The most common criticism I've seen so far of Kuroko no Basket has been how unrealistic it is. I myself am an avid basketball fan who plays regularly and watches NBA games. I can understand the criticism as this anime has a lot of spectacular dunks, blocks and flashy passes, the stuff you usually only see in highlight reels, but occurs regularly throughout the games in here. There's also the shounen elements with the special powers of Generation of Miracles members and other things such as the "martial arts" Seiho employs.
That being said, I am completely ok with this. Why? Because it makes it
...
interesting. Think about it. As a basketball fan, it'd be great to see the teams run plays like the triangle or pick and roll, but you can't expect the average viewer to understand what's going on. Plus, trying to explain this and other technical terms would eat up screen time and bore a lot of viewers.
This is first and foremost entertainment. Kuroko no Basket is great to watch BECAUSE of these elements. Watching Kagami slam the ball down or Kuruko go ninja and make an amazing pass is far more exciting than watching a player hit an open jumpshot from good ball movement. It's the same reason why many people label the Spurs in the NBA as "boring" despite their well-oiled offense. If you really wanted realistic basketball, you'd watch an actual game. What Kuroko no Basket excels at doing is showing how exciting basketball can be to a mainstream audience. I have yet to be disappointed by any of the episodes, as they have all left me with a big, goofy grin on my face from the thrilling games or cliffhangers at the end of each episode. Look around and you'll see that many viewers are not basketball fans, but love this anime. This is great because it's garnering interest in basketball in people that would have never noticed the sport were it not for this anime. This is especially true in Japan, where basketball is nowhere near as popular as sports such as baseball or football (soccer).
As for the anime itself, it captures your attention with epic scenes, likeable characters, and funny comedy. Kuroko's sudden appearances that startle every character out there is a running gag, opponents with names like "Papa" and Kagami's Engrish "THIS IS JAPANESE LUNCH TIME RUSH!" keeps things interesting. The story is your classic sports anime, with the Seiren basketball team aiming for the top. However, if you were expecting some athletic, hot-headed knucklehead who excels in the sport...well, that's the deuteragonist Kagami. Kuroko is the protagonist here, and he's an unconventional lead for a sports anime. He's terrible at almost every aspect of basketball except passing and stealing. Together, he and Kagami form a exciting duo to watch reminiscent of real-world duos such as Stockton and Malone. The other characters aren't explored too much initially and I was afraid the other Seiren members would just become useless bodies, but slowly we've been introduced to their own unique skills. The only other characters that the anime really delves into are the members of the Generation of Miracles, who are all distinguished by their special powers and...colorful hair, Kuroko included. Here is where the shounen aspect of the show is most visible, with the members displaying everything from behind the backboard shots to full court shooting range (though I have to admit that's really pushing it). They are the equivalent of the boss characters you see in other shounen anime, as Kuroko, Kagami, and the Seiren team must find a way to overcome them.
The art and animation are solid, however, animation isn't as consistently fluid as I would've liked. The movement of players shooting or passing the ball feels too rigid or unnatural at times, as if they didn't draw enough frames (with the exception of Aomine's ridiculous handle). It compensates for this by having a lot of slow motion and close up shots of dunks, blocks, and steals which really help excite the viewer and make this anime so thrilling. It is definitely one of the better looking sports anime out there, which is part of what makes it so appealing to a wider audience. For the most part, the music consists of guitar-heavy tracks that come in whenever something notable happens, such as opponents being surprised by one of Kuroko's passes. The opening and ending feature rock songs that keep the same adrenaline pumping feel the anime has. The one thing that really bugs me though is how each episode starts off with a narrator introducing the Generation of Miracles story. It's understandable in the first few episodes, but past that there's no point in it, since viewers would already be familiar with the backstory (EDIT: They finally stopped this nearly HALFWAY through the season).
In short, Kuroko no Basket is an entertaining anime to watch, even if you don't like basketball. The thrilling games will capture your interest and many can relate to the story of going for the top and exceeding expectations, as the underdog Seiren team does time and again. Don't go into Kuroko no Basket expecting expertly executed plays like in real basketball. Don't go into it thinking you'll see a mirror image of a real game in anime form. Go into it expecting a thrilling game of dunks, blocks, and crazy passes, a lot of O.O faces from the characters, and competitive trash talking. Watch it for the determined characters, comedy, and overcoming special powers we've come to love in shounen anime. It doesn't portray basketball too realistically, but realism in this case would only drag a fun anime like this down.
Alternative Titles
Synonyms: Kuroko no Basuke, KuroBas, The Basketball Which Kuroko Plays
Japanese: 黒子のバスケ
More titlesInformation
Type:
TV
Episodes:
25
Status:
Finished Airing
Aired:
Apr 8, 2012 to Sep 22, 2012
Premiered:
Spring 2012
Broadcast:
Sundays at 01:58 (JST)
Producers:
Bandai Visual, Lantis, Nihon Ad Systems, Mainichi Broadcasting System, Banpresto, Shueisha, BS11
Licensors:
None found, add some
Studios:
Production I.G
Source:
Manga
Genre:
Sports
Demographic:
Shounen
Duration:
24 min. per ep.
Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
Statistics
Ranked:
#5242
2
based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity:
#116
Members:
1,181,103
Favorites:
20,943
Available AtResourcesStreaming Platforms | Reviews
Filtered Results: 174 / 177
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Your Feelings Categories Jun 11, 2012
The most common criticism I've seen so far of Kuroko no Basket has been how unrealistic it is. I myself am an avid basketball fan who plays regularly and watches NBA games. I can understand the criticism as this anime has a lot of spectacular dunks, blocks and flashy passes, the stuff you usually only see in highlight reels, but occurs regularly throughout the games in here. There's also the shounen elements with the special powers of Generation of Miracles members and other things such as the "martial arts" Seiho employs.
That being said, I am completely ok with this. Why? Because it makes it ... Jun 9, 2014
Let me start by telling you that I'm 29 years old, and when I was 6 years old, I fell in love with an anime called Captain Tsubasa, not only because I am Portuguese and we generally love football, but because when you're at that age, everything is magical, you want to do the shots they do, you want to be Tsubasa Ozora on the field.
I've seen many sports anime after it, and none were good enough to create the impact that Captain Tsubasa caused on me, there were a few that I loved such as Miracle Giants Dome-Kun! and Ganbare! Kickers, but Captain Tsubasa ... Apr 7, 2012
If your a sports anime fan then 2 words automatically...no even magically came to your mind, Slam Dunk. However sports anime fans or not im sure realize just how awesome this anime is. This could very well be Slam Dunk Successor.
Story-9-Once upon a time, the basketball team of Teikou Middle School rose to distinction by demolishing all competition. The regulars of this team became known as the "Generation of Miracles". After graduating from middle school, these five stars went to different high schools with top basketball teams. However, a fact few know is that there was another player of the "Generation of Miracles", the ... Jun 3, 2014
“There's no such thing as useless effort.”
Kagami Taiga (Kuroko no Basket) So, as I have nothing to waste, I will bring to you a review of the immensely praised show that is Kuroko no Basket. Even though it is not a very popular show (not even in the top 100), most people that have watched it are immensely positive about it, and it made me wonder why. After being encouraged to watch the show several times, I figured it was the time to do so – and I can say it delivered. I soon became one of the people “enchanted” by the show. Story: 9/10 Once upon a ... Jun 29, 2012
EDITED AFTER IT FINISHED AIRING (9/22)!
I've never written a review before, but this show is so good, I just had to voice my opinion. I am not a sports anime fan to begin with (well, more like I've never watched one before) but that didn't stand in the way of me loving this show. I started watching this show because everyone was talking about it. I couldn't understand why alot of my friends who are into dark and supernatural (or along the lines of) animes were watching something as random as a sport one. Overall, I found this show to be very funny and enjoyable. ... Apr 8, 2012
I'm no sports anime fan... the most i have watched was Prince of Tennis.... but this anime just suprises me.
At the very start, it was the artwork that made me want to give this anime a try... so i watched it... but it has got me hooked from the 'mysteriousness' of the characters. Making you want to watch on to find out how good they are..... The things that makes me want to watch on and recommend to all you people is the ups and downs of emotions that you get. At first, excited of what's going on.... then thinking that he's (Kuroko) just an idiot..... ... Jul 18, 2013
Short Overall: Thoroughly enjoying, dynamic and engaging, and possesses characters that you will undoubtedly grow to love. Fantastic soundtrack to accompany somewhat seamless scenes, along with great visuals. Although it doesn't have a complicated plot with unexpected twists, Kuroko no Basket gives so much more than just your average sports series.
Previously, Kuroko no Basket had appeared in numerous threads and places whenever i was searching for something new to delve into. As a non-sports fan myself, i wasn't interested in this series until i read the reviews for it. Many of the people's comments stated that although they didn't like sports themselves, they found ... Dec 2, 2012
Y'know, for a show which was pretty retarded a lot of times, it wasn't too bad. Now you may be thinking "he didn't give it a 10, what does this man know of this show's greatness". Well, let me explain what it did right and wrong. But first an explanation of the story.
The anime starts off by explaining that a team of 6 players were the legendary super saiyans that had the ability to slap their "special" (special is the keyword here folks) golden cocks in the faces of their opponents. Now let me translate, a middle school team dominated their league and their ... Jan 19, 2013
"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships."
As a retired participant familiar with competitive high school basketball, I must admit Kuroko no Basket reminded me of the exact reasons why I fell in love with the sport. Adrenaline, leadership, endurance, and most of all, team work. In a world with so many instructed paths to follow, should one rely on team work, or their own skills in a sport like basketball? Surely, Kuroko no Basket tackles this question with considerable reflexes, not with constant waves of seriousness but with tremendously well organized comedy and series of basketball tournaments, which comprises of flashy to not-so-flashy ... Dec 26, 2014
Like any other shounen Kuroko No Basuke tends to be very slow and with little character development .. It often relies on comedy like un-going gags or catchphrases ..
.. Even so usually the best part of shounen is the intensity and emotionally gripping moments it brings.. In my opinion Kuroko no basuke was 50% of the time far from tense and it seemed really forced and unappealing.. The characters are cardboard cuttouts that even with actual motivations honestly it isnt enough to make a certain character good.. The characters are predictable and with a one-dimensional personality. The premise is quite original however they dont make really ... May 30, 2012
Ive never really watched sports anime but im giving this the full 10!!!
Its full of action, great soundtrack with brilliant and more importantly suitable voices for the characters. I like how the main character, Kuroko, is more of a shadow that people can easily overlook (often comically) but still let people know he's the main character without being all 'in your face' about it which isnt what you often see. Speaking of the Kuroko, he brings so many light hearted comical scenes into the anime from where he'd just appear out of nowhere or disappear which greatly balances out Kagami's fiery personality. The key characters of this series, ... Sep 24, 2012
Note: this is my first review on this site but I'm pretty confident that this will be helpful.
You don't have to know how to play Basketball if you want to enjoy this show or watch the NBA- though you should try just to see what it's like in real life but Kuroko no Basuket, also known as Kuroko's Basketball is an anime that will keep you glued to your seat from the first episode. Now, I have to say that I wasn't a very big fan of sports anime, in fact I disliked the whole lot of it, or I just didn't really have any ... Sep 24, 2012
What makes a good basketball player? There are many attributes to consider here, but most of them amount to the same thing: athletic ability.
Kuroko Tetsuya lacks it. He's small, he's slim, he cannot dribble, he cannot shoot, and he has no stamina. In fact, everything about him is so incredibly unremarkable that he is practically invisible both on court and off. Thus, he considers himself "a supporting actor, a shadow", one whose goal it is to help another one achieve greatness, or, as he puts it, "to make the brightness of a light stand out". Originally the rumored phantom sixth man of the "Generation of Miracles", ... Sep 29, 2013
Other reviewers have already covered the "unrealisticness" of Kuroko no Basket, so I'm going to get right into the anime itself; what makes it so good. And what make it so good?
Its storyline and characters. The storyline is essentially Seirin High School's basketball team trying to be the best of its kind. It contains two of the story's main characters: Kuroko Tetsuya and Kagami Taiga. What makes Kuroko no Basket's characters so interesting is how diverse they are; the story’s main characters, Kuroko and Kagami, could not be more different. This of course, makes the anime interesting, as you get to see the same experiences ... Jan 27, 2015
After being told over and over again by a fried that i needed to watch this show i finally caved in, and gave it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised by the show and enjoyed watching it from start to finish. Everything about the show was done very well. As someone who as played basketball up the varsity level it was pretty funny to see all of the classic stereotypes make an appearance in the show.
*if you don't want a summary of the show skip the first paragraph Just a short summary before we start, Kuroko no Basket follows the story of a High school ... Jun 10, 2012
I wasn't expecting much from this but so far it has blown me away. Each episode is exciting and suspenseful. Even if you're not a sports fan you could be hooked in very easily.
You could say expect the unexpected and it's true. *The story line is great. *The characters each have their own personality and skill. *Funny. *Full of action. *Gets you pumped. *Soundtrack is Amazing! ... Jul 6, 2015
Hi, this is my review for Kuroko no Basket. If you decide to vote "Not Helpful", please tell me why you did so on my profile as I always look to improve and please, read the review.
Story: 4/5 Plot, 1/5 Development, Total 5/10 Kuroko, now a junior high school student starts his semester Seirin High School, a team in it's 2nd year. What the other players at Seirin soon find out is that he was a player on the legendary Teiko Middle School team, and was known as the "phantom sixth man". Along with Kagami Taiga, Kuroko decides to beat the "Generation of Miracles", Kuroko's old ... May 6, 2023
Kuroko is supposed to be a sports anime, but it isn't even about the sport. Despite there being basketball games that take place, there is no real portrayal of basketball to be found. It is just a generic rule of cool anime that happens to involve basketball. The concept of superpowers in sports completely takes the point away from the sport in the first place. It makes the side characters irrelevant, and it completely destroys the foundation of the sport. Instead of placing the focus on the intricacies of the sport, we are focused on random superpowers. The characters are bland and uninteresting, and there
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Apr 21, 2014
To be honest I never expected that I would fall that much in love with this serie. I first didn’t see potential in a basketball game. I couldn’t imagine how they could make such a game exciting. But started since I had been recommended it so much and Hajime no Ippo was the only sports anime I had seen yet. What is about boxing so it is still as much similar to fighting as to sports. So I decided to give it a chance and you cannot believe how happy I am that I saw this serie. However the serie isn’t finished yet, it has
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Jul 25, 2013
Kuroko No Basket is an anime that was recommended to me by a very good friend of mine who, like me, is a basketball enthusiast. I didn't take his recommendation too seriously when I read the description and found out that this was a sports anime. I never truly had an interest in sports anime since it didn't have a natural appeal to me. Anime were too me, a way to explore new realities, new universes where the laws of logic and (for some reason) gravity doesn't count. Places where you can be a ninja or a soul reaper, even a pirate. A place where
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