Slam Dunk watch order
Delinquent Hanamichi Sakuragi joins the Shohoku High basketball team to impress a girl, and finds out he might be good at it. Takehiko Inoue's manga became a 101-episode TV series, four short 1990s films and, in 2022, The First Slam Dunk, which animates the manga's final game.
First time? Watch the TV series (episodes 1–96; 97–101 are an anime-original ending), read the manga from chapter 198 to reach the nationals, then watch The First Slam Dunk. The four old films are optional side stories.
First-timer order
Just the TV series and The First Slam Dunk. The gap between them (the Toyotama game and the start of the nationals) was never animated, so read the manga from chapter 198 up to the Sannoh game in between if you can.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 1–20)
Hanamichi joins the team and clashes with Rukawa and captain Akagi, leading up to the practice match against Ryonan and its ace, Sendoh. Episode 20 is Basketball Shoes.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 21–35)
Ryota Miyagi returns, Hisashi Mitsui's gang storms the gym, and Mitsui rejoins the team; then the Inter-High prefectural qualifiers begin. Episodes 34–35 are anime-original filler.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 36–60)
The qualifiers heat up: Shohoku against Shoyo and its player-coach Fujima, then the top seed, Kainan, and its captain Maki. Episodes 48–49 (and part of 47) are anime-original.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 61–101)
Shohoku's last qualifier against Ryonan decides who goes to the nationals, followed by training camp (Rukawa at the all-Japan camp, Hanamichi's 20,000 shots). The manga story ends at episode 96; 85–86, 92 (mostly) and 95 are filler, and 97–101 are an anime-original game that ends the show before the national tournament.
- The First Slam Dunk
Inoue wrote and directed this film himself. It animates the manga's final game, Shohoku against the champions Sannoh at the Inter-High, told through Ryota Miyagi with new flashbacks to his childhood in Okinawa. It picks up long after the TV series ends.
Story order
The 1990s films are anime-original side stories, shown here where watch-order guides usually place them in the TV run. None of them affect the main story.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 1–20)
Hanamichi joins the team and clashes with Rukawa and captain Akagi, leading up to the practice match against Ryonan and its ace, Sendoh. Episode 20 is Basketball Shoes.
- Slam Dunk: Ketsui no Shohoku Basket-bu (optional)
A TV special that recaps episodes 1–20 with a few added scenes. Skip it unless you want a refresher.
- Slam Dunk (Movie 1) (optional)
A 30-minute anime-original side story: a practice match against Takezono High, where Hanamichi runs into a girl who once turned him down. Fits after episode 20.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 21–35)
Ryota Miyagi returns, Hisashi Mitsui's gang storms the gym, and Mitsui rejoins the team; then the Inter-High prefectural qualifiers begin. Episodes 34–35 are anime-original filler.
- Slam Dunk: Conquer the Nation, Hanamichi Sakuragi! (optional)
A 45-minute film that shows one of Shohoku's qualifier games, which the manga only mentions in passing. Fits after episode 35; episode 36 opens with a recap of it.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 36–60)
The qualifiers heat up: Shohoku against Shoyo and its player-coach Fujima, then the top seed, Kainan, and its captain Maki. Episodes 48–49 (and part of 47) are anime-original.
- Slam Dunk: Shohoku's Greatest Challenge! (optional)
A 40-minute anime-original side story set after the Kainan game, with a newly shaved Hanamichi in a practice match against Ryokufu High. Fits after episode 60.
- Slam Dunk: Howling Basketman Spirit!! (optional)
The last 1990s film, also anime-original: Rukawa's old teammate Ichiro Mizusawa, whose career is ending, challenges Shohoku. Watch it after the third film.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 61–101)
Shohoku's last qualifier against Ryonan decides who goes to the nationals, followed by training camp (Rukawa at the all-Japan camp, Hanamichi's 20,000 shots). The manga story ends at episode 96; 85–86, 92 (mostly) and 95 are filler, and 97–101 are an anime-original game that ends the show before the national tournament.
- The First Slam Dunk
Inoue wrote and directed this film himself. It animates the manga's final game, Shohoku against the champions Sannoh at the Inter-High, told through Ryota Miyagi with new flashbacks to his childhood in Okinawa. It picks up long after the TV series ends.
Release order
In the order they came out in Japan. The four films were short features for Toei's spring and summer anime fairs, released while the TV series was airing.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 1–20)
Hanamichi joins the team and clashes with Rukawa and captain Akagi, leading up to the practice match against Ryonan and its ace, Sendoh. Episode 20 is Basketball Shoes.
- Slam Dunk (Movie 1) (optional)
A 30-minute anime-original side story: a practice match against Takezono High, where Hanamichi runs into a girl who once turned him down. Fits after episode 20.
- Slam Dunk: Ketsui no Shohoku Basket-bu (optional)
A TV special that recaps episodes 1–20 with a few added scenes. Skip it unless you want a refresher.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 21–35)
Ryota Miyagi returns, Hisashi Mitsui's gang storms the gym, and Mitsui rejoins the team; then the Inter-High prefectural qualifiers begin. Episodes 34–35 are anime-original filler.
- Slam Dunk: Conquer the Nation, Hanamichi Sakuragi! (optional)
A 45-minute film that shows one of Shohoku's qualifier games, which the manga only mentions in passing. Fits after episode 35; episode 36 opens with a recap of it.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 36–60)
The qualifiers heat up: Shohoku against Shoyo and its player-coach Fujima, then the top seed, Kainan, and its captain Maki. Episodes 48–49 (and part of 47) are anime-original.
- Slam Dunk: Shohoku's Greatest Challenge! (optional)
A 40-minute anime-original side story set after the Kainan game, with a newly shaved Hanamichi in a practice match against Ryokufu High. Fits after episode 60.
- Slam Dunk: Howling Basketman Spirit!! (optional)
The last 1990s film, also anime-original: Rukawa's old teammate Ichiro Mizusawa, whose career is ending, challenges Shohoku. Watch it after the third film.
- Slam Dunk (episodes 61–101)
Shohoku's last qualifier against Ryonan decides who goes to the nationals, followed by training camp (Rukawa at the all-Japan camp, Hanamichi's 20,000 shots). The manga story ends at episode 96; 85–86, 92 (mostly) and 95 are filler, and 97–101 are an anime-original game that ends the show before the national tournament.
- The First Slam Dunk
Inoue wrote and directed this film himself. It animates the manga's final game, Shohoku against the champions Sannoh at the Inter-High, told through Ryota Miyagi with new flashbacks to his childhood in Okinawa. It picks up long after the TV series ends.
Explained
Where does the TV anime stop?
The manga story ends at episode 96, which covers chapter 197; episodes 97–101 are an anime-original game against a combined Shoyo and Ryonan team. Shohoku qualifies for the national tournament, but the anime ends before it starts. To continue, read the manga from chapter 198 (volume 23).
What does The First Slam Dunk cover? Can I watch it first?
It covers Shohoku against Sannoh, the climax of the manga, and skips the game before it. It's told from Ryota Miyagi's point of view and explains the characters well enough for newcomers to follow, but it means far more if you've watched the series first. It played in cinemas with both an English dub and subtitles, and later came to Blu-ray and Netflix in the US.
Which episodes are filler?
Filler lists agree on episodes 34–35, 48–49, 85–86, 95 and the 97–101 ending; 47 and 92 are partly filler. None of it is essential.
Do I need the old movies?
No. All four are 30 to 45 minute side stories made for Toei's anime fairs, with new rivals that never appear in the manga. They're fun if you want more games with the 1990s cast, and they fit after episodes 20, 35 and 60.
Is more coming?
Nothing has been announced as of October 2026. The national tournament's earlier games (including Toyotama) still exist only in the manga.