75th All-Japan High School Championship 2023 (Jan 4–8)

    Among the tall (180cm+) players, Miku Akimoto (daughter of Ai Otomo) is the most promising as a future Hinotori, in my opinion. She is still very young and raw though, but you can see the volleyball IQ and good movement on the court. She is 16 years old I think and only in her 1st year, so hoping she still improves in the next years.


    I also like Emily Iiyama (185cm, MB who hits Opp almost all the time). I'm curious to know if she'll go to a University or a VLeague team. I think she'll improve more if she chooses to go into a University. Kind of built and moves like U20 Nichika but hits like Shion. :lol:


    I tried to watch all the teams where the U19 and U21 training camp participants (U19 and U21 Training Camp Roster) to know how they play. To bad there's no Seitoku.

    Quote from Hassan Kadem

    What about that U20 MVP what was her name again?

    Anna Uemura. Still one more year of HS and only 168cm. She's a beast, but as SEIE showed last night in the SF, she can be quieted


    Quote from Hassan Kadem

    For highschoolers, are there established clubs outside of their school teams? I came across training camp clubs like the ones Team Kinran manage composed of various levels of U-teams. Saga also lets the kids in their academy compete in Naomi Masuko's U12 tournament but idk if that was JVA or JOC certified.

    I don't think so but I don't know. Things get pretty serious once you hit HS in terms of winning so I doubt the "good" HS players moonlight around. But for U12 and such, I have no idea


    Also, I think it's cool that volleyball gets this love and support at a young age. It's how you grow players, too. The last (or only) player I heard about as a JOC phenom is Airi Furukawa -- who, btw, should get picked up by Toray some team in the coming weeks. She was tall, promising blah blah ... but I don't know that she sparkled in her three years with Seitoku. I liked her, she was good, jumping around from OP to MB, and finally OH, but I like #9 and #10 from Shiojiri more than her :) , and that glorious little freshman on Higashi, etc.etc.

    That Rio girl is only 12 and as mentioned, from a family of pro volley players albeit none NT level. I'm sure she and her sister will do fine. I'm dreading any aspiring OPs to grow taller than 181 or they systemically become middles. Valdes is the only exception since she's built as a spiker but had she bulked up I think they would have switched her to middle automatically. That's what I got from Shion explaining why she couldn't play as an OH.

    Quote from volleyb

    Among the tall (180cm+) players, Miku Akimoto (daughter of Ai Otomo) is the most promising as a future Hinotori, in my opinion. She is still very young and raw though, but you can see the volleyball IQ and good movement on the court. She is 16 years old I think and only in her 1st year, so hoping she still improves in the next years.


    I also like Emily Iiyama (185cm, MB who hits Opp almost all the time). I'm curious to know if she'll go to a University or a VLeague team. I think she'll improve more if she chooses to go into a University. Kind of built and moves like U20 Nichika but hits like Shion. :lol:


    I tried to watch all the teams where the U19 and U21 training camp participants (U19 and U21 Training Camp Roster) to know how they play. To bad there's no Seitoku.

    What did you think of new NEC Girl Ayumu Harashima? I sort of came to love the Shin'ai girls so she basked in some of that glow, not super outstanding but pretty good. Like NEC needs another promising MB (or OP :/ ) on their bench, tho :white:

    Quote from sean1

    who is her father though? i thought miyoshi adler was vleague's haikyuu cosplay team for fanservice only and not a real team. i have so many questions. a 179 and still growing lefty?! is she fast? how strong is her whip? does she have monster of vertical jump potential?

    Weisse Adler is a legit V1 team not a fanservice team lol. They did participate in that Haikyuu event but they are an actual team.

    Quote from sitenoise

    What did you think of new NEC Girl Ayumu Harashima? I sort of came to love the Shin'ai girls so she basked in some of that glow, not super outstanding but pretty good. Like NEC needs another promising MB (or OP :/ ) on their bench, tho :white:

    She had good moments but in general, underwhelming and I don't think she'll be an impact player for NEC immediately. Who knows how she will improve, but considering even Moeka Kinoe can't get playing time there as MB, I doubt she can. She is also small and NEC's middles are all 180cm+. NEC listed her as MB/Opp and her height will be good for Opp, but I've yet to see how she will fare as Opp.

    Quote from sitenoise

    Anna Uemura. Still one more year of HS and only 168cm. She's a beast, but as SEIE showed last night in the SF, she can be quieted


    I don't think so but I don't know. Things get pretty serious once you hit HS in terms of winning so I doubt the "good" HS players moonlight around. But for U12 and such, I have no idea


    Also, I think it's cool that volleyball gets this love and support at a young age. It's how you grow players, too. The last (or only) player I heard about as a JOC phenom is Airi Furukawa -- who, btw, should get picked up by Toray some team in the coming weeks. She was tall, promising blah blah ... but I don't know that she sparkled in her three years with Seitoku. I liked her, she was good, jumping around from OP to MB, and finally OH, but I like #9 and #10 from Shiojiri more than her :) , and that glorious little freshman on Higashi, etc.etc.

    Furukawa is Seitoku's coach's last ace so I kind of get why she's overhyped. I wonder if she can live up to expectations though. Araki and Saori vouched for her to be the next big thing. They didn't even do that much for Mayu.

    Quote from Phoenix

    That Rio girl is only 12 and as mentioned, from a family of pro volley players albeit none NT level. I'm sure she and her sister will do fine. I'm dreading any aspiring OPs to grow taller than 181 or they systemically become middles. Valdes is the only exception since she's built as a spiker but had she bulked up I think they would have switched her to middle automatically. That's what I got from Shion explaining why she couldn't play as an OH.

    I wonder if it's really because she's pudgy or she was only joking around with Yoshitake who is thin. Kurogo is pudgy too.

    Quote from Hassan Kadem

    Furukawa is Seitoku's coach's last ace so I kind of get why she's overhyped. I wonder if she can live up to expectations though. Araki and Saori vouched for her to be the next big thing. They didn't even do that much for Mayu.

    Tall is so overrated :rolll: Who's the last "tall" player who had any lasting impact anywhere? (since Erika / Saori?) Such a bummer Seitoku didn't qualify for this tournament ... but ... say no more


    Alondra may help get Furukawa their first Championship this century but she is so not alone in doing it


    Iiyama is interesting, but where's Higashi now?


    I won't even mention diving, but If you can't receive serve, 2-pass with precision, or attack from the back row, what good are you :cheesy:


    Ai Otomo's kid's got 2 of 3 so far and new SAGA girl Kitamado does too . Not bad for tall :lol:

    Quote from brahmin

    The announcer for the boys tournament final has already called them men, and using the term toss. God this is bad already.

    Is that Sportsbull or VBWTV? In English?

    Are they going to play the girl's match on the same court as boys? The boys went full set and the girls hasn't loaded for me at VBW. Wondering if it's a stream issue or to be expected :/

    OMG this English announcer is awful

    Quote from Tockin

    Why cant i find stream of the match on vbw?

    Home page -> "live now" in the upper right


    QQ also has it

    These 168cm kids swing at OOS balls with all their might :rose:


    1 :box: 1

    Seiei has gotten better throughout this tournament as their opponents got better. Rising to the occasion their defense is outstanding


    The commentator seems amazed by the level of play. He clearly doesn't know anything about volleyball though, just keeps saying "Wooow!" in between saying the score and "Tapia!" :rolll:

    Seiei up 2–1. I didn't really expect this, but they are playing their hearts out. Hard to beat heart


    Not like Furukawa isn't playing with all their stuff too but Seiei is at another level of commitment here