With more than two decades of waiting, Slam Dunk prepares its return to the world of animation.
Scheduled for 2022, the announcement of this production had been announced in January of this year, but today its official portal presented the first preview of the film, confirming that Takehiko Inoue will be in the director’s chair.
With confidence at the level of Katsuhiro Otomo, the original creator of the iconic basketball anime will lead the reins of the return of this project, confident in bringing his vision to fruition without dealing with intermediaries.
These types of actions had ceased to be the norm in the industry for some time, with the original creators being recruited only as consultants, while animation studios assigned a director capable of providing the appropriate coordination for the film to be made.
Inoue will serve as director and screenwriter for the film, accompanied by Daiki Nakazawa (Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods) as CGI director, Yasuyuki Ebara (Shingeki no Kyojin) as character designer and animation director.
Shunsuke Nakamura (Ping Pong the Animation) as cinematographer, Shiori Furusho (Yuri !!! on ICE) as color designer, and Yota Tsuruoka (Violet Evergarden) as sound direction. Everything under the fan of Toei Animation.
There are no further details on this premiere, but it would mark a strong return of one of the most celebrated franchises in the world of spokon in anime and manga, at a time when these returns are highly regarded by audiences and critics.
Official Synopsis of Slam Dunk
Hanamichi Sakuragi, famous for his temperament, enormous stature, and fiery red hair, enrolls at Shohoku High, hoping to finally have a girlfriend and break his record of being rejected 50 times in a row in high school. His notoriety precedes him, yet it is what causes most students to avoid him. Soon after, after certain events, Hanamichi is left with two unshakable thoughts: “I hate basketball” and “I desperately need a girlfriend.”
One day a girl named Haruko Akagi approaches him without any knowledge of his troublesome ways and asks if he likes basketball. Hanamichi immediately falls head over heels in love with her, blurting out a fervent affirmation. Then he takes him to the gym, where he asks if he can do a mate. In an attempt to impress Haruko, he takes the leap, but oversteps, instead hits his head directly against the board. When Haruko informs the captain of the basketball team about Hanamichi’s almost inhuman physical abilities, he is slowly drawn into the camaraderie and competition of the sport that he had previously resented.
