Almost five months since the world premiere of The First Slam Dunk, GKIDS announced that it secured the North American theatrical distribution rights to the anime film. GKIDS plans to release the movie this coming summer for its U.S. and Canada theatrical debuts. The news also came with the release of The First Slam Dunk trailer as well.
“I am very thankful to our partners at Toei Animation for working together with us on what I consider one of the best sports films ever made,” President of GKIDS David Jesteadt said in a statement. “The First Slam Dunk is thrilling but also deeply emotional, and it has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. We can’t wait to share the film with Slam Dunk fans, as well as those who are discovering this work for the first time.”
Check out The First Slam Dunk trailer below for the sports anime movie:
What is The First Slam Dunk?
The First Slam Dunk is based on the popular manga Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue, who is making his directorial debut with the upcoming film. It was first adapted into an anime series by Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon studio Toei Animation from 1993-1996, which consisted of 101 episodes; the studio also produced four anime films while the series was still airing. The First Slam Dunk officially marks the franchise’s first movie in nearly three decades.
“The film follows Shohoku High School’s ‘speedster’ point guard, Ryota Miyagi, who always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure,” reads the synopsis. “In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku 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.”
Since its theatrical debut in Asia, it has earned a worldwide gross of over $232 million. As of this writing, it’s the seventh highest-grossing anime film to date. It also recently won the Best Animation of the Year award at the 2023 Japan Academy Prize.