Do we like Oikawa Tooru?
A character from Haikyu!! (2014–2020)
Our score: 8 out of 10. A cocky, fiercely driven rival who earns respect the hard way. He's hard to dislike once you see how much he gives his team. We'd back him, even if he's annoying across the net.
Haikyu!! follows Karasuno High's boys' volleyball team in Miyagi Prefecture. Oikawa is the captain and setter of Aoba Johsai, one of the strongest teams in the area. He is charming, popular and sharp-tongued, and he is the first big obstacle Karasuno's young players face.
He has a history with Kageyama Tobio, the first-year setter at Karasuno. Kageyama was Oikawa's junior at their middle school, and Oikawa sees him as a rival with raw talent who could take his place. That rivalry gives Oikawa much of his edge and drive.
Oikawa isn't a natural genius, and the story makes that clear. He builds his skill through relentless practice, smart tactics and a gift for reading what each hitter needs, and that is why he's so easy to root for. He's smug and can be petty, but his dedication and the way he trusts and lifts his teammates earn him a high score.
Later in the story we see where his volleyball path takes him. He ends up playing professionally in Argentina, and he and Hinata form an unlikely friendship. It's a fitting payoff for someone who never stopped working at his craft.