After an admirable performance in an exhibition game against a tough rival, the Shohoku High basketball team is ready to get back to practice, but a gang of thugs with a grudge against team member Ryota Miyagi makes that impossible. They invade the court with the intent of starting a brawl that’ll get the Shohoku team disqualified from competition. Just when the thugs have been beaten back, with help from Hanamichi’s pals, assistant captain Kogure reveals that the lead punk, Mitsui, was once a promising member of the team.
What follows is a multi-chapter tale of hubris, wounded knees, and wasted potential, and it might perhaps seem rather pointless if not for all the heartfelt emotion on display and the certainty that Mitsui will once again rejoin the team. Kogure, typically very mild in manner, shows he’s tougher than he looks while Mitsui does the opposite when confronted by Coach Anzai, whom he dearly loves and respects.
All in all, there’s very little actual basketball in this volume but there is a lot of team building, which makes for a very enjoyable reading experience.
Review copy provided by the publisher. Review originally published at Manga Recon.
awesome review of vol 8 — I’m impressed because of how succinct you were as well!
(Must. Read. Slam. Dunk. Now.)
Thanks! And yeah, I’m really sad I have no more. I do, however, have a lot of unread Prince of Tennis so I’m thinking that might do the trick.