During a recent men’s volleyball match between Japan and Argentina on the Olympics on July 31, a surprise reference to the sports anime Haikyuu was featured. The anime’s opening song “FLY HIGH” was played during several key moments within the match, including after Japan’s victory, which added a special touch to the event. This unexpected inclusion has sparked excitement and speculation amongst fans.
Adding to the joy, one other Haikyuu theme song, “Phoenix,” was played through the warm-ups, and fans were seen sporting Nekoma towels, a nod to the anime’s fictional volleyball teams. This mix of real-world sports and anime culture delighted many viewers and made the sport much more memorable.
Interestingly, this isn’t the primary time a Haikyuu song has been featured within the Olympics. Throughout the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the song “Imagination” from the anime was played during a match between Japan and Venezuela, showing that this crossover is becoming a little bit of a practice.
Fans of Haikyuu also noticed similarities between Argentina’s volleyball uniforms and the fictional Team A all-star team from the series, which incorporates characters Oikawa and Hinata. This resemblance, coupled with the incontrovertible fact that the match mirrored a fictional showdown between Oikawa and Kageyama, heightened the anime connection and excitement.
As Haikyuu prepares to wrap up with a second feature film, following the primary film “The Dumpster Battle,” which covered Karasuno’s match against Nekoma, the series continues to make waves in each the anime and sports worlds. For more updates on Haikyuu and other anime, fans can try recommendations and guides on the newest and upcoming anime series.
