The First Slam Dunk is a new film based on Slam Dunk, a very successful Japanese manga and anime, which after being released in Japan and China, is also preparing to be released in Italy: while waiting for the film in Italy, let’s retrace the anime original and why it has become so popular
The First Slam Dunk is the new film based on Slam Dunk, a Japanese manga that later became an anime that was very successful in the years in which it was broadcast, i.e. between 1993 and 1996. An anime TV series that translated the original manga into one hundred and one episodes, and also produced four films, which delved into some stories and facts that were barely mentioned in the episodes. Many years later, this new film also arrives in Italy, which was already released in Japan on December 3, 2022, also winning the award for best animated film.
The First Slam Dunk: waiting for the film in Italy | the trailer
The expectation for the arrival in Italian cinemas is very high, because the success in Asia certainly raises expectations a lot, in addition to the fact that many years have passed since the release of the last episodes of Slam Dunk and nostalgia is great . But let’s go in order, why was Slam Dunk so successful? It is an anime that is also highly appreciated by the public who generally do not follow them and which, after so many years, still remains one of the best products. The plot is certainly one of the strengths: at the center there is sport, in particular basketball, within a high school team without a great glory of victory behind it or great talents. It’s about elements that make an anime strong according to the Japanese tradition, i.e. sport and the fact that its protagonists are young people who have to earn victories, with hard work, sacrifices and not just talent for its own sake.
The First Slam Dunk: waiting for the film in Italy | the strength of Hanamichi and his team
And the protagonist Hanamichi Sakuragi embodies these characteristics, because he’s a rage-filled boy who spends his days getting into fights and other messes, who hates basketball. But in the first episode of the anime, he finds himself in a gym to conquer Haruko, sister of Akagi, captain of the school basketball team, Shohoku. Just to conquer her he decides to join the team, which is having a difficult time, with few victories and few prominent players, apart from Akagi himself. From his entry into the team, other characters and his companions begin to join, Kaede Rukawa, Ryota Miyagi, Hisashi Mitsui. They go to make up the new Shohoku team, which has nothing to lose but only to prove, starting from scratch not only on the field, but also in personal life, given that most of the players aim to lead a better life . These characters are definitely the basis of this anime, because they are basically dramatic, always on the verge of making the wrong choice, they were saved thanks to basketball and they place all their energy and hopes on that sport.
The First Slam Dunk: waiting for the film in Italy | Ryota Miyagi new protagonist
This new film is really focused on the story of one of them, Ryota Miyagi, the point guard of the team, short in stature, but very fast and smart. He approaches basketball after his brother’s death at sea when he was younger, a great fan of that sport and within the team he is one of the most concentrated and who also brings together different elements of the group. This film deals with the chapter in which Shohoku has to face the Sannoh team, defending champion and one of the most feared team at the Nationals. The choice to focus this new film on the character of Miyagi is certainly interesting, because it takes away the central focus from the protagonist Hanamichi, thus giving another type of rhythm to the story, given that the two certainly have two different characters.
The First Slam Dunk: waiting for the film in Italy | an anime of emotion and laughter
Another aspect that made the original anime very solid is its genre which mixes emotional drama with comedy: Slam Dunk is an exhilarating anime, irreverent at times vulgar in moments of less tension, but with a strong dramatic connotation linked to the history of the characters and their emotionality in tackling sport. This has always made the series an enjoyable product thanks to its comic charge and all its catchphrases, but with many passages of reflection on self-building especially for a teenage audience. The protagonists face everything that happens to them with a lot of emotional charge, because even if they seem adults on the court, they are still very young and scared in the world other than basketball. And for this same reason, Slam Dunk has always been a product suitable for an older audience as well which can still capture both a certain type of humor and the food for thought that is offered.
We can’t wait for the Italian release!
Although this new film can be seen even if you don’t know the original anime, we recommend that you catch it, precisely because it is a product not to be missed and still current after so many years. The release is almost there now, but there is time for a binge watching of the entire series and maybe even its next four films. The First Slam Dunk will be released as an event film in Italy on May 10 in the original language and subsequently dubbed into Italian from May 11 to 18, distributed by Anime Factory Italia. Are you going to see it? Let us know what you think and continue to follow TechGameWorld.com for further updates on cinema and TV series.
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