"Ladies and gentlemen, the long-awaited Japan–USA High School Volleyball Exchange Match is about to begin!"
The commentator's voice, brimming with passion and intensity, boomed through the stadium via the surround sound system, reaching every corner of the arena.
Both teams were doing light warmups on the court.
However, due to Nakamori Daiki's hars...
2025-05-04 16:01:05 +0000 UTC View PostOn the night of July 21st, after training had ended, Coach Hibarida and Coach Kobayashi gathered all the players together.
Tomorrow would mark the official match against Team USA. After watching the recording of their match against Kyoto University, everyone at the training camp had taken on a noticeably more serious attitude over the past two days.
And now, it was time to final...
2025-05-04 16:00:16 +0000 UTC View Post"There's no need to stick us in the same room just to 'build chemistry,' right?!"
For this week-long training camp, the Volleyball Association had arranged four-person dormitories inside the gymnasium.
For some reason unknown to anyone, Kaedehara Taichi, Nakamori Dai, Sakusa Kiyoomi, and Komori Motoya had all been placed in the same room.
"Haha, sorry, Omi-kun doe...
2025-05-03 16:42:47 +0000 UTC View Post"Thank you all for responding to our call, especially so soon after the end of Nationals."
Standing before the assembled group of players—each one carefully selected from schools across the country—was Coach Hibarida Fuki of the Japan Men's National Volleyball Team.
"Today, through this full-team practice, I hope to deepen your camaraderie and also test out some new signal...
2025-05-03 16:41:10 +0000 UTC View PostIt had been a week since Nationals ended, and nearly every high school student in Japan was enjoying their summer break.
Well—everyone except the ones in sports clubs.
At Date Tech, the school building was quiet, the schoolyard practically empty. Only the gym still echoed with the steady thud-thud of volleyballs slamming into the court.
"Aone! You got selec...
2025-05-02 16:45:40 +0000 UTC View PostAt Tokyo International Airport, a plane carrying the United States Boys' High School Volleyball Representative Team slowly touched down on the runway.
Before long, the cabin door opened, and the first to step out was outside hitter Taylor Sander, whose tall, 196cm frame stood out strikingly in the sunlight.
"So tall!"
Nearby tourists instinctively slowed their pace, c...
2025-05-02 16:44:10 +0000 UTC View Post"Only now...? It's his turn to serve..."
Kaedehara Taichi stood casually at the service line, the corners of his mouth lifted in a gentle smile—warm as the sun.
But that warmth and confidence did not extend to the court of Kamomedai High. In stark contrast to Taichi's relaxed demeanour, the air on Kamomedai's side was tense and suffocating. Every player held thei...
2025-05-02 16:43:00 +0000 UTC View PostWhen Hakuba Gao heard Kaedehara Taichi's arrogant remarks, her first reaction wasn't anger—but rather...
That feeling had returned.
That disdainful gaze, that overbearing attitude...
There was no way this guy could ever turn into some well-behaved underclassman, Gao thought silently.
Every time Kamomedai tried to launch a final counte...
2025-05-01 18:39:01 +0000 UTC View PostTwo sets to zero!
For the first time in eight years, a team had taken the first two sets in the finals of the National Tournament. And every team that had accomplished this in the past—without exception—had gone on to win the championship.
Aoba Johsai had all but secured their victory.
Even more eye-catching was the fact that, looking thr...
2025-05-01 18:37:41 +0000 UTC View PostKaedehara Taichi moved to the back row as Aoba Johsai adopted a four-man serve-receive formation to counter Hoshiumi Kōrai's serve.
Of course, Hoshiumi could serve short, but honestly—that'd be a little too anticlimactic.
Nakamori Daiki, Kyōtani Kentarō, Kaedehara Taichi, and Kunimi Akira made up Aoba Johsai's serve reception line. The sight of it made Hoshium...
2025-04-30 18:35:15 +0000 UTC View PostThe serve rotated—Kamomedai's serve. Hirugami Sachirō returned to the front row.
Bessho Kazuyoshi unleashed a powerful jump serve, and Nakamori Daiki managed to receive it cleanly.
"Kyōtani-senpai!" Tōma Kaoru called out, sending the ball to the left wing.
Kyōtani Kentarō hesitated for the briefest second before taking a running approach along the sideline and ...
2025-04-30 16:56:46 +0000 UTC View PostHirugami Sachirō launched his second serve.
The volleyball sliced through the air like a laser beam, hurtling straight toward Aoba Johsai's back row, where Kyōtani Kentarō stood ready.
BOOM!!—
"Damn it!"
Thud!
A dull sound followed as Kyōtani managed to receive the ball.
The ball soared high. Kunimi Akira quick...
2025-04-30 16:51:47 +0000 UTC View Post"Even though Kamomedai lost the first set, the gap between the two sides doesn't seem that wide, huh?"
"Well, considering Aoba Johsai scored seven consecutive points during Taichi's service turn and still only won by three points…"
"Kamomedai couldn't block Kaedehara Taichi at all, but Aoba Johsai didn't have an answer to Kamomedai's big three either. If you ask me, t...
2025-04-29 18:39:37 +0000 UTC View PostHakuba Gao wore a look of exasperation as she stared at Hoshiumi Kōrai.
"You were going on about ending the match with your serve, and then you didn't even score a single point…"
"Ahem," Hoshiumi coughed awkwardly, looking slightly embarrassed. "The important thing is the momentum…"
That said, compared to last year's Spring High tournament, although Aoba Johsai's...
2025-04-29 18:37:00 +0000 UTC View PostFinally, Kaedehara Taichi made an error on his eighth serve, the volleyball bouncing out past the baseline of Kamomedai's court.
[Aoba Johsai 10 - 7 Kamomedai]
The players from Kamomedai let out a collective sigh of relief, as every second Taichi stood behind the service line had been pure torture for them.
-----
BOOM!!
A tandem at...
2025-04-28 17:56:06 +0000 UTC View PostThe serve switched sides. It was Aoba Johsai's turn. Kaedehara Taichi walked up to the service line.
"Ah, come on, don't look at me like that," Taichi said lightly, then paused. "It's like...you think I'm some kind of monster."
Kamomedai had assumed that Aoba Johsai would start off with a powerful serve from Taichi, so they had placed their strongest receive formation in th...
2025-04-28 17:54:32 +0000 UTC View PostKamomedai's starting lineup was:
Front row—Outside Hitter Ogawa Ryūhei, Outside Hitter Hakuba Gao, Middle Blocker Hirugami Sachirō.
Back row—Middle Blocker Bessho Kazuyoshi (Libero: Wakabayashi Hikaru), Outside Hitter Hoshiumi Kōrai and Setter Tokura Liam.
Aoba Johsai's starting lineup was:<...
2025-04-28 17:53:17 +0000 UTC View Post"BEEP—!"
A long whistle echoed through the arena.
On the afternoon of the fourth day of the Inter-High Nationals, another semifinal match came to a shocking conclusion.
[Itachiyama 27 - 29 Kamomedai High]
[Itachiyama 20 - 25 Kamomedai High]
The former powerhouse Itachiyama High fell to Kamomedai in straight...
2025-04-27 16:56:05 +0000 UTC View Post"UAAAAAAAH!!!"
"Unbelievable—!"
"That's insane—!"
Both sides fought with everything they had, but after a gruelling rally, Aoba Johsai finally seized the point!
The score was tied once again, just before the end of the set!
Service rotated—Aoba Johsai to serve.
Yahaba Shigeru targeted Miya Atsumu with a sharp jump flo...
2025-04-27 16:54:25 +0000 UTC View Post"When did he get back to the net again? His speed is incredible!"
"After pulling off a difficult turning spike, Kaedehara Taichi instantly retreated to defend!"
"Not only did he neutralise Inarizaki's attack, but he even scored directly for Aoba Johsai with that block!"
"Even though Inarizaki keeps entangling Aoba Johsai with their 'double setter...
2025-04-26 16:01:04 +0000 UTC View PostThere was a title that the players of Inarizaki hated—The Strongest Challenger.
The reason they had earned this nickname was simple: not once had they ever managed to win a championship.
In the 2011 Interhigh, Inarizaki lost to Itachiyama in the semifinals and finished third. Itachiyama went on to claim the title.
In the 2012 Spring High, ...
2025-04-26 16:00:20 +0000 UTC View PostMiya Osamu didn't get angry at Kaedehara Taichi's remark. Though he often squabbled like a child whenever something involved Miya Atsumu, in most situations, he was the more rational and composed of the twins.
It was only natural that they couldn't stop Kaedehara Taichi.
If he allowed himself to be easily provoked and lost his focus, he'd just be revealing a weakness in the...
2025-04-25 20:15:58 +0000 UTC View PostMiya Atsumu stood at the service line, slowly closing his eyes. The cheer song unique to Inarizaki echoed in the vast space of the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, sounding especially pleasant to the ears.
In the next moment, Miya Atsumu opened his eyes with a blank expression. Though the sound of the venue hadn't stopped, he no longer heard a thing.
His focus was completely l...
2025-04-25 18:00:02 +0000 UTC View PostAoba Johsai's starting lineup:
Front row—Middle Blocker Kindaichi Yūtar, Setter Yahaba Shigeru, Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi.
Back row—Outside Hitter Kyōtani Kentarō, Outside Hitter Kunimi Akira and Middle Blocker Yūki Yōji (Libero: Nakamori Daiki).
Inarizaki's starting line...
2025-04-25 17:54:20 +0000 UTC View Post[Inarizaki 21 - 25 Date Tech]
[Inarizaki 25 - 20 Date Tech]
[Inarizaki 29 - 27 Date Tech]
"Why the long faces? You guys played amazing!" Kamisaki Yasushi shouted loudly from the stands.
The entire Date Tech team lined up to bow to the audience, and in return, their cheering squad responded with warm, encouraging applause.
<... 2025-04-24 16:49:40 +0000 UTC View Post"The first to reach match point is Date Tech from Miyagi Prefecture!"
"Inarizaki is in a desperate situation!"
Date Tech to serve.
Fukiage Jingo's powerful jump serve—
Bang!!
The ball clipped the top of the net and dropped straight into Inarizaki's side!
"—!?"
"Damn it!" Miya Atsumu lunged forward in a low...
2025-04-24 16:48:24 +0000 UTC View PostGinjima Hitoshi launched the second serve.
Futakuchi Kenji received it cleanly. Koganegawa Kanji set the ball toward the far left. Fukiage Jingo jumped into action.
Suna Rintarō and Miya Osamu rushed to the net and bent their knees—but neither of them jumped.
"They read us?" Futakuchi frowned.
Whoosh!—
Fukiage swung through the air—only...
2025-04-23 18:33:26 +0000 UTC View Post"Ahahaha, breaking through Date Tech's block with brute force alone? Yeah, good luck with that."
Kaedehara Taichi burst into laughter without restraint after watching Suna Rintarō get cleanly stuffed. Behind him, the rest of Aoba Johsai glared at him with resentment—after all, just about everyone on their team had tasted the sting of being blocked by Date Tec...
2025-04-23 18:32:27 +0000 UTC View Post"So, does that mean our match ended the earliest?" Yahaba Shigeru asked while packing up his things. "Has the next opponent not been decided yet?"
"They were the last to start," Yamabuki Yūjin replied. "A senpai just messaged me—Date Tech took the first set."
"Oh? That's pretty impressive!" Kaedehara Taichi chimed in, leaning over. "Heh, those foxes must be having a hard...
2025-04-23 18:30:54 +0000 UTC View Post[Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, Court B—Inter-High Nationals Quarterfinals]
Inarizaki (Hyōgo) vs. Date Tech (Miyagi)
[Inarizaki 18 – 20 Date Tech]
Smack!
"One touch!" Miya Atsumu shouted toward the back, "Osamu! Chance ball!"
Second-year libero Sakurai Shōta easily r...
2025-04-22 19:04:36 +0000 UTC View Post