In case anyone is interested in the production side of things, this season has a couple of different people on the staff compared to the other three seasons. Note: this is not a post meant to cast doubt on the new season, just to explain why things might look and feel a bit different.
Director Susumu Mitsunaka is not returning for this season, and in his place we have Masako Sato. She has worked for Production I.G. and Studio Ghibli as key animator, storyboard artist and episode director. She storyboarded episode 14 and 20 for season 1, storyboarded + directed episodes 8 and 19 for season 2, and did the same on episode 4 for season 3, as well as directing that season's OP. She has also directed episodes of Welcome to the Ballroom (episodes 4, 12, 17 and 23) and Run with the Wind (episode 22). The only work she has done directing an entire series has been Anima Yell (2018), an adaptation of a 4-koma moe slice-of-life manga. She was also assistant director on Miss Hokusai (2015).
The second big change, and one that will probably be a bit more immediately noticeable, is the Chief Animation Director. On previous seasons this position was filled by Takahiro Chiba, who's really fucking good. Replacing him this season is Yuu Kobayashi. There's not much information I could find about his previous work, aside from the fact that he's worked on all previous Haikyuu seasons as prop designer and key animator. He also has credits on FMA: Brotherhood and Fairy Tail (mostly key animation, some AD), none of them as Chief Animation Director though. This change might also be part of the reason why this seasons designs are somewhat less detailed and more stylized. They're not only much closer to the manga's artstyle, the less detailed models should also make them easier to correct and keep on-model now that Chiba isn't here.
All of that said, there's still a ton of veteran Haikyuu-staff in familiar positions. Mariko Ishikawa, assistant director for seasons 2 and 3 returns in the same role here. Series composition is still in the hands of Taku Kishimoto (seasons 1-3). The music is still being done by Yuki Hayashi and Asami Tachibana, and the art direction and colouring are being handeled by the same people as previous seasons.
For something actually well-written and more knowledgeable about this whole thing, check out this writeup on Sakugablog.
The second big change, and one that will probably be a bit more immediately noticeable, is the Chief Animation Director. On previous seasons this position was filled by Takahiro Chiba, who's really fucking good. Replacing him this season is Yuu Kobayashi. There's not much information I could find about his previous work, aside from the fact that he's worked on all previous Haikyuu seasons as prop designer and key animator. He also has credits on FMA: Brotherhood and Fairy Tail (mostly key animation, some AD), none of them as Chief Animation Director though. This change might also be part of the reason why this seasons designs are somewhat less detailed and more stylized. They're not only much closer to the manga's artstyle, the less detailed models should also make them easier to correct and keep on-model now that Chiba isn't here.
All of that said, there's still a ton of veteran Haikyuu-staff in familiar positions. Mariko Ishikawa, assistant director for seasons 2 and 3 returns in the same role here. Series composition is still in the hands of Taku Kishimoto (seasons 1-3). The music is still being done by Yuki Hayashi and Asami Tachibana, and the art direction and colouring are being handeled by the same people as previous seasons.
For something actually well-written and more knowledgeable about this whole thing, check out this writeup on Sakugablog.
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