Kuroko no Basuke (Kuroko's Basketball) (黒子のバスケ)

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I was a little surprised when I got the information about a new basketball manga would be serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. Because there was a greatest hit basketball manga named “SLAM DUNK” in Shonen Jump history. I worried that if its story wouldn’t be interesting, Kuroko’s Basketball just be compared with SLAM DUNK and done… But I was worrying for nothing and the manga became popular and representative of Shonen Jump. It started from one-shot comic which received a new face award of Shonen Jump in 2006. Later on, its popularity has been gained gradually because a series started, but after anime started, the popularity has been exploded. Now, the total circulation number of this manga is 1milion. Second season has aired since 2013 fall and its popularity is spreading more and more.

This is the story of Seirin high school basketball team which was founded 2 years ago. Tetsuya Kuroko called “Generation of Miracles (Kiseki no Sedai)” and Taiga Kagami, super rookie who attended junior high school in Unite States join the team. Kagami is naturally talented player, but in contrast, Kuroko is less represented. However, Kuroko uses strategies such as using lack of his visibility in a practice match and makes teammates overwhelm. Kagami is light and Kuroko is shadow. The team uses their characteristics for play and aims to bring Seirin to the top of Japan.
I though the setting is interesting in terms of Kuroko’s character. Even he is a protagonist, but less represented. His character should be more aggressive because he is one of the Shonen Jump’s main characters, but Kagami covers this point. These character settings are good spice for story. However, Kuroko does not only hide behind Kagami all the time. He feels the limits of his abilities and tries to get better.

Rivals who are Kuroko’s old team mates of junior high called “Generation of Miracles” stand in front of Kuroko and Kagami one after another. The member of “Generation of Miracles” has their own exceptional talents, especially Shintaro Midorima is special (Nanodayo). He can shoot a ball from wherever of a court, so I thought how Kuroko and Kgami can beat him. Midorima’s plays other than shoot are also excellent, and he strongly believes horoscopes, so checks it every day and tries to enhance his luck. I thought Seirin would have lost a match to Shutoku but Kuroko and Kagami’s team play grabbed chance to win. While I was watching the match, I felt my heart beating.

In anime, the scenes of matches are very dynamic and characters moves around on a screen. I have a favorite episode from the end of first season, and it is a match of Kise and Aomine from “Generation of Miracles”. Kise can copy others’ play styles or techniques but he has never beaten Aomine and shrank from him. However, he challenged to copy Aomine’s play style for win, and his team mates trusted him and stood on assaults by Aomine. At the last moment of the match, Kise did copy Aomine’s play styles successfully. After the match, Kise is something different from before… I like a flow of the episode. This episode isn’t Seirin’s match so I thought it would be light episode but it wouldn’t. It had a lot of contents than I expected, so I was completely satisfied. Also I was so happy to be able to watch Kise’s shoot as same motion as Aomine’s by videos.
Kise has been very carefree, outgoing, and cheeky. He has also played to the grandstand until then, however, this match changed his mind to basketball and team dramatically. His first play with his full strength for team was so cool! There is another match which Kise’s ability is developed more in manga, so I want anime to catch up manga. I am waiting for it and grin to myself.lol

Oh, and anime version Tetsuya 2-gou (Kuroko’s dog) is more cute than manga version. Including other Seirin team mates, each and every character has superior abilities and talents in some ways, but they don’t only count on it, try to bring it out more and get better in matches. I like watching them devote themselves to basketball and want to get exercise.

My favorite is Kise among “Generation of Miracles” but other than him, I like Rico Aida. She is a team’s coach of Seirin and one of the few female characters in this manga. She has Scan ability to immediately scan and evaluate the physical capabilities of players at a glance, so that’s why she takes care of the team. She, herself is also having excellent grade and reflexes. Even Kagami cannot compete with her. She is a big-sister type so that she handles boys’ basketball team. Her proper situational judgment is awesome… but... is there any way to improve her cooking? Maybe it is in return for her “Scan ability”. Leave cooking for Kagami and lead Seirin to higher place by your leadership. The only thing you cannot beat Momoi is boobs size! lol
There are some more players from “Generation of Miracles” who don’t have matches with Seirin yet, so I can’t wait to watch their matches! Once you watch them devote themselves to basketball, they motivate you and make you energetic!