The fourth issue of "Sportiva Volleyball Special Edition," a magazine from Shueisha's sports media outlet "Sportiva" that features volleyball, went on sale on June 30th. Ran Takahashi, who plays for Suntory Sunbirds Osaka in the SV League and will be taking on the challenge of playing overseas again next season, graces the cover, and the issue comes with a bonus: a " Haikyu!! Best Bout Visual Book Selected by 41 SV League Players" and a poster, based on Ran Takahashi Furudate's popular volleyball manga " Haikyu!!".
In the included visual book, SV League players passionately discuss their favorite matches from the manga "Haikyu!!" from the perspective of active players.
This issue summarizes the 2025-26 season of the Daido Life SV League, Japan's domestic volleyball league. It features interviews with popular players such as Takahashi, Championship MVP Nishida Yuji, Sekita Masahiro, Yamamoto Tomohiro, Mizumachi Taito, Nagaro Motoki, Goto Rikuto, Sato Yoshino, Nonaka Rui, Nishizaki Aina, and Valdes Melissa. It also includes an in-depth report on the SV League Championship Final, which determines the second champion, and an interview with Hara Yoshitaka Hara of "timelesz," who is also a former volleyball player and serves as a supporter for the Volleyball Nations League 2026, in which the Japanese national team is currently competing.
"Haikyu!!" was serialized in "Weekly Shonen Jump" (Shueisha) from February 2012 to July 2020. It depicts the story of Shoyo Hinata, who suffered a crushing defeat in his last official match in middle school, and his reunion with Tobio Kageyama, the player from the opposing team, at Karasuno High School's volleyball club, where they aim for the top together. The cumulative circulation of the comic books, including digital versions, exceeds 75 million copies.
The anime has also gained popularity, and the upcoming release of "Haikyu!! The Movie: VS The Little Giant" in 2027 has generated considerable buzz. A special anime, "Haikyu!! Where the Monsters Go," will also be released in 2027.
