Kuroko no Basket: Extra Game

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Since many fans hoped Kuroko no Basket would continue by having a Japan all-star team going up against international opponents, Extra Game doesn´t disappoint. The sequel pursues the way of the original series and thus transfers old strengths and weaknesses. The characters are what made Kuroko no Basket so great and author Fujimaki once again set up vigorous antagonists. If Nash can make Akashi look like a nice guy and Jason Silver makes Murasakibara seem like an okay Center, you know you are in for a ride.

The stakes were never higher and although this is how the series has always been progressing, by just ... throwing better opponents at us, the Jabberwocks are the most formidable adversaries by a wide margin. While the art is exceptional even for Jump standarts, the only flaw I have with Extra Game are the sometimes cringeworthy, over the top lines from Nash. Seriously, nobody speaks like that.

Kuroko no Basket remains as one of the shounen-sport gems and Extra Game is a worthy, unfortunately bi-monthly, successor.

The hyped up, fanservice extra to Kuroko's Basketball, Kagami and the Generation of Miracles take on the evil Americans in a game of streetball in this short sequel to the original.

This is fun for really one reason. You get to see a whole ton of overpowered players go at it at full force. You feel a bit of rehash, as this is the 3rd opponent of the series that's an evil asshole. It doesn't hold the weight of the original series because there isn't really a goal other than to beat the opponent. There's no reward or recognition, and the players are all already ... at full strength too, so it's not a stepping stone for further growth.

You kinda see why Kuroko ended after only 1 in story year, even with all the sales and fan sentiment willing it to continue. There isn't anything left to explore. What's past zone? What else can Kuroko improve? Will he make the hoop disappear next? Will Kagami jump from the 3 point line? Will Midorima just shoot faster or do fadeaway, fullcourt 3's? Will Murasakibara just dunk harder? Will Akashi read further into the future? Kuroko no Basket hardly focused on tactics at any point so I can't see it doing so in the future. It was built on what badass, ridiculous move would be pulled off next, and there's a pretty thin line between ridiculous fun and flat-out stupidity.

Kuroko stops just as it reaches that line, and that's a respectable thing.