Hinata Shouyou, a short middle school student, gained a sudden love of volleyball after watching a national championship match on TV. Determined to become like the championship's star player, a short boy nicknamed "the small giant", Shouyou joined his school's volleyball club. Unfortunately, he was the only member and the club didn't have so much as a place to practice. He didn't let that deter him, however, and, upon finally acquiring 5 other players in his final year, was able to compete in an actual competition - only for his team to be unlucky enough to face the championship favorite and its star player, Kageyama Tobio, called "the king of the court", in the first round. Though Shouyou's team suffers a crushing defeat, he vows to become better and eventually surpass Kageyama.
