The Dumpster Battle: Hidden Details the Movie Didn't Fully Capture Part 2
Kuroo’s Monologue: A Battle Between Mentor and Mentee
Previously, we explored how Kageyama freed himself from Hinata’s influence and began leading the court on his own terms. Now, we shift to Kuroo’s monologue—a moment that intertwines Tsukishima’s growth, Kageyama’s leadership, and Kuroo’s role as both a mentor and a rival.
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This scene feels like a graduation match between teacher and student. Kuroo, who has guided Tsukishima in the art of volleyball, now watches as his mentee steps into the spotlight. The question is: does Tsukishima surpass Kuroo here, or does he simply forge his own path with a unique weapon?
The Inarizaki match already gave us a glimpse of Tsukishima's growth. He stayed true to his principles: patient blocking, relying on his teammates, and crafting his own weapon rather than copying others. Yet his own thoughts revealed he still didn’t see himself on Kuroo’s level. This moment changes that. His “weapon,” the one thing that sets him apart, is his height—and now we finally see him wield it to its fullest potential.
Kageyama plays a huge role in this. Just as he brings out 120% of Hinata and Tanaka’s abilities, here he draws out the best in Tsukishima. And who better to face than Kuroo—the one who taught Tsukishima in the first place, a blocker defined by both brains and height?
At first, it might seem like Kageyama over-tosses to Tsukishima by mistake. But the panels leading up to it reveal his real intent. He wanted this matchup. He wanted Tsukishima to rise to the occasion, to confront Kuroo directly, even if it led to their usual teasing banter afterward.
This sets the stage for the Kamomedai match later on, where Tsukishima finally makes blocking decisions entirely on his own—no longer relying on Kuroo’s lessons or Bokuto’s influence. His growth is undeniable, and this moment with Kageyama is the turning point.
Now, about Kuroo’s monologue regarding Kageyama himself—many fans might not realize how much was changed in the movie adaptation. Several scenes, including moments where Kuroo recognized Kageyama’s skills, were cut or altered, losing some of the original nuance.
In the manga, it’s clear: while Kenma’s attention centers on Hinata, Kuroo quietly admires Kageyama. Every member of Nekoma—even the coaches—understands that Kageyama is a dangerous opponent. For a blocker like Kuroo, acknowledging a setter isn’t unusual. A setter might not score points directly, but he controls the flow of the game. Respecting Kageyama’s tactics is a natural extension of Kuroo’s competitive spirit.
We actually see Kuroo compliment Kageyama multiple times throughout the series, though the movie omits key moments. One subtle yet telling sign of Kuroo’s respect is his choice in the All-Star Match: he pits Kageyama against Oikawa and Atsumu, arguably the top setters in the series. That decision alone speaks volumes about how highly he views Kageyama’s skill level.
Kuroo has always been passionate about volleyball, and his connection with Karasuno allows him to witness Kageyama’s evolution firsthand. He understands Kageyama’s playstyle, his mindset, and his leadership on the court—and he appreciates all of it.
Asahi’s Aura: From Reluctance to Resolve
Now, we turn to a quieter but equally significant character moment: Asahi’s aura.
Does this panel ring a bell? It should—it mirrors one of Tanaka’s unforgettable moments in the Inarizaki match. But here, it belongs to Asahi, the once self-doubting ace of Karasuno.
We all remember how Asahi was perceived early in the story—hesitant, even cowardly at times. The only moment he ever asserted himself was when he rejoined the team and asked for a toss from Sugawara. After that, his confidence seemed to fade. He stopped demanding the ball and simply waited for sets to come his way, lacking the commanding presence we often see in other aces like Bokuto or Ushijima.
Part of this stemmed from his dynamic with Kageyama. Unlike Sugawara, with whom Asahi shared a natural rhythm, Kageyama brought an intensity Asahi wasn’t initially ready for. But something shifted during the Inarizaki match. By the third set, he started to feel it too: the aura of Kageyama’s sets. It wasn’t just a ball coming his way anymore—it carried weight, trust, and expectation. That moment marked the beginning of true mutual understanding between setter and ace.
And now, in the Dumpster Battle, we see that same aura return. Asahi asks for a toss with a conviction we’ve rarely seen from him, his presence echoing the intensity of Tanaka in the Inarizaki match and Hinata back in Season 2. It’s the universal language of a spiker ready to take on the world: “Give me the ball. I’ll make it count.”
For the first time, Asahi didn’t want to score simply because it was his duty. He wanted to score because he craved it as a player.
This scene also sets the stage for Asahi’s final growth, which comes to full bloom during the Kamomedai match. We can only hope the upcoming movie adapts it faithfully, because so far, the anime has softened the impact.
In the Dumpster Battle film, Asahi’s moment is animated but treated like a routine play rather than a turning point in his character arc. To make matters worse, the manga credits him with the point in set 2, but the movie cuts and shifts it to Hinata instead—disappointing news for fans who’ve been waiting to see Asahi claim his moment in the spotlight.
Taketora and Yaku: The Unsung Pillars of Nekoma
Now, we shift our focus to two Nekoma players who often fly under the radar: Taketora Yamamoto and Morisuke Yaku. Their moments might feel small compared to the flashier plays of Oikawa, Atsumu, or Bokuto, but they carry far more weight than many fans realize.
Let’s start with Taketora. At first glance, he seems like Nekoma’s version of Tanaka—loud, hot-headed, and even sporting a similar hairstyle. Taketora himself admits that Tanaka is “more manly” than him, but if we look closely at his game, we see a more nuanced picture.
Where Tanaka thrives on raw emotion and energy, Taketora brings a quiet consistency to Nekoma’s lineup. He’s surprisingly observant on the court, always well-positioned to receive, and far more technically sound than his fiery personality suggests. If you pay attention during the Dumpster Battle, you’ll notice that he repeatedly steps into perfect receiving positions against Karasuno’s attacks.
In fact, one of Taketora’s receives—along with Fukunaga’s—directly inspired Hinata to start image training for defense, a subtle moment the anime only briefly touches on. He even managed to handle Kageyama’s infamous serve, the one so powerful that Nekoma had to bring in four players just to receive it properly. That alone tells us Taketora’s defense shouldn’t be underestimated. With more training, he clearly has the potential to become a formidable all-around player in the future.
The same applies to Yaku. While Libero players rarely get the spotlight moments that spikers or setters do, Yaku’s defensive skill is undeniable. Watching him dig impossible balls and lead Nekoma’s back row shows just how integral he is to the team’s identity as “The Cats.”
But here’s why it matters: both Taketora and Yaku appear in the All-Star Match later in the series. If we overlook these quieter, unanimated moments, it’s easy to dismiss them as secondary characters next to giants like Oikawa, Atsumu, or Bokuto—players who got entire arcs or matches dedicated to their talents.
That’s why scenes like Taketora’s receiving or Yaku’s digs matter so much. They give us the missing context to understand why certain players were chosen for the All-Star lineup. It wasn’t random. Each selection reflected a character’s specific strengths, their chemistry with future teammates, and the roles they would play in the story’s later stages.
Eventually, as we piece together these subtle clues, we’ll be able to answer the question we posed before: Why were certain players chosen for the All-Star Match while others weren’t? The reasons are there—we just need to read between the lines to see them.
Next, we will discuss Nishinoya’s character development scene.
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