Slam Dunk

Slam dunk is the tale of delinquent Hanamichi Sakuragi meeting the girl of his dreams and trying to win her heart by joining the school basketball team she loves. Not knowing her brother is the Captain of said team creates problems along with hating his team-mate Rukawa who is the object of his crush's desire despite Rukawara not knowing nor caring. At least that's how it starts, Sakuragi soon learns to love the game and through hard work and various encounters, he, along with the rest of the team grow into a formidable underdog team.


If you like basketball, you should watch this anime, it's by far the best basketball anime and I'd class it as one of the best anime of all time. I love watching Sakuragi grow as a player and the team develop in the face of the obstacles that get thrown in front of them. The tips given to him are all valid, pay enough attention to the right parts and it can improve your game too. Get the manga and you'll see that some key frames are lifted straight out of photo's from NBA professionals. The animation was fine for its time and still has some scenes where the attention to detail is superb on character's form and techniques. The rest of the team get across how much basketball means to them throughout the series and you'll want to play ball after watching it too.


Slam dunk is a beautifully balanced mixture of realism and sheer comic absurdity. The comical moments usually revolve around Sakuragi and his gang of former thugs who hang around as cheerleaders and part-time helpers. They can bring light to any situation and are even mid game you'll get comical moments from Rukara, "Gori" and Sakuragi that could have easily been horribly out place but instead just add to show.

Slam dunk long series but come the end, you'll want more but in a way be glad as topping the end would be tough. It even surpasses the original manga in the ending. Slam dunk is the yard stick all basketball anime are measured against and so far all have failed to reach it's legendary awesomeness.

This anime is perfect for those looking for a good anime to fill in the boredom.

Like other sports anime it follows the same idea of teaching the viewers some of the points to the sport making it interesting all the while. Using classic tunnel effects, and some drawn out games, this helps the viewer to understand different characters and their personal battles.

While I usually dislike older styles for anime drawings I was not at all annoyed with the style of art work done for this anime.

In short,

Bored? Looking for a good sports anime? This is definitely an anime to watch.

Slam dunk is an anime/manga mainly about basketball and all sort of things mixed together. Hanamichi Sakuragi, a freshman on Shohoku High, met a girl named Haruko. He fell in love with her and decided to join the basketball team which she introduces to him. Before, he hated basketball and he soon challenged the captain of the basketball team, Akagi Takenori. In embarrassment, Hanamichi won because of his incredible tactic. Akagi let him join when Hanamichi cleaned the whole gym and even polished the balls. He met Rukawa Kaede, his best rival and friend. Rukawa always teases him and makes Hanamichi mad. Upon joining, he met Kogure and the other bench warmers of the team. He also met the beautiful and strict manager, Ayako-chan. Before the elimination, Shohoku decided to have a ball prctice with Ryonan High. Although they didn't won, they continued to train themselves. Later, they met Ryota Miyagi. He was first a rival of Hanamichi but it soon faded. Upon summoning Ryota, they faced an uncontrollable fight from Mitsui and his gang who forcedly challenged everyone to a fight. The fight was finally over when Mr. Anzai appered before them all. After that incident, Mitsui joined the team.

All of them continued their training. Until, the elimination day has come. They faced other schools and no doubt, won. They also faced the famous Shoyo, where they met Fujima, the coach and the captain of the team. However, Shoyo lost. After some more fights, they finally faced Kainandai High, Where they experienced defeat and injuries. It was actually depressing. But, they continued on. They faced Ryonan High next. Almost everything was perfect until Shohoku won. The Ryonan was shocked and almost all of them cried. Shohoku only got the second place and making Kainandai High the champion. The MVP awardees are: Rukawa, Akagi, Uozumi, Sendoh and maki...

Personally my favorite anime of all because I watched it more than 4 times..maybe my 5th time now..honestly, this is the Only Sport anime I watched. It is excellent because not only the anime is great, but after (or during) watching, my inspiration for playing basketball improved. This anime makes me cry, laugh, happy, makes me appreciate Japan more esp. the environment, relaxes me, pumps me up, and makes me think w/ positivity & creativity. Of course this anime isn't perfect (which all anime aren't), but it goes way up to my top list. Great anime, please watch it if you haven't !!!

This story follows a young man who joins the basketball team at his high school and follows his progress throughout the story.
Two things about this story that could be a possible turn off would be its old school animation and episodes that can be drawn out ata times however the comdey in this anime is enough to overcome these two flaws.
The characters:
Are very memorable, even the supporting character grow on you and they are exteremly funny as well.
Pros: nice underdog story. very funny anime with will cause to have to re watch those moments over and over again, good story line.
Objectionable content: Mild ( profanity ), but if you dont want your kids to learn these words then it may not be the best thing to watch.
Recommended: If your an Eyeshield 21 fan, then this anime is for you

As you read the tittle, "SLAM DUNK", cool and fantastic movement in basketball game, requires high jump and strong muscle. Then, why I named my review "High School Dunk"? Because Shohoku's basketball players are great dunkers! Moreover the incredible newbie, Sakuragi Hanamichi. He actually hate basketball, because the girl she like already dating with basketball player. But, by entering Shohoku's High, he met with Haruko, innocent girl who didn't scared with Sakuragi's yakuza-face. Haruko persue him to join Basketball club, and teach him little by little about dunk. Sakuragi didn't anything how to play it, he just trying to act cool in front of Haruko. Just look how he 'dreable' *sigh~

After several days, he met with basketball club captain, Akagi, he was big, tall, and like gorilla. Akagi challenge him one to one, even though it silly, Sakuragi won the game, and he join the club. Meanwhile, he heard Haruko were talking about the handsome boy, named Rukawa. She talk and blused like she like him. Hanamichi curious with Rukawa boy, he decided to met him on top school floor. Well, as you expect, boy with boy rarely to have nice introduce self. Yes, there are fighting. *sigh~

Rukawa was one of the best basketball player during his junior high school (chuugakou), off course he join Shohoku's club. By the first exercise game, he show much cool movements, his get several points, simply he's very good! Sakuragi got special basic training from Ayako, the manager. She watching over Sakuragi's basic training. But, who like looked as newbie by the girl you like? Well, unexpected, Hanamichi show unusual velocity. Everyone were amazed, not included Anzai coach.

Came the day for real game, friendy game with Ryonan High. There are Akagi's rival, also the captain of Ryonan Basketball Club, Ouzumi.
If Shohoku have Rukawa, then Ryonan have Sendoh, basketball prodigy. Rival with rival, how about Hanamichi? This is the first time he called his self as 'genius' and make him more confidence. Anyway, the game was fascinating, interesting, and unexpected!

Shohoku's target are Inter-High Competition, officially national basketball competition held for every district. They practice and training hard, they won't lose, like the game with Ryonan. Hanamichi get his self trained personally by Akagi, Coach Anzai, and his self. Time goes by, who know there another high-quality player in Shohoku? Unfortunately, to put Ryota and Mitsui need lot of efford. Even blood war included. High School time begin, the war between boys and boys.

Let see, they have ... four experienced player; Akagi, Ryota, Mitsui, and Rukawa. Who will be complete the first star? Hanamichi willing to be bench player. Then, Anzai coach said wisely, "you're our secret weapon. Secret weapon won't be used in first time". Feel respected as genius, Sakuragi accept it. But, if the game became much harder, Sakuragi got place for fifth starter.

Along the competition, they have to play againts Ryonan, and the legendary Kainan. Scream, strugle praise, support, pressure, depressed, lose and win fill the compitition. Shohoku can't win over Kainan, but they make the audience impressed. By district team, Kainan and Shohoku move forward as the district representative, playing for national level.

The stories didn't tell us about the game in National, the ending view us Shohoku's team and Kainan's team in train station, with full of spirit to win the Inter-High

When I first started watching this anime, I thought it was a product of the 80s but after reading up on it I found it to be a product of the 90s.

The main story for this series chronicles the ups and downs of Hanamichi and his antics of learning basketball. As with any series, expect long, drawn out matches. In fact the first "practice" match that Shohoku has ends up being drawn out into some 10 episodes or so.

While fans of such narrative may enjoy this, I at times found myself asking "when is it over". The other negative draw is it seems the series spends 2 minutes of the beginning of each episode recounting what all the previous episodes had gone through, bringing newcomers to the present episode.

While this may work while on TV, it tends to get annoying having to watch the same footage, and same "Cliff Notes" of the previous 10-20 episodes.

However, if you can get past this hang up you will find a funny and entertaining Basketball anime that is worth watching. Now if they could only bring the Movies to CR, it would be perfect.