In the vast world of anime, sports anime are irresistibly thrilling and grip their viewers with a heart-pounding narrative and profound character depth. Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk is one of those names that has established itself as one of the greatest watches alongside other classics like Inazuma Eleven, Hajime no Ippo, Air Master, and many more.
Inoue’s magnum opus has been an inspiration to many because it not only shows a classic underdog story but also enlightens its viewers by showcasing the importance of teamwork.
Well, it has been 28 years since the cult classic series’ last episode was aired, and the mangaka has a surprising confession that will blow the minds of the fans.
Takehiko Inoue Makes a Surprising Confession Following the Art Style of His Magnum Opus
While a ton of anime series fall into anonymity after the series comes to an end, Takehiko Inoue’s Slam Dunk is an exception to this phenomenon. Even after 28 years since the airing of the final episode, the series is as popular as it was yesterday, and its fandom continues to grow among the otaku community.
The anime is a basketball anime in the purest sense, as it focuses on the sport and avoids the use of supernatural phenomena or any special effects or imagery like Haikyu!! or Blue Lock. However, as the mangaka continues to work on his new projects, he revisits his old work, where he is not embarrassed by his art style.
During an exclusive interview from 2007, interpreted by VIZ Media via Mangas Plaining Extra, the interviewer described that his style of art has changed drastically in Vagabond. They were impressed by it and asked him, “What drives you to constantly improve your craft?”
The mangaka answered that he can’t do the same work for a “long time” because he gets “bored very easily.” He said,
I get bored very easily, and so it’d be very painful to continue to draw the same drawings for such a long time, so…
Later, in the interview, the interviewers praised him for asking the mangaka about how he feels seeing his “older work next to newer work at the same time,” and if he feels “sort of embarrassed about it.” Takehiko Inoue called it “an interesting question,” and expressed that he has “zero feelings of embarrassment” about his older work.
However, he acknowledged that he was not as skilled as he is now, but if he had the opportunity to do the work with his current skill set, he would not do it. He said,
I wouldn’t be able to say that it’s zero, that I have zero feelings of embarrassment. For some artwork that is coming out I feel, I prefer it not to be… So to be blunt at the beginning of Slam Dunk, my art was not as good as it is now. But, there are things that I drew then, like how I felt when I was drawing it, or the passion I had, at that time, that art expresses well. So if I had the opportunity to draw it over again I wouldn’t do it.
While Inoue-San is proud of his style and his old works, it has posed a major problem that hinders him from licensing his work for more merchandise.
Takehiko Inoue’s Distinct Drawing Style Hinders Him From Making More Merchandise
In the same interview, the interviewer was curious about the merchandise following the basketball anime and how Astro Boy and Blackjack merchandise are right behind him. Though his anime had merchandise, there was not much to it, primarily because it was inclined more towards his work than being about “toys and animation.”
The mangaka acknowledged the issue, stating that he feels the “main issue” is his style of art. He continued that it is quite hectic to change his artwork into fan merchandise. Hence, he is often disappointed when things do not turn out his way. The Vagabond mangaka said,
So the main issue I feel is my art style. It’s difficult to change my artwork into actual merchandise. For example, for Hanamichi [lead character of Slam Dunk], if something with his image was made into some kind of merchandise, if there was a slight difference to it… It’s no longer Hanamichi. So… I’m often not satisfied with the way things turn out with merchandise so I’d prefer not to do it.
Well, merchandise or not, Slam Dunk remains one of the best basketball anime to be ever created, and it can’t be surpassed by other series in terms of popularity and style.
Slam Dunk can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
