With the show being over (for now), I think it's time to reflect on the greatest KnB moments.
So here are my top 10 Hype/Crazy KnB moments
10) Kise becomes a monster with Perfect Copy
Kise was always OP HAX as fuck but when he gained the Perfect Copy ability he seemed nigh impossible to beat. Being able to copy the Generation of Miracles of one thing but combining their attributes to create unstoppable plays made Kise a player who is too strong while in Perfect Copy. Hell he EVEN copied Kuroko's abilities! Luckily the author placed a short time and physical limitation on the ability so that Kise doesn't over power every team with ease. Still when Kise started combining the GoM abilities into singular play it was majestic.
Still the biggest jobber in the series by far.
Bonus moment: Kise destroys that other copy cat guy after having a history of being whooped by him.
9) Akashi puts people on their knees and butts!
Akashi was introduced as having the Emperor's Eye which allows him to "foresee" the future. Basically he is a player with the exceptional ability to read players and their movements which allows him to do stuff like the ankle breaker (cross up at the exact time the other player is shifting his gravity). It's not that Akashi has the Emperor's Eye that makes him beyond godlike.. it's that Akashi is the one who has the Emperor's Eye to begin with! His exceptional strategic mindset is perfect for utilizing the maximum capability of the Emperor's Eye. When he goes into the zone all these powers are maximized. It's not good enough for Akashi that you sit... he will make you kneel!
8) Seiren draws with Shutoko to qualify
Everyone loves tight games but man did Seiren cut this one hella close. This was to be the first of their many nail biter finishing games. I was actually not expecting a draw here but it happened anyway. The final play was well done and was intense right down to the final basket. The match was very important for Seiren as it allowed them to qualify out of pools.
Bonus: Midorima hits a shot from full court
Now there is a lot of bull shit that goes on in KnB but for me personally this is among the highest. It was obvious for a long time that Midorima was a god at long range shooting... but just how good was he? Well just to flex his muscle he shot a basket from FULL COURT! Yeah... a guy who can shoot baskets from full court is actually the weakest member of the GoM which should tell you how ridiculous these dudes are. In any case I was still shocked when it happened just like the characters of the show were.
7) Aomine single handedly demolishes team Seiren with Street Ball
This was the match that made me start to love this show. Aomine had been hyped up as the ace of the GoM for quite a while before this match but to see him unleashed like this was AMAZING! He was straight up styling on Seiren! So many crazy baskets were made. After he whooped Seiren he went on to whoop Kise even though Kise did his best to copy Aomine's skill, even pushing his physical limits. And this wasn't even Aomine's final form....
Bonus: Aomine wins this epic dunk duel again Kise
6) Score result: 111-11
This episode was the one where it was made clear to the audience how scumbag the players of GoM were. The whole flashback really painted the GoMs as a bunch of egotistical divas and it was an interesting look into how far they have come as players and as human beings. In this particular match, instead of just pummeling their opponents, the GoMs thought it would be fun to force the score to be all 1s! It set the tone for the final Rakuzan vs Seiren match as well as highlight the motivations and goals of the main character Kuroko. This level of soul crushing defeat could've been enough to send anyone into retirement!
5) Midorima + Shutoko synergy
I love it when the GoM are forced to eat shit but I love it even more when they show their heart and will in a match. Midorima tossed his ego aside and put his trust in his teammates to make some spectacular plays with his partner. When Midorima first poses to make the shot with the music build up and then the pass comes out of nowhere perfectly in the palm of his hand... that was just beautiful. Even afterward Shutoko showed some great basketball with some nice plays that finished with Midorima getting the ball and making a 3 pointer. Even Akashi was legit shook for a bit!
4) Kagami destroys Murasakibara with the Meteor Jam
What a way to end the season! Kagami not only goes into the zone to put the pressure on Yosen high school but he pulls this move out while in the zone in spectacular fashion! It was the culmination of Kagami's skill as a player up until that point and the hype was through the roof when he dunked one over Murasakibara! The final moment of this match was also pretty great as the physical toll of being in the zone caused Murasakibara to choke up in the final moments of the game allowing Seiren to secure a win to the semi finals.
3) Akashi reveals his FINAL FORM!
Akashi is by far the strongest of the GoMs. Even without using any OP HAX abilities he is a very strong player fundamentally. His decision making and spatial awareness are top notch. And then you add the Emperor's Eye on top of that which allows him to contain even players who are in the zone! If that's not enough he can WILL himself into the zone at any time and when he's in the zone he becomes a whole another monster...
But that's not what shook me the most. In the final twist of the final season, it is shown that Akashi's final form as a player is in fact "good guy" Akashi where he is the ultimate support/team player. His passes and team play are SO GOOD that they put his entire team into the rhythm and push them to their limits... allowing them ALL to achieve the ZONE! Absolutely ridiculous yet absolutely amazing! The final match of the season really made it a point that it's really about team work as the two best teams of the show were tested in terms of who had the better team play.
2) Seiren taps into the TRUE ZONE
You knew it was coming but it was STILL GODLIKE! Aomine was hyping the 2nd form of Zone for quite a bit and the shocker ended up being that it's a form that you can't unlock by yourself but requires maximum team effort! With Akashi's true form and true zone it became clear that KnB like all sports anime is about one thing: TEAM WORK! After seeing so many episodes of one player just dominate a match it was refreshing to see a game where both teams gave it a 100% from all the players. Plus the animation of the true zone was just out of this world! WE SPACE JAM NOW!!
Bonus: Aomine sheds the manliest of manly tear when viewing True Zone for the first time. It's like the guy has re-discovered Bastkeball. Amazing moment!
1) Aomine vs Kagami : Duel of Fate and Zone
This had to be the #1 moment in KnB. This is the moment that made me absolutely hooked on the show. This is KnB's Goku vs Vegeta moment, the Naruto vs Sasuke moment, the Ballad of Fallen Angel episode from Cowboy Bebop... this is KnB at it's finest! What a god damn start to the Winter Cup tournament!
This match already had a lot of history behind it. Seiren suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Aomine and had been prepping hard for the rematch. They were able to up their game dramatically but just as they finally had an advantage in the match... Aomine snatched all hopes by entering into the MYTHICAL ZONE! It was our first taste of this "zone" and it was mind boggling! Aomine was all over the court and was just unstoppable... until Kagami had enough and willed himself into the zone to match Aomine!
What happened next was something that just had your jaw on the floor. Both players had an epic ace duel and the rest of the teams were just watching in awe. To put it short they went fucking ham!
