TEIKO MIDDLE SCHOOL
The Teiko Middle School basketball club.
In its brilliant history, there were five once-in-a-decade prodigies in one year...
...the "Generation of Miracles."
Ryota Kise. Shintaro Midorima. Daiki Aomine.
Atsushi Murasakibara. Seijuro Akashi.
And the menace standing against them was Seirin High School...
With its shadow... and light.
You're going to move aside for me.
Shintaro, you are strong.
But you will lose.
Even for you guys, it is impossible to stand up against me.
I do not allow anyone acting against me to look down upon me.
56Q. I WILL OFFER THEM
They haven't given up?
Yes. He is trying to do something...
If they're trying to claw back in now, they'll need Midorima's threes...
But as long as Akashi is on him, that's impossible no matter how you look at it!
Less than 10 seconds for a violation... So their offense is getting nowhere?
That's part of it... But more than that, what they're going to try now is probably pretty damn risky.
What do you mean?
Considering the time and the score, at this point one mistake can cost the game.
Indecision and doubt will lead to mistakes.
Which means, they'll be on the move when they resolve to make the move.
Hey, Shintaro Midorima-kun!
Yo! My name is Kazunari Takao. You're going to join the basketball team, right?
I am too! Nice to meet you!
How do you know my name?
It's harder to find someone who plays that doesn't know your name!
Hey, what's that?
The lucky item for today, according to the fortunes on the Oha-asa show. Scotch tape.
What's with that?
What is so funny?
I mean, isn't it funny? Your lucky item is Scotch tape?
And I just brushed it by, but what's with how you end your sentences? It cracks me up!
He seems like the thoughtless type. The first impression I had of Takao was never a good one.
- All right! Next! Shuttle run! - Okay!
Run, run, run!
Hey, you're falling behind! Make sure to touch the floor!
The practice at Shutoku was about the same as Teiko, if not even harsher.
TEAM WITHDRAWAL FORM
Those that had put their skills to good use in middle school dropped out on a daily basis.
Furthermore, none of the first-years stayed behind to do extra practice.
What's so funny?
Well, no matter how many times I see it, it's amazing... Besides, that shot is way too high.
Shut up. Don't get in my way.
Sorry, sorry. Though, I seriously don't have any intent on denying your efforts.
Anyway, what do you mean by this?
Lately, when I stay late, you're always here too.
And you seem to compete against me every chance you get.
Do you have some special animosity against me?
Well, yeah.
I guess you won't be able to remember who I was after all.
Back when I was in middle school, I went against you once, and lost.
It frustrated me so much I kept practicing even after I quit... And when I came up to high school...
The guy I swore I would defeat was standing right in front of me as my teammate.
Seriously, it cracks me up.
But there's no use now to hold any animosity.
It's more like I wanted you to acknowledge me.
Maybe that's why you thought I was trying to compete against you?
Why didn't you tell me?
Huh?
Why do you laugh?
I'd like to ask you why! You're gonna make me say it?
Like, "I've totally been doing my best since I took a beating from you!" That'd be so uncool!
I'm sure you're not planning to anyway, but don't acknowledge me yet.
I'm just going to practice more than you do. I'm merely doing what I've decided for myself.
In due time, I'll toss you passes that'll make you ooh and aah. Remember that, Shin-chan!
Stop calling me that because it feels overly friendly, Takao.
This is a bet. I need to believe in my teammates more than believing in myself.
It's not enough that I've done everything I could. However, I have no doubts.
There is not one man on this team who has not done his best!
He entered his shooting motion despite not having the ball?
These guys...
What is he doing?
It can't be...
He caught it mid-air and shot a three?
Is such a thing possible?
- All right! - Yeah!
It's true that if he's that high, you can't get the ball even if you can see the future...
But that just now wasn't something that was just a little bit difficult, you know!
It's a given Midorima is amazing for landing that shot...
...but to throw the pass exactly where Midorima was.
That is unbelievable accuracy!
Something like this was unthinkable from Midorima-cchi before now.
Midorima-cchi only takes shots that he is absolutely confident in sinking.
But that just now... No matter how accurate the pass, the accuracy drops compared to a normal shot.
Even if it is to win against Akashi-cchi...
To make a shot being fully aware he could miss...
...is something he can't do unless he really trusts his teammate.
Rebound!
Old man's got a nasty rebound even this late in the game! He's got some stamina!
Blitz!
It's in! Three in a row!
Shutoku's closing the gap in one fell swoop!
Though they have a different style, they're really similar to you guys.
That really looks like the light and shadow of Shutoku.
You're right.
In any case, catching a pass in the air for a three... That's an incredible move.
But, why didn't they use it until now?
I think it's more like everything up to here fits the scenario that Midorima-kun had written.
Back in Teiko, the Generation of Miracles was forbidden to use their powers to the fullest.
Because the power was too strong, their bodies could not physically keep up.
Even if they knew what the other could do, they haven't directly gone against each other.
So, Midorima experienced Emperor Eye for the first time down there.
And he couldn't win unless he went out on a limb.
Right. That move is powerful and effective against Akashi-kun, but also has a high risk of failure.
But wasn't it worth betting on it? As proof...
Akashi had looked all calm until now, but he's got a different face on now.
Shutoku isn't dead yet. The showdown is going to begin now.
More than I had assumed, Shintaro... That's how it should be.
It's futile. Step aside.
My orders are absolute.
Midorima!
UNYIELDING TENACITY
Not yet! Don't give up! Falling down is not an embarrassment!
True embarrassment is not standing up after such a fall!
Akashi!
Impossible! From that form and after falling down once...
He switched over in an instant! His situational awareness is ridiculously fast too!
Wha...
Otsubo!
Otsubo-san, you really are the best!
Not letting you through here!
You've got to be kidding. It was perfectly fine to shoot a normal three in this situation... How aggressive!
Go!
Four in a row!
They've got a glimpse of Rakuzan's back now!
Still not enough! Get on them!
Here they come!
Everything's riding on this full-court defense!
Furthermore, Akashi is double-teamed by Midorima and Takao!
All this pressure...
What the hell are you doing? That's your own goal...
W-What did he...
Own-goal?
He aimed before he shot. What is he thinking?
Akashi-cchi...
Akashi...
When did I tell you to drop your concentration? The game isn't over yet.
Did your nerves relax because we got such a huge lead?
All this disconcerting just because they scored several goals in a row is good proof of that.
If the lead was slimmer, we wouldn't have had to make such an unsightly show.
If that's so, I'd sooner get rid of that lead altogether.
Calm your heads down a bit.
If we lose, you can criticize me as much as you want because the reason we lost would be that shot.
I'll take full responsibility and immediately quit the team.
Furthermore, as proof of atonement for my sin...
I will gouge out both of my eyeballs, and I will offer them to you.
What are you talking about? You don't have to go that far!
That's only if we lose. We have no issues if we win.
I am not worried at all. Because I am confident...
...that with you guys all here, there's no way that we will lose.
Come on, this is only an extracurricular activity! There's no way he'd gouge his eyes out!
But what's with the reaction from all the other guys?
I can't believe it... But Akashi just might go through with it.
He has that kind of a perilous air about him.
In either case, the effect it had on inspiring the team was immense.
All the Rakuzan players look different now.
SHUTOKU-RAKUZAN
All right!
Dammit!
Even if the lead is cut, their fundamental strength is high enough to push ahead!
Rakuzan's attacks just keep on going, as expected!
They recovered with that one call from Akashi.
However, Shutoku still has a chance!
No matter how much you can see in the future, he possibly can't stop Midorima's shot...
It's unfortunate, but this game is already over.
I'll declare it right now.
You will no longer be able to even touch the ball.
What?
That's impossible, Akashi.
Even with your Emperor Eye, you can't stop us from shooting!
Indeed, it is true that height is a valuable factor in basketball.
At first glance, it is impossible to stop.
But I'll teach you something.
I am the absolute. I can see everything in the future.
And it is such a simple task to change it.
It's rather quiet... Shutoku is more cautious than ever this game now.
Of course... They can't afford to fail scoring at this point in the game.
The groove they got on thanks to the streak of threes was dampened by Akashi.
If they fail to score here, they have no time to rally. This shot decide Shutoku's fate!
Here it comes!
They're double-teaming Takao now!
Wha...
Takao!
Such pressure! It's impossible like that to precisely toss it up into Midorima's hands!
I knew you guys would at least go that far.
I can't fulfill my job as Shin-chan's partner if I panic with just this!
Don't underestimate me!
He passed them!
Furthermore, Midorima-cchi is already in the shooting motion...
He started moving right beforehand... He believed that Takao would pass them!
Go!
I thought I had told you... I am the absolute.
That shot has a flaw.
To adjust the pass to the left-handed Shintaro's shot, you must pass from the left-hand side.
And Shintaro's shooting motion has the same form as usual.
In other words, I don't even need to use Emperor Eye to easily figure out the course and timing for the pass.
I only use the Eye for an instant.
To start moving one step before he passed, but late enough that he couldn't cancel his motion.
I had him skirt by the double-team in this direction as well.
So I could close the distance between us.
But I had acknowledged where Akashi was with my Hawk Eye!
He couldn't possibly reach just by moving one step ahead...
It can't be!
Was he intentionally moving slower during the first half? At a level where it would pass Shin-chan by unnoticed?
Impossible... To think the groundwork had already been laid...
You were above what I assumed, but you were not above what I imagined.
It is the same thing, whether shogi or basketball.
I thought I always told you.
True groundwork looks into the future without letting the opponent notice.
He doesn't merely rely on physical skills or talent...
A terribly intricate design of play!
This is the captain of the Generation of Miracles... Seijuro Akashi!
Dammit... Dammit... Everything...
Everything up to now was all being played out on Akashi's hand!
Don't give up!
We can still do this!
UNYIELDING TENACITY Defense! Defense! Defense!
I'm sorry. I'm not good with rowdy places. Can you quiet down a bit?
Not yet! It's not over yet!
Like I'm letting you shoot!
Hold it, Takao!
A fake...
Getting fouled while sinking a three... That can't be...
You're kidding me...
I may not look it, but I'm pretty greedy!
Three, and the basket counts...
Seriously? That's a four-point play.
All right!
Huh?
Yours hurts. Don't!
You shoulda done that already, Sista Reo!
I'm telling you, it's not something I can do all the time!
SHUTOKU-RAKUZAN
It's over, Shintaro.
Akashi!
I show you my respect anew, Shintaro... And Shutoku High School.
Until the very end, not one of you lost the will to fight.
But...
You still can't reach...
Now rest, king of veterans.
KAIJO - SEIRIN
This is Rakuzan's true strength...
Hey, can I go home already?
The score hasn't been settled yet, right?
Can I go home after then?
57Q. IT MAKES ME LAUGH There's one more semifinal match, right?
Come on, Atsushi!