7.9/10295 votes#1 - The Birth of a Genius Basketman?!?
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/16/1993
After being dumped by Yoko, a girl he really liked in Junior High, Sakuragi Hanamichi was devastated. On the first day of school, he was approached by a girl who asked him whether he likes basketball or not. He immediately said he loves it although he has no idea how to play the sport. His world is filled with hope again.
Director: Nobutaka Nishizawa
Writer: Yoshiyuki Suga
7.7/10250 votes#2 - Die Basketball! Hanamichi vs. Rukawa
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/30/1993
After Rukawa beats up those thugs, Hanamichi is shocked and asks him for his name. When he discovers that he is the one that Haruko has a crush on, he becaomes angry. Then, Haruko comes and helps Rukawa with his wounds, but he dismisses her and this makes Hanamichi very angry. Haruko mistakes Hanamichi for injuring Rukawa and she says that she hates Hanamichi. Hanamichi's world comes tumbling down again.
Director: Masayuki Akehi
Writer: N/A
8.2/10287 votes#3 - Gorilla vs. Hanamichi! Big Showdown!
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 11/6/1993
When Hanamichi calls basketball a 'dumb game', the captain of the basketball team challenges him because Hanamichi had made fun of his favorite game of all!
Director: Junji Shimizu
Writer: N/A
7.5/10196 votes#4 - Basketball Man Hanamichi Joins the Team
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 11/13/1993
Sakuragi mananges to dunk over/through Akagi. Akagi is intrigued by Sakuragi's raw power, but doesn't think he's got the drive to make it on the team. Still, he ponders what the team would be like if he was to join.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10182 votes#5 - A Gutless Afternoon
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/20/1993
Sakuragi Hanamichi has been training in the basics for two weeks under Ayako and he wants to play with the other. Akagi refused to let him play. Out of frustration, he quits the team. But after seeing Haruko's face, he changes his mind again.
Director: Hiromichi Matano
Writer: Yoshiyuki Suga
7.4/10177 votes#6 - Rukawa vs. Akagi. The Real Showdown!
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 12/4/1993
Akagi decides to test Rukawa's skills against his own to see if Rukawa really has the talent everyone says he does.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10182 votes#7 - Hanamichi's Debut! Dunk Attack
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 12/11/1993
After successfully persuading Anzai to let him join the game, Sakuragi shows how much he has improved in basic skills such as dribbling. But in the game, he refuses to pass the ball to Rukawa out of jealousy.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10204 votes#8 - Hanamichi's Crisis! The Judo Man's Snare
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 12/18/1993
Impressed by Sakuragi's raw power and general brute force, the captain of the judo club tries to recruit him away from the Basketball team.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10179 votes#9 - I Will Play Basketball!
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/25/1993
Sakuragi declines Aota's offer of joining the Judo club. Kogure and Ayako were overjoyed at Sakuragi's refusal and Akagi was very much impressed by Sakuragi's words.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10151 votes#10 - The 'Beginner's Shot' ....Is Hard!
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/8/1994
After getting the permission to allow Sakuragi to learn the basics of shooting, Akagi asked Rukawa to demonstrate how to do lay-up shot. But Sakuragi got into a fight with Rukawa instead.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/10145 votes#11 - Special Secret Love Training for Two!?
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/15/1994
Having mastered dribbling and passing, Sakuragi moves on to shooting, which is a lot harder than he had anticipated. Frustrated by his lack of skil, Sakuragi gets some extra help from an unlikely source: Haruko.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10160 votes#12 - Beat Ryonan! Hard Training Before the Decisive Game
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/22/1994
The night before their game with Ryounan, Akagi decides to try and teach Sakuragi basic defense, starting with rebounding. Learning quickly, Sakuragi impresses Akagi. After the practice session, Sakuragi encounters a scout from Ryounan, and fills him in on who the REAL star is.....
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10140 votes#13 - Shohoku vs Ryonan the Fired Up Captain!
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/29/1994
Sakuragi is eager to play too, thinking of what Akagi has told him the previuos night. At Ryonan High, Anzai is greeted by Ryonan coach, Moichi Taoka. In the locker room, Anzai finally announces the starting five players who are Akagi, Yasuda, Shiozaki, Kogure and Rukawa.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.8/10162 votes#14 - Super Basketball Match! Ryonan's Attack of Angry Waves
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/5/1994
Sakuragi keeps begging Anzai to let him join the game. At 14 mins, Ryonan has a 0-15 lead, with everyone cheering for Sendoh. Sendoh and Uozumi, both play briliantly. The first half ends with a score of 42-50.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10163 votes#15 - Hanamichi's Nervous Big Start
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/12/1994
Finally, Sakuragi got a chance to play when Akagi was hurt while playing. Now, there is only about 9 minutes left on the clock.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10137 votes#16 - Who Is This Guy?! Taoka's Miscalculation
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 2/19/1994
With just 8 minutes left in the second half, Ryonan is still leading. Taoka tells the Ryonan to continue to attack. Sakuragi plays whole-heartily and this impressed Sendoh.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10136 votes#17 - Rebound King. Hanamichi Sakuragi's Agony
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/26/1994
Ryonan is leading with 3 points ahead of Shohoku, Taoka said that the game will depends on how Sakuragi plays. Meanwhile, Sakuragi begins to realize how important rebounds are.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.9/10175 votes#18 - The Last Two Minutes! I'm Taking Sendo Down!
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/5/1994
Sendoh is amazed at how good Shohoku has become, thus begins to take the game seriously. Anzai then, calls both Rukawa and Sakuragi to approach, to tell them of his plan.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.5/10251 votes#19 - Time Up! The Ryonan Game Is Over
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 3/12/1994
Although Shohoku has lost the game, Sakuragi played very well for his first game. Sakuragi and Rukawa vowed that in their next game with Ryonan, they will beat Sendoh.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10127 votes#20 - Basketball Shoes
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 3/19/1994
The next day, Haruko has to accompany Sakuragi to the sports shop to buy a new pair of shoes because his old shoes are in a bad shape after the practice game with Ryonan.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10117 votes#21 - Super Problems! Hanamichi vs. Miyagi
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 3/26/1994
Ryota Miyagi returns to basketball after beening injured in a fight. Ayako heard rumors that Miyagi was back in school, so she decided to investigate. She brings along Sakuragi and see that Miyagi is into another fight realizing that Ayako and Sakuragi are together sparking jealously into his eyes which causes a problem. Will Miyagi and Sakuragi be able to coexist...
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.9/10127 votes#22 - The Fool with the Worst Record, A Combination is Born
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 4/16/1994
It seemed like a disaster for two trouble makers in Miyagi and Sakuragi to collide with each other, but it seems things hae turned out much better than expected.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/10140 votes#23 - Shohoku Basketball Team's Last Day
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 4/23/1994
A former member of the Shohoku team returns with a major axe to grind, which spells doom for the team.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.4/10232 votes#24 - The Allies of Justice, Sakuragi's Army Visits
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 4/30/1994
After Ayako was slapped by one of the invading students, Miyagi joined in the fight, as well as Rukawa. However, Tetsuo easily took both of them down. Sakuragi steps up to the plate, outnumbered. Things change when Sakuragi's friends appear in an unlikely fashion.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10212 votes#25 - The Guy Who Wanted to Conquer the World
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 5/7/1994
Mitsui and Tetsuo were defeated, but Mitsui still continued to fight. Though when Akagi enters, the atmosphere becomes dense. Akagi slaps Mitsui around. Kogure then informs everyone that Mitsui use to be an excellent basketball player, and was even on the team. Kogure then proceeds to tell the rise and downfall of Mitsui's basketball career.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Slam Dunk Season 1
Every episode of Slam Dunk Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Slam Dunk Season 1!
Sakuragi Hanamichi is a junior high punk used to getting into fights and being rejected by girls but upon entering high school he meets the...
Genres:AnimationComedy
Network:tv asahi
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"The Birth of a Genius Basketman?!?" is the best rated episode of "Slam Dunk" season 1. It scored 7.9/10 based on 295 votes. Directed by Nobutaka Nishizawa and written by Yoshiyuki Suga, it aired on 10/16/1993. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "Die Basketball! Hanamichi vs. Rukawa".