According to its author, Slam Dunk is one of the biggest manga franchises, spawning the successful The First Slam Dunk movie and perhaps another movie.
Inoue-sensei gave a non-committal response via Anime News Network but did not rule out the possibility of a sequel. “If I say there will be [a sequel] or say there won’t be, does that bind me?” Inoue said. “Like if I said there will be one, and there isn’t, that sucks. And if I said there wouldn’t be one, even if I wanted to draw one, I wouldn’t be able to. So I won’t say anything at the moment.”
Takehiko Inoue is directing The First Slam Dunk for the first time, balancing this with his duties as a mangaka (comic artist) on the popular series Real and Vagabond. Inoue marks one of the biggest influences on Japanese basketball, popularizing the sport through Slam Dunk’s intense matches and stories, as well as representing people with disabilities at Real. NBA star Rui Hachimura has marked the first NBA Draft athlete to be of Japanese descent, noting Slam Dunk’s influence on him. Mangaka creators Tadatoshi Fujimaki (Kuroko’s Basketball) and Ao Ashi’s Yugo Kobayashi both consider Inoue to be influential.
Comic fans worldwide came to see The First Slam Dunk, which took the film to $106 million in Japan and ranked ninth on their all-time box office list. 2022 also marks a record-breaking year for Toei Animation, which produced the film, which featured The First Slam Dunk and One Piece Film: Red as key elements. The gradual international release saw The First Slam Dunk succeed in North America, grossing over a million dollars in two weeks, $75 million in China, and the toppling of Barbenheimer in Chile, resulting in sales of $205 million worldwide.
Released on December 3, 2022, The First Slam Dunk is a sequel to the ’90s manga revolving around point guard, Ryota Miyagi and his Kanagawan basketball team. Teasingly, “Ryota is ready to face off with his teammates to face the ‘invincible’ Sannoh, the champion of the local tournament,” The First Slam Dunk drew critical acclaim thanks to the whirlwind. character emotions, voice acting, and smooth animation through the unique use of 2D and CG.
The First Slam Dunk is currently showing in theaters.
Source: Anime News Network