【Haikyu!! × SV League】Tokyo Great Bears' Rikuto Goto follows in footsteps of Ran Takahashi and feels similarity with Korai Hoshiumi

Collaboration interview series of the volleyball manga Haikyu!! and the SV.League:
Rikuto Goto / Tokyo Great Bears

"Our high school volleyball team emphasized self-reliance, so we didn't just focus on pure tactics―we also thought about things like, 'What kind of plays would annoy our opponents?' If you don't do that, you can't win matches. I think all of that has built up and led me to where I am today."

Rikuto Goto, aged 24, analyzed himself with a clarity and logic that belies his rookie status. At 187 centimeters tall, he stands shorter than many men's volleyball outside hitters. Yet, despite his gentle appearance, there are undeniable fires in his eyes when he steps onto the court--bold, tenacious, and fiercely driven. This contrast not only sets him apart but has already propelled him, fresh from university, into the SV League competition.

For example, in November 2024, during a fierce five-set battle against the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka, he poured his heart into the game, scoring 15 points for the victory. Overwhelmed with emotion after the win, tears streamed down his face, reflecting just how deeply he yearns to triumph.

In news reports covering the match, his words made headlines―"It's not just Ran (Takahashi)." He and Takahashi are the same age and played together on a select high school team. After the match, the two took a commemorative photo and reminisced.

"It's inspiring to see Ran playing overseas and excelling in the Japan national team. I feel like I'm chasing after him. (In the November's match), I could see him ingenuity against high blocks and thought, 'He's used to this,' and I was reminded once again just how incredible his defensive skills are."

Goto fiercely studies his rival, admiring him yet burning with determination to never lose--a resolve that ignites whenever he faces tough competition.

His introduction to volleyball was a coincidence. Entering third grade in elementary school, he went to watch the dodgeball club, intending to join them with friends, but it happened to be a day off. As a result, he was mistaken for a member of the volleyball club practicing next to it and was recruited. He says he had some "immunity" to the sport because his mother played in a mom's volleyball league, and his older sister also played.

"Trying volleyball felt fun and new. Practicing receives and hits, watching senpai spike, I thought, 'That's cool! I want to do that.' It started for fun, and I liked that it wasn't too intense in the beginning."