Original subtitles

Let's practice.

Teppei is weird.

But I owe him.

He's the one who encouraged me to play basketball.

Yeah, he's the man who created the Seirin High School basketball team.

-Good to see you, Kiyoshi. -Yeah!

Don't give me that! Why are you wearing your uniform?

I got excited about coming to practice again.

Doesn't he seem especially on edge?

Yeah.

He's acting like he did when he first joined.

He doesn't try to rely on anyone else.

He's playing basketball by himself.

What happened, Kagami?

Hey, Kagami.

I want to play soon, too, but I don't think it's fair for me

to ask to play just because I'm an upperclassman.

So...

why don't we play some one-on-one for the starting position?

EPISODE 20 I DON'T WANT TO BE

Otsubo.

Who's Seirin's number seven?

Number seven?

When I went to return some DVDs to our club room,

I found an article on Seirin in last year's Monthly Basketball.

There was one guy I didn't recognize.

Must be him.

Him?

The guy who was Seirin's center last year.

Their team used to revolve around the cooperative inside and outside play

between him and their number four, Hyuga.

For some reason, he didn't show up at the championship league.

If he had been there, we probably wouldn't have tripled their score.

No, we may even have lost.

What?

Last year they didn't have Kuroko or Kagami,

and they had only just formed.

How much credit are you going to give them?

Right, Shin?

I guess you wouldn't know, huh?

-I know him. -What?

From middle school.

We only played him once, but I remember him.

Kuroko had not joined yet, so he likely does not know about him.

What kind of guy is he?

It was similar to the recent Touou game.

In the face of overwhelming odds,

just like Kuroko, he refused to give up until the very end.

Hold on. That doesn't make any sense.

You ended up going to see the championship league!

"I don't want to see it," my ass!

I simply live nearby.

You live far away!

And in the opposite direction! I know!

He's bigger than me, but he's pretty fast!

So high!

His jumps really are unbelievable in person.

Amazing!

Neither one is budging.

They're evenly matched?

Kiyoshi really is amazing.

He hasn't played in a while, but he's doing this well against Kagami.

But Kagami's the one pressuring him.

But what is this?

Kiyoshi's movements...

This is harder than I thought it would be.

-He broke past him? -Crap, I responded too slowly!

It's not over yet.

What?

That's amazing!

He dunked from behind.

Kagami wins!

You got me. I lost.

Just like I promised, you can start.

Okay.

Hey!

I'm going. Good work.

What are you thinking, Kiyoshi?

He really is strong.

And what are we going to do without you?

I can't help it.

Saying I haven't been playing isn't much of an excuse.

This is the best I can do.

That's not your best.

You're acting too stupid. Look at your feet!

Those are indoor shoes, you moron!

What?

Sheesh. Don't tell me you lost on purpose.

-Oh, crap! -It wasn't on purpose?

Sheesh!

Congratulations on your hospital release.

Those two really are interesting.

Kuroko and Kagami?

Yeah.

Kuroko's fine, but Kagami,

his play is a lot like the Generation of Miracles.

Something's wrong with him.

Really? It seemed the other way around to me.

-Kuroko? -That's just what it looked like to me.

I kind of understand what they're worried about.

I've run up against that wall before.

Well, they say fights solidify friendships.

We're in trouble because their friendship hasn't solidified!

Then why don't you help them solidify their friendship?

Isn't that an upperclassman's responsibility?

-I changed my mind. Give that back. -What? I thought this was a gift.

-I'm starting to get pissed. -What?

Give it back. Give it back!

I don't care if you're one of Tokyo's top four teams.

You guys must think we're a joke.

Hey, Furihata, us first-years want to play in games.

We even got our uniforms.

Yeah.

But isn't this a little too sudden?

I can't believe all your starters are first-years!

I'm seriously pissed.

Let's destroy them and send them home.

Yeah!

What?

Coach, what are you thinking?

He insisted on watching the first-years play.

Kiyoshi, what is this?

Starting tomorrow, we'll have three consecutive days of practice games.

Practice games?

Why are we playing again right before summer vacation?

So I know exactly what you guys need to work on.

During summer vacation,

you'll all have fun practicing as hard as possible.

Hey, Riko. I have a favor to ask of you.

What?

I know what Kiyoshi is thinking!

We're probably going to lose this game, aren't we?

Recently, Kagami's been playing selfishly.

Kuroko.

You don't have to pass to me anymore.

Huh?

But they can't win that way.

That's why you're making them lose on purpose,

so he can realize he can't just win on his own, right?

I see.

Huh?

That's amazing, Koga.

Wait, but--

You're not wrong,

but do you think he's so stupid he wouldn't notice if we didn't tell him?

He didn't seem uncertain or worried to me.

If there's anyone I want to notice something, it's him.

He jumps high! I can't stop this guy!

SEIRIN - TOKUSHIN

The first-years are doing better than I expected.

Kuroko's movements aren't bad either, but...

SEIRIN - TOKUSHIN

...our score is lower than I expected.

Is it because he isn't coordinating with Kagami well?

No, this isn't just because of that.

SEIRIN - TOKUSHIN

All right!

-We won! -This is amazing!

We beat them!

Nice shooting!

What do you think you're doing?

Suddenly challenging Kagami to a one-on-one,

making only the first-years play.

Kagami ended up beating them by himself.

What are you planning?

Why do you guys keep saying such mean things about me?

I only challenged him to a one-on-one

to see how our abilities compared. Seriously.

Then what about today's game?

Well, I guess I did have something in mind.

Since I didn't play today, I've got extra energy.

I guess I'll practice twice as much shooting today.

Um...

I want Kuroko to know

the current limits of his basketball.

Huh?

What limits?

What did you say after that?

Going forward, I will do nothing but hold Seirin back.

Please make Kiyoshi one of our starters.

Put positively, his style of basketball utilizes his teammates.

Depending on the other four, he can be strong or weak.

But put negatively, he relies on others.

In order to break through this wall...

he needs to abandon his style...

Abandon it?

...and create a new style of basketball for himself.

You don't often come talk to me,

but don't get ahead of yourself, moron!

Replace you as a starter?

Think of the guys on the bench!

It's not your place to say that!

I'm the one who'll say that!

-But-- -I told you, no.

When the team first formed, Kiyoshi played a heavy-handed center.

He was taller than the rest of us,

but he was also the only one of us who could do it.

Kiyoshi was actually best at point guard, a role that utilizes your teammates.

He thought it was best for the team for him to play center, but he also felt

he was limiting himself by playing a position he wasn't meant to play.

But one day...

Why don't you play both?

That's impossible, Koga!

The positions are too different.

Huh? Really?

The center is the front line who uses power to fight right under the hoop!

In contrast, the point guard is the leader farthest from the basket!

He can just be our leader under the hoop.

What are you talking about?

You're right. I don't have to choose one.

I'll do both.

You and Kiyoshi are different...

but is that really all you can do?

Well, I can't force you to do anything, so I won't say any more.

But if you really don't think you can do it, at least tell Kagami.

He believed in you.

Kuroko's always saved me until now,

so I want to put some distance between us for a while.

There's no way Kuroko's stopping now,

so I need to make myself stronger, even if it's only a little.

Just how awkward is he?

Excuse me. Thank you.

You sure you don't need anything else?

Yes.

Abandon it?

But that's the style Kuroko honed through trial and error.

Yeah, that's why he has to abandon it without throwing away his direction--

No, he should be fine now.

What?

Boys are so nice.

From dribbling between the legs, drive to the right and break past one guy.

Help will come right away.

I can see Furihata right under the basket. From there I just need to pass.

But it's not enough.

A simple pass here isn't enough...

to beat the Generation of Miracles.

If their teammates stop me for even a second,

they'll be ready again.

In order to win, even if I can't beat them in a one-on-one,

I still have to throw them off balance or create an opening.

I have to be strong enough to take them on my own.

That's where I have to start.

Kagami!

Kuroko.

Can I talk to you for a minute?

What did you want to talk about?

I'm sorry.

The truth is, I haven't gotten all my thoughts together yet.

Hey!

I don't know where to start. Please give me a minute.

From now? Sheesh.

I've got nothing to do while I wait.

At least play against me. You can think while you play.

All right, my 14th point!

Um, please go easier on me today.

I can't think like this.

I am going easy on you! You're just too weak!

The first time we played was a lot like this, too.

When I later found out what you could really do,

I was blown away.

Not only that, but...

I am a shadow.

I will be the shadow to your light and make you the best player in Japan.

Hey, I've been wondering about something since then.

Why did you choose me?

Sorry.

I have to apologize to you.

I lied.

In middle school, I received a uniform as the team's sixth man.

I know that.

You were the trump card of the Generation of Miracles.

That's not quite right.

They may have believed in me,

but they did not trust me.

It may be more accurate to say

they stopped being able to trust me.

When I was a first-year, I was an unremarkable player.

I joined the bench as the sixth man in my second year.

Back then, I believe they still trusted me.

But as their talents began blossoming like Aomine, they lost their faith in me.

The Generation of Miracles began placing their trust

in themselves over everything else.

If we were one point behind with only a few seconds left in the game,

they could not pass.

They had to do it themselves.

The truth is, it didn't have to be you.

I simply wanted to use you

to force the Generation of Miracles to recognize my style of basketball.

I was wondering what you might say.

I had a feeling it would be this.

I've always felt it.

I'm just like them.

Even though you had supposedly quit the Teiko basketball team

because you rejected the style of the Generation of Miracles,

I knew why you chose to work with me.

Everyone plays basketball for their own reasons.

-I'm not any different-- -No.

Kagami, you are different.

In all of our games so far, you trusted me.

In the face of overwhelming power,

I don't think we can win just by working together.

Those were not parting words,

but words meant to make us stop relying on each other

and become even stronger.

So we could combine even greater strength to win.

Allow me to correct myself.

I am glad I go to Seirin.

All our seniors are wonderful people,

our classmates who work alongside us are great, as well,

and you trusted me.

I am not Teiko Middle School's sixth man, Tetsuya Kuroko.

I am Seirin High first-year, Tetsuya Kuroko.

I don't want to make someone else the best player in Japan.

With you and with everyone else, I want to become the best in Japan!

That's why I will become even stronger

and defeat the Generation of Miracles.

That's what I've been meaning to do all along.

And you got it wrong again!

You don't want to be the best. We're going to be the best!

Yes.

But how are you going to get stronger, anyway?

-I don't know... -Hey!

...but I will find a way by the Winter Cup.

You idiot, don't be stupid.

I'll become stronger, too.

If you take too long, I'll leave you behind.

Get stronger soon.

This winter, show me your new style of basketball.

PREVIEW

A summer trip, huh? I've never been on a summer trip before.

-Taking a trip with everyone is fun. -What are we doing about food?

-I'm so excited. -Yeah, I'm sure it'll have a big impact.

EPISODE 21 LET'S GET STARTED

What? I'm talking about food.