The First Slam Dunk

The First Slam Dunk is a 2022 Japanese animated sports film written and directed by Takehiko Inoue, produced by Toei Animation and Dandelion Animation Studio. It is based on Inoue’s Slam Dunk manga series. It was released theatrically in Japan on December 3, 2022.

In 2023, The First Slam Dunk won the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. The film went on to gross $211 million worldwide, becoming one of the top ten highest-grossing anime films of all time.

The film follows Ryota Miyagi, the point guard of Shohoku high-school’s basketball team. He had a brother, Sota, who was three years older than him, and who inspired his love for basketball. Ryota and his teammates Hanamichi Sakuragi, Takenori Akagi, Hisashi Mitsui, and Kaede Rukawa challenge the inter-high basketball champions, the Sannoh school.