Manga Spotlight: Kuroko no Basuke

Discussion in 'Anime and Manga' started by Saxima, Aug 31, 2013.

  1. Saxima [screams geometrically]

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    黒子のバスケ // KUROKO NO BASUKE

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    MANGA • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ANIME


    M A N G A
    LIST OF CHAPTERS: 227 [ as of 2013.08.28 ]
    ORIGINAL RUN: December 2008 – On-going
    ARTIST: Tadatoshi Fujimaki
    GENRE: Shounen // Sports
    SYNOPSIS:


    Once upon a time, a team of basketball prodigies rose to the top by demolishing all competition. This team became known as the Generation of Miracles, as they are all in the same year group and they were considered children of miracle. After junior high school ended, these five stars went to different high schools with top basketball teams. However, a fact few people know is that there was another player accompanying the Generation of Miracles, a Phantom Sixth Man. This mysterious player is now a freshman at Seirin High, a new school with a powerful, yet little-known, team. Now, Tetsuya Kuroko, the sixth man formerly with the Generation of Miracles, and Taiga Kagami, a naturally talented player who spent most of junior high school in America, are aiming to bring Seirin to the top of Japan, taking on Kuroko's old teammates one by one.



    A N I M E
    LIST OF EPISODES: 25
    STUDIO: Production I.G.
    NOTES: Second season is set to air on October 5th.

    SAXIMA'S STATUS: 20 of 25 // 228 of 228
    RATING: 7 of 10 // 9 of 10

    I was only half-surprised to not have seen a thread for Kuroko no Basuke, mostly because it's not as popular as I thought it was, considering it has a great story and is really emotionally charged. It, like most other shounen manga and anime, has a extremely basic base of a boy who wants to become the strongest by defeating other strong opponents, but here, we have a pair of boys, and their basketball team that want to rise to the top – which, for sports manga isn't all that unbelievable, and is rather typical.

    Kuroko Tetsuya is an unusual protagonist for a few reasons; he already has a defined position and name among the community as a mystery and so doesn't have to fight his way to the top. He doesn't have an over-the-top personality that makes him stick out, and instead is actually plain to the point where it's ridiculous and has a weak presence. Instead he finds a friend and teammate in the ostentatious Kagami Taiga, who feels like he's the opposite of Kuroko in just about every way.

    . . . As the story goes on, it just seems like it's basketball, basketball, basketball – and it is, don't get me wrong, but it's so much more than that as Kuroko's former teammates are revealed one by one. It gets dramatic and emotional, and the reader discovers that there's a hell of a lot more behind Kuroko than meets the eye. I could go on and on about this because I find it so amazing that a sports manga could be so . . . affecting. The thing about it is, the manga still finds a way to be dominated by the very thing that ties it all – the characters, the stories, the pasts, the futures – together ( basketball ) while still having all these other things going on and on.

    Every arc, every episode reveals new characters that all have their unique quirks and no two are the same, which makes relationships among said GIANT CAST OF CHARACTERS really interesting and fun to watch. Each of them is likable in their own way, and you might find yourself becoming OBSESSED attached to any one of them rather quickly, regardless of their roles. THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, I HAVE TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO BECAUSE HOT DAMN, THAT'S SOME SERIOUS SHIT, YO. can we also just look at aomine and kuroko pls omg I JUST WANT THEM TO BE HAPPY. Although it seems like some of the supporting characters are kind of ignored, you have to remember that there are sooo many other things and major characters, and that the story isn't about ~ them ~. For what they're given, they're elaborated on pretty well, though I guess a little more could be given. Then again, the manga would probably be five times as long if that was given room – I'm getting off topic.

    I'm praising it so much – could we have someone whose read it actually critique it's faults? I'm too bias to find any, herka. I guess if I had to give something, it might be that it's unrealistic by a few stretches, but it's nothing so completely unimaginable where they're all superheroes and shoot lasers from their eyes. It's more that for their ages, how are they so skilled? It makes you wonder how they would play if they were in the NBA or another professional league, and if they could match skills and wits. Although they have a lot of growing up to do, the main characters seem far mature beyond their ages. Their skills are also another thing; if you take a character like Aomine Daiki, or Akashi Seijuurou, then you know that they're definitely . . . out there. This was actually elaborated on a little by explaining the faults and restrictions of their physical bodies, which I thought was neat. ANYWAY.

    I think another thing I could shed a little criticism on is how dramatic it is. I was thinking about this recently, but for middle school kids, the Generation of Miracles was really . . . pigheaded and basically, what their behavior comes down to is a severe case of the popular term 'chuunibyou', or 'middle school second-year syndrome'. Although I know they became badasses at such an early age, that doesn't really warrant their shitty behavior and becoming-shit personalities, and this applies to all of the Generation of Miracles. The drama that surfaced was from their egos and I guess since they were so young, something like that couldn't really be avoided? Still, when looked at from another point of view that is less infatuated from the overall product of the story, the drama does seem a little overdone, but then again, I guess it can't be a great story without drama.

    The anime is just a little less stellar than the overall product of the manga, but it's still amazing in its own right that the animation and visuals are really fantastic, especially when it comes to the actual basketball games. CGI is heavily incorporated because it makes things easier and more flexible for the animators, but that's fine because it's apart of the charm, I guess. Seeing players like Kagami Taiga and Aomine Daiki play in games feels really amazing because the animation is so flawless and smooth, it's nuts.

    Even if things are a little out of hand ( how can high school basketball players DO THIS ??? ? ? ???? ?? ), that's one of the things that makes watching it so much fun. Even if you don't like basketball, it has more to offer than just the sport itself, where, like most well-written stories, you can grow with the characters and feel with them. The anime makes the already-dynamic story even more engaging with the fact that you can actually watch them move.

    Having read the manga first, I can say the anime leaves a little to be desired, but I'm really hoping that it will be made up for with the second season, which starts on October 5th! If the praise of the story and animation isn't enough to tempt you, then I'm just going to have to pull out . . . the music. The soundtrack of a series like this feels so unexpected and amazingly fitting, despite it sounding out of place on its own, and makes you think what the hell this doesnt belong in a sports anime water they doIN.

    But seriously! Even if you're not into basketball, give it a try and I really hope that you won't regret it. Kuroko no Basuke is a manga and anime that I seriously recommend for all to read/see. As always, here's the first opening.


    BASICALLY; HIGHLY RECOMMEND, DON'T DISOBEY. READ IT/WATCH IT.



    READ HERE // WATCH HERE
    ( for all you lazy fucks who won't seek it out yourselves )

     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 21, 2013
  2. CrownMoksha Decimo

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    Glad I started reading this.
     
  3. Krowley Moderator

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    Oh hey, suprised this wasn't around earlier. I didn't even read the manga until I saw that awesome opening. Before that, the last sports manga i read was Whistle!
     
  4. Skyheart Joker

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    Well with a review like that I see no reason not to watch/read it Saximacchi, away I go to manga and anime watching..........Oh wait i already did and it was one of my better life choices.
     
  5. Chie Satonaka Twilight Town Denizen

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    I don't usually read sports manga, but KuroBasu is really good! The only sports manga I've read before KuroBasu was Crimson Hero (a volleyball shoujo manga). Of course, I like the anime better than the manga cuz I can actually see the plays in action (really high tension!).

    I'm really looking forward to the second season! SEIRIN FAITO!
     
  6. cstar stay away from my waifu

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    Welp, good thing there is a thread for this one. -claps hands together-

    This is one of the fastest mangas I have ever gotten hooked on. Usually it takes me some time before I get into it, but I really love the characters this oh so much. I'm only up to chapter 32 of... oh man is it 232 chapters right now? I started on... Friday night?

    But yeah, I'm not one for sport manga/animes, but I think this is one anyone should at least pick up and try to read.

    ...I have no opinion on the anime I'm starting it soon but not yet...
     
  7. Jin うごかないで

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    Watching through this right now for once. I love some of the comedy aspects with this series utilizing Kagami's short temper mixed with Kuroko's monotone personality though It really feels like they do break the boundry for the most part with this anime with a lot of cliche downfalls it's still over a really good Anime I plan to carry on the manga once I finish catching up just to see Akashi in action.
     
  8. Dinny I am Anime ( ⚈้̤͡ ◡ ⚈้̤͡ )

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    i haven't started on the manga but I'm keeping up with the anime very closely!! I plan to read the manga once I have more time and probably once season 2 ends (since it's ending soon cries). I'll probably stop where season 2 ends though because spoilers and I want to see all these beautiful boys animated.

    That being said, I was very shocked that I got into this anime/manga. I am not a fan of basketball at all, considering my biological dad was a basketball player which kind of brings back bad memories and the fact that I've been hit by a basketball on the head more than the average person, but I really am a huge fan of KnB!! The story is really great and there are lots of clever points and plots. I really love all the characters as well, everyone has very different personalities and I always get a good laugh out of it. Makes me like basketball a little more than before hehe