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my thoughts after watching Slam Dunk episode 60

 Ep 60 is not the end of Slam dunk but it is more or less the last episode of the first season.

My History

i first started watching slam dunk around march last year but i stopped because Sakuragi’s character was really hard to get used to. After recent events I finally got the courage to continue watching the series from where i left off in ep 40ish. 

At this point of the story the other members of the main team are starting to shine. Sakuragi’s improvement are already showing results. The main team had very rough beginnings in the earlier episdes but they have slowly come together as a team.

Episode 45 is where the real sports anime that is Slam Dunk manifested for me. For the first time, I actually had fun watching basketball in anime.

General Impressions

Slam Dunk is a really good sports anime. Because the main character is a real newbie, viewers who are non-player/non-enthusiasts can easily understand the concepts. Especially when they are used in the official matches.

Compared to other sports anime like Prince of Tennis, Haikyuu, Hanebado and Kuroko no Basket, Slam Dunk rival schools aren’t villainized and made evil. This is partly because Sakuragi, the main character is actually a former delinquent. He is still mostly disrespectful and a jerk.

 Almost all Slam Dunk opponents shown at this point were good teams in their own right. They had admirable, competitive aces and kind members. This made it a heartwarming anime to watch. It is also very easy to like the other teams despite only knowing their names and capabilities.

Maybe because I never liked KnB that much, I really appreciated how at least 3/5  team members of rival teams were given their own time in the spotlight.

A lot of sports anime tropes can be found in Slam Dunk. It is really a precursor to most modern sports animes. (this makes me want to watch Captain Tsubasa and Knockout someday too)

The Girls

The girls are also vital to the success of the story. Haruko, Sakuragi’s love interest, is a real basketball nut and a kind person at heart. Even her own set of friends soften up as the series goes along. Ayako, the team manager is intelligent, vocal and strong willed. A rival player’s girlfriend was also helpful to the story in her own way. Reporter Aida is an expert and has a real eye for talent. All in all, the ladies shine in this series. They are not fanservicey and they command a lot of respect. Many of the other girls are portrayed as rabid fangirls, but hey who could blame them tbh.

Technical Stuff

Another thing is that the games are structured the same as USA College ball.  This means that each game last for 2 halves each lasting 20 mins each. Total play time is 40 mins. NBA divides the game into 4 quarters, each 12 mins long for a total of 48 hrs. -->Kuroko no Basket follows the NBA rules.

This means Slam Dunk characters play non-stop for 20 minutes, then go for a 15-min (or 20 min, im not sure) halftime break, then play non-stop again for another 20 minutes. This doesn’t include the times when the watch stops due to a shot, referee calls, time outs and overtime. This kind of basketball is generally more exhausting  and requires more stamina and endurance.

This is something I had to keep in mind while watching. This is not the basketball that I am used to seeing on TV. The players are stretched extra thin in a different way.

Comedy

This show is funny as heck. Sakuragi is comedic relief all by himself. His best friends who are part of his delinquent gang also provide pure comedy. Even more so that all of them love to come up with nicknames with different people. Slapstick comedy is used excellently. The joke timings are down to a pat. Rukawa is different entity by himself. He provides smartass quips that make you guffaw in no time. Rival characters also have their funny moments too esp with snapbacks that will catch you off guard all the time. 

Hopes

I really don’t remember much about Sendoh Akira because i didn’t watch the first practice match properly. I look forward to seeing their team play once more. Also I hope to find an existent Slam Dunk Fandom somewhere. On tumblr, it’s pretty dead but i’ve read good fics on AO3 recently. 

Actually at this point in the story, Sakuragi will get better so I look forward to watching that, and reading the manga and any more materials I can find.

I still don’t like Sakuragi. I don;t know if i’ll ever do. There is fondness as I say this though.