Slam Dunk - Inoue, Takehiko
Genre:
Award Winning
Sports
Authors:
Inoue, Takehiko,
Synopsis
Hanamichi Sakuragi, a tall, boisterous teenager with flame-red hair and physical strength beyond his years, is eager to put an end to his rejection streak of 50 and finally score a girlfriend as he begins his first year of Shohoku High. However, his reputation for delinquency and destructiveness precedes him, and most of his fellow students subsequently avoid him like the plague. As his first day of school ends, he is left with two strong thoughts: "I hate basketball" and "I need a girlfriend."
Haruko Akagi, ignorant of Hanamichi's history of misbehavior, notices his immense height and unwittingly approaches him, asking whether or not he likes basketball. Overcome by the fact that a girl is speaking to him, the red-haired giant blurts out a yes despite his true feelings. At the gym, Haruko asks if he can do a slam dunk. Though a complete novice, Hanamachi palms the ball and makes the leap...but overshoots, slamming his head into the backboard. Amazed by his near-inhuman physical abilities, Haruko quickly notifies the school's basketball captain of his feat. With this, Hanamichi is unexpectedly thrust into a world of competition for a girl he barely knows, but he soon discovers that there is perhaps more to basketball than he once thought.
[Written by Animeranku Rewrite]
Haruko Akagi, ignorant of Hanamichi's history of misbehavior, notices his immense height and unwittingly approaches him, asking whether or not he likes basketball. Overcome by the fact that a girl is speaking to him, the red-haired giant blurts out a yes despite his true feelings. At the gym, Haruko asks if he can do a slam dunk. Though a complete novice, Hanamachi palms the ball and makes the leap...but overshoots, slamming his head into the backboard. Amazed by his near-inhuman physical abilities, Haruko quickly notifies the school's basketball captain of his feat. With this, Hanamichi is unexpectedly thrust into a world of competition for a girl he barely knows, but he soon discovers that there is perhaps more to basketball than he once thought.
[Written by Animeranku Rewrite]
Background
Slam Dunk was awarded the 40th Shogakukan Manga Award for best shounen manga in 1994. In a 2006 poll for the 10th Japan Media Arts Festival, the series was voted by Japanese fans as the #1 manga series of all time. With over 120 million copies sold as of 2012, it is one of the most successful manga series to date. Its wide success led to a large increase in the popularity of basketball in Japanese youth. In 2010, Takehiko Inoue received special commendations from the Japan Basketball Association for popularizing basketball in Japan.
The series was published in English by Gutsoon! Entertainment under the Raijin Comics Imprint for five volumes from July 2, 2003 to May 5, 2004. After Gutsoon's shutdown, publishing rights to Slam Dunk were purchased by VIZ Media who then republished the series under the Shonen Jump imprint from September 2, 2008 to December 3, 2013. It was published in Spanish by Ivrea España from February 2003 to September 2005 and republished in Kanzenban from January 2010 to May 2016.
The series was published in English by Gutsoon! Entertainment under the Raijin Comics Imprint for five volumes from July 2, 2003 to May 5, 2004. After Gutsoon's shutdown, publishing rights to Slam Dunk were purchased by VIZ Media who then republished the series under the Shonen Jump imprint from September 2, 2008 to December 3, 2013. It was published in Spanish by Ivrea España from February 2003 to September 2005 and republished in Kanzenban from January 2010 to May 2016.
