Haruichi Furudate do all three of these exceptionally well, especially when it comes to creating a great cast of characters. The story of Haikyu is nothing complex at all so if you are looking forward to something like that then I wouldn't recommend this for you. What you get with Haikyu is a story filled with many peaks, when you think the story has hit its best, it will simply better it in the next arc/match. It is a sports story about volleyball and it gets you invested so much that the emotional payoff hits every single time. It is a story about regrets, hope, despair, dreams, loss, fustration, freedom and most importantly, becoming strong and great. It offers such an amazing and inspirational story that it is hard to find any flaws within it.
The cast of Haikyu is it's biggest strength. I really appreciate how Furudate payed attention to every single player in this story, whether they were major or minor characters. I remember when watching the anime, team Karasuno defeats a team that had no hype built up for them and basically a nobody team, however the messages of defeat and frustration that are shown from the POV of these set of characters really meant something to the show: where there are winners, there will also be losers. I think the development with every major team players are done exceptionally well, each character finding their own reason to play this sport that they love. The main cast, Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima, Asahi, Sawamura, etc are some of the best main cast I have seen, their dynamics with each other are so enjoyable to watch, yet also so meaningful at the same time too. The development, dynamics, emotional resonance, depth and utmost care for nearly 30-40 characters is what makes this sports manga edge it over Slam Dunk for me. An absolute masterclass in character writing.
The messages from Haikyu are probably ones that I will integrate into my real life. "He who would climb a ladder must start from the bottom", this story is about growth and it is emphasised time and time again. Whether it was the difference between matches against Aoba Johsai, or the match against Shiratorizawa, or even the matches in the spring tournament, growth is shown in nearly every way possible. The series showcases the journey of several characters that improve themselves both on and off the volleyball court. However, the biggest message from Haikyu that resonated with me the most is finding joy in the journey. WInning is important, but what is more important is the enjoyment of the game and experiences gained along the way, and using these experiences to become even better. The last match in the spring tournament does this exceptionally well.
I also want to give praises to the panelling in Haikyu. I never knew how important paneling was until I read the manga, the ability to draw a volleyball match is a talent, but to give it life and intensity is something different. The direction of which the ball is heading towards is the core structure of the paneling, making it so easy to read and also making the reader so invested in it. I also want to praise Production I.G for their amazing animation used throughout the anime, the soundtrack elevated the experience and they do the intense eye frames so well.
Overall: If Slam Dunk is a masterclass at creating intense hype matches and Real is a masterclass that delves into the psyche of players, then Haikyu is a combination of both. It is a story that will resonate with me forever and it's utmost care for characters is exemplary.
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