Haikyu!! the Movie VS The Little Giant: 2027 Release and What's Confirmed
Haikyu!! the Movie: VS The Little Giant is confirmed for a 2027 theatrical release in Japan. On August 19, 2026, the Haikyu!! Day 2026 broadcast re-teased the film and stacked it with new manga, card-game, and pro-volleyball news. This guide pulls the confirmed facts into one place: the release window, the match it adapts, the special anime arriving alongside it, and what collectors should watch next.
None of the story details are guesswork here — everything below is drawn from the official Haikyu!! Day announcements and cross-checked reporting. Where a date is still unset, we say so instead of inventing one.
Haikyu!! the Movie: VS The Little Giant — 2027 release and what's confirmed
Haikyu!! the Movie: VS The Little Giant is the second film in a two-part cinematic project (originally branded Haikyu!! FINAL) that continues Karasuno High's run through the Spring Nationals. Production I.G is animating it, with Susumu Mitsunaka directing and writing the script — the same core team behind the first film.
The headline everyone is searching for: the movie is dated for 2027, and the Haikyu!! Day 2026 broadcast on August 19, 2026 reconfirmed that window without narrowing it to a specific day.
When does the Haikyu movie VS The Little Giant release?
VS The Little Giant is scheduled for 2027 in Japanese theaters. As of the August 2026 announcements, no exact premiere date, month, or overseas release schedule has been confirmed. Treat any specific 2027 date you see elsewhere as unconfirmed until Production I.G says so.
What match does VS The Little Giant adapt?
The film covers Karasuno High School versus Kamomedai High School at the Spring Nationals. In the manga, this is the match many readers consider the emotional peak of Hinata's arc, so adapting it as a standalone feature makes sense.
The first film handled Karasuno's third-round clash with Nekoma. This second film picks up the tournament from there, moving Karasuno deeper into the national stage against a top seed.
Who is the "Little Giant"? Hoshiumi vs. Hinata
The title's "Little Giant" points to the confrontation between Shoyo Hinata and Kamomedai's Korai Hoshiumi. Both are undersized players who jump and hit like far taller athletes, and both carry a connection to the idea of a "Little Giant" — the nickname that first drew Hinata to volleyball. The Haikyu!! Day recap framed the movie around exactly that Hinata–Hoshiumi duel.
Studio, director, and staff
Production I.G returns as the studio, with Susumu Mitsunaka credited on both direction and script. Keeping the same staff across the two-part project is the reason the films look and move like a continuation of the TV series rather than a reboot.
"Where Monsters Go" — the special anime arriving alongside the movie
Alongside the film, a special anime titled Haikyu!! Bakemonotachi no Iku Tokoro — translated as "The Place Where Monsters Go" — is also set for 2027. It adapts the Fukurodani versus Mujinazaka quarterfinal, a match packed with the tournament's flashiest aces.
Two points collectors should note. First, this is billed as a "special anime," a format distinct from a standard weekly TV broadcast. Second, the Haikyu!! Day 2026 broadcast lined it up to arrive together with VS The Little Giant, so fans of the Nationals arc get both the Karasuno match and the Fukurodani match in the same window.
What was announced at Haikyu!! Day 2026 (August 19)?
Haikyu!! Day is the franchise's annual celebration built around the date 8/19 (ha-i-kyu). The 2026 edition aired as the RECEPTION #3 program and bundled several reveals at once. Here is the full slate in one table.
| Announcement | What it is | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| VS The Little Giant (movie) | Second film; Karasuno vs Kamomedai | 2027 |
| Where Monsters Go (special anime) | Fukurodani vs Mujinazaka match | 2027 |
| Character Remix: Bonds | 2-volume manga collection, Hinata & Kageyama | Sept 4, 2026 (Japan) |
| SV.League collaboration | New Furudate art of Bokuto, Hoshiumi, Sakusa | Announced Aug 19, 2026 |
| Card game BREAK, 4th booster | "Talent and Sense," Oikawa card by Yuki Tabata | Pre-orders Aug 19; release Oct 24, 2026 |
How the two-part finale fits together
The cinematic project began with Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle, which premiered in Japan on February 16, 2024 and adapted Karasuno's third-round Nationals match against Nekoma — the long-awaited "battle at the garbage dump."
That first film was a commercial giant. It grossed about ¥11.64 billion (roughly US$74 million) in Japan, ranking as one of the highest-grossing Japanese films of its year. Anime features have become box-office events on the scale of a Demon Slayer theatrical run, and VS The Little Giant steps into that same lane as the follow-up.
Note on the "final" wording: the project was originally billed under a Haikyu!! FINAL banner, but later branding dropped the word "Final." VS The Little Giant is still positioned as the culmination of the Kamomedai showdown; just don't assume it forecloses every possible future Haikyu!! project.
Haikyu!! at a glance: where the films sit in the story
Haikyu!! began as a manga by Haruichi Furudate, serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from February 20, 2012 to July 20, 2020. It ran for 402 chapters, collected into 45 tankobon volumes — so the source story is already complete, and the films are adapting its final tournament rather than an ongoing plot.
The TV anime carried Karasuno through the earlier rounds of the Spring Nationals across its four seasons. The two films pick up from there: The Dumpster Battle handled the Nekoma match, and VS The Little Giant takes on Kamomedai. For newcomers, that means the manga's ending already exists on the page — the movies are finishing what the series started, not writing something new.
The rest of the Haikyu!! Day 2026 news
Beyond the anime, three merch-and-manga reveals matter for anyone who collects the series:
- Character Remix: Bonds – Hinata and Kageyama. A two-volume manga collection that curates scenes tracing the pair's relationship across the series' 402 chapters. Both volumes release in Japan on September 4, 2026.
- SV.League collaboration. Original creator Haruichi Furudate drew new illustrations of Kotaro Bokuto, Korai Hoshiumi, and Kiyoomi Sakusa to promote Japan's professional volleyball league — a fitting tie-in as several Haikyu!! characters are written as future pros.
- Volleyball Card Game!! BREAK, fourth booster. Titled "Talent and Sense," it includes a special Toru Oikawa card illustrated by Black Clover creator Yuki Tabata. Pre-orders opened August 19, 2026, with a release scheduled for October 24, 2026.
What Haikyu collectors should know
A new Haikyu!! film wave historically drives a wave of merchandise: acrylic stands, Nendoroid and prize figures of Karasuno's lineup — Hinata, Kageyama, Tsukishima, Nishinoya and the rest — and, most reliably for this franchise, Ichiban Kuji runs. If you started chasing figures during the last kuji, our breakdown of the Ichiban Kuji Haikyuu 'Karasuno's Future' lineup is a good primer on how these prize sets are structured.
Because Haikyu!! merchandise often launches in Japan first and sells through quickly, overseas fans usually preorder. Our guide to preordering anime figures from Japan walks through how to lock in a figure before it sells out. Expect the heaviest merchandise push to land closer to the 2027 premiere, not now — so the smart move today is to know which characters and lines you want before the rush.
Frequently asked questions
Is VS The Little Giant the last Haikyu movie?
It is the second and concluding film of the two-part project that started with The Dumpster Battle, and it adapts the climactic Kamomedai match. The franchise dropped the explicit "Final" label from later branding, so it is safest to call it the finale of this project rather than the definitive end of all Haikyu!! anime.
What is "Where Monsters Go"?
It is a special anime adapting the Fukurodani vs Mujinazaka Nationals quarterfinal, set to release in 2027 alongside VS The Little Giant.
Where can I watch VS The Little Giant?
As of the August 2026 announcements, only a 2027 Japanese theatrical release is confirmed. Overseas theatrical and streaming plans have not been announced.
What match comes before this movie?
The Dumpster Battle (2024) covered Karasuno vs Nekoma. VS The Little Giant continues the Nationals with Karasuno vs Kamomedai.
Is the Haikyu!! manga finished?
Yes. Furudate's manga ended in July 2020 at chapter 402, collected in 45 volumes. The films adapt its concluding Nationals arc.
How much did the first Haikyu movie make?
Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle grossed about ¥11.64 billion (roughly US$74 million) in Japan after its February 16, 2024 premiere.
Bottom line
- Haikyu!! the Movie: VS The Little Giant is confirmed for 2027; no exact date yet.
- It adapts Karasuno vs Kamomedai and centers the Hinata–Hoshiumi "Little Giant" duel.
- A special anime, "Where Monsters Go" (Fukurodani vs Mujinazaka), releases alongside it in 2027.
- Haikyu!! Day 2026 also brought a 2-volume manga remix (Sept 4, 2026) and a card-game booster (Oct 24, 2026).
- The first film grossed about ¥11.64 billion, so expect a large merchandise wave closer to the premiere.
Akibato does not have a dedicated Haikyu!! collection yet, but fans gearing up for the finale tend to collect the franchise through prize and Ichiban Kuji figures. Browse the current Ichiban Kuji lineup or the wider anime figure collection at Akibato — we ship authentic, Japan-sourced stock worldwide.
Sources
- Anime Corner — Haikyu!! Day 2026 Recap: Movie 2 and Special Anime Teasers, New Manga Remix, More Announcements
- Anime Corner — Haikyu Movie 2 Reveals Visual, Trailer, 2027 Premiere
- ComicBook.com — New Haikyu Movie Confirms Release Window With Epic Trailer
- Wikipedia — Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle (box office and release date)
- Wikipedia — Haikyu!! (manga serialization, chapters, and volumes)