Anime 45649 The First Slam Dunk Reviews

Never read a single chapter of Slam Dunk in my life and absolutely hate basketball because you can't double dribble. Yet this film was 100% worth watching.

All the players felt so real, blazing fiercely with passion and dedication to achieve victory. Their troubled pasts, challenges and training they had to undergo really amped up the final showdown, almost as if I was watching one of those intense motivational speeches on youtube. The composition went in perfectly when it needed to, encapsulating the scenes beautifully. MHA style.

CGI... You will be throwing up and dying for the first 10 minutes and will (hopefully) recover from it by ... the end of the film. #

Jokes aside, the animation wasn't nearly as bad as other CGI shows, and it rather helped provide the action of the whole court, no different to basketball highlights.

Unless you're deathly allergic to CGI, I strongly recommend giving it a watch whether it's for the nostalgia or to see a thrilling shounen.

The First Slam Dunk does something absolutely genius, it adapts the ending of its manga as a standalone film. I didn’t know that going in, nor did I know anything about the manga aside from who wrote it. But I do know the conventions of sports anime filmmaking, and the way this film subverts them is downright genius.

One such convention is to put you inside the protagonists’ heads. This fills time without requiring complex animation, and informs the viewer as to the character’s plan and mental state. It is not a technique without merit, but is often used excessively in TV productions as to break ... off tension and slow pacing.

Slam Dunk avoids this at points, in absence of internal monologue, communicating the characters’ intentions by a shared glance or via carefully directed animation. Essentially, the Basketball is allowed to speak for itself.

This has a unique effect. Since we don’t always know the protagonists’ intentions, every fake out and feint catches the viewer off guard, whichever team performs it. This effectively doubles the tension that otherwise would have existed, and it's only possible due to the film’s restrained internal monologuing.

Occasionally, when a character is stuck in their own head or planning something, we do get an internal monologue, but that is always broken off by an opponent move or a quick execution of said plan, leaving no room for tension to break.

Another cinematic convention which typically holds back sports anime, even great ones, is reaction shots. A bad reaction shot takes the focus off the players, centering attention on the sidelines rather than the action. This can entirely sever the tension of a scene, and does in many TV productions looking to fill time.

They aren’t entirely useless though. A well placed reaction shot can contextualize action through the thoughts and emotions of the crowd, coaches, and sidelined players. They can enhance a narrative if interjected carefully.

The scriptwriter and storyboard artists here understood exactly how to use a reaction shot, enhancing the atmosphere and stakes around the match while not meaningfully interrupting the action. Longer reactions are entirely reserved to breaks in play, and those in the action aren’t intrusive.

A good reaction shot is often only one second and a single word long, this film gets that, and only interjects such brief cuts.

A similar technique TV productions rely on to fill time is cuts to backstory, which typically involve less complex animation than the sports at center stage. In TV productions these all too often come at the height of tension, rendering null all of the emotion built during a match.

Slam Dunk too improves on this technique, opening on the protagonist’s backstory, then intercutting between the finals match and the core cast’s backstories, splitting time about evenly between the two.

By defining the emotional stakes as the match progresses and interlacing explicit characterization with displays of the characters’ playstyles, the cuts here add tension rather than break it. They too make the film feel like one cohesive narrative, explicitly connecting the character’s arcs to the sport. The viewer comes to understand what the match means to the players as it progresses.

The quality of the scene-to-scene editing too extends to the shot-to-shot editing, which perfectly conveys the dynamics on court at any given moment, and ties the animation together immaculately.

That animation is fantastic. Anime has been trying for decades to seamlessly blend 3D models with 2D backgrounds, and there are moments here that execute on that perfectly. It is not the first anime production to seamlessly blend 2D and 3D, Studio Ghibli accomplished that back in 2004, but it is the closest I’ve seen an anime get to achieving it with 3D character models.

Those models are perfectly lit, and incorporate beautiful line art that somewhat replicate the manga’s style.

There is some top tier 2D sakuga on display here as well. That walk out where the 5 core players are slowly penciled in is a perfect introduction to the team and the central match.

The closing moments of that match comprise one of the most impressive sequences in anime history. All sound falls away and we’re left only with cinematic storytelling and the emotions of the characters. The characters’ line art stretches out behind them as they move. It replicates the mental state of the players, exhausted, losing control, but locked in on one goal. It replicates a flow state in the invested viewer.

Perhaps Slam Dunk’s most impressive subversion of sports anime convention is that every single point scored is shown. It is standard (and often necessary) for TV productions to cut across large swaths of scoring, only showing swings in momentum or morale. This film isn't bound by the production limitations that necessitate that, and can thus portray its content more convincingly than any other sports anime.

No room is left for the viewer to question the realism of a comeback because they see all of it play out. Frequent cuts to the scoreboard and clock too aid the viewer in understanding the match clearly as it unfolds.

Slam Dunk again bucks convention by not explaining any of the sport’s rules. The first few episodes of most sports anime typically involve a description of the sport’s rules, for obvious reasons. Slam Dunk brilliantly sidesteps this, never explaining a single rule, but always keeping the lay viewer informed through cinematic storytelling.

I’m kind of a casual NBA fan, I follow NBA news a bit, and even tune in for finals matches sometimes, but I’m not well versed in the rulebook. Despite that shallow knowledge, I was never once confused during this movie. I imagine someone even less knowledgeable than me would have inferred the relevant rules.

The film’s narrative is more impactful for first time viewers in an important way, knowledge of the outcome. Viewers aware of the plot of Slam Dunk, or even what part of the manga this adapts will already know who wins. Almost all sports anime are predictable in this department, that’s just how single elimination tournaments and long-form narratives tend to interact.

Slam Dunk doesn’t have this problem though. The viewer is only shown one match, over the course of which emotional stakes are built, but wider plot implications are never covered. We aren’t told if this is their last shot, or even what year some of the players are in. Because the viewer is not fully aware of the stakes, and this is a standalone film, the outcome of the match is not clear from the start. That contributes to tension, and it's something many beefier narratives, including the one on which this film is based, can’t replicate.

The soundtrack is phenomenal, incorporating rock and electronic elements to generate hype I haven't felt in years, maybe ever. It's the icing on the hype cake, and it propels the narrative to insane emotional heights.

This movie accomplishes in 2 hours what takes most sports manga 300 chapters. What other sports anime do to save money or time, this film does deliberately to enhance the narrative.

The First Slam Dunk is the greatest sports anime I’ve ever seen. It will be the impossible standard to which I compare all sports anime for the foreseeable future.

No other anime has made my heart race like this one. It’s an anime AED.

Or, put another way, it’s a masterpiece.

Was there any CGI ? I didn't even notice. I haven't read the manga yet, but I liked this movie a lot !
Even if you're not familiar with the manga (I'm only superficially familiar with it), you can get into the story straight away. The characters' motivations and the action are well-paced, and the basket matches are exciting. The sound effects immerse us in the match, giving us the impression that we're playing with the players.
The story is interesting, I like Ryota's evolution, Sakuragi's strong (and he's so cool)character gives the team a boost and the ending was so gripping !
It's time to read ... the manga !

Also the music were perfect for the atmopshere of the movie.

Rate : 9

'The First Slam Dunk' is fine but is likely not what most fans were waiting for all these years. Objectively this is not a terrible movie, but readers of the manga - especially those who have reread the series recently, will find that the movie leaves much to be desired. The music and sound design were mostly very good from what I can remember, and the 3D was bad at times, but also surprisingly better than expected at times. The voice actors are NOT the same, and some changes are quite jarring and overall unsatisfying. In the end, the movie falls short somewhat in the ... storytelling department and the overall creative vision on that front is weaker than desired.

If you've looked up interviews and other such articles about this movie, it does seem that 'The First Slam Dunk' suffered due to Inoue-san's personal desires to include and expand on storylines more meaningful to him. In other words, it is hard to escape the feeling that this was first and foremost a pet project for him, the author. Since it is unlikely the anime will continue with the release of this movie, I would encourage everyone to go read the complete manga for a full understanding of why this movie is in some ways good, bad, and lacking.

Overall, this is something that I don't regret watching, but is also something I wouldn't watch more than once. The movie as a whole is odd in that it feels partially competent, but also partially nostalgia bait. It is ultimately "good" but is especially hard to recommend to fans who hold the original manga in very high regard.

Slam Dunk fans, this is the one you've been waiting for. It finally animates the Sannoh game and Inoue-sensei has revised his story in a way that makes the most out of his growth as an illustrator and storyteller decades after completing the original Slam Dunk manga. The plot remains the same but he fleshed out Miyagi's character with a backstory, fitting for Shohoku's court general. If the manga is from Sakuragi's POV, this time it's Miyagi's.

The animation is gorgeous, the 3D models are skinned as if drawn and painted by Inoue-sensei. But the animators have not found a good way to animate sweat with ... this technique. The sweat on the players’ faces look like they all had facial bukkake session before the game.

Still, this is a great movie and I hope they make more, given that they are teasing us with the title "FIRST". There should be a "SECOND" or "THIRD", even.

I have been a fan of the anime since they broadcast it on television 20 years ago. This film was supposed to highlight the most important match of the series, Sannoh High, the basketball team of Akita prefecture that has been the defending national champion for 3 years and They are considered the top high school team in Japan. Unfortunately, in my opinion, this did not happen, because an in-depth analysis of the history of Ryota Miyagi was inserted into the various moments of the match. After the end of the series they made 4 films, which add nothing to the original series, where in ... my opinion more in-depth analysis could have been done on the most important performers. In short, after the end of the series there was a cosmic nothingness, to find out about the events of the national championship I had to read the manga and I found the match with Toyotama (first match of the championship) very exciting. The match against Sannoh is very beautiful and exciting, but in the film they cut parts to introduce the past Ryota Miyagi. The frenzy and excitement of the match doesn't live up to the manga, or the other matches in the anime itself. While I was watching the film, the cartoons of the manga came to mind, all the time the flash was continuous and the beauty of the film was lost in the memories of when I read the manga for the first time, and I discovered the dynamics of this wonderful match. If you're a fan of Slam Dunk, I still recommend watching The First Slam Dunk, but I still have a bad taste in my mouth for having waited so many years and finally recognizing that the manga is much more compelling. The shot that made me smile mockingly and melancholy was when they framed Kainan, but they were so far away you couldn't even see his face, just the color of his uniform.The clash between Eiji Sawakita and Kaede Rukawa in the film is very chaotic, while in the manga it is exciting and exciting, better edited, at the level of the normal series.Finally I can say that the beauty of this film is based a lot on the original series and the manga (the match with Toyota but if you haven't read the manga you'll miss it), however in my opinion it should have added much more. In my opinion, the most beautiful and enthralling match remains the one against Ryonan, stupendous and enthralling. The only thing that this film added and that was perhaps worth waiting 20 years for, is the high five between the two great rivals Hanamichi Sakuragi and Kaede Rukawa, but taking that away the anime is 10 times better.

The First Slam Dunk is a movie based on the manga written by Takehiko Inoue. What I was shocked to learn was the fact that Inoue also directed this movie. It made total sense then why this movie was so damn good lol! Anyway, I have not read the manga unfortunately but from what I have heard is the fact that the main character, Miyagi, is a minor character in the Slam Dunk manga. But of course, here he is unfolded on the big stage as the main character and I am glad he chose Miyagi rather than a "perfect" basketball character because it gets ... old very quickly if he is perfect. Rather I would love characters with flaws as not only do we learn their backstories, but we also learn their purpose on why they are fighting to win. 2 Characters don't eh team wanted to quit bullying so they joined basketball. Miyagi was for his family. And the other 2 we do not get much on but they all have some purpose.

The movie is about Shohoku High School vs Sannoh High School, a very well-renowned basketball team that pretty much dominated in the decades past. Shohku was never on Sannoh's radar but nevertheless, with determination, Shohoku climbed into the national finals. We do get very tiny glimpses into those past games but that is not what this movie is about. This movie is about the Grand Final.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! This movie had so many close calls. Of course that is to be expected out of a movie haha it would be very boring if it was completely one-sided. Of course, some elements were dramatized but talking with my B-ball friends is usually very intensive. The one wish I had was some more backstory on Sannoh. I am sure Sannoh players are obviously great guys and I never portrayed them as the "villains" in any sort of way. Not even the players, just the school itself would have been good as there was certainly information missing that could have elevated it more. For example, stating that Sannoh has won the past 10 tournaments, etc etc would have elevated the tension even more. Both for the Sannoh players as well as the viewers. That way it adds a conflict of interest that adds pity and pressure on the Sannoh players. Instead, it is left up for speculation. 10/10 story.

The animation is also an area that is interesting. On one hand, I LOVE the style. Like the semi-realism of the animation is amazing. Like simply superb style and would not change it for the world. On the other hand, clearly the budget wasn't that high and while the animation is great, the quality could have been a bit better. That same year the best animated movie of all time released: Suzume. You can clearly tell where Suzume and Shinkai put their efforts. Kind of a mid story but amazing animation and amazing music. Slam Dunk is the opposite lol.

The music is also good. Not great, but good. The soundtrack did get tense when it needed to but at the same time I felt like there was somber parts of the story that could have been heightened had it been for better background music. That is something Shinkai and his team does amazingly. But overall the animation and music is a solid 7/10.

The characters in this movie are amazing. As mentioned previously, I wish we got an insight to Sannoh's characters. But the 5 basketball players on Shohoku: Miyagi, Mitsui, Akagi, Rukawa, and Sakuragi. They all are amazingly written characters with clear thoughts in their backstories and emotions. The depth they went into the characters is also amazing. An obvious focus on Miyagi but they certainly told us about the others. Especially Mitsui as well. 10/10 characters and how they are written.

This brings me to my final score of a 9/10. Had it been for better animation and music, I think this would have been a solid 10/10 movie. Nevertheless this is an amazing amazingly written movie with I think the 3rd best writing in an anime movie by far. Seriously amazing writing.

Thanks!
-CyanCheetah

Just came back watching the film in cinema, it was phenomenal. Haven't read the manga or seen the anime, I went to watch it because I saw it playing in local theaters and ZERO seats had been sold to any viewing, so I went to watch this just to support it... damn like out of pity.

This is definitely a film best experienced on the big screen with proper soundscapes. The booming sound effects and soundtrack overall are really impactful and integral to the action scenes so I imagine some of the hype and immersion dies down watching this from your laptop or tv.

The story ... is great, the characters are all so damn likeable, emotional beats are heartfelt, soundtrack is FIRE, and yet maybe the most impressive element was the action scenes. My god. It looked so good, and with all the deep thumps of the ball hitting the floor, steps, squeaks along with the action camera movement. First time 3D/2D combo actually looked and felt good.

Even though the main event of the film is an ongoing match, there is an emotional arc for one of the team's players whose journey we follow up to the current game via flashbacks. The film is from his pov. So storywise, you really do get an overarching, well, story told even though we're also following the game.

Every important moment was really well built up, I felt all the tension even though I'm seeing the characters for the first time. I don't watch basketball but the stakes were always laid down so clearly, and the strategies clearly explained and shown that I could follow the game with ease and excitement.

Directorial debut? Damn. Why was the theater empty.

Recommend.

I watched The first slam dunk, was that even a anime, it felt like i was watching the real thing, the dribble, the fakes, the faces they made to communicate during the game felt so real. The lay out shots, the dumps everything was executed perfectly.
The story was also really intriging even though we got different protagonist this time, He followed Ryota in this movie And it was really a fresh to see a guard story. The favorite part of the movie was the three pointers, they were so clean.
And the movie has also a great animation style it felt like blending between 2d and ... 3d which was really freah and smooth most of the times, without any error in the animation. This was one hell of a ride man.

I've read the manga long time ago, it was fine. I didn't think much about it. So When the movie got announced i didn't have much interest towards it. Idk why but today i felt like i should give this a try since i loved that song from the trailer so much. For me this is one of the best thing I've seen. I loved this more than the manga. The changes they made absolutely made it better for me. I loved the change that they made in mitsui's backstory. I saw a lot of people complain about CGI, i was on their side too ... until i gave this a try. The animation was fantastic. The music was also fantastic, there aren't any complaints i have with this movie. I didn't have any expectations while going into it and i was blown away. If you're unsure about giving this a try or not because of animation or something else, i was like that as well but I gave it a chance and it's 100% worth it. Maybe creator's involvement in the movie really did the wonder. Try to give this anime a chance.

The movie was good and frustrating at the same time.
It is nostalgic to see the team playing again.
The game's pace was great, as well as the music.
I don't know about the animation in some parts; it was great in others not. I don't think the CGI was able to capture the players' feelings accurately.
I don't like the drama, and I do not see any need for it. Salam Dunk is primarily a sports comedy anime.
The movie was about Miyagi Ryouta, which is frustrating, especially since other characters were neglected.
And for those who read the manga, they will see the difference.
The studio tried to present something ... other than Slam Dunk, they tried to make it more, and that was not necessary. Slam Dunk is a great anime/manga and didn't need to be something that it's not.
The part about Miyagi back story was very dull, and the storyline was monotonous and slow I almost slept watching it.

This movie was special, I love Slam Dunk, as a kid I watched the anime dubbed in Arabic on TV, and later on I completed the manga, I read it about 2 or 3 years ago now but the story and characters have stuck with me that entire time, there's a real brotherhood in the main cast of characters that I always loved, the manga was so good it made me cry towards the end, and if I weren't in a packed theatre watching this movie I probably would've cried at this movie too.

The CGI in this movie is by far the best I've ... seen in any anime, it's not distractingly 60fps smooth, but it's not trying to be a choppy 2D anime either, it strikes a perfect balance and actually enhances the experience IMO.

The artistic direction this movie took was stunning, the visuals were breathtaking, and with the director of this movie being Takehiko Inoue (the author of the manga), I had no doubt that the movie would be visually stunning and true to the source material.

I rarely comment on soundtracks simply because I just never really notice it unless it's crazy good, and this movie forced me to notice it, it was just banger after banger and really helped carry the countless hype moments this movie had.

The match itself was poetic, without spoiling, the last couple of seconds of the match had me gripped like I'd never been before with any anime I've ever seen, even though I knew the outcome and read the manga,
it was masterful, especially for Takehiko Inoue's directorial debut, sucks that it was ruined for me cause the theatre I watched it in was super chatty, but I was still hooked on the edge of my seat.

The movie also has some movie-exclusive content done by Inoue, choosing to focus on Miyagi, a character that never really got the spotlight in the manga, and in this movie, he's the protagonist. The backstory was beautiful and really added some serious depth to his character, I loved it, especially because I always really liked Miyagi in the manga.

The comedic timing in this movie was great, had the entire theatre laughing, and really alleviated the tension in moments where it needed alleviating.

This whole movie is absolutely perfect, as a massive fan of the manga, I was completely shocked in the best way possible. This movie is an all-timer for me and definitely one I'll be rewatching in theatres very soon.

Watched in the movie theaters. Don't let the CGI put you off I thought it was well done. I will say I did want the original voice actors too but these voice actors did great. Everything about the movie was great. The designs of the characters, music, story, pacing, you can see a lot of love was put into this. Tears of joy ran down my face towards the end of the movie, I'm going to rewatch it again when I get the chance.

---- Apparently this review needs more info ----
This review needs more information!
Here are a few ideas of what you may want to ... include:

Is the story unique? If it was predictable, did you enjoy it anyway because you like this genre/set-up?
- Definitely some extra when you compare it to the manga. You would have to see it to know what I'm talking about.

Do you think the art style is fitting for the story?
- 100%, aside from the CGI there were some scenes in 2D animation and it fits Slam Dunk super well.

Were the characters well-rounded? Did they have flaws and strengths, or were they unusually strong/smart/stupid?
Did the characters react to situations and events in a realistic way?
- Very in line with their personalities as expected.

Do you think others will enjoy/dislike this series, even if you didn't? Why?
- Others will enjoy if they aren't so hung up on it being CGI or the different voice actors.

"We're all living together with pain." -Inoue Takehiko, Slam Dunk creator

From longtime fans to complete newcomers alike, The First Slam Dunk is a resounding slam dunk, its reverberations lasting for days, maybe months and even years to come. On one hand, it is the long-dreamed-of anime adaptation of the legendary final match of the manga, a series that singlehandedly popularized basketball in Japan and is beloved by people all across the world. On the other hand, it is an anime-original deep dive into the past of Miyagi Ryota, Shohoku's short, speedy point guard who, compared to the rest of Shohoku's members, did not receive as ... much development and backstory in the original series, making it all the more welcome.

The focus on Miyagi may have surprised and even upset those who are longtime fans (it sure surprised me when I first heard about it), even more so because the entire movie is mostly from his perspective, not from Sakuragi's (unarguably the heart and soul of Slam Dunk) like in the manga. That being said, much like the deft dribbling of our speedstar protagonist, The First Slam Dunk skillfully handles and weaves together the Shohoku-Sannoh match with the numerous threads of Miyagi's past, and much of this success can be attributed to the director, none other than Inoue Takehiko, the creator of Slam Dunk himself.

Can you even imagine that this is the man's directorial debut, his first time creating an anime, and it's of this caliber? (Caution: following part may be a bit rambly)

First let's talk about the cg. Oh, the dreaded cg.

But.
It.
Actually.
Looks.
Phenomenal.

Aside from a few hiccups here and there, the quality of the visuals are extremely high (I personally dislike cg in anime but this has blown my expectations out of the water and sent it soaring into the sky). Pardon my limited skills of expression, but the basketball game actually looks and feels like a basketball game. This was achieved by a combination of motion capture of actual players and subsequent editing and fine-tuning, and the result is absolutely fantastic. There is so much detail put into animating every person on the court (as well as those off the court) and their every move; the dribbling, the passing, the shooting, the running, the jumping, the cheering, literally everything.

"First, I had the desire to depict basketball like it was basketball. The 10 people on the court each doing their own thing at a tremendous speed. Furthermore, the differing movements of those on the bench. I came to the conclusion that it was nearly impossible to hand-draw all of them, and believed that CG was necessary. On top of that, I absolutely wanted to portray them as natural human beings, and that sentiment was like my starting point and end goal."

Inoue's focus on the "natural" also manifests itself in another way: the decision to make Miyagi the protagonist instead of Sakuragi.

"When I was working on the Slam Dunk manga, I was in my twenties. More precisely, the 6-year period from age 23 to age 29. As a mangaka, it's a phase where you keep getting better as you keep on drawing. You have the stamina, the mentality to keep pushing yourself to unreasonable extents, your sense of values are like an upward trajectory. Similarly, the protagonist has a large body, and is hiding incredible abilities. He was a protagonist with unlimited possibilities. I think that story was extremely popular back in those days. It was for that reason that I ended the manga there, to preserve that phase, that time of my life. 26 years later, my point of view, the sense of values inside me has changed greatly... and has increased. Like pain, or that there are a lot of times where things don't go well, stuff that everyone goes through and I've also been through. Carrying the pain, overcoming the pain, I wanted to show a perspective like that. And aren't we all like that? Not all of us are people with unlimited potential and possibilities. We're all living together with pain. I believed the current me could write from that perspective. I want to shine a spotlight on it, focus on it. If I were to be involved I'd want to do it from that kind of perspective, was what was on my mind."

We're all living together with pain.

The pain of suddenly losing family members, when they still had so much to live for.
The pain of those who live on, constantly reminded of those who have passed away.
The pain of struggling to improve, comparing yourself to others and losing confidence and willpower as you realize the extent of your abilities.
The pain of injuries, both physical and mental, and trying to overcome them the best you can.
The pain of living your own way, where you get beaten down for what you believe is right, and sometimes there's nothing you can do about it.

Pain, in its various meanings, has certainly been a theme in the original manga, but Miyagi's past is jam-packed with such themes. It is a very humane side of Slam Dunk, one that is about human weakness and perseverance over the many obstacles that life presents. It is the culmination of decades of Inoue's changing values and perspectives, as well as a lasting testament to his growth, both as a creator and as a person.

※　※　※

"Also, there was a certain episode that led me to the name 'The First Slam Dunk.' A person who was recommending an interesting manga to a friend who hasn't read it said, 'You're just starting it now, I'm so jealous' and I was like, 'Oh I see.' To the people who've read Slam Dunk and already know what happens, I wanted them to feel 'Wow, there's a "Slam Dunk" like this?", as if they were reading it for the first time. I wanted people to experience the act of crossing paths with 'Slam Dunk,' there is also that kind of meaning to it."

"Wow, there's a 'Slam Dunk' like this?' was exactly what I was thinking as I was watching it on the big screen and as I reminisced about it afterwards. Miyagi's past of course takes up a large part of that, but let's not forget about the Shohoku-Sannoh match. Longtime fans, you already know what's up. Newcomers, you're in for the treat of your lives as you experience the never-letting-up tsunami of the greatest moments from any sports series, or heck, any series at all.

I've said this once already, but I'll say it again. It. Looks. Phenomenal. The on-point visuals combined with the hypeness and legendary moments of the game (there are a lot of those) is honestly something you need to experience once in your life. Even if you know nothing about the series, or have no interest in basketball, I highly urge you to give it a try (Inoue himself has said Slam Dunk is not a basketball story, it could've been any other sport while portraying the same themes). You can easily pick up on the general personalities and motivations of the main characters, and still appreciate what's going on even without any prior knowledge because it's just that nice with it.

Speaking as a longtime fan who's read the manga countless times, I would even say that there are a few aspects where the anime does a better job than the manga on how it portrays the game (heresy, I know). And most of that lies in the flow. The movie cuts a lot of internal dialogue and thought processes present in the manga, making for a highly visually-immersive experience where you're simply drawn into the play and can infer certain things based off what's being shown alone. It's not like those elements were bad in the manga either, as they are quite relevant to the moments occurring at hand and are used sparingly, but I love the decision to prioritize the dynamic, quick-paced nature of basketball games, where obviously you won't be able to stop time and monologue for 2 minutes. Something much more awkward in anime than in manga, that's for sure.

Another difference between the manga and anime mediums is of course, the existence of sound. Although Inoue did not work on the audio himself (being far easier to transfer manga -> anime skillset than manga -> audio skillset when sound is a nonfactor in manga), the audio, just like the visuals, are on point. The soundtrack is hype, the sound effects like the dribbling and swishing of the ball are peak ASMR, and the decision to partially mute or completely mute sound for certain scenes is exquisite and really enhances the experience. I would say my only complaint is the voice acting, but that's mostly because I'm used to the 1990s anime cast (a project where Inoue did not have much involvement, compared to his insane levels of involvement with the movie). Inoue was also going for a more natural feel with the voice acting cast, and the more subdued feel was refreshing in its own way. In any case I'll probably get used to them as well after I watch the movie like 10 times.

Although earlier I did praise the decision to cut stuff from the manga to maintain the overall flow, this also led to some of the best scenes of the manga not being adapted. Which is fair enough because for a lot of them, you would need to have knowledge of prior events in the series, and there's no real good way to fit them in without drastically increasing the runtime and alienating complete newcomers. But as a longtime fan, oh how I wished to see those moments being adapted. I doubt this will ever happen but I would die for another movie focusing solely on the Shohoku-Sannoh match. And for those who've watched the movie without any knowledge of the series, I highly recommend reading the manga for more Slam Dunk fun.

And finally, some closing remarks from Inoue-sensei:

"As I drew new things I wanted to make people happy, even if just a little. And each time, I've seen the delighted faces of those who enjoyed my work. If I could make people happy -- such a sentiment was certainly in me when I agreed to make 'The First Slam Dunk.'"


Slam Dunk/10


*Quotes come from various interviews and are my very rough translations
*I highly recommend watching 【静止画MAD】THE RED【SLAMDUNK】 for 4 minutes of pure Slam Dunk greatness
*Hands are an important motif
*There is an after-credits scene
*I love Slam Dunk

The BEST use of 3D I've ever seen in my life.

The First Slam Dunk adapt the final match of the manga, but with the POV of Ryota : His flashback and a lot of bonus scenes were added for the movie to be watchable without even have read the manga.

And EVERYTHING is beautiful in this movie ! : the music, the colors, the sub, the pacing and the storytelling for the story of Miyagi Ryota, the least developed character in the major 5...

I thought the 3D will be weird but it was sublime, dynamic, smooth, the faces were expressive... Sometimes we even forgot the CGI

Even ... though, I deeply recommend to people who haven't read the manga before to read it, (even though the movie is still watchable without it) to have the context of the match and all the stake of this match 🏀🏀

Deserved 10/10 !

This was great. I just came back from watching it, and I recommend this 200%

Animation

I was slightly worried on whether or not the CG would affect how the characters moved, but it was done really well. I'm glad they added some 2D for that. The characters all moved so fluidly, and it was amazing. At times, I thought that this was a real match because of how real the movements of the characters felt.

Story & Writing

The movie takes a slight departure from its source in how the story is approached. I don't mind that they changed the main character and added some drama, but I ... think they slightly overdid it in the drama section. The pacing of the drama kind of hampered my enjoyment of the film. I think the drama was mostly very good (except for one goofy crying scene. That scene was a bit too extra); I just think had it been implemented better with the pacing or movement of the film then I think it would have been perfect. Very good story and writing, but the pacing of the drama kind of holds it back. The tense moments were done perfectly, and I really enjoyed the humor. Regarding the humor, it was reduced by a decent bit to make way for the drama; I don't mind, but I wonder how other avid followers of the work will feel about that. I thought the ending was fantastic.

Music & Sound

The music was amazing and fitting with the speed of the players. The dribbles, basket, and shoes all sounded super real! It was absolutely immersive. I don't remember a single moment where I thought "That didn't feel right." It was perfect!

Overall

What really drew me towards the film was the fact that Inoue Takehiko (the mangaka himself!) was the director! How often do you see that??? I will reiterate once more. I recommend this movie 200%

This movie was perfection.

The finest anime film I’ve seen to date.

I’m struggling to come up with things to say because it was so damn good.

The music was incredible, I’m lucky to have seen and heard it in theaters, aside from the dork sitting behind me making snarky comments.

The animation is a little different but it is smooth, and the basketball sequences looked sick as hell.

... If you just pretend its not an anime movie, then the art style and animation should not be a problem.

I’d only read a portion of the manga and I got lazy, but this movie made me love slam dunk, it’s characters and basketball.

I am inspired, and grateful to have encountered this film.

Honestly the CGI was reallly good compared to what we expected. the characters and the movements were really good drawn. If there is something disappointing about the movie it would be some moments where the facial reactions were not that strong. Compared to the manga, there were some scenes where i felt the characters didnt react strong to what's happening on the court. An example is when Sawakita scored in the last 10 seconds, I couldnt feel the shock as I felt it in the manga or in the original anime in other matches. I also wish they included the reactions of Kainan players ... and other rival teams like in the manga but they didnt. We didnt get to see what happened to Shohoku after the Sannoh match or any update about Sakuragi too but since the movie was more focused on Ryota, they removed that. These are points I wish they did happen but it doesnt deny the fact that the movie was really good in the remaining aspects and I recommend youn to explore them yourself since they are many .The death match is really one of my favorite anime matches in all sports ever (so exciting and emotional) and I highly recommend watching this movie after watching the series and you will witness one of the best character developments ever.

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, a wave of disappointment came over me as it looks so different from the anime and the obvious use of CG for the film. However, I still decided to go see the movie even with some doubts and have to say it blew me away. Even knowing the outcome of the film, I was still on the edge of my seat especially during to last 20 minutes of the film, which is animated amazing. The music is also surprisingly good, and really fits with the tone. The new protagonist was a bit off putting as Sakuragi ... is in my opinion much more interesting, however the film does a good job at making Miyagi feel more alive than ever, and Sakuragi still gets many good moments throughout the film. Overall its amazing, and I loved every second of it!

This movie's absolutely phenomenal, and you do not need to be a basketball fan to enjoy it fully. Even at pure face value, the quality of animation this film flaunts is amazing. You might have genuine issues distinguishing this film from reality. It's just that well animated.

As for an in-depth review, I might be a bit biased. Slam Dunk's both a manga and anime I've been familiar with my whole life, and as a lifelong fan of basketball--I remember wanting to be a commentator for my home town Phoenix Suns in 3rd grade--the series holds a very special place in my heart. However, I should ... note I'm not a basketball player, nor have I ever been one. I've played the occasional pickup game, but I lacked both the physical and mental talents necessary to excel at the sport. But I've always been a fan of basketball; it's my favorite sport. And it always will be. Yet, being a fan of the sport isn't a prerequisite to enjoying what this movie has to offer. At its core, this movie does a masterful job at making you care about what's happening on the court, whether you're a basketball fan or not.

Though this is an adaptation of the last arc of the manga series (the anime had a different ending) it gives newcomers enough context to understand why we care about the team's desire to win the game, beyond the obvious "Winning feels good."

What I really loved is that this movie gives each member of Shohoku--the protagonist team--enough time for an audience to become familiar with them without taking away from the fast-paced action. Everything in the narrative is framed around the game, which makes each shot, rebound, steal, block, and dribble feel all the more impactful. All of that with an animation style which I hated the idea of (fully 3d) until I saw it play out on the screen. It was then that I realized: I'm an idiot, these animators know what they're doing.

I can't put into words just how amazing the animation looks, but I'll just say that there are shots that genuinely look true to life. That's all that really needs to be said.

You owe it to yourself to check out this film if you're a fan of animation. I can go on and on about what makes the story great, why this film's focus on Ryota is a genuis move, or why Sakuragi is the best protagonist in shonen--though he's more of a supporting character here--but I don't want to take up time you could be spending watching the movie.

So go on, give it a shot.