Very rarely does a film find the perfect balance of action and pathos. It is a marvel to see a piece of work that appropriately mixes the summation of its ingredients exactly right, allowing the viewer to fully invest in the ebb and flow of its narrative. Writer-director Takehiko Inoue’s adaptation of his manga and Toei Animation series, “Slam Dunk,” is now a feature length anime aptly titled The First Slam Dunk. And it is a remarkable sight.
The film is near flawless on all fronts, weaving crowd-pleasing action, engaging dramatic storytelling and beautiful animation to present one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. The First Slam Dunk succeeds on both a technical and emotional level. With a manga and television show that had their run from 1990 to 1996, Inoue’s ability to revisit and revamp his creation for a new generation while rewarding his fanbase is noteworthy. The film is just that good.
In The First Slam Dunk, the Shohoku High School basketball team faces off in a match against the #1 Sannoh High School team. The match is weaved within the memories and thoughts of the players, primarily the Shohoku team featuring the original characters from the manga. The film’s flashbacks primarily focus on point guard Ryota Miyagi (Shugo Nakamura), who is coping with the accidental death of his older brother, Sota Miyagi (Gakuto Kajiwara). Ryota’s story is the emotional weight of the film interspersed throughout the tense on-court match up of Shohoku versus Sannoh. Ryota’s flashbacks are beautifully animated passages about loss, grief and finding purpose in moving on in life. These moments are done so well that they lend credibility to the frenetic on-court action, making the game emotionally rewarding when the Shohoku underdogs do everything to find their will to fight back against a better team.
The animation team excels at finding the right rhythm for the on-court action. The character movements, post-ups, rebounds and blocks are captured brilliantly. So much so that you will have moments when you believe that you have court seats for a real-life match up. Even more impressive is the film’s sound design. You hear everything, from the sneakers to the different pitch levels of hand slaps on the ball leather. The varying art styles complement each other, offering enough visual verve to keep your eyes peeled in order not to miss any beat of the action.
The off-court animation is just as accomplished. Landscapes and water masses pop on screen, lending emotional weight as follow Ryoto’s journey to maturity. Director Inoue and the animation team have a complete grasp on characters now 30-plus years old, animating the teen squad members expertly enough that their differences and idiosyncrasies are on full display. You can tell them apart easily, and even if you are a newcomer to the series, you recognize each of them no matter how heightened the action gets.
Fans of the older manga and anime series may find it odd that the original focus on teammates Hanamichi Sakuragi (power forward), Kaede Rukawa (shooting guard), Hisashi Mitsui (shooting forward) and Takenori Akagi (center/team captain) do not receive as much narrative attention in the film. They are relegated to flashbacks mostly involving Ryoto’s story arch, although each character has their own moment to shine, especially Sakuragi (Subaru Kimura) who becomes pivotal in the film’s third act and becomes the heart of the team and of the film. The on-court action delves into the psyche of playing the sport, allowing moments of self-doubt, observation, and motivation to translate through their inner thoughts during the game. The decision is a positive addition to the film, allowing the individual teammates vulnerable moments of adversity and resiliency. The moments work well enough to make each character relatable, adding more reason to become invested in the ball game and care about its outcome.
With rousing game sequences, tender and resonating moments, beautiful animation, and sound design bringing all the key elements together, The First Slam Dunk is triumphant. It has just enough to become a cult classic in a time so inundated with content that even the good movies are easily forgotten. It’s no wonder the film is a hit in Japan and that it is currently the fifth highest grossing anime movie of all time. The arduous work put on screen deserves those accolades and more. The First Slam Dunk takes chances and confidently delivers, leaving any crowd fortunate enough to see it something to cheer about.
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