Introduction
in a nutshell
Kuroko no Basket, also known as Kuroko no Basuke or 黒子のバスケ in Japan, Kuroko’s Basketball, and The Basketball Which Kuroko Plays, is a Japanese manga about basketball written and illustrated by Tadatoshi Fujimaki, 藤巻 忠俊. Starting as an unknown sports manga, like many others, in a serialized magazine called Weekly Shōnen Jump in December of 2008, it has now become a massively popular manga with over 27 million copies in circulation as of April 2014. The complete series has been collected into 30 volumes. Many of the volumes have appeared on the lists of best-selling manga in Japan, often taking the #1 spot. In 2013, Kuroko no Basket was the third highest selling manga series with over eight million copies sold in one year. It has also been adapted into an anime series by Production I.G with three seasons. A sequel manga called Kuroko’s Basketball: Extra Game is also written by Fujimaki.
As bestsellers, these copies of Kuroko no Basket were placed at the front of bookstores to sell more. This picture depicts the books and slips advertising the second season of its anime adaptation. (http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/12/16/national/man-arrested-over-threats-against-hoops-manga/#.VN6gWMbzOKV)
As a pop culture icon in Japan, hundreds of thousands of fans all around the world have engulfed themselves in this addictive sports manga. As one of the many other rising sports manga of today, after The Prince of Tennis, Kuroko no Basket completely differs in terms of narrative. Compared to many sports manga where the narrative is anchored on the sport itself, Kuroko no Basket is centered on the characters and their development throughout the series.
Though with its popularity and fans, comes it many haters. Kuroko no Basket has its base of haters and fans which often end up resembling an intense basketball game. Some fans of another popular basketball manga, called Slam Dunk that is close to real-life basketball, have criticized the series for its portrayal of unrealistic style of basketball. For example, Shintarō Midorima, one of the main characters old teammates, can shoot baskets from anywhere on the court.
While some avid manga readers find problems with this series, many find home in this sports series. Fans are intrigued by the well-developed characters and fast paced matches which get their adrenaline pumping. The story is told at an even pace and is ambitious enough to draw readers in, so they will not stop until they see the story through. Even though some of the players’ abilities are quite over the top, it enforces imagination and the dream to become better at the sport.
Though with its popularity and fans, comes it many haters. Kuroko no Basket has its base of haters and fans which often end up resembling an intense basketball game. Some fans of another popular basketball manga, called Slam Dunk that is close to real-life basketball, have criticized the series for its portrayal of unrealistic style of basketball. For example, Shintarō Midorima, one of the main characters old teammates, can shoot baskets from anywhere on the court.
While some avid manga readers find problems with this series, many find home in this sports series. Fans are intrigued by the well-developed characters and fast paced matches which get their adrenaline pumping. The story is told at an even pace and is ambitious enough to draw readers in, so they will not stop until they see the story through. Even though some of the players’ abilities are quite over the top, it enforces imagination and the dream to become better at the sport.
Not only do fans think the series is fun and humorous, many avid manga readers and anime watchers think it is the sports series of the decade, the successor of The Prince of Tennis. It seems for every negative “basket” by haters, there is a positive “basket” shot in return. Which group do you think should win this match? Read Kuroko no Basket, and decide for yourself!
why should i care?
Why should you care about a sports manga phenomenon, one of the most successful series in Japanese culture? The Japanese pop culture sensation that has been captivating readers for over seven years? Well, Kuroko no Basket is an amazing series depicting journeys of friendships, rivalries, and teammates.
Plus, the characters in Kuroko no Basket are diverse and relatable. Fujimaki has given interesting, and compelling characters, of which we can relate to at least one. For example, are you serious and straightforward, and sometimes unnoticeable, yet passionate and rational? Tetsuya Kuroko, the protagonist, is a character you could easily relate to, as he is calm and passionate about playing basketball. Or, are you loud and rash, yet talented in sports? Taiga Kagami, the deuteragonist, would be a relatable character for you because of his fiery temper and natural talent at playing basketball. Besides those two characters, there are still a variety of characters in the Kuroko no Basket universe, each and every with different personalities and developments throughout the story.
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What could be more amazing than if we suddenly acquired basketball talents more amazing than popular NBA players? How much fun would it be if we were able to attend a school with a great basketball team and where we could make friends?
But let’s face it - the chances that we will acquire supernatural basketball skills and suddenly win basketball championships are next-to-nothing. But that does not mean that we cannot experience the adventures and surprises in Kuroko no Basket. We can let the characters of Kuroko no Basket inspire us and learn the true meaning of friendship and victory.
*Important! In no way does the author of this website own or have any right to the series Kuroko no Basket as it is written by Tadatoshi Fujimaki and produced by Production I.G. The author of this website created this purely for educational purposes and in no way profits from this website. Anyhow, the author sincerely hopes you enjoy the perspectives and information this website provides. Thank you.