After being serialized for many years, "Ahiru no Sora" has been decided to be made into an anime. Its realistic depiction of a high school basketball club has captivated many people. There are probably many people who have been waiting for this anime adaptation for a long time. In "Ahiru no Sora," various human dramas unfold through high school basketball, centering around Kurumatani Sora. Here, we will introduce some famous scenes from "Ahiru no Sora." 
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Hinata Takeshi, Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
1. Chucky quits the team
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Of all the episodes in "Ahiru no Sora," the one where Chucky quits the team is one that sticks in the minds of many. Yasuhara, Nabeshima, and Chaki were all early members of the Kuzuryu High School basketball team, but they were all beginners. Yasuhara gradually became able to contribute to the team by taking advantage of his dribbling skills. Nabeshima also established his role within the team by mastering the 3P shot. Meanwhile, even though Chaki plays as a point guard, he is unable to achieve the results he hopes for and is unable to find his role on the team. Unable to find his role on the team, and fearful of being left behind by the other two who started playing basketball at the same time, Chucky continues with the club, eventually quitting. There is a common value that says continuity is a virtue, but I think it is also important to sometimes have the courage to make the decision to quit. This episode shows Chucky's complex inner workings.
2. Dream team in Monster Bash
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
When the amateur basketball tournament "Monster Bash" was held, Kuzuryu High School, which had been inactive, decided to participate in the tournament in search of a place to practice. Standing in Kuzuryu High's way in Monster Bash was the team "Gorillaz," which included retired players Takahashi and Kojima from Shinjo Towa High School, and Chiba from Shinmaruko High School. The dream team of three physically blessed and talented players competing on the same team was formed in an unexpected way. In the match against Kuzuryu High School, they put up a good fight, resulting in a victory for the latter. In sports manga, many different players appear on various teams, and sometimes you can't help but imagine what would happen if these players were to fight on the same team. This scene makes that imagination a reality.
3. The clubroom after the loss to Shinjo Towa
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Kuzuryu High School sadly lost their first Inter-High match against Shinjo Towa in overtime. After the loss, all the members except Sora, Tobi, and Mokichi gather in the clubroom. Yasuhara and the others are depressed while Chiaki is cheerful. Chiaki maintains a cool attitude, feeling a mixture of frustration at not having achieved any results after enduring the harsh training camp and practice. As shown in Chiaki's line, "How much is that?", the members of Kuzuryu High School have certainly undergone hard training, but they have only been working hard for about three months. Compared to other teams, the amount of practice is insufficient. The tense atmosphere of Yasuhara and the others, who are disappointed that their efforts have not paid off, and Chiaki, who keeps a realistic view but suppresses his frustration, is impressive.
4. Kitasumiyoshi vs Yokohama Daiei Taro's fierce attack
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Kitasumiyoshi High School faced off against Yokohama Daiei High School in the prefectural preliminaries for the Inter-High. While Yokohama Daiei had the advantage in terms of ability, Kitasumiyoshi lost the lead. Towards the end of the match, Kitasumiyoshi's ace Taro launched a fierce attack all by himself, overwhelming Yokohama Daiei. As the score difference gradually narrowed, the Kitasumiyoshi members began to see opportunities to win, but as soon as Yokohama Daiei's Fuwa entered the game as a substitute, they were overwhelmed by Fuwa's overwhelming individual strength. It was a scene that highlighted the desperate performance of Taro, who is usually a narcissist and annoying character, and his determination to win, as well as the strength of Yokohama Daiei, who easily broke him down.
5. Scene where Satsuki-sensei appeals for the revival of the basketball club
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
After the defeat against Shinjo Towa, a fire breaks out in the clubroom, and the Kuzuryu High School basketball club is suspended. Even so, the Kuzuryu members' passion for basketball has not disappeared, and they continue their activities in order to somehow get the club back up and running. Meanwhile, Mr. Satsuki, the advisor who had taken responsibility for the fire and left the basketball club, is in a position where he can no longer be involved with the basketball club, but he desperately persuades the other teachers and appeals to the members to stay motivated. When the club was first formed, Mr. Satsuki was not very motivated, but he gradually became influenced by the members, and eventually Mr. Satsuki himself began to feel attached to the basketball club. It is heartwarming to see Mr. Satsuki try to revive the basketball club despite the difficult situation of having to suspend the club.
6. Sora vs. 4 delinquents
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
A famous scene from the beginning of "Ahiru no Sora". Sora Kurumatani, who entered Kuzuryu High School, was planning to join the basketball club, but the basketball club at Kuzu High had become a hangout for delinquents, and the basketball club was essentially suspended. Meanwhile, Sora tries to convince the delinquents to play basketball, proposing a challenge to Momoharu, Yasuhara, Nabeshima, and Chaki that if he can get past them and score a goal, they'll play basketball together. Momoharu and the others let their guard down in front of Sora's small stature, but he takes advantage of his small size and dribbles to get past the delinquents one after another. In the end, Chaki's high kick prevents them from scoring, but this was the first time the Kuzu High members played basketball.
7. Momoharu cuts her hair
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
The Kuzuryu High School basketball club was suspended after burning down the clubroom. Despite being the captain, Momoharu was the only one who felt responsible for the fire. Momoharu, who has a stronger sense of responsibility than most, showed a desperate appearance, such as begging Satsuki-sensei to be the advisor again in the rain. In the midst of all this, Momoharu decided to cut his long ducktail short. It's an easy way to show remorse, but it's also moving to see a high school student learn the meaning of responsibility and grow as a person.
8. Mineta returns to the club
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata/Kodansha/"Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
At the powerful Yokohama Daiei High School, hard practice is carried out almost every day. Meanwhile, Mineta, who is keenly aware of the difference in ability between him and the regulars and unable to keep up with the daily training, decides to quit the club. Mineta decides to quit the club, but then he comes across a pile of tattered basketball shoes in the club room. There, he finds scattered basketball shoes that the regular players have worn out in a short time, and even Fuwa's basketball shoes, who would skip practice whenever he got the chance. Seeing this, Mineta realizes he hasn't put in enough effort and aims to make a comeback. So Mineta decides to return to the club and aim to improve his level even further.
9. Sora, a stubborn girl's shot
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
A practice match between Kuzuryu High School and Shinmaruko High School. Shinmaruko High School was widening its lead by a large margin in the points difference. Meanwhile, Kuzuryu High School was getting revenge with Sora's 3P shot, but even that was held back by Tokiwa of Shinmaruko. Running out of stamina, Sora's movements slow down, and the Kuzuryu members who were relying on Sora begin to lose their fighting spirit, but Sora then takes a three-point shot with the boss hand (two-handed shot). The boss hand is a shot used by female basketball players, and Sora hates it because she thinks it's uncool, but it was a shot that saved Sora, who was at the limit of her physical strength and whose shot had been read. The boss hand is also a technique that she learned from her mother, Yuka. There is a lot that goes into the two-handed shot that connects mother and child.
10. Chiaki, if you're going to do it, now's the time
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
In the match against Shinmaruko High School, the Kuzuryu members allow a large lead. As Kuzuryu High School gradually loses its fighting spirit, Chiaki, who has been watching from the sidelines, decides to join the match as a helper. At that moment, Chiaki was humming "If we're going to do it, now's the time," and he joined the match, overwhelming Shinmaruko High School with elbow passes and other moves. Kuzuryu High School ended up losing the match badly, but the scene where Chiaki's addition allowed them to get some revenge was incredibly cool.
11. Sora breaks up with her mother
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Yuka Kurumatani, who had risen to the top of the Japanese women's basketball team, fell seriously ill and her playing career was cut short. Her condition was not improving, and she had only a short time left to live. While Sora and the others were playing against Shinjo Towa in the first game of the Inter-High, her condition suddenly changed. Sora rushes to Yuka's side and, just before her mother dies, expresses her gratitude and tears. Sora then starts using new basketball shoes instead of the ones his mother had given him. As can be seen from Sora's determination to walk on his own from now on, this is a touching scene in which Sora, who had been emotionally dependent on his mother, begins to grow up after his mother's death.
12. Igarashi's determination
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Igarashi, who played basketball at Shinjo Towa Junior High School, admired Takahashi and Kojima, decides to enter Kuzuryu High School after a match against Kuzuryu High School in Monster Bash. Igarashi, who has not been able to play as well as he would like while being criticized by his classmates from junior high school, is unsure about his choice. Meanwhile, Igarashi meets Takahashi, who tells him, "You chose it yourself, right? Don't hesitate," and he puts an end to his doubts. This scene shows Igarashi's determination to continue playing basketball as a member of Kuzuryu High School.
13. Mokichi joins the basketball team at Kuzuryu High School
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
At the ball game tournament held at Kuzuryu High School, a particularly large student participated. That was Mokichi. Mokichi was invited to join the basketball team, but he declined due to his illness. However, this was a lie. In his junior high school days, Mokichi was a regular member of the basketball team because of his height, but in an important game, he made a fatal mistake due to a lack of stamina. Contrary to the expectations of those around him, Mokichi had left basketball out of disappointment when he was not getting the results he wanted. Then he realized that it was him who was disappointed, and decided to join the basketball club.
14. Nabe's buzzer beater in the game against Kitasumiyoshi
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
It was a practice match against Kitasumiyoshi High School. For Kuzuryu High School, after Tomohisa became their coach, they had a flurry of practice matches, and this was a match against a stronger and more powerful team than ever before. The match was a back-and-forth affair, and it was unclear who would win until the very end. Meanwhile, on the last play, Nabeshima's three-point shot became the buzzer-beater that decided the game. Nabeshima had been practicing three-point shots since he joined the Kuzuryu High School basketball team as a beginner and was worried about his role on the team, but this was the first time that he was able to put his efforts into practice and contribute to the team.
15. Sora VS Nino
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
Nino, the point guard at Kawasaki Kikugawa High School, is a formidable opponent with his genius basketball sense and techniques honed on the street. In Monster Bash, Kuzuryu High School plays against Kawasaki Kikugawa High School, led by Nino. Sora and Nino met on the street. They both have something in common: they're both small, but have weapons that make up for that. So the two of them go head-to-head in a serious match. What's more, they're both fired up for the match, with a date with Kuzu High's manager, Nanao, at stake. At the very end of the match, Kikukawa scores a quick attack, giving Nino the victory.
Summary
Source: Ahiru no Sora ©Takeshi Hinata, Kodansha / "Ahiru no Sora" Production Committee
During its long serialization, "Ahiru no Sora" has produced many memorable scenes. Some of these scenes are heart-warming, while others will make you feel warm inside. "Ahiru no Sora" depicts the human growth of Sora and friends in a high school basketball club, and there are many other fascinating episodes in addition to the scenes introduced here. If you are interested, please give it a read.
