TEIKO MIDDLE SCHOOL
The Teiko Middle School basketball team.
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.
From the first time I met him, I had a vague idea.
Going against him, that hunch took material shape.
And now, I'm absolutely sure of it.
He's like us, the Generation of Miracles.
You could say he's someone in the Generation of Miracles who took a completely different path.
That's why I put so much into this. This is my instinct.
He's one I absolutely don't want to lose to!
Change gears. We're on the offensive now.
We'll score right back at them!
I know that!
That's right. We'll score right back... I'm just not going to lose!
59Q. DON'T BELITTLE US!!
Nice, Kagami!
Blitz it!
That just now... Wasn't Kise-chin a lot lower than usual?
Dammit!
It's in!
The ace match is totally in Kagami's favor!
Not yet! I can still fight!
Ending it like this is way uncool...
He's the one guy I definitely don't want to lose to...
Member change, black!
Kise, I'm swapping you out.
Wait... Why me? If I leave now...
Kise. Follow the coach's orders.
- A substitution? - Can it be?
Kise-kun...
Kise...
So it really is...
Your foot, right?
Must be from that time, right?
Oh. So you found me out...
But... Let me play!
I can fight through this! I can't let us lose like this...
If that's so, then you lost back when you ended up this way.
I know all the overworking shows how much you wanted to win.
It's hard for me to accept that Haizaki got your injured leg too.
But you can't use that as an excuse.
A game involves everything, including stuff like that.
It has nothing to do with the outcome.
Dammit!
You said some harsh words to make him bow out.
Not really. If it was so bad he'd never play again, the coach wouldn't have put him out from the start.
I'm positive he'll be back.
But it's nothing but a joke if we can't do a thing as soon as we lose him.
All of you, show me what you've got.
Yeah!
- This is a chance for us. - Yeah.
- Let's center our attack around Kagami. - Got it.
Kagami-kun...
I know.
I do sympathize. That's why I'll give it my all.
Okay.
Double-team?
We won't let you past!
That's Nakamura, whose middle school was top eight in the nationals! He's famous for defense...
- Kagami! Toss it out! - Got it!
All right, let's go!
This is... the Phantom Shot!
Dammit, no good! What the hell is up with this shot?
It's in!
Two goals in a row!
Dammit! Sorry, if only (I) had been a (lot) closer on him!
No, you're double-teaming Kagami! Are you an idiot?
First of all, if you were close, you'd be more inclined to fall for that mis-whatever...
I figured it out... Why that shot disappears.
For real, Kasamatsu?
Yeah, but I don't have time to explain. For now, keep the formation as is.
I bet Kuroko will fall back to the bench once.
But I'm not gonna let him go without a price. I'll crush one of his weapons.
- Rebound! - Yeah!
Shoot...
Nice (re)bound!
He's good!
Kobori! Outside!
His form's ugly as always...
That went in!
Even without Kise, Kaijo's not falling behind!
All right!
- Coach, isn't it about time? - Looks like.
- Oh, you mean subbing Kuroko out? - Yup.
But it seems Kaijo hasn't been able to adapt to Kuroko yet, so at this rate...
That's only because Kuroko-kun has been dodging the bullet well.
We faced Kaijo before, so misdirection won't work well.
And if that wears out, only Overflow is left.
I see...
So we'll swap out at the next dead ball.
Mitobe-kun, get ready.
He's staying back...
Even if he's being cautious of a penetration, he's faster than me... What's going on?
Iduki doesn't have a high shooting percentage from outside. Are they trying to force a shot?
If so, I'm not going to... Because...
Now that there's two on Kagami, there's a more definite route to take!
All right! Go, Kuroko!
Kasamatsu?
So this is why he kept his distance from Iduki?
A backstep?
So that's how it is!
I thought before that the trajectory the ball takes is high... but it's the reverse!
That unique form presents a low shooting point, and that was the secret to its disappearing!
Normally, when you shoot, the eyes of the defense are looking up.
But his form where he pushes out from his chest has a low ball trajectory.
The defensive line of sight looks down.
And the rapidly elevating ball disappears out of sight in an instant.
At the same time, he misdirects your line of sight to Kagami, so you lose track of the ball, as if it vanished.
But if you take a step back and don't jump, your field of vision grows.
And if you have the speed to catch up from there...
I can see it all.
He stopped it!
Following Kise's lead, Kasamatsu does it too!
Kasamatsu...
Senpai...
You've got to be kidding.
The shot that defeated even Murasakibara!
And unlike Kise, it was after exposing all the secrets.
The Phantom Shot has been completely conquered now...
Member change, white!
Kuroko.
Kuroko...
I swapped him out a second too late...
Now it looks like he got beaten and is stepping down.
It might affect the team's morale!
I'm sorry.
I got blocked before the substitution. Sorry I stopped the momentum.
- Huh? - He's more normal than I thought.
- You weren't shocked by this? - Of course I was shocked.
But I'm fine. This hasn't caused Seirin to lose yet.
Besides...
Kuroko...
Leave it to me.
We still have our trusty ace.
That double-team was because his drive worried us most, and he just breaks right through?
K-Kagami?
Hand me the ball anytime.
Right now, I don't feel like I'm gonna lose.
It's in!
Amazing! He doesn't see the double-team as anything!
Damn.
His pep isn't half-bad. Just like Kise... No, maybe possibly even better?
- Not good! - A three! Shoot it!
That was too high!
Go!
A pass?
This is where the second quarter ends!
It's a tie!
We finally got back to square one!
That "nice pass" back there... What's with you?
But why?
Time for the break. We're heading back!
SEIRIN HIGH WAITING ROOM Listen up to the second half's prep!
I have... nothing to say!
Nothing!
But you just said to listen up...
In short, we're fine. We'll keep going in the second half like this!
Kise-kun has an injured leg, but I'm sure he'll come out towards the end.
Before that, grab the biggest lead you can. Offense is the only choice!
Got it!
- Kagami-kun. - Yeah.
The shoes I got from that bastard Aomine are an amazing fit.
- I'll go all out second half too. - Sure.
But are you going to be okay?
They stopped the Phantom Shot. Got anything up your sleeve?
- I don't know. - Hey! Don't you say that a lot?
But I can't just stay depressed. I have to do something about it...
KAIJO HIGH WAITING ROOM I beg you, Coach!
Put me in!
I'm the only one who can stop Kagami! Am I wrong?
No. The last two minutes. I can't play you before that.
But... How we are now...
Kise!
Moriyama-senpai, back me up here!
Come...
"Come out..." I feel so compelled to say that.
That's just how out of control Kagami is right now.
Kise.
Senpai...
We understand your side of the story.
KAIJO SEIRIN
Starting the second half. Third quarter!
As I thought...
We understand your side of the story. But the answer is no!
- Wait, why is that-- - Shut up!
Orders from your senpai, idiot! Don't you first years talk back!
He really has that school-sports-team feel...
Come to think of it, it was like this when I first entered Kaijo too.
I'm Shohei Nagaoka. I'm from Iwai Middle School, and I'd like to be a shooting guard.
Okay, next!
My turn, huh? Then since I'm last...
I'm Ryota Kise, first year!
My hobby's b-ball, my specialty is karaoke! Wait, that's backwards.
I'm from Teiko Middle School, and I'm okay with any position!
I also work as a model so I might not be able to come to practice much, but nice to meet you!
The Generation of Miracles guy...
And he's so tacky...
Shut up. I only asked for name, middle school, and position played!
Just diligently answer what you're asked, you tacky punk!
That hurt!
Isn't this a bad way to treat a rookie hopeful that was scouted for you?
Like I care! You first years don't talk back to a senpai's orders!
I'm not good with stuffy things like that.
You're important just 'cause you were born a year or two earlier?
Besides, I'm probably better at basketball than you are.
We're important.
Good or bad aside, this is Kaijo High's basketball team. It's not because they were born first.
The second and third years have been working hard and contributing that much longer than you.
I'm telling you to respect that fact.
Whether you're the Generation of Miracles doesn't matter. You're a Kaijo first year now, Ryota Kise.
And I'm Yukio Kasamatsu. The captain of the team.
You got something to say about that?
I knew he wasn't just acting all high and mighty, but I wasn't fully sold either.
But somehow... I liked the concept of "Kise of Kaijo."
KAIJO
SEIRIN
All right!
And it's in! We're on a scoring run!
Dammit!
Please... Hold out somehow till I'm back!
Calm down, Kise. Work on healing up until the last two minutes.
I'm still not used to it. How hard it is to find the right timing for this shot!
Kaijo's somehow holding on for dear life, but they can't stop the momentum that Seirin has right now.
Back at ya!
Hyuga? That a three?
Not letting you!
Nice shot, Mitobe!
That combination play succeeded!
Taiga being a given, Seirin no longer has any player they can leave open.
What will you do, Kaijo?
Keep going at this pace!
Kasamatsu?
But what'll we do about Kaga(mi)?
I hate to say it, but he can't be stopped even with a double-team...
I expected this when I first found out about Kise's foot.
But what I didn't expect was that guy's ridiculous speed of growth.
I can't think of any good tactic we can use on all five of Seirin's team right now.
But we can score.
If they score on us, we can't help that.
But we'll make sure to score back! Even if it kills us, we're gonna hang on!
Jeez, what a pathetic story if I say so myself. Pisses me off.
Desperately holding on and then having to rely on Kise...
But still, if that's the way for us to win, I'll gladly do it.
So fast! Is that his full drive in top gear?
Not yet! Go get him, Eagle Spear!
All right!
Senpai!
Kasamatsu!
Rebound!
It's in!
- Kinda forced, but they scored! - Kaijo's willpower is amazing!
Guys!
It's not over yet!
We're Kaijo! Don't belittle us!
- Kise, rest a bit for now. - I know that. I know that, but I...
You idiot, we get it without you saying it. Save your power in order to win!
60Q. IN ORDER TO WIN Senpai... Got it!