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Haikyu’s Return is Less Than 1 Year Away, And It Could Finally Dethrone Infinity Castle

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Haikyu’s Return is Less Than 1 Year Away, And It Could Finally Dethrone Infinity Castle

Demon Slayer is in the middle of one of the biggest theatrical runs anime has ever seen. The Infinity Castle trilogy has already rewritten the record books, with its first movie surpassing Mugen...

Maria Nushi
June 30, 2026 9 Mins Read
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Demon Slayer is in the middle of one of the biggest theatrical runs anime has ever seen. The Infinity Castle trilogy has already rewritten the record books, with its first movie surpassing Mugen Train to become the highest-grossing Japanese movie of all time. It also crossed an incredible $793 million worldwide, finishing ahead of major Hollywood releases like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. With Infinity Castle Part 2 still on the horizon, Demon Slayer is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

But before Tanjiro returns to theaters, another fan-favorite franchise is getting ready for its own big moment. One of anime’s biggest sports series is finally heading back to the big screen, and the wait is now less than a year away.

Haikyu!! is set to arrive in 2027 with its next highly anticipated film, VS The Little Giant, continuing the story after The Dumpster Battle. The film will finally adapt Karasuno’s long-awaited Spring Nationals quarterfinal against Kamomedai, a match viewers have been waiting years to see, as it forces Shoyo Hinata to face off against Korai Hoshiumi in the ultimate showdown to prove who deserves the title of the modern “Little Giant.”

Matching Demon Slayer‘s box office numbers will be a huge challenge, but when it comes to anime films arriving next year, few releases carry as much excitement as Haikyu!!‘s return.

An August Anime NYC Panel Promises Major Haikyu!! Theatrical Updates For VS The Little Giant

Haikyu!!'s Hinata and Hoshiumi clash during Season 4
Haikyu!!’s Hinata and Hoshiumi clash during Season 4

Although Production I.G has confirmed a 2027 release window, the studio is still keeping the exact premiere date under wraps. However, that could finally change very soon, as TOHO Animation is bringing Haikyu!! to Anime NYC on August 22, 2026, with a special “The Next Match” stage event. For fans who have been waiting since The Dumpster Battle, it feels like the perfect place to finally reveal the first full trailer and, hopefully, lock in an official release date.

Karasuno could not have asked for a tougher road to the top. Simply reaching the Spring Nationals was a huge achievement, but the team has refused to stop there. Along the way, the crows have taken down volleyball giants like Shiratorizawa and Inarizaki before surviving an emotional, hard-fought battle against their oldest rivals, Nekoma.

The team has grown exponentially with every single set, especially Shoyo Hinata. The energetic middle blocker finally began turning everything he had learned into results during the Dumpster Battle, using his explosive “bam” jump to reach new heights and proving he can now compete with the country’s very best players.




















Weekly Shonen Jump · Ultimate Edition
How Well Do You Know
Shonen Jump Anime?

🔥ClassicsLegendary

⚡Power SystemsUnleash

☠VillainsMenace

💪HeroesResolve

📖LegacyHistory

01

Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, is one of the most influential manga ever published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series follows Goku on his journey from a child to the universe’s greatest fighter. What is Goku’s original Saiyan name?




✓ Correct! Goku’s birth name is Kakarot, given to him on Planet Vegeta before he was sent to Earth as a baby. His Saiyan rival Vegeta famously refuses to call him “Goku” and always refers to him by his true Saiyan name, Kakarot.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kakarot. Vegeta is the Saiyan prince, Bardock is Goku’s father, and Raditz is Goku’s older brother. Kakarot is the Saiyan name given to Goku at birth before he was sent to Earth.

02

Naruto Uzumaki dreams of becoming the Hokage — the leader of his village. Throughout the series, Naruto carries a powerful entity sealed inside him since birth. What is sealed within Naruto?




✓ Correct! Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, was sealed inside Naruto by his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, on the day of his birth. What began as a source of fear and isolation for Naruto eventually became his greatest ally and friend.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Ten-Tails is a different, more powerful beast. The Curse Mark is Orochimaru’s seal, and the Rinnegan is a legendary eye technique. Kurama was sealed in Naruto at birth by the Fourth Hokage.

03

In the manga Bleach by Tite Kubo, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki gains the powers of a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers wield unique weapons that have names and special abilities. What are these signature weapons called?




✓ Correct! Zanpakuto are the signature weapons of Soul Reapers in Bleach. Each Zanpakuto has its own spirit and name, and a Soul Reaper must learn that name to unlock its Shikai (initial release) and eventually its Bankai (final release) forms.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Zanpakuto. Sacred Gears are from High School DxD, Nen is the power system from Hunter x Hunter, and Bankai is actually a Zanpakuto’s final release form — not the weapon’s name itself. Zanpakuto literally means “soul-cutting sword.”

04

In Dragon Ball Z, Frieza is one of the most iconic villains in anime history. He is a tyrannical galactic emperor responsible for destroying the Saiyan homeworld. What is the name of the planet Frieza destroyed?




✓ Correct! Planet Vegeta, named after King Vegeta, was the homeworld of the Saiyan race. Frieza destroyed it with a single energy blast because he feared the growing power of the Saiyans and the legend of the Super Saiyan. Only a handful of Saiyans survived, including Goku and Vegeta.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Planet Vegeta. Planet Namek is the home of the Namekians and the Dragon Balls, Planet Sadala is the Saiyan homeworld in Universe 6, and Earth is where Goku was raised. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of the Saiyan race’s potential.

05

My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) by Kohei Horikoshi is set in a world where most people have superpowers. What is the term used for these superpowers in My Hero Academia?




✓ Correct! In My Hero Academia, about 80% of the world’s population possesses a Quirk — a unique superpower that manifests in childhood. The protagonist Izuku Midoriya was born Quirkless but inherited the powerful Quirk “One For All” from the greatest hero, All Might.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Quirks. Stands are from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Jutsu are techniques from Naruto, and Cursed Techniques belong to Jujutsu Kaisen. In My Hero Academia, superpowers are called Quirks, and they vary wildly from person to person.

06

Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami features a power system based on negative human emotions that manifest as dangerous supernatural beings. What are these beings called?




✓ Correct! Cursed Spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen are born from the accumulation of negative emotions like fear, hatred, and sadness leaked by humans. Jujutsu sorcerers like protagonist Yuji Itadori use cursed energy to exorcise these dangerous beings and protect humanity.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Cursed Spirits. Hollows are from Bleach, Demons are from Demon Slayer, and Titans are from Attack on Titan. In Jujutsu Kaisen, negative human emotions give rise to Cursed Spirits that jujutsu sorcerers must exorcise.

07

In Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) by Koyoharu Gotouge, protagonist Tanjiro Kamado uses specialized sword techniques called Breathing Styles. What is the first Breathing Style that Tanjiro learns?




✓ Correct! Tanjiro learns Water Breathing from the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. Water Breathing is known for its fluid, adaptable movements. While Tanjiro later discovers his connection to the legendary Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura), Water Breathing was his first and foundational combat style.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Water Breathing. Sun Breathing is the original style that Tanjiro discovers later through his family’s Hinokami Kagura dance. Fire Breathing and Thunder Breathing are used by other Demon Slayers. Tanjiro trained under Sakonji Urokodaki to master Water Breathing first.

08

Weekly Shonen Jump has been the home of many of the biggest manga series in history. Which of these series has sold the most copies worldwide as of 2024?




✓ Correct! One Piece by Eiichiro Oda holds the record as the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 500 million copies sold worldwide. Running since 1997, the series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew on their quest to find the legendary treasure, the One Piece.

✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is One Piece. While Naruto (~250 million), Dragon Ball (~260 million), and Demon Slayer (~150 million) are all massive sellers, One Piece stands alone with over 500 million copies sold — making it the best-selling manga in history by a wide margin.

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However, keeping this winning streak alive against Kamomedai is going to be a monumental nightmare. While Korai Hoshiumi gets most of the spotlight for his insane mid-air skills and Little Giant status, his team is actually infamous for something much more suffocating. Their disciplined read blocking and relentless defensive system have earned them a reputation as one of the hardest teams in Japan to score against, feeling like an even stronger version of Date Tech’s famous Iron Wall.

Every point has to be earned, and that is exactly what makes this quarterfinal one of the most anticipated matches in the entire series. It is not just Hinata versus Hoshiumi; it is Karasuno’s fast, unpredictable offense trying to break through the strongest wall they have faced since arriving at Nationals.

Haikyu!! Aims To Replicate The Massive Box Office Success Of The Dumpster Battle

Matching Demon Slayer‘s record-breaking box office numbers is a huge challenge, but Haikyu!! has already shown it belongs among anime’s biggest theatrical releases. The Dumpster Battle proved that fans were more than willing to show up for Karasuno on the big screen, turning a long-awaited rivalry into one of the most successful anime movies of 2024. Now, Haikyu!!: VS The Little Giant arrives next year with even more anticipation behind it.

This is not just another match at the Spring Nationals. It is the moment Hinata has been unknowingly chasing since he first watched the Little Giant play volleyball. Standing across the net is Korai Hoshiumi, another undersized star who reached the top through pure skill and determination. Their long-awaited showdown is set to answer the question fans have debated for years: who truly carries on the legacy of the Little Giant?


Hinata from haikyuu looking surprised with members of kurasuno's volleball team behind him


10 Best Haikyu!! Matches of All Time

Haikyu!! is the greatest volleyball anime/manga of all time thanks to these series-defining, jaw-dropping matches.

Production I.G already delivered one of the franchise’s best adaptations with The Dumpster Battle, and with the first trailer expected soon, the countdown to Haikyu!!‘s biggest match has truly begun. Whether or not it reaches Demon Slayer‘s incredible box office heights, VS The Little Giant has everything it needs to become one of the defining anime films of 2027.


Haikyu!! (2014)


Release Date

2014 – 2020-00-00

Network

TBS, MBS, CBC, BSN, tys

Directors

Susumu Mitsunaka, Masako Sato

Writers

Taku Kishimoto, Haruichi Furuda

Franchise(s)

Haikyu!!


  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Bryson Baugus

    Kazuma Numai (voice)

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Scott Gibbs

    Tobio Kageyama (voice)


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