Slam Dunk Vol. 5
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July 08, 2009
by: Eric Frederiksen
Is the Rebound King ready to ascend his throne?!
Manga Description: Hanamichi finally gets some game time as a substitute for the slightly injured captain Akagi and quickly goes about making a spectacle of himself. Not only does he manage to strip the ball from Ryonan's veteran center, but he also succeeds in making several key passes that result in some much-needed baskets. With Shohoku closing in on their opponents' lead, is Hanamichi on the verge of proving that he has what it takes to become the next captain?
Manga Review
Content: (This may contain spoilers.)
With Slam Dunk 5, we’re finally in the thick of it, with Shohoku and Ryonan’s teams playing as if their lives depended on it. Our hero Hanamichi is finally off the sidelines and in the game, ready to prove that he is Shohoku’s secret weapon. As usual, Hanamichi learns on the court, growing as a player before our eyes.
Of course with a guy like Hanamichi, it’s hard not to grow when you’re all but a blank slate. He flounders on the court for some time, struggling with both his role and his antagonistic feelings toward Rukawa, and making use of the skills Gori Akagi taught him.
This volume doesn’t resort to the goofy art as much as it has earlier on, and the humor is more subtle. Sakuragi’s still just as interested in beating Rukawa as he is in winning the game, and this unending one-sided war is the source of a lot of that. The devious look on Sakuragi’s face when he passes to Kogure instead of Rukawa might make you wonder if he’s more a moustache-twirling villain than a hero out to save the day. This chance move, of course, happens to give Shohoku a major leg up, something Sakuragi doesn’t let go.
When the ball turns over and Shohoku is on the defensive, Sakuragi’s lack of experience really shows up. The self-proclaimed Rebound King can barely grab a shot against the experience Uozomi, and it’s not until Akagi steps back on the court that the fog of frustration surrounding Hanamichi clears. With two of Shohoku’s members fighting for the spotlight, you might think there isn’t much teamwork going on, but Akagi’s sheer presence is all it takes to kick the team in the butt.
I think what keeps me coming back to Slam Dunk time after time is that all the characters are always growing. Hanamichi’s the obvious example. When he starts out he doesn’t have enough skill to keep from being beaten by a first-grader, and much like that first grader, he does not play well with others. Rukawa, too, has to learn to be a team player and not get frustrated with the common-folk around him. Akagi, meanwhile, has to learn to deal with his new cadre of unruly hot-shots, molding them into a unit that works together on the court.
One aspect of Slam Dunk that may annoy some is the flow of time. A friend of mine referred to it as Basketball Z because time slows to a crawl during games. The characters don’t power up or burst into flames or anything, but you can read 200 pages and have four, three, or even two minutes pass in the meantime. Of course with so much going on, it’s difficult to really convey the flow of time and make everything make sense. It’s really a minor gripe and it’s never bothered me.
Art: While not quite up to the standards he sets with his later works, Inoue’s art is still of very high quality. There was some awkward art toward the beginning, but Inoue quickly hit his stride. In the action panels, Inoue’s clean lines and good understanding of anatomy make the basketball scenes easy to follow and fun to look at. When Hanamichi can subdue his wild side long enough to put a ball through the hoop, it makes for a truly striking shot. Throughout the series, comedic artwork plays a major role, with Hanamichi’s goony smile and streaming tears making a number of appearances. As a big fan of the Slam Dunk anime, it’s fun to see how well Inoue’s art style transferred from the manga to the anime.
About the changes to the art?one thing that may concern purists is that the sound effects have been completely replaced. It never felt like it got in the way of the art anymore than the Japanese effects did, so I don’t have a problem with the way Viz handled it.
There’s one chapter later in the book that stands out. The game is coming down to the wire, Rukawa has stepped back onto the court. After a good talking-to, Rukawa and Hanamichi stand together to guard Ryonan’s ace, Sendoh. You read that right: Rukawa and Hanamichi, working together. The art changes dramatically for this chapter. The shading and lines are much warmer. They’re still in black and white, but the shading really makes the characters pop off the page, adding a great deal of depth to the images. It seems like there’s something in just about every volume so far to pick out as a stand-out example of Inoue’s work.
Translation: The translation is excellent for the most part. Conversation flows smoothly and the humor comes through easily as well. However, there are a few awkward moments. In addition to the replacement of the sound effects in the artwork, honorifics have been omitted. Instead of referring to the giant red-head as “Sakuragi-kun” like she does in Japanese, Haruko just calls him Hanamichi. It doesn’t change the meaning or take away from it, but leaving that stuff intact would’ve been nice.
The translation doesn't have the same weird artifacts I questioned in the last one, though at one point Hanamichi calls the other players puny plebes. As a longtime fan of Slam Dunk, I have a hard time imagining Hanamichi even knowing the word. I'm assuming there was some alliteration in the original text or some kanji indicating a fancier word than "Commoners." Yes, I'm really nitpicking here. It's hard to find stuff to complain about in a book like this!
Sadly, the book doesn’t get the same treatment that Real received?the lush cover, the over-sized pages? but this is more a result of the original market it was created for than anything else. With it being aimed at a younger audience, it is also not expected to be a bookshelf item as much as Inoue’s more mature material. At the back of the book, there are a couple color pages profiling an NBA pro player and a short free throw guide. They’re nice color pages and hopefully the profile will help the book appeal to fans of professional basketball that much more.
It’s also worth noting that as part of Viz’s Shonen Jump lineup, Slam Dunk can be picked up for just $8, making it light on the wallet. It’s rare to find manga of this quality, let alone such a cheap price.
The Bottom Line: If you haven't picked up Slam Dunk, start now! Not only is the book cheap as can be, you could start reading now and still make sense of what's going on. Don't let this great chance pass by.
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Content |
This is the Slam Dunk we've been waiting for. Great action from cover to cover makes this a quick, fun read. |
9.5 |
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Art |
Inoue's art never fails to impress, even the 18-year-old stuff. |
8.5 |
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Translation |
Solid translation, but the replaced sound effects will bother some. |
8.0 |
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Verdict
If my undying love of Slam Dunk wasn't an already established fact, this volume would be a great reminder of why.
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9.5
[not an average]
+ Lots of action
+ Fun comedy
- Sports content may not appeal to all
- Redone sound effects may bother some
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