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| Japanese book cover, courtesy of Wikipedia |
When
I first picked up Takehiko Inoue "Slam Dunk Volume 1," I was looking
for an exciting title like Naruto, which freshman Danica indicated was one of
her favorites. On the cover, as seen above, is a confident, strong-looking guy
with a basketball in hand and a jersey on, so I thought it was going to be an
exciting basketball story.
I was wrong...partially.
I was wrong...partially.
Hanamichi
Sakuragi, protagonist of "Slam Dunk," has no luck with the ladies. If
they aren't scared off by his reputation as a brawling gang leader (not
entirely undeserved), then they're turning him down because he's not an
athlete. Just as his friends are celebrating his fiftieth consecutive
rejection, he meets Haruko, who greets him in a most unusual manner: she begins
examining him from head to toe, remarking on his physique. Immediately,
Hanamichi finds himself falling in love and becomes determined to win her
affection by becoming a great basketball player. His obstacles? Haruko's
brother is the ambitious captain of the basketball team and her crush is an ace
basketball player who is almost as tough in a fight as Hanamichi. Not to
mention that Hanamichi has never played basketball in his life!
"Slam
Dunk" is an excellent read for anyone who enjoys humor and action in equal
parts, especially fans of basketball. Fans of romance would also enjoy reading
this title to partake in the triangle of unrequited love between Hanamichi, Haruko,
and her crush, Rukawa. A special section highlighting famous basketball player
LeBron James also encourages readers to get out by providing a helpful guide on
how to perform a slam dunk.
If you enjoyed "Slam Dunk: Volume 1," be sure to check out the rest of the series. Twenty-five of the original thirty-one volumes have been translated.
For more hilarious basketball action, check out Dikembe Motombo's "Four-and-a-half Weeks To Save the World": http://www.oldspicesavestheworld.com/
Inoue,
Takehiko, and Kelly Sue. DeConnick. Slam Dunk. San Francisco, CA: VIZ Media,
2008. Print.
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