Talent is something you make bloom, Instinct is something
you polish. If you’re ever lost in the darkness, follow the
compass in your heart.The future is always blank.
This is one of the most underrated quotes in the animeverse, yet so relatable. Unlike other anime, this quote speaks to the masses. Not everyone is born with insane talent. Which creates a divide between their interests and skills.
Oikawa’s Pride
In Haikyuu Oikawa is one of the best players. In the first two seasons, he was even considered the number one setter in the region.
With that being said, Oikawa had the chance to join Shiratorizawa in highschool. The powerhouse school in the Miyagi prefecture, but he didn’t. The reason being, he hated Ushiwaka and wanted to beat him fair and square.
He didn’t want to swallow his pride and join them. He instead preferred to play with his friends, the ones who he cherished the most. But ultimately, like his middle school days, he was unsuccessful.
During Oikawa’s Kitagawa Dai Ichi days, Kageyama joined as a junior. And during practice, Oikawa straight away noticed the insane talent that came along. As the days pass, Oikawa once again loses to Ushijima’s Shiratorizawa. He’s frustrated by the limits of his abilities. He hated everything about it. So, he goes to his coach, who asks him this question.
I like how you mentioned that Oikawa had chosen the spend time playing volleyball with those he cherished most, and mention his worthless pride. That being said, I disagree with you on a few points. I don’t think he hated Ushiwaka. I think the same can apply to his relationship with Kageyama. He doesn’t hate *them*, he hates the fact that they are an incarnation of his own insecurities. They are living proof that his skill could only go so far before being beaten down by raw strength. Following that, I wouldn’t define Oikawa’s high school volleyball career as unsuccessful. Is success defined by whether he made it to nationals? Do you have to go to nationals to be a good player? Look at Nishinoya, during his first year of Karasuno they didn’t manage to beat Date Tech! Yet, that didn’t make him any less of a skilled player. I believe that Oikawa’s career was successful – but not in the traditional sense. He managed to make bonds that lasted a lifetime and a team that had faith in him. They might have never made it to nationals, but that doesn’t undermine what he managed to achieve. Kageyama made it to nationals, yet he is not as great as a setter as Oikawa. Oikawa managed to get Kunimi to smile during a match – something so insignificant yet foreign to Kageyama. While Oikawa didn’t receive all the glimmer and glamour of being on a big stage – he was successful. He has set up relationships, and philosophies that will follow him throughout his career. What he has done will have an ever-lasting impact on him. You can’t determine success so easily – because theoretically let’s say Oikawa becomes an Olympian. He wins only one Olympic medal during his career, despite going to the Olympics multiple times after that one time. Does that mean he that he isn’t successful anymore because he hasn’t won a medal again? Is success determined by acknowledgement and is it only valid when it exists in the future? Either way, this was a pleasure to read. Cheers!
P.s. I think another reason why he didn’t join Shiratorizawa is because of their playing style. Since the confrontation with Iwaizumi (during middle school), Oikawa developed the belief that it is the strongest six that stay on the court, and he brings out 100% of them. Shiratorizawa believes in the raw strength of an individual based on talents they are gifted with – rather than gambling on the limitations of a player such as height. Look at Semi and Shirabu. Semi is objectively the better setter, yet he is benched. Why? It’s because the coach’s previous philosophy was that raw strength is the greatest form of talent. I doubt that Oikawa would be on the starting line up if he was constantly going to be competing with that methodology.
Most likely true. Shiratorizawa reminds me of Aomine’s school in Kuroko no Basuke. Highly skilled individual players with no coordination whatsoever. Oikawa on the other hand wanted much more. Like you said, which is probably the reason he chose Seijoh.
Agree with your point on the fact that Oikawa doesn’t hate Ushiwaka. Not a native speaker, hence bad writing on my end. But, like you I to do believe he was successful. He gave his all in what he believed in. That’s what made him a badass.