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Slam Dunk
Slam Dunk remains an active franchise through a 2022 film, a 2027 deluxe print edition, a scholarship program, and recurring fan polls. The series' cultural weight persists, with its quotes and characters still referenced in 2026.
Synthesized from 4
Yomimono stories · updated
Aug 18
Slam Dunk's presence in 2026 spans print, film, philanthropy, and fan culture. Viz Media announced a Slam Dunk Deluxe Edition for spring 2027, a physical release with reordered story arcs and new covers. The edition follows the 2022 film The First Slam Dunk, which remains a reference point for the franchise's cast, as shown in a Nijimen character and voice actor guide that consolidates the TV anime and film rosters.
The franchise's real-world reach continues through the Slam Dunk Scholarship program by Takehiko Inoue and Shueisha, which partnered with the B.League's B.DUNK KIDS PROJECT for a fourth annual basketball clinic series. The free clinics for elementary school students feature scholarship recipients with overseas experience and active B.League players, including a special clinic on August 9 tied to a Japan national team match.
Fan engagement remains strong. In Anime! Anime!'s annual reader survey for Words Day, a Slam Dunk quote tied for third place with a Haikyu!! quote, behind Demon Slayer and Bungo Stray Dogs. The poll's results show Slam Dunk's quotes still carry cultural weight alongside newer series.
Key facts
- Deluxe edition
- Viz Media announced a Slam Dunk Deluxe Edition for spring 2027 with reordered story arcs and new covers. ↗
- Film cast reference
- A Nijimen guide covers the TV anime cast and, where applicable, the actors who voiced characters in the 2022 film The First Slam Dunk. ↗
- Scholarship program
- The Slam Dunk Scholarship program by Takehiko Inoue and Shueisha is collaborating with the B.League's B.DUNK KIDS PROJECT for a fourth annual basketball clinic series. ↗
- Clinic details
- The free clinics for elementary school students feature scholarship recipients with overseas experience and active B.League players, with a special clinic on August 9 including watching a Japan national team match. ↗
- Fan poll placement
- A Slam Dunk quote tied for third place with a Haikyu!! quote in Anime! Anime!'s 2026 Words Day survey. ↗
Timeline
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Noted
- Nijimen published a character and voice actor guide for Slam Dunk, covering the Shohoku starting five and rivals such as Sendoh, Maki, and Sawakita. · 2026-08-11
- Noted
- Slam Dunk Scholarship program by Takehiko Inoue and Shueisha is collaborating again with the B.League's B.DUNK KIDS PROJECT for a fourth annual basketball clinic series · 2026-06-27
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All coverage
Sep 1
The anime film THE FIRST SLAM DUNK will return to theaters nationwide from March 20 to April 1, 2027, under the title THE FIRST SLAM DUNK 2027 in cinema. The announcement came on August 29 via the official website and was later shared on the official X account, accompanied by a new visual showing Ryota Miyagi dribbling in profile. The film, written and directed by original manga creator Takehiko Inoue, was first released in December 2022 and ran in theaters until August 2023, followed by several revival screenings. Its cumulative box office revenue stands at 166.7 billion yen. The manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1990 to 1996 has sold over 185 million copies worldwide and is published in 30 countries and regions. Fan reactions to the new visual and screening announcement include praise for the artwork and requests for merchandise, as well as hopes for a sequel covering other episodes from the original manga. Theater locations and visitor bonuses have not yet been announced.
Aug 28
Outdoor screenings of the animated film 'THE FIRST SLAM DUNK' will take place on Saturday, August 29, and Sunday, August 30, 2026, at Tokyo Metropolitan Meiji Park. Both screenings are scheduled to start at 7:00 PM, and participation is free. The event is part of the outdoor movie series 'Nebukuro Cinema,' held at the 'SUMMER LOUNGE MEIJI PARK' beer lounge, which is set in a green space within the park and features tables, chairs, and lighting effects. The 'Nebukuro Cinema' screenings run for a total of 40 days, the largest scale in Japan. The lawn area opens at 6:00 PM, and spot-saving is not allowed before that time. A simultaneous 'Basket Ennichi' event, where attendees can play basketball in the park before the movie, starts at noon. The event will be canceled in case of rain or severe weather. The film, directed and scripted by original creator Takehiko Inoue, is based on the manga 'SLAM DUNK' and was produced by Toei Animation and Dandelion Animation Studio. According to Anime Anime, the film surpassed 15.5 billion yen in box office revenue and was the No. 1 box office performance in Japan in 2023.
Aug 11
Nijimen published a character and voice actor guide for Slam Dunk, covering the Shohoku starting five and rivals such as Sendoh, Maki, and Sawakita. The guide lists TV anime cast members and, where applicable, the actors who voiced characters in the 2022 film The First Slam Dunk.
Jun 27
The Slam Dunk Scholarship program by Takehiko Inoue and Shueisha is collaborating again with the B.League's B.DUNK KIDS PROJECT for a fourth annual basketball clinic series. The free clinics for elementary school students nationwide will feature scholarship recipients with overseas experience and active B.League players. A special clinic on August 9 includes watching a Japan national team match.
Jun 12
Viz Media announced a slate of manga and novel print releases for spring 2027, led by the physical English debut of Jujutsu Kaisen Modulo, the sequel to Gege Akutami's Jujutsu Kaisen. The series, set 68 years after the Culling Game, follows siblings Yuka and Tsurugi Okkotsu as an alien race arrives on Earth. It features a story by Akutami and art by Yuji Iwasaki. The three-volume series concluded in Japan in May 2026. Other spring 2027 releases include a Detective Conan 3-in-1 edition with original Japanese names, a Slam Dunk Deluxe Edition with reordered story arcs and new covers, Takemitsu Zamurai by Taiyo Matsumoto and Issei Eifuku, Junji Ito: Dissection, a hardcover career retrospective, and the yuri romantic comedy #Gal x Gal Yuri. Shuzo Oshimi's autobiographical work Sins is scheduled for fall 2027. The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins will receive a digital release in spring 2027. The announcements were made via Viz Media's X/Twitter account on June 12.
May 18
Anime! Anime!'s annual reader survey for Words Day ranked Kyojuro Rengoku's 'Burn your heart' from Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba as the most famous anime quote. Bungo Stray Dogs' 'There won't be a second time!' took second, and a tie between Slam Dunk and Haikyu!! quotes placed third.