Slam Dunk
 So the title hints that it's a Basket Ball sport anime, right? Well, it's not JUST that... but much more.
My Opinions:
Hey how come no spoils? Well, this series needs a lot of visual descriptions in order to even begin to understand what was so touching or funny about it. One is much better off watching the episode or go to a better site who has the info. Let's just say that Shohoku manages to achieve their goal but we don't get to see how far they go. The Slam Dunk manga written by TAKEHIKO INOUE continues the story where the anime stopped. The manga is pretty well drawn after the initial two volumes, with pretty realistic feel of fatigue in the characters' facial expression. I saw the series in English subtitled. This anime is super good and entertaining. Humor gets incorporated with determination and every basketball match leaves you hanging till the end and then dying to see the next one. Although, we usually root for Shohoku, we get impressed and amazed at the skill of the other teams expecially Ryonan's Sendo, Shoyo's Fujima and the Always King, Kainan. Sakuragi and Rukawa's rivalship causes a lot of humor as well as tension on the court. Rukawa is of course on a higher level than Sakuragi in the beginning, but gradually as they do plays together, you understand what Coach Anzai means when he says they will be the best partners. Especially in the semi-finals, the battle between Shohoku and Ryonan is tricked up with mishaps but everyone is determined to obtain victory. Sorta teaches one motivation, I'll say. Although we never know whether Haruko and Sakuragi get together because Haruko has indeterminate admiration for Rukawa, who in his defense has no idea who Haruko is... (UsagiSakura 2/13/04)
Options: Slam Dunk Image Gallery
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The main character this time around is a guy. He's called Sakuragi Hanamichi and with his head of red hair, he has made a record of being rejected by a 50 female classmates in junior high. His buddies laugh at his failure and he's all depressed until he meets his dream girl, Haruko on the first day of high school. He's captivated. Due to Sakuragi's height, Haruko asks him, "Do you like basketball?" She comments that since he's so tall, he should consider joining the Shohoku's high school basketball team because the Shohoku's team is really weak even with the power of Captain Akagi Takenori powerful dunking ability and the big name of Coach Anzai, who was once known as the Simling Buddha. Unfortunately, Sakuragi Hanamichi hasn't ever played the sport before, but he laughs his way through and Haruko even manages to impose the lasting impression that a "slam dunk" causes in a game.
Sakuragi is determined to be a good sportsman in order to have Haruko admire him. Unfortunately, Haruko already has a crush on someone and she's clueless to the feelings that Sakuragi has for her. Haruko's crush is named Rukawa Kaede, a star of basketball back in junior high and known as a Super Rookie. When Hanamichi learns that he had been off chance rejection. He labels basketball as a stupid game and unwittingly challenges the captain of the basketball team to a match. Everyone comes to watch the game, including Rukawa. Whoever can get in a basket will win. Since Sakuragi doesn't even know how to dribble, the captain permits not following actual rules of the game. The antics that Sakuragi uses is amusing and one them even has him pulling down the pants of the captain as well as dunking on the captain's head. Yet, among miracles Sakuragi manages to get a basket in, declaring him the winner. hah, unfortunately he finds out that the captain is Haruko's brother and he gets all nervous... because he still wants to go after Haruko.
So what do we learn about Sakuragi during the course of this? He's very vain and competitive, but quite loyal as well to his friends. After some mishaps, Hamamichi finally gets onto the team, and he's really arrogant about it, thinking he's a genius at the game. So Akagi makes him start from the basics at the sidelines taught by the manager, Ayako. There's no denying that Hanamichi has a talent and learns fast especially since his height is to his advantage. The goal of the basketball team is to get into the national championships, which has never happened before. This is the last year for thrid year Captain Akagi and Vice Captain Kogure to accomplish this and its touching to see how hard they are willing to do this.
