Skip to Content

Haikyuu!!: What Do The Term Ace Mean? (Toss It Up)

Each of the entertaining and colourful characters in Haikyuu!! has a unique passion for the game of volleyball. 

From setters to liberos, we watch them all perform diverse roles for their respective teams. The Aces are a vital component of each volleyball team. 

Any player, in any position, has the potential to be the Ace. Numerous Ace players from Fukurdani to Shiratorizawa, as well as Karasuno High, have been featured in Haikyuu! 

What exactly does it mean to be the Ace of Karasuno’s volleyball team, as that is little Hinata’s dream?

Team mates cheering for their group
A position in volleyball is referred to as an ace.

What does it mean to be the Ace in Volleyball?

A manoeuvre rather than a position is referred to as a “ace” in volleyball. 

It occurs when a player serves the ball and the other team is unable to pass it back. Either the ball lands on the floor or it becomes impossible to touch it again. 

In order to spike the ball so hard that it cannot be passed, the technique calls for a great force from the player in question. 

Players who execute this move in Haikyuu!! are referred to as “Aces,” and one of them is Hinata’s favorite character, the “Tiny Giant.”

What’s the distinction between Libero and Ace?

It’s not a “position” in the equal sense that “libero” and “middle blocker” are positions. That is, you are unlikely to find references to a “ace” as a position in, say, the Japan Volleyball Association’s rulebook.

When Haikyuu!! Refers to Azumane as Karasuno’s “ace,” he’s referring to him as the team’s best (offensive) player. This sense of “ace” appears to be fairly limited to baseball (where it refers to the team’s best pitcher), but the Japanese equivalent is used fairly frequently in real life for team-leading players in other team sports, including (at a minimum) soccer and volleyball.

This turn of phrase, it turns out, has made its way into other parts of Japanese volleyball jargon. A “super ace” is a wing spiker who primarily focuses on offense. However, this is not how the term “ace” is used in Haikyuu!!.

Who is Hinata Shoyo?

A young man with great desire, Hinata Shoyo aspires to play volleyball like his volleyball hero, “The Little Giant.” 

Hinata encounters brutal loss at the hands of the “King of the Court,” a brilliant prodigy setter named Kageyama Tobio, in middle school, but he maintains his composure. As he begins high school, Hinata’s wishes come true. 

When he enrolls in Karasuno High’s failing volleyball team, he is horrified to discover that Kageyama is a teammate. 

The narrative focuses on Karasuno High’s rebirth and the solidarity they uphold when they open their doors to natives.

Who is the Number 1 Ace?

The number 1 ace is Kiyoomi Sakusa. Kiyoomi Sakusa, the top-ranked second-year ace wing spiker from Itachiyama Institute, is the only second-year player among the top three aces. 

While Sakusa lacks the physical strength of Kiryu and Ushijima, he makes up for it by using creative and unusual spike methods to go past opponents. He excels at service receiving and is a tremendously powerful defender.

Since Sakusa is noted for having extremely flexible wrists, he can spin both his serves and spikes. 

This spin is thought to be even more potent than Ushijima’s southpaw spike and causes problems for opposing receivers and blockers. 

He can target his hits in the most awkward locations for his opponents because of this method and his unequaled accuracy. 

Accuracy also enables maximum consistency, reducing errors and making the opposition play flawlessly in order to keep up.

Kiyoomi Sakusa is the number 1 ace in Haikyuu!!
Sakusa can spin both his serves and spikes since he is known for having very flexible wrists.

Kiyoomi Sakusa Appearance

Sakusa has two moles on the right side of his forehead and black, curly hair. He has a slender frame and is taller than usual. 

He covers his mouth with a white mask while he’s not playing a game due of his meticulous inclinations. 

Sakusa has grown a little taller and a little more muscular after the time jump. His hair is now kept in a manner that leans closer to the left.

Kiyoomi Sakusa Personality

Sakusa presents as a cool-headed individual who is also fiercely competitive and self-assured. 

Even when he wins a match with the winning point, he doesn’t react much, but when he identifies a player who he perceives as a threat to himself, he focuses intently on that individual. 

He was also highly annoyed when Kageyama commented that despite being known as one of the best aces, he seemed ordinary. 

Sakusa is referred to as a very cautious player who considers a toss before spiking, a quality that also shows itself in his daily routine. 

He makes the assertion that he is a realist, which explains why he inquires so often in order to evaluate circumstances.

Sakusa, according to Komori, despises starting something and not finishing it, hence he never stops practicing or playing until it is done. 

When he has a weakness, like his receiving after initially losing to Ushijima, he will train it for hours. 

As evidenced by his early attempts to repeatedly spike a ball off the ground into a wall corner or his attempt to complete 1,000 overhand sets in a row while at least 375 were completed, he has a history of setting high goals for himself once he gets invested in a task.

Sakusa has no trouble being open and direct about things he’s uneasy with or dislikes, such as crowds and germs, as evidenced by his refusal to bathe with other campers and his tendency to hide in the corner when a room is overcrowded. 

Washio called Sakusa a “too blunt jerk,” and Komori claimed that because of his bluntness, people’s perceptions of him are frequently accurate. 

Despite this, Sakusa occasionally displays a witty and humorous side, which is most evident when he is competing with and making fun of his teammates during volleyball games.

Have a look at this video for more information:

Who is the top Ace of Haikyu!!?

Top 5 Ace Except Kiyoomi Sakura

Wakatoshi UshijimaUshijima is the best ace in Haikyuu thanks to his agility, strength, and consistency. Ushijima’s left-handedness also gives him an advantage over rivals because it makes it extremely difficult for opponents to receive his serves and spikes. Ushijima is practically unstoppable as a teenager and only becomes better after the time skip, thus it makes sense that he was one of the top three aces in the nation when he was in high school. In addition to contributing roughly half of his team’s points, he is also composed and tough mentally. Ushijima is unquestionably the most dependable ace in the entire series and can be relied upon to always hit the ball with everything he has.
Kotaro BokutoBokuto is the epitome of an ace simply because of the way he motivates his group of teammates and others, including Hinata. He also possesses the ability to support it. Even if they may not be as strong as Ushijima’s, his spikes are nonetheless incredibly potent. However, Bokuto’s ability to control angles and spike balls through extremely tiny seams and gaps is unquestionably his strongest skill. When everything is taken into account, it is easy to understand why the Fukurodani ace is unbeatable when he is at his best.
Wakatsu KiryuKiryu stands out owing to his athleticism, as do many of Mujinazaka’s players and has established a reputation as one of the best aces in the nation. In addition to possessing a strong spike and being freakishly strong, Kiryu is also skilled in defense. But like Asahi, Kiryu frequently gives in to the strain of being the ace, which could give the impression that he is unreliable. However, Kiryu carried Mujinazaka’s offensive load and scored on even-average sets. Kiryu, in contrast to the other aces, didn’t have the finest team supporting him, but he nevertheless distinguished himself as one of the top aces and led his squad to the Nationals.
Asahi Azumane Asahi, the top ace on a club as offensive as Karasuno, doesn’t frequently receive attention. Asahi has been restrained by himself for the majority of the series despite having power that surpasses that of all the spikers on this list so far and a terrifying jump serve to go with it. His performance was inconsistent earlier in the series as he battled anxiousness and difficulties with self-worth. But by the time Nationals rolled around, Asahi had finally established himself as a top-tier ace.
Aran OjiroAran Ojiro might not have a unique quality that makes him stand out from the other characters on our list, but when it comes down to it, the Inarizaki ace possesses all the necessary characteristics of an ace. Aran possesses all the qualities a hitter should have: dependability, consistency, power, and top-notch floor defense abilities. Therefore, it is easy to understand why he presented such a serious threat in the match against Karasuno.
Top ace in Haikyuu!!
Ushijima’s agility, strength, and dependability make him the best ace in Haikyuu!!.

Is the anime Haikyuu!! based on a manga?

The anime series is based on the original manga Haikyuu!! by Haruichi Furudate.

The success of each of the volleyball teams featured in Haikyuu!! is heavily reliant on the performance of their star player. The ‘ace,’ a nickname for the best and most dependable spiker on a given team, is the club’s backbone and essential to their team’s success. The team fails if the ace fails. On the other hand, the best aces lead their teams to consistent success and recognition.

Both the manga and anime have received positive reviews. Haikyu!! won the 61st Shogakukan Manga Award for shnen in 2016. The manga had over 55 million copies in circulation as of August 2022, making it one of the best-selling manga series.

Conclusion

  • As a volleyball and sports Anime, Haikyuu!! features a cast full of strong players, each of whom has a special set of skills and strategies that distinguishes them from the others and makes them formidable opponents. 
  • Some of the strongest players are referred to as the “ace,” spikers who guide the other players with their knowledge and skill while serving as the team’s leader by offering a solid foundation. 
  • They frequently serve as team captains or leaders, a role that commands respect and trust.
  • A true ace is more than just a physical specimen. Their on-field presence, the way they motivate their squad, and how dependable they are as the team’s main offensive weapon matter just as much, if not more.

Other Articles

Skip to content