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[sparklingwindz]

the success of slam dunk

Something I often hear from others is that “Slam Dunk is underrated”. To an extent, this is true. The series isn’t very talked about among younger fans of manga, and newer sports series such as Haikyuu are mentioned more by younger fans. However, Slam Dunk is not underrated in the slightest. Its numbers of copies sold worldwide (170 million copies, making it the seventh best selling manga of all time) speaks for itself, but in this essay I want to break down both the numbers and impact that truly show Slam Dunk’s success.

During the time of the series' publishing in Shonen Jump, Japan had been going through an economic fall. The Japanese economy suffered a prolonged recession that followed the collapse of the economic success of the 80’s. Corporations had stopped hiring new employees in order to maintain their current ones. This meant that many people were out of work, and it led to high unemployment. While this doesn’t directly affect Inoue, it puts lots of pressure on his manga to do well. After all, if he couldn’t make something that sold, he was out of a job. He had also stated that his editors were against him making a basketball manga due to it being unknown in the country, yet he did it regardless — despite knowing that he could easily be out of a job and face the financial difficulties many others were facing throughout the 90’s.

Throughout the 90’s, basketball wasn't very known in Japan. The NBA was at its peak in popularity, but this popularity didn’t translate to Japan. Baseball and soccer were far more known sports in Japan, and so Inoue was faced with the task of introducing basketball to his readers. (He did a good job of this). Slam Dunk starts off more comedic and casual compared to an intense sports series, and this was done to appeal to a wider audience. In fact, some of the most popular chapters and episodes at the time had been the gym fight arc, which didn’t exactly have much to do with basketball. But as the series progressed, Inoue was faced with two choices; to continue with the writing structure that was selling, or to double down on the basketball aspect of the series and risk alienating and losing his audience.

But instead of backing down, Inoue decided to take the risk. The story became more and more basketball focused, but he didn’t alienate his audience. In fact, the story was becoming more and more popular. At the time, it contended with Dragon Ball Z, and at times was even outselling.

The apex of the series’ popularity had been towards the end of its serialization in 1995-1996, throughout the Shohoku vs Sannoh match. And then it ended. Inoue’s editors wanted him to continue the series as it was one of the magazine’s best selling, and instead, he just left. A complete power move. The series had lots of material that could have been used to continue the series, such as what happened to Shohoku (particularly Sakuragi) after the Sannoh match, him getting the girl, him becoming an even better player. I think that Inoue knew the series could have been even bigger if he had continued, but I also believe that it ended where it needed to. If Slam Dunk had been dragged longer, it may have gotten stale, and it might not have been as beloved as it is right now. Additionally, Inoue’s other big titles such as Vagabond or REAL don’t have endings due to long hiatus, and it’s possible that Slam Dunk may have faced similar treatment.

Aside from its overall sales, another interesting metric that encapsulates Slam Dunk’s success is its sales per volume estimate.

Slam Dunk being second only to One Piece (the best selling manga of all time) highlights just how successful it is.

Additionally, here is a sales chart of the best selling manga in September 2022. The fact Slam Dunk places here despite being a series that has been completed for over 25 years speaks for itself.

The series is very impressive sales wise already, but another component on just how successful Slam Dunk is its cultural impact in Japan. I already stated Inoue was forced with the task of introducing basketball to Japan. And to say he introduced it to them would be an understatement; it can be said that Slam Dunk popularized the sport.

Around the 90’s, while basketball was at its peak in popularity due to the NBA, Japan didn’t pick up on this. Baseball and football were still far more popular. As I said before, Inoue was tasked to introduce basketball to his readers.

Introduced is an understatement, and Inoue’s story actually increased enrollment in basketball among Japanese youth. In fact, throughout 1990-1995, around one million Japanese high schoolers were playing basketball as an extracurricular. And when Slam Dunk ended its serialization, this number dropped again.

Additionally, when the NBA came to Japan during the time the series was being published, the stadiums for their games were packed. This adds onto just how much more popular basketball was getting in Japan. And even now, it can be said basketball is a much popular sport in Japan.

But he didn’t just introduce the game itself; he also showed the culture surrounded by basketball.

Basketball culture is another prominent thing shown in Slam Dunk, from the boys hooping in Jordans, the baggy clothes they wear, to the sneakerhead culture. Inoue bridged 90’s American culture to Japan, and he made it a thing among Japanese youth.

Something else I want to note is that Nike allowed for Inoue’s use of their products in the manga. On my initial read, this surprised me, since I figured that Nike would have copyrighted the series. However, the reason they allowed for Inoue’s display of their products was because it essentially advertised their products to the Japanese market. In fact, Jordan’s and Nike’s sneakers had a massive increase in Japanese sales throughout the series’ publication (particularly the shoes worn by Sakuragi and Rukawa). Additionally, Nike also had a collaboration with Inoue to make red Jordan’s with Slam Dunk’s panels.

The series wasn’t known in just Japan, but throughout other Asian countries such as South Korea, China, and The Philippines. And as a result, basketball got popularized in these countries as well. If you were to ask anyone from there from around the 80’s-90’s, it’d be difficult to not find a Slam Dunk reader.

Throughout all this, I firmly believe that Slam Dunk isn’t underrated. It is arguably one of the most influential mangas, and easily one of the most successful.

[sparklingwindz]

Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru Chapter 7 - The Qualifiers (Part 2)

I will finish this novel by the end of summer…no matter what

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. According to Wikipedia, the second leg of Hakone is 23.1km from Tsurumi to Totsuka and the longest leg of the race, so traditionally the fastest runner of each team runs this leg. It’s called the “Leg 2 of Flowers” because all the aces of each school take part in it

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Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru Chapter 6 - The Sound of a Shouting Soul (Part 2)

My posts don’t show up in the tags, what’s up with that

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. The kan in “Kansei” is 寛

2. This is a pun on two levels. The romaji for 大器完成 is daiki kansei and it’s a play on the expression  大器晩成  daiki bansei which means great talents mature late

3. Shabu-shabu is thinly sliced meat boiled with vegetables and dipped in sauce

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距離感バグ

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すき！

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ハイジの顔だけメチャメチャ好みに描けた絵

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Ever since I finished watching Run with the wind last year I wanted to make a fanart, so here it is ^^ I really like how it looks ✨

I really need to keep practicing drawing more than 1 or 2 characters on the same picture ¬¬

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Run & Ash

“…the moon is beautiful, isn’t it?” Haiji was terribly amused by Kakeru’s slyness. But seeing his face flush a bright red, it must’ve taken him a lot of courage. “Mm. I could die happy.” Haiji hasn’t looked at the moon once; not since the night a star caught his eye.

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Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru Chapter 3 - Practice Begins (Part 3)

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. Rikiishi is a character from the manga Ashita no Joe who is known for his extreme weight loss training.

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Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru Chapter 3 - Practice Begins (Part 2)

Full list of translations here

Translation Notes

1. I’m not entirely sure Kiyose’s talking about here (流して走る) but the closest thing I could find was “wind sprinting” which is a type of conditioning where you alternate between fast walking and jogging

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Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru Chapter 3 - Practice Begins (Part 1)

Hey I’m back (for real). Still aiming to finish this novel by the end of the year

Full list of translations here

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My thoughts while watching Run with the Wind: "Just say you love him and go," and, "I get it, you're in love."

So when Kakeru said that thing in around ep 22 (?) to Joji, I combusted. But then ep 23 happened and my soul repaired itself bit by bit. I love them, i love them, i love t h e m.

[sparklingwindz]

Prompt: Years after the anime ended Haiji finds a video of his first (and last) hakone. How would he react?

Thank you for this ask! My hands slipped so enjoy a little one-shot fic instead of a short ficlet^^

Title: Looking Forward

Pairing: Kiyose Haiji/Kurahara Kakeru

Word count: 1779 words

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As Kakeru arrived home after a long—longer than expected—day, there was no answer to his "Tadaima". Even though he knew by looking at Haiji's shoes that his fiance was at home, his chest felt too tight by the stupid possibilities of what could have happened. 

Kakeru inhaled and exhaled, his mind spinning through less bad explanations than his most beloved person just fell, hit his head or was simply lying on the bathroom floor in pain. Their relationship wasn't new but occasionally they still hit hard walls when it came to being fully honest about being hurt and not being overprotective. 

Kakeru understood Haiji's reasons and he could be easy-going most of the times - save for whenever memories hit him too hard and he just couldn't bear the thought of Haiji being hurt. As silly as it was but he still wished to be able to take away Haiji's pain; probably nothing ever hurt him as much as seeing his beloved person in pain. Kakeru would have never say it out but sometimes... 

Sometimes he even wished that Haiji didn't find him on that night. This was cruel—both towards himself and Haiji, to the friends he gained because he was also their friend and support when they needed him—but as much as he could see what Haiji and everyone else gained from running the Hakone Ekiden, he also saw daily what price Haiji paid for it. Kakeru knew well it wasn't his call to make but sometimes he wished that Haiji was more selfish. Or self-protective. Because his soon-to-be husband was the most selfless selfish person on earth, at least by first glance. 

Kakeru was a lot better with words than in his first university year but he thought he'll never be able to describe Haiji, not via human speech. Because how could he speak about the stars when they were just too big for small creatures on earth...?

After quickly taking his shoes off and making the stupid explanations of the absence of Haiji's answer go away, Kakeru went to find him. His search—thankfully—was successful very soon. Even though it felt stupid, Kakeru felt relieved to see the well-known pattern of the green hanten and its owner, sitting in the living room at the kotatsu.

"Haiji...?" Kakeru started softly, padding to the man whose eyes were glued on his laptop's screen.

Like he was woken from a daydream—or rather reached the depth of his mind and he was brought back from there—Haiji looked up, trying with a small little smile. Trying but failing - because Kakeru always knew when it wasn't honest.

His brows knotted together, Kakeru took a seat next to Haiji, gently placing a hand around him. Now he also looked at the laptop's screen and that explained everything: the video Haiji was watching was paused, the camera showing Kakeru's back. At his first Hakone Ekiden. Not much before the end of his section. Kakeru recognized the tape immediately, he watched it too many times.

Kakeru stayed silent for a moment then tightened his hug a bit and he asked as casually as he could:

"Would you like to continue?"

Haiji exhaled slowly, a little chuckle escaping his lips. "Of course." A moment of silence. "But I'm not really able..." His voice became low by the end of his sentence and he looked away.

Hesitantly for a second but Kakeru raised a hand, touching Haiji's jaw and turning his head back to himself. He swallowed, because those brown eyes... He could completely get lost as they meant the world, the water and the earth, the nurturing sun, the wind on his skin... everything to him. 

"Would you like me to watch it with you?" Kakeru asked kindly but without pressure. They both know Haiji rarely said no to him but he hoped Haiji knew that he could.

Swallowing hard, biting his lips but Haiji managed to squeeze the words out: "Maybe."

After a quick nod, Kakeru broke their eye contact, giving some space to his beloved fiance. He shifted a little, curling up next to Haiji, still not releasing him from the half-hug, contently noting when he felt Haiji also shifting closer to him. One hand on Haiji's neck, gently touching the soft skin, Kakeru reached to start the rest of the video. He had seen it countless times, he cried on it during sleepless nights. As much as he had understood Haiji needed space and time, living without him after their ten months together was hell on earth.

"Let me know when to pause... If that's what you want." His words serious but Kakeru laid a soft kiss on Haiji's forehead as the other shifted again and curled up next to him, his head halfway resting on Kakeru's chest. Seeing Haiji openly vulnerable was a very rare sight and Kakeru only felt the overwhelming love and gratefulness for sharing this moment with him. 

The video started (or continued for Haiji) and Kakeru was ready to stop it any time - but no request arrived to do that. It took only a minute—when they filmed as Kansei's sash was passed between section nine and ten—for Haiji to break. Kakeru heard the little sob escaping Haiji's mouth then felt the warm tears on his shirt. Not giving a chance to the other to retreat, not like this, not for stupid and self-decapitating reasons, Kakeru tightened his embrace a little, his fingers gently stroking Haiji's nape and hair. Like Haiji would do if he would comfort Kakeru - like Haiji always did whenever he needed him.

Even though Kakeru watched this tape countless times, his heart still broke. He doubted this will ever stop, not when Haiji's running was so beautiful - but may-day like short-lived, too amazing, destined to end way too soon. 

Despite the tears, Kakeru could feel Haiji's smile on his skin when the reporter announced that he broke Fujioka's record of section nine. 

They watched silently - both when they showed other runners and both when they showed Haiji. They heard coach Tazaki telling the estimated arrival, counted by Yuki. The image already burnt into his mind, Kakeru knew that after this Haiji's little sign of understanding would come then pain. The crease between his brows and around his eyes, the hard line of his lips as he still ran and ran, fighting himself mentally, doing his almighty best to earn the seeded spot for Kansei. 

Kakeru doubted he could ever name the emotions that filled him whenever he watched this video but over everything else, he felt blessed to have Haiji in his life in their present. He ran away from problems, from life, only to find the shiniest star on the sky, running towards his light and getting warmed in soul instead of not making out and being burnt alive. Not that he would mind.

Arriving at the end, they filmed as Kakeru waved to Haiji, waiting for him, then they commemorated on national television as Haiji's knee broke and as Kakeru's arm fell, the devastated expression on his face, catching Haiji with visible concern. 

Kakeru wasn't proud of himself. Because as much as it hurt him to see Haiji falling, as much as he was madly worried, every other thought wiped out of his brain... Haiji was so happy. His smile so honest as he crossed the finish line, that Kakeru never wanted to do anything else in life but making him smile like that again. 

Haiji let out a breath he was holding for almost a good minute and Kakeru wiped his face before he silenced the video, now the attention turning back to the race and the other finishers.

They hugged before the laptop's screen, the warmth of the kotatsu and each other's body embracing them, Kakeru's hand still in his fiance's hair, Haiji's breathing slowing down. It took long before Haiji broke the loving stillness of the moment.

Inhaling raggedly, sitting up a little to be able to look at Kakeru, Haiji began: "I'm sorry I hurt you that day." Red rimmed eyes looked away after his deep, honest apology and Haiji swallowed hard, resting limply in Kakeru's arm.

As much as it never ceased to amaze the younger man that how blind Haiji could be when it came to himself, he didn't expect this. Not this way, not to hear this at first, not after watching their Hakone. Not to get this from Haiji after he managed to watch it for the first time.

"Haiji...", Kakeru murmured, pulling him closer, searching for words. As always, Haiji was patient with him, letting him sort out what he wanted to say. 

"It only hurt to see you suffer, you didn't hurt me. I was happy for you. To see you finish. To watch you closing the distance as a shining comet, falling into my arms." This time Kakeru swallowed hard then a little laugh escaped him. "I just realized I was madly in love with you and you were there." He said the words fast, hotness filling his cheeks and his ears.

As if Haiji got frozen when he saw Kakeru on the replay, now he hugged back, a chuckle and a sob breaking out from him at the same time. "I wish I wouldn't need those years without you."

Kakeru wished too but if he learnt something, that was to not dwell on the past but to look ahead. "You're here now, I don't care about anything else." If it was possible to hug Haiji even harder without breaking his ribs... Kakeru surely tried to do that.

Haiji welcomed and mirrored the gesture, parting only to give a quick, wet kiss to Kakeru and to look at him after, a so wide and so honest, pure smile on his face. "I can say the same." Blushing a little, embarrassment (because of his wet and maybe slightly snotty face) creeping up, he pulled closer his fiance again. "I love you, Kakeru."

Hearing his name from Haiji was one of the most beautiful sounds to his ears, Kakeru smiled and hugged back. "The moon is beautiful tonight."

Deep laughter broke out of Haiji, his whole chest shaking. "It's 1 pm, Kakeru."

"But the moon is still there, we just can't see it", he murmured, slight playfulness in his voice yet the hot flow escaping his eyes. Kakeru knew Haiji wasn't feeling well in the past days and hearing him laugh this way did things to his insides.

"You lived three years with Prince and look at you, beating me at a conversation..." Haiji mumbled without any real edge, pulling Kakeru even closer and promising of not ever letting him go.

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Thank you for reading!<3 I’m not a native speaker, please forgive me my mistakes. This fic will be on AO3 soon, you’ll find the link here later. Reblogs and feedback are appreciated, just like little prompts like this^^ 

[sparklingwindz]

休日

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Kazetsuyo Stage Play (2009) - [ENGSUB] Original Story by: Shion MURA MAIN CAST Masaya KIKAWADA as Haiji Kiyose Masato WADA as Kakeru Kurahara Shinpei TAKAKI as Joji /Jo Jiro Manpei TAKAKI as Jota/Jo Taro Naoto KAJI as Nico-chan/Akihiro Hirata Yoshihiro KASUYA as Yuki/Yukihiko Iwakura Eiji TAKIGAWA as King/Ryohei Sakaguchi Joji SHIBUE as Shindo/Takashi Sugiyama David YANO as Musa Kamara Shinya MATSUMOTO as Ouji/Akane Kashiwazaki SUPPORTING CAST Kao OSAMU as Genichiro Tazaki Narumi KONNO as Hanako Katsuda Hirofumi ARAKI as Kousuke Sakaki Takashi ITO as Kazuma Fujioka

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KazeTsuyo Week 2020 Day 2: Team

@kazetsuyo2020

One of my favourite things in KazeTsuyo was seeing the way Kakeru grew and became a part of the team.

[sparklingwindz]

Happy KazeTsuyo Week!!

It’s the 17th in parts of the world, so let’s get this party started!! 

👟 KazeTsuyo FanWeek, May 17-23 👟

Prompts:

Day 1: first | gift  Day 2: team | animal Day 3: food | date Day 4: training | water Day 5: victory | family Day 6: reunion | home Day 7: free day! (no prompts)

To participate, simply @ us, or use the tag #KazeTsuyo2020 !

>> You can find more information on this post <<

We’re also have more followers on Twitter, so be sure to check here for content as well!