“Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle,” with a runtime of one hour and forty minutes, offers a thrilling and exciting encounter. Susumu Mitsunaka, the film’s director, presents the dramatic and action-packed battle between Karasuno High and Nekoma, their longtime rival, which has been a point of interest since the anime’s first season.

The movie very successfully handles the character development of Kenma Kozume, maintaining a faithful adaptation of the manga. It is also refreshing to see Hinata’s journey and growth as a player that continues to complement Kageyama’s genius sets. Every flashback or tense moment in the movie captured the essence of the ongoing rivalry and high stakes of the “Battle at the Garbage Dump”. But the most notable was the decades-long relationship shared by the two coaches, Nekomata and _. Despite his absence on the court, Karasuno’s old coach is still very much a part of the team, and a dedicated rival to Nekomata, and this is shown through goosebump-inducing scenes in the movie.

Often, sports anime struggle to maintain the perfect pacing, since it is extremely important to keep the audience on their toes all the while looking deeper into characters, their play styles and relationships with the game. The movie really manages to accomplish this, knowing exactly when to create a moment of suspense, and when to dive into memories and conversations between the characters. Paired with the crisp animation and well thought out use of music and sounds, it becomes an experience, rather than just another anime movie. Can it seem slightly different and unexpected to the usual avid anime fan? Yes, but the change and experimentation come as happy surprises to the audience. It is not only the match that grabs attention but the shifts in perspective and angling that tickle your brain in the best way possible. Especially, the POV sequence is something very new to the anime and will keep you on the edge of your seat chasing after the ball. Most of all, watching the movie on the big screen, hearing the slam of the ball on the floor, every squeak of a shoe or silence after a momentous scene, has an immersive effect.

Fans of the manga may not be completely happy with the movie as a lot of details did not make the final cut. Some key moments were paced differently, seeming rushed to make way for following scenes and they did not have as much emotional impact as expected. Still, it is important to consider the medium and the time constraints the producers were working with. Cramming all the content or slowing the pace down in a runtime of one hour forty minutes would not result in a movie as impactful and thrilling as this one proved to be.

Overall, “Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle” delivers a high-energy volleyball experience, complete with strong character arcs and intense match sequences, though the rapid conclusion may leave some viewers wanting more.

7.8/10

Review by Fardin Islam, Edited by Naseeha Rahman.