Ep 3. It's Better If I Can't Win

It's Better If I Can't Win is the third episode of the first season of Kuroko's Basketball. The episode starts with Kuroko joining the basketball team, Seirin, and trying to fit in with his teammates. Meanwhile, their next opponents, Kaijo High, are preparing for their match against Seirin.

The episode explores the backstory of Kaijo's basketball ace, Ryota Kise. We see him practicing his skills and impressing his fellow teammates. However, Kise has a problem - he has a habit of copying other players' moves. He can only use his own skills to a limited extent, so he always copies other players' moves to win. This habit has made him popular, but he does not get the respect he deserves from his opponents.

Seirin's coach, Riko, analyzes Kaijo's players and decides to focus on stopping Kise. She assigns the task to Kagami, Seirin's power forward. Kagami is a gifted player, but he lacks control over his own strength and sometimes hurts himself and others unintentionally. Thus, Riko tells him to focus on defense rather than offense and use his strength to stop Kise.

The match between Seirin and Kaijo begins, and both teams are evenly matched. Kise copies Kagami's moves, and both players engage in a battle of wits and skills. Kagami finally manages to stop Kise with his new technique, the "Jumping Tiger," which he had developed under the guidance of Riko.

The episode ends with Seirin winning the match. However, Kagami is not satisfied with his performance, as he feels he could have done better. Kuroko notices the disappointment on Kagami's face and tells him that winning is not the only thing that matters. He encourages Kagami to enjoy the game and focus on improving himself.

Overall, It's Better If I Can't Win is a character-driven episode that explores the personalities and abilities of the main players. The audience gets to know more about Kise's backstory, and Kagami's struggles with his own strength are presented. The episode successfully balances tension, action, and character development, making it an engaging and enjoyable viewing experience.