Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s fortnightly strand in which we shine a spotlight on the TV shows and films killing it in their local territories. The industry is as globalized as it’s ever been, but breakout hits are appearing in pockets of the world all the time and it can be hard to keep track… So we’re going to do the hard work for you.
This week we’re featuring our first movie, Japanese basketball animation The First Slam Dunk from legendary One Piece studio Toei Animation. Since its Japan launch in early December 2022, it’s amassed more than $115M at the global box office.
Name: The First Slam Dunk
Country: Japan
Producer: Toei Animation
International Sales: Toei Animation
For fans of: Chang Can Dunk, Demon Slayer, YA drama
Global audiences are no stranger to Japanese animation and manga adaptations, particularly with the recent success of entries from the Demon Slayer, One Piece and Dragon Ball stables. Often, however, they require a deep knowledge of the source material that’s reserved for a hardcore fanbase. Then along came The First Slam Dunk. A hit in its home country as well as Korea, it’s also got a Chinese release date set for April 20. Current global box office, predominantly from Asia, is upwards of $115M.
Slam Dunk began as a shonen manga by Takehiko Inoue that was serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump from 1990 to 1996. The original series, which depicts the personal growth of several high school basketball players, has sold more than 120 million copies in Japan and has inspired numerous boys and girls to get into basketball.
An anime series (that ran from October 1993 to March 1996), several video games and other media based on the manga have also been produced. What’s more, The Slam Dunk Scholarship was established in 2006 to support young basketball players in Japan. In 2018, a new 20-volume edition was published. An artwork compilation, Plus/Slam Dunk…
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