SlamDunk #One

Slam Dunk Set the Gold Standard for Shonen Rivalries

Before the likes of Naruto and Sasuke or Hinata and Kageyama, there was the "Tensai" Hanamichi Sakuragi and Kaede Rukawa. The dynamic between these two not only works to drive Slam Dunk's narrative, but fosters their development and growth, both as individual characters and as teammates. In this regard, Sakuragi and Rukawa's rivalry was, and still is, the gold standard for what it truly means to be rivals in a shonen manga/anime series.

‘The First Slam Dunk’ thrills Pinoy fans

Hanamichi Sakuragi
Hanamichi Sakuragi is the protagonist of Slam Dunk, serving as Shohoku's power forward. At the beginning of the series, Sakuragi is a slacker, good for nothing other than fighting. He is the leader of the feared "Sakuragi's Gang", which consists of his four friends Mito, Noma, Ohkusu and Takamiya.

Rukawa Kaede
A fellow 10th grader at Shohoku and its star shooter. With his good looks, he is popular with the ladies including Haruko, but he exhibits no interest in dating women.