The Slam Dunk (manga) reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004
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Slam Dunk (manga)

Time you got around to sponsoring a child

Slam Dunk!

Slam Dunk (スラムダンク) is a
Japanese manga written by Takehiko Inoue about a basketball team from Shôhoku High School.

It was so popular that many Japanese teenagers began playing basketball after it was published.

A 101-episode anime TV series was produced, as well as four animated movies.

Plot

Its main character of this manga is Hanamichi Sakuragi who started out as an outcast who fights as a method to gain power and publicity. Akagi Haruko the girl of his dreams, who recognizes Hanamichi's athleticism, introduces Hanamichi to the Shohoku's men basketball team. Hanamichi was reluctant to join the team at first due to the reason he as no previous skills in any sports and thought it was a game for losers. Sakuragi eventually joins the team in order to impress Haruko to prove that he is worthy for her. Rukawa Kaede, also Sakuragi's bitter rival, the star rookie and a "girl magnet" joins the team at the same time. Mitsui Hisashi and Miyagi Ryota joins the team and a struggle to complete Akagi Takenori's dream of being the national champion. Together, these misfits gain publicity and the once little-known Shohoku basketball team became an all-star contender in Japan.

Side fact/Rumors

Some of characters in Slam Dunk! resemble NBA players for example: The teams: This article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.