Slam Dunk

1993 • TMDB 8.7 • 1 season • Animation, Comedy

Overview

Hanamichi Sakuragi is a hot-headed delinquent with a long record of getting dumped — fifty rejections and counting — when he walks into Shohoku High and falls for Haruko Akagi at first sight. To win her attention, he does the last thing anyone expects: he joins the school basketball team. There is just one problem. Sakuragi has never played basketball in his life, and his only real talents are fighting, jumping, and an ego the size of the gym.

What starts as a lovesick stunt turns into something real. Under the stern eye of captain Takenori Akagi, alongside cool-headed prodigy Kaede Rukawa, speedy Ryota Miyagi, and sharpshooter Hisashi Mitsui, Sakuragi discovers a raw, stubborn talent for the game. Across 101 episodes, Shohoku battles its way through practice games and tournaments, and Sakuragi grows from comic relief into a player his teammates can actually count on.

Creator and Main Cast

Slam Dunk is based on the manga by Takehiko Inoue. The voice cast is led by Takeshi Kusao as Hanamichi Sakuragi, Hikaru Midorikawa as Kaede Rukawa, Kiyoyuki Yanada as Takenori Akagi, Yoku Shioya as Ryota Miyagi, Ryotaro Okiayu as Hisashi Mitsui, and Akiko Hiramatsu as Haruko Akagi.

Seasons Snapshot

• Season 1 (1993–1996) — 101 episodes. Premiered October 16, 1993, concluding with “SLAM DUNK!” on March 23, 1996.

Why Watch Slam Dunk

Slam Dunk is the rare sports anime that makes every practice drill feel as tense as a final. Its games are drawn with real basketball logic, its jokes land because the characters earn them, and Sakuragi’s slow transformation from loudmouth beginner to genuine competitor is one of the most satisfying arcs in anime. Even if you have never watched a basketball game, the show’s mix of humor, heart, and underdog grit makes it easy to fall for Shohoku’s run.

Trailer

No official trailer for the original 1993 series is available on YouTube, so this post does not link to a fan-made upload.

Where to Watch

In the US, Slam Dunk streams on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads, and is available to buy on Amazon Video. See the JustWatch US page for Slam Dunk for the latest options.