Before Haikyuu!!, Kuroko no Basket, and Blue Lock, Slam Dunk dominated the sports anime genre. Despite its popularity, the anime stopped airing in 1996, and a sequel movie was released more than two decades later. So, why did it take years to continue the Slam Dunk anime? Will there be more Slam Dunk content soon?
Where the Slam Dunk Anime Ended
The sports anime stopped adapting Chapter 198, Volume 22 of the manga when Shohoku played a practice match against a newly formed team of Ryonan and Shoyo students.
The manga ended with 31 volumes. Although many fans were sad that they had to say goodbye to their favorite characters, they were patiently waiting for the anime to continue as there are nine volumes left to adapt.
The anime ended when the Shohoku team was about to join Inter-High, a big deal in any sports anime.
The abrupt ending left a big hole in the hearts of fans, so others decided to read the manga to get their much-needed closure from the popular series.
Others, however, patiently waited for the anime to continue. The wait was worth it, as after 26 years, a sequel was released as a full-length movie.
The First Slam Dunk movie covered 53 chapters of the manga, particularly the battle between Shohoku and Sannoh.
Why It Took Years to Continue the Slam Dunk Anime
There was no official statement regarding why the anime took a long pause. However, fans who waited for years have their theories on what happened.
The first and most popular theory is that there's an issue between the studio, Toei Animation, and Takehiko Inoue, the creator of Slam Dunk.
The studio wanted to change the course of the story, which Inoue disagreed with.
He then allegedly decided to cut the studio's rights, which triggered the sudden halt of the anime adaptation.
Some believe that the ratings also have something to do with the cancellation. Meanwhile, others think it was an issue regarding the budget for the series, as it was one of the most popular titles at the time.
While we cannot really tell the real reason, what is important now is that the story continued.
We hope the rest of the manga will also be available on screen soon. For that, fans will have to wait a little longer for any official word or developments.
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