Netflix has now added The first slam dunk to its huge library. The film is based on one of the best-selling manga series of all time, Slam Dunkand is a hidden gem that will surely delight all who give it a chance. The production is being produced by Toei Animation (from A piece, Dragon BallAnd Sailor Moon Fame) and DandeLion Animation Studio (Pingu in the city, Pokemon). This outstanding production team is led by the manga’s creator, Takehiko Inoue, who wrote and directed the film.

The first slam dunk was released in cinemas on December 3, 2022 and became an instant hitThe film opened at the box office in Japan, grossing $112 million, the highest grossing domestic film in 2023.

The success in Japan quickly spread worldwide. Inoue’s film became the highest-grossing anime of all time in South Korea, surpassing even blockbusters such as Barbie And Oppenheimer when it was released in Chile.

The first Slam Dunk is an absolute masterpiece that every anime fan should see

Inoue’s work remains absolutely flawless

Almost thirty years later Slam Dunk debuted as an anime in 1993 and sparked a nationwide passion for basketball, The first slam dunk follows in the footsteps of the successful series. The film revolves around the last basketball game in the manga, the clash between Ryota’s Shohokku High and the reigning basketball champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School. The protagonist Miyagi Ryota, point guard of the Shohoku High basketball team, has to deal with the death of his older brother. Hurt by grief, Ryota fights to fulfill his deceased brother’s dream of becoming a great basketball player.

The film explores the hurdles of grief and the importance of community during these times. It is a sports film imbued with the essence of a coming-of-age story. Ryota’s struggles and hardships begin as an expression of the burden of his brother’s legacy, that of a golden child, and his doubts about whether he can live up to it. But they don’t end there. His journey is that of a seventeen-year-old boy struggling to forge his own identity. He is seen wrestling with his self-esteem and the search for meaning – themes that are universally human.

Slam Dunk is a revered franchise for good reason

And the first Slam Dunk continues this legacy

Inoue is known for his perfectionism in samurai manga roverand in Slam Dunk He perfectly combines technical and artistic elements to bring the emotional underbelly of his characters to life. Through masterful use of action sequences and slow motion, the finished game is adapted to explore the intensity of the characters’ passion for the game they play while revealing what is going on inside them. The combination of CGI and Inoue’s hand-drawn animation creates an artful visual medium through which the inner lives of these young athletes are perfectly framed.

The first slam dunk combines exciting action with a character-driven narrative, weaving the two together and placing it in the context of the biggest game in these young men’s lives. This story is for everyone. Even those who have already seen the anime can look forward to original, never-before-seen flashbacks, new sequences and a new epilogue.

This movie was released on Netflix on August 25ththereby expanding his reach and reaching many potential new fans. Given his incredible background, The first slam dunk is certainly one of the best anime on Netflix. Aside from the awards it has won, aside from the cultural impact of the manga, aside from Inoue’s artistic skill, as a standalone work, The first slam dunk is a thrilling, moving, relatable and heartbreaking story that should be on everyone’s watch list.