The gold standard of basketball manga that everyone knows! Famous quotes from Slam Dunk
The sports manga SLAM DUNK began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1990 and sparked an explosive basketball boom.
In 2022, the film THE FIRST SLAM DUNK was released, and it became a major topic not only among longtime fans but also younger generations, underscoring its unwavering popularity.
This time, we’ve compiled a list of memorable quotes from characters appearing in SLAM DUNK.
If you’re not very familiar with SLAM DUNK yet, this article might help you discover its appeal—so don’t miss it!
The universally known pinnacle of basketball manga! Slam Dunk’s famous quotes (1–10)
If you give up, the game is over right there.Professor Anzai
When you take on a challenge, you inevitably face walls and hardships, and in those moments your spirit may break.
This iconic line from Coach Anzai encourages a heart on the verge of giving up and gives you the courage to take one more step.
It tells us that if you give up, everything ends right there; only by holding firm and continuing to challenge yourself can you seize results.
It reminds us that even amid difficulties, the way to find a path forward is to rouse your spirit and press on.
Challenges are what his life is all about…Tetsuji Sawakita
To seize great achievements, it’s important to keep challenging yourself, and before you know it, those challenges may become the center of your life.
These are the words of Tetsuji Sawakita, who proudly speaks about his son Eiji, who never gave up on taking on challenges no matter the circumstances.
He conveys that getting closer to major accomplishments is only possible because of the challenges taken so far, and that by continuing to challenge himself, even greater achievements will follow.
It’s a statement that makes you feel that those who keep winning results are backed by the effort to match.
He definitely won’t lose.Fukuda Kiccho
People who have steadily put in the effort and delivered results are seen by those around them, and they earn trust, don’t they? This is a line from Kicchō Fukuda that conveys deep trust in such a teammate while also expressing a wish for them to overcome adversity.
These words come precisely from having watched Akira Sendō surmount various hardships, and they express confidence that he will surely overcome this time as well.
Don’t these words also convey Kicchō Fukuda’s strong resolve to believe to the very end, no matter the circumstances?
He who controls the rebounds controls the game.Takenori Akagi
A rebound is the act of taking the ball after a missed shot, and doing it quickly leads to the next offensive play.
These are the words Takenori Akagi said to Hanamichi Sakuragi about how crucial rebounding is in basketball.
Even if a shot misses, the next attack begins at that very moment, so it conveys that you should never let your guard down and must always keep challenging.
In the sense of turning a missed shot into a new development, the line also feels like a message that gives you the courage to try again.
I want to play basketball…Hisashi Mitsui
The path you take changes depending on your surroundings and your circumstances, and some people may have gradually given up on what they truly wanted to do.
Even if you’ve drifted away from such dreams, Mitsui Hisashi’s line conveys just how important it is to put what you want into words.
It captures the moment when Mitsui, who had been lashing out until then, finally spoke his true feelings, making you realize that no matter the situation, you can’t hide what’s really in your heart.
These words also feel like a message that even a dream you once gave up on might open up a path back to it if you give it voice.
Having experienced defeat will someday become a great asset.Goro Domoto
We tend to see the fact of losing as a major negative, something that can even make us stop in our tracks.
Yet this line from Goro Domoto reminds us that even a loss, which carries such a strong negative image, is an essential element for moving forward.
Although a once-invincible team now bears the mark of defeat, by analyzing it thoroughly and drawing lessons from it, they can turn it into further growth.
Rather than being crushed by a single loss, let’s make it a lesson that helps us move ahead with a more positive mindset.
Dribbling is exactly the way us short guys live!Ryota Miyagi
There are many times when we feel a complex when we compare ourselves to those around us, and sometimes that leads to giving up.
This is a line from Ryota Miyagi that says we should use the complexes within us rather than making them reasons to quit.
He takes an element strongly associated with a negative image—being short—and turns it into an advantage through dribbling, conveying a strong will to hone his strengths and keep moving forward.
These words also speak to the importance of awareness and ingenuity—how we can transform a negative into a positive.