Slam Dunk (Manga)

Slam Dunk: copyright Takehiko Inoue/Shueisha

“Slam Dunk”. If you are familiar with basketball, you may know what this expression means. When the player scores putting the ball through the basket, after a jump, with one or both hands, we call this shot “dunk”. And when this shot is performed with high speed, strength and style, we may call it “slam dunk”.

More than an efficient way to score, the slam dunk is able to raise the team and crowd spirits. It’s the shot that defines many of the best basketball players of all time. However, there is one more meaning for “Slam Dunk”: it’s also the name of a Japanese basketball shounen manga. And just as the name suggests, it has a story full of thrills, fun, and great basketball moments.

Slam Dunk is a manga created by Takehiko Inoue, and published in Weekly Shonen Kump from 1990 to 1996. One of the best-selling manga series of all time, it tells the comedy-drama story of the Shohoku High School basketball team. The main character is Hanamichi Sakuragi, a bad boy first year student, who starts to play in order to impress his senpai Haruko Akagi. Her brother is Takenori Akagi, last year student, and captain of the team.

Japanese Slam Dunk #1 tankōbon Cover

Sakuragi knew nothing about basketball at the beginning of the story, so he had to learn everything from the basics. Despite joining the team only for Haruko, after some time he starts to truly like basketball. Akagi, being in his last year at school, wants to lead his team to the top of Japan. After some problems, he, and the team coach Mitsuyoshi Anzai, find in Sakuragi the spirit and potential to make the basketball of the best.

Hanamichi Sakuragi

Besides Sakuragi, the team has another rookie, Kaede Rukawa. Despite being as arrogant as Hanamichi, Rukawa has real talent for basketball. His top abilities make Sakuragi becomes his rival, who thinks he is the best player of the team. And to add some romance in the story, Haruko fall in love with Rukawa, because of his basketball skills; however, Sakuragi’s evolution makes her start to have some doubts about where is her heart.

There is also another last year student, Kiminobu Kogure. He became inspired by Akagi’s will and wants to turn the team a champion as well. As the manga advances, two more key players return to the team. Hasashi Mitsui and Ryota Miyagi, who were involved in some problems two years before the freshmen arrive. Of course, the team has some other players; but these 6 are the core of Slam Dunk, being responsible for the growing of Shohoku basketball team.

Shohoku starting lineup (from the left to right): Rukawa, Sakuragi (yes, new haircut), Mitsui, Miyagi and Akagi. 

The relation of the characters is a great part of the story. Akagi is very responsible, always hard-working to achieve its dreams. Sakuragi is the self-proclaimed “genius”, although his only talent is being stubborn and never give-up, which gives him the capacity of fast learning. Rukawa is the real “genius”, always trying to be the best of all in his selfish way. Mitsui is looking for redemption, and Miyagi is trying to prove that he is part of the team (and also shows himself to Ayako, the team assistant).

From the left to right: Rukawa, Mitisui, Akagi, Miyagi and Sakuragi.

The manga art is a masterpiece itself. Inoue is able to deliver all the emotion of the characters in a brilliantly way, making you feel empathy for their difficulties and triumphs during the series. The drawings are very detailed, with amazing action scenes for shots, tricks, blocks, dunks (obviously), and all the basketball characteristic moves. The manga is full of humor, drama, and action moments, and all this feelings are well illustrated and developed.

Ssakuragi performs a Slam Dunk: Inoue art is amazing

The plot is well build. The entire manga story is about the evolution of the basketball team, and how the people linked to it grow with the challenges and conquests. The series final (without spoilers) is not a “happily ever after”, as we may figure out during the manga development. Reality is a heavy burden with many challenges; however, it makes you grow stronger. Sakuragi and friends face many difficulties in the story, growing in every situation. And the end of Slam Dunk is the major lesson: sometimes, you lose, and others, you win; but you will only win (and enjoy the victory) when you give everything you got.

Shohoku Basketball will face many opponents during the manga

Some people say that moves and shots made by the characters are exaggerated. It’s true that, sometimes, you may think that Shohoku team may be able to face a NBA All-Star Team. But we must not forget that this is fiction story. It would not be fun to see boring matches, with no amazing shots or tricks. Another possible con would be the length of the basketball games. Some take many and many chapters (or volumes), with the last seconds looking like hours. However, everything is done to show the characters feelings and the tension during matches. Actually, you just note that after reading: while you are “inside” the story, everything flows perfectly.

You will become a fan of Slam Dunk characters and story

If you like basketball, this is a must read story. You will find everything there, with a great art, fascinating characters, and an epic plot. If you don’t like basketball (as I did, before start reading), this is your chance to understand this exciting sport, through an incredible story. And, if you don’t like basketball and manga, this is a great option to become a fan of both. Slam Dunk is, at the same time, simple to understand, and deep to hold the reader. An epic story full of emotion, fun, action and drama.