During my childhood days, I must admit that I used to be boyish. I play pellet gun and other games that boys only play. Instead of watching girly cartoon programs before, I only watch Gundam Seed, Power Ranger, Ghost Fighter, Dragon Ball Z etc. But there’s one anime that I devotedly watch before. It is, Slamdunk.

That show made me play basketball even though I suck at it. I also impersonated those three girls who always cheer “L-O-V-E RUKAWA! RUKAWA!” for Kaede Rukawa of course. The cheering squad of Shoyo who cheer “Sige sige shoyo. Okay okay Shoyo!.” The reporter who popularized the term “I-checheck ko yan!”, forgot his name though. And most of all, the main protagonist of the story, Hanamichi Sakuragi who fell in love with Haruko Akagi and who always give names to all the people that he met. This guys is really cute! :)

Moreover, a friend of mine tweeted a while ago about the story of the real Hanamichi Sakuragi. I got confused about it so I searched it a t google and tada, there goes the story of the real Sakuragi. Now, here is his story:

Hanamichi Sakuragi was born in 1968 in a family of the common working class. His mother passed away when he was very young, without the love of his mother he use the violence (out-on-the-street fights) to resolve his problems. As a young boy he was very tall at the age of 12 average 1.75 mts, and his body began to acquire force and a lot of resistance through his fights. Once he had a fight with the students in the sports zone of the University of Tokyo; his abilities to fight, velocity and tough physicality they attracted the coach of the basketball team, and offered him to join the team.

In a party of practice, at the age of 17, against the National Team of Japan,Hanamichi of 1.89 mts, was the unique one that was not frightened by the professionals and noted 33 points alone: 10 shots, 3 nailed, 1 triple, 1 shot that did not find the terminology to explain, and 2 free shots.

Although its team lost with only 59 points (59 – 115), had been an excellent first game for Hanamichi Sakuragi. Basketball was in chaos, and he was named “The Hope of the Japanese Basketball”. Nevertheless, its father fell sick a year later. Hanamichi went of, return to Tokyo, and this trip would cost him all. He descended of the bus in Tokyo and he was on the verge of crossing the street across the hospital when a car that went very fast hit him . Although he had the “body of steel”, the impact simply was too strong. He collapsed, they carried him to the hospital. Unfortunately it was too late… before they sent him to the operating room (he) died from internal hemorrhage, only with 18 years of age.

The World of the Japanese Basketball was completely destroyed, they called this loss “Colossal”. The mangaca Takehiko Inoue created its series” Slam Dunk” based on the history of his youth.

If this is real then thanks to Hanamichi Sakuragi giving idea to Takehiko Inoue to create Slamdunk.

SOURCE

Who would have thought that this guys really exist? I must say that if without him, I would’t be able to appreciate and enjoy basketball. Thank you, Sakuragi-Kun! :)