Let the training continue!
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Haruichi Furudate
Translation: Adrienne Beck
What They Say
Hinata may not have been allowed to participate in the Miyagi Prefecture Rookie Camp, but he’s determined to learn something from watching on the sidelines as a ball boy! Meanwhile, thanks to the other players at the All-Japan Youth Camp, Kageyama starts to worry about how he interacts with his teammates. Then, with the Spring Tournament looming ever closer, Date Tech arrives at Karasuno for a practice game!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
We kick off this volume by rejoining the training camps in progress, and by this point, Hinata’s definitely starting to show some progress despite the fact that he’s not technically a participant. However, it’s not through his physical skills, but his powers of observation. It really does make for an interesting development, and something that feels a bit different from how your average sports training arc goes. Meanwhile, Kageyama gets some definite hints about his play style from the other players, setting the stage for him to grow as well.
When the pair reunites, they not only show growth through the skills that they gained, but also the advice they give one another. It’s a small touch, but a neat one that really plays off their partnership well. It’s not long before they end up in a practice game against Date Tech, though, and they remain just as frightening as always. Along the way, Kageyama seems to have a bit of a relapse of some old habits, which brings his past trauma to the front of his mind.
Will he end up crumbling when faced with his legacy as the king of the court? Or will he instead use this opportunity to face his fears head on and grow further as a player?
In Summary
It may be unsurprising considering where this volume picks up, but in a lot of ways it just acts as a continuation of the training arc from last time, for better or worse. As a result it doesn’t feel like it really introduces much new on its own, but at the same time, it’s certainly satisfying to see the threads from the previous volume followed through on. Plus, that’s not to say there aren’t a few neat little wrinkles along the way, even if there isn’t anything too crazy. Add to that the game at the end just sort of getting rolling, though not too much yet, and you get a volume that feels sort of caught between truly exciting moments. It’s not bad in the least, and fans will likely still be satisfied, but it’s ultimately honestly just another solid entry in the series.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: A-
Packaging Grade: A-
Text/Translation Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: July 3rd, 2018
MSRP: $9.99
