The Paris Olympics are live, and as expected, a number of summer sports are popping off. Swimming and gymnastics are regularly trending, but there is a somewhat surprising sport on the rise with them. Volleyball has gripped the Internet’s attention, and according to a recent poll, we have Haikyu to thank for the push forward.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The data was broken down by Mainichi as the publication covered volleyball’s surge at the Olympics. It was there the site learned that about 25,000 people were polled about the Olympics across 33 nations earlier this year. When asked about the Paris Olympics, Gen Z saw its biggest answer turn to volleyball. Millennials said track and field were their pick, and the same went for the baby boomers.
So why does Gen Z care so much about volleyball at the Olympics? Well, Mainichi did some on-ground exploration. It turns plenty of fans at the Paris Olympics were there because of Haikyu. Not only did the anime trend whenever Team Japan took to the court, but Haikyu has also pushed forward a love for teams outside of Japan. From Italy to Brazil, Haikyu put volleyball center stage, and it converted fans in real life. Now, those same fans have cashed in for tickets to the Olympics, and some have even cosplayed as Haikyu characters in the stands.
I mean, talk about dedication. We haven’t seen any Slam Dunk cosplays at the Paris Olympics, but give it time. We have an eye out for Sakuragai.
Clearly, Haikyu‘s impact on the sports world is huge, and the Paris Olympics have proven that with ease. The anime has a legacy that none other can match so far as sports are concerned. So if you haven’t checked out the hit series, you’re in luck. Haikyu can be read from start to finish on the Shonen Jump app. Plus, its anime is available to binge on Hulu as well as Crunchyroll.
Want more info on Haikyu? No sweat. You can read its official synopsis below for all the details:
“Inspired by a small-statured pro volleyball player, Hinata creates a volleyball team in his last year of middle school. Unfortunately the team is matched up against the “King of the Court” Tobio Kageyama’s team in their first tournament and inevitably lose. After the crushing defeat, Hinata vows to surpass Kageyama After entering high school, Hinata joins the volleyball team only to find that Tobio has also joined.”
What do we think about the impact of Haikyu? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!
