Summary
Haikyuu!has been captivating viewers around the world since its debut. With its intense volleyball matches and its colorful cast of characters,there’s a lot to loveabout it. From powerful aces to talented setters, the characters inHaikyuu!have made the series what it is today. However, a few characters stand out as some of the best players in the series. These players have made significant contributions to the series and have been some of the most exciting to watch.
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From the talented setters to the reliable liberos, the players on this list all have unique qualities that make them stand out from the rest. Whether it’s their outstanding skills or unwavering passion, these players have made a lasting impression on theHaikyuu!Fandom. This article will look at the best players in the series and explore the unique characteristics that make them stand out from the rest.
Updated July 27, 2025, by Emedo Destiny:Sports anime rarely get the spotlight, but the masterpiece that is Haikyuu! has finally broken the popularity barrier dominated by action anime. In the exhilarating world depicted by the story, fierce volleyball matches unfold on the court, with a roster of exceptional athletes that showcase their extraordinary talent. From the setters who control the court to the spikers who deliver the killing blow, these athletes have left an indelible mark on the audience. Each character’s unique strengths, weaknesses, and contributions have played pivotal roles in shaping the narrative of Haikyuu!, elevating it to one of the most loved sports anime of all time. Here are some of the best players in the series.
15Rintaro Suna
Rintaro is a formidable middle blocker from Inarizaki High School, whose abilities make him one of the best at the Nationals.Despite his relatively shorter statureas a middle blocker, Suna defies expectations with his incredible blocking instincts and game sense, allowing him to swiftly deny people.
However, Suna’s unique spiking style sets him apart on the court. Utilizing his torso to its full potential, his wide attacking range poses a daunting challenge for any opposing team. His spikes are notoriously hard to deal with, making him one of Inarizaki’s top scorers alongside their ace Aran.
14Morisuke Yaku
Morisuke Yaku is the third-year starting libero of Nekoma High. Reminiscent of Nishinoya, he is a short and extremely athletic player with very good receiving instincts. Yaku can calmly and steadily dig powerful spikes, even from formidable opponents like Asahi, whom he had never faced before.
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Due to his position as a libero, his true brilliance lies in the shadows of the court, quietly and efficiently safeguarding his team’s chances of victory. He was dubbed the Guardian and Commander-in-Chief of Nekoma’s defense, and acknowledged to be as important as their ace.
13Motoya Komori
Widely known as the number one high school libero, Motoya is one of the few prodigious talents in this series. Despite being a libero, he stands at 180cm, making him one of the tallest characters in the series.
He is an expert at receiving and setting, with his play earning him a spot in the All-Japan Youth Intensive Training Camp, which is reserved for the best youth players in all of Japan. His fingerprints are everywhere on the Itachiyama Institute volleyball team, propelling them, alongside their ace, tobecome favorites to win the Nationals
12Aran Ojiro
Aran is the third-year wing spiker and ace of the Inarizaki High School volleyball team. Known for his exceptional jump and spiking power, he became one of the five best aces in Japan. His thunderous jump serve can wreak havoc on defenses, unsettling players even if they are received.
In addition, his incredible brute strength allows him to bulldoze through even the toughest three-man defenses, drawing comparisons to Ushijima. But Aran’s talents extend beyond his impressive prowess, priding himself in his ability to take on defensive responsibilities with equal determination.
11Wakatsu Kiryu
To be named one of the top three aces in Japan is not an easy task, and Kiryu of Mujinazaka High has shown several times why he is worthy of such honors. Considered by Atsumu to be more well-rounded than Ushijima, Kiryu is the ultimate combination of offense and defense.
His school’s emphasis on physical training has gifted him with very strong legs that allow for astonishingly high and precise jumps, making him a force to reckon with regardless of thequality and height of the setup. He is also an adept receiver and a master of the jump serve, with his self-doubt being his only flaw.
10Tetsuro Kuroo
Kuroo is the captain of Nekoma High’s Volleyball Team,the “destined rivals"of Karasuno High. He is renowned for his excellent read-blocking skills, which enable him to stop powerful serves from spikers like Bokuto, one of the top five in the country.
Kuroo is also a proficient offensive player, an all-rounder adept at both offense and defense. With his Personal Time Difference Attack, he is able to throw off the defending blockers by altering the timing of his jump. He uses his blocks to pressure opponents and make receives easier for his team to handle by narrowing or blocking a spiker’s path.
9Yu Nishinoya
Nishinoya is among the five second-years on the Karasuno High Boys' Volleyball Team. As the libero,his defense is remarkablewith his fast reflexes, extraordinary stamina, and flexible arms. He can make seemingly impossible saves, even using his feet to save a ball during Karasuno’s first match against Date Tech and later during the match against Nekoma High School.
After a short adjustment period, he is able to receive serves and spikes from powerful opponents like Toru Oikawa, Wakatoshi Ushijima, and Atsumu Miya. Nishinoya is known for his innovative techniques, such as “Rolling Thunder” and the ‘libero toss’ which sets him apart from other liberos. His reputation as the team’s guardian is well-deserved, given his proficiency as a libero and his consistency in pushing his team to the finish line.
8Korai Hoshiumi
Hoshiumi was one of the players invited to the All-Japan Youth Intensive Training Camp. He is a fantastic all-rounder, known for his speed, agility, and high stamina. He is likened to the “Little Giant” due to his height and impressive jumping power. Despite his size, he can block opponents and get past taller blockers with his unique running technique.
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Korai’s jump serve is a force to be reckoned with. His spikes have a lot of power behind them, making them difficult to receive. He has an extensive repertoire of attacks, such as feints, wipes, straights, and crosses, all of which he performs immaculately. On top of that, he displayed his natural setting skills at the All-Japan Youth Training Camp, even though his regular position is outside hitter—a testament to his versatility.
7Kotaro Bokuto
Bokuto is one of thetop five aces in the country, playing as the ace and captain of the prestigious Fukurodani Academy volleyball team. His athleticism and dedication to practice have earned him much praise. His impressive strength and technique allow him to easily break through two-person blocks. His accuracy is also remarkable, hitting line and cut shots with enough power to penetrate the smallest openings between blockers.
His powerful spikes make him a match for any blocker, even one of the best like Tendou. In the match against Mujinazaka, he single-handedly helped his team recover from a six-point gap. Bokuto is undoubtedly a formidable server with a jump serve that packs a punch and disrupts defenses
6Kiyoomi Sakusa
Sakusa is one of the best aces in the country. Although he rarely appears in the anime, his reputation precedes him. With his extraordinary technique, accuracy, and shots, he is shown to be an intimidating force. Against Fukurodani, he managed to drive the ball out of bounds past a triple block with a powerful wipe. He stands out due to his incredibly flexible wrists, which enable him to spin his spikes and serves so that they are harder to block and receive.
Sakusa is a formidable defender as well. He is highly skilled in digging, and his defensive capabilities are on par with that of a Libero. His specialty is in blocking serves, and he can receive serves from powerful players like Kageyama and Ushijima.
