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Title: Slam Dunk
Author: Takehiko Inoue
Publisher: Viz Media (Shonen Jump)
Volume: Volume 12 (of 31), $9.99
Vintage: 1993 by Shueisha in Japan, October 5, 2010 by Viz Media
Genre: Sports, shonen

Check out my review of volume 10 for some background (missed volume 11, but it’s still the same story arc).

Shohoku High School’s basketball team made it into the semi-finals of the tournament, and put up quite the fight against Shoyo, but barely squeaked by with a win.  They’re now in the final four, and have been matched up with the best team around, Kainan.  Kainan has made it to Nationals sixteen years in a row, and they’re standing in the way of Shohoku’s advancement to the Nationals.  Shohoku’s team captain, Akagi, will graduate soon, and has been dreaming of the opportunity to play against Kainan.  The team would love to help Akagi get to Nationals, but it’s not going to be easy.  Kainan is exceptionally talented, and their coach is sharp and knows how to work the court and read the players.

The stadium fills to the brim with fans and players alike, anxious to see the kings of basketball play against the rising underdogs.  Kainan’s team captain is a giant named Maki, a towering, fast, and smart player.  Right off the bat there’s trouble on the court.  Kainan’s Nobunaga Kiyota immediately picks a fight with Shohoku’s Hanamichi Sakuragi, but it’s quickly quelled by the team captains until the game starts.  The game is off to an exciting start, with both teams playing well, but neither managing to score.  Sakuragi starts out distracted by Kiyota, but is soon ramping up his game in his excitement.  Meanwhile, Ryonan and Takezato are playing for their shot at Nationals in another gym, which is considerably less exciting than watching our main men of Shohoku.  But it will determine the upcoming match, so it’s no less important.  Back with Shohoku and Kainan, Akagi shows Kainan that his team is not to be underestimated, and the game becomes a fast pace scoring run, going back and forth between the two teams, with neither gaining a significant lead.  That is, until Kainan’s coach comes up with a plan to take Sakuragi and his rebounds out of the game.  Reading the newcomer’s playing style perfectly, Kainan’s coach sends in a little runt of a player named Yoshinori Miyamasu.  Miyamasu serves his purpose, and Shohoku ends the volume in a troubling spot on the board.

My opinion of the series hasn’t changed since my review of volume 10.  The title is as exciting as any action series.  It’s very well drawn, and everything is easy to follow across the page.  The characters are defined, and act like high school boys (even if they don’t always look like they are).  The truth behind Sakuragi’s playing style is revealed here, and then exploited by the opposing team.  It’s interesting to watch him struggling while he tries to figure out why his style stops working for him.  He’s frustrated, but also lost and confused.  Akagi does what he can as captain to help him, but Sakuragi just doesn’t have enough experience yet.  Now it’s going to be up to Kaede Rukawa to score some points and pull them out of the growing gap on the score board.  Shohoku’s fate is still up in the air, but it looks like whoever wins this match will be up against powerful Ryonan.  Find out the next tournament match up when volume 13 comes out this December.

Kris
kristin@comicattack.net
@girlg33k_Kris

Review copy provided by Viz Media.