Kuroko's Basketball is one of the most popular sports anime ever made, with its unique and exciting take on the sport, captivating viewers around the world. Kuroko's Basketball sets itself apart by infusing non sports-related techniques into its core storytelling foundation. Each character in the show has their own special skills and abilities that make them stand out from the competition. These moves require incredible finesse and skill to be executed properly, and each one requires a different approach to be successful.
Whether it is the Phantom Shot or the High Speed Pass, these moves make the characters in the series so impressive and have become legendary within the anime fandom. Here are the best skills in the series.
10 Phantom Shot
Tetsuya Kuroko frequently uses the Phantom Shot, especially when he is in a tight spot and needs to react swiftly to stun his opponents. This unorthodox shot appears to emerge from thin air, making it virtually impossible for even the toughest defenders to block.
Kuroko does this move by using his palms to thrust the ball into the air, in a way that resembles a pass. Rather than shooting it over his opponents' heads, the Phantom Shot is released from his chest with minimal arc, resulting in a floater-like shot. The Phantom Shot gave him a point against Yosen, even though Murasakibara tried to prevent it.
9 Misdirection
Misdirection is a strategic technique that involves a player making a fake or feigned move in order to draw the attention of the opponent away from the true play that is about to take place. This technique is effective in deceiving the opponent's senses by diverting their attention away from the user, allowing them to move out of sight.
Kuroko behaves as if he is not about to receive the ball, diverting the opponents' attention away from himself. This skill is integral to Kuroko's style of play, as none of his techniques would be effective without Misdirection, with the exception of his Emperor Eye. Although this is a signature move of Kuroko, Mayuzumi was able to attain Misdirection with the help and teachings of Akashi.
8 Vanishing Drive
The Vanishing Drive creates an optical illusion that deceives opponents by making the ball ‘disappear’. Kuroko's ability of Misdirection is what enables him to use the Vanishing Drive. For the Vanishing Drive to work, Kagami must first distract the opponent, creating room for Kuroko to take the ball through. Kuroko bends over and follows a specific route which makes it hard for the opponent to follow.
The Vanishing Drive has proven successful against some very talented players on the show, including Midorima Shintaro and Takao's Hawk's Eye. Aomine is the only player known to have stopped it. Though it is not undefeatable, the Vanishing Drive is an effective move which looks impressive.
7 Animal Instinct
Animal Instinct is an instinctive sixth sense that allows players to anticipate their opponents' movements before they even make them. It allows players to react quickly to their opponents' moves based on information they receive from their senses and stay one step ahead. This ability is not something that can be easily learned or taught, but rather, something that is acquired by a select few players.
Shinji Koganei's animal instinct, acquired through his experience in tennis, is depicted as a wildcat which sharpens his reflexes, though not to the extent of Kagami’s, Aomine’s, or Hayama’s, but enough to threaten Reo Mibuchi during the match against Rakuzan. Kagami's animal instinct is portrayed as a tiger. Aomine's animal instinct, described as a panther, greatly enhances his five senses, making his reflexes and speed top-notch. Hayama's is likened to a cheetah, heightening his reflexes and overall physical ability.
6 Thor's Hammer
Thor's Hammer is Atsushi Murasakibara's trademark maneuver. He leaps high, rotates 180 degrees in midair, and then forcefully slams the ball into the hoop in a two-handed dunk move. Even the greatest defenses struggle to withstand this move. In the Yosen High vs Seirin High match, his spin in midair produced an air current strong enough to knock 3 Seirin players off their feet.
With Thor's Hammer, Murasakibara can easily defeat his opponents thanks to his enormous height. During his mid-air turnaround, Murasakibara retains altitude due to the momentum from his size and strength.
5 Perfect-Rhythmed Plays
Seijuro Akashi's second ability, Perfect-Rhythmed Plays, is almost on par with the Emperor Eye. With a complete view of the court, Akashi can accurately assess the situation and send passes to his teammates. His ability to set up perfect plays creates a perfect rhythm and brings out the best in each of his teammates.
Akashi's real personality is limited in the use of his Emperor Eye, but it gives him an expansive view of the court that enables him to make flawless passes to his teammates. While 'other' Akashi is capable of entering the Zone and exhibiting his control over the court, the true Akashi is able to use his impeccable passing to heighten his allies' plays and bring them to a level similar to being in the Zone.
4 Demon Eye - Gold
The Demon Eye allows users to see through their opponents' strategies and anticipate their next move. With this heightened awareness, players can outmaneuver their opponents, giving the user a strategic edge. This power can be used to gain a better understanding of the game and devise better strategies.
The Demon Eye is comparable to Akashi's Emperor Eye, Izuki's Eagle Eye, Kuroko's Quasi-Emperor Eye, and Takao's Hawk Eye. Nash Gold Jr. can use his Demon Eye to make passes the moment he predicts his teammate is unguarded, without having to look at his target. This ability alone makes him a formidable opponent.
3 Complete Emperor Eye
Complete Emperor Eye is another skill in Akashi's arsenal. It depends heavily on the power of observation. By looking closely at a player’s movements, including sweat, breaths, tension, tempo, and so on, he can tell what moves they will soon make.
Akashi is the only player with an unparalleled level of experience and understanding of the Emperor Eye. He developed his Emperor Eye by watching the Teikou team and now uses the skill as the foundation for his other skills like passes, steals, and the ankle break.
2 Perfect Copy
Perfect copy is an exclusive skill, belonging to Kise Ryota, one of the members of the Generation of Miracles. Using this skill, Kise can copy the moves of highly skilled players perfectly, and execute them even better. At the beginning of the series, Kise was unable to copy the ridiculous basketball skills of the other members of the generation of miracles.
However, eventually, he was able to perfectly copy the moves of players like Akashi and Aomine to increase his dominance on the court. Undoubtedly, Perfect Copy is the most powerful skill in Kuroko's Basketball.
1 Zone
The Zone is a state which allows players to realize their full potential despite any existing limitations. It is only accessible to players who are prodigies and have an immense passion for basketball. With the exception of Taiga Kagami, who was able to forcefully gain access to the Zone, the Generation of Miracles are the only other characters with the ability to enter.
As Kagami discovered, the Zone contains two doors; the first is accessible to those who demonstrate a profound love for basketball, while the second opens only because of friendship. Zone comes as a result of the mutual trust shared by the teammates when their eyes meet Kagami’s.