Why you should watch Slam Dunk
The main dude plays in Jordan 6’s and Jordan 1’s.
The characters are based off of real NBA players. The really cool thing is that this manga came out in 94 and ended in 96 which was an amazing era for basketball and the NBA. Jordan just got done with his 3 peat and retired from basketball. The Bulls and Michael Jordan are a global phenomenon at this point and the author of Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue, was a fan for sure. So much of a fan he based the characters from actual NBA players from the time. For example:
Hanamichi Sakuragi: Dennis Rodman
• They both got colorful hair and on top of that they got the same game. Hanamichi will get a 100 rebounds and 0 points, is a defensive stopper, and will dive for the ball just like Rodman
Kaede Rukawa: Michael Jordan
• Ruakawa is just a straight up a baller through the whole series. Honestly, his personality is really bland but he has that “will do anything to win” attitude Jordan has.
Takenori Akagi: Patrick Ewing
• He’s the team capital and plays center. He has the same fade as Patrick Ewing too.
Ryota Miyagi: Kevin Johnson/ Bj Armstrong/ AI
• The internet says Kevin Johnson but sticking to the Bulls theme I’d say Ryota is BJ Armstrong but honestly I feel like he plays like AI
Hisashi Mitsui - Reggie Miller.
• Mitsui the shooter of the team and everything about his game screams Reggie Miller.
Coach Anzai- Phil Jackson
• They are both the Zen masters
I played basketball all my life starting when I would watch my dad play at the park when he would bring me along and I would watch from the side. What I really like about Slam Dunk is that it captures that feeling you have when you played for your middle school or high school team. When you are that age, that’s the only thing that matters. Well, basketball and girls. That’s another thing that’s relatable is that Hanamichi literally started to play basketball just because he wants to get at a girl. Eventually though, it becomes more than just trying to get at a girl for Hanamichi, he finds passion in the game.
I love the character dynamics. Like how Haramichi and Ryota both love girls that don’t love them back. They pretty much have the same personality where they want to fight everyone but will do anything for a girl. Ryota and Haramichi literally joined the High School basketball team to impress a girl they liked. Also, they both got rejected hella times from girls in the past. Well, Hanamichi a solid 50 times where Ryota had 10. Both of them in the double digits of rejections. The bromance is real. I really like Mitsui’s back story that he was a star player but got injured. Basketball is Mitsui’s life and when he couldn’t do it any more, he just started doing bad shit and getting in fights. But Coach Anzai forgives him and lets him come back and this ignites his passion for the game again.
One of the biggest morals you get from Slam Dunk is that hard work, proper training, and persistence can lead to success. Hanamichi was straight garbage at the beginning of the anime but he got taught the fundamentals from Akagi and coach Anzai. Hanamichi took what was taught to him and practiced every day. Before practice, then went to practice and worked on his game after practice. Hanamichi was persistent. Hanamichi went from not knowing basketball at all to mastering rebounding, lay ups, and working on a jump shot. Seeing him put in the work and having the results show is a great lesson to take from the show.
Go watch it! The anime ended abruptly so the ending is kind of weird, I highly recommended to read the manga where it picks up after the anime to get a good sense of closure for the story. If you like basketball and anime. I think you’d like Slam Dunk.
