DVD Corner

The First Slam Dunk Blu-ray Review

“The First Slam Dunk” scores. 

Based on the manga “Slam Dunk,” “The First Slam Dunk” is an anime basketball drama. The story revolves around a quick point guard for Shohoku High School named Ryota. Told in the present during a game against defending champ rivals Sannoh Kogyo and in the past via flashbacks to Ryota’s past, the story focuses on Ryota’s life and on and off the court. We learn about his tragic past in Okinawa (including the loss of mentor brother Sota), Ryota’s struggles to live up to his brother’s basketball talent, and his teammates (Sakuragi, Mitsui, Rukawa and Akagi) and their sometimes dysfunctional chemistry.

Written and directed by Takehiko Inoue, “The First Slam Dunk” is much more than a mere sports drama. It’s a story about loss, determination, family, teamwork, and overcoming adversity (both on and off the court). The story dips into familiar melodrama which can alter the pacing for the rather long 125 minute runtime, but the drama on the court is so riveting you likely won’t mind any shortcomings.  

When it comes to basketball movies, there aren’t a lot of great ones out there compared to baseball and boxing films. It’s a difficult sport to translate to the big screen for whatever reason. “The First Slam Dunk” has a firm grasp on the game of basketball from the on court banter and team adjustments to the rhythm of the game and the defensive strategies. This is a real testament to the animation team who flawlessly capture basketball via 3D CGI animation and motion capture. Considering how lengthy the basketball game in the film is, it’s truly astonishing to see the enormous level of detail and complex work that went into animating the game’s fluidity and motion. You forget you’re watching an animated movie at times because it’s that good.

The character work also shines here. Ryota may be the star and have the deepest character arc, but there’s no shortage of characterization for the red haired Sakuragi and Rukawa (whose actions on the court say so much about who they are). It doesn’t hurt that character’s inner thoughts are also expressed here and there as well. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 1.78:1 1080p. How does it look? The exquisite animation shines in hi-def.

Audio Track: Japanese and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1. How do they sound? The original language Japanese track is ideal, but the English dub is a quality option as well. 

Extras:
* 6 stickers
* 2 teasers and an English trailer
* A 24 minute interview with director Takehiko Inoue who talks about the characters, directing, basketball, animation, sound and more.
* “Behind The Starting Line-Up: English Dub Featurette”- A near 12 minute extra.
* Color commentary by the English Dub team.

June 25, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Anime Film, Basketball, Slam Dunk, Sports Anime, The First Slam Dunk, The First Slam Dunk Blu-ray Review