Hinata's Voice Actor Steps Onto the Court
A media preview on June 26, one day before the public opening, brought together voice actor Ayumu Murase (Luck Voltia in Black Clover, Kage in Ranking of Kings) and two professional players from Osaka Bluteon of Japan's top-tier SV League (the country's premier volleyball competition). Anime Anime reported that the pros and a group of local youth volleyball players tackled the interactive challenges while Murase toured the exhibits and video installations.
The two Bluteon players were Kotaro Kaneda and Kunihiro Shimizu, a two-time Olympic opposite hitter who retired from professional play after the 2025-26 season. Watching Shimizu and the children compete on the exhibition court, Murase was visibly delighted as the anime's world unfolded into physical space.
Murase then tried the "Serious Receive Battle" himself. His self-assessment was blunt: "Not even close. I was completely terrible," he said with a laugh. "The balls felt about three times faster than they look in the anime. The spatial design was incredible, and I was really fired up." The anime's decade-long Hinata may have superhuman reflexes, but his voice actor clearly does not.
He also praised the exhibition's newly recorded audio guide, noting that it captures the deepening bonds between the characters and offers content exclusive to the event. After his full tour, Murase recommended the exhibition for fans and newcomers alike as a way to experience the thrill of volleyball and Haikyu!! firsthand.
Three Zones of Volleyball Action
The exhibition is structured around three themed areas, "Fly," "Hit," and "Connect," preceded by an opening theater featuring freshly recorded dialogue from 12 characters.
The "Fly" zone features Kuroo, Kenma, Yaku, and Bokuto analyzing jumping technique. Its centerpiece, "Aim for the Highest Point Challenge," lets visitors measure their vertical leap against the series' best jumpers in a Challenge Area. A separate Free Area offers photo ops alongside the characters.
"Hit" traces the evolution of the Hinata-Kageyama combination attack, narrated by Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima, Nishinoya, Oikawa, and Ushijima. The standout is the "Synchro Court," which places visitors on a full-size court to feel the speed and trajectory of the duo's signature quick attack through immersive projection and spatial sound design.
"Connect" brings out the Miya twins, whose Kansai-dialect banter guides visitors through defensive highlight reels featuring Nishinoya, Yaku, and Inarizaki captain Kita. The "Serious Receive Battle" puts visitors on the receiving end of serves from the series' hardest hitters, including Oikawa and Atsumu.
An ending area displays character uniforms and iconic lines from the series, designed to land differently after visitors have physically experienced what these plays demand.
Looking Ahead
The Osaka venue at Dojima River Forum runs through August 2, 2026. The Tokyo run follows at Bellesalle Roppongi from August 7 through September 13. Tickets are priced at ¥2,000 for adults, ¥1,500 for junior high and high school students, and ¥1,000 for elementary school students.
Haikyu!! is based on Haruichi Furudate's manga, serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump. The anime, produced by Production I.G, ran from 2014 across multiple seasons, with the theatrical film Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle releasing in 2024 to global box office success. The manga is available in English from Viz Media, and the anime streams internationally on Crunchyroll.