Hollywood Art: System of sunnys

Among the many places to direct fan disappointment was the ending of Slam Dunk, a moment that left many followers feeling disillusioned. The end of the movie was a departure from everything Slam Dunk represented, with Billy already working on the next installment, featuring Sakuragi/Will as the clueless rookie.

Without wasting more time, the story of a rookie joining the Slam Dunk league was unfolding.

-It ended suddenly - whispered Kevin Durant, one of the best basketball players of his promotion, still forgotten. Without giving himself space, he re-read the manga in his hands. His entire basketball team was there, each holding their manga, while others gathered nearby to read together.

The most-read manga in the history of Lux Animation, with 3.3 million sales in its initial release, did not last long, but comic sales were projected at two million copies. However, the factory kept printing, and now the budget is projected at eight million. With numerous orders, including only the American market, it might become the best-selling comic of all time.

-How magnificent is the basketball world - commented Pierce, a member of the basketball team.

-Lazy worms, we have a game to play, and you better play with all the dedication required for such quality work - said the coach, with his usual harsh, stern, and strong voice.

The magical world of Slam Dunk remained etched in the eyes of all children as "the basketball world is a place few truly understand," with its intense ending and the tears of the victorious team. Few could grasp both triumph and defeat.

Journalists say that now people have new stars in their game, adapting to the new culture, and connecting with something as familiar as the basketball world. The main team has it all: first, a great defensive center with the spirit to be a captain, though lacking the strength of other competitors. He is weak and often loses but is the glue that holds everyone together. The second position features tactical players: a great point guard with excellent hand skills, and his Puerto Rican roots, along with a problematic kid with a great three-point shot, an expert in triples.

A star who carries the team on his shoulders and dreams only of basketball, and a great dunker who jumps as high as the gods demand but fails. The result is that children want to be like the manga characters. A study shows that basketball circuit sales increased by 20%, participants by 20%, and the game among children by another 30%.

Street teams emerge neighborhood teams are born, new academies, and new basketball tournaments arise.

***

-It’s the end of Slam Dunk, but also the end of Samurai X and Shaman King - Billy told Anne Hall, who was frankly astonished by leaving behind three of the best-selling series.

-Wait, isn’t that logical? How is it possible to do this so quickly? - Anne said, clearly upset, about three of the best series, those that had sold millions of copies.

-I’m blocked with Samurai X - Billy replied.

Anne’s jaw dropped completely… of course! He needed inspiration to continue his series. Without it, the quality of the comics might completely decline. However, under the agreement of failure, they can continue.

-That’s why I want to focus on these comics and advance. Over the last few days, I’ve been drawing 10-hour days. We still have 20 chapters left... and I’m confident that the new Yu-Gi-Oh card series will stand out. But now there’s a “real” manga in your sights. The best place to continue with basketball mangas, a true delicate work of art. Billy’s impressionism has infused mangas like Hunter x Hunter, Slam Dunk, Yu Yu Hakusho, 300, Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Hellsing, Samurai X, and Shaman King. An impressionistic reality of high level, but Slam Dunk, Cowboy Bebop, Hellsing, and Samurai X... have an impressive level of realism.

Billy doesn’t want to admit it, but he has found that he prefers hyperrealism above all. It challenges him, and that’s why Real, a work of at least 90 chapters, has been a monumental task for Billy. The first chapter contains some of the highest drawing standards from periods of 1 to 5 hours per page. And he can’t deny that the challenge makes him want to keep drawing. All the drawing is done in such a way that upon publication... it might win an award.

-Don’t get all worked up... I have a surprise - Billy said, extending his hands to hand over the manga of Real.

The design and drawing were so magnificent that Anne could see how the manga perfectly complemented its title.

-You’ve taken hyper-realism to the extreme. I’m curious if it’s meant to respond to a tragic real-life story... how magnificent and challenging it is - commented Anne.

-We’ll use a new type of printing for this. Laser printing - Billy said. - This will replace the Slam Dunk manga, but I can’t draw as quickly as we did the first time. It’s complicated, but it took me 4 days, working non-stop to shape it.

Billy approached Anne, and she shifted uncomfortably.

-Well, I think you could win the Pulitzer if you keep working the way you are - Anne commented. The story even had a poetic method, something uncommon and in some cases mixed with an unexpected power of poetry and strength.

-I’ll probably win the Nobel Prize for Literature - Billy joked.

The pure and revolutionary drawing style is completely different from common comics. Anne says it seriously; it requires a lot of effort, and the Pulitzer is on its way. People tend to go to the store and buy Billy’s mangas with pleasure. Now they can be sold in complete book packs, possibly bought in bulk. By the end of Slam Dunk, Billy improved everything about the comic: the story, script, characters, art, and emotional depth.

-We’ll make the pack. I want to sell at least 50,000 copies in the next two years. However, it’s a foolish fantasy. Cartoon Network has the license and hasn’t done a good job. Five years and they haven’t improved the program’s design at all. If we had the technology, the series would be sold in astronomical quantities - Billy replied.

***

The end of Slam Dunk had journalists in an uproar when they read the premise that the last manga unexpectedly marked the end of the great-selling series. Everything happened so quickly for those who wanted more and more, but it was logical. It was impossible to have detail—the series had been finished from beginning to end, with a tragic route. For readers.

-It’s over - murmured Betty Cohen, disagreeing about the possible consequences, staring at the contract. She would have to maintain the development of Slam Dunk always in optimal quality, but funding was low. The program insisted on significant benefits from toys, but the bosses wanted more money for two reasons: to sustain Hanna-Barbera and expand the animator network.

A minor pain was the particular problem of satisfying everyone in the company.

-Madam, we received a letter from Lux Animation stating that Warner has breached the terms of the Slam Dunk and Yu Yu Hakusho contracts - Paula Sullen commented.

Now the game of lawsuits was beginning to be seen by Warner. The first lawsuit was for a disproportionate amount of revenue payments, taxed at double, along with interest. The second lawsuit was for the lack of quality in the comic’s image from 1990 to 1995, along with a third for brand damage due to delivering a product of poor quality, with a penalty clause of 10% of Warner’s earnings for contract breach.

A forgotten sheet on her desk illuminated her mind. In 1992, Billy had sent a half-price subscription for his Autodesk service, as he did year after year. The latest arrived at the beginning of the year, which she rejected due to lack of funding. It was better to invest in skilled personnel.

The law firm McKenzie & Kirkland & Ellis, Lewis & Associates, Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, at the seal caused discomfort in Betty’s stomach. The amount for the first lawsuit was $670 million. A multimillion-dollar lawsuit, the second was for the reprint of the last 30 chapters, along with the cessation of the series... the third was 10% of the earnings, amounting to $580 million. Just before, strange maneuvers apparently, Warner acquired Turner Broadcasting, but not just acquire—merging the already closely related entities.

-She has learned about corporate warfare - Betty commented, sitting down, completely exhausted.

No one in their right mind sues a big company unless they have the fighting power. ‘The question is, how long has this strategy been in the making to cause such a severe blow?’ In 1993, Warner’s financial statements were made public, all accounting books, and now a lawsuit is synonymous with a disastrous trial due to the amount. The first instance will be the California court, followed by the national court, and finally, the Supreme Court if it comes to that. In terms of amount, nothing different could be another form.

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