The new anime film based on the classic Slam Dunk series has been a box-office success in Japan. Now that the film has been released in North America, will The First Slam Dunk be on Crunchyroll? If so, when will it be released?
The First Slam Dunk features Hanamichi Sakuragi, a self-proclaimed basketball genius and former delinquent, as well as the infamous star player, Rukawa Kaede, and the rest of the Shohoku High School basketball team.
Other well-known characters, such as Hanamichi's love interest and Captain Akagi's sister, Haruko, as well as Coach Anzai, also appear in the film.
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The First Slam Dunk Tells the Story in the Eyes of Ryota Miyagi
The First Slam Dunk is not a prequel to the original Slam Dunk 1993 TV anime series. The movie will give the spotlight to Ryota Miyagi, the wearer of jersey number seven of the Shohoku Basketball Team.
But this doesn't mean that viewers will not be able to see their beloved characters such as Hanamichi Sakuragi, Kaede Rukawa, Hisashi Mitsui, and Takenori Akagi in action.
In the Inter-High Championships, the Shohoku Basketball Team will be pitted against the three-time defending champions, Sannoh High.
They will be up against two of the best players in town, including Eiji Sawakita and Masashi Kawata.
As usual, viewers will also be treated to Hanamichi's funny antics, including some chin-jiggling with Coach Anzai.
On the more serious side, the story of Ryota Miyagi will be told, including his motivations to play basketball. His family in Okinawa will be featured, most especially his brother.
We will also get to know why Miyagi decided on number seven as his jersey, with some romance in between with the manager, Ayako.
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Will The First Slam Dunk Be On Crunchyroll?
Unfortunately, due to the film's recent theatrical release, The First Slam Dunk is not available on Crunchyroll for the time being.
The streaming giant has yet to provide good news to its subscribers to this day. It's likely because the film has yet to wrap up its theatrical release in countries all over the world.
The film premiered on December 3, 2022, and it will continue to be shown in theaters around the world, particularly in Asian and Western regions.
The only way for fans to see The First Slam Dunk as soon as possible is to wait for the film's release date in their locality or region.
More importantly, we discourage viewers from watching the film on unsafe and illegal websites, not only to protect the film's sales but also to keep the excitement alive after such a long wait.
After the film's theatrical release in and outside of Japan, the producers will most likely release Blu-ray and DVD versions of The First Slam Dunk.
This is why online streaming platforms like Crunchyroll will take longer to acquire the rights for the film's online distribution.
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The First Slam Dunk Crunchyroll Release Date
As previously stated, Crunchyroll will be unable to stream The First Slam Dunk anytime soon, so its release date will also be kept under wraps.
It's also unclear whether the film will be picked up by Crunchyroll or if another platform, such as Disney+ or HIDIVE, will take over the film's online distribution.
Usually, anime films are picked up by online streaming platforms such as Crunchyroll a year after their Japanese premiere.
The First Slam Dunk was released in Japan on December 3, 2022, which means anime fans can expect the film to be available online by December 4, 2023, or later.
Before The First Slam Dunk is picked up by Crunchyroll, fans can binge-watch the Slam Dunk anime on the streaming platform.
Depending on the viewer's location, Slam Dunk is also available on BiliBili, iQiyi, Netflix, and VIU.
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Watch the Trailer for The First Slam Dunk
Join Sakuragi and the rest of the Shohoku Basketball Team in The First Slam Dunk when it comes to a theater near you!
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