Sony’s GOAT Animated Film Quietly Mirrors Fan-Favorite Sports Anime Haikyuu!

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Sony’s GOAT is an exciting sports movie centered around ‘roarball,’ a unique take on basketball played by animal characters. The story follows Will, a determined goat who dreams of playing for his beloved team, the Thorns, inspired by the skill of his rival, Jett, a talented panther. Will gets his chance when a video of him winning a local game goes viral, showcasing his impressive skills and attracting attention from the league.

Those familiar with Haikyuu!! will immediately recognize parallels between Will’s story and the dynamic between Hinata and Kageyama after they become teammates. Like Hinata, Will overcomes his small stature with incredible jumping ability, proving his skill despite the odds. GOAT champions the same idea Haikyuu!! always has: that great athletes improve by trusting each other and turning weaknesses into strengths to help the team. By focusing on player roles, competition, and strategic development, GOAT echoes the storytelling that made Haikyuu!! a standout sports anime.

Sony’s GOAT Highlights What Haikyuu! Does Best

The story, GOAT, examines how competitors interact, particularly by contrasting those who rely on physical strength (‘bigs’) with those who don’t (‘smalls’). In the sport of roarball, ‘bigs’ are the most physically imposing players. When Will joined his team, his friends worried he’d be seriously hurt because they thought he’d be quickly overwhelmed. Jett, one of the ‘bigs’, expected a similarly powerful teammate to support her, but she immediately dismissed Will as being too weak to be of any help, without even seeing him play.

This highlights how certain characters view the world of Haikyuu!. Players like Nishinoya and Yaku are often limited to the libero position – a role many believed would be best for Hinata as well. However, Hinata was inspired by the legendary Little Giant and wanted to restore Karasuno to its former strength. Similar to Will, Hinata is physically small but possesses natural athleticism and an incredible jumping ability. Crucially, neither player is intimidated by larger opponents. This isn’t due to overconfidence, but rather a genuine love for their sport and deep respect for their rivals.

This shift challenges how we usually think about strength and leadership in team sports. Just like in the anime Haikyuu!!, we see a player adapting to a teammate’s unique skills – the playmaker learns to help an unconventional player shine, and that player proves skill and timing can be just as valuable as pure strength. This highlights that success isn’t just about natural talent, but also about being adaptable, thinking on your feet, and trusting your teammates.

Jett and Will’s Dynamic Parallels Hinata and Kageyama’s Rivalry in Haikyuu!

The central driving force of the GOAT story is Will’s journey. He starts out admiring Jett, then gets the chance to play with her, only to discover she’s not as perfect as he thought.

Jett tends to dominate the game, always trying to score herself. She figures as long as her team, the Thorns, wins, it doesn’t matter if her teammates are annoyed. They’ve started excluding her – leaving her out of card games and conversations on the bus – because they’re worried about saying something that will upset her.

Kageyama used to act in a way that led people to call him the “King of the Court” back in middle school. Similar to Jett, he was a player who focused on his own performance and didn’t encourage his teammates. He even stated he’d rather do everything himself – spiking, setting, and receiving – than play with Hinata.

Will’s quickness and adaptability push Jett, who usually relies on precise control, to his limits – much like how Hinata’s raw athletic ability made Kageyama learn to trust a teammate and embrace unpredictability. This conflict between individual skill and teamwork is central to the drama in both stories.

Jett’s Reluctance For Teamwork Stems From Her Fear of Being Replaced

Similar to the dynamic between Hinata and Kageyama, Will and Jett constantly motivate each other to become better players. Jett challenges Will to elevate his shots and reach further, helping him score against bigger blockers. In return, Will encourages Jett to overcome her biggest weakness – making passes.

During a recent game, Jett fell back into a habit of hogging the ball, scoring all the points herself. She didn’t understand why her teammates were frustrated, and it reminded her of a time when Kageyama’s middle school team ostracized him for setting—they refused to even try to spike his sets.

Unlike Kageyama, Jett avoids teamwork because she worries about losing her spot on the team. There’s talk that her skills are declining, and even her manager criticizes her physical condition, pointing out she’s more fragile and injury-prone than newer players.

Kageyama initially struggled with teamwork simply because he’s an incredibly talented volleyball player and expected the same skill level from everyone else. Will, on the other hand, pushed Jett to persevere, even playing through a serious leg injury during the championship match. Both GOAT and Haikyuu!! highlight that the best rivalries inspire improvement, not just clashes, demonstrating how mentorship, competition, and teamwork go hand-in-hand in sports. Furthermore, GOAT proves to be a Western animated sports story that matches the strong storytelling structure of Haikyuu!!.

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GOAT: Smalls Can Ball? Test Your Roarball Rivalry Knowledge!
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2026-02-21 04:11