"《Slam Dunk: The Movie》Concludes Its Theatrical Run in Japan, Original Author Shares Hand-Drawn Artwork that Moves Fans to Tears"

The animated film "Slam Dunk: The First Slam Dunk" officially wrapped up its theatrical run in Japan on August 31st. Since its release, the film has grossed an astounding 15.52 billion Japanese yen, surpassing even the works of Hayao Miyazaki, making it the thirteenth highest-grossing film in Japanese cinema history. On September 1st, the official release featured a full-page ad that read, "Even though summer has ended, those friends are still waiting for you, and that basketball court is waiting for you. Come on, let's practice."

On the day the film concluded its run, director Takehiko Inoue took to his social media account to share a hand-drawn illustration titled "LAST GAME 8/31" to commemorate this significant moment. The illustration depicted the touching scene of Mitsui and his brother fist-bumping, leaving fans deeply moved. In his post, he wrote, "Suddenly, I recalled the days of drawing manga on the chalkboard, only to erase it all in the end. The space where many people came to watch over those three days is now gone. In that moment, my hand stopped, but I also felt the emotions of the audience's experience. Then, I began erasing it with the chalk eraser, swish, swish, swish."

In the original series, Shohoku High School advanced to the national championship and faced off against the formidable Shoyo High School in what is considered the climax of the story. However, the animated series only produced 101 episodes, stopping short of depicting Shohoku's journey to the national championship. It wasn't until last year's release of "Slam Dunk: The First Slam Dunk" that fans got to witness the classic "Shohoku vs. Shoyo" battle on the big screen.

The animated film "Slam Dunk" premiered in Japan on December 3, 2022, and is scheduled for release in mainland China on April 20, 2023. The film tells the story of Sakuragi Hanamichi, Rukawa Kaede, Mitsui Hisashi, and the rest of the Shohoku High School basketball team as they finally step onto the national championship stage, facing off against Japan's strongest team, Sannoh Industry.