school. He perfectly read Bokuto’s moods during games, maximizing the success of the team. His calm demeanor acts as a counterpoint to Bokuto’s boisterous personality, and his witty commentary is very humorous, making him very popular among Haikyuu fans. He lands in the bottom half of the list because his passion for the sport seemed to die out after high school.

9 Koushi Sugawara Was the Karasuno High Vice Captain and Setter

He Applied His Skills as a Mentor to Becoming a Teacher After High School

Due to his kind and gentle nature, Sugawara was often dubbed the “mother” of his volleyball team by fans. He could often be seen ending trivial fights and arguments between his teammates, being known as the glue that kept their team together. He is also very graceful when stepping aside for Kageyama to take over as Karasuno’s starting setter, supporting what is best for the team even though it resulted in less playtime for himself.

While known for his kindness, Sugawara wasn’t afraid to become angry, though. He managed to successfully calm his teammates down in a high-stress volleyball match by shouting at them to do better. Sugawara was also liked by fans due to his never-give-up attitude, which often rubbed off on his teammates as well. This is most clearly shown when Tendou purposefully tries to break his spirit, but Sugawara keeps trying until he succeeds.

8 Koutarou Bokuto Is One of the Top Five Aces in Japan

His Love of the Game Has Led Him to Take Others Under His Wing

Due to his friendly and childish personality, Bokuto’s team manager Yukie dubbed him a simple-minded boy. This aspect of his was reinforced by his touchy mood, which fluctuated wildly due to various factors, most of which related to his performance in volleyball games. This sometimes ended up affecting his performance on the court, as he would stand in an almost comatose state until he got back into the swing of things.

Despite that, Bokuto was well-liked by Haikyuu fans, his teammates, and even his opponents. His enthusiasm for the game is infectious, and his incredible strength is impressive. Moreover, he wants others to enjoy the game the same way he does. He actively helps Hinata and Tsukishima get better, and clearly has connections with people at Nekoma, too. Bokuto’s friendliness knows no bounds, which is heartwarming to watch.

7 Tetsurou Kuroo Enjoys Antagonizing Others

He Then Takes Advantage of Their Frustrations to Win the Game

Kuroo enjoys provoking others, to the point of perhaps being labeled a bully due to his excessively snide remarks. Dubbed as the Provocation Expert, he even managed to get under Tsukishima’s skin, although he did so unintentionally. Even so, he apologized when he thought he was wrong, like he did with Daichi for crossing a line he shouldn’t have.

Kuroo’s teasing is one of the most entertaining aspects of his character, but it is far from the only interesting thing about him. Despite being known for provoking others, he is actually a great mentor. He took not only his own teammate, Lev, under his wing, but also Tsukishima and Hinata from Karasuno because he saw their potential. While he professes to have done so in order to revive the strong rivalry Karasuno and Nekoma used to have, it is also a reason that many fans love him.

His Snarky Personality Is Covering His Vulnerabilities

Tsukishima was initially unpopular among his own team due to his smug attitude and regular antagonizing of those who played with him. He also showed great pleasure in putting his opponents down. While getting in the heads of opponents is advantageous for Karasuno, Tsukishima frequently being at odds with his teammates, particularly Kageyama and Hinata, was, at times, actively harmful to dynamics.

However, it is eventually revealed that most of Tsukishima’s rude behavior stemmed from his low self-esteem, as well as the fact his brother lied to him. Tsukishima’s development over the course of the series is one of the best, as he slowly manages to overcome the doubts that led to his hurtful attitude. While he remained snarky, Tsukishima was no longer as actively antagonistic, instead becoming a sarcastic-yet-loveable character.

5 Kenma Kozume Is the Brain of Nekoma's Team

His Calm Attitude Lets Him Analyze Other Teams

With his calm and composed personality, Kenma is among one of the most analytical players on his team. He can always be seen maintaining his cool, except on rare occasions, like when playing video games or when Hinata gets him riled up. Despite often called both the "brain" and the “heart” of his team, Kenma hates being the center of attention, which is why he seldom voices his opinions publicly.

Kenma stands in contrast to many other characters in Haikyuu, who tend to have much louder personalities. Even characters such as Tsukishima and Kageyama, who are not known to yell often, speak with much more frequency. Due to this, Kenma’s reserved demeanor is a refreshing change of pace. Moreover, his unlikely friendship with Hinata is fun to witness, as is his interactions with his long-time friend, Kuroo. His importance to the team's strategies and his ability to keep his thoughts under wraps earn him the number five spot on the list.

4 Tooru Oikawa Was Aoba Johsai’s Perfect Setter

His Efforts Paid Off, and He Became a Setter for Argentina's National Team

Oikawa was introduced as the primary antagonist of Haikyuu for its Interhigh and Spring High Preliminary arcs. He was shown to be popular among female students for his good looks, charm and flirtatious nature. Despite his seemingly carefree attitude, he was actually very serious about volleyball, refusing to actually engage with any of his female fans in favor of pursuing his volleyball aspirations, such as beating Shiratorizawa.

Oikawa’s ability to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents made him an excellent asset to his team, and one of the best players in the series. His arrogance was backed up by incredible skill. While his treatment of Kageyama is a point of controversy, given he slapped the younger boy in a moment of emotion, Oikawa is still one of the most popular characters in Haikyuu due to his love of the sport, and his hard work is eventually rewarded by a spot on Argentina’s national team when he is an adult.

3 Yuu Nishinoya Was Karasuno's Energetic Libero

Though a Bit Immature, He Was a Highly Reliable Teammate

Often referred to as "Karasuno's Guardian Deity" by his teammates, Nishinoya is an affable and boisterous young boy. His over-the-top behavior often attracted a lot of trouble for him, but he never let that bother him. Nishinoya’s skill was discussed as possibly being good enough to join Japan’s youth Olympics team, but his mischievous attitude made it clear that he lacked the maturity to actually do so. However, he never planned to play volleyball long-term and remained unbothered.

Nishinoya is also shown to be a good and considerate friend despite his somewhat flighty nature. When his closest friend Asahi decides not to return to the Karasuno volleyball team, Nishinoya quits as well. It was only when Asahi returned that Nishinoya did. This loyalty is an admirable quality. This loyalty in combination with his loudly vocal support of his teammates makes him a fan favorite.

2 Tobio Kageyama Was a Lone Wolf Turned Team Player

His Progress in Working with Others Is Admirable

Due to his short temper and arrogant attitude, Kageyama wasn’t especially popular among his classmates or teammates at the beginning of the show. His quick reaction time made playing volleyball with him difficult, and he constantly felt let down by those around him, including his eventual volleyball rival and friend, Hinata. After joining Karasuno, the King of the Court’s attitude started changing slowly, with the best change being in his ability to overcome his nature of micro-managing everything that happens on the volleyball court.

As Kageyama begins to learn how to play in sync with those around him, the immense pressure he puts on himself is revealed. He doesn’t accept serviceable sets, pushing himself to be perfect at every turn, instead. The fact that he holds himself to the same high standard he holds others makes him more sympathetic, turning him from a character that is mean into one that is incredibly passionate about the sport that he loves.

1 Shouyou Hinata Is the Heart and Soul of Haikyuu!!

His Relentless Determination to Become Better Is Inspiring

While Hinata can be intense when talking about or playing volleyball, he is most often a happy-go-lucky character. His shining personality influences those around him to lighten up, as well. In fact, Hinata's bright and cheerful nature melted even the ice-cold heart of Kageyama. Thus, it is no surprise that fans have also taken a liking to this sunshine character. However, Hinata’s personality is not the only reason to like him, as he has much more depth to him than first meets the eye.

Despite making some excessively ignorant decisions at the beginning of his volleyball career, Hinata is shown to be a surprisingly observant young boy, as proven through his rapid progress. While he starts off performing poorly under stress, he shows remarkable improvement in that area, as well. He pushes himself to handle an unimaginable amount of pressure, both on and off the court, due to his short stature. Overall, Hinata’s impressive determination and cheery attitude make him Haikyuu’s most popular character.

Haikyuu!!

TV-14

Animation

Comedy

Drama

Determined to be like the volleyball championship's star player nicknamed "the small giant", Shoyo joins his school's volleyball club.

Release Date

April 5, 2014

Creator(s)

Haruichi Furudate

Cast

Ayumu Murase , Kaito Ishikawa , Yu Hayashi , Satoshi Hino , Miyu Irino , Koki Uchiyama , Soma Saito , Nobuhiko Okamoto

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

4

Creator

Production Company

Number of Episodes

Character(s)

Shoyo Hinata , Tobio Kageyama , Ryunosuke Tanaka , Daichi Sawamura , Koshi Sugawara , Kei Tsukishima , Tadashi Yamaguchi , Yu Nishinoya

YouTube Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOGp2c7-cKc

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