The First Slam Dunk Is Exactly the Feel-Good Nostalgic Ride You Need

(SPOT.ph) The First Slam Dunk movie is a long-awaited adaptation of the popular manga series that pretty much made everyone’s childhood in the ‘90s. Its theme revolves around—surprise, surprise—basketball and friendship. The focus on sports is probably behind why it became such a hit in the Philippines—and we can’t deny the added wholesome factor of seeing a group of people work together helped. Followers of the series are sure to be familiar with Hanamichi Sakuragi, the main protagonist, and his dream of becoming a star player, despite a lack of talent and knowledge in the sport.

Also read: Here's How The First Slam Dunk Movie Puts a Spin on the OG Characters

Now in the movie—released in December 2022 in Japan and screened in local cinemas about a month after—we watch a different part of the Slam Dunk story come to the big screen, about the incoming Inter-High and a main member of the Shohoku team who deserves all the love. Missed it in cinemas? We lay down what you need to know below. Spoilers ahead!

The First Slam Dunk Review and Why It’s Worth the Watch

Plot

The story in this movie revolves around what happens after Shohoku wins against Ryonan and Shoyo, who are the main contenders to be champions in the Inter-High. This time, the team is about to be pitted against another defending champion (three times to be exact), Sannoh High. Majority of the movie follows this arc of the intense battle against this giant of a team, as Shohoku attempts to rise up and claim the championship.

Unlike the series that mostly focuses on Hanamichi Sakuragi, the red-haired nobody who only knew how to dunk before learning the basics, the movie shines the spotlight on the curly-haired point guard who dons the number 7 jersey. We follow Ryota Miyagi's journey as he learns more about basketball, the team, and himself. We get to learn more about why he chose the number for this jersey and why he's even playing basketball with a "nobody team" to begin with.

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The First Slam Dunk Movie Theme and Genre

The movie stays faithful to the theme it is well-loved for: comedy and action with a touch of slice-of-life to help us understand the characters—especially Miyagi—and how these relate to the grand scheme of team dynamics within the game.

Of course, it’s not Slam Dunk without the long and winding flashbacks (cue Kiminobu Kogure’s one-week flashback for a three-point shot). While it’s perfectly understandable that flashbacks help us understand the characters more, some newbies to the Slam Dunk fandom may be a little put off by the slow pacing for a sports-centered show. For long-time fans, it may be a treat to get more up close and personal with the characters they’ve come to know and love throughout the decades.

A great example of the mishmash pace of the movie is how Sannoh High gets a massive lead in the first few quarters of a pivotal game–leading to a high blood-inducing, hyperventilating session as viewers wonder how Shohoku could possibly catch up.

This alone makes the “speed” of the movie somewhat hard to pinpoint. A lot of courtside scenes are action-packed and fast-paced until those crucial shots that crawl to slow close-up shots with more flashbacks in between. So it's like a combination of highs and lows that will ultimately get a mixture of frustration and excitement among the fans, a fun ride if you’re into rollercoasters.

Animation

As with a lot of other '90s series that eventually got their movies in the 2020s, the enhancement in the animation for The First Slam Dunk can be rated as superb, but still with that light touch of nostalgia that initially drew the long-time fans in. Thanks to CG graphics and other sophisticated technology we have these days, we can enjoy a good balance of the animation style that fans used to love while you can see that early 2000s vibe to it at the same time.

Overall, The First Slam Dunk movie will delight both long-time fans of Slamdunk and welcome newcomers to its world. It features an inspiring story, great animation, and the spirit of basketball in this unforgettable animation by Takehiko Inoue. For those looking for a basketball-themed movie with a side of nostalgia, this show is definitely worth a watch.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Spots