Recaps

Before Shohoku’s game against Sannoh Industrial High School, Moichi Taoka noticed a stranger whose appearance brought back memories of Sota Miyagi’s early rise and the recruiting battle around him. Shohoku and Sannoh took the court amid deafening cheers, with Shohoku’s five players ready to show how much they had grown.

• Shohoku fans filled the arena, and Moichi Taoka told Hikoichi Aida that Shohoku had a sixty percent chance of winning.
• Hikoichi noticed a stranger who looked like a basketball player, and Taoka became distracted after seeing him.
• Taoka remembered spotting Sota Miyagi as a child, the coaches who later tried to recruit him, and his sudden disappearance.
• Shohoku and Sannoh Industrial High School emerged to a roaring crowd as Kiminobu Kogure and his teammates expressed confidence in Shohoku.
• The chapter described how Shirasawa, Ryota Miyagi, Hisashi Mitsui, Hanamichi Sakuragi, and Takenori Akagi had developed into a powerful team.

Shohoku faced Chariot Country despite a major height disadvantage, but Shirasawa opened the game by stealing the ball and scoring through contact. His dominant three-point play left the crowd confident and convinced Wagner that Shirasawa was as dangerous as Alex.

• Akagi and Sakuragi lined up against much taller opponents, and Akagi told Sakuragi to hold his position for the opening tip.
• Brad beat Akagi to the jump ball, giving Chariot Country possession as Shohoku fell back on defense.
• Shirasawa charged forward, stole the ball, and raced past the defense while Wagner struggled to keep up.
• Wagner fouled Shirasawa after failing to stop him, but Shirasawa finished the layup for a three-point play.
• Wagner warned Hoffmann that Chariot Country had to keep a close eye on Shirasawa or face the consequences.

Shohoku opened against Chariot Country with Shirasawa scoring first, but Hoffmann answered with a three-pointer and repeatedly scored over Sakuragi. As Shohoku struggled to adjust to Chariot Country’s speed and size, Akagi urged Sakuragi to study Robinson’s defense and stop jumping at every shot.

• Shirasawa made his opening free throw, giving Shohoku a 3-0 lead, and Miyagi praised him.
• Wagner passed to Hoffmann, who shot over Sakuragi’s defense and scored Chariot Country’s first three-pointer.
• Akagi scolded Sakuragi for talking at Hoffmann instead of focusing, while Uozumi reassured Hikoichi that Sakuragi could close the gap.
• Chariot Country’s speed and defensive reach troubled Shohoku, while Shirasawa and Hoffmann traded baskets.
• Kogure and Yasuda worried that Hoffmann’s shooting style prevented Sakuragi from using his strength in physical battles.
• Akagi told Sakuragi to judge Hoffmann’s shots before jumping and to remember Robinson’s defense against him.

Shohoku struggled against Chariot as Sakuragi failed to contain Hoffmann, while Taoka recognized a spectator as the long-missing Sota Miyagi, Ryota’s older brother. Sota revealed that he had survived a shipwreck, lost his memory, and spent years playing basketball around the world; he agreed to talk with Taoka after the game.

• Sakuragi continued trying to stop Hoffmann, while Shohoku trailed Chariot 25–27 twelve minutes into the first half.
• Aida, Uozumi, and Taoka spoke with a stranger who asked about Shohoku’s number seven, Ryota Miyagi.
• Taoka tested the stranger by naming Ryota Miyagi, and the man reacted strongly before saying his surname was Miyagi.
• Taoka identified the man as Sota Miyagi, and Uozumi recalled Taoka’s long-standing regret over failing to recruit him for Ryonan.
• Sota said he had lived abroad and could barely remember his past, then asked Taoka to talk after the game.
• Sota’s history revealed that he survived a shipwreck, was rescued by a wealthy traveler, and spent years playing pickup basketball around the world.

Sota Miyagi reunited with his past when he met his younger brother Ryota and learned from Moichi Taoka how highly his old basketball talent had been regarded. As Shohoku narrowly led Chariot Country late in the first half, Hanamichi Sakuragi dominated the rebounds and made his boast about dominating the whole world seem possible.

• Sota Miyagi told Moichi Taoka that he had amnesia and had returned to Japan, and Taoka promised to talk with him after the game.
• Uozumi and Hikoichi Aida learned about Sota’s history, and Taoka said Sota had once been talented enough to compete at the high school level.
• Hikoichi asked Sota about basketball and returned saying Sota believed he was now stronger than he had been before.
• Shohoku rallied behind Shirasawa and held a 51–50 lead over Chariot Country with the first half nearing its end.
• Hanamichi Sakuragi repeatedly outmaneuvered Chariot’s tall players to grab rebounds, while Shirasawa, Mitsui, and Akagi also helped keep Shohoku competitive.

Shohoku carried a narrow lead into the final minute of the first half as Shirasawa dominated and Sakuragi’s defense helped turn the game. Akagi and Sakuragi extended the lead with a fast-break dunk, and Miyagi ended Chariot’s last possession by stealing the ball.

• Shirasawa scored 35 points and added seven assists in the first half, while Wagner managed only two points and two assists against him.
• Sakuragi pressured Hoffmann into a rushed miss, and Akagi secured the rebound before throwing the ball ahead to Sakuragi for a fast-break dunk.
• Hoffmann acknowledged Sakuragi’s stamina and ability as Sakuragi returned to defend Chariot’s final possession.
• With Chariot trying to get the ball to Brad near the basket, Miyagi slipped between Brad and Akagi, knocked the ball loose, and dove to secure the steal.

Ryota Miyagi’s fast break was stopped by Hoffmann, but Shirasawa grabbed the rebound and dunked on him, giving Shohoku a dramatic three-point play. Shohoku ended the first half leading the Chariot Team 59-54, while Moichi Taoka began planning to recruit Sota Miyagi.

• Ryota Miyagi raced past two defenders, but Hoffmann blocked his layup and sent the ball bouncing away.
• Shirasawa collected the rebound and dunked over Hoffmann, drawing a defensive foul and earning a free throw.
• Ryota Miyagi and Shirasawa high-fived as Shirasawa celebrated dunking on the Chariot Team’s ace.
• Sota Miyagi watched Shirasawa’s play and wanted to face him, while Moichi Taoka saw an opportunity to recruit Sota to Ryonan.
• Shohoku’s defense forced the Chariot Team into a missed final shot, and the first half ended with Shohoku ahead 59-54.

Shohoku returned from halftime with renewed confidence while Chariot’s coach restored Hoffmann and Wagner’s composure, and the second half began with Akagi and Brad facing off at tip-off. Watching from the sidelines, Alex became determined to face Shirasawa in the next round, while accepting that he might never find Miyagi.

• During halftime, Chariot’s head coach rallied Hoffmann and Wagner, and both teams returned to the court ready for the second half.
• Akagi and Brad contested the opening jump ball as the second half began.
• Robinson and the Cheetah Team watched Shohoku lead Chariot, then went onto the court to warm up for their upcoming game against Changwon.
• Alex praised Shirasawa and resolved to face him in the next round, hoping Shohoku would win and reach the championship fight.
• Alex reflected on his draft plans and recognized that Robinson’s contributions had helped him win his high school championship.
• Alex concluded that Miyagi had likely used a false name and might remain impossible to find.

Shohoku’s coordinated offense, led by Shirasawa and Mitsui’s scoring, stretched its lead over Chariot to double digits. Chariot rallied after a timeout, and the chapter ended with Akagi and Brad contesting a rebound after Sakuragi forced Hoffmann into another missed shot.

• Shirasawa orchestrated Shohoku’s offense, and Mitsui scored repeatedly as Chariot struggled to cover the team.
• Mitsui hit another three off a Shirasawa pass, putting Shohoku ahead 77–66 and scoring fourteen points in the second half.
• Chariot’s coach called a timeout and berated his players after Shohoku opened an eleven-point lead.
• Chariot returned from the timeout with greater intensity, while Mitsui and Ryota Miyagi focused more on defense.
• Sakuragi’s intimidating defense unsettled Hoffmann, who missed his shot, and Akagi and Brad jumped to contest the rebound.

Hanamichi Sakuragi encouraged Takenori Akagi as Shohoku battled Chariot, while Shirasawa broke Chariot’s defense and helped Shohoku build an 89-77 lead with five minutes left. In the stands, Fukazawa’s Shota Sugiyama and Kazuo Karasawa assumed Akagi would join them, but other strong universities had begun pursuing him too.

• After Brad scored over Takenori Akagi, Hanamichi Sakuragi encouraged Akagi to fight back, lifting his spirits.
• Chariot switched to a defense focused on containing Shirasawa, but he countered with a deep step-back three-pointer.
• Shirasawa continued drawing defenders and setting up his teammates, and Akagi scored to put Shohoku ahead 89-77.
• Chariot’s offense faltered under pressure as Sakuragi defended Hoffmann for three possessions and Brad was called for a foul.
• Shota Sugiyama told Kazuo Karasawa that Fukazawa had to recruit Akagi, believing he would choose them, while other strong teams also showed interest in Akagi.

Fukazawa Sports University planned to recruit Kiminobu Kogure as a way to persuade the increasingly coveted Takenori Akagi to join, while Shohoku fought to protect its lead against Chariot in the Four Nations Invitational. The game remained tense as Chariot’s full-court press challenged Shohoku, and Ryota Miyagi took charge of breaking it.

• Fukazawa learned that Akagi had received an invitation from another strong team and prepared to speak with him after Shohoku’s second-round game.
• Sugiyama and Karasawa decided Fukazawa would offer Kogure a scarce roster spot to help bring Akagi to the university.
• Kogure cheered for Akagi from the sidelines, unaware that Fukazawa had quietly contacted him with a chance to keep playing basketball.
• Hoffmann sank a pressured three-pointer for Chariot, cutting Shohoku’s lead to eleven points with three minutes remaining.
• Chariot began a full-court man-to-man press, and Akagi passed the ball to Miyagi, who moved to break the pressure.

Shohoku widened its lead over the Chariot after Ryota Miyagi scored on a fast break and Shirasawa completed a four-point play. With Wagner injured and the score continuing to climb, the Chariot’s defeat was all but certain as the game neared its end.

• Ryota Miyagi raced past the Chariot defense and scored a fast-break layup, extending Shohoku’s lead to thirteen.
• The Chariot coach called a timeout, but his players returned to the court discouraged by the crowd and the mounting deficit.
• Shirasawa stole the ball from Wagner, then stopped beyond the three-point line and attempted a pull-up shot as Hanamichi Sakuragi raced toward the basket.
• Wagner fouled Shirasawa while trying to block the shot, but the ball went in, giving Shirasawa a four-point play after he made the free throw.
• Wagner injured his ankle and was carried off the court, while Shohoku kept pressing and increased its lead to twenty-one points.

Shohoku defeated Chariot by twenty-three points, with Shirasawa delivering a dominant performance, and prepared for their final game against Cheetah. Sota Miyagi returned to Moichi Taoka and explained that he had gone to the bathroom while watching the game, still intent on uncovering his origins.

• Shirasawa scored Shohoku’s final basket, and Hoffmann accepted defeat before shaking hands with Ryota Miyagi as the game ended.
• Shohoku’s victory over Chariot made history, while Hoffmann acknowledged Shirasawa’s extraordinary performance and Shohoku looked ahead to Cheetah.
• Shohoku and Cheetah passed each other, and Alex and Shirasawa silently agreed to face off; Hanamichi Sakuragi also glared at Robinson, who dismissed him.
• Moichi Taoka panicked when Sota Miyagi disappeared and ordered Hikoichi Aida to search the gym.
• Sota Miyagi reappeared and told Taoka and Hikoichi that he had gone to the bathroom, explaining that he had returned to learn about his origins.

Moichi Taoka told Sota Miyagi about his past as a celebrated basketball player and pointed him toward Okinawa to learn more about his family. He then urged Sota to return to school and began pitching Ryonan as the right team for his high school year.

• Taoka brought Sota to the Ryonan gym and explained that he had once been a famous young basketball MVP who went missing after an accident.
• Sota learned that Taoka knew little about his family, though his younger brother was Ryota Miyagi, and Taoka advised him to contact people from his old school in Okinawa.
• Sota thanked Taoka and prepared to leave, but Taoka stopped him to discuss his future in Japan.
• Taoka learned that Sota was not enrolled in school and considered how his basketball talent could help him enter high school as a senior.
• Taoka described Japanese basketball and promoted Ryonan as a strong team where Sota could help pursue a national championship.

Sota Miyagi refused Moichi Taoka’s invitation to join Ryonan because he suspected Shohoku’s Ryota Miyagi was his younger brother and wanted to find out. He went to Shohoku to meet Ryota, arriving at the gym just as someone inside missed a free throw and blamed the hoop.

• Moichi Taoka directly invited Sota Miyagi to join Ryonan, but Sota declined for personal reasons and left without explaining further.
• Taoka accepted Sota’s decision and refocused on preparing Ryonan for the new season.
• Sota became increasingly convinced that Ryota Miyagi was his younger brother and headed to Shohoku to find him.
• Sota reached Shohoku’s gym and heard a ball bouncing inside despite expecting the team not to be practicing.
• Someone at the free-throw line missed a shot and shouted that something was wrong with the hoop.

Sota Miyagi approached Hanamichi Sakuragi at Shohoku’s gym and learned that Sakuragi knew Ryota had an older brother. Sota revealed he might be that brother, and Sakuragi challenged him to a one-on-one match to decide whether he would take Sota to Ryota or tell him everything he knew.

• Hanamichi Sakuragi practiced free throws while Sota Miyagi joined him and asked about Ryota.
• Sota asked whether Ryota had an older brother, and Sakuragi reacted angrily, confirming he knew the secret.
• Sota said he might be Ryota Miyagi’s older brother and explained that he had no proof because seven years had passed and he had amnesia.
• Sota asked whether Ryota had mentioned his brother playing basketball, and Sakuragi recalled Ryota describing him as an outstanding player.
• Sakuragi challenged Sota to a one-on-one: if Sakuragi lost, Sota would tell him everything; if Sota lost, he would take Sakuragi to Ryota.
• Sota accepted the challenge and told Sakuragi not to weasel out if he lost.

Hanamichi Sakuragi challenged Sota Miyagi to a one-on-one, but Miyagi easily stole the ball from him twice before Sakuragi settled into his defensive stance. Miyagi began sizing up Sakuragi’s imposing defense and launched a three-point shot, leaving Sakuragi to guess how best to guard him.

• Sakuragi took the ball first and tried to attack, but Sota Miyagi quickly stripped it from his hands.
• Sakuragi claimed Miyagi had fouled him and then charged forward as soon as he got the ball back.
• Miyagi stole the ball from behind just as Sakuragi gathered for a dunk, prompting Sakuragi to begin defending in earnest.
• Sakuragi’s tight defense impressed Miyagi, who lowered his stance and studied him before shooting from beyond the three-point line.
• Sakuragi, unsure of Miyagi’s offensive habits, chose to prioritize stopping his drive.

Hanamichi Sakuragi and Sota Miyagi played a one-on-one until Ryota Miyagi arrived and recognized Sota as his brother, who had disappeared in a maritime accident seven years earlier. The brothers reunited emotionally, and Sota returned to the Shohoku gym the next day as Ryota's older brother.

• Sota Miyagi built a 9-0 lead over Hanamichi Sakuragi in their one-on-one and reached match point.
• Ryota Miyagi entered the gym and recognized Sota Miyagi as his long-lost older brother.
• Sota Miyagi and Ryota Miyagi exchanged tearful words, and Ryota called him “Big brother.”
• Hanamichi Sakuragi's match-point game with Sota Miyagi ended without a final basket as the brothers reunited.
• Sota Miyagi returned to the Shohoku gym the next day, and the teammates reacted with excitement when they learned he was Ryota Miyagi's brother.

Sota Miyagi reunited with Ryota and chose to return to Japan and join Shohoku, where Coach Anzai arranged his admission. As Shohoku prepared to face Cheetah for the Four Nations Invitational title, Sota appeared beside Coach Anzai and stunned Moichi Taoka and the crowd.

• Sota Miyagi reunited with Ryota, decided to stay in Japan, and told him he would apply to Shohoku and play alongside him for a year.
• Coach Anzai welcomed Sota to Shohoku and promised to arrange his admission.
• Shohoku and Cheetah entered the final round with the tournament title at stake after each team secured two wins.
• Shohoku warmed up before a packed arena as fans gathered to watch the championship match.
• Sota Miyagi walked onto the court beside Coach Anzai, and Hikoichi Aida and Moichi Taoka realized who he was.
• Moichi Taoka was left stunned that Sota had chosen Shohoku, a team he had not considered among the likely destinations.

Sota Miyagi joined Shohoku, drawing Moichi Taoka’s anger and Alex’s attention before the Four Nations Invitational final against Cheetah. As Shohoku’s championship lineup prepared for what could be their last game together, Takenori Akagi reflected on how his teammates had shaped his life and love of basketball.

• Moichi Taoka fumed over Sota Miyagi joining Shohoku, while Coach Anzai believed Miyagi and Shirasawa would complement each other.
• Alex spotted Miyagi at the Shohoku bench and mistook his confusion for arrogance, while Miyagi failed to recognize him.
• Coach Anzai warned Shohoku that Cheetah was formidable, and the players rallied together by declaring, “We are the strongest!”
• Shohoku and Cheetah revealed their starting lineups, and Kiminobu Kogure cautioned that Cheetah’s athleticism and pace could overwhelm them.
• Coach Anzai acknowledged Shohoku’s disadvantages but urged the players to enjoy their final game together and show Miyagi the team’s spirit.
• Ryota Miyagi, Shirasawa, Hisashi Mitsui, and Hanamichi Sakuragi called to Takenori Akagi, who smiled and remembered how his teammates had led him to cherish basketball.

Kiminobu Kogure and Takenori Akagi accepted offers to join Fukazawa Sports University, and Shohoku began its game against the Cheetah Team with Akagi winning the opening jump ball. Shirasawa and Alex faced off in a tense one-on-one, while Sota Miyagi recognized Alex and anticipated a more interesting game.

• Kiminobu Kogure recalled that Kazuo Karasawa and Shota Sugiyama had offered him a place at Fukazawa alongside Takenori Akagi, and he accepted the opportunity.
• Takenori Akagi and Kiminobu Kogure agreed to join Fukazawa Sports University and hoped to keep playing together in college.
• Takenori Akagi outjumped Robinson and tipped the opening ball to Shohoku.
• Alex charged at Shirasawa as he brought the ball across midcourt, but Shirasawa used a series of dribble moves to get past his defensive gamble.
• Sota Miyagi recognized Alex and said the game was going to be interesting.

After taking an overdose, Shirasawa woke in the body of Yo Aoki, a Japanese teenager, and began adjusting to his new family and healthy body. At a convenience store, he discovered that he had entered the world of Slam Dunk and read about its high school basketball league while the clerk prepared to confront him.

• Shirasawa, whose illness and family troubles had left him wheelchair-bound, took all the pills in a bottle and passed out while reading Slam Dunk.
• Shirasawa woke in Yo Aoki’s body, found that his hands no longer shook, and met Yo’s parents, Ryoko Aoki and Mamoru Aoki, and younger brother, Ryo Aoki.
• Ryo Aoki told his family that he had damaged a car during a celebration, and Mamoru Aoki offered to have his secretary handle the owner.
• Shirasawa left for school and stopped at a convenience store, where a magazine cover naming Sannoh Industrial High School and the Interhigh League convinced him that he was in the world of Slam Dunk.
• Asatani watched Shirasawa read the magazine without buying it and prepared to throw him out.

After discovering he had transmigrated into the world of Slam Dunk as Yo Aoki, Shirasawa joined Eda Middle School’s basketball team and endured a week of punishing training. The chapter ends with Shirota questioning why Yo keeps working when Coach Hisaishi has no intention of letting him play.

• Shirasawa recognized Slam Dunk in a magazine article, accepted his identity as Yo Aoki, and decided to conquer the nation through basketball.
• Yo went to Eda Middle School’s gym and asked to join the team; Coach Hisaishi approved his request on the condition that he follow the rules.
• Yo dyed his hair black, got a crew cut, and removed his earrings before returning to school and practice.
• Hisaishi assigned Yo scoreboard duty and grueling physical training, which Yo continued for a week while the other players watched in disbelief.
• After practice, Shirota saw Yo still running shuttle drills and asked why he kept training when Hisaishi would not let him play.

Yo Aoki trained to improve his basketball skills, then went with Shirota to watch Kanagawa’s high school finals and saw Ryonan defeat Takezato. The chapter ended as Kainan and Shoyo took the court for their eagerly awaited matchup.

• Yo Aoki told Shirota that basketball was his dream, discussed Shinichi Maki and Takenori Akagi, and continued planning his training.
• Yo Aoki and Shirota decided to attend the finals, where they watched Ryonan beat Takezato 63–59 behind Akira Sendoh’s 35 points, 11 assists, four steals, and ten rebounds.
• Shirota and Yo Aoki watched Shoyo arrive with Kenji Fujima and then Kainan arrive with Shinichi Maki.
• The referee sent Kainan and Shoyo onto the court as the crowd awaited the start of their game.

Yo Aoki watched Kainan and Shoyo face off, analyzed their play, and sought a way to improve through pickup games. As he considered which high school to attend, he chose Takezato as his goal and arrived at a park court with Shirota, where a girl greeted Shirota.

• Fujima set up Shoyo’s opening three-pointer, but Maki answered with a basket and a free throw after overpowering Shoyo’s center.
• Yo Aoki predicted that Kainan’s strength and Maki’s advantage over Fujima could decide the game, then left with Shirota to avoid the crowd’s hostile stares.
• Shirota offered to take Aoki to pickup games with the Fire Phoenix, and Aoki decided that playing there could help him improve.
• Coach Hisaishi warned Aoki that his age and grades would limit his high school options, but Aoki insisted he would pass an entrance exam on his own merits.
• Aoki ruled out Kainan, Shoyo, Ryonan, and Shohoku, then decided to aim for Takezato.
• Aoki and Shirota arrived at the park court for a streetball game, where a girl approached and called Shirota Naoto.