Haikyuu!!: Why Kageyama's backstory was sadder than fans realise

One of the reasons Haikyuu!! is so eye-catching is that the characters are portrayed so strongly. How well the setter, Tobio Kageyama of Karasuno High, illustrates this is one of the prime examples. He is a leading character in the series, and he leaves a strong impression by flaunting his arrogance and never hesitating to speak his mind, even if it makes others unhappy.

However, something that has been fairly constant with Kageyama's character is the fact that he is a lot more than meets the eye in the Haikyuu!! series. Part of that is because of his relationship with his grandfather, Kazuyo Kageyama, and how that played a huge role in his failed attempt to enter Shiratorizawa, making his backstory all the sadder for the audience.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Haikyuu!! series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

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Explaining the sad nature of Tobio Kageyama's backstory in the Haikyuu!! series

Tobio Kageyama stood out from the main cast of the Haikyuu!! series because of his arrogance and natural talent as a player, although that didn't come without a cost. His former teammates used to call him the "King of the Court" because of his mean nature towards them, which resulted in him getting benched due to his lack of willingness to work as a team player.

Kazuyo Kageyama, his grandfather, was a huge volleyball fan and a coach for a women's team, which had a huge impact on Tobio and his sister, Miwa. In fact, that added to his motivation to join the highly-regarded high school, Shiratorizawa, which was also the place where his grandfather used to play when he was younger, but Tobio's application was rejected.

It was soon after that Kazuyo passed away, much to the pain of Tobio and Miwa, affecting them for a long time. This makes Kageyama's journey in the series all the more tragic since he has to deal with the loss of his grandfather, failing to enter a highly-regarded institution when it comes to volleyball, and also the fact that he ended up on the bench because of his habit of demeaning his teammates.

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Kageyama's character arc

Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama in the anime (Image via Production I.G.)

One of the most prominent elements of the Haikyuu!! series is the relationship between Tobio Kageyama and the protagonist of the story, Shoyo Hinata. They started the manga as rivals, facing each other in a tournament, and went on to become teammates and friends, becoming one of the biggest assets of the Karasuno High volleyball team.

However, the biggest factor in their dynamic is how one influences the other, which is a running theme throughout the series. Hinata's lack of experience and insecurity are always taking a huge toll on him, which is where Kageyama's knowledge and natural talent usually come in to aid him and boost his confidence, leading to a very interesting combination.

On the other hand, Kageyama learns from Hinata to be a bit more open to listening to his teammates and to be more willing to cooperate. He learns throughout the series that he can't win any match on his own, which is something that allows him to grow and evolve as not only a player but also as a person.

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Final thoughts

Tobio Kageyama has one of the saddest backstories in Haikyuu!! since he failed to enter the high school his grandfather, his biggest male influence, went to when he was younger. However, his lack of teamwork and personality led to his being rejected, and his grandfather died a bit afterward, adding salt to the injury and affecting him greatly.