Tetsuya Kuroko

Character Name:  Tetsuya Kuroko

Character Series: Kuroko no Basket
Character Age: 16
Character Gender: Male

Original Canon
Canon Point:  Before the final round of Winter cup/ chapter 203
Background Link: Here

Personality:

 

Kuroko is well-known for being the ‘sixth man’ of Teikou High School’s Generation of Miracles, which is said to be the strongest basketball team at the time. He is a polite guy who always talks in a formal and gentle tone. He once said that he cannot yell, so he had to use a megaphone when he underwent Seirin High School’s basketball club test, which required the applicants to shout their goals in front of Seirin’s student mass.

Kuroko declared that his goal in joining Seirin’s basketball club is to defeat the Generation of Miracles, the team that he used to play with. He also promised that he would make his fellow teammate, Kagami Taiga, the strongest basketball player in Japan. To fulfill that promise, he pledged to Kagami to take a role as Kagami’s shadow. Looking at what he’s trying to achieve, Kuroko might sound like he’s a very ambitious person who just wants to be the number one at basketball, but that’s not entirely true. Kuroko had a reason to leave the Generation of Miracles, and that is because he felt that there’s something wrong with their basketball way.

At first, Kuroko admired his former team, because each of the five team members has an incredible talent in basketball. He also respected the way they pursue their goal for the team and put a lot of effort to win every match. However, they grew to be arrogant and eventually, all that they care about is only about winning. Little by little, they started to forget the meaning of teamwork, and the Generation of Miracles turned into a very individualistic basketball team. Kuroko thought that achieving victory is important, but he also thought that there is more to basketball than victory alone. He turned to hate their way of playing basketball, and in time, he turned to hate his team.

Seirin’s basketball team’s view on basketball is exactly the opposite of his previous team. They care about winning, but more importantly, they care about their teamwork and bond as teammates and friends. All of them are very passionate about baseball, especially Kagami Taiga, who really loves basketball and always seems to be really happy when he plays. This orientation is what Kuroko had been looking for in a basketball team, and this is what made Kuroko believe that Seirin can surpass Teikou’s Generation of Miracles.

In the team, Kuroko has the utmost respect for the other senior members and the coach. He’d never intentionally do or say anything that would make them angry, and he always listens to what they instruct him to do. He fears Riko, Seirin’s coach, as much as the other members do, and if Riko wants him to stay at the bench during a game, he’d obey. Except for some occassions when he feels that he really need to get in the game, that is.

Kuroko is what you call ‘a man with a thin shadow’. Usually, people who meet Kuroko wouldn’t even notice that he is there, until he says a word! A running gag in the story is that people ask him how long he has been there, and he would answer with, “I’ve been here all this time.” This lack of presence is what granted him a skill called ‘misdirection’. Thanks to this ‘misdirection’ skill, he was able to stand equal with the Generations of Miracles. It was Akashi, the leader of the Generation of Miracles, who discovered this skill, and Kuroko respected him for that.

Kuroko has a small and fragile appearance he almost looks like a weakling. This is what makes people often doubt whether he is dependable or not. It is true that Kuroko is not really athletic, nor does he have a well-built body. Aside from the basic techniques of basketball which he often fails at, he doesn’t have any impressive skill as well, unlike others who are considered talented. However, he is by no means useless at all. Kuroko’s strong points are his brain and his ability to stay level-headed in any given situation. When his team is put on a pinch, he would come up with a strong strategy and tactical plan instead of relying on raw strength to counterattack. With his observant nature, he always manages to read other people’s habits and tendencies, thus making him able to conduct a plan with a high probability of success, especially for his team. However, high probability doesn’t mean that his plans are infallible. There are also times when his plans are being thwarted easily, even though Kuroko had put his every might to build them.

Kuroko started his basketball club activity on junior high school. He was driven into it because he had wanted to compete with his best friend at a league, and they had made a promise that they will someday. He was pretty ambitious to fulfill the promise that he worked hard to be a regular player in Teikou’s basketball club which had the tightest competition among its members. Although it was hard, Kuroko was not the kind of person to give up easily. He worked really hard, and he’d stay longer than the other club members to get extra practice time.

Kuroko is quite an individual person. It is rare to find him asking another person for help, unless it’s for teamwork and strategy. He is known mostly for being cool, quiet, calm, rarely expresses himself, contented, independent, and monotone when speaking. Through his junior high time until he reached senior high school, he remained that way. Kuroko is the hardest kind of person to get close  to, let alone befriend. He is not an antisocial, though. He is able to adapt with people, but he is picky about who are allowed and not allowed to enter his circle. Perhaps, it is because he is a really calm and quiet person that he is not easily attached to others. But being calm doesn’t mean that Kuroko is without emotion. He looked totally composed and fine even after he almost got rejected from Teikou, but when he was left alone, he broke into tears of despair.

The proof that Kuroko is not an antisocial person could be seen through how he got along well with the Generation of Miracles. He even had gotten attached to a few of the members. Daiki Aomine is the prime example, as he was a person who had influenced Kuroko a lot. Kuroko shows his emotion the most when he’s facing Aomine, expecially because of his ambition to beat every single member of the Generation of Miracles which he felt had no righteousness in their basketball way. The truth is, Aomine plays a large part in Kuroko’s basketball goal, because Aomine’s attitude toward basketball is the one thing that Kuroko wanted to change the most. To Kuroko, Aomine is no longer the same as when they were best mates. He used to be always smiling every time he plays basketball, but now, he never does it again. This emotion drives Kuroko strongly that even the Seirin team members realize, Kuroko is less composed when he’s facing Aomine’s team.

In his daily life with Seirin, Kuroko often acts as a pacifier when his teammates lose their tempers. Kuroko is an observant and critical thinker, and he leans toward rational thought rather than emotion. Thus, he always manages to calm everyone down whenever they’re about to snap. This trait of his got recognized by Seirin’s coach, Riko. She has been using Kuroko often since, in order to calm down the team, especially Kagami, whenever they’re in a high tension or a breakdown. That being said, even Kuroko has his limits. There were some occassions when he was the one who breaks, and, reversed from their usual role, Kagami was the one who brought him back.

Kuroko is also able to become furious at times. This was shown when he found out the dirty tricks of one of his opponent teams, Kirisaki Daiichi High School. The team members—especially Makoto Hanamiya—always cheat on their game, and Kuroko wasn’t able to let that slide. Kuroko respects his seniors in Seirin, and the team of Kirisaki Daiichi made one of his seniors, Teppei, suffer a serious injury during a game, and it was unlikely for him to play basketball anymore. This made Kuroko burst into rage during the game. Kuroko hates anyone who cheats on basketball, because he loves basketball from his heart and he always believes that the true happiness of an achievement comes after you’ve won something with the effort and hard work you gave at the thing you love. This is also what made him fight fiercely when he faced Murasakibara, one of the Generation of Miracles. Murasakibara believed that even if you love something and put a lot of effort at it, there’s no meaning to it if you’re not talented and always remain to be a loser. They obviously would clash when their ideals are brought together.

Being rational, cool, and contented doesn’t mean Kuroko would always be tense and all serious. Sometimes he could pick up some jokes, and even pranks, just like when he forced Kagami to pat a puppy found by Seirin’s team members even though he knew that Kagami had phobia against dogs. His lack of presence and the reaction of people who finally notice him is an amusing comedy situation, along with his sarcastic comments, which are often thrown at just the right timing. In other words, Kuroko is a deadpan snarker.

 

 

 

Abilities : 

Being a regular in a strong team two times, Kuroko is considered lacking even in basic techniques of basketball, and is physically weak. His lack of presence is a strength, and based on his already lacking presence mixed with his sharp observing instinct, he could avert opponent's attention from him, making him easily steal the ball. This ability called as “Misdirection”, trademark move owned by Kuroko. Therefore with this, his passes are invincible and tricky. They could easily deceive his opponent. With that alone he could boost one team to take the advantage. Although, there is limit to his misdirection skill. He could only become 'invisible' for maximum 40 minutes long. And to certain players that are as good as him in paying attention to opponent's behavior and habit, his Misdirection won't work at all.

 

That being said, aside from Basketball topic, his critical analysis upon observing toward objects, reading through people’s behavior psychology and his cool head to progress those into a worthy useful plan could be considered his special talent, since it’s pretty useful, either that for inside or even outside Basketball. That, along with his mental strength and firm grip to his ambition. These abilities made him a formidable opponent that won't be easily taken down and could always gives twist to his problem with new innovation of tricks.

 

 An example could be seen from how he was progressing in Seirin when he had to face strong team with quite excellent abilities. He was able to improve his special moves in Basketball and created new ones such as :

 

Ignite pass KAI : Strong pass submerged from his misdirection skill. But only Seirin’s team member able to receive this pass

 

Misdirection Overflow : When his Misdirection reached limit or won’t work anymore, Kuroko shifted this effect to Seirin’s team members, making them the ones ‘invisible’.

 

Sample :

 

 

For him, it was the same as usual, everyone in Seirin practiced hard during their break before joining another com. Of course, not only that. It is not Seirin if he doesn't find Riko gave the team some expert practice and strategy advice in order to 'cultivate' every member, and then intimidate the entire team into most terrible practice system one would only find in their nightmare. Today was exactly the same.

In a synchronized wave, he could hear their desperation choir as Riko clapped her hands, satisfaction smile worn upon her face. But somehow he didn't even bother at that time and no one asked his opinion as well. He was busy with his orange buddy—the Basket ball, trying to make his shot in. Well, it was dull as usual. He missed 6 out of 11 shoots. A weak sigh slid out from his mouth, but he continued to practice his three point shoot skill.

"Hm?"

He suddenly realizes that not everyone was in hype upon Riko's new announcement—well, they exactly aren't in hype truthfully. But this one man was definitely observing him, instead of blending with the other team members.

"Is there anything I can help you with, Kagami?"

Instead of pretending that he didn't mind, he asked him frankly, straight faced. That red-haired man, his best partner and the ace of the team just shrugged, as a reply. His expression definitely said 'you're the one needing help you Mr. no-control'. However, Kagami should also know already that Kuroko won't translate something like that. This small, lacking of presence guy was only tilting his head a bit and blinked, still no expression change.

And as Kagami sighed, Kuroko turned his attention back to his basic practice.

 

Sample 2 :

 

 

[Although his face remains with the same flat expression, inside, Kuroko starts to feel concerned about this. He has already sent a text to his internet provider, even convinced them that he needs his internet to be fixed immediately. Not necessarily, just that he has to check some Basketball websites. Even for Kuroko, tolerating the delays in work is kind of hard. Sure, he is quite patience. But this begins to surpass his limit.]

[Lucky for him, his cellphone suddenly rings. And, it is an incoming call from his internet provider, probably calling for confirmation. Kuroko immediately presses the green button to answer the call.]

Yes, Kuroko here. Right, I requested the connection check.

[One could overhear mumbles the caller has when they speak to him. It is unclear what their answer could be, but Kuroko frowned at it.]

Oh is that so..? please tell me more. I don't really get about this extended subscription package thing.

[The speaker answers him. This time it seems longer than before, as if they are trying to explain thoroughly about their new service system. One can see Kuroko nods his head multiple times with a short "Oh" and "OK". ]

Ah..? No sir. I don't need the special access to Enka Channel .

[Another mumbles heard.]

No, I don't really need the Elite member account as well, thanks.

[And mumbles, yet again.]

Yeah, that one please. Sure. I'll be waiting and re-check my connection at 8 PM then.

[Kuroko replies politely, then he quit the call. The main screen of his cellphone appears, and it shows him the time. It's 4 o'clock. That means he still has to wait for four hours long. Kuroko looks around, trying to find something fun to do while he is waiting.]

Sample 3 :

Kuroko has never been really good when it comes to swimming. Therefore, he was glad when he reached and penetrated the bubble, which led him to a city he had never seen before. He was pretty sure that he was dreaming, as the entire scenery was a bit unbelievable to him. It became even more unbelievable as he reached the Plaza. Though other people might not be able to see it on his face, he was definitely amazed by the view of the gorgeous corals. It was only for a moment though, as his stomach growled, begging for food.

“Oh right. I forgot that I haven’t taken a lunch,” he said in a flat tone as he patted his belly. In fact, he hadn’t got the chance to have breakfast either, as the first thing he remembered when he woke up was only the feeling of being drowned, before he got dragged suddenly into the depth of the water out of his will.

He knew that he should first observe where he actually was, what it was with the tattoo that suddenly appeared on his body out of nowhere, and what the starfish-shaped thing he just realized that he had brought it all along is. Kuroko was able to remain calm, and he wisely attempted to solve his problems one by one—his stomach came first. Still soaking wet, he stopped by a restaurant. As he called for a waiter to order some food, he used the chance to ask him a few questions.

“Excuse me, Sir. My question might be weird, but where actually am I?”

“Vatheon,” was his terse reply. That didn’t help Kuroko any bit.

“Is this some kind of a new theme park in Japan?” Again, Kuroko asked. He was realistic enough not to think that he was actually thrown into an entirely different world. He read those stuffs in mangas, but he never expected them to become real.

The servant seemed confused. Kuroko took that as a no.

“If possible, I want to return to Japan soon. I’ve got a basketball competition to attend,” Kuroko added. He spoke formally, as he always do.

The servant just nodded and apologized. He then went way before Kuroko could answer him. Kuroko had his eyes stuck to the servant, following his direction. He was a bit disappointed because he couldn’t get the factual informations he had needed. But he remained calm, and decided to enjoy his lunch while there wasn’t any danger yet—like a giant octopus suddenly ambush the restaurant, for example. He promised himself that he would observe this place more and prepare for the worst.