The Anime Series That Took Basketball Global

Why Takehiko Inoue's "Slam Dunk" remains GOATed.

When it debuted in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump in 1990, Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk didn’t set out to be one of the most influential pieces of basketball culture. Stemming from Inoue’s genuine love of the game and mirroring his own experiences getting into the sport, the manga and 101-episode anime series still holds up as one of the most compelling stories about the global appeal of basketball.