The First Slam Dunk is a 2022 Japanese animated sports movie that Takehiko Inoue wrote, directed, and Toei Animation and Dandelion Animation Studio helped to make. Inoue’s Slam Dunk manga series, is based. On December 3, 2022, it was shown in theaters in Japan.
The First Slam Dunk won the Japan Academy Award for Best Animation of the Year in 2023. With a $263 million global box office haul, the movie rose to the fifth-highest position among all anime movies.
Plot
Haunted by the tragic loss of his elder brother, Miyagi Ryota, a teenager from Okinawa, Japan, struggles to grapple with questions about self-worth and life’s purpose while immersing himself in basketball, the sport he and his brother shared a passion for. Widely viewed as underdogs, Ryota and his Shohoku High School teammates bravely take on a much more talented squad in their quest for recognition and glory. What lies ahead after their first slam dunk in the uphill fight?
Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15242330/
Slam Dunk Movie Cast
Character | Voice actor |
---|---|
Ryota Miyagi (宮城 リョータ, Miyagi Ryōta) | Shugo Nakamura |
Hisashi Mitsui (三井 寿, Mitsui Hisashi) | Jun Kasama |
Kaede Rukawa (流川 楓, Rukawa Kaede) | Shin’ichiro Kamio |
Hanamichi Sakuragi (桜木 花道, Sakuragi Hanamichi) | Subaru Kimura |
Takenori Akagi (赤木 剛憲, Akagi Takenori) | Kenta Miyake |
Haruko Akagi (赤木 晴子, Akagi Haruko) | Maaya Sakamoto |
Kiminobu Kogure (木暮 公延, Kogure Kiminobu) | Ryota Iwasaki |
Yohei Mito (水戸 洋平, Mito Yōhei) | Chikahiro Kobayashi |
Nozomi Takamiya (高宮 望, Takamiya Nozomi) | Masafumi Kobatake |
Chuichirou Noma (野間 忠一郎, Noma Chūichirō) | Kenichiro Matsuda |
Ayako (彩子, Ayako) | Asami Seto |
Mitsuyoshi Anzai (安西 光義, Anzai Mitsuyoshi) | Katsuhisa Hōki |
Eiji Sawakita (沢北 栄治, Sawakita Eiji) | Shunsuke Takeuchi |
Slam Dunk Movie: The First Slam Dunk Release Date
On July 7, 2022, a teaser trailer for the movie was released. On November 4, 2022, a full trailer followed. On December 3, 2022, Toei Company opened the movie in theaters in Japan, showing it in both standard and IMAX formats. On February 1, 2023, Pioneer Films released the movie in the Philippines. Additionally, the movie has had multiple locally dubbed editions in foreign countries like Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
Anime Limited and Toei Animation Europe will release the movie in the third quarter of 2023 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Malta. The movie’s Italian dub was released on May 11th, 2023 in Italy. In Q3 2023, GKIDS will also release it in cinemas all around the United States and Canada. PVR Inox Pictures released it this July 7, 2023, in India.
The First Slam Dunk Posters
Trailer
Seventh PV
Related: Real Life Locations of Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk Movie Premiere Dates
This is the list of countries that will premiere the slam dunk movie with their respective dates.
- Japan – 03/12/2022
- Italy – 10/05/2023
- Poland, Pyrkon – 08/06/2023
- France – 27/06/2023
- Spain – 07/07/2023
- US and Canada – 28/07/2023
- Poland – 11/08/2023
Slam Dunk Movie Technical Info
- Rating: PG-13
- Genre: Comedy, Drama, Anime, Sports
- Original Language: Japanese
- Director: Takehiko Inoue, Yasuyuki Ebara
- Producer: Toshiyuki Matsui
- Writer: Takehiko Inoue
- Release Date (Theaters): Jul 28, 2023, Wide
- Runtime: 2h 4m
- Distributor: GKIDS
- Production Co: Dandelion Animation Studio
- Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, Dolby Atmos
- Screenplay: Takehiko Inoue
- Music: Satoshi Takebe
Review
This movie has large shoes to fill after its Anime Expo premiere. The cinematic adaptation of Takehiko Inoue’s iconic basketball manga and anime serves as the big game in The First Slam Dunk, with little in the way of buildup. Inoue’s direction and Ryûichi Takita’s editing help to focus the audience’s attention in a way that simulates the experience of watching an actual basketball game. The movie is almost entirely focused on the matchup between the Shohoku and Sannoh high schools.
Nevertheless, throughout the course of the two hours, several scenes scattered throughout the narrative reveal the story’s significance. The majority of these scenes revolve around Ryota, the main character, a shorter-than-average point guard who has a strong bond with his older brother. This bond is exposed in the first scene and carries the emotional core of the movie without giving anything away. Sannoh receives some attention from the narrative, but the protags at Shohoku experience the majority of character development, which mostly heightens the game’s action.
The movie’s main selling point is its dramatic action sequences, blocks, scores, and team chemistry, all of which are served up by the game’s clichéd yet traditional underdog story premise. These events, at least, drew loud applause during Anime Expo.
Animation
One of the biggest aspects of The First Slam Dunk is the fact that a large portion of the animation was created using computer graphics. Toei Animation received assistance from Studio Colorido, which is known for its innovative adaptations of Pokemon and the anthology series Star Wars: Visions in addition to its theatrical features like Penguin Highway.
The use of CGI in The First Slam Dunk seldom interferes with the aesthetics of Inoue’s distinctive visual style, despite the fact that it is rumored to be harder for it to match the visual aesthetics of manga and traditional animation in Slam Dunk. The shading of the characters’ uniforms readily lends itself to the inked-aesthetic of the manga’s tankobon covers, while blurred lines and editorial techniques reflect the aesthetics of the original anime series.
Using images from the manga, the title sequence depicts the Shohoku squad progressively walking together. Similar to this, climax moments feature close-up manga effect lines and even fully-fledged black-and-white manga-esque graphics to heighten the excitement. Inoue overlays the more stylistic visual sensibilities in a way that feels natural rather than as a form of corner-cutting, even though the CGI in the movie is used to increase the dynamism of the action (in a way that’s perhaps not dissimilar to the CGI of Trigun: Stampede).
The movie will premiere in the US and Canada on the 28th of July 2023 and in Poland on the 11th of August 2023.
Synopsis
Shohoku’s “speedster” and point guard, Ryota Miyagi, always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure.
Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball.
In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team along with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi, and Mitsui as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship.
And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.
Source: https://gkids.com
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FAQs About Slam Dunk Movie
How Long is The First Slam Dunk?
The movie is 1h:24 minutes long.
Who Directed The First Slam Dunk?
Takihiko Inoue is the director of the movie
Why is it Called The First Slam Dunk?
Takehiko Inoue revealed in an interview that one of the movie’s aims was to introduce the series to new fans
What is The First Slam Dunk Movie About?
The story revolves around Ryota Miyagi, the point player for Shohoku High School’s basketball squad. Sota, his three-year-old older brother, was the inspiration for his passion for basketball. Ryota and his colleagues Hanamichi Sakuragi, Takenori Akagi, Hisashi Mitsui, and Kaede Rukawa take against Sannoh High, the inter-high basketball champions.
Can I watch The First Slam Dunk Without Watching the Series?
Yes, it works as a stand-alone film. That is, obviously, why it was titled The First. It works for both new and old fans. New fans see it as their debut to Slam Dunk, while old fans see it as their first encounter with the show.
How Many Movies Does Slam Dunk Have?
The anime series has a total of 101 episodes produced by Toei Animation. As for the movies, The First Slam Dunk is the fourth film. So it has in total fifth movies; Slam Dunk 1994, Slam Dunk: National Champions, Slam Dunk Movie 3Sakuragi Hanamichi!, Slam Dunk: Roar Basketman’s Soul, Hanamichi and Rukawa’s Burning Summer 1995 and The First Slam Dunk 2022
Who is the Main Character in Slam Dunk?
Hanamichi Sakuragi
How Old is Rukawa in Slam Dunk?
Rukawa was born on January 1, he is currently 15 years old
Is The First Slam Dunk Based on a True Story?
No, it’s purely fictional
Is Slam Dunk One of the Best Sports Anime?
Yes it’s definitely one of the best sports anime of all times
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