Buzz
In the victorious year of 2022 for the anime genre in the Japanese market, The First Slam Dunk, also known as The Initial Slam Dunk, is hailed as the pivotal explosion that has audiences eagerly anticipating and thrilled.
After 26 years, the most iconic sports manga and anime brand of all time officially steps onto the big screen, allowing audiences to relive youthful memories and immerse themselves in emotionally charged matches.
The manga series Slam Dunk was first serialized in the Weekly Shounen Jump! magazine in 1990, continuously breaking records for the following decade. It is also considered one of the early pillars of this famous magazine alongside legends like One Piece, Dragon Ball, and Naruto. Slam Dunk significantly contributed to the remarkable development of this popular teen magazine in the early 1990s. From 1993 to 1996, the anime adaptation of the series aired 101 episodes, capturing the hearts of many viewers, especially teenagers.
Slam Dunk tells the story of the troublemaking high school student Sakuragi Hanamichi, a towering figure with his trademark red hair and a record number of romantic rejections, much to the amusement of his peers. After meeting Haruko, a girl passionate about basketball, Hanamichi gradually gets involved in the sport and becomes obsessed with slam dunks – the coolest scoring technique in the eyes of girls. Initially playing basketball to impress the girl of his dreams, Hanamichi gradually falls in love with the sport. He is joined by members of the Shohoku High School basketball team, under the guidance of coach Anzai, as they strive for the national championship.
The First Slam Dunk – the first cinematic adaptation of this iconic series – will be directed by the author himself, Inoue Takehiko. However, this time, the story will be told from the perspective of the diminutive point guard Miyagi Ryota, instead of the lively red-haired Hanamichi. Set against the crucial match between Shohoku and Sannoh – a top 10 team nationwide – the film interweaves the past stories of each member, especially Ryota, with the developments of the match. Through this, author Inoue Takehiko successfully illustrates how basketball profoundly influences the growth of each Shohoku member.
Since its debut - and even up to now, Slam Dunk continues to be regarded as the series that revolutionized basketball in Japan, Asia, and many countries worldwide. At the time of its inception, basketball was not a widely popular sport in Japan or Asia in general. However, with the passionate story of five teenagers devoting their love to basketball, author Inoue Takehiko brought this sport closer to the youth, sparking a basketball frenzy in the countries where the series was released. The success of Slam Dunk is evidenced by the skyrocketing number of youth playing basketball in Japan during the 1990s. In particular, author Inoue Takehiko received praise from the Japan Basketball Association for popularizing the sport nationwide.
Considered the bedside reading material of the 80s and 90s generation, news of Slam Dunk's return after 26 years with a cinematic adaptation has excited audiences. Not only does it ensure the original spirit with author Inoue Takehiko personally directing, but the film also attracts audiences with the application of 3D animation technology, making it much more visually appealing than anime series released over two decades ago.
Upon its release in Japan, The First Slam Dunk immediately climbed to the top of the box office rankings, surpassing the blockbuster Suzume by Shinkai Makoto. The strong allure of The First Slam Dunk persisted for a long time, to the point where even the global box office juggernaut Avatar: The Way of Water had to concede defeat, despite premiering nearly 2 weeks later than The First Slam Dunk.
International media outlets have noted that there is hardly any market where Avatar: The Way of Water has had such a 'spectacular' debut. Currently, over 3 months since its premiere, The First Slam Dunk continues to maintain its position in the top 5 of the Japanese box office.
Not only did The First Slam Dunk triumph in the domestic market, but it also dominated box offices across most Asian markets where the film premiered. In South Korea, the film surpassed the 4 million ticket milestone, outperforming Your Name to become the most-watched anime in the history of South Korean cinemas. Although initially overshadowed by Avatar: The Way of Water's premiere, thanks to the extremely positive word-of-mouth effect among mainstream audiences after the film's release, the movie dominated the South Korean box office in the subsequent weeks. The film attracted a significant number of viewers in the 30-40 age group to theaters, as well as drew famous personalities such as BTS's SUGA, actress Han So Hee, and Seventeen's Wonwoo.
Many viewers share that the intense, thrilling, and emotionally charged basketball matches of The First Slam Dunk are exactly what they have always been looking forward to when the film hit the big screen. Whether they've never watched/read Slam Dunk before or don't know much about basketball rules, audiences can still easily follow and enjoy the film. The fantastic experience of The First Slam Dunk in theaters makes it an unmissable anime for all audiences.
THE FIRST SLAM DUNK - Vietnamese title: THE INAUGURAL DUNK - will premiere nationwide on April 14th.
