Haikyuu-fin
I don't watch many sports shows so I don't have much, if any, point of reference how this compares to other sports anime. So just going by limited knowledge, I'll just have to note how well the show successfully handles its own goals and development.
The show is all about the characters and not only their actual technique but their goals and desire to keep playing. This can lead to really long matches such as the Aoba Johsai match but it really allows the show to delve into the mindset of the individual players and their particular emotions at particular points in time. It does feel protracted at times but I feel that it allows the character progression and growth to shine through. The audience has a very clear sense of how Kageyama has changed as an individual during the Johsai match. Even outside the actual matches, there's a ton of character work. The audience sees how not only the team but the individual players handle success and defeat. All that focus on the characters really makes the viewer invested in the success on the team. It's basic storytelling but so many writers and stories fuck this up, that I feel it should be noted. Hell, the show even handles enemies teams really well in that the audience gets a good understanding of the enemy teams and what is driving them. Everybody is giving it their all and the anime shows not only the progression of the main characters but their rivals as well.
Ping-Pong was another show this year that focused on the characters playing the sport, but a big difference is that
Haikyuu cared more about the mechanics of the sport. That's not to say that
Ping-Pong didn't care about ping-pong but rather the matches were a reflection of the characters and their issues. In
Haikyuu however there is a much stronger emphasis on the players' actual technique and strategies. There's nothing wrong with either approach as when you boil it all down, the goals of the writers and directors were different.
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed the individual characters on the team, usually certain character 'types' would annoy me like the genki lead Hinata but the show does such a good job fleshing out all the characters that they really become multifaceted. I thought the scene in the opening episode after Hinata lost where he's on the steps did a great job humanizing him. I also expected to be annoyed by Kageyama but his faux rivalry with Hinata worked great as the two play off each other extremely well. They're both extremes in the opposite direction but help not only to mellow each out but also amplify the great things in not just their playing style but their personalities as well.
Then there is Susumu Mitsunaka's phenomenal direction. There are so many scenes I can think of, even in the earlier episodes that were extremely well directed. I'm sure somebody thinks it's overly melodramatic but they're wrong. It was just the right amount of drama and as with everything that is competitive, people will pour their soul into it and will be heart-broken if they lose. The show was great at drawing out just the right emotion and really conveying how the players were feeling. The work feels emotional but not necessarily manipulative (which is not inherently bad), and so everything comes across more naturally. Episode 24 and 25 were such standouts in that regard, a really great example is the gym scene with Kageyama and Hinata. In Haikyuu's case, it really complements the character development without overtaking it. As for the animation itself, Production IG did a straight out fantastic job. Certain movements and rallies are not only beautifully animated in that there's a strong sense of movement, but the way the show can 'exaggerate' the movement really adds to animation. The show loves smears, and so do I. There's such a strong sense of style but it doesn't feel overbearing but rather exists to add a certain flair. This was such a strong effort from IG that I'm surprised after their recent output.
In short, I'm really excited for a second season.