GKIDS, celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this yr, introduced at the moment it has acquired North American distribution rights for The First Slam Dunk from globally acclaimed studio Toei Animation. The deal covers theatrical and bodily dwelling video rights, and can see GKIDS run the smash-hit movie within the U.S. and Canada in each its authentic Japanese language model and with a brand-new English dub later this summer time.
“I’m very grateful to our companions at Toei Animation for working along with us on what I contemplate probably the greatest sports activities movies ever made,” mentioned David Jesteadt, president of GKIDS. “The First Slam Dunk is thrilling but in addition deeply emotional, and it has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide. We will’t wait to share the movie with Slam Dunk followers, in addition to those that are discovering this work for the primary time.”
Masayuki Endo, president of Toei Animation Inc., commented, ”We’re thrilled to work with GKIDS to deliver Toei Animation’s blockbuster movie The First Slam Dunk to North America. The First Slam Dunk has been a smash hit in Asia since premiering in Japan final December and we’re excited to see the response from U.S. and Canadian audiences when it premieres this summer time.”
The First Slam Dunk opened domestically in Japan on December 3, 2022, and has gone on to interrupt box-office information in numerous nations throughout its present worldwide launch. With a present international field workplace of over $212 million, the movie has turn into the twenty fourth highest grossing movie of all time in Japan. Upon the movie’s South Korea launch, it climbed to #2 on the field workplace for its opening weekend — turning into, on the time, the most-watched Japanese film ever in South Korea. Most not too long ago, The First Slam Dunk opened in Mainland China and with $55.2 million reported on the field workplace on opening weekend, turned the most important opening ever for an imported animated movie within the nation.
Written and created by Takehiko Inoue, the unique Slam Dunk manga was serialized from 1990-1996 and is without doubt one of the best-selling manga collection of all time, with over 170 million copies bought globally. The story has been tailored to numerous media and video video games, together with a success anime collection that ran from 1993-1996.
The First Slam Dunk marks the primary new feature-length movie from the globally cherished franchise in over 28 years, in addition to authentic manga creator Inoue’s directorial debut. The movie went on to be awarded this yr’s Japan Academy Prize for Finest Animation of the Yr — marking the primary nomination and win for Inoue.
“I wish to welcome North American followers — each new and previous — to the world of Slam Dunk,” mentioned movie producer Toshiyuki Matsui. “The First Slam Dunk presents the distinctive pleasure and thrills of Slam Dunk that may solely be skilled in a movie show.”
Synopsis: Shohoku’s “speedster” and level guard, Ryota Miyagi, at all times performs with brains and lightning pace, operating circles round his opponents whereas feigning composure. Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following within the footsteps of his older brother, who was a well-known native participant from a younger age, Ryota additionally turned hooked on basketball.
In his second yr of highschool, Ryota performs with the Shohoku Excessive College basketball crew together with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi and Mitsui as they take the stage on the Inter-Excessive College Nationwide Championship. And now, they’re on the point of difficult the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo Excessive College.
The unique Japanese voice solid options Shugo Nakamura as Ryota, Jun Kasama as Mitsui, Shinichiro Kamio as Rukawa, Subaru Kimura as Sakuragi and Kenta Miyake as Akagi.
The movie is written and directed by Inoue, with the assistance of sequence administrators Naoki Miyahara, Katsuhiko Kitada, Toshio Ohashi, Yasuhiro Motoda, Humihiko Suganuma and Haruka Kamatani; CG director Daiki Nakazawa; animation director Yasuyuki Ebara; artwork director Kazuo Ogura; producer Matsui and animation producer Kazuhiro Nishikawa; with character design by Inoue and Yasuyuki Ebara. Produced by Teoi Animation and Dandelion Animation Studio.
