Haikyu!!: 8 Most Powerful Aces

Haikyu!! is one of the most realistic sports anime out there. It follows high school volleyball clubs competing in local tournaments and leagues to get a spot in nationals. Every team has a star player called the "ace" who can get points no matter what. To be a powerful ace, you must have the nerves to single-handedly pull your team out of a bad spot.

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Even among these exceptional players, some aces stand out because of their talent and technique. While height and strength certainly play a major part in how good of an ace you are, it's not a necessity. There are some players who have become exceptional aces despite being short and relatively weak.

8 Hajime Iwaizumi

• School: Aoba Johsai High.
• Year: Third.

Iwaizumi is the reliable ace of Seijoh and one of Oikawa's best friends. He has a commanding presence that is capable of keeping someone like Oikawa in check. While Iwaizumi might not be the tallest or the strongest ace, he can get through almost any block with the help of Oikawa.

However, Iwaizumi's defense is even better than his spikes. We see him pick up balls that were almost impossible to receive in the second official match between Karasuno and Seijoh. Furthermore, Iwaizumi never loses hope and keeps the team believing in victory.

7 Asahi Azumane

• School: Karasuno High.
• Year: Third.

Asahi is the first proper ace we meet in Haikyu!!. He is extremely strong, giving him one of the most powerful spikes in the prefecture. Because of Asahi's years of playing volleyball, he has developed an amazing defense and great receives. Asahi also learns a powerful jump serve, but its accuracy is not that good.

The one thing that held Asahi back for a very long time was his fragile nature. He was easy to break and often lost confidence. However, he became much stronger mentally after Kageyama and Hinata joined Karasuno. Asahi may not be as reliable as some of the best aces in the prefecture, but he is a confident ace who can score powerful points for Karasuno.

6 Aran Ojiro

• School: Inarizaki High.
• Year: Third.

Aran is the ace of one of the strongest high school volleyball teams in all of Japan. He is an all-round player with a tall and athletic physique. The strongest weapon in Aran's arsenal is his powerful jump serve. He used this serve to score several no-touch aces on Karasuno, gaining several points all by himself.

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As a powerful ace, Aran is also capable of spiking through a three-man block. He was a major problem in the Inarizaki vs Karasuno match, forcing Karasuno to aim their serves at Aran. Of course, Aran is officially ranked as one of the top five aces in Japan. However, it's clear that Hoshiumi surpasses him by the time nationals arrive.

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5 Korai Hoshiumi

• School: Kamomedai High.
• Year: Second.

Standing at just 169 cm, Hoshiumi is one of the smallest aces we have ever seen in Haikyu!!. Despite this significant drawback, Hoshiumi proves to be a great ace and also one of the best players overall. Hoshiumi has incredible defense, powerful jump serves, and tricky spikes.

Hoshiumi is shown to jump even higher than Hinata, with similar speed combined with immaculate technique. He also has an unwavering mindset that never lets him give up. Even with such a small height, he worked hard to become one of the best volleyball players.

4 Kotaro Bokuto

• School: Fukurodani Academy.
• Year: Third.

Bokuto is one of the most iconic aces from Haikyu!!. He also helped Tsukishima on his journey to be an amazing blocker. Bokuto is a cheerful player who uplifts not just his team, but everyone on the court. As a spiker, Bokuto has the most accurate edge-line shot, often hitting straight on the line.

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Bokuto also has a super cut shot that has the same power as his straight spike. Combining these two moves with Bokuto's natural technique and senses makes him one of the hardest aces to block. The only thing holding him back from the top three placement is his weaker mental strength.

3 Wakatsu Kiryu

• School: Mujinazaka High.
• Year: Third.

Kiryu is officially ranked as one of Japan's top three aces in high school. On top of being the ace, he is also the captain of Mujinazaka. Unlike the other top-tier aces, Kiryu does not have any special ability that makes him great. He is just a fundamentally strong player with power in every hit.

Kiryu focuses a lot on physical strength, which is made obvious by his bulky body. Despite this, he is very athletic and has a strong core. His technique allows him to put the entire weight of his body behind every spike, making them even more powerful.

2 Kiyoomi Sakusa

• School: Itachiyama Institute.
• Year: Second.

Sakusa is a calm and serious player who takes great pride in what he does. Sakusa also analyzes the match and is a very calculated ace. Despite not having a lot of power, Sakusa's technique makes him one of the best aces in the whole country.

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Sakusa can stay as one of the best aces because of his mobility. By adding a spin to the ball, he can control its trajectory in abnormal ways and make it completely unpredictable. It's a highly unique ability that makes both his spikes and serves nearly impossible to receive.

1 Wakatoshi Ushijima

• School: Shiratorizawa Academy.
• Year: Third.

Ushijima, also known as Ushiwaka, is the undisputed ace and captain of Shiratorizawa. Without a doubt, Ushiwaka is the best high school ace in Japan. He was born left-handed, giving him a unique South paw spike. On top of that, Ushiwaka has inhuman strength that makes it almost impossible to block his spike.

Ushiwaka has also shown incredible endurance during the match between Shiratorizawa and Karasuno. Even after pushing himself beyond limits, Ushiwaka was able to land a perfectly clean cut shot after being trapped by Tsukishima's strategy. He is also a great leader and the backbone of his team, with a powerful presence that puts constant pressure on opponents.

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