Well there's always Arisa Inoue
I know you guys don't like her, or she isn't likeable in general? but she's technically a veteran too like Uchiseto and Yamagishi.
I don't know why Arisa Inoue is unlikeable. She was the MVP in the last JVL, and she benched Ishikawa this VNL 2022. she's rocking it. and her defense isn't that bad.
I think Arisa is a very fine attacker, but her defense and her vibes are so bad ... if she makes the NT I quit
I'm confident Manabe agrees with me on this
wonder if you changed your mind about Inoue? Manabe prefers her now over Ishikawa (the cutie pie poster player for Japan NT). 
I think Inoue has great vibes.
wonder if you changed your mind about Inoue? Manabe prefers her now over Ishikawa (the cutie pie poster player for Japan NT).
Well, I enjoy eating crow 
I will reveal here that I had recently exchanged correspondence with a couple comrades in PM about a slight change of heart regarding Inoue:
Quote:
"This moment, and this smile, made me sort of like Arisa Inoue. I may come around on her"
Un-Quote
I will also say that during the past week or two I had contemplated posting here something that would have started "It's difficult for me to type this, but ... "
So that's all good. I'm happy for Inoue. I've always said she's a fine attacker. The surprise with her now, for me, is that she is exhibiting a little blocking prowess. That's great!
Beyond that my mind is unchanged. But getting me to waffle, even if only temporarily, is a welcome achievement
#gogoArisa
Display MoreWell, I enjoy eating crow
I will reveal here that I had recently exchanged correspondence with a couple comrades in PM about a slight change of heart regarding Inoue:
Quote:
"This moment, and this smile, made me sort of like Arisa Inoue. I may come around on her"
Un-Quote
I will also say that during the past week or two I had contemplated posting here something that would have started "It's difficult for me to type this, but ... "
So that's all good. I'm happy for Inoue. I've always said she's a fine attacker. The surprise with her now, for me, is that she is exhibiting a little blocking prowess. That's great!
Beyond that my mind is unchanged. But getting me to waffle, even if only temporarily, is a welcome achievement
#gogoArisa
Why would a snapshot of her smile the one thing that will make you come around her?
i thought you found out that she no longer walks around like a British aristocrat holding her teacup with a her pinky up in the air.
I find her effort in floor defense on par with her teammates.
Japan needs to display some diva-ness every once in a while. Makes them less robotic and more human. But alas, Inoue isn't a diva. She's cut the same way as the rest of them; monotonous, submissive and just plain... boring (personality wise).
Why would a snapshot of her smile the one thing that will make you come around her?
i thought you found out that she no longer walks around like a British aristocrat holding her teacup with a her pinky up in the air.
I find her effort in floor defense on par with her teammates.
Japan needs to display some diva-ness every once in a while. Makes them less robotic and more human. But alas, Inoue isn't a diva. She's cut the same way as the rest of them; monotonous, submissive and just plain... boring (personality wise).
You must be new around here 
And yes, it was that she seemed to have grown up and was not walking around like a "British aristocrat holding her teacup with a her pinky up in the air" that moved my needle ... Then she reverted, so did I ...
I think Arisa's FD may have improved a little ... but until you come around to seeing in all its glory the wacky way I enjoy volleyball --- like: volleyball greatness is measured by the dive --- you will disagree with me on a number of topics. When I see Arisa dive like a man, I'll move a little closer. Maybe
I don't know about the diva thing. Depending on how you define it, or mean it, in this case ... but ... Kurogo much?
If you're doing a deep deep dive here, maybe you will stumble upon my post, the first of it's kind, celebrating Arisa Inoue as an attacker in her Hisamitsu debut at 22 years old, wearing jersey #22 and scoring 22 points 
Display MoreYou must be new around here
And
I think Arisa's FD may have improved a little ... but until you come around to seeing in all its glory the wacky way I enjoy volleyball --- like: volleyball greatness is measured by the dive --- you will disagree with me on a number of topics. When I see Arisa dive like a man, I'll move a little closer. Maybe
I don't know about the diva thing. Depending on how you define it, or mean it, in this case ... but ... Kurogo much?
If you're doing a deep deep dive here, maybe you will stumble upon my post, the first of it's kind, celebrating Arisa Inoue as an attacker in her Hisamitsu debut at 22 years old, wearing jersey #22 and scoring 22
to be fair, i only saw her this VNL. I thought she just sprouted out of nowhere. Then i read your posts, googled her then found out she led Japan back when she was 19 in the junior's team. So I'm baffled how a great player at 19 would only make the starter of the senior's team at 27? Did she have a family in between.... had an injury and went soul searching.
Does Koga dive like a man to save the ball? She and Inoue seem to be in the same level FD wise. I don't expect them to outshine Kojima for sure.
to be fair, i only saw her this VNL. I thought she just sprouted out of nowhere. Then i read your posts, googled her then found out she led Japan back when she was 19 in the junior's team. So I'm baffled how a great player at 19 would only make the starter of the senior's team at 27? Did she have a family in between.... had an injury and went soul searching.
Does Koga dive like a man to save the ball? She and Inoue seem to be in the same level FD wise. I don't expect them to outshine Kojima for sure.
You got me there. Koga does not dive like a man any more. (And Saori Sakoda was not a top o the line receiver, something that's usually required for me to invoke a stan response)
This is where what you do with your pinky when you walk around the court comes into play
I carve out exceptions to my rules when necessary 
I don't know about the diva thing. Depending on how you define it, or mean it, in this case ... but ... Kurogo much?
Diva most often means someone who's difficult to work with because they give this "I'm better than everyone else" vibe.
I don't know. Maybe that's why Inoue didn't move up the ranks until she got to now. Probably a walking Japanese Goncharova. You know her better after all.
i only saw her this VNL. I thought she just sprouted out of nowhere. Then i read your posts, googled her then found out she led Japan back when she was 19 in the junior's team. So I'm baffled how a great player at 19 would only make the starter of the senior's team at 27
Google can only tell you so much. To understand Arisa's timeline as a player you really need to watch her play volleyball for all those years between 19 and 27. She wasn't a "great" player by any means. She's always been a fine attacker who left much to be desired in the defense department
And as for watching, if you watched last year's V.League Final you would see that Yuki Ishii was hands down the most valuable player in that match. But the award is given to the highest scorer ... unless you are a libero
Arisa's feat of breaking the scoring record is much more worthy and notable
Google can only tell you so much. To understand Arisa's timeline as a player you really need to watch her play volleyball for all those years between 19 and 27. She wasn't a "great" player by any means. She's always been a fine attacker who left much to be desired in the defense department
And as for watching, if you watched last year's V.League Final you would see that Yuki Ishii was hands down the most valuable player in that match. But the award is given to the highest scorer ... unless you are a libero
Arisa's feat of breaking the scoring record is much more worthy and notable
Ah.. a Yuki Stan i see. I was at one point ready to equate Ishii as Japan's Jordan Larson (the older stable player that holds the team together) but she fell short. Ahh... sad.
Why shouldn't Arisa be the MVP when she did bring in the most points? And as you said, she also broke a record (by who?) so sounds like a fair award.
If you were Manabe, would you field Ishikawa or Inoue?
Ah.. a Yuki Stan i see. I was at one point ready to equate Ishii as Japan's Jordan Larson (the older stable player that holds the team together) but she fell short. Ahh... sad.
Why shouldn't Arisa be the MVP when she did bring in the most points? And as you said, she also broke a record (by who?) so sounds like a fair award.
If you were Manabe, would you field Ishikawa or Inoue?
I'm not a Yuki Stan, partly because I was never a Hisamitsu stan, and certainly was not a Nakada Japan Stan. I just watch volleyball, and am, I guess, defensive about her being unfairly maligned for not being Japan's Boskovic (or the new Nagaoka) just because Tweetboxers say so. To this day Yuki still dives like a man
Arisa won the Japan Record Award Top Scorer (Most Scores) special recognition award for last season. I forget who held it previously because it doesn't matter to me that much. Scoring is overrated
I would field Arisa at this point. But things might get wonky when/if Airi Miyabe comes on the scene ... depending on how they play her. If Airi takes over as receiving OP, she better be good, as a receiving line of Kojima, Koga, Inoue would be less than ideal
There's a couple Erika Araki youtube blurbs out there:
"The Driving force behind the Breakthrough" -- not just the "Break" thanks to Celeste Plak that seems to say Koga (I don't understand Japanese but she's in the video highlights) Makes sense
"Attention Players" -- Guess who the first one is ... 
No pressure
Display MoreThere's a couple Erika Araki youtube blurbs out there:
"The Driving force behind the Breakthrough" -- not just the "Break" thanks to Celeste Plak
"Attention Players" -- Guess who the first one is ...
No pressure
I hope we get to see Airi play this week 3. Araki is saying she is excited to see what Airi can contribute to the team since she is another one who can be a scorer alongside Koga and Inoue, and the Coach can get different combinations with the 3 and Hayashi/Uchiseto/Ishikawa. For the first video, she is kind of complimenting Koga's leadership as new Captain, uniting the team in words and in plays 
Diva most often means someone who's difficult to work with because they give this "I'm better than everyone else" vibe.
I don't know. Maybe that's why Inoue didn't move up the ranks until she got to now. Probably a walking Japanese Goncharova. You know her better after all.
Japanese Goncharova? I mean there are some players, but basically Japanese culture requires fitting in. Those that don’t fit in, usually are not in the national team.
Japanese Goncharova? I mean there are some players, but basically Japanese culture requires fitting in. Those that don’t fit in, usually are not in the national team.
Exactly. So I don't see Inoue being a diva (as someone claims in here). She is exactly the same as the other Jap players. Long hair seems to be the uniform haircut for now it seems.. and omg. The bangs... Koga looks like a child who took some scissors and cut her own bangs. She looks goofy now. 🤣
I hope we get to see Airi play this week 3. Araki is saying she is excited to see what Airi can contribute to the team since she is another one who can be a scorer alongside Koga and Inoue, and the Coach can get different combinations with the 3 and Hayashi/Uchiseto/Ishikawa. For the first video, she is kind of complimenting Koga's leadership as new Captain, uniting the team in words and in plays
Boscovic doesn't dive and only scores. She gets the MVP award most of the time. So does Jordan Larson and every non Japanese scoring machine. Since Japan has an other wordly libero, I don't see why Arisa has to outshine her to deserve an MVP award.
I want an actual Japanese diva though. We need a proof of human life among those robots.
I'm not a Yuki Stan, partly because I was never a Hisamitsu stan, and certainly was not a Nakada Japan Stan. I just watch volleyball, and am, I guess, defensive about her being unfairly maligned for not being Japan's Boskovic (or the new Nagaoka) just because Tweetboxers say so. To this day Yuki still dives like a man
Arisa won the Japan Record Award Top Scorer (Most Scores) special recognition award for last season. I forget who held it previously because it doesn't matter to me that much. Scoring is overrated
I would field Arisa at this point. But things might get wonky when/if Airi Miyabe comes on the scene ... depending on how they play her. If Airi takes over as receiving OP, she better be good, as a receiving line of Kojima, Koga, Inoue would be less than ideal
actually great to see JPN field half Japanese players (specially Black). i hopw they stay long.
Boscovic doesn't dive and only scores.
Boskovic does plenty of floor defence herself, more than what is expected of players like her too. Leave her alone, she is exhausted lol
Boscovic doesn't dive and only scores. She gets the MVP award most of the time. So does Jordan Larson and every non Japanese scoring machine. Since Japan has an other wordly libero, I don't see why Arisa has to outshine her to deserve an MVP award.
I want an actual Japanese diva though. We need a proof of human life among those robots.
actually great to see JPN field half Japanese players (specially Black). i hopw they stay long.
Japanese diva oh you mean Kurogo. No time for that shit no thanks keep it.
Boskovic does plenty of floor defence herself, more than what is expected of players like her too. Leave her alone, she is exhausted lol
I mean to say attackers like her and others don't dive like a man to save and they still get MVP awards. Because they bring in the scores. Scores that get their team to win. So i don't know why Arisa breaking a record on scoring doesn't deserve the MVP award.
Saktong jersey ni Ishikawa kasi yun lang binibenta sa shoppee
Ipapasign ko sana kay Mayu di naman namamansin. Anyway Japan naman yung jersey!
Kainis
I don't frequent this thread but LOL, biglang may nag-tagalog
I also noticed just recently that Japan NT fans seems to prefer to comment here instead in the tournament thread.