Since the beginning of Haikyuu!, the Tiny Giant has been an influential character to many volleyball players, such as Daichi Sawamura and Shoyo Hinata. Without him, Shoyo would have never started his sports journey, which is the central point of the whole series. But now that anime is finally coming to a close, will Hinata ever meet the Tiny Giant? We’ll answer this question by telling you what to expect in the manga and the two-part film.
***Spoilers for the Haikyuu! Manga Below***
When Does Hinata Meet the Tiny Giant in Haikyuu!?
The Tiny Giant, Tenma Udai, and Hinata meet in Chapter 338 of the Haikyuu! manga during the showdown between Karasuno High and Kamomedai High. In this interaction, Saeko Tanaka, Ryunosuke’s older sister, introduces them, and Hinata expresses his admiration for his idol. Moreover, we learn that Udai hasn’t played volleyball since high school, and the others wonder if this information will tarnish Shoyo’s motivation for the game.
However, even if Hinata discovers the truth about Tiny Giant’s regular life, he isn’t disappointed by this news and still shows his excitement to Kei Tsukishima as the match begins. The following chapters feature several panels with Udai as he boasts about the powerful skills of his old alma mater, including when he marvels at the sight of Hinata’s legendary high jump.
Fans have been waiting for this meeting since the first episode of Haikyuu! because Tenma’s height and star power are why Hinata wants to be a volleyball player. Furthermore, the Tiny Giant has been mentioned in several more episodes within different seasons that showcased specific points of his life at Karasuno with Ikkei Ukai (the previous coach).
With the debut of the final two-part film, we hope to watch Hinata and Tiny Giant’s meeting once it officially releases. If you want to see more content on Haikyuu!, you can explore the relevant links below, such as a guide about the current state of Daichi.