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THE FIRST SLAM DUNK opens July 28th
When it comes to anime movies, there are plenty that are based on popular manga. Movie fans could refer to some of the biggest ones of the last ten years, such as ONE PIECE FILM: RED or even JUJUTSU KAISEN 0. Many have gone on to not only inspire new viewers to join the ever-growing fanbase of anime, but have only cemented many people’s love of anime as a whole – and now, THE FIRST SLAM DUNK is set to join that group.
THE FIRST SLAM DUNK is the latest anime film to make its way to AMC Theatres, and soon, movie fans will be able to check it out for themselves. Here is what THE FIRST SLAM DUNK is all about.
It’s A Fight To Be The Champion
Think of any sports movie that exists, and then make it an epic, animated sports tale. That’s THE FIRST SLAM DUNK.
In this new movie, based on the manga series of the same name, we follow Ryota Miyagi, a high schooler who is known as the best “speedster” and point guard for his school’s basketball team. Miyagi developed a love for the sport after his brother, who is three years older, became a local legend, famous for his skills on the court.
Miyagi took after his brother and ended up becoming one of the best players, and now, in his second year of high school, he joins the team at Shohoku High, where he meets several other players that change his world for the better – Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi and Mitsui.
Eventually, though, there’s more at stake than just playing well for the pure love of the game. Now, a whole entire championship is on their backs. Miyagi, along with his teammates, must lead this basketball team to victory during the Inter-High School National Championship, and if they end up doing well, they could face the reigning champions – Sannoh Kogyo High School.
So much is on the line, and they have to use their skills – and love of the game – to succeed at what they want most: winning.
Takehiko Inoue Directs
If that description of the action caught your attention, you’ll likely be interested to know that Takehiko Inoue directed the film.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s not that surprising. While Inoue isn’t exactly known for directing anime, he is known for being the author of the manga that THE FIRST SLAM DUNK is based on, “Slam Dunk.” That’s right. While it’s not uncommon for the creator of a manga to be involved with the adaptation that it is based on, it’s still a welcome sight to see.
The manga released way back in the 1990s and ran for six years and thirty-one volumes. While Inoue also created manga such as “Vagabond” and “Real,” there’s nothing quite like “Slam Dunk,” which truly became a big success for him. And now, he’s returning to the story to direct the film adaptation.
Toei Animation Made The Movie
Normally, movie fans don’t usually think much about the studios or production companies for films they want to see, but, in this case, it’s a noteworthy piece of information, especially for anime fans — and that’s because Toei Animation produced this upcoming film.
Toei Animation is known for creating some of the most iconic anime films of the last few decades. Some of the franchises that are under its belt are “Dragon Ball,” “Sailor Moon,” “One Piece,” “World Trigger,” and many, many more.
The company has, honestly, created some of the most notable anime shows and movies that many fans today would call mainstays in the genre, and they’re going to be continuing that legacy with THE FIRST SLAM DUNK. Toei Animation actually also produced the anime series that “Slam Dunk” was based on back in the 1990s, so it’s exciting to see them return to form with a new movie after working with the story for many years.
While there are plenty of other anime films that have released this year already — such as SUZUME — and ones that are coming out later this year, like Hayao Miyazaki’s THE BOY AND THE HERON, this is the movie to see this summer, especially if basketball, good sportsmanship, and anime is your cup of tea.
THE FIRST SLAM DUNK opens July 28th
