Men's volleyball is flying high in Japan, with the national team ranked fourth globally ahead of the Paris Olympics and the sport's soaring popularity fueled by a manga blockbuster.
"Haikyu!!," the tale of school teams featuring an inspirational comic-book hero determined to beat the odds and his diminutive stature, has sold 60 million copies since its 2012 inception.
Turned into a hit anime series, now a new film "Haikyu!!: The Dumpster Battle" has taken ¥10 billion ($65 million) at the Japanese box office and will release in North America this month.
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