The First Slam Dunk (2022) User Reviews

The Human Side of Slam Dunk

[sydescape · 9/10 · 13 March 2023]

Takehiko Inoue (TI) deliberately used 3D mo-cap animation in the Shohoku vs Sannoh match scenes and 2D animation in the non-match scenes. This makes the movement of the characters in their basketball game scenes very realistic. The selection of 2D animation with the use of desaturated colours is intended to be closer to the original source of Slam Dunk (SD) itself, which is the manga.

SD fans who started reading the manga since the late 90s may feel a strong sense of nostalgia when watching The First Slam Dunk (T1SD), at the same time satisfying their longing for it. The basketball match scenes stays true to its original manga source. Some parts had to be shortened in order to meet the broadcast time, causing the end of the match to feel a little forced and short. Many scenes, especially those comic relief moments, feel like they can only be understood by the manga readers and may not caught by first-time viewers.

TI named it The First Slam Dunk because this story is adapted for viewers who are getting to know SD for the first time. Therefore, it was quite interesting when Miyagi was chosen to be the main character of T1SD. In the manga, not much of Miyagi's back story is revealed. Unlike the other members of the Shohoku team, readers get to know the characters Sakuragi, Rukawa, Mitsui and Akagi better. Each of them is over 6' tall and has a great level of athleticism. The 5'5" tall Miyagi was always at a disadvantage compared to them.

Miyagi is dwarfed by the other Shohoku team members. His weapon is his speed. He is constantly at war with the guilt inside him of losing his beloved brother. Miyagi's life journey is filled with challenges. He was criticized from an early age for not being as good as his brother at basketball, bullied caused by the envy of his teammates and battled with inferiority complex due to his physical inadequacy compared to the rest of the team. In a sense, the main character of SD in the manga, Sakuragi, can be seen as a 'superhero' when compared to Miyagi. Sakuragi is a quick learner, runs fast and has incredible jumping power coupled with his height. When the Shohoku team played against the reigning champion, Sannoh, Sakuragi had actually only been playing basketball for 4 months.

This difference, coupled with the tragedy of Miyagi's back story makes this T1SD closer and deeper to the hearts of many SD fans who watch it. Either way, I think the average SD fan must now be in their 30s-40s, having gone through the challenges of adulthood and the bittersweetness of their respective lives. In this sense, Miyagi is more 'human' than Sakuragi and maybe this is why TI chose to make Miyagi the protagonist of T1SD.

Salute to TI. As a first-time director, I think T1SD's is excellent. I felt unsatisfied watching it just once.

A love letter to the fans who've been waiting for 26 years

[sprayeddog-44263 · 9/10 · 29 July 2023]

I gave this movie a 9/10 but to be honest, big part of the score goes to the original Slam Dunk manga, which is a legend, and big part of my youth growing up.

I seriously thought it was an April fool joke when I read 2 years ago Inoue-san announced he was going to make a movie version of slam dunk. And I've been looking forward to this then, and it did not disappoint.

The biggest headache for Inoue-san was probably how could he re-tell such a classic story, which the fans must have re-read hundreds or even thousands of times by now, without making the movie redundant and unnecessary. And he's made some really smart choices here. The smartest choice of all, imo, is to re-tell the Sannon battle from Miyagi's perspective, and adding a lot of backdrop stories.

And manga fans get to re-live the Shohoku - Sannon battle with new backdrop stories, and re-live all the monumental touching moments in the story. And for fans like me, the 2 hours in the theatre felt like re-watching my first love right in front of my eyes years later, feeling like it's just happening for the first time.

The movie is not without flaw. I think for people who have not watched the original manga, the movie will feel pretty choppy. The editing would feel awkward. Especially in the Mitsui story. That would feel so incomplete and even a lot of "WTH" moments. Or likewise when Sakuraki saw flashbacks from his past when he was injured. But maybe there isn't a flawless way to re-tell a 31 books manga (or even the Sannon battle is like 4-5 books?) in a 2 hours movie.

Which is not to say new audience cannot enjoy this movie, but this would simply be a good sports movie to those not being familiar with the original manga. For the fans though, this is an amazing movie.

I can only hope Inoue-san would come up with the Second slam dunk, the third slam dunk, the forth slam dunk .... but hopefully it won't take another 26 years.

first time watched

[marvin6z6z6z · 9/10 · 15 December 2022]

I haven't watch this series just heard of it title and i don't understand specific rules so much but i enjoy it.

I felt Little bit longer but technical motion draws and expressions, story writing , characters, touch scene and also comically scenes are so great. Even if you never watched this series or comic books or you are young or elder im sure you will enjoy this movie.

About main role his background story is sad little a bit and depressed. But understandable situations and feelings.

No contains sexual scenes or brutal violence or grotesque scenes no need to worries for couples or family watching.

Right now in japan movie theater give you bonus paper card of coaster.

Lm japanese so sorry about bad english. I hope more good reviews coming.

The best not just in revival anime but in basketball movies

[rtrsgwr · 10/10 · 3 December 2022]

Although there's been a lot of advance reviews expressing disappointment mainly from die-hard TV series fans, this animation movie has just completely blown my mind. Being one of an original comic fan for more than twenty years, I am truly amazed how beautiful this animation is, which should come from incredible hard work of creators. Members of the opponent team are now animated and all the characters act lively, this could not been better. New stories added, at the same time, some original parts are effectively cut off or omitted, I think I should call it creativity. Without any knowledge about original series, or even rules of the sport, you will be satisfied with this realistic sports movie and teenagers' hilarious&touchy drama.

Fantastic

[Sciluke · 8/10 · 16 May 2023]

Crazy. The movie is gorgeous, everything is. Starting from the technician: the direction is spectacular, it is clear that a manga author is very inclined to be a director, because he is inclined to do it for each table that is drawn. The animation technique is quite beautiful, I appreciate it, even if I'm not a great fan of it, it's functional to the film. The characters are beautiful, all of them, even if I don't remember their names, are all fantastic, all of them have something to tell and all of them have the motivation and the need to make basketball history, even if in this student microcosm. The film is made up of breathtaking scenes, like the last one, which seems to transport you to a 1920s film, in pure silence, not a word, a war of looks, actions, body language; and from touching moments of the protagonists, such as the life of the dachshund, from the bond with his brother to that with his mother, to the team, and to the game of basketball itself. Hanamichi is the best, he can't help but like his insolent way, he is there to make history, and he succeeds, despite the physical and mental difficulties, he is there only because he wanted to impress a girl, but now he has made history, it's Incredible. The characters all have a perfect and recognizable character design, they are all perfect, even the head of Sannoh, who eventually goes to America, in search of the challenge he was looking for, he discovered he has someone stronger than him, but it is only the start, because there he will be one of the weakest, and he will have to work hard to dominate the game. Excellent film, Inoue great author and great artist. 8/10. Now I'm ready to read the manga.

How to perfectly refresh and adapt a popular manga into big screen

[hkstephen · 8/10 · 9 January 2023]

It is a very challenging task to adapt a manga that had 100+ million copies sold, where lots of people have read and known all the plots and details of the story, and still bringing new materials and also fresh back lots of the classic moments into this movie for old and new audiences to watch and find all these excitements......and Takehiko Inoue really have done it at the perfect way EVEN this is his directorial debut.

I've been his long time fans since the beginning of the manga released, the passion of the sport and all these little moments in the stories really gave me such great memories of my childhood. However, hearing this movie released after 20+ years after the manga series ended, did give me little worries.

But after I watched it last night at a cinema, and nothing but want to give a salute to the creator/director Takehiko Inoue. He have done it perfectly, even this is his first directorial debut, but totally understood the concept of movie flow and storytelling, so he had to cut down lots of classic scenes and incidents from the manga.

Furthermore, while he knew and understood there are lot of fans who have read the manga, or even memories every single plot and scenes, while there may still some new audience attending, so he cleverly used a different narrator to bring a completely new and different perspective to look at this classic basketball story instead of the original narrator. It really gave us lots of new elements on the backstory and histories of the new narrator, but still bringing us back all these classic moments and scenes that gave us hooked. Takehiko really balanced these new and old materials in the films that even long time fans like me can still find new elements in the story and never get bored of it.

I also like to give a big respect to Takehiko is that he brings the whole story flow and atmosphere from the manga 100% into this movie version. All the intense moments and scenes, the flow of the stories and excitement of the whole environment, and funny moments and scenes from the manga, EVEN I have read all these scenes 1000 times from the manga, I KNEW what will happen after one to another, I could still feel those humour, those excitement, that passion of youth, and intensity that takes you out of breathe, all these can still feel in the cinema. This is just unbelievable.

Even you are a long time fans, or you never read this manga, you will still have really good time in this movie. ( even though for audience who never read this manga, you may find little confusing plots on some of the scenes, I recommend you watch the whole manga after finish this film, you will have a completely wide open perspective of this basketball story and why it becomes one of the classic in the Asia area for 20+ years even now )

Different MC Different styles

[hasansc · 10/10 · 2 June 2023]

I would really like to elaborate on two main points as they were really bugging me as a manga reader of the Slam Dunk and as an old fan of the series Slam Dunk.

The first one is the cahnge in the MC, I really liked the old series where sakuragi was the main character and I really enjoyed every single episode I watched. Even though I would really like to see other characters being developed and their lives being understood. I still wish the MC was still sakuragi as his story was really interesting and inspiring with him being the main character.

It makes sense to all the old fans and the manga readers.

I wish that you reconsider this point as it really represents a large number of the slam dunk fans who were raised watching this anime with sakuragi as the main character.

The other point is the style.

Believe me when I say that we love the manga and the old anime style and you really don't need to change much, we are already fans of the old style, and I wish that you can recreate it for us.

I really thank all the developers for their hard work and their effort that created such a masterpiece.

But remember a masterpiece is not a masterpiece unless the tensai (genius) is the main character 😉.

I wouldn't say that it is a great movie, BUT I kind of love it..!

[ajleong-98725 · 7/10 · 23 March 2023]

Knowing that most of the audiences are fans who have read the manga + some new viewers, the director employs a different approach to bring the film to life, rather than introducing all characters from A to Z (that could be boring). It is definitely a very smart way of using a basketball match, supported by the backstory of Ryota Miyaki, to make the movie more solid and compact. On one hand, the fans get to find some classic moments and new elements in the movie, while on the other, new viewers get to know Ryota better.

Although we basically know what will happen at the end of the basketball match, the visual excitement and intense moments are all well presented and intact for your enjoyment!

I also like how the movie describes the relationship between Ryota and other characters. It's not too much or too less, but just enough to remind fans about the connections.

The movie has a few flaws as follows: Firstly, there are no behind stories about the characters and talents of Akagi, Sakuragi, Mitsui (a 3-pointer) and Rukawa (ace of the team), as a result new viewers may not connect well with them or enjoy the movie to maximum.

Secondly, Ryota's side stories are acceptable in the first half, but it becomes cheesy + too much in the second half, especially while the basketball match is on the line!

Finally, the emotional attachment is there, but the intensity is weak. We know what it means and we feel it, BUT it just doesn't touch one's heart at all!

I gave 7.0/ 10.0. Watching it without high expectations will allow you to enjoy it better! Of coz, with knowledge about the manga and characters is definitely an advantage!

Masterpiece at it's own place! legacy still lives on

[kenno-48829 · 9/10 · 8 April 2023]

First of all... Slam Dunk franchise is a life changer for me..

My love of Basketball, and My key illustration artsyles came from Inoue Sensei's Slam Dunk..

Wow! The first slam dunk is a 30 years of payoff, since this franchise hiatus from televison and theaters.

On top of it, we've been delivered a very epic and beautiful feature film in every aspect, the right portion of storytelling, and basketball animation that feel so lively.

The CGI and 2D Animation is combined beautifully, and very eye pleasing.

If i remember the original anime, the voice acting is 85 percent sound exatcly the same, only sakuragi that feels different, but it doesn't matter, their performances is top notch 👌.

The soundtrack, the music, SO EPIC, i feel the adrenaline rush. On the other hand, i start listening to other 10-Feet albums 😅.

The main character change from Sakuragi to Ryota is part of Inoue Sensei perfect exploration to build a storytelling that can be accepted by both sides (Old time fans, and Newbies).

Ryota is the only character who didn't have much background stories in manga and anime.

And i really don't have problem with it, in fact that i'm Sakuragi big fan.

The other characters also get a very right portion of stories and it sustain throughout the movie, and somehow, Sakuragi still feels like he's the main character.

Nostlagia let it be the nostalgia, we already know the whole story anyway..

I can't imagine if this movie is 100% the same as the manga's, the newbies will confused by it.

If theres any panel from the manga that didn't make it to the movie, that shows some reaction and moment from a character, all we got to do is just accept with an open heart... i believe Inoue sensei sorted it wisely..

Its an artwork, we can't please everyone..

I also think that this is part of the film business, thats why inoue packed it that way, so that the movie feels like new to both the newcomers and the old fans, in hope that the newcomers will love slam dunk franchise after it.

My words, to the old fans, if you can't move on, from the old anime graphics, we'll be like stucked in the past, which is not relevant to the market these days.

And that old anime, Inoue Sensei have some problems too back then.

Let the manga and anime became the greatest masterpiece legacy, and we embrace this movie as a new standalone masterpiece in the box office.

If theres any problem with the cut to flashback scenes, i feel like theres nothing wasted here, because those flashback stories never been in manga before.

And that kind of storytelling is also told in the manga, one of the japanese filmmaking style also, and to build a deep emotional story.

I can say that this is type of maturity of art vision that Inoue Sensei does in this movie masterpiece, i hope the fans understand this much as we also grew with Slam Dunk history.

Don't do much complain, if this movie doesn't match with the manga 100%, "the scene should exist" bla bla, we should be grateful..

remember, this movie never been in Inoue Sensei's mind, He's been proposed many times but he rejected it..

Overall, its 9/10, please watch it on theaters, the vibe will rushing through your souls, i guaranteed, still the best sports anime of all time 👌

much love from Indonesia 🇮🇩

A Commercial Success at the Expense of Hardcore Fans

[aloobi · 6/10 · 17 July 2023]

Inoue Takehiko made a deliberate attempt to create a movie that would appeal to existing fans of the original Slam Dunk while attracting new ones. In order to achieve this, he chose to focus primarily on Ryota as the central character. This choice inevitably required some sacrifices and left many devoted fans of Slam Dunk, including myself, feeling disappointed.

Takehiko was compelled to introduce new content otherwise the movie would have been a dull version of the manga.

One might question why Ryota was selected over Sakuragi, the protagonist of the original work. The fans already possessed a comprehensive knowledge of Sakuragi's character and story. Deviating from the original narrative to explore an untold or made-up story about Sakuragi would have potentially upset loyal fans. It had to be someone else. Among the five main characters, Ryota and Rukawa were the least explored. In my opinion, Takehiko had to choose between the two. He opted for Ryota due to his historical connections with Mitsui and Akagi, while Rukawa's disconnection from the other characters and his aspirations to become Japan's top player and move to the US were already established in the original work.

Readers of the manga will recall Ryota's exceptional performance in the game against Sannoh, where he stood out as one of the best players in the game. This presented an opportunity to delve into the motivations behind his performance, providing another reason why Takehiko chose to focus on Ryota's story and explore the significance of the game to him. In the manga, Ryota's passion for basketball was not fully elucidated; it was merely attributed to his desire to impress his crush, Ayako.

Another reason for selecting Ryota might be Takehiko's genuine passion for basketball and his desire for his work to have a positive impact on his fans. It is possible that he hoped Ryota's story would inspire talented young players who might have given up on pursuing basketball due to their frustration with their height, thereby helping them overcome their fears and challenges.

Prior to the movie's release, Takehiko wrote a blog to express his thoughts on introducing new content and dimensions to a character. He did not explicitly clarify his intentions or the reasons behind his bold decision though. Nevertheless, I believe he wanted to justify his decision, and perhaps clear his conscience.

Existing fans can now connect with and relate to Ryota on a deeper level. However, as an ardent follower of the original work, I cannot help but feel uneasy that certain pivotal moments from the manga were omitted from the movie. Including these moments would have likely confused new viewers who lacked the necessary context to appreciate them. While I recognize it was a difficult decision, in my humble opinion, brilliant key moments from the original manga should not have been omitted.

For instance, Akagi's struggle against Kawata was a significant moment in the manga. Akagi found himself in a position similar to his rival Uozumi when he faced off against him in the game that determined which team would make it to the Nationals alongside Kainan. Akagi belittled Uozumi in the game for avoiding one-on-one matchups, but during the game against Sannoh, he had to confront the reality that he was outmatched by Kawata, just as Uozumi had been outmatched by him. Akagi came to understand why Uozumi had avoided direct confrontation. Up until that point, Akagi had always been the top center in Kanagawa. This was the first time he encountered a center who surpassed him in every aspect, leading him to realize that he needed to rely on his teammates to defeat Kawata just like Uozumi did. He learnt that him losing to Kawata did not mean Shohoku would lose. This revelation was conspicuously absent from the movie, with only a fleeting glimpse of Uozumi standing up for Akagi's sake from afar in the stands, while Akagi continued to struggle against Kawata.

Furthermore, Mitsui's remarkable display of faith was disregarded. His previous conflicts with his teammates had nearly resulted in the suspension of the basketball team. Mitsui was exhausted in the game against Sannoh. He resorted to faith in his teammates, relying on them to compensate for his missed shots. This belief injected him with confidence. This was unfortunately not conveyed clearly in the movie. Additionally, the strong bond he shared with Coach Anzai, which fueled his determination to persevere despite his lack of stamina resulting from his fallout with basketball during his freshman year, was completely overlooked in the movie.

As for Rukawa, for a good few minutes, he was completely outclassed by Sawakita in the game. The movie failed to adequately convey how he overcame this struggle. After Shohoku's crucial victory against Ryonan, earning them a spot in the Nationals, Rukawa visited Coach Anzai to express his intention of going to the US. He thought he had reached if not surpassed Sendoh's level but he was taken aback when Coach Anzai unapologetically told him he was still behind Sendoh and that he needed to work harder to become Japan's top player before considering a move to the US. Prior to the Nationals, Rukawa challenged Sendoh and engaged in a one-on-one game with him, resulting in an endless tie. Sendoh acknowledged Rukawa's invincibility in an isolated one-on-one situation but explained that the dynamics drastically changed during an actual game. He also mentioned Sawakita to Rukawa, emphasizing his phenomenal abilities and how he himself was not a match for him. After repeated defeats against Sawakita, Rukawa finally grasped the essence of Sendoh's message and realized he needed to adapt his style. He began passing the ball more frequently to his teammates, confounding Sawakita and leaving him uncertain about his next move. This revelation delighted Coach Anzai, who had been patiently and prudently waiting for Rukawa to make this valuable discovery on his own terms. At that moment, Coach Anzai uncharacteristically celebrated, showing great enthusiasm for Rukawa's discovery and recovery in the game. This crucial narrative element was almost entirely omitted from the movie. In fact, there was no reference to Sendoh or his rivalry with Rukawa throughout the entire movie. Although Sendoh was not a main character in the original work, many dedicated fans regarded him as their favorite character.

Even Sakuragi, the central character in the manga, didn't receive the attention he deserved in the movie. There was no acknowledgment of his infatuation with Haruko, who discovered his basketball talent. This crucial aspect was neglected in the movie. Sakuragi was reduced to just another player on the court, with almost no mention of his secret long-distance shooting training, which played a pivotal role in the last seconds of the game when Rukawa passed him the ball. This omission significantly diminished the brilliance of the final seconds: Rukawa passing the ball to his rival teammate following his revelation, and Sakuragi making a successful long-distance shot after putting in tremendous effort during the special practice session under the supervision of Coach Anzai.

Apart from these shortcomings, Ryota's story in the movie added a layer of sorrow, which tainted the overall feel of the movie. The original manga, renowned for its predominantly cheerful and humorous moments, seamlessly intertwined with profound, meaningful, and purposeful scenes. Additionally, the frequent and often long flashbacks of Ryota during the games had a serious negative impact on my ability to enjoy the movie. Everytime I started to enjoy the game, it got interrupted by one of Ryota's many flashbacks. After a while, it became frustrating. Before posting this review, I thought of watching the movie again. However, the thought of getting interrupted by the slow and depressing flashbacks put me off.

I can understand some of Takehiko's choices from a commercial standpoint. Maybe he was left with no choice. It was either this or nothing at all. However, as a faithful fan of Slam Dunk, I can't help but feel rather disappointed. We waited close to three decades for this moment, only to realize that the movie wasn't truly intended for us. It catered more to potential new fans and casual fans. In my opinion, Takehiko should have incorporated Ryota's story into the movie without making it the primary focus. Alternatively, he could have extended the story beyond the game against Sannoh to introduce new content.

As a non-Japanese fan, I was not greatly concerned about the change in voice actors or the shift to CGI animation. On the contrary, I found the animation to be a work of art. It felt, or maybe was, running at 20 FPS, which added a desirable dramatic feel to the scenes. However, I had hoped that some of the original soundtracks would still be featured in the movie.

Despite all of these criticisms, it is undeniable that the movie is pretty decent for casual fans of Slam Dunk. If I had experienced Slam Dunk for the first time through this movie, I would have probably been confused. Slam Dunk's true fans who possess a profound understanding and strong emotional connection with the series will be disappointed the most though. The movie is best suited for individuals with a superficial understanding of Slam Dunk who are familiar with the story but are not emotionally invested in it.

I still have full faith in Takehiko and his work. I am confident he will continue to produce more Slam Dunk contents following this commercial success. I will be the first in line to watch them. I am sure if he reads my review, he will understand where I am coming from. I owe him an honest review.

Only for die hard fans

[henryhp-43166 · 8/10 · 27 February 2023]

Why I said that? I watched the movie with my 15 years old son who knows nothing about this story.

Like others said, this movie is from Ryota Miyagi's perspective. That's why you won't see many Sakuragi's funny moments or know why he plays basketball as the base story of this title. But Inoue created too much drama and deep story about Miyagi's background and it makes the movie pace slow down drastically many times. Inoue also remove Miyagi's crush toward Ayako. My son got bored in this part. For children this story is too hard to understand. That can be seen from movie rating that <18 audiences gave the lowest score.

Other members don't get enough introduction. For first-timer audience, they won't know that Akagi is so dominant under the ring, Sakuragi has extraordinary body, Mitsui is a 3 pointer or Rukawa the ace of the team. The relation between characters also won't be explain here.

For die-hard fans, this "side story" and Miyagi's perspective is interesting. The animation also amazing. You will get the feel of the match. Every characters look alive. And it's a great nostalgia for us.

The conclusion.is, I still prefer original story as its title The First Slam Dunk, so it also should be for first-timer. My son doesn't attach to this story and still doesn't want to read my Slam Dunk manga collection.

The First Slam Dunk

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 22 October 2023]

Though the animation and pace of this film are really good, it's essentially a rather disappointing melodrama that wallows just a little too much in family angst! "Miyagi" is a young basketball player who lives very much in the shadow of his now deceased elder brother. His school team are always the underdogs but can they galvanise each other in order to raise their game and buck the trend, finally, of their fairly regular defeats. The characterisations themselves are quite well developed here, and the interaction between the players in their team presents us with quite a plausible dynamic of teenage stresses and strains - but unfortunately, for me at any rate, I found the underlying storyline just a little disappointing. Way too much sibling longing; the cave with their things in - all resonated for a while then started me wanting to shout "get over it"! If there is to be a "Second Slam Dunk", then I hope Miyagi doesn't get all loved up! It's scored to within an inch of it's life, which is also a bit irritating, but it does feature great action animation, though, from producers who clearly understand this fast-moving and dynamic sport.

Surprisingly emotional

[breadandhammers · 21 August 2023]

Directed and Written by: Takehiko Inoue Production by: Toei Animation, Dandelion Animation Distributed by: Toei Animation

SUMMARY

The story of Ryota, a young man broken after the death of his brother, using basketball to deal with his grief. Told concurrently with the story of his troubled past, and a present day basketball match against the champion Sannoh team. In the end, they win barely with one basket and by one point, with the red-headed Sakuragi pulling the team together with brash antics.

REVIEW

A

While I went in just thinking that this was simple, straightforward "sports" movie, The First Slam Dunk weaves together an emotional tale of grief with a thrilling basketball game, and thoroughly fleshes out its five ensemble characters in the space of one movie. I have to give credit to the amazing innovative visuals as well. A beautiful blend of 2D and 3D.

knew not to expect much and still felt disappointed

[ichig0tchi · 5/10 · 22 August 2023]

As a fan since the 90's i knew from the start i was gonna watch it no matter what and since it took almost a year to arrive to my country and the internet isn't subtle i already knew of all the changes before watching so i knew i was gonna be half disappointed but still happy just to see in motion what i waited for 20+ years to see and i was, i even cried when they walked into the court lol.

Now taking the mega fan glasses off there's so much to critique narratively, i don't oppose the idea of making a backstory for other characters but the sannoh game was not the place to tell ryota's. He's a second year student and a canonically amazing player, to him this was an important game yes but was not on the level of importance it held for either hanamichi, who finally for the first time in his life finds a purpose, something so transcendental that he was willing to risk his whole future and even his life, or takenori who had this dream for his whole life and this is his absolute last chance to achieve it, not to mention his scholarship depended on this and he ultimately lost it.

We're not told how during this game the 5 shohoku starters gave up on their selfish idea of going one on one to prove they're the best in the country in their respective positions but end up accepting that as a team they are amazing and they can make it if they work together, we're not even told why is such a big deal that kaede passed the ball to hanamichi and while fans know non fans see it as something irrelevant, heck non fans wouldn't even know why is that random redhead breaking his spine just for a random highschool game.

We're not even told who this opponent is and why this game is such a huge deal, we don't see how afraid our protagonists were and how coach anzai dealed with their fear, we don get to know these sannoh players who are very dear to fans because unlike the previous rivals they're really nice kids and have amazing sportsmanship. Even though ryota's family drama is fine as a stand alone piece, to him this is just another game so why use a moment that the fans dreamed of for decades and make it look like just another game?

I know inoue wanted to present his story to a new audience but at several points of the game i found myself having to explain strangers around me what was going on so was being a manga reader really not a requirement? Would've mattered to non manga reader audiences if ryota's backstory took place at the sannoh game or the toyotama game like it mattered to big fans?

I enjoyed the story and enjoyed the CGI animation but i can't help but feel that the most important arc of the manga was wasted on this.

Masterclass, amazing animation movie

[leozhiyuan · 10/10 · 14 January 2023]

For those who know Takehiko Inoue, the author of the manga, he is definitely not the kind of person who likes to repeat what he did in the past. To him, his work on Slam Dunk is done 25y ago. He declined so many times to reboot the manga. When I heard that a movie on Slam Dunk was in production, I didn't expect him to be the director of this movie but the guy is such a perfectionist and he wanted it to be done in his way so he took the challenge, So it's his first movie and what a movie!

On an artistic level, there is a perfect balance between the 3D actions and the painting styles of the original manga. It gives you feeling that you are really in a basketball game. The whole movie is very detail oriented, I found that truly amazing technically. Bravo to the director and his team on that. The music gave the dynamic to the movie, it was a perfect fit.

For those who know the scenario of the original manga, even though the outcome is the same, it was not the copy paste of the original manga. You will discover the same facts under a total different angle and some additional stories which make the movie very consistent. I like the way how Takehiko Inoue described relationships between some characters. That was done in a very elegant way, never too much, quite inline with the Japanese culture.

One of the main reasons why the original manga is legendary is because the whole story was very inspiring for teenagers with a lot of stories that can be seen as life lessons. Besides the characters have strong charisma but stay very real. If you never read the manga, this movie is a good start to discover it.

Absolute silence at last

[huns666 · 10/10 · 12 February 2023]

Every characters are alive.

90's vibe ruled.

Music, movements, characters, story and the memory were mixed and whirled through 120 minutes, then absolute silence lasted at last.

The writer knows how move people's mind. Family, friends and showdown are always the best ingredient for touching stories and all of them are well matched with Music.

This is why the youth is beautiful. Your youth shall be awaken through this.

It is natural why the 30 years old original comic books were sold out nowadays. Everyone who has lived through 90s wants to revive his/her blood boiled through this experience and the real young ones will easily take part in.

Perfect paced adaptation

[ninpuu-kamui-imdb · 9/10 · 1 August 2023]

I'm not giving it ten points because the 3D crowd was pretty bad in some scenes. Other than that, it's a perfect movie! The pacing, emotion and tension are set up impeccably, and there are several seconds of silence towards the end of the movie where the whole theater was dead silent, some probably holding their breath.

Fans of the manga will recognize iconic scenes that last just long enough. With the same rhythm and comedic timing, you can tell that the manga's author is the director of the film.

It captures the charms of the manga beautifully, while also using the resources of animation to great effect, making it a masterpiece in its own right.

As a Slam Dunk fan, this movie is everything I wanted

[dshen-96043 · 10/10 · 28 July 2023]

I'm a HUGE Slam Dunk fan (both anime and manga). This movie was everything I wanted and hoped for. The movie was simply excellent. Thank you for this movie!

The animation style is an immaculate balance between the anime and the manga. There is a delicate and satisfying blend between the original source material and new stories.

As a non-pro basketball player to whom ball is life, the animated movement and action are so realistic. The movie also had a perfect mix of humor, action, emotion, and sport.

I cannot believe it's been 30 years since the original anime and manga. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I'm excited to watch it again next week!!!

A solid animated sports movie.

[Jeremy_Urquhart · 7/10 · 29 March 2024]

I wasn't familiar with the manga/anime series that The First Slam Dunk was based on, and basketball is one of the least interesting sports to me (I kind of hate sports in general and find watching them boring for so many reasons). I'm not sure if the former was an obstacle for me enjoying this film, but I'm pretty sure the latter was. Still, if Lagaan got me to somehow care about cricket for nearly four hours, I thought this would be worth a shot.

I wasn't amazed with The First Slam Dunk like many are, but it was quite good. Its structure makes it stand out from most sports movies. It's really just about one match in the present, and then there are consistent flashbacks throughout that develop the characters and make the central game a little more interesting. My interest waned a little when I realised the whole movie would be about just the one game, but then it gets more intense as it goes along, and it kind of won me back over a little at a point. I still think it feels a little long, a tad repetitive in parts, and the pacing is very jerky, owing to that structure; maybe it's a creative decision I respected more than I necessarily enjoyed.

Otherwise, this is technically very well-made. The animation is distinct and mostly looks good, and I think anyone who loves both baseball and Japanese animation will be in heaven watching this. The characters felt a little simple, but they get the job done, and there are some emotionally effective flashbacks that deal with grief and family drama in an honest and moving way. I came away feeling like this was pretty good, which could well be high praise from someone who doesn't really care for sports.

Finally the somewhat ending of the manga animated

[vinsanesimons · 9/10 · 27 July 2023]

To start this off I'm a huge slam dunk fan I read the manga and own the series on dvd and is rated in my all time top 5.

Saying this I'm a bit biased however I do not recommend watching this if you never watched slam dunk it will leave you confused and wonder whats it on about.

The MC from the anime/manga is not on the for ground in this movie how ever he is still there and you notice the small "jokes" if you take noticed on the background and it will remind you what happened in the manga.

The match they animated is the final match of the manga and for the longest time I wished they would finish the anime, so I take this for now.

All in all I recommend this if you watched or have read slam dunk.

Perhaps not great for non anime fans, bit long

[sc-80602 · 7/10 · 19 January 2024]

The film is a manga basketball film that has what people are thinking while they're playing basketball. The film is about Miyagi Ryota who has tragically lost his brother and is struggling to accept the value of self worth. He got immersed into basketball which him and his brother had a passion for. In the film, him and his team play against a more recognised team. The film was good. It felt like you were actually in the basketball game and you could hear all of their thoughts about the game. The music and the heartbeat sounds was the right sort of music to make the film more dramatic and give it the right emotional tone. The characters were good because you could relate to them if you play basketball . The tempo of the film was a bit random and in some parts of the movie it goes silent, trying to make it more dramatic, but the parts aren't very significant so it makes no sense. The image quality of the film isn't up to the usual standards of modern day films. In the film, the characters movements are sometimes like NP3 characters moving. Some parts of the film are very confusing because it cuts to random shots of the characters.

Please continue Inoue

[enrico_okami · 9/10 · 31 July 2023]

This is a message to the creator of Slam Dunk and director of this movie (they happen to be one and the same).

Please let there be a second Slam Dunk. There can even be a third, fourth and fifth. I see so much potential in stories and events that haven't been told yet.

In my younger days I have binged a lot of anime. I've seen a lot, but Slam Dunk is my number 1 for all the right reasons. The drama, comedy and action is amazing even if you don't like sports. It was the series that inspired a nation. Often I wished the series could be recreated with better animation and graphics. This movie shows how great that could be, but I'm glad this movie tells part of the story that could have only been read from the manga as the anime series stops where the manga doesn't.

It was the only manga I ever read since I loved the series so much that I wanted to see more of it. The team of Shohoku is the fictional high school version of Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. This movie has saved the last dance for a very long time. But in my opinion it doesn't need to stop here. There is room to extend this to a series of movies that can even go beyond what has been given in the manga.

Takehiko Inoue, you have given us so much already. It would be selfish to ask for more, but it could keep the spirit of Slam Dunk alive for many more generations. If I was allowed, I would love to help with storylines and ideas :)

What happened at the end?

[themtgdude · 7/10 · 11 March 2024]

I watched it and I enjoyed it very much but what happened with the points at the end? With 24 seconds left they were down by 1 point. The other team scored a 3 pointer so it would be down by 4. Then they score a 2 point shot to win the game?

Otherwise, a great film. Loved the animation and the pacing specifically. It's really amazing how they made roughly 25 minutes or so of a basketball game so gripping for most of the runtime.

The characters are pretty decently fleshed out as well. I think I might have to look around for answers about the last few minutes as I felt like I must have missed a scene.

Both disappointed and had fun (mostly of good memories)

[makavelix5 · 3/10 · 26 December 2023]

SlamDunk anime is one of the funniest and also better sport animes of all time. I also read the whole manga and it is also extremely fun and exciting. SlamDunk franchise is about Hanamichi who just wants to impress a girl who is into basketball. This movie tho, for whatever reason, focuses on Ryota and sooo many dramas and so many basketball-loving moments. That's where they lost me on this. Visuals are 3d, the models are 1 on 1, some animations are great. But there are a lot of ''NPC'' moments. The worst aspect of the movie was the sound effects. For fans, it's a disappointment. For newcomers, it wont make a difference or buy the manga. They should've focus on Hanamichi and end it with him. Unfortunetely, it is a waste of oppotunity.

Greatest Sports Movie Ever

[jamomatt-55021 · 10/10 · 6 February 2023]

As a fan of the manga over 30 years ago, I was kinda disappointed in the quality of the anime series. Thus movie fixed that. The animation was exactly how I imagined the scenes to be like when flipping through the pages of the manga. Even though I already knew how the match turned out, I still had to hold my breath and couldn't help but cheer like at a live sports event throughout the movie.

This movie no longer focuses on Sakuragi and the story is told from Ryota's perspective. Considering his back story wasn't developed much previously, this was a good decision to offer something new to fans of the manga and anime series.

Will someone not familiar to the franchise enjoy this? Not knowing the stories behind the other characters might make it difficult to connect with them, but I think everyone can enjoy the basketball scenes and the match which the entire movie is centred on.