When it comes to stealth, Goku and Shikamaru from Naruto know a thing or too. However, in Kuroko's Basketball, the titular character has a stealth ability that works similarly to theirs. It may be a surprise considering it exists in a sports manga, but it combines the best of both stealth abilities in Dragon Ball and Naruto into one stunning technique.
In Dragon Ball Z, Goku - and his son Gohan - proved early on that they could effectively hide their chi levels from their opponents. This allows them to appear less threatening to foes, before kicking up the intensity. In Naruto, Shikamaru's signature jutsu is his Shadow Imitation technique. However, its efficacy varies based on the combat situation he is in and the strategies employed. It can have a limited range and early on, rather limited potential. Incorporated with teammates in a group setting, it takes on a new level of intensity and increases efficacy.
Created by Tadatoshi Fujimaki in 2008, Kuroko's Basketball follows Tetsuya Kuroko as he joins the Seirin high School basketball club. Kuroko is part of an elite group of players known as the Miracle Generation, though he went largely unnoticed. He is referred to as the "phantom sixth man" and is continuously surprising his teammates with his unexpected presence. Kuroko's strengths lie in misdirection and an ability to hide himself from his opponents thanks to his unassuming appearance and aura. The series ended in 2014 after thirty volumes, but the skillsets presented in it are surprising and impressive to say the least.
Goku + Shikamaru + Basketball = Tetsuya Kuroko
Like Goku, Kuroko is capable of hiding his potential from opponents he has never faced. It becomes more difficult in rematches, but this lack of presence makes him a special weapon against other teams. Kuroko's strength lies in passing, not in fundamental basketball techniques, making him a strange inclusion on the team initially. However, because of his lack of presence as a threat on the court, he effectively disappears and creates passes that open up big plays for his teammates. His lack of aura is similar to Goku's ability to hide chi, particularly since once Kuroko's hidden talent is revealed, his opponents are stunned, instantly increasing his threat potential while unnerving players.
Similar to Shikamaru early on, Kuroko is not effective on his own. In order for his ability to be capitalized on, he has to have teammates open and able to respond to his plays. He has to work with others since he is incapable of shooting on his own early in the series. While the ability can be negated by some opponents with creative solutions after exposure to it, Kuroko has found ways to improve the technique and shift its capabilities throughout his team's journey through various tournaments and against varied opponents. While the Miracle Generation members each have impressive skills, their phantom sixth man has special ways of locating weaknesses and navigating around their strengths. Combining Goku's chi hiding ability with Shikamaru's sneaky ability and teamwork potential in Naruto into one unorthodox basketball player is a winning combination that benefits Seirin High School's members in Kuroko's Basketball.