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GKIDS surprised fans on May 1, 2023, as it announced that it had acquired the North American distribution rights for the hit The First Slam Dunk anime film. The film is based on the original Slam Dunk manga series by revered author and illustrator Takehiko Inoue, also known for his Vagabond and Real manga series.
The First Slam Dunk released in Japan on December 3, 2022, and began international distribution shortly thereafter in other Asian and European countries. The film also continues to be screened in Japanese theaters, furthering its box office domination.
The First Slam Dunk film set to dominate North American theaters later this summer
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As mentioned above, GKIDS has successfully acquired the distribution rights to the entire North American continent for The First Slam Dunk. The film is scheduled to be released in the United States and Canada with both original Japanese audio with English subtitles and an English dub later this summer. An exact release date is yet to be specified for the upcoming film.
When the film first opened in Japan, it ranked in first position at the domestic box office, selling 847,000 tickets and earning just under 1.3 billion yen, which is roughly 9.5 million USD. The film currently ranks in 24th position on the list of highest-earning films of all time in Japan. It also won an award for Animation of the Year at the 46th annual Japan Academy Film Prizes.
Inoue, the creator, author, and illustrator of the original Slam Dunk manga series, personally directed the film at Toei Animation studios and wrote the script. Other staff members include animation director and character designer Yasuyuki Ebara, and technical directors Naoki Miyahara, Katsuhiko Kitada, Toshio Ohashi, and Yu Kamatani.
Daiki Nakazawa directed the CG, Yuya Ogura produced the CG, and Kazuo Ogura directed the art. Yota Tsuruoka directed the sound alongside Koji Kasamatsu. Toshiyuki Matsui, the film's producer, received this year's general award for Eiga Engeki Bunka Kyokai’s (Film Theater Culture Association) 42nd annual Fujimoto Awards.
GKIDS describes The First Slam Dunk as follows:
"Shohoku's 'speedster' and point guard, Ryota Miyagi, always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure. Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball."
It continues:
"In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team along with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi, and Mitsui as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship. And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School."
Be sure to keep up with all anime, manga, film, and live-action news as 2023 progresses.
