Manga review number 1: Slam Dunk

In 1997, my brother who is responsible for introducing me dozens of comics and manga brought home another comic into my attention. It struck me first because the manga that he brought was not a fantasy genre like he used to bring like Dragon Ball, Alam Pewira and others. Instead, the very one manga he brought home that day was a reality genre based. About high school basketball teams and their journey in the championship. Little did I know at the time that the manga becomes one that is so close to my heart and also it touches a lot others until it created a basketball craze among us teenagers at that time, a sport that once secluded in the eyes of the American.

Slam Dunk is a story that choronicles the life of a freshman, Sakuragi Hanaminichi, an outcast of the school because of his ferocius behavior and his flaming red hair. A lead deliquent member of his other 4 equally ferocious friends, his life takes a spin as he met the sister of the captain of the school's basketball team, Haruko that stated he as the 'savior' of the school team, a team smeared by lack of talented player and support. Initially joining the team to attract Haruko, Sakuragi finds himself to be drawn to the sport and he finally accepts the sport as his passion and embracing his new life as a self proclaimed 'basketball genius'.

The story got a lot that can attract the readers, great plot, likeable characters and laughs, a lot of laughs. It is just amazing to see that the creator, Takehiko Innoue created these 15 to 17 years old high school students to become such amazing well motivated athelete, a feat which is I personally like because the world needs these young, strong characters to be examplified and idolize. Well, he compensate their acedemic achievement most for humor purpose but still, I find that most of the characters has indefinate determination that all of us need to look up and learn from them.

Not only the story is amazing, it also shows that the creator knows his stuff. He injected a lot of basketball facts and records and it also touches a lot of techniques that are used in the game such as layout, rebound, slam dunk and others. It clarified the game and honoured the sport as well. The knowledge that Innoue had put in his work enable the reader to identify not only with the character but also with the game and the matches. It depth analysis has made Slam Dunk to score not only with the fan of the sport but the newcomers and non-fan to understand.

A little bit of lacking in this manga is only the sense of realism is a bit off sometimes. Funny to think that sometimes this young, underage characters seem to be all out in all places without parents' supervision. One of the character Mitsui, had an emotional breakdown for 2 years and no parents' involvement? Weird...The manager Ayako, spending a night at boy's house without telling the parents? (she was there to support the team, not doing any rif raf of course...) Weirder...But perhaps the absence of parents' involvement in most of the characters are done in order for us to see the characters to develop their own expectations rather than to comply to
their parents' expectations.

All in all, Slam Dunk is a good read, it inspires and uses sports as a medium not only to entertain but to be honoured and revered as a good barometer of teenagers' sheer strength and diligence.

Overall score:

Storyline: 4/5
Graphic: 3.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Fan's likeable factor: 4.5/5
Popularity: 4.5/5

Total: 21 / 25