Throughout the past 30-plus years, a number of sports manga have taken the global anime and manga fandoms by storm, though it can be argued that no series is as iconic as Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk. During its initial run in Weekly Shōnen Jump, Japan’s most prolific manga magazine, the series released alongside legendary titles like Dragon Ball and YuYu Hakusho, yet it had little trouble topping both in popularity polls at different times throughout its story.
More than two decades on from their healthy competition, Dragon Ball‘s Akira Toriyama and Slam Dunk‘s Takehiko Inoue sat down for an interview, in which both artists expressed a deep admiration for each other’s work. In Toriyama’s case, having been an artist who famously didn’t read much manga, his praise for Inoue carried extra weight. Inoue, who debuted when Dragon Ball was already a massive success, admitted that he looked up to the manga legend.
Today, Slam Dunk remains one of the most successful manga and anime franchises in history, and given the immense popularity of the recent theatrical film, The First Slam Dunk, that doesn’t seem likely to change in coming years. However, Takehiko Inoue’s original manga has been difficult to come across in North America for some time. While the series has remained in print, it’s been rare that stores are able to add it to their stock, and even rarer that fans get their hands on it. Though that’s about to change with a new, definitive release of Slam Dunk.
A New, Definitive Edition of Slam Dunk Is Set to Arrive in the US
The Most Iconic Sports Manga Ever Is Returning in Style
On Friday, June 12th, alongside a slew of other reveals, VIZ Media announced a new deluxe edition of Slam Dunk, with exclusive color pages from the original serialization, new volume covers, and a reordered volume structure. The new, definitive English version of the series is set to release in Spring 2027, and will finally give fans of the series a fair chance to collect and own Slam Dunk in its entirety.
Despite its total worldwide sales eclipsing 150 million copies, the series has been difficult to come by in recent years, causing fans to take to social media to plead with VIZ Media for a new release. Now, it appears fans’ cries have been heard, and VIZ is taking the opportunity to re-release Slam Dunk in style. The new color pages had never before been made available to English-speaking readers, and the new volume cover designs will show off Takehiko Inoue’s wildly impressive artwork.
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It’s currently unknown just how many volumes will be released, though based on VIZ Media’s recent X posts, the new edition of Slam Dunk will be lengthy. Though the series concluded three decades ago this June, Slam Dunk‘s action is as exhilarating today as it was during its initial run, and the basketball journey of protagonist Hanamichi Sakuragi remains wildly endearing. Fans will not want to miss their chance to experience Slam Dunk as it was meant to be read.
Slam Dunk’s Lasting Success Is a Testament to Its Incredible Quality
When modern anime and manga fans dive into older, must-experience titles, many have trouble truly connecting with subject matter, writing styles, or art styles that today may be considered dated. However, those fans hesitant to give Slam Dunk a shot based on its age will not have to worry about any of that. Takehiko Inoue is a legend in the manga industry for a reason, and his artwork and storytelling remain captivating three decades on from Slam Dunk‘s conclusion.
The new deluxe edition of Slam Dunk is scheduled to arrive in the US in Spring 2027, and it’s a release that long-time fans of the series, fans of sports manga, or even fans of manga who know nothing about the sport of basketball will not want to miss.
- Release Date
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1993 – 1996
- Directors
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Nobutaka Nishizawa
- Writers
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Nobuaki Kishima, Yoshiyuki Suga
- Franchise(s)
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Slam Dunk
