Report on "Slam Dunk" Best Play Screening Event and First "Michi x Anzai Sensei" Two-Shot Talk Event

The best-play screening event of the legendary basketball anime "Slam Dunk" was recently held at Shinjuku Wald 9, and the event report has arrived.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the "Slam Dunk" TV anime, episodes including the best scenes that ranked high in last year's "Everybody Decide on the Best Line of Slam Dunk," a poll of the best lines of the anime, were screened at the theater. The episodes to be screened are "Shonen", "Shonen" and "Shonen". The "Shohoku vs. Kainan Arc," "Shohoku vs. Ryonan Arc," and "Mitsui Kotobuki Arc" will all be screened in three installments of four episodes each. Three screening events were held at Shinjuku Wald 9 on July 10 (Fri.), July 17 (Fri.), and July 24 (Fri.), and all days were fully booked.

At Umeda Burg 7, Takeshi Kusao (Hanamichi Sakuragi) and Ryutaro Okiayu (Hisashi Mitsui) will appear on stage for a talk show*, and at T-Joy Hakata, as a special event only on Friday, July 31, the original author, Takehiko Inoue, will present a basket with a T-Joy Hakata will display a basket ball with a handwritten illustration and signature by the original author, Takehiko Inoue, as a special event on Friday the 31st.

(*) Tickets for Umeda Burg 7 are no longer available.

The following is a report from the talk event held on Friday, July 24 at Shinjuku Wald 9, featuring Ryutaro Okiayu (playing Hisashi Mitsui) and Tomomichi Nishimura (playing Dr. Anzai). Ryutaro Okiayu, who played Hisashi Mitsui, and Tomomichi Nishimura, who played Anzai Sensei, took the stage to share their memories for the first time since the TV broadcast.

Event Report

The content screened under the theme of "Hisashi Mitsui" was a selection of scenes featuring the famous lines "I want to play basketball..." and "Don't give up hope until the end... If you give up, the game is over. If you give up, that's the end of the game." These are the most popular episodes of the TV series, selected mainly for the scenes in which these lines appear.

About the two lines that ranked first and second, he said, "There are people who are encouraged by the lines of the characters I have played. They are still used in various places, and I am very happy about that." (Nishimura). The line is often used in various situations in various anime. I think it's amazing.

Okiayu, who played Yu in "Mamalade Boy" before "SLAM DUNK," was chosen to play the role of Mitsui. I never thought I would be on the same team. When asked about his memories during postrecording, he replied, "I was the newest in the studio at the time. I was more junior than Kusao-san, who played the main character Sakuragi, but I was nervous because I was playing the role of a senior. Come to think of it, I actually had a high fever during the postrecording of the episode "The Trouble with 15-Year-Old Hisashi Mitsui" that will be screened this time. I did the recording as it was, but I didn't even recognize my own voice.
I was not satisfied with the way I sounded (laughs). (laugh)." Nishimura also recalled, "I talked about 6 episodes.

Nishimura added, "I started appearing in about the 6th episode. I didn't know "SLAM DUNK" at first. The first line of the scene during postrecording was "Nagaregawa, Nagaregawa! I had to say to the director, "You should soften it up a bit. The director told me, "You have to be softer," so I tried several times. I used to dub Western films, so I asked him if I could not say "Hohohoho" (like in Western films) or "Hahahaha" (like in Western films), and he said, "No."... (laughs) I said, "No." (laughs). I was quite troubled in the beginning." (Laughs)." He also revealed the secret story behind his "habit" that is now well-known to everyone, and thrilled the audience.

Upcoming Screening Schedule
Umeda Burg 7 7/31 (Fri) 19:00 Hisashi Mitsui (Episodes 23.25.26.27)
　Guest: Takeshi Kusao (Hanamichi Sakuragi) Ryutaro Oyau (Hisashi Mitsui)
　Tickets are no longer available.
T-Joy Hakata 7/31 (Fri) 19:00 Hisashi Mitsui (Episodes 23.25.26.27)
　The screening will include a message from the cast.
　7/31 (Fri.), "Ball with signature of Yuhiko Inoue" will be exhibited as a one-day special event!　This is a rare opportunity not usually seen!

Price: Screening with Cast Message 1,800 yen (tax included)
How to purchase tickets (T-Joy Hakata): https://kinezo.jp/pc/t-joy_hakata

Product Information
SLAM DUNK THE MOVIE Blu-ray" now on sale 8,000 yen + tax
Released by: Toei Video, Distributed by: Toei
(c)Takehiko Inoue, IT Planning, Toei Animation
(c)Toei/Shueisha/Toei Animation