Mangaka
Takehiko Inoue
Basketball and the sword, drawn by the finest brush in manga.
Takehiko Inoue drew the best-selling sports manga ever made, then spent decades on Vagabond, a samurai epic he inks with a brush. Slam Dunk, Vagabond and Real are graded here, with the arcs and the games that made them.
The arcs
The stretches of story that justify the reputation, ranked.
- Sasaki KojiroVagabondA deaf swordsman's whole life, told almost without words.
- The Second YoshiokaVagabondSeventy men at Ichijoji, drawn stroke by stroke.
- The Sannoh gameSlam DunkThe last game, told in near silence, and one of the great endings.
- HozoinVagabondMusashi meets Inshun, and his own limits.
- KainanSlam DunkShohoku against the champions, lost by a pass.
- SekishusaiVagabondThe old master who wins by never fighting.
- The practice gameSlam DunkRyonan, and the first sight of Sendoh.
- The rehabilitation wardRealWheelchair basketball, and three people starting over.
The characters
The people Inoue draws better than anyone.
- VagabondMiyamoto MusashiThe strongest man alive, learning what strength is for.
- Slam DunkHanamichi SakuragiA delinquent who joins the team for a girl and stays for the game.
- Slam DunkKaede RukawaThe rival who says nothing and never misses.
- VagabondSasaki KojiroMusashi's opposite, joyful where he is grim.
- RealKiyoharu TogawaTalent, pride and a wheelchair, in that order.