"His Hair Might Burn Off"...'Sliding Apology' Goes Viral After He Accidentally Hits Female Staff with Ball

Nishida Yuji hits staff member with stray ball during practice
Throws himself onto the court in an instant apology
"Looks like real-life Haikyu!!"...Gains attention overseas

A player's "apology scene" during Japan's men's volleyball All-Star Game has been spreading rapidly online, drawing widespread attention. The extreme way he apologized for a mistake made during practice at the arena sparked laughter and cheers, capturing the eyes of internet users around the world.

A scene of Japanese volleyball player Nishida Yuji performing a 'sliding apology' immediately after hitting a staff member with the ball. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)

According to British daily The Guardian and Japanese outlets such as Abema Times on the 2nd, during halftime practice at the SV League men's All-Star Game held in Kobe on the 1st, a serve attempted by Osaka Bluteo player Nishida Yuji (26) went off course and hit a female staff member standing outside the court.

The moment the ball struck the staff member, Nishida ran toward her without hesitation. He then threw himself onto the court, sliding across the floor and bowing his head deeply to the ground. It was a so-called "sliding apology" reminiscent of dogeza, a traditional Japanese practice signifying an extreme form of apology.

The staff member who was hit by the ball looked startled at first, then soon smiled and bowed her head in response, prompting laughter and applause from the stands. Even afterward, Nishida remained on his knees with his palms pressed together, repeatedly bowing his head and bending at the waist several times to express his apologies.

A scene showing Japanese volleyball player Nishida Yuji performing a 'sliding apology' immediately after hitting a staff member with the ball. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter).

Japanese TV commentators at the time joked about the scene, saying, "I'm worried the friction might burn his hair," and, "He looks like freshly caught tuna."

The video of the scene spread quickly through social media, racking up several million views. Online reactions were enthusiastic. Comments included, "Her head must have hurt, but he saved the mood," "Maybe because he's an athlete, even his sliding is perfect," and "It looks like a scene from the manga 'Haikyu!!'." Overseas users also reacted by saying, "His attitude after the mistake is even more impressive," and "You can feel the respect."

As the buzz continued, Nishida himself shared his thoughts on social media. He wrote, "I really enjoyed the All-Star Game. I am grateful to everyone who helped make it happen," and added, "I'm sorry that my poor control caused the ball to hit the female staff member." He went on, "I was surprised by such a big reaction from so many countries, but I will keep my feet on the ground and continue moving forward little by little."

Nishida is a key attacker for the Japan men's national volleyball team, and in the All-Star Game he led his team to victory and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Local media described the moment as "a small mishap during the event that etched the player's charm into people's minds," adding that it will be remembered as an unexpected iconic scene that took place outside the actual match.