Haikyu!! is setting up two different anime returns for 2027. The new movie HAIKYU!! VS The Little Giant received a concept visual showing Shoyo Hinata facing Korai Hoshiumi, while the special anime HAIKYU!!: Where Monsters Go received an action PV centered on Kotaro Bokuto and Wakatsu Kiryu.
The updates arrived on August 19 for HAIKYU!! Day. Neither project has an exact release date yet, but the official announcements make the matchups clear. The movie follows Karasuno's next Spring High match, and the special anime covers a separate quarterfinal from the same tournament.
The Little Giant movie puts Hinata against Hoshiumi
HAIKYU!! VS The Little Giant takes place after The Dumpster Battle, the 2024 movie about Karasuno High's match against Nekoma High. Karasuno moves into the Spring High quarterfinals, where the team faces Kamomedai High and its star player, Korai Hoshiumi.
Hoshiumi has the same “Little Giant” nickname that inspired Hinata when he was younger. The new concept visual places them at the same height on the court, turning the nickname into a direct comparison between two players who rely on speed, timing, and the ability to attack above the block.
The official movie announcement confirms a 2027 theatrical release, but it does not give a month, day, international rollout, or runtime. The current visual establishes the opponent and the setting rather than showing a complete trailer for the film.
Where Monsters Go follows Bokuto versus Kiryu
The special anime covers a different match: Fukurodani Academy against Mujinazaka High. Their aces, Kotaro Bokuto and Wakatsu Kiryu, are both known as top attackers, and the new action PV shows them trading powerful spikes instead of keeping the match at the character-profile stage.
The official visual announcement also highlights the setters supporting them. Keiji Akaashi works with Bokuto at Fukurodani, while Michinari Usuri sets for Kiryu at Mujinazaka. That gives the special anime a second matchup to follow alongside the two aces.
Where Monsters Go is scheduled to air in 2027. The official materials call it a special anime rather than a theatrical film, so it should not be treated as a second movie or as a trailer for VS The Little Giant.
What to watch before the 2027 projects
Both new projects continue the Spring High tournament, so HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle is the quickest refresher before the next movie. The 2024 film covers Karasuno's match against Nekoma, then leaves the tournament open for the Kamomedai quarterfinal that follows.
The television anime is still the fuller route. It introduces the players and rival teams long before the new visuals place them in the national tournament, including Hoshiumi's connection to Hinata and the roles Bokuto, Akaashi, Kiryu, and Usuri play for their schools.
The official announcements do not say whether Where Monsters Go will air before or after VS The Little Giant. Viewers can follow either project once it arrives, but the release order should not be assumed until the production teams publish a schedule.
Why Haikyu!! is splitting these matches into two projects
The two announcements are connected by the Spring High tournament, but they are not the same story. Hinata's Karasuno match against Kamomedai belongs in the next theatrical film, while Bokuto's Fukurodani match against Mujinazaka is being made as a special anime.
The split is practical: the film has a theater window, and the special has a television window. Both continue the national tournament after The Dumpster Battle, but each follows a different team and a different pair of star players.
The announcement is part of a busy anime news cycle. Pixel Twelve's One Piece Day 2026 guide tracks another franchise event with separate stages and projects, while the Haikyu!! update is centered on two matches that fans have been waiting to see animated.
Production, release timing, and what is still unknown
The official VS The Little Giant movie page credits Production I.G and lists Susumu Mitsunaka as director and screenwriter. The current announcement does not provide a complete staff list for Where Monsters Go, but the action PV confirms that new animated footage is already being shown.
Both projects are planned for 2027. The movie is confirmed for theaters, and the special anime is confirmed for television in Japan. The official sites have not announced exact dates, international distribution, streaming services, episode count, or a full English release plan.
Hinata will face Hoshiumi in VS The Little Giant, while Bokuto and Kiryu will headline Where Monsters Go. The next major announcement should tell us when each match begins, not which teams are involved.
