Slam dunk was my childhood, I didn't get to watch it completely till the end as a kid but now that I'm a young adult I took the chance to share this nostalgic gem with my little brother and I feel as if it hasn't lost any of its magic. I'm around the episode 72 mark and I can only make this review based on what I've seen, nevertheless lets get into it shall we?
Story:9
Slam dunk is a tale about the journey of delinquent Sakuragi Hanamichi who being rejected fifty times in a row, tries to win the affection of Akagi Haruko by joining the basketball team. Without giving much away this is already a rather generic shônen development, the entire ride is about the trials and hardships they face to reach the nationals. The romance is kept at a medium while the more common themes are brotherhood and respect, not to mention determination and courage. This show is hot-blooded and so inspiring to watch, beating most generic new anime in delivery and polish. The basketball facts are all true and what I love about slam dunk is the near realism in the anime, no superpowers at all meaning their only tools are their talents of determination.
Art:9
the only reason this gets a 9 is because of its age really, its just my opinion as once I was introduced to the bluray era, there's no going back. The colors look old, that is the most accurate description and makes me wish it has the same treatment as HxH. The art still looks superb although showing signs of aging, Takehiko inoue's work has improved even more in his newer works such as vagabond. The animation matches to par with some of the top grade anime now, the basketball scenes are all beautiful and especially the opening animations.
Sound:10
here is where slam dunk also stands out, the sound effects and ambience are all working together to make sure you're always feeling as if watching the game in the stadium itself, the sound cues are superb and the squeaks of the sneakers all crisp and really increases the tension. The Opening themes are both great to listen to and also the voicing is great. The voice actors really make a believable team of shohoku players.
Characters:10
Each character is definitely unique in this show, both visually and personality. With Sakuragi's distinct red hair and pissed expression, Akagi Senpai's gorilla features, Rukawa's poker face to the Hanamichi gang's wacky proportions and best man Mito yohei "ultimate bro" character, if you mix up characters here I recommend visiting an optometrist immediately. Slam dunk shows tremendous growth with each of the players especially Sakuragi. Sakuragi's hot blooded determination to outdo Rukawa, the talented jock has transformed him as a player and as an individual whilst keeping him Sakuragi. The trials the entire team faces including fights and other problems serve to make them stronger and only binds them closer together
Enjoyment:10
I was hooked from the first episode, Slam dunk is one of those great anime that captivate you in its brilliance and leaves you wanting to marathon the next twenty episodes. Pacing is great, I think it was a great idea to keep events outside the court pass quickly and spending a majority of the time inside the court. Literally hard to put down, slam dunk is how anime should be done, a classic that holds its greatness for decades. Even if you know nothing about basketball, the miniature Dr.T will explain without using overwhelming jargon. After watching an episode it made me feel like playing basketball again.
Overall:10
A true classic, Slam dunk holds its glory and the nostalgia matures like fine wine. I'm glad I picked up this beautiful adventure and shared it with my brothers.
