9.723 minSeason 1 • Episode 101
LatestThe battle between the combo team and Shohoku has reached its climax, and the one deciding its conclusion is Sakuragi with a Slam Dunk. Though Shohoku has more important things to look forward to, such as the Inter High Tournament.
Sakuragi Hanamichi is a junior high punk used to getting into fights and being rejected by girls but upon entering high school he meets the girl of his dreams, Haruko Akagi. He will do anything in order to win her heart including joining the school basketball team that is aiming to conquer the nation lead by Haruko's brother. The problem is that Sakuragi has never played basketball before and a freshman sensation is stealing the spotlight and Haruko's affection from him.
Direction
Takehiko Inoue's manga panels brought to kinetic life
Score
OPs that still live rent-free in heads decades later
Writing
Sakuragi's growth from clown to clutch player
Takeshi Kusao
Hanamichi Sakuragi (voice)
Hikaru Midorikawa
Kaede Rukawa (voice)
Kiyoyuki Yanada
Takenori Akagi (voice)
Yoku Shioya
Ryota Miyagi (voice)
Ryotaro Okiayu
Hisashi Mitsui (voice)
Akiko Hiramatsu
Haruko Akagi (voice)
Eriko Hara
Ayako (voice)
Hideyuki Tanaka
Kiminobu Kogure (voice)
Hisao Egawa
Shin'ichi Maki (voice)
Hochu Otsuka
Akira Sendo (voice)
Tomomichi Nishimura
Anzai (voice)
Toshiyuki Morikawa
Yohei Mito (voice) / Kiyota Nobunaga (voice)
Yukimasa Kishino
Jun Uozumi (voice)
Kozo Shioya
Nozomi Takamiya (voice)
Yûji Mikimoto
Chuichirou Noma (voice)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Slam Dunk single-handedly popularized basketball in 1990s Japan, causing a measurable spike in youth league participation.
The anime ends mid-tournament because it caught up to the manga; the 2022 film 'The First Slam Dunk' finally adapts the ending with Inoue's full creative control.
JP
