Slam Dunk 6
Posted: August 29, 2009 Filed under: Slam Dunk 3 Comments »Takehiko Inoue – Viz – 2009 – 31 volumes
I am continually impressed with how entertained I can be by a basketball manga. I have no interest in basketball, and yet I consumed half this volume in what seemed like 30 seconds.
And, well… the first half is the last 30 seconds of the game that’s been going on for several volumes. As Eyeshield 21 has taught me, 30 seconds can take a long time to elapse, sometimes, and a lot can happen. Slam Dunk may well have invented this proud tradition (or maybe it was Aim for the Ace or something way older, what do I know), and it doesn’t disappoint. I was actually very surprised by the outcome, as shounen sports manga aren’t in the habit of… well, doing what happened here. It was impressive, and made me like the series a lot more. Then again, Eyeshield 21 did this same thing in its early volumes, so maybe it won’t be as common as I think it will.
The second half of the volume introduces a new character, a member of the basketball team who was injured and whom Hanamichi hasn’t met yet. Of course he is Hanamichi’s double as far as punkishness, ego, and skill goes, except he’s probably a better basketball player. The two of them get off on the wrong foot, and after a few bad encounters in this volume, the next volume promises a huge brawl will take place.
Plot that isn’t basketball? I’ll take it. Gladly.
I also think it’s worth mentioning that this is the speed-liney-ist manga I’ve ever read. I almost never notice the speed lines, but… well, it’s like the characters are wading through a forest of them here. It’s easy to forgive, since they are playing basketball, but still. It moves FAST.
Also, this is a series that has benefited greatly from an adaptation. I had to call my roommate in to see the line “You can call me the bus driver ’cause I take everyone to school!”
This was a review copy provided by Viz.
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I think Slam dunk really starts when Hanamichi changes his look (at vol.15).
The graphics begin to improve very quickly, the basketball matches become very catchy, and the characters begin to grow up mentally and physically. I also like the humor better.
The last match is totally epic. It’s 6 volumes long, and the 2 last volumes cover only 3min30 of the game….
I really felt like the author was growing along with his characters -especially Hanamichi-.
Ooh, thanks for that. I was wondering about Hanamichi’s style while I was reading this, since it dates the series more than anything else. I’m curious now as to how he changes and how it affects things. And I love ridiculously long and epic final matches in sports manga. Especially when they’re done right.
I’m also really looking forward to seeing how Inoue’s art changes as the series keeps going. Reading Slam Dunk, Vagabond, and Real at the same time is kind of fun. Vagabond and Real aren’t all that different from one another in terms of art, even though the parts I’m reading of Vagabond are ten or so years older than Real. I thought the difference in Slam Dunk might just be due to its weekly schedule, but I was still really curious to see if the end of Slam Dunk bore more of a resemblance to Vagabond.