The main element of volleyball is teamwork, and a key component of the player positions working together are the setters and spikers. A spiker can be anyone, and, with the right training, it can be an official position title for a player. A setter also has specific training for the right arc of the ball, distance, and direction to their spikers. Both of the roles require the player to read the room and their teammates.
The setters and spikers of Haikyuu!! share a teamwork dynamic that is beneficial to their team, but they also are usually really good friends. The setter and spiker pairs tend to challenge each other on their individual skills and as a pair. When they come together for a powerful scoring attempt, it leads to some of the best moments in the sports anime.
Hinata & Kageyama
Shoyo Hinata is the main character among the many teams in Haikyuu!!, and, when he meets his rival, Tobio Kageyama, at his first and last middle school volleyball match, he realizes how far he has to rise to meet his goal of becoming the next 'Tiny Giant.'
Kageyama and Hinata fulfill the enemies to friends trope while still maintaining a competitive edge against one another and their teams. Their quick attack was a good surprise in the first few games they played on the Karasuno team, but, once word spread, they had to find new ways to keep the competition on their toes.
Sugawara & Asahi
Koshi Sugawara is a huge motivator for his teammates whether he is benched or on the court. He gets subbed in when Kageyama needs a break or when there needs to be a switch in the flow of the plays. Asahi benefits from this because his confidence level rises when he is surrounded by the friends he has been playing volleyball with since his first year.
Sugawara and Asahi make a great team because Suga knows what types of sets Asahi likes, and Asahi knows that Suga will take his critiques if any changes are necessary.
Oikawa & Iwaizumi
Tooru Oikawa and Hajime Iwaizumi are the dynamic duo for the Seijoh team. Oikawa's rivalry with Kageyama motivates him to be the "better setter." Iwaizumi's motivation comes from knowing that he and Oikawa can be unstoppable if Oikawa would just focus on himself rather than his rivalry.
Their best set and spike was in the game against Karasuno when Oikawa had to leap out of bounds and set across the court to Iwaizumi.
Kenma & Fukunaga
Nekoma's team uses most of their players to spike off of Kenma's sets, but, during the Spring High Preliminaries against Nohebi Academy, Shohei Fukunaga proved to be the most reliable. Kenma was losing energy, and Fukunaga had been a solid spiker for him in this game because he was able to throw off Nohebi's groove with Kenma's sets.
Bokuto & Akaashi
Bokuto's strength, cross-shots, line-shots, and mentorship goals are his best moves on the court, but he is easily pushed into what teammates call his "emo mode" where he forgets moves that are normally second nature to him.
Akaashi and Fukurodani's Manager, Kaori, have plans to get Bokuto out of his slumps, and, because Akaashi knows Bokuto so well, he also makes for the best setter to get the ball at just the right height and arc for Bokuto to nail a spike and his true talent. Akaashi also doesn't fold under the pressure of having a captain lose his head.
Ushijima & Shirabu
Wakatoshi Ushijima is Shiratorizawa's captain, wing spiker, and ace. Kenjiro Shirabu is the team's second-year setter. They both are well-composed in attitude when it comes to volleyball, and Ushijima's ability comes from his power, while Shirabu's comes from his ability to adjust to Ushijima no matter where he is on the court.
Shirabu also pulls of feints well, which serves Shiratorizawa in the game against Karasuno. But, his best set with Ushijima is unfortunately the one Tsukishima shuts down. They work well together out of the pairs on their team.
Astumu & Osamu
Inarizaki's renowned second-year Miya twins are a force to be reckoned with when they team up for a set and spike. They both work well with their ace, Aran Ojiro, as well, but they earn the best pair because of their surprise abilities and entertaining relationship.
Atsumu, the setter. and Osamu, the wing spiker, fight constantly because they grew up challenging each other on and off of the volleyball court. But, when it comes to crunch time, they know how to work with each other. They proved this in their quick attack that surprised even Hinata and Kageyama.
Koganegawa & Futakuchi
Date Tech was one of the first teams Karasuno had to battle, and they're the team with the notorious Iron Wall. Setter and first-year, Kanji Koganegawa, and their captain and ace, Kenji Futakuchi, are a pair that stands out in the practice match.
Koganegawa ires Kageyama's sets and later is at the Mock Youth Training Camp where he hones his setting skills. When he focuses on Futakuchi's critiques he is enthusiastic and apologetic. Futakuchi is great at keeping Koganegawa grounded.
Sakishima & Daisho
Nohebi Academy was in the Top 4 for the Spring High Tournament and lost to Nekoma. But, when their setter, Isumi Sakishima, and captain/spiker, Suguru Daisho, partner up, they can pull off some intimidating feints over the hands of Nekoma's blockers.
Sakishima and Daisho put the most pressure on their opponents by taunting them. Even without special moves, their tenacity and endurance helped them hold their own until the end.
Futamata & Terushima
Takeharu Futamata starts off with a foot save in the match against Karasuno. Yuji Terushima's spikes come from an element of surprise and from across the court.
Johzenji High's team is viewed as energetic and sometimes immature, but they always have fun on the court. One of the things that keep their heads in the game is the taunts from Karasuno. Futamata hears Tsukishima's comments and responds by spiking with his teammate and faking out a setter dump into a spike.