THE FIRST SLAM DUNK

Re-energizing the Sports Film Genre

Venue: Marunouchi Toei
August 7 (Mon), 2023: 14:50, August 10 (Thu), 2023: 14:50
Official website: slamdunk-movie.jp/
Theater website: toeitheaters.com/theaters/marunouchi/topics/detail/455.php
Theater website: toeitheaters.com/theaters/marunouchi/
Theater website: toeitheaters.com/theaters/marunouchi/access/
Trailer: https://bit.ly/3OiD4Kr

Advance tickets: from 19:00 on the 3 days advance from the screening.
Director: 井上雄彦 (Takehiko Unoue)
Duration: 124 min

While we continue to nudge Studio Ghibli about screening Hayao Miyazaki’s latest/last film with English subtitles, there’s great news from Toei: The First Slam Dunk is playing for two days (and maybe more) with English subs for Tokyo’s international audiences at Toei’s flagship Marunouchi theater. Trust us, you do not have to be an anime fan, nor even a basketball fan, to be joyfully swept up in the excitement of this particular game.

Released in Japan early December 2022, the film earned Animation of the Year at the 46th Japan Academy Film Prizes, as well as other accolades. But what really matters is box office, and it is now the 14th highest-earning film of all time in Japan, the most-watched Japanese film in Korean history, and the highest-grossing anime film worldwide. Unlike nearly all Japanese films, it received a widespread global release, which is further proof of its universal appeal.

The First Slam Dunk is based on Takehiko Inoue’s popular 1990s manga series, and Inoue himself wrote and directed the film, which features stunning visuals, an action-packed plot and a terrific rock soundtrack, at Toei Animation. The story follows Ryota Miyagi, the point guard of Shohoku High School's basketball team, and his teammates Hanamichi Sakuragi, Takenori Akagi, Hisashi Mitsui, and Kaede Rukawa as they challenge the inter-high basketball champions, the Sannoh school.

Unlike most sports movies, the central theme of this one is how each of the players overcomes inner turmoil through basketball, and it’s these journeys into adulthood that really grab the viewer emotionally.

Among other impressive contributors are character designer/animation director Yasuyuki Ebara (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) and technical directors Katsuhiko Kitada (Attack on Titan episodes, Major: Yujo no Winning Shot), Naoki Miyahara (Digimon Adventure, Popin Q), and Toshio Ohashi (LayereD Stories 0), and Yu Kamatani (Looking for Magical DoReMi, Precure Super Stars!). Daiki Nakazawa directed the CG, Yuta Ogura produced the CG, Kazuo Ogura directed the art and Yota Tsuruoka directed the sound with Koji Kasamatsu.

August 5 (Sat), 2023
11:30am: COURT SIDE in THEATER vol.2 SANNO TALK video showing
14:50: Cheering Up Screening
18:10: MIYAGI FAMILY TALK video showing

August 6 (Sun), 2023
11:30PM: COURT SIDE in THEATER vol.3 STAFF TALK video showing
14:50: Let's Cheer Up with Kids and babies
18:10: Screening with Japanese subtitles

August 7 (Mon), 2023
11:30: Cheering Up Screening
14:50: Screening with English subtitles
18:10: Screening with live commentary

August 8 (Tue), 2023
11:30: Live commentary
14:50: MIYAGI FAMILY TALK with video
18:10: Screening with Japanese subtitles

August 9 (Wed), 2023
11:30: Let's Cheer Up with Kids
14:50PM: COURT SIDE in THEATER vol.1 SHOHOKU TALK video showing
18:10: COURT SIDE in THEATER vol.4 SHOHOKU BENCH TALK video showing

August 10 (Thu), 2023
11:30: MIYAGI FAMILY ROUNDTABLE video showing
14:50: Screening with English subtitles
18:10: Cheering Screening

Marunouchi Toei