The First Slam Dunk: North American Premiere Set for Anime Expo 2023 in Los Angeles

In a joint announcement today, GKIDS and Toei Animation confirmed the North American premiere of The First Slam Dunk will be hosted at this year’s Anime Expo in Los Angeles. This follows the companies earlier this month confirming a partnership that would see GKIDS acquire North American and Canadian distribution rights of the feature film.

Scheduled for Monday 3 July 2023, at 12:00 pm Pacific, the North American premiere of The First Slam Dunk will be held in the Main Events Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event promises a special giveaway, with the first 2,500 guests receiving a souvenir booklet of the film.

The First Slam Dunk, which marks the first feature-length film from the franchise in 28 years, debuted in Japan on December 3, 2022. It quickly became the 24th highest-grossing film of all time in the country. Upon its release in South Korea, the movie reached #2 at the box office during its opening weekend, making it the most-watched Japanese movie in South Korea at the time. In Mainland China, the film opened with a record-breaking $55.2 million, becoming the largest opening ever for an imported animated film in the country. And soon, we will get to see how the film fares in North America, and perhaps looking forward, other countries.

The First Slam Dunk: North American Premiere Set for Anime Expo 2023 in Los Angeles 1

The original “Slam Dunk” manga, which was serialized from 1990 to 1996, has sold over 170 million copies worldwide. The manga has been adapted into various media formats, including a popular anime series that aired from 1993 to 1996. The First Slam Dunk not only marks the franchise’s return but also serves as the directorial debut for original manga creator Takehiko Inoue. The film was awarded this year’s Japan Academy Prize for Best Animation of the Year, marking Inoue’s first nomination and win.

Later this summer, GKIDS plans to release The First Slam Dunk theatrically in the United States and Canada. The release will include both the original Japanese version with English subtitles and an all-new English dubbed version.

About The First Slam Dunk

Shohoku’s “speedster” and point guard, Ryota Miyagi, always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure. Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball.

In his second year of high school, Ryota plays with the Shohoku High School basketball team along with Sakuragi, Rukawa, Akagi, and Mitsui as they take the stage at the Inter-High School National Championship. And now, they are on the brink of challenging the reigning champions, Sannoh Kogyo High School.

More Recent Posts

First Trailer for Tokyo Revengers: War of...

Pony Canyon has unveiled the first official trailer for Tokyo Revengers: War of the Three Titans Arc, the upcoming...

Free Update for Look Outside Expands Survival...

Psychological survival horror RPG Look Outside, developed by Francis Coulombe and published by Devolver Digital, has recently received a...

Honkai: Star Rail Version 3.4 ‘For the...

HoYoverse has announced that Version 3.4 of Honkai: Star Rail, titled For the Sun is Set to Die, will...

Square Enix Confirms Final Fantasy XIV Patch...

During the latest Letter from the Producer LIVE broadcast, Square Enix announced details for Patch 7.3 of Final Fantasy...

Free My Friend Pedro Inspired DLC Adds...

A new content update for Shotgun Cop Man has launched on PC and Nintendo Switch, introducing 51 additional levels...

Rebel Wolves Showcase Extended Gameplay Deep Dive...

Rebel Wolves, in collaboration with Bandai Namco Entertainment, has unveiled a new gameplay deep dive for The Blood of...

Enter the Gungeon and Exit the Gungeon...

Dodge Roll and Devolver Digital have announced that Enter the Gungeon, their bullet hell dungeon crawler, will be making...

Sony Interactive Entertainment Launches Climate Station, a...

In an announcement different from their usual ones around video games, Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the release of...

Blizzard Shares New Details for World of...

A new episode of WoWCast has premiered on the official World of Warcraft YouTube channel, offering a look at...