Haikyuu!! Episode 16

Whip pans can be visually off-putting when used inappropriately due to the abrupt movement and distortion of image. When used well, whip pan is a good way to do dynamic transitions especially in action oriented scenes and that’s what this episode of Haikyuu does.

In this sequence two different actions in different places are cut together. By using whip pan to imitate the volleyball’s movement it makes a seamless transition from one action to another, which gives an impression of one cohesive action. This also helps the narrative as it connects two groups of people going through a similar experience of being overmatched but yet still staying resilient.

In this scene, the use of whip pan was more straightforward but nonetheless very effective at showing teamwork. Hinata acts as a decoy, then a whip pan to Daichi as the spiker.

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The video below was the beautifully done montage. I really like how it uses the shape of the volleyball to frame the sequence, which puts an emphasis on how much the sport can mean to people. Also, the narrow and round field of vision helps puts more focus on the pain of defeat expressed in their faces and body language.

Another thing worth of note is the use of extreme close up on Hinata’s eye with the reflection of his defeated opponent. A moving image but also a subtle way to show Hinata’s empathy since he had a similar experience.