I don’t think it’s a secret how much I enjoyed and loved Kuroko no Basuke, and out of the series I’ve had the chance to blog at Random Curiosity so far, this was undoubtedly my favorite. As sports shounen, the plot is nothing to write home about – it follows a rather standard format, so there’s nothing extraordinary about the series in that aspect. What’s important however, is how to present a hackneyed storyline so that it feels fresh and exciting to the audience. In this day and age it’s truly hard to win the crowd’s approval with originality because there’s just so much out there and there are limits set by each genre. There are specific formulas that are difficult to escape from and the reason most anime blend into each other nowadays is because most of them aim to follow a tried and true formula that might not necessarily be the best, but works. Plot-wise, Kuroko no Basuke offers nothing new. It is a story about two guys wanting to become the best at something, and it’s impossible to miss the shounen touches that grace some of the matches. But no one said it was impossible to be a sports shounen and still be good.
What Kuroko no Basuke offers are some tightly-written characters and capable directing that bring heart-pounding to a new level. Nothing is wasted in this show and there’s a clear trajectory with each episode that makes the watch breezy and enjoyable. The games, while a tad unrealistic at some points (that longest three seconds!), offer some exciting moments for the sports fans to cheer over. The high-school setting has a youthful, passionate atmosphere that captures adolescence and the thrill of playing basketball perfectly, and the highs and lows are depicted in the most organic manner possible. All the emotions and interactions feel cohesive and real, but most of all, they feel relatable. This is Kuroko no Basuke’s greatest strength as a show and why it is able to distinguish itself from the genre as something worth watching and remembering. It draws the audience in and immerses them in its world – it’s gripping at its best and the experience is neither cumbersome nor draining. The series doesn’t demand the viewers feel anything in particular; the presentation of the material makes it clear it’s completely up to the viewers what they feel, if they even want to feel anything. Hence whatever emotion the audience experiences will be due to their empathy towards the situation – what they know from experience – rather than momentary, artificial emotions derived from the knowledge of what they should feel.
So after all this tl;dr, should you watch this show? The answer is absolutely. This is one recommendation I can make without reservation because of the wide range of audience Kuroko no Basuke caters to: sports fans, fujoshis, shounen fans, women, men, and people who need to restore their faith in Production I.G. That’s a lot of ground it covers and hopefully this means there’s a second season coming for this little gem. The “epilogue” shots are full-on spoilers at work and given how unabashedly Production I.G included those scenes, I can only assume it was an unofficial announcement of sorts. Either that or they thought April Fool’s came early this year. When, and if, the second season comes though, you can be sure I’ll be watching it!
It’s been an absolute pleasure covering this show, and thank you readers for bearing with my long-winded posts and the commenters for taking the time to share what you thought of the episodes! Finally… BakaMochi, out!
What Kuroko no Basuke offers are some tightly-written characters and capable directing that bring heart-pounding to a new level. Nothing is wasted in this show and there’s a clear trajectory with each episode that makes the watch breezy and enjoyable. The games, while a tad unrealistic at some points (that longest three seconds!), offer some exciting moments for the sports fans to cheer over. The high-school setting has a youthful, passionate atmosphere that captures adolescence and the thrill of playing basketball perfectly, and the highs and lows are depicted in the most organic manner possible. All the emotions and interactions feel cohesive and real, but most of all, they feel relatable. This is Kuroko no Basuke’s greatest strength as a show and why it is able to distinguish itself from the genre as something worth watching and remembering. It draws the audience in and immerses them in its world – it’s gripping at its best and the experience is neither cumbersome nor draining. The series doesn’t demand the viewers feel anything in particular; the presentation of the material makes it clear it’s completely up to the viewers what they feel, if they even want to feel anything. Hence whatever emotion the audience experiences will be due to their empathy towards the situation – what they know from experience – rather than momentary, artificial emotions derived from the knowledge of what they should feel.
So after all this tl;dr, should you watch this show? The answer is absolutely. This is one recommendation I can make without reservation because of the wide range of audience Kuroko no Basuke caters to: sports fans, fujoshis, shounen fans, women, men, and people who need to restore their faith in Production I.G. That’s a lot of ground it covers and hopefully this means there’s a second season coming for this little gem. The “epilogue” shots are full-on spoilers at work and given how unabashedly Production I.G included those scenes, I can only assume it was an unofficial announcement of sorts. Either that or they thought April Fool’s came early this year. When, and if, the second season comes though, you can be sure I’ll be watching it!
It’s been an absolute pleasure covering this show, and thank you readers for bearing with my long-winded posts and the commenters for taking the time to share what you thought of the episodes! Finally… BakaMochi, out!