Oikawa is the best character in Haikyuu. ENG

The clash between natural talent and relentless effort is a recurring narrative in the content we consume: comics, series, films and, in this case, anime and manga.

Today I will talk about Oikawa Tooru, a character from Haikyuu!!, the sports manga (or spokon) that recounts the journeys in the world of volleyball and the pursuit of something we all want at some point: success.

Oikawa is a secondary character, yet one with striking prominence. Although his appearances are not many, each one leaves a strong impression; he is a character with undeniable presence and, in my view, very well developed. From the very first moment he shows us an arrogant personality that many may find annoying or uncomfortable. He is the first major obstacle Karasuno, our protagonist team, faces, imposing an unmistakable line: he is superior (at least at that moment).

The Dilemma of the Hardworking Genius

But if we look beyond his physical and athletic development, we can observe Oikawa’s many facets. He is someone who’s used to being good at everything: he has strong social relationships, participates in class... the kind of person who seems to be living a perfect dream.

That dream shattered when he encountered a natural talent: Ushijima, from Shiratorizawa High School’s volleyball club. That confrontation was decisive, marking the team’s first crushing defeat. The wound began there; from that moment, a seed of doubt and overexertion was planted in Oikawa.

However, the wound deepened with the arrival of Kageyama Tobio to his club, where Oikawa was captain. This newcomer displayed overwhelming superiority and unstoppable growth, precisely in Oikawa’s same role: the setter. For Oikawa, this became a suffocating burden. He, a third-year setter, saw the new arrival and began to doubt himself.

He started training at odd hours, without rest and with excessive effort, barely managing to keep up with that newcomer. Why? What was he missing? If everything seemed so easy for Kageyama... This intensified the insecurity he carried, since, through his distorted and fear-clouded perspective of being replaced, his absolute maximum effort was barely the minimum of his rival.

The Breaking Point and Redemption

One day, that small Kageyama approaches his senior and captain, Oikawa, asking for advice out of admiration. He did not expect that interaction to turn aggressive.

But what happened in Oikawa’s mind? What would you think if your greatest rival, the imminent threat and your potential replacement who seems to get with minimal effort what cost you sweat and tears, asked you for help? For Oikawa, swayed by his emotions, that innocent gesture was much more than an offense: it was a mockery or a direct accusation of his inadequacy.

Ushijima and Kageyama represented the immutable wall of immaculate talent, those born with the spotlight already on them, while Oikawa had to overexert himself just to get a little of that light. He went from being the kid who radiated happiness to someone more somber, consumed by fear of failure and training without rest.

On the other hand, thinking about what Kageyama must have felt produces a certain sadness; that boy didn’t deserve such unfair treatment. That is why Iwaizumi stops Oikawa before he assaults Tobio. That blow, literal and metaphorical, forces him to come back down to earth, reminding him that volleyball is a team sport and that his selfish battle belongs to six people. Here the new genius is born.

Sometimes our thinking becomes clouded by the expectations we place on our own shoulders. We become the executioners of our own peace and push ourselves to “improve” even when it is unhealthy. By constantly comparing himself, Oikawa stopped recognizing his own achievements and dehumanized himself to fulfill a self-imposed role: a place of perfection that even his supposed superiors would struggle to reach.

The Philosophy of 100%

Throughout the anime, this character’s philosophy becomes clear: “A good setter is the one who can bring out 100% of his team’s potential.” This creed, which stems directly from his altercation with Iwaizumi and Tobio, allows him to recover his light. He becomes again that proud, arrogant, funny superior we knew, but with a much firmer emotional foundation.

One thing to highlight is his motto with which he opens each of his matches: “As always, I trust you.” This phrase elevates and reaffirms his faith in his team, reinforcing their unity.

Looking at the matches, in the first official encounter against Karasuno, Oikawa had a slight respite; that emotional and physical process had borne fruit. He made an effort to care for and bring out the best in his teammates, which gave them the victory. It wasn’t until their second match together that a paradigm shift became evident. This match was no longer just about talent and effort, but about will. We realize that, sometimes, the scoreboard is not predetermined; it moves, and you win or lose, but every victory or defeat leaves a great lesson.

Our guy, with a lump in his throat and much pain, realizes that victory and defeat are only two states, and that what truly matters is the fight—playing with strength, with worth or however, until the ball hits the ground. This realization, rather than despairing, was inspiring. It gave Oikawa and his team the strength they needed to rise and climb. That defeat was more than just a lost match; it was the beginning of a story.

(I’m skipping many parts because I don’t want to bore you, but I certainly speak with great affection; he’s one of my favorite characters)

Pride and Destiny

Later, we witness two conversations that define his path:

With an athlete Oikawa admires: They talk about those “innate talents” and pose the mythical question: Have you already discovered the limit of your abilities? This question tormented him. The athlete explains that, although they were born with gifts, that doesn’t make them invincible. And although it means twice the effort for Oikawa, he must do it, because he can, because it’s not impossible. If he wants the spotlight, he must not only try, but succeed.

With Ushijima: In my view, the more interesting talk, since it is with the very person who started this cycle of dilemmas and changes—the one from that first defeat. Ushijima tells him that the cause of his failures lies in his pride, because if he had enrolled in Shiratorizawa, his talents would have flourished and he would have achieved everything he currently lacks, all because of his “foolish pride.” Oikawa replies that he should never forget that foolish pride.

It is that pride that motivates him to improve, to want the best, to grow. He doesn’t want to be on a team with the best; he wants to beat the best. He wants to be capable, by his own efforts and with his own hands, of taking the complete victory.

Oikawa is proud, but by no means foolish, because (spoiler) in the end, that pride leads him to achieve everything he ever wanted, from another country, with another nationality, but it is HIS VICTORY.

For me, the best character in Haikyuu!!.