Kuroko No Basket S1 Rewatch, Eps: 14-18 - Wingroad's

kuroEp 14-18 Touou arc

Episode 14

The episode begins with Midorima talking with Aomine about Kuroko and Aomine basically being a dick and telling Midorima that he and Kuroko are not basically enemies.

Seirin is beat and they cannot move because two games in a row. And Kagami is basically…well he can’t move at all. Riko suggest they go to a nearest restaurant and they play jan ken pon to decide who will carry Kagami. Like that will turn out well.

They go to an okonomiyaki shop where they meet Kasamatsu and Kise. AND OF COURSE KURKO LOST AND HAD TO CARRY KAGAMI.

I’m sure he just got fed up along the way and dumped him XDDD ALSO. HEIGHT GAP. NNNN.

Kise, Kasamatsu, Kuroko and Kagami sit at one table and socialize a bit. Right when Takao and Modorima enter.

TAKAO. Modorima is of course ridiculous and wants to leave but it’s raining to they stay. It also turns out that Takao is a big Kasamatsu fanboy and he forces him to sit and talk with him. Leaving a seat for Midorima at the WTF table.

THEY AGREE SEE?

TAKAO PLS.

Kuroko tries to break the heavy mood. Kagami orders a shit ton of food and they wonder if he’s human.

Kise then tries to lighten the mood, but Midorima still is a dick. Kise says he will have his revenge in the inter-high and Midorima says he changed. Kise then says that lately he’s been thinking that playing with Kaijo is fun. Then Midorima says he was wrong and he just reversed to the moment before Teiko won the championships.

And okay I can’t anymore. How much more proof of “Teiko was toxic and fucked up” do you need?

Kuroko then remarks that they were all like that and that time and Midorima still is a dick and says that he doesn’t play for fun (duh).

Then Kagami says that they think too much, because of course they play because they like the game.

Aside from the “OOOH SO NOW YOU GET IT??” comment I had, I also wanted to say that I like that Kagami is so….simple. He is clearly a good partner for Kuroko, he can be pig-headed and arrogant, but he’s not cunning and he’s…like I said. Simple minded.

Midorima wants to be a dick, but that’s a perfect time for Takao to throw (accidentally) his okonomiyaki at his head. IT WAS PRICELESS. He walks out with Takao to spank him probably hehe.

Kuroko says that basically Kagami is right and he realized it during the game and that he had fun. Also HE LOOKS SO CONTENT. ;W;

Then they talk about Aomine for a bit and Kuroko says that he doesn’t like Aomine’s style. Modorima walks out and Kuroko says, with such painful honesty that he wants to play him again AUGH BABU.

The follows some of my favorite scenes in the ep. Seirin walks out and they again look for Kuroko. Kuroko then comes and says he found a dog. Then Riko comes out and she goes MENTAL BECAUSE THE DOG IS SO CUTE.

Also I love how the dog is on Kuroko’s head and obviously the dog is cute, BUT KUROKO IS ALSO A CUTIE AUGH HELP MEEEE. Everyone then realizes that the dog LOOKS LIKE KUROKO BECAUSE HE HAS THE SAME EYES. That’s it. Kuroko is a puppy and has puppy eyes. I’m so done.

Koganei decides to name him TETSUYA NO.2. PERFECT. Almost everyone is enamored with the cute puppy. Except Kagami……

You big dump tiger.

Next day Seirin has practice, but Kagami can’t play because he needs to heal his legs. Nigou is also there and is a cutie, however Kagami doesn’t thinks so and he tries to sneak out.

AND THEN MY FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD HAPPEN. Riko asks him does he really hates dogs that much and he says yeah AND THEN KUROKO MAKES THIS FACE:

AND KAGAMI SAYS THIS:

AND I LOST IT AND I WAS SHIPPING. KAGAMI IS SCARED OF DOGS BUT PUPPY EYES. PUPPY EYES.

AND THEN KUROKO CHASES HIM AND DEMANDS THAT KAGAMI SAYS NIGOU IS CUTE. I JUST. WHERE DO I EVEN START.

Then they have practice at the pool.

Poor babu, has no stamina.

Then Momoi shows up:

And everyone has a fit (sans Kagami khm khm and Kuroko obviously) because woha a cute girl. Momoi says she’s Kuroko’s girlfriend everyone has an even bigger fit. Kuroko denies, because lol nope she was my manager.

They ask her why because lol Kuroko. She tells her that she just likes the way he becomes when he plays and she tells them that he gave her a popsicle.

Now I wanna say something about this scene. It’s supposed to be funny, but it does start from being a bit sad, with Momoi being alone and with no friends and looking at people who have friends. Then comes Kuroko and gives her the sick with the “winner” on it. I really do not think he did that offhandedly and by accident. Kuroko is super perceptive, so he would recognize a person who is lonely, plus he’s a good kid and he didn’t want to see Momoi sad. And I think they felt a sort of kinship at that moment, they maintain this connection for a long time, they do have similar goals (wanting to beat Aomine, because they both care about him). So I do not think she is “in love”, I think she says stuff like that because a) fanservice in a way? And b) she likes to screw with people a bit. She says she wanted to go to his school (maybe she really did) but she clearly says later that she had to go Touou because of Aomine. If Aomine wasn’t like that, I still think she would go to Touou.

Riko is a bit jealous, but I cannot blame the creators because they give me a lovely hyuuga/riko moment where she slaps him in the pool because hyuuga sneaks glances at Momo.

She tells them she knows all of them and their positions and then Kuroko asks if it’s true that she goes to Aomine’s school.

I also find the scene where she wants to pet Nigou and he’s grumpy at her a bit sad.

Cut to after practice and Kagami dribbling a bit and then Aomine really appears. He says he wants to test Kagami and his play, and he doesn’t look for an opponent stronger than himself.

However it’s the conversation Momo and Kuroko have that tells a lot about Kuroko’s and Teiko’s mental state.

Also foreshadowing. Sorta. I don’t really think he will ever become like Aomine, but Kuroko still has Aomine’s, how to call it, loss and Kagami’s stunt during the Shuutoku match fresh in his memory and he clearly relives that HARD.

Also then we learn that it was Midorima who called Aomine and Kuroko the light and the shadow. Gaaay. Kuroko looks at his fist because he remembers his friendship with that dick and how it still hurts.

We have a moment at Touou and we meet the captain Imayoshi who asks where the hell is Aomine. His classmate Sakurai, who apologizes for living, you guessed it apologizes.

They also comment that Momoi is absent and Imayoshi says it’s het job. I had a talk with a friend about that when we wondered if Touou see her as equal or just as a means of winning. Kuroko definitely sees as equal, did Teiko? Does Aomine? I have no idea. It’s an interesting to thing to think about tho. Aaah this series gives me too much feels and thoughts!

Last talk Momo has with Kuroko where they discuss Aomine and how she should be stopped and Kuroko saying that he will defeat him.

Now I wanna say that I think that up till the match with Touou he did use Kagami in a way as tool to well teach the kisekis a lesson? I don’t know, I think he used him as a tool to get over the past and maybe get over Aomine and find his own sense of self. But after the match with Touou when Kuroko and Kagami get past that point and have that talk they begin their real partnership. But more about that later.

Cut again to Aomine and Kagami playing and Kagami learns that he is not the only “light” that Kuroko has. Srsly that is so framed in a homoerotic way and it’s well it should be funny, but it’s kinda sad that Kagami gets all shocked when he learns that “his light is too dim”

Episode 15

The episode starts with a bit of Touou interaction when they eat lunch and Wakamatsu comments that Sakurai’s bento is cute. Then Aomine appears and steals Sakurai’s food. srsly what a dick. They are of course pissed because he has been skipping practice and demand for him to show properly. Aomine shows what a dick he is and says that he basically doesn’t care about the games or practice he just wanted to come back for his photobook. Besides he’s so good that he doesn’t need to practice. And then he kicks Wakamatsu in the gut. Like what dude? He shows a bit and breaks the hoop and is basically a big dickhead. Technically Imayoshi says that they can make exceptions for him because he’s so good and all yadda yadda yadda.

Seirin discusses their next game, Kagami comes and Riko just KNOWS that he was playing and grabs his head calls him an idiot.

Gratuitous shot of Nigou being a cutie ;w;

She orders him to go to the nurse’s office and tells him (mockingly) to walk on his hands, but you know what? KAGAMI WALKS ON HIS HANDS.

PISSING. DUMB TIGER. He goes with Kuroko and then this exchange happens:

Kuroko is so blunt I love it XD Then they have a conversation about Aomine and Teiko flashback. But first this happens.

oh….OH MY GOD. Like, I know, I KNOW what they are talking about and all but still. so gay. also the way Kagami says he was your former “light” like he’s so….it stings for him that he’s not the ONLY LIGHT. He begins to realize that he was/is a replacement for Kuroko. Not that I think he is a replacement now, but Kagami is clearly hurt by that.

we have a brief flashback to the times when Aomine had fun when he played. Then back to the present when Kuroko says that the Kisekis didn’t start as extraordinary players, just ordinary but Aomine bloomed first. However, he was so good that no one could beat him and he begun lose interest in the sport. Kuroko was his partner and they worked really well, it is clear that Aomine’s friendship was very important for Kuroko in terms of his basketball identity, he defined himself based on playing Aomine. However Aomine started to drift away first from sport and then from Kuroko which broke the latter and he quit the club. Aomine’s biggest goal was to find a strong rival, Kuroko’s was to play such a form of sport with people he cared for as to make him happy.

But I lol at the moment Aomine says he will start skipping games, Kuroko does this:

lil shit.

There is a brief moment, the last time Aomine looks to Kuroko and tries to do it for him. Then we see a game where he finally gave up on this. Also Kuroko’s sadness and pain hurts. IT HURST US PRECIOUS.

HE WANTED TO FIST BUMP. OUCH.

Kagami basically says that Aomine is a dick, (yes obviously) and reassures Kuroko that they will beat him and does a fist bump with him.

MY HEART.

There is a montage before the game, Shutoku makes an appearance, Touou can’t find Aomine anywhere. Aomine picks up the phone finally and says he will be somewhere around the second half.

The game starts, but Touou without Aomine is still pretty strong.

Episode 16.

The episode continues with Touou beating Seirin. Finally they do managed to score some and Hyuuga takes his frustration out on Sakurai.

However Touou is still better. We have again the emphasis on Seirin’s team play when Imayoshi says that they mostly utilize their players’ individual skill sets.

Kuroko jumps trying to catch the ball, but he’s too low. Kagami catches it instead and asks what the hell was that. And then asks him if this is an overlap with his past experience. Kuroko looks at him like he’s annoyed and Kagami says that they are playing Touou now and for him to focus. And I just really love that exchange, because Kagami starts showing that he cares and Kuroko is starting to see him for who he is, his new partner, but he still needs to beat Aomine. I find this to be a string parallel because like before the match with Seiho, he said he wants to beat them for his seniors and they need to beat them to so they can get over the past, and that is basically why he needs to beat Aomine. Not only to, MAYBE, get back the friend he lost along the way but also to get over his past which weights on him. I think he will not get over it until he beats him.

Kise is again late but he spots Midorima also watching the game.

MIDORIMA PLS U ARE SO STUPID.

YES THAT’S RIGHT TELL HIM KISE.

Then they talk about Momoi and Kise comments that she was supposedly in love with Kuroko and maybe she won’t be able to play against him. Midorima is oblivious (duh) but says that Momoi is not that kind of person and she would never want for Kuroko to slack off and she would never throw a game on purpose.

Then, on the court Kagami comments that Momoi as Kuroko’s ex-girlfriend is cute and Kuroko says “huh really?” and Kagami gets annoyed. I don’t, I really don’t want to view this scene as I view it, but Kagami is so completely….uninterested in girls it’s….well not suspicious. But he was the only one who wasn’t jealous of Momoi handing off Kuroko, and he was the only one who didn’t have a fit when he saw her in a Bikini. yet he calls het cute, like it’s no big deal, but when Kuroko offhandedly dismisses Momoi’s attractiveness (although he does acknowledges it in the nest exchange, proving that he was just screwing with Kagami) he gets annoyed. I really don’t wanna say that Kagami is gay, but he feels the most gay to me from all of the characters.

Kuroko then basically warns Kagami that Momoi is a formidable opponent. Seirin realizes that Momoi is excellent at gathering data and that they were thoroughly researched. Finally they managed to break through and score some points, because Kuroko is Momoi’s weakness and the only one she cannot read. And then Momoi says that she loves Kuroko and it’s a mid ep cliffhanger. It still doesn’t do anything to erase the gay guys.

They play some more, Kuroko does the ignite pass, but it’s a tense game. Riko the realizes that Kagami’s leg injury isn’t fully healed yet.

Riko has a talk with Kagami and can I just say that I love her interaction with all of the guys? She’s dedicated and strict but she’s also their friend and it shows and she cares but she also gets annoyed because of them and she yells at them and then massages and tapes their legs. AUGH FEELS. Kagami is frustrated, Riko tapes his legs so he can go back to the game. She then says that she is sorry that she has to send an injured player and Kagami says that it’s not like her to apologize, because he knows. It’s fine, she does enough for them. Riko smiles and calls him a brat and tells him to go give Touou hell and then Aomine appears.

Episode 17.

Momoi is clearly afraid of what Aomine will do. Aomine then manages to piss everyone off. He tells Kuroko to say it to his face when he beats him. The it being that Aomine was wrong and he doesn’t really get basketball and he should change his way of thinking.

They start the game and Touou clearly isolate everyone from Aomine so he can get the ball and score on his own. Aomine then breaks past Kagami and other players and is ready to score, but Kagami catches up to him. Let me just say that the music and animation in this moment was S O A M A Z I N G.

Kuroko makes the ignite pass to Kagami who is ready to score but Aomine blocks him.

Then during the interval in Touou and Seirin locker rooms the girls show that they are absolute shit at cooking.

poor Riko. SHE TRIES SO HARD

Kuroko feels a bit down and Riko want to take him out for a while to preserve his energy. Kuroko however want to stay in the game.

At Touou Aomine is dick and the coach lets him. Momoi walks after him and the only person who voices his annoyance is Wakamatsu. Imayoshi tries to explain to him again why Aomine can do whatever he wants and they have to be fine with it.

Sakurai then has an epiphany, where he basically realizes that their team…isn’t really a team. And I’m like “OOOH SO YOU ARE THE SECOND TEIKO THEN?”

Seirin tells Kuroko that he should sit this out, but Kuroko is stubborn and want to play. Like I said, he wants to play and beat Aomine to get over him and their shared and broken friendship. In face of this they all struggle and thing well, should we really bench him? However Kagami watches him for some time and then basically gets fed up and tells him to shut up and sit on the bench. While stuffing a lemon in his mouth. So fitting imo. They are both kind of morons in their own way and they understand, or begin to understand each other moods so well. They also don’t sugarcoat their words and that is basically what Kuroko needs. To be depended upon but also to be supported.

Kuroko then warns Kagami , but Kagami is already fired up. However Aomine is so good and he keeps getting better (again I love the muuuuusic) and Aomine and Kagami keep stopping each other. Aomine starts making weird movements and Kagami recognizes it as street basketball. then Aomine scores BEHIND THE BASKET. WHAT THE HELL.

Episode 18.

Aomine still keeps beating Kagami. Momoi has a flashback to when she was watching Aomine when he was a kid and had so much fun from playing basketball. Midorima then says he’s unstoppable. He and Kagami are going at it and chase each other all over the court. But then Kagami accidentally fouls Aomine and Aomine scores from behind his back….like what the hell.

Then he tells Kuroko to come out and settle this. But I wonder…what do they need to settle? They didn’t fight, we see then only splitting and going their separate ways, because Kuroko was hurts. My guess is that they both have different views of how they wanna play and one tries to prove it to the other. a healthier way would be just…accept that Aomine is long gone, but nope Kuroko clings to this hope that Aomine will somehow come back to being his friends if he proves him wrong by beating him.

which makes me think that Kuroko can’t beat Aomine, just like Hyuuga and the others didn’t beat Seiho. Kuroko and Kagami beat Seiho for them. So, Kagami has to beat Aomine for Kuroko so he can get a form of closure.

Kuroko comes back on the court and Kagami says that he’s sorry because he couldn’t play against Aomine on his own. Kuroko is confused because it was supposed to be THEIR fight from the begging and I just….All those little moments make me wibble because they really get closer and closer with each other ugh.

However Touou still keeps scoring and then Kuroko does the awesome pass from under the basket to Kagami and Kagami passes to Hyuuga who scores a three. And gets annoyed at the first years who doubted him lol.

The Sakurai marvels how awesome Hyuuga is. I just love moments like that okay?

It seems that Seirin gets back into scoring. Aomine then tells Kuroko he hasn’t changed at all and asks him if he still intends to beat him. Aomine catches Kuroko’s ignite pass, gets pass five guys and dunks.

And then tells Kuroko that his style will never win. More of Aomine being unbeatable and Kagami having problems with his legs again. Riko takes Kagami out because he was protecting his leg from putting too much pressure on it.

Everyone is giving up on the game, but not Kuroko. Seirin feels motivated thanks to him.

But yeah they lose completely.