Nekoma is one of the strongest volleyball teams introduced in the series Haikyuu!! They are a high school volleyball team from Nerima Ward, Tokyo.
Nekoma is also known as one of the rivals of the Karasuno team, where there is a special expression that refers to the fight between Nekoma and Karasuno.
Below are summarized a number of facts about Nekoma Haikyuu!! what fans need to know. Listen, OK?
1. The coach is Karasuno’s rival coach
Nekoma volleyball team coach, Yasufumi Nekomata (doc. Production IG/ Haikyuu!!)The Nekoma volleyball team is coached by an experienced 68 year old coach, namely Yasufumi Nekomata. Ikkei Ukai’s rival, the former Karasuno coach, is a figure who looks calm but is actually competitive.
Nekomata always gives motivational words to his students, then entrusts the game to them completely. Nekomata is a dream coach who will appreciate the achievements of the Nekoma players no matter how small.
Beside Nekomata, there is a companion trainer, namely Manabu Naoi. This young man is a former Nekoma team player. Like Nekomata, Naoi also competes with the current Karasuno coach, Keishin Ukai, who is Ikkei Ukai’s grandson.
2. Captain of the Nekoma team
Kuroo Tetsurou (doc. Production IG/ Haikyuu!!)Tetsurou Kuroo is the Captain of the Nekoma volleyball team. This Middle Blocker is well known as an expert at provocation who is also quite cunning. Kuroo will bluntly convey negative comments to others.
Even so, this Captain actually values sportsmanship very highly. During competition, he will be a serious and observant figure. It must be admitted, Kuroo is a strong and responsible team leader.
3. List of active Nekoma players
Nekoma (doc. Production IG/ Haikyuu!!)Including Tetsurou Kuroo as Captain, the Nekoma men’s volleyball team is currently strengthened by 10 active players. Are as follows.
- Tetsurou Kuroo (Captain and Middle Blocker)
- Nobuyuki Kai (Deputy Captain who fills the Wing Spiker position)
- Morisuke Yaku (Libero)
- Taketora Yamamoto (Ace who plays Wing Spiker)
- Kenma Kozume (Setter)
- Shohei Fukunaga (Wing Spiker)
- Sou Inuoka (Wing Spiker)
- Tamahiko Teshiro (Setter and Pinch Server)
- Lev Haiba (Middle Blocker)
- Yuki Shibayama (Libero)
4. Rivalry between Nekoma and Karasuno
Nekoma and Karasuno (doc. Production IG/ Haikyuu!!)Nekoma and Karasuno seem destined to be rivals. In fact, there is an expression specifically to describe the meeting between these two teams on the field, namely “Trash can fight”.
It refers to the icons of each team, where Nekoma is likened to a ‘cat’, while Karasuno is a ‘crow’. Well, these two animals met in a ‘trash can’ to fight for food.
Nekoma vs Karasuno has been known as one of Japan’s most popular matches in the series Haikyuu!!
5. Participated in the Spring High Tournament 11 times
dock. Production IG/ Haikyuu!! Riku vs. Kuu (OVA 2020)Team Nekoma is one of the stronger volleyball teams that appears throughout the series. It is recorded that the Nekoma team has successfully qualified for the Spring High Tournament 11 times.
Even so, for the current active members, the Spring High Tournament they participated in was the first after a 5-year absence.
6. The meaning of the name Nekoma has nothing to do with cats
Nekoma Team (doc. Production IG/ Haikyuu!!)Most fans think that there is the word ‘cat’ in the meaning of the Nekoma team name, to be precise in the word ‘Neko’. However, who would have thought that in its true meaning, the name Nekoma does not contain this word at all.
Precisely, the kanji in writing ‘Nekoma’ means ‘sound of shogi pieces’. If spelled out, that is ‘Ne’ which means ‘sound’ and ‘Coma’ which means ‘shogi pieces’.
The meaning of the name Nekoma refers to their team’s analytical style and playing strategy.
7. The meaning of Nekoma’s slogan
Nekoma (doc. Production IG/ Haikyuu!!)Apart from Nekoma’s nickname ‘Cat’, which in this case is tangential to the word ‘Neko’ in ‘Nekoma’but the official banner says kanji “Connect” which refers to the game connection.
Another fact is that one of the kanji letters contains the family names of two Karasuno coaches, namely Ukai. This is a medium that strengthens the relationship between the two schools.
8. Nekoma High School also has a girls’ volleyball team
haikyuu.fandom.comAlthough it is never shown clearly, in the manga Haikyuu!! chapter 304 which shows the match between Nekoma vs Karasuno, in a panel several female characters are shown who are introduced as members of the Nekoma High School girls’ volleyball team.
So, those are some facts about Nekoma Haikyuu!! what you need to know. Have other interesting information? Write in the comments column, come on!
First published August 26, 2023, republished May 28, 2024.
