Haikyu’s Return is Less Than 1 Year Away, And It Could Finally Dethrone Infinity Castle

Demon Slayer is in the middle of one of the biggest theatrical runs anime has ever seen. The Infinity Castle trilogy has already rewritten the record books, with its first movie surpassing Mugen Train to become the highest-grossing Japanese movie of all time. It also crossed an incredible $793 million worldwide, finishing ahead of major Hollywood releases like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar. With Infinity Castle Part 2 still on the horizon, Demon Slayer is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

But before Tanjiro returns to theaters, another fan-favorite franchise is getting ready for its own big moment. One of anime’s biggest sports series is finally heading back to the big screen, and the wait is now less than a year away.

Haikyu!! is set to arrive in 2027 with its next highly anticipated film, VS The Little Giant, continuing the story after The Dumpster Battle. The film will finally adapt Karasuno’s long-awaited Spring Nationals quarterfinal against Kamomedai, a match viewers have been waiting years to see, as it forces Shoyo Hinata to face off against Korai Hoshiumi in the ultimate showdown to prove who deserves the title of the modern “Little Giant.”

Matching Demon Slayer‘s box office numbers will be a huge challenge, but when it comes to anime films arriving next year, few releases carry as much excitement as Haikyu!!‘s return.

An August Anime NYC Panel Promises Major Haikyu!! Theatrical Updates For VS The Little Giant

Although Production I.G has confirmed a 2027 release window, the studio is still keeping the exact premiere date under wraps. However, that could finally change very soon, as TOHO Animation is bringing Haikyu!! to Anime NYC on August 22, 2026, with a special “The Next Match” stage event. For fans who have been waiting since The Dumpster Battle, it feels like the perfect place to finally reveal the first full trailer and, hopefully, lock in an official release date.

Karasuno could not have asked for a tougher road to the top. Simply reaching the Spring Nationals was a huge achievement, but the team has refused to stop there. Along the way, the crows have taken down volleyball giants like Shiratorizawa and Inarizaki before surviving an emotional, hard-fought battle against their oldest rivals, Nekoma.

The team has grown exponentially with every single set, especially Shoyo Hinata. The energetic middle blocker finally began turning everything he had learned into results during the Dumpster Battle, using his explosive “bam” jump to reach new heights and proving he can now compete with the country’s very best players.

However, keeping this winning streak alive against Kamomedai is going to be a monumental nightmare. While Korai Hoshiumi gets most of the spotlight for his insane mid-air skills and Little Giant status, his team is actually infamous for something much more suffocating. Their disciplined read blocking and relentless defensive system have earned them a reputation as one of the hardest teams in Japan to score against, feeling like an even stronger version of Date Tech’s famous Iron Wall.

Every point has to be earned, and that is exactly what makes this quarterfinal one of the most anticipated matches in the entire series. It is not just Hinata versus Hoshiumi; it is Karasuno’s fast, unpredictable offense trying to break through the strongest wall they have faced since arriving at Nationals.

Haikyu!! Aims To Replicate The Massive Box Office Success Of The Dumpster Battle

Matching Demon Slayer‘s record-breaking box office numbers is a huge challenge, but Haikyu!! has already shown it belongs among anime’s biggest theatrical releases. The Dumpster Battle proved that fans were more than willing to show up for Karasuno on the big screen, turning a long-awaited rivalry into one of the most successful anime movies of 2024. Now, Haikyu!!: VS The Little Giant arrives next year with even more anticipation behind it.

This is not just another match at the Spring Nationals. It is the moment Hinata has been unknowingly chasing since he first watched the Little Giant play volleyball. Standing across the net is Korai Hoshiumi, another undersized star who reached the top through pure skill and determination. Their long-awaited showdown is set to answer the question fans have debated for years: who truly carries on the legacy of the Little Giant?

Production I.G already delivered one of the franchise’s best adaptations with The Dumpster Battle, and with the first trailer expected soon, the countdown to Haikyu!!‘s biggest match has truly begun. Whether or not it reaches Demon Slayer‘s incredible box office heights, VS The Little Giant has everything it needs to become one of the defining anime films of 2027.

Release Date

2014 – 2020-00-00

Network

TBS, MBS, CBC, BSN, tys

Directors

Susumu Mitsunaka, Masako Sato

Writers

Taku Kishimoto, Haruichi Furuda

Franchise(s)

Haikyu!!

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  Bryson Baugus

  Kazuma Numai (voice)

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  Scott Gibbs

  Tobio Kageyama (voice)