The First Slam Dunk

• Written and Directed by Takehiko Inoue
• December 3, 2022
• Based on Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue

Voice Cast

• Ryota Miyagi (宮城 リョータ, Miyagi Ryōta)-Paul Castro Jr.
• Hisashi Mitsui (三井 寿, Mitsui Hisashi)-Jonah Scott
• Kaede Rukawa (流川 楓, Rukawa Kaede)-Aleks Le
• Hanamichi Sakuragi (桜木 花道, Sakuragi Hanamichi)-Ben Balmaceda
• Takenori Akagi (赤木 剛憲, Akagi Takenori)-Aaron Goodson
• Haruko Akagi (赤木 晴子, Akagi Haruko)-Abby Espiritu
• Kiminobu Kogure (木暮 公延, Kogure Kiminobu)-Zeno Robinson
• Yohei Mito (水戸 洋平, Mito Yōhei)-Yong Yea
• Nozomi Takamiya (高宮 望, Takamiya Nozomi)-Brent Mukai
• Chuichirou Noma (野間 忠一郎, Noma Chūichirō)-River Vitae
• Ayako (彩子, Ayako)-Kelsey Jaffer
• Mitsuyoshi Anzai (安西 光義, Anzai Mitsuyoshi)-Mike Pollock
• Eiji Sawakita (沢北 栄治, Sawakita Eiji)-Alan Lee

A 17-year-old struggles to accomplish his late brother’s dream to become a basketball star.

If it weren’t for using animation The First Slam Dunk would be pretty much an average sports drama that was well directed. The animation is absolutely stunning. It’s designed to look as if it’s entirely hand sketched but is obviously CGI in spots given what they do. The movement is fluid and realistic. Shots of the characters are very cinematic. The character designs capture the manga inspiration visual perfectly.

This is definitely crafted for basketball fans. As someone who has barely watches basketball, I was a little lost. And that’s being kind to myself. The nuances of the game were foreign to me. It feels like we see a legit game, but I am not too sure if it could be one. They do their best to simulate the feelings and look of a genuine basketball game.

It delves into the highs and lows generated by the game. I think as a movie it is a little too dialogue heavy during the game. I don’t think every thought that comes through a character needs to be communicate to the audience with a voiceover. Or even dialogue. Demonstrate. Don’t hand it to us.

There is a weird focus on one character’s long hair. He is the obvious heavy of the story and the focus is not mockery, but almost appreciation. Perhaps even adoration of it. I cannot recall what happens to the guy which says he was not too important or blended in with other characters. Ryota Miyagi stands out but he is part of the flashbacks. The rest of the player characters I found a little bit too similar. Their personalities weren’t distinct enough. As I write this thinking back I’m having a hard time remembering who did what. The coach who seems to only come into existence at the end stands out. He spouts some game-oriented wisdom and statements of what each player brings to the game.

Sports dramas should be more about the people than they are the event. Events should parallel the human story. Elements of it should represent the struggle between the characters. I don’t think this gets there. At least not in a very strong way. It’s more interested in the game than it is in the individual players, or even a player that would appear to be the main character. This is largely just about basketball. Everything else is incidental.

It captured the look and style of the source perfectly. It looked to be taken straight from the pages of a manga. I appreciate that. They never tried to greatly redesign anything. Take a look. Then again writer/director Takehiko Inoue also created the manga this was based on.

For me not being a sports fan The First Slam Dunk is not terrible but it’s not great. I’m sure it will appeal more to sports fans than it will to the general moviegoer.