Slam Dunk Vol. 1: Slam Dunk, Vol. 1
- ISBN
- 9781421506791
- Publisher
- VIZ
- English release
- Pages
- 208
Slam Dunk starts with a bruiser whose interest in basketball follows his interest in Haruko. VIZ introduces Hanamichi Sakuragi through romantic rejection and a reputation for fighting, so this opening paperback suits readers willing to meet the prospective athlete before judging his game. Buy it to test the character comedy as much as the sports premise. Someone seeking an already organized tournament confrontation should sample the opening before committing to the run.
Spoilers — why this volume matters. Tap to reveal.
Haruko introducing Sakuragi to basketball is the useful distinction in VIZ's premise: the sport arrives through another person, rather than through a declared childhood ambition. That makes the opening worth keeping with the later books. Athletic commitment has somewhere to grow from, and an embarrassing motive gives that growth a measurable starting point. The buying argument is modest: this is the place to decide whether Sakuragi himself interests you. A long basketball series is a poor purchase if its prospective player is already an obstacle to enjoying it.
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