Hinata

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Hinata Shoyo (日向)
Alias(es)	Karasuno's strongest decoy; “Little Giant” (as compared by commentators)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Karasuno High School Volleyball Club
Occupation/Role	Volleyball player; middle blocker
Status	Active
First Appearance	2

Background / History

Hinata is a Karasuno first-year whose enthusiasm for volleyball is rooted in watching Karasuno’s former “Little Giant” play on television. He plays middle blocker despite being 165 cm tall, relying on exceptional speed, jumping ability, and instinctive movement to overcome his height disadvantage 213 302.

He initially relies heavily on Kageyama’s sets and their fast attack, while his receiving, serving, and blocking lag behind. Hayato takes a direct interest in developing him, emphasizing his strengths, training his offense, and later teaching him tactical options such as tool shots, dumps, decoy timing, and the flat cross shot 5 8 23 172.

Hinata attends the Miyagi first-year training camp without authorization after being excluded from the invitation list. The decision causes concern among his teammates and coaches, but the experience helps him become more observant and serious about his own development 177 184.

Appearance

Hinata is a short but explosively athletic player, recognizable by Karasuno’s number 10 jersey.

• Height: 165 cm 213
• Position: Middle blocker 213 302
• Jersey number: 10 288
• Known for his orange-colored figure on court and unusually high jumps for his stature 222 303

Personality

Hinata is energetic, openly competitive, and intensely motivated by volleyball. He is quick to admire stronger players—including Hayato, Kageyama, Hoshiumi, and the former Little Giant—but turns that admiration into determination to improve 18 213 301 325.

He is impulsive and sometimes reckless, as shown by secretly attending the Miyagi training camp. However, he becomes increasingly reflective during competition, learning to read blockers, vary his attacks, and contribute defensively rather than depending only on speed 177 140 327.

Abilities & Skills

Speed and Jumping

Hinata’s primary weapons are his acceleration, rapid approach, and jumping ability. His 335 cm reach matches Asahi’s despite Hinata’s smaller frame 170.

• Escapes blockers through repeated and wide-ranging runs 134 222
• Reaches attacks before opponents can establish their block 124
• Uses speed to transition immediately from defense into offense 140
• Performs diving saves and reacts quickly to tips 327

Monster Quick Attack

Hinata’s signature attack with Kageyama is an exceptionally fast quick attack, also described as Negative Tempo. It initially depends on Hinata striking without fully watching the toss, but evolves as he gains better timing and court awareness 4 261 355.

• Scores through lightning-fast, wide-ranging tosses from Kageyama 222
• Can be used after rapid lateral movement or counter-runs 237 282
• Is dangerous enough to force opponents to allocate blockers specifically to Hinata 261
• Can be neutralized by elite defensive specialists such as Yaku 261

Tactical Attacking

Rather than always spiking at full force, Hinata develops tools to exploit blockers and open space.

• Uses dump shots to deceive blockers who anticipate his quick attack 128
• Tips the ball off a blocker’s hand and into open court 140
• Learns to use the second rhythm / flat cross shot under Hayato’s instruction 172
• Times decoy runs more carefully by blending with other attackers instead of moving too early 188 306

Receiving and Defense

Hinata begins with poor defense but steadily becomes a capable receiver and floor defender.

• Makes a wall-assisted save that earns cheers from the crowd 99
• Receives an opponent’s spike with his face to preserve a rally 155
• Uses improved positioning and Tsukishima’s block to receive Inarizaki’s attacks 249
• Reads a late tip and executes a diving save against Kamomedai 327
• Is no longer considered a weak receiver by the Spring High finals 364

Blocking

Hinata’s short stature limits his blocking reach, but he improves by studying opponents and adjusting his positioning.

• Is advised to learn adaptive blocking from Inuoka 231
• Executes a solo block with Hayato recognizing his intent immediately 234
• Blocks Hirugami during the Kamomedai match, then immediately transitions into an attack 325

Relationships

• Kuroba Hayato — Senior, mentor, and trusted teammate. Hayato teaches Hinata tool shots, attack rhythms, tactics, and training methods; Hinata admires him as a powerful ace 5 18 23 172.
• Kageyama Tobio — Setter, rival, and partner in the Monster Quick Attack. Their constant bickering is balanced by deep on-court trust and silent coordination 124 249 325.
• Tsukishima Kei — First-year teammate and frequent source of teasing. Hinata comes to recognize Tsukishima’s strategic blocking and receives occasional support from him 124 249.
• Kozume Kenma — Friend and rival from Nekoma. Kenma encourages Hinata to remain an interesting opponent, while Hinata wants to show him volleyball’s excitement 261 283.
• Hoshiumi Korai — Rival middle-height attacker whom Hinata views as a true “Little Giant.” Their encounter fuels Hinata’s desire to forge his own path 213 325.
• Utsui Tenma — Karasuno’s former “Little Giant” and Hinata’s original volleyball inspiration. Learning that Tenma no longer plays helps Hinata realize that his journey belongs to him alone 301.
• Ushijima Wakatoshi — Formidable Shiratorizawa ace who comes to view Hinata as a genuine threat 155 156.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Joining Karasuno

Hinata meets Hayato after the latter joins Karasuno. He quickly seeks Hayato’s advice on tool shots and serving, becoming one of Hayato’s most enthusiastic students 4 5.

Development under Hayato

Hayato shapes a plan around Hinata’s strengths rather than trying to make him an immediately complete player. Their training improves Hinata’s speed, offensive rhythm, dump shots, and confidence in attacking alongside Kageyama 23 29.

Shiratorizawa Finals

Hinata’s improved speed and tactical variety make him a major factor against Shiratorizawa. He debuts a Super Quick Attack, uses tips and dumps to outthink Tendou, and helps pressure Shiratorizawa through Karasuno’s multi-player offense 124 128 140 157.

Training Camp Setback and Growth

After being left out of the Miyagi invitation list, Hinata secretly attends the first-year camp. The experience changes his approach: he returns more focused, observant, and committed to learning beyond his existing offensive strengths 171 177 184.

National Tournament

At nationals, Hinata develops into a more rounded player. He contributes through improved receiving, blocking, decoy work, and tactical attacks while maintaining the explosive quick offense that defines Karasuno 222 231 249 327.

Kamomedai Match

Facing Hoshiumi and Kamomedai’s elite blocking, Hinata confronts comparisons to the Little Giant. His match-winning spike helps defeat Kamomedai, but his greater realization is that he does not need to become someone else; his volleyball story is his own 325.

Trivia

• Hinata’s 335 cm reach equals Asahi’s during Karasuno’s jump measurement 170.
• He initially misunderstands Hoshiumi’s height as “16...5” when asked about his own 213.
• His teammates criticize his serves as weak, and he himself becomes self-conscious about them during the Spring High finals 302 355.
• He is repeatedly described as Karasuno’s strongest decoy because his speed and presence draw blockers away from other attackers 121 222.