The appeal and reviews of "Harukana Receive": A moving film depicting the youth of beach volleyball

Harukana Receive - The Brilliance of Youth and Beach Volleyball

"Harukana Receive" is a TV anime series that aired in 2018, based on a manga by Nyoijizai. It aired from July 6 to September 21, 2018, with a total of 12 episodes broadcast on AT-X and TOKYO MX every Friday from 9pm for 30 minutes. Animation was handled by C2C, directed by Toshiyuki Kubooka, and the series composition and scriptwriting was done by Doko Machida.

story

Haruka Ozora, a high school sophomore who moved from Tokyo to Okinawa, is always cheerful and positive. However, she has one big complex. She is taller than the average girl. Meanwhile, her cousin Kanata Higa, who is the same age as Haruka and came to pick her up at the airport, also has a problem. Kanata had a past in which she gave up her favorite sport, beach volleyball, because she didn't grow taller. The two of them end up pairing up for beach volleyball by chance. They only have one ally on the wide sandy court. What kind of play will the two show in beach volleyball, where the presence of a partner is more important than anything else? On the beaches of Okinawa, where the midsummer sun is shining, the sweat and passion of the girls are about to shine.

character

・Haruka Ozora (CV: Kana Yuki)
A high school sophomore who moved from Tokyo to Okinawa. She has a lively and bright personality. She is much taller than girls her age, and worries about not being able to find clothes or shoes that fit her. She is good at sports, but is a complete beginner when it comes to beach volleyball.

・Higa Kanata (voiced by Saki Miyashita)
Haruka's cousin who lives in Okinawa, she is in the same second year of high school as Haruka. She used to play beach volleyball, but gave up because she didn't grow as tall as she wanted. She has a quiet and shy personality. She gets involved with Haruka and starts playing beach volleyball again.

・Thomas Beniai (voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki)
She is a second-year student at the same high school as Haruka and her friends. Since she was young, she has excelled with her twin sister, Emiri, and currently holds the second-placed national ranking as a sister pair. She has a laid-back personality and doesn't worry about small details, so she quickly hit it off with Haruka, who has a similar personality to her.

・Thomas Emily (voiced by Suegara Rie)
She is a second-year student at the same high school as Haruka and the others. She has a serious and calm personality, and is always arguing with her twin sister, Kure. After school, she practices beach volleyball and also serves as a student council officer. As a friend, she has always been concerned about the relationship between Kanata and Narumi.

・Toi Narumi (voiced by Shimabukuro Miyuri)
A second-year student at Fukuchiyama Gakuin High School. She used to be paired with Kanata, but the pair naturally fell apart after Kanata's failure. She now pairs up with Ayasa and is the high school champion. There is still some resentment between her and Kanata due to past circumstances.

・Ayasa Tachibana (voiced by Kanae Ito)
A second-year student at Fukuchiyama Gakuin High School. Narumi's current partner. She invited Haruka to play beach volleyball when they visited the beach to practice, which led to her starting the sport. She has a bright and open personality and can easily talk to people she meets for the first time.

・Akari Oshiro (voiced by Chisaki Kimura)
She is a first-year student at the same high school as Haruka and the others. Because she is involved in show business, she stands out from the crowd and is isolated at school. After a beach volleyball match with Kanata, she joins the beach volleyball club. She takes on the role of manager.

・Ai Tanahara (CV: Akari Kito)
A third-year student at a different high school than Haruka and the others. After losing in the indoor volleyball tournament, she decides to do something for her junior, Mai, and enters the beach volleyball tournament. When she goes to the store to buy a swimsuit to wear as a uniform, she ends up fighting over the same swimsuit as Haruka and the others...

・Mai Sunagawa (voiced by Riko Koike)
A first-year student at a different high school from Haruka and the others. She started playing indoor volleyball because she admired Ai, who didn't treat her like a child despite her small stature. Later, she participated in a beach volleyball tournament at Ai's invitation. Since she played as a libero indoors, she has absolute confidence in her receiving.

staff

Director: Toshiyuki Kubooka Series Composition and Script: Doko Machida Character Design: Takeshi Oda Sub-Character Design and Costume Design: Shinya Yamada Chief Animation Director: Takeshi Oda, Yoshiaki Tsubata, Tetsuya Matsukawa, Mina Osawa Assistant Director: Hidetoshi Takahashi Special Effects Director: Hiroki Ikeshita, Shigeru Chiba Main Animators: Nobuyuki Matsuo, Shunsuke Takarai Prop Design: Yoshio Mizumura Art Setting: Shinji Sugiyama Art Director: Mio Isshiki Backgrounds: Studio Y.S. Color Design: Ayata Katsuta Screen Design and 3D Director: Junpei Mukai Director of Photography: Yoshito Kuwa Cinematography: Studio Cyan Editing: Keisuke Yanagi Sound Director: Akiko Fujita

subtitle

Episode 1: I don't need an aceEpisode 2: Trust meEpisode 3: I want my old self backEpisode 4: Don't you think we'd be perfect?
Episode 5: Until your heart breaksEpisode 6: I won't breakEpisode 7: We're friends nowEpisode 8: I'll keep my promiseEpisode 9: These are my feelingsEpisode 10: What I wanted to fightEpisode 11: If we've come this far, we'll fight head-onEpisode 12: That's why we choose one irreplaceable person

Theme songs and music

・OP1: FLY two BLUE
Lyrics, composition and arrangement: Makoto Nishikawa Vocals: Haruka Ozora (voiced by Kana Yuki), Kanata Higa (voiced by Saki Miyashita)

・OP2: Period/Episode 7 Sung by: Akari Oshiro (CV: Chisaki Kimura)

・ED1:
Lyrics: Kosaka Riyu Composition and Arrangement: NAOKI MAEDA
Sung by: Haruka Ozora (voiced by Kana Yuki), Kanata Higa (voiced by Saki Miyashita), Thomas Beniai (voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki), Thomas Emi (voiced by Rie Suegara)

・ED2: Period/Episode 7 Exciting Shikuusa Akari Oshiro (CV: Chisaki Kimura)

Evaluation and Impressions

"Harukana Receive" was well received by many viewers as a work that depicts the charm of youth and sports. In particular, the story of the growth of the main characters, Ozora Haruka and Higa Kanata, captured the hearts of viewers. Despite the contrast between Haruka's cheerfulness and Kanata's introverted personality, it is moving to see them support each other and grow through beach volleyball. In addition, the beach volleyball match scenes are realistic and powerful, and the quality of the series as a sports anime was also highly praised.

The characters are also rich in personality, and the backgrounds and relationships of each character are carefully drawn, especially the relationship between the Thomas sisters, Kurei and Emiri, and the partnership between Toi Narumi and Tachibana Ayasa. In addition, the supporting characters, such as Oshiro Akari, Tanahara Ai, and Sunagawa Mai, are also attractive, adding depth to the story.

The music was also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work, and the opening and ending songs were popular among viewers. In particular, the opening song "FLY two BLUE" was loved by many fans as it symbolized the friendship and growth of Haruka and Kanata.

Related Titles

"Harukana Receive" also has an original manga, which is also supported by many fans. By reading the original, you can learn episodes and detailed backgrounds of characters that are not depicted in the anime. Also, by comparing it with other works that are based on beach volleyball, you can gain a deeper understanding of the appeal of sports anime.

Recommendation

"Harukana Receive" is a work that allows you to fully experience the charm of youth and sports. It is especially recommended for those who can empathize with themes such as friendship, effort, and growth. It is also enjoyable for those who are interested in beach volleyball and those who like sports anime. By enjoying the anime and the original work together, you will be able to immerse yourself more deeply in the world of the work.

Furthermore, the beach volleyball match scenes are realistic and powerful, and the quality of the anime is high, so it will satisfy even sports anime fans. The characters' personalities and relationships are also appealing, and have the power to draw viewers in. Please give it a watch.