Andrew Pace
Kuroko's Basketball (Kuroko no Basuke) is a Japanese manga and anime series written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. The manga was serialized from December 2008 to September 2014, while the anime adaptation aired from April 2012 to June 2015, consisting of three seasons. The story centres on the Generation of Miracles, a group of talented middle school basketball players who go on to attend different high schools. The series follows the mysterious sixth member of the Generation of Miracles, Tetsuya Kuroko, and his naturally talented teammate Taiga Kagami, as they aim to bring their new school, Seirin High, to the top of Japan. With its engaging storyline and cast of basketball players, managers, coaches, and trainers, Kuroko's Basketball has gained popularity and success, becoming one of the best-selling manga series with over 31 million copies in circulation as of November 2020.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of manga volumes | 30 |
| Number of manga chapters | 275 |
| Manga serialization period | December 2008 – September 2014 |
| Anime adaptation producer | Production I.G |
| Number of anime seasons | 3 |
| Anime adaptation period | April 2012 – June 2015 |
| Number of games | 3 |
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What You'll Learn
Anime adaptation
The anime adaptation of "Kuroko no Basuke" (known in English as "Kuroko's Basketball") is produced by Production I.G and directed by Shunsuke Tada. The anime series first premiered on April 7, 2012, and concluded its first season on September 22, 2012, with 25 episodes. The story centres on the '"Generation of Miracles"', a group of five middle school basketball stars from Teiko Middle School who go their separate ways after graduating and attend different high schools with top basketball teams. The anime follows Tetsuya Kuroko, a freshman at Seirin High and the mysterious sixth member of the "Generation of Miracles", and Kagami, a naturally talented player who spent most of middle school in America. Together, they aim to bring Seirin to the top of Japan, taking on Kuroko's former teammates one by one.
The second season of "Kuroko's Basketball" premiered on October 6, 2013, and concluded on March 29, 2014, with 25 episodes. The third and final season of the anime aired from January 2015 to June 2015. In total, the anime adaptation of "Kuroko's Basketball" spans three seasons and 75 episodes, with each episode being approximately 24 minutes long.
In addition to the main series, there have been several other anime-related adaptations and releases. A special prequel episode aired on April 3, before the start of the first season. The anime series has also been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and the first season became available on Netflix with an English dub on January 15, 2021. An animated film adaptation titled "Kuroko's Basketball The Movie: Last Game" was released in Japanese theatres on March 18, 2017, adapting the "Extra Game" manga sequel. The film features the returning cast and staff from the previous seasons.
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Manga release dates
The manga series *Kuroko's Basketball* (or *Kuroko no Basuke* in Japanese) was serialized in the *shōnen* manga anthology *Weekly Shōnen Jump* from 8 December 2008 to 1 September 2014. The manga's 275 individual chapters were collected and published into 30 tankōbon volumes by its publisher Shueisha, with the first volume published on 3 April 2009 and the last on 4 December 2014.
A crossover chapter between the series and Kawada's *Hinomaru Sumo*, with a script written by Ichirō Takahashi, was published in the magazine on 9 November 2015. Kawada was formerly an assistant to Fujimaki on *Kuroko's Basketball*.
Fujimaki began a sequel titled *Kuroko's Basketball: Extra Game* on 29 December 2014. On 27 December 2015, Fujimaki announced that he would end *Kuroko's Basketball: Extra Game* in the next issue in early March 2016.
At their New York Comic Con panel, North American publisher Viz Media announced their license to the manga. They released the manga in 2-in-1 editions, beginning in 2016.
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Video games
Kuroko's Basketball has been adapted into several video games. The first game, Kuroko's Basketball: Kiseki no Game (Kuroko's Basketball: Miracle Game), was released on 9 August 2012 for the PlayStation Portable. This was followed by Kuroko's Basketball: Shōri e no Kiseki (Kuroko's Basketball: The Path to Victory), released on 20 February 2014 for the Nintendo 3DS. The third game, Kuroko's Basketball: Mirai e no Kizuna (Kuroko's Basketball: Bonds for the Future), was released on 26 March 2015, also for the Nintendo 3DS. Kuroko also appears as a support character in the Jump crossover fighting game J-Stars Victory VS.
A mobile game by Fivecross, Kuroko no Basuke Street Rivals, is scheduled to be released in 2023.
In addition to the dedicated video games, Kuroko no Basuke was featured on the variety TV program Sakiyomi Jan Bang! in January 2011, where voice actors lent their voices to characters from popular manga.
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Main characters
The main protagonist of "Kuroko no Basuke" is Tetsuya Kuroko, the sixth member of the "Generation of Miracles". He is a freshman at Seirin High, aiming to bring the school to the top of Japan in basketball. Kuroko is diminutive in stature, often regarded as the “phantom” due to his small physique and lack of presence, which he uses to outwit his opponents on the court.
Taiga Kagami is another main character, a naturally talented player who spent most of his youth in the US. He joins Tetsuya Kuroko at Seirin High, aiming to take on Kuroko's former teammates one by one.
Aomine is another interesting character in "Kuroko no Basuke". He is the polar opposite of Midorima, as he does not see the need to practise and usually naps when it is time for practice. At Teiko, Aomine and Kuroko were a solid partnership, but Aomine eventually adopted a solo playstyle due to a lack of worthwhile competition. Despite his cocky display, Aomine yearns for a worthy opponent to make basketball fun for him again.
Kiyoshi Teppei is a student in his second year at Seirin High and a co-founder of the school's basketball team. Introduced in the latter part of the first season, he missed the entire Interhigh competition due to a knee injury. Despite mostly playing as a centre, his playmaking ability allows him to transition to a point guard. Kiyoshi is known for his fortitude and ferocity, earning him the nickname "Iron Heart".
Kazunari Takao is also a notable character, presented as Kuroko's direct rival and a player with skills comparable to the "Generation of Miracles". He is one of the anime's most popular characters, ranking third in Weekly Shonen Jump's final popularity poll for the manga.
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Plot
Kuroko's Basketball is a Japanese manga and anime series about basketball, written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki. The manga was serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from December 2008 to September 2014, while the anime adaptation aired from April 2012 to June 2015, consisting of three seasons.
The plot of Kuroko's Basketball centres on the "Generation of Miracles", a group of five middle school basketball stars from Teiko Middle School who dominated the basketball scene in Japan and won the middle school Nationals for three consecutive years. After graduating, the five players went to different high schools with top basketball teams. However, there was a rumour about a sixth member of the "Generation of Miracles": a phantom player.
This mysterious sixth player, Tetsuya Kuroko, is now a freshman at Seirin High, a school with a lesser-known but powerful basketball team. He teams up with Taiga Kagami, a naturally talented player who spent most of his youth in the US. Together, they aim to bring Seirin to the top of Japan by taking on Kuroko's former teammates one by one.
Kuroko's Basketball follows the journey of Seirin High's basketball team as they strive to make it to the Interhigh, a national tournament. Along the way, they face challenges and compete against other strong teams, including Shutoku, Touhou Academy, Senshinkan, and Meisei. Despite setbacks and losses, Seirin persists, and their team dynamics and strategies evolve with the addition of new players, such as Kiyoshi Teppei, the founder of Seirin's basketball team.
The series also explores the backgrounds and relationships of the characters, including Kuroko's past as a member of the "Generation of Miracles" and his reasons for joining Seirin High. Kagami's skills and abilities as a player, as well as his dynamic with Kuroko, play a significant role in the team's success. The anime adaptation stays true to the manga's storyline, presenting the challenges and triumphs of the Seirin High basketball team on their road to the top.
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Frequently asked questions
The manga series 'Kuroko no Basuke' was serialized from December 2008 to September 2014, with 275 chapters collected and published into 30 tankōbon volumes.
The anime series 'Kuroko's Basketball' aired for three seasons from April 2012 to June 2015, with 25 episodes per season.
The anime film adaptation of the manga series 'Kuroko's Basketball: Extra Game' premiered in March 2017, but the duration of the film is unknown.
