The First Slam Dunk, Takehiko Inoue’s latest anime film adaptation of the beloved Slam Dunk basketball manga, secured the top spot in the Japanese box office on its concluding day of screening, even after a remarkable nine-month run in theaters. As it bid farewell to audiences, the film boasted an impressive record of 10.88 million tickets sold, amounting to a staggering 15.73 billion yen in revenue (approximately US$107.6 million).
In its last official week in Japanese cinemas, the film offered special “Last Game” screenings, commencing the previous Friday and concluding on Thursday.
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This cinematic triumph elevates The First Slam Dunk to the illustrious rank of the 13th highest-grossing film of all time in Japan, surpassing the legendary Hayao Miyazaki’s 2008 anime masterpiece, Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, which amassed 15.5 billion yen (around US$105.8 million) in domestic earnings. Notably, it also claims the esteemed title of the seventh highest-earning anime film in Japanese cinema history.
The film debuted in Japan on December 3, soaring to the #1 spot in its opening weekend with an impressive 847,000 tickets sold and earnings totaling 1,295,808,780 yen (approximately US$9.50 million).
By June, this cinematic gem had already crossed the 10 million tickets sold milestone, accumulating a remarkable 14.43 billion yen (about US$103.5 million at the time) in Japan alone, all within half a year of its theatrical release.
GKIDS brought The First Slam Dunk to audiences in the United States and Canada, offering both an English dub and the original Japanese audio with English subtitles starting on July 28. The film made a strong debut, garnering US$662,211 during its first weekend in North America. To date, the film has achieved a global box office gross of US$152,355,179 as of August 20.
Its acclaim extended beyond box office success, as the film clinched the prestigious title of “Animation of the Year” at the 46th annual Japan Academy Film Prizes. Toshiyuki Matsui, the film’s producer, received the coveted general award at this year’s Eiga Engeki Bunka Kyōkai’s (Film Theater Culture Association) 42nd annual Fujimoto Awards.
Furthermore, The First Slam Dunk earned the esteemed Axis: Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation for the best-animated feature film and secured a remarkable third place in the Audience Awards category for Best Animated Feature at the 27th annual Fantasia International Film Festival, held from July 20 to August 9 in Montreal, Canada.
Notably, Takehiko Inoue himself directed the film at Toei Animation, lending his creative vision to the project and also crafting the script. The stellar team included character designer/animation director Yasuyuki Ebara (known for Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress) and technical directors Katsuhiko Kitada (credited for Attack on Titan episodes and Major: Yūjō no Winning Shot), Naoki Miyahara (renowned for Digimon Adventure and Popin Q), Toshio Ōhashi (noted for LayereD Stories 0), and Yū Kamatani (recognized for Looking for Magical DoReMi and Precure Super Stars!). Daiki Nakazawa spearheaded the CG direction, with Yūta Ogura overseeing CG production.
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The art direction was masterfully directed by Kazuo Ogura, and sound direction was skillfully managed by Yota Tsuruoka, alongside Koji Kasamatsu.
Source | Cinema Today
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