“5 Slam Dunk Facts Every Basketball and Anime Fan Should Know”

🏀 1. Slam Dunk Boosted Real Basketball Popularity in Japan

Before Slam Dunk, basketball was not a major sport in Japan.

After the manga’s release in the 1990s, school basketball club memberships skyrocketed, and even today many credit the series with starting Japan’s basketball boom.

🔴 2. Hanamichi Sakuragi Was Based on a Real Athlete

Takehiko Inoue, the manga’s creator, has said that Hanamichi’s personality and rough attitude were inspired by real players with hot tempers and big hearts.

He’s wild and immature—but also hard-working and loyal, making him beloved by fans.

👟 3. The Shoes Worn in the Manga Are Real Models

Many of the characters, including Sakuragi and Rukawa, wear real Nike and Converse sneakers from the 90s.

Fans still try to collect the exact models shown in the manga—making it a cult item among sneakerheads.

📚 4. The Manga Ends Before the National Tournament Fully Begins

While the anime stops before the final game with Sannoh, the manga continues and features one legendary match—but ends right after.

This bold, abrupt ending made fans want more… until THE FIRST SLAM DUNK movie arrived decades later!

🎨 5. Takehiko Inoue Re-illustrated the Entire Manga for a Special Exhibition

In 2020, Inoue re-drew over 100 key scenes from Slam Dunk for a major art exhibition in Japan.

The new illustrations showed how much his art style had matured—and reignited love for the series.

✍️ Author’s Note

When I was growing up, baseball and soccer were the big sports in Japan.

But then Slam Dunk came along—and suddenly, basketball became a real option for kids like me.

This manga didn’t just entertain us. It changed the way we saw sports, effort, and friendship.

I’ve re-read the entire series more than ten times.

And honestly, there are certain scenes that still bring tears to my eyes—every time.

That’s how much this story means to me.

If you’ve read it, you probably understand.

If you haven’t yet—trust me, it’s worth every page.