"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....
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 o...
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 ...
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, ...
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 w...
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 s...
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 Taich...
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-be...
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...
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, Kaedeha...
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...
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 so...
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...
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 ...
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 serv...
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 sta...
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 Hos...
"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 - 2...
"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 rota...
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 ...
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...
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 h...
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 soun...
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 a...
[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 ...
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 droppe...
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 r...
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 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 p...
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 At...
2025-04-22 19:04:36 +0000 UTC View Post