You Should Watch Kuroko’s Basketball for Play Basketball Day

2nd of December is Play Basketball Day, and while there is an official day to celebrate the founding of the sport, this is not that day. Instead, Play Basketball Day is a time for you to learn about the sport, maybe play it, or maybe, just maybe, watch a show about the sport. Which is why I now have the perfect time to recommend my favourite sports anime: Kuroko’s Basketball.

You know how some people are compelled to play sports after watching something? Kuroko’s Basketball is what did this for me. Having binged the entire series in the first year of university, I had the ill-conceived notion of joining the university’s basketball society in my second year. While I did enjoy it, I quickly realised that I was… maybe not as athletically inclined as I kept dreaming I was.

But, never mind that. See, Kuroko’s Basketball was adapted from Tadatoshi Fujimaki’s manga of the same name, which was published in Shonen Jump from 2008 until 2014. The anime, consisting of 75 episodes and three original video animations (OVAs) was produced by Production I.G and ran from 2012 until 2015.

The series revolves around the Generation of Miracles, a group of prodigious star players who won the middle school national championships for three years in a row. With all students having graduated into high school, Seirin High, a newly established school, is hoping to reach the nationals. With rumours of a sixth player, this is all but confirmed when Tetsuya Kuroko tries out for the team, alongside that of Taiga Kagami, who believed Kuroko couldn’t play, but is then shocked when it is revealed that Kuroko has a talent for delivering passes due to his ability to not be perceived by other people.

Throughout the stories, we see how Kuroko watched the Generation of Miracles fall apart from the pressure, with all of them desperate to prove that they’re the best. Despite their disillusionment and arrogance in their abilities, Kuroko’s victories and his friendships end up rekindling the love they initially had for the sport, and even bring back some of their old friendships.

The anime movie, Kuroko’s Basketball The Movie: Last Game was released in 2017, and it tells of the Generation of Miracles teaming up with Kuroko and Kagami and forming a team known as the Vorpal Swords to have a revenge match against the United States street basketball team: Jabberwock. Why? They mocked the Japanese team after crushing them and when Riko’s father — Seirin High’s basketball coach — learns of this, he’s infuriated and brings the best players together to beat them.

If you’re looking for a series which involves weird special abilities, a lot of quirky characters, and a surprisingly emotional storyline that may make you cry? I can only recommend Kuroko’s Basketball.

I know I’ve spoken a fair bit about the plot, but there’s so much going on here. As I mentioned, the Generation of Miracles are all good players but they’re disillusioned. They don’t believe anyone can beat them, and no one really takes Kuroko seriously. While his old team do have some fondness for him, they have less of a regard for the Seirin team, and it’s actually great seeing how the Seirin team grows to become such a significant threat to them.

Does Kuroko want to win? Yes. But…, each victory and each defeat has everyone learn more about what makes everyone such good players. It’s hard not to like any of the other characters, and while they’re all eccentric, it’s fun to see how each of the relationships develop, and yes, you will be on the edge of your seat.

Now excuse me as I rewatch the entire series and the movies and OVAs… because we can’t say that I don’t practice what I preach. Plus, the animation is great, and I’m here for it.