Kenma actually softens. You watch it happen in real time, grudging practice session by grudging practice session, as he stops seeing Lev as an annoyance and starts seeing what the kid could become. The comedy lands because it's rooted in genuine character chemistry, not just gags. By the end, you understand why Kenma becomes the person who believes in Lev when nobody else does.

Lev Haiba joins Nekoma High's volleyball team with sky-high ambitions and a sky-high frame to match. The half-Japanese, half-Russian newcomer calls himself the ace, but his basic skills lag far behind his height, and the team's setter, Kenma Kozume, struggles to sync up with him. When the coach puts Lev into a practice match against Kunihira Senior High School and tells Kenma to help with his training, a reluctant Kenma has little choice but to work with him. As they practice together, Kenma begins to see that Lev's height could become a real weapon if his skills are shaped the right way. This original comedy-drama sports OVA was screened at Jump Festa 2014.