Slam Dunk (manga)

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Slam Dunk
スラムダンク (Suramu Danku)
Genre	Sports
Manga
Author	Takehiko Inoue
Publisher	Shueisha
English publisher	Gutsoon! Entertainment (2003-2004) VIZ Media (2008) Chuang Yi Madman Entertainment
Other publishers: Conrad Tora Aman Kana Planet Manga Summit Manga Editorial Ivréa Elex Media Komputindo Changchun Publishing House Grupo Editorial Vid Editorial Ivrea
Demographic	Shōnen
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Jump
Original run	1990 – 1996
Volumes	31
TV anime
Director	Nobutaka Nishizawa
Studio	Toei Animation
Network	Animax, TV Asahi
Other networks: ABC-5, Animax, AXN-Asia, GMA Network NTV7 TV Azteca WKAQ-TV, Telemundo Etc...TV MTV Italia K3 Modern Nine TV (1997)
Original run	October 16, 1993 – March 23, 1996
Episodes	101
Animated film
Director	Nobutaka Nishizawa
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	March 12, 1994
Runtime	30 minutes
Animated film: Conquer the Nation, Hanamichi Sakuragi!
Director	Toshihiko Arisako
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	July 20, 1994
Runtime	45 minutes
Animated film: Shohoku's Greatest Challenge!
Director	Hiroyuki Kakudo
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	March 12, 1995
Runtime	40 minutes
Animated film: Howling Basketman Spirit!!
Studio	Toei Animation
Released	July 15, 1995
Runtime	40 minutes

Slam Dunk (スラムダンク, Suramu Danku^?) is a 31-volume, 24-Kanzenban manga and anime series written by Takehiko Inoue about a basketball team from Shohoku (Shōhoku) High School. It was first published in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan and has sold over 100 million copies in Japan alone.^[1] In 1995, it received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen and in 2007 was declared Japan's favorite manga.^[2]

It was so popular that many Japanese teenagers began playing basketball after it was published.^[3] Inoue has also used basketball as a central theme in two other manga series: Buzzer Beater and Real.

The anime series, consisting of 101 episodes, was produced by the TV Asahi terrestrial television network and Toei Animation and directed by Nobutaka Nishizawa. It was first aired on TV Asahi from October 16, 1993 to March 23, 1996. It was later aired on the anime satellite television network, Animax, in addition to four animated movies produced. The anime series follows the manga storyline, but leaves out the National Tournament games. The animated movies are separate stand-alone stories.

The manga was originally licensed in North America to the now-defunct Gutsoon! Entertainment and serialized in Raijin Comics during 2003 and 2004 before Gutsoon folded. The license has since been picked up by VIZ Media, who confirmed at Comic Con International 2007 that will start publishing the series in September 2008. A preview of the series was published in the December 2007 issue of Shonen Jump^[4] It was also stated in the April 2008 issue that starting in the next issue, the series would appear in the monthly lineup. Another English version has been published in Singapore by Chuang Yi.

Contents 1 Plot 2 Characters 3 Music 4 Movies 5 Critical response 6 References

[edit] Plot

See also: List of Slam Dunk chapters

See also: List of Slam Dunk episodes

The main character of this manga is Hanamichi Sakuragi, who started out as an outcast who fights as a method to gain power and publicity, becoming the leader of a gang. Hanamichi, being very unpopular with girls, has been rejected by them fifty times. Yet, he finds out that Haruko Akagi is the girl of his dreams, and is happy when she's not scared of him like all the other girls he has asked out.

Haruko Akagi, who recognizes Hanamichi's athleticism, introduces him to the Shohoku basketball team. Hanamichi was reluctant to join the team at first because he had no previous background in any sports and thought that basketball was a game for losers (also because the fiftieth girl rejected him for a basketball player). Sakuragi, despite his immaturity and hot temper, proves to be a natural athlete with potential and joins the team in order to impress Haruko and prove that he is worthy of her. Kaede Rukawa - Sakuragi's bitter rival (both on the basketball court and love, even when Rukawa doesn't acknowledge Haruko's crush on him), the star rookie and a "girl magnet" - joins the team at the same time. Hisashi Mitsui, an ex-junior high school MVP, and Ryota Miyagi , a short but fast player, both also rejoin the team and together these four struggle to complete team captain Takenori Akagi's dream of making Shohoku the national champion. Together, these misfits gain publicity and the once little known Shohoku basketball team becomes an all-star contender in Japan.

[edit] Characters

Main article: List of Slam Dunk characters

[edit] Music

• Opening Themes

1. Kimi ga Suki da to Sakebitai (君が好きだと叫びたい, I Want to Shout 'I Love You'^?) by BAAD (eps. 1-61)
2. Zettai ni Daremo (ぜったいに 誰も, Definitely Anyone^?) by ZYYG (eps. 62-101)

• Ending Themes

1. Anata Dake Mitsumete'ru (あなただけ見つめてる, I Only See You^?) by Maki Ohguro (eps. 1-27)
2. Sekai ga Owaru Made Wa (世界が終るまでは…, Until the World Ends...^?) by WANDS (eps 28-49)
3. Kirameku Toki ni Torawarete (煌めく瞬間に捕われて, Captured in This Magical Moment^?) by Manish (eps. 50-81)
4. My Friend (マイ フレンド, My Friend^?) by ZARD (eps. 82-101)

[edit] Movies

Four movies were produced by Toei Animation from 1994-1995 while the manga and TV series were still running. They contain largely new material that is either only hinted at or is not presented in the manga. From August 1-4, 2006, NHK broadcasted all 4 movies as part of its satellite networks NHK BS-2's Summer Anime Choice line-up, and TV Osaka aired the last three movies from January 3-8, 2007.

• Slam Dunk, released March 12, 1994

Set after Shohoku's practice game against Ryonan, the film focuses on a practice game against Takezono High. Before the game, Sakuragi runs into Yoko Shimura, the girl who rejects him in the very first scene of the series, and Oda, the basketball player she rejected him for.

• Conquer the Nation, Hanamichi Sakuragi! (全国制覇だ! 桜木花道, Zenkoku Seiha da! Sakuragi Hanamichi^?), released July 20, 1994

Set during Shohoku's 4th Round Qualifying game against Tsukubu High. Covered in only two pages of the manga, the film features original characters including Godai, an old friend of Akagi and Kogure's, Nango, a wild show-off who is in love with Haruko and quarrels with Sakuragi, and Coach Kawasaki, a former pupil of Anzai-sensei. Also featured in cameos are Sendo, Uozumi, Aida, Hanagata, Fujima, Maki, and Aizen's wife (although, only Aida, Uozumi, Maki, and Aizen's wife have speaking roles).

• Shohoku's Greatest Challenge! Burning Hanamichi Sakuragi (湘北最大の危機! 燃えろ桜木花道, Shohoku Saidai no Kiki! Moero Sakuragi Hanamichi^?), released March 12, 1995

Set after Shohoku's loss to Kainan, and during a practice match against Ryokufu High.

• Howling Basketman Spirit!! Hanamichi and Rukawa's Hot Summer (吠えろバスケットマン魂!! 花道と流川の熱き夏, Hoero Basukettoman Tamashii!! Hamamichi to Rukawa no Atsuki Natsu^?), released June 15, 1995

Rukawa's middle school kouhai Ichiro Mizusawa will be paralyzed soon and wishes to have one last game against Rukawa. While the previous films depicted Shohoku playing against strong schools in intense games, this film is more of a drama.

[edit] Critical response

In a poll of over 79,000 Japanese fans for the 10th Japan Media Arts Festival, Slam Dunk! was voted the #1 manga of all time.^[5]

[edit] References

v • d • e Slam Dunk Media Chapters Characters List of Slam Dunk characters Teams Kainan • Ryonan • Sannoh • Shohoku • Shoyo

The Works of Takehiko Inoue v • d • e

Chameleon Jail | Slam Dunk | Buzzer Beater | Vagabond | Real