Slam Dunk centers around Hanamichi Sakuragi, who starts as a delinquent outcast, becoming the leader of a gang. Hanamichi, being very unpopular with girls, has been rejected by them fifty times. Yet, he finds out that Haruko Akagi is the girl of his dreams, and is happy when she’s not scared of him like all the other girls he has asked out.
Haruko Akagi, who recognizes Hanamichi’s athleticism, introduces him to the Shohoku basketball team. Hanamichi was reluctant to join the team at first because he had no previous background in any sports and thought that basketball was a game for losers (also because the fiftieth girl rejected him for a basketball player). Sakuragi, despite his immaturity and hot temper, proves to be a natural athlete with potential and joins the team in order to impress Haruko and prove that he is worthy of her. Kaede Rukawa — Sakuragi’s bitter rival (both on the basketball court and love, even when Rukawa doesn’t acknowledge Haruko’s crush on him), the star rookie and a “girl magnet” – joins the team at the same time. Hisashi Mitsui, an ex-junior high school MVP, and Ryota Miyagi, a short but fast player, both also rejoin the team and together these four struggle to complete team captain Takenori Akagi’s dream of making Shohoku the national champion. Together, these misfits gain publicity and the once little known Shohoku basketball team becomes an all-star contender in Japan.
Hanamichi Sakuragi
Jersey no.#10 189.2 cm/6’2.5″/74.5in 83 kg/183 lb Power Forward. Birthday 04/01
Hanamichi Sakuragi (桜木 花道, Sakuragi Hanamichi?) is the protagonist of Slam Dunk. At the beginning of the series, Sakuragi is a slacker, good for nothing other than fighting. He is the leader of the feared “Sakuragi’s Gang”, which consists of his four friends Mito, Noma, Ohkusu and Takamiya. Sakuragi was always trying to ask girls out, but was rejected constantly, the 50th rejection occurring at the start of the series. He then met Haruko Akagi, a lovely basketball fangirl, whom he fell in love with immediately. This and Haruko’s encouragement led to him to join the Shohoku basketball team. However, as a complete beginner, he was not able to keep up with the rest of the team at first despite his height, athleticism, stamina, speed and leaping ability. He regards himself as a genius though, with self-confidence that borders on arrogance. Sakuragi’s most recognizable trait is his red hair, though he shaves his head as reparation for an error that led to a loss in the Interhigh Tournament against Kainan. He has a habit of making fun of other players by giving them various nicknames, such as calling Akagi “gorilla”.
At first, Sakuragi was known for his poor basketball skills as a beginner and in his first official matches, fouled out every game. However, his basketball skills advanced throughout the series. First he developed his basic skills, such as dribbling and layups. Then, trained by Akagi, he became a formidable rebounder, with his rebounding becoming his claim to fame throughout the latter half of the series. His jump shooting was then developed by Coach Anzai, who had him make 20,000 shots in a week. However, he also injured his back during the match against Sannoh when saving the ball from going off the court, and underwent rehabilitation after Shohoku’s subsequent loss to Aiwa Academy. While considered by most to be an amateur’s instinctual tactic, the tactic itself, coupled with Sakuragi’s formidable athleticism actually goes well with his somewhat unorthodox playing style. This allows Sakuragi to be in the right place at the right time to intercept more experienced players.
In spite of the setbacks he has had to face, Sakuragi displays a great deal of tenacity and determination that carry him through and help reciprocate for his other failings, both on and off the court. Although his love for Haruko and rivalry with Rukawa are the main driving forces motivating him to succeed in basketball, his injury during the Sannoh match makes him realize that he has actually come to love the game, leading him to give his all for his team and bring them victory. He is voiced by Takeshi Kusao.
Takenori Akagi
Jersey no.#4/197 cm/6’6″/78in 90 kg/198 lb Center Birthday 05/10
Center Takenori Akagi (赤木 剛憲, Akagi Takenori?) is the team captain and Haruko’s older brother. Despite at first not thinking too much of Sakuragi (who addresses him as “Gori” for gorilla due to his immense physical presence), he realizes Sakuragi’s potential as a basketball player. Serious and disciplined, Akagi’s dream is to lead Shohoku to the national championship. His determination is shown in the match against Kainan during the Kanagawa Interhigh Tournament, where he played on despite a serious injury to his ankle. Akagi considers Uozumi of Ryonan to be his biggest rival, though their rivalry is not antagonistic.
Akagi differs from the other starters in two respects. First, he is the most academically talented out of all them and is considered a model student. Before the final four of the Kanagawa Interhigh Tournament, the other four had to beg their teachers to be given the chance to retake some exams they had flunked, otherwise they have been academically disqualified from playing in the National Championship. Akagi, together with Ayako and Haruko helped the four in reviewing for their make up exams in which they passed. After the loss to Aiwa knocks Shohoku out of the Nationals, Akagi leaves the team along with Kogure to study for the college entrance exams. Second, Akagi is the only starter not to have gotten into an actual fight, although he has used physical force against his own players (most notably Sakuragi) to keep them in line. He is the only other character besides Rukawa and Tsukubu’s center, Nango, to be able to take one of Sakuragi’s trademark headbutts without being knocked out and the only other character who has had Sakuragi inadvertently dunk a ball on his head (Murasame of Miuradai was the second, in the manga; in the anime, the second one to be dunked on the head is Naito, also from Miuradai).
Regarded as the best center in the Kanagawa Prefecture, Akagi plays as a fairly typical center, using his height and power to score close to the basket. He also has a reputation for being a virtually unbeatable defender. He is voiced by Kiyoyuki Yanada.
Hisashi Mitsui
Jersey no.#14 184 cm/6’0.5″/72.5in 70 kg/154 lb Shooting Guard Birthday 05/22
Hisashi Mitsui (三井 寿, Mitsui Hisashi?) was an MVP in his final year at Takeishi Junior High. Despite having the opportunity to join more prestigious high schools like Ryonan, he choose to go to Shohoku because of Coach Mitsuyoshi Anzai. Anzai had given him the courage to win in the Junior High tournament by encouraging him during the last seconds of the match. However, an injury to his left knee in a training session in his first year at Shohoku interrupted his basketball career. An imprudent early return to the court reinjured the knee more severely, leading to a basketball hiatus of over a year. Although he eventually healed, Mitsui was embittered by his exclusion from the court and quit basketball to become the leader of a gang. His gang picked on Ryota Miyagi during his first year, and during a fight that ensued Miyagi beat Mitsui senseless before taking a beating himself, knocking out a few of Mitsui’s frontal teeth and leaving the both of them hospitalized until after the practice match against Ryonan.
Afterwards, Mitsui attempted to ruin the basketball team by instigating them into fighting with his gang, as the team would have been banned from the Interhigh Tournament for fighting. In the end, Sakuragi’ gang and Norio Hotta voluntarily took the blame for the fight, and Mitsui was filled with remorse when he saw Anzai again. He rejoined the team and vowed never to fight again.
Mitsui is best known on the team as a three-point specialist, though his skills extend to other areas. During a practice match, he once managed to shut down Sakuragi, playing center. He is known as the best three-point shooter, only match by Jin from Kainan. Mitsui’s defensive ability completely shut down Fukuda’s scoring abilities. His three-pointers helped Shohoku catch up when they were 12 points down against Shoyo, and again when the team was 20 points down against Sannoh in the National Championships. His greatest weakness, though, is his lack of stamina due to his long break from playing basketball. Thus, in the latter halves of games, he has not always been as reliable. He was completely worn out in the game against Shoyo, missed a potential game-winning shot against Kainan, and collapsed on-court during the game against Ryonan. Mitsui becomes the vice-captain after Akagi and Kogure leave the team. At the end of the manga instead of preparing for the college entrance exams he stays with the team for the winter tournament in an attempt to earn an athletic scholarship because he feels he isn’t smart enough to pass the exams. He is voiced by Ryotaro Okiayu.
Kaede Rukawa
Jersey no.#11 187 cm/6’2″/74in 75 kg/165 lb Small Forward. Birthday 1/1
Kaede Rukawa (流川 楓, Rukawa Kaede?) is Sakuragi’s rival as well as his opposite; he is attractive to girls, skilled at basketball, and very cold and aloof, mostly unfeeling. The only traits they share are that they are not academically inclined and good fighters. Although he regards Sakuragi as an idiot and the two frequently get into conflict, he knows Sakuragi can put his talents to a better use. Rukawa’s hobby is sleeping, and he is usually seen asleep whenever he’s not on the court, even falling asleep while riding his bicycle. Waking Rukawa from a nap is considered unforgivable, since he will almost automatically beat up the culprit. He has also been in his fair share of off-court fights, but can hold his own. Rukawa’s goal is to be the best high school player in Japan, and he considers Sendoh of Ryonan to be his greatest rival. He is often referred to as the “super-rookie” and the “ace of Shohoku”.
Rukawa is extremely good at basketball, and possesses a wide range of skills to complement his height, athleticism and drive to win. Despite being merely a first-year high school player, he is the undisputed ace of Shohoku’s team. In the Kanagawa Interhigh Tournament, he was named one of the top five players, the only first year player so honored. He has managed to change the course of many games, such as when he single-handedly brought Shohoku back from a double-digit deficit against Kainan. However, his style was criticized as being too selfish, and he sometimes comes into conflict with his teammates for various reasons. This was one of the reasons why Coach Anzai refused to give him his blessing when Rukawa told him that he intended to go to the USA, and told him to become the best in Japan before he even thought of it. When he was outplayed by Sawakita during the match against Sannoh though, he realized that he had to change his style of play and pass the ball. It was his pass that led to Hanamichi’s buzzer-beating shot, winning the match. Rukawa is subsequently named a member of the All-Japan basketball team. He is voiced by Hikaru Midorikawa.
Ryota Miyagi
Jersey no.#7 168 cm/5’6″/66in 59 kg/130 lb Point Guard. Birthday 07/31
Ryota Miyagi (宮城 リョータ, Miyagi Ryōta?) is Sakuragi’s closest friend on the team, making him the only person apart from Akagi whose advice Sakuragi will actually heed both on and off the court. After an initial misunderstanding that caused conflict between them, both found comradeship in the fact that they had both been unlucky in love, although Miyagi, having only been rejected 10 times, still falls short of Sakuragi’s record of 50 rejections. Like Sakuragi, Miyagi is motivated to play by his love for a girl: his best friend and classmate Ayako, the manager of the team, whom he refers to as “Aya-chan”. He has been known to pose for Ayako during matches. Off-court, Miyagi has a reputation for being a bad boy. He was hospitalized for a while after his fight against Mitsui’s gang.
Miyagi is small for a basketball player, but makes up for it with incredible speed, skills, and court awareness. His skills are typical of a point guard: strong passing and dribbling, as well as an understanding of the game that allows him to be a floor leader. He also shares a similar level of arrogance with Sakuragi, claiming to be the number one point guard in the prefecture, though popular opinion among characters in the series ranks him just behind Maki of Kainan and Fujima of Shoyo. In the series he is often pitted against taller point guards but is able to beat them with his incredible speed. Miyagi becomes captain after Akagi and Kogure leave the team. He is voiced by Yoku Shioya.
Shohoku High School
Shohoku has for two years running been considered of no consequence at the prefecutural level and largely a one-man team because of the presence of team captain Takenori Akagi. It is not until Akagi’s third year that things begin to turn around for Shohoku and they start to become a team to be reckoned with. They are the only non-seeded team to make it to the final four of the Kanagawa Interhigh Tournament, their sole loss being against eventual champion Kainan. Despite being the runner-up representative for Kanagawa, they are ranked as a C class team and placed into a tough tournament bracket during the National Championship, facing Toyotama and the reigning champion Sannoh. Shohoku favors a run and gun style of play and have a wide breadth of offensive capabilities. However, their major weakness is their weak bench and as a result must rely completely on their starting lineup.
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