Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle was “the most satisfying” movie of one star’s career

After a huge opening in Japan, Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle has arrived in theatres around the world. Already one of the biggest anime films of the year, Haikyuu!! is part of what’s become a surge in sports franchises making their mark.

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle capitalizes on the success of 2022’s The First Slam Dunk, proving sports anime is clearly on the rise. Dramatizing an intense first-time match between two rival high school volleyball teams, the Haikyuu!! movie requires little knowledge of the sport in question to get absorbed in the nuanced, fun tale.

Whether it’s the mind games between protagonist Shoyo Hinata and central opponent Kenma Kozume, or the thrilling volleyball acumen on display, or the well-founded characterization, the narrative has many ways of hooking you in. Beyond those, actors Bryson Baugus and Clint Bickham, who voice Hinata and Kozume respectively, believe The Dumpster Battle’s success comes down to the journey here, for them and the viewers.

The Dumpster Battle cast felt the build-up

“[Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle] was maybe the most satisfying thing I’ve ever gotten to do as an actor. Because it’s been years and years of kind of building to this,” Bickham told Dexerto.

“I had the luxury of working on the English script. So I got to watch the movie, and I got to see every little scene, and I got to really, really think about what emotions I wanted to bring out and little subtleties that I could put into everything.”

Although Hinata has led the charge on Haikyuu!! through the last four seasons, he becomes part of the ensemble in The Dumpster Battle. More than anyone else, this allows Kozume to shine, as a deadpan but brilliant strategist that challenges our hero to his absolute limits.

Their back-and-forth is brilliant, transforming into a giant cat and a huge crow taking digs at each other. One crucial intonation is that Hinata isn’t relying on his teammates as much, particularly Kageyama, who usually has a strong supporting role, to get through the mental struggles.

Haikyuu!! tests Shoyo Hinata

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They need each other to score on the court, but he’s beginning to fight these battles on his own terms as well. “[Hinata is] getting a lot better at analyzing the field state and figuring out ways to get around traps that are set for him by the other team or where he feels like he’s backed up into a corner, and he doesn’t have much ways to move,” Baugus said on Hinata’s evolution. “I feel like he’s been getting a lot better at identifying ways to break out of those situations.”

That said, The Dumpster Battle remains true to the preceding four seasons. As worthwhile for new fans as it may be, it’s also a culmination of years of build-up, and Hinata is still the classic shonen hero he’s always been.

“A lot of the improvements that he’s made have been very much more external, at least when it comes to how it’s showcased, but reading a lot of his monologues that are in his brain, where he’s analyzing the situation, all that stuff, it felt very in keeping with his character as he’s been up to this point in the series,” Baugus added of seeing the script and finding Hinata’s arc.

Sports anime is scoring all over the world

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Hinata and Kozume pushing each other truly makes The Dumpster Battle into a riveting film, and their face-off here forms part of what’s becoming an explosion of sports anime of late. The First Slam Dunk in 2022 made just shy of $280 million at the box office worldwide, Haikyuu!! has already made bank in Japan before opening in other countries, and this summer is Blue Lock The Movie.

Three different franchises, three different sports, all garnering large viewerships and justifying big theatrical rollouts. Baugus has a role in Blue Lock as Seishiro Nagi, the protagonist of the manga the film is based on, and he believes the rising popularity is something that’s been coming for years.

“It’s just a natural progression. Honestly, I remember 10 years ago, sports anime was still huge. For as long as it’s been around to the extent that it has in the past decade, it’s always resonated with audiences,” he said.

“It’s such an accessible framing. You can love a good sports movie or a good sports show if you’re into sports, and then you also get the benefit of it being anime, which means that it can appeal a lot to the anime fandom as well.”

Haikyuu!! and Blue Lock are about the players

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Baugus mentioned that the cast of characters, a massive strength of anime in general, plays a big part since every member of any given team could be the hero… if they’re written right. Bickham concurred, believing people become so infatuated due to a blend of strong designs and relatable perspectives.

“You see a lot of fan art, and you’re like, ‘Who’s that character? Who’s that character?’ Especially in something like Haikyuu!! and Blue Lock, they have these characters that are wild designs and a lot of different character types, so there’s going to be someone for everyone,” he noted.

“They’re human dramas, as much as anything, it’s not really about the sports necessarily. The story is character driven and the fandom is character-driven, as well.”

Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle is in theatres now. Check our new movies and upcoming anime lists for what else you should be keeping an eye out for.