Avatar: Way of Water Gets Overshadowed in Japan Thanks to an Anime Comeback

Avatar: Way of Water has, predictably, become a box office juggernaut during its opening week, bringing back the world of Pandora along with several characters from the first film directed by legendary creator James Cameron. While the long-awaited sequel easily rose the ranks to become the number-one movie in the West, it would seem the Na’vi were unable to overtake one anime film that has been topping the charts. The First Slam Dunk marks the return of one of the most popular sports anime in history, and its box office receipts prove its popularity.

Slam Dunk first arrived as a manga in 1990, bringing its original run to an end in 1996 from creator Takehiko Inoue, receiving an anime adaptation and anime movies that helped depict the story of Hanamichi Sakuragi and his team. It’s been quite some time since the series returned to the anime world and it seems as though, with it taking over the box office charts in Japan, there are plenty of anime fans that have been waiting for the series to return.

Avatar: Slam Dunk

What’s even more surprising about this fact is that The First Slam Dunk actually hit theaters early this December, meaning that it has retained the top spot despite Way of Water’s arrival in Japan. At present, The First Slam Dunk has brought in over $30 million USD in Japan alone, showing that the market for sports anime remains particularly strong in the East. 

If you haven’t had the opportunity to see footage from The First Slam Dunk, you can watch the trailer for the basketball movie below:

If you haven’t had the opportunity to hit the court with Slam Dunk, Crunchyroll has the original anime adaptation on its streaming service and has the following official description for the basketball anime:

“Hanamichi Sakuragi, an entering freshman at Shohoku High, holds a record for being rejected by 50 girls during middle school. Ever since the last girl turned him down for a guy on the basketball team, Sakuragi’s been traumatized by the sport.”  

Do you think that Slam Dunk’s latest movie will remain at the top spot for Japan’s box office for the remainder of 2022? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of sports anime. 

Via Sora News 24