Tsubakihara Analysis - The most underrated team?
I wanted to make a post on Tsubakihara - The first team Karasuno goes against against in the Spring Nationals. I wanted to make an analysis because after re-reading the series multiple times, they always climb higher to one of my favorite teams, despite not being talked about a lot.
One of my favorite things about Tsubakihara is their story. They have real doubts and pains from last year, and you can see how it affects them how they got knocked out of nationals and it's really sad to see it happen again. I mean, it's nature of the game, but I'm glad they got something more realistic and heartfelt for a story. And I love how they don't hide it and it gives them more personality.
GAMEPLAY
SERVING - I think they're serving is great. Pretty much everything you can think of, sort of like Nekoma, but this is the first team that dives into all the different types, of serving. Off the bat you can tell they practice with hard to hit placements, based on Ukai's statement of "hitting that spot like it's nothing." Obviously Teradomari is a fantastic server, and they even have float servers to switch it up, and of course, Himekawa's debut of the skyball serve.
Serving specialist doing a float serve, giving them trouble.
The Team
I love this team. They're so wholesome. They make light of losing a game, or how Himekawa missed his serve. They were really supportive. I love their brotherly relationship with each other, it's sorta sibling like. They all trust in their abilities, and the third years in particular are pretty impressive to me.
Echigo making light of the situation.
Maruyama being supportive, trying to hype everyone up during the tail end of a game.
TERADOMARI -
One of the players who gets his flowers. He's the 2nd tallest outside hitter (next to Hyakyuzawa) and I think his hit on Echigo's shoot, to a bounce into the stands in one of the most impressive hits in the entire series. No other character has done that aside from Ushijima in warmups. Just the amount of power and confidence to be able to that in general is pretty impressive. Not only that he has a pretty deep bag. He can hit through seams, hit angle well, knows how to tip, and has a REALLY impressive line shot.
Guaranteed if Atsumu did this it would be glazed to infinity.
The line shot in question ^ First of all. Echigo is a sick setter. He did a setter dump, has great connections with his hitters, but this set in particular is so impressive. Immediately following this Teradomari hit a line shot around a triple block.
I played high level volleyball and this is probably one of the more impressive series of events in the series. Like the ability to set with that much precision from the back of the court, to Teradomari being able to hit line shot against a triple block is insane. (ofc Hinata gets it but I feel like if it scored it would've given too much aura)
MARUYAMA -
Maruyama is a sick player. Like Teradomari, he can do it all. He has a jump serve, he's sick at defense, and he has a SUPER versatile kit. He's one of the few players who can hit backrow, he can tip, hit angle, and wipe a ball.
CONCLUSION
I like these guys. They have a lot more personality than they lead on, and their playstyle and players are really good too. They have funny dialogue and are super underrated as a team imo.
They're not my favorite team by any means, but I hope after this people can have more appreciation for them.
Posted Aug 12, 2026, 3:24 AM UTC