Slam Dunk is an anime series adapted from the manga of the same title by Takehiko Inoue.[1] The story follows Hanamichi Sakuragi, who falls in love with a girl named Haruko Akagi, and decides to enter the Shohoku High School Basketball Team in order to attract her, as she is already in love with another Shohoku player, Kaede Rukawa. As Sakuragi starts learning how to play basketball, he begins to take a liking to the sport.
Produced by Toei Animation and directed by Nobutaka Nishizawa, the series aired on TV Asahi from October 16, 1993, to March 23, 1996. Toei compiled the episodes into a series of seventeen DVDs which were released in Japan from December 10, 2004, to May 21, 2005.[2][3] Toei once again collected the series in three DVD boxes during 2008. All three boxes have a total of seventeen discs.[4][5][6]
Toei and Geneon briefly chose to release the anime on DVD after the manga was discontinued, though the anime was also discontinued after only a few volumes.[7][8] The first DVD was released on March 15, 2005, and volume 4 was the last one released on June 14 of the same year, before they were cancelled. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of its broadcast, the anime was released on Blu-ray in 2014.[9] Episodes 1-85 are the only episodes dubbed into English currently available. Episodes 86-101 were dubbed but currently only remain available subtitled.[10][11] Various episodes from the series were also downloadable from IGN's Direct2Drive service.[12] In May 2009, Joost started streaming all 101 episodes on their website.[13] Each episode is in Japanese, with English subtitles.[14]
Six musical themes are used through all the series: two opening themes and the four ending themes. "Kimi ga Suki da to Sakebitai" (君が好きだと叫びたい, "I Want to Shout 'I Like You'") by Baad is used as the opening theme for the first 61 episodes. "Zettai ni, Daremo" (ぜったいに 誰も, "Definitely, Anyone") by Zyyg replaces it as the opening theme for episodes 62-101. "Anata Dake Mitsumeteru" (あなただけ見つめてる, "I Only See You") by Maki Ohguro is used as the ending theme for the first 24 episodes. "Sekai ga Owaru Made wa..." (世界が終るまでは…, "Until the World Ends...") by Wands follows it as the ending for episodes 25-49. "Kirameku Toki ni Torawarete" (煌めく瞬間に捕われて, "Captured in This Magical Moment") by Manish is used for episodes 50-81 and "My Friend" (マイ フレンド, Mai Furendo) by Zard is used for episodes 82-101.[1] The remaining music was composed by Takanobu Masuda. Three CD soundtracks were released during the airing of the series in Japan.[15][16]
- ^ a b "Slam Dunk - Property info". Toei Animation. Archived from the original on May 12, 2009. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
- ^ "SLAM DUNK VOL.1 DVD" (in Japanese). Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ "SLAM DUNK VOL.17 DVD" (in Japanese). May 21, 2005. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ "SLAM DUNK DVDコレクション VOL.1" (in Japanese). Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ "SLAM DUNK DVD-Collection Vol.3" (in Japanese). Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ "SLAM DUNK DVD-Collection Vol.2" (in Japanese). Retrieved May 15, 2009.
- ^ Macdonald, Christopher (November 23, 2004). "Toei Announces First Releases". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ Macdonald, Christopher (September 18, 2006). "Toei DVDs Cancelled". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ アニメ「SLAM DUNK」がBlu-rayに！スペシャル版も収録. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 20, 2014. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
- ^ "Slam Dunk, Vol. 1". Amazon. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ "Slam Dunk, Vol. 4". Amazon. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ Loo, Egan (June 4, 2008). "First Slam Dunk Episode Streamed with English Subs". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ Loo, Egan (October 27, 2008). "Toei Animation Adds Anime to Crunchyroll Website Today". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
- ^ Loo, Egan (May 1, 2009). "Joost Streams All 101 Episodes of Slam Dunk". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 12, 2009.
- ^ "Slam Dunk" スラム・ダンク (in Japanese). Amazon. Retrieved May 13, 2009.
- ^ スラムダンク ― オリジナル·サウンドトラック 3 '95サマー (in Japanese). Amazon. Retrieved May 13, 2009.