Full-time comic artist

He and Akemi Akimiya watched the game together at the end of October, which was a Japanese basketball league match.

Sitting in the front row, feeling the excitement of the crowd, Higashino Hibiki also got excited.

"Go for it, Takehiko Orimoto!"

All around were cheers and applause.

"Athletes in the workplace are much stronger than those in comics." Akemi Akimiya exclaimed, speechless.

"Yes, that's really amazing."

Whether it's speed, jumping ability, or reaction speed, the amazing plays they made on the spot were better than those of the characters in "Slam Dunk".

“Sakuragi and his friends are just high school students, but these players are professionals.” Someone nearby couldn’t help but explain, “It’s drawn by Tori Akino-sensei, and it’s very realistic.”

"However, the content of the comic is much more exciting than the live competition," he remarked.

“Yes,” Hibiki Higashino nodded, “After all, only when reading works like manga can you feel the characters’ inner world and be happy along with them.”

Take Akagi for example. In the previous Shohoku team, no one could cooperate with him. No matter how hard a person tries, if they are blocked by the opponent and have no teammates who can pass the ball to them, they can only end up in defeat.

The current Shohoku team has Mitsui, a terrifying three-point shooter, on the perimeter; and Rukawa, Shohoku's ace player, who can shoot from anywhere and provides full-court support.

And Miyagi, the point guard who can pass the ball and score himself; and that rapidly improving beginner, the king under the basket, and the great support of Sakuragi Hanamichi.

Readers who follow Akagi's high school basketball journey in the manga will feel genuinely happy and moved for him.

After three years of perseverance, he finally found reliable teammates. His current hard work on the court is even more touching and inspiring.

"Oh, buddy, what you said is really true." The audience member's eyes lit up as he praised, "That really hit the nail on the head."

It's unbelievable that he started talking about manga with Hibiki Higashino during this crucial match.

“Uozumi is the same way,” he said. “He practiced hard for three years, and in the last year he had the best chance to realize his dream and enter the national tournament. But he fell behind at Shohoku. I can completely feel how he felt.”

"Ryonan was thirteen points behind Shohoku. With six minutes left in the game, he could only watch from the bench. His unwillingness and eagerness to try were palpable."

Readers could have easily predicted Uozumi's subsequent outburst.

“Jun Uozumi is 202 cm tall and weighs 90 kg. Takenori Akagi is 197 cm tall and weighs 90 kg. In terms of physique, the two are evenly matched.”

"They're about the same level of ugliness."

"However, Uozumi's reputation has never been as good as Akagi's, which is why Uozumi has always regarded Akagi as his rival."

"The reason he can put so much pressure on Shohoku is because of the miracle that Uozumi believed in."

……

With 5 minutes and 30 seconds left in the game between Shohoku and Ryonan, Fukuda finally scored with the help of Uozumi!

It brought fighting spirit to the Lingnan basketball team.

We're still down by thirteen points.

Then Uozumi blocked Akagi's dunk, stole the ball from Sakuragi Hanamichi, and won the rebounding contest against the two.

Ryonan's defenses have finally become reliable.

The situation began to turn around.

He relieved Sendoh of the pressure, allowing Sendoh to focus entirely on attacking and finding Shohoku's weaknesses.

Under Sendoh's offensive, the unstable factors of Shohoku were revealed one by one.

First up was Mitsui Hisashi, who played the entire match but was completely exhausted.

Mitsui Hisashi was distracted due to exhaustion, wasting a three-point opportunity and failing to deliver the fatal blow to Ryonan at the most crucial moment.

Secondly, the players from Shohoku committed too many fouls, with all four players committing three fouls.

Under Sendoh's guidance, Miyagi Ryota quickly committed four offenses.

This will cause Sakuragi and his teammates to be afraid of fouling, making their defensive capabilities weaker.

Thirdly, Shohoku's bench strength is too weak. Facing Ryonan, players like Yasuda and Kakuta lack even the courage to compete.

Everything went exactly as Taoka Shigeichi had predicted, and the score difference was narrowed back to seven points.

Facing Ryonan's ace Sendoh, Rukawa was not to be outdone.

He made the shot despite the improbability.

Time was running out, and Ryonan was still 9 points behind Shohoku.

At this moment, Sendoh's desire to win grew stronger and stronger. He returned to his self from his first year of high school, simply being a scorer.

A basket plus a three-pointer! With three minutes left in the game, Ryonan is only down by four points!

"The path to immortality! The path to immortality! The path to immortality!"

The stadium was filled with cheers from the audience, who were hoping for a comeback victory.

Another source of unease in Shohoku has finally come to light.

That is because Coach Anzai was not there. In this unsettling moment, no one could come up with any tactics, and everyone panicked.

"You guys are ready to compete in the national tournament." Taoka Shigeichi, who had been in control of the game's rhythm all along, said confidently to Sendoh and the others.

……

“I was really panicked at that time,” an audience member told Hibiki Higashino. “Although it would be a pity for Ryonan, I still hope that Shohoku can win.”

"Tori Akino-sensei arranged such a crisis in the plot, but did not draw any possibility of resolving it. One unsettling factor after another keeps emerging, and it really feels like facing a hopeless future like the Rolling Stones."

As Shohoku's chances of winning dwindled, readers became increasingly eager to see the next chapter.

Countless reader surveys were cast for "Slam Dunk".

Hunter x Hunter, One Piece... they're not even worth a second glance.

"Was it the eighth or the tenth time back then?" Higashino Hibiki counted the number of times he had been number one in a row.

"What?" the audience asked curiously.

"No, it's nothing," Higashino Hibiki replied with a smile. "Please continue."

Takehiko Orimoto made a three-pointer, relieving the pressure on the team at a critical moment. As the team's ace and core player, he remains as reliable as ever.

The entire stadium was cheering, but Hibiki Higashino remained oblivious, completely absorbed in the world of "Slam Dunk".

The audience member licked his lips. "The plot that followed was truly amazing. I've been reminiscing about it for a long time. Even ten or twenty years from now, I'll still remember it. It's an unforgettable, classic moment."

The fourth source of unease in Shohoku is Sakuragi Hanamichi. He's a complete novice, and anything he does is possible.

For example, passing the ball.

In the final moments of the match against Hainan, Sakuragi passed the basketball to Hainan's Kazuma Takasago, leading to Shohoku's loss to Hainan.

Now, because the pass was too high, it hit the rim and was caught by Uozumi, allowing Ryonan to launch a counterattack.

Sakuragi's unease began to surface.

"The subsequent storyboarding was really brilliant," the audience member exclaimed.

In the final few minutes of intense competition, everyone else attacked and defended, giving their all.

Tension, sweat, effort, and struggle—the camera keeps switching between these scenes.

Among them, only Mitsui Hisashi was different.

His eyes were unfocused, and his physical movements were sustained only by his mind.

Everything went black before his eyes. Mitsui Hisashi stumbled and fell, his shoulders slumped down, as if only his brain was moving.

"With Coach Anzai gone, I must pull myself together..."

"I must pull myself together..."

"I will..."

"boom!"

When Sendoh made a successful shot and fouled Akagi, Mitsui Hisashi fell to the ground.

He was completely exhausted.

Taoka Shigeichi's prediction came true.

"In terms of the score, Shohoku no longer has an advantage, and their scorer Mitsui Hisashi has gone off the court. That's what I was thinking."

"However, Mitsui's story is truly moving."

Chapter 209 Entering the National Competition

At the professional basketball league event, Higashino Hibiki listened to the sentiments of "Slam Dunk" readers, who were deeply moved by the storyline of the Shohoku vs. Ryonan match.

"Mitsui Hisashi suffered from insufficient blood supply to his head and severe dehydration, and collapsed at the match venue. Kogure Kiminobu replaced him."

Everyone at the scene was cheering for Ryonan in unison, while a sense of oppression and gloom hung over Shohoku.

Unlike the venue, the lounge was completely silent.

The substitute went to buy water for Mitsui, who sat alone, drenched in sweat.

He clenched his fist, feeling powerless.

"Do I no longer have the stamina I had in high school? Now I'm just relying on the experience I gained in high school to play."

Afterwards, he picked up the canned drink his teammates had bought for him, but his fingers slipped, and the chilled drink fell off and rolled to the side.

He could only forcefully pick up another can of drink.

"clang."

"clang."

After several attempts, Mitsui Hisashi was unable to pull the tab.

Trembling all over, Mitsui used his thumb and all his strength to finally press down the pull ring.

He had exhausted every last bit of energy during the match, and now his muscles were so weak.

It's just a game.

“This made Mitsui see his limits and his powerlessness,” the viewer said with deep emotion. “After catching his breath, Mitsui shed tears in the next frame of the manga.”