03x07 - It Makes Me Laugh

[bunniefuu]

The Teiko Middle School basketball club.

Even amidst their brilliant record,

there was a generation of five prodigies
known as the "Generation of Miracles."

Kise Ryota.

Midorima Shintaro.

Aomine Daiki.

Murasakibara Atsushi.

Akashi Seijuro.

They are threatened by Seirin High's

shadow and light.

I told you.

I am absolute.

It's over, Shintaro.

Akashi!

I must express my respect for all of you.

Not a single one of you lost the will
to fight until the end.

But you fell short.

Sleep now, veteran kings.

The game is over!

With a score of 86 to 70,
Rakuzan High wins!

Bow!

Thank you!

Rakuzan is kind of quiet.

More than happy, they seem relieved
this critical game is over.

Of course. They expect to win.

Anything but victory is failure.

The pressure of being the best
exceeds imagination.

They must not lose.

That is the fate of an emperor.

Shintaro...

We lost, but next time we will win.

I should thank you, Shintaro.

It's been a while since I last played
such a thrilling game.

But unfortunately,
I can't shake your hand.

If you desire victory,
you must become cold-hearted.

Victory is everything.

I wish to be your enemy.

I see.

You haven't changed since then, Akashi.

Even so,

we will win next time.

Hold your heads high!

Look sharp until we leave!

We're not the only ones who fought!

Line up in front of the stands!

Thank you for your support!

The top four, huh?

It's about what I expected.

We did pretty well against Rakuzan.

Huh? Shin, are you heartbroken?

But...

Sorry.

I can't console you right now.

I know.

Me, too.

Losing is frustrating.

A 16-point difference.

I guess that sounds about right.

I thought the game would actually
be a little closer.

It's true that Shutoku was strong,
but an emperor is even stronger.

Especially...

But why do I feel so uneasy?

It didn't seem as though
they were holding back.

Was that really Rakuzan's full strength?

Was that Akashi Seijuro's full strength?

Both teams look really calm.

But a long time ago, apparently Seirin
beat Kaijo in a practice game.

Seriously?

I see.

It's an old rivalry.

Yeah...

but it's pretty quiet for that.

Last!

Hey, Kise.

Go say hello to them.

Hey!

Is that

a lane up?

I didn't tell you to go that hard.

That's what you call a declaration of w*r.

A declaration of w*r?

Was that jumping power...

Yeah.

He jumped about as high as Kagami.

Don't just stand there, idiot.

Return the favor.

Show them the original.

Yes, sir.

He got them back!

A lane up alley-oop!

Are those guys
really high school students?

Anyone can do that.

You really hate to lose, don't you?

Captain, I've been trying to contain
myself, but I can't anymore.

I'm so excited,

I can't wait for the game to start.

You idiot, so are we.

So is everyone else here.

It's starting.

The miraculous rising star, Seirin High...

and the blue elite, Kaijo High.

Let's have a good game.

Good game.

Huh?

Last time he seemed like
an inexperienced captain.

You can tell how hard
he's fought to get here.

Good. I couldn't ask for more.

Now we don't have to show any restraint
when we get our revenge.

What's wrong, Izuki?

Your expression's a little stiff.

I'm fine.

If it is, it's just because
I'm a little nervous.

Like Kuroko said, I'm excited.

Though I'd considered our opponents
the enemy in previous games,

what I feel now is a pure,
unadulterated competitive drive.

I wonder what drives me to it.

Izuki...

You could've skipped the last part.

Hey, Koga!
We're changing our starting lineup!

What?

But I know what you're trying to say.

Let's have some fun.

Kiyoshi Teppei...

He's the greatest difference
between the old and new Seirin.

I'd better psych myself up.

So...

Could you stop looking around
for your type of girls, Moriyama?

-Huh?
-Please, Moriyama!

Do you even want to win?

Want to win?

Don't be stupid.

Do you know how long I've waited
for this day?

I'm so focused on this game,
I haven't noticed any girls.

I'm at a loss.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Yeah, Moriyama!

I'll do my best, too!

I'll give it everything I've got!

Kagamicchi.

That day, I experienced the frustration
of defeat for the first time.

I haven't forgotten it for a single day.

He's coordinating with Kurokocchi?

Kuroko!

It's an alley-oop!

No, you don't!

I don't need you to pay me back,

because the game ends now!

But thanks to you, I realized something.

I love basketball.

So much that I can devote
my entire self to it.

That's why...

I won't lose anymore!

Kise...

Shouldn't you have noticed sooner?

What?

Anyway,

you've gone kind of soft.

Don't worry about the small stuff.

I'm raring to go.

Let's get this started already.

Kurokocchi, do you feel the same way?

Yes.

I'm also thinking about...

how much...

I disliked you.

I disliked you.

What?

What?

Why do you have to be so blunt about it?

But I mean it in a good way.

Huh?

I will now announce
tomorrow's starting lineup.

No. 4, Akashi Seijuro.

No. 6, Aomine Daiki.

No. 7, Midorima Shintaro.

No. 5, Murasakibara Atsushi.

The fifth man is...

No. 8, Kise Ryota.

All right!
I'm finally in the starting lineup!

What do you mean, finally?

If anything, you got in too soon.

Don't hold us back, Kise.

Don't worry.

I have Kurokocchi to thank
for his passionate training!

I didn't teach you to play basketball.

You can rest easy
and leave tomorrow's game to me.

Don't you mean you'll sink us
like a mud boat?

Yeah, probably.

Like the boat in "Kachi-kachi Yama."

Why would you assume that?

Once you joined the basketball team,
I was assigned to train you.

Because of it,
I thought of you in a special way.

But you surpassed me
in the blink of an eye.

I knew our abilities were different.

But...

I was frustrated and didn't want to lose.

In other words, though it was one-sided...

I've always considered you...

my rival.

I don't know what to say.

You meant it in a good way?

I couldn't be more fired up!

The game between Kaijo High
and Seirin High will now begin!

Bow!

Let's have a good game!

Izuki!

Today's game
will be nothing like the others.

In short, we'll have to establish
and hold a lead.

It's what we have to do to win.

Kise's Perfect Copy is too strong.

Honestly, it's practically impossible
for us to stop it right now.

Because there's a time limit on it,

he'll probably use it
in the final stages of the game.

We have to create
an insurmountable lead by then.

In other words, we'll strike first to win!

Attack from the start!

The Vanishing Drive!

All right, Kuroko!

He's already breaking out
two of his special moves?

The Phantom Shot!

All right!

What?

Is he already...

One of the things Kagamicchi
said before the match

rubbed me the wrong way.

Who's gone soft?

All right!

-He's fast!
-He caught up from over there?

The Rite of Postponement!

Nice pass!

Kise?

I can feel it when I play against him.

That was Murasakibara's block.

Kise!

No, you don't!

A fake?

And that's Aomine's change of pace!

Midorima's sh**ting ability
and Aomine's agility.

They're strong enough on their own.

What are we supposed to do
when they're combined?

Bring it on, Kise!

Kagami, please!

This is futile.

No one can stop me now!

Was that...

His keen observation skills
that allow him to copy

an opponent's movements in a second.

The experience he's gained
from our previous games,

his natural sense for the game...

Though he's not absolute,

he can see the future
with nearly perfect accuracy.

He can even copy Akashi's Emperor Eye?

That's it, that's it, Kise!

That's it, that's it, Kise!

Damn it!

He's replicating abilities by compensating
for what he lacks with something else.

Strictly speaking,
they're not exactly the same,

but they're more than just imitations.

The Perfect Copy is invincible.

-They got us.
-Huh?

Only Kagami's Zone can withstand Kise now.

But from our previous games,

we know Kagami never enters the Zone
at the start of a game.

They struck at exactly the right time.

Then will Kise stay this way
until he reaches his time limit?

No. He won't use it all now.

But if nothing changes,
this won't be all the damage we take.

We won't let our guard down like before.

You are one of the strongest teams.

With that in mind,
we'll fight you with everything we have.

It's an honor, but sorry, old man.

That doesn't change what we have to do.

Izuki!

If we can't stop you,
then we just have to score!

We're an offensive team!

The Barrier Jumper!

Kuroko, go!

Not even Murasakibara
could stop that shot.

Stop it if you can!

Kise versus Kuroko!

Phantom Shot versus Perfect Copy!

Sorry, but switching to a pass
won't save you.

Even if I can't see it,
the ball's still flying through the air.

As long as I know where it's going...

I can stop it!

Not even Murasakibara
could stop that invincible shot...

and he blocked it?

He predicted its angle
with the Emperor Eye

and stopped its trajectory
with Murasakibara's block.

He couldn't see it,
but he stopped it through brute force.

Kuroko, are you okay?

No.

I'm beat.

Kise is amazing.

I lost.

He's so strong...

I can't help but laugh.

He started using his Perfect Copy
just as the game began.

He got us.

We were supposed to strike first,
but now we're on the defensive.

Things aren't looking good.

Okay! Furihata, you're in!

Huh? What?