The Real Basketball Genius

One of my friends shared a piece of article on facebook and I was attracted to it because of the funny looking guy. I was thinking to myself this article must be very long ago and that fella looked like a gangster but didn't bother about it because the article is in Mandarin and obviously I do not understand it.

Few days later, on a random note my housemate Khailing told me that Sakuragi Hanamichi, the main character in Slam Dunk is actually based on a real person. Then she opened the same article that our mutual friend shared and read it to me.

For those who could read Mandarin, this is the article.

Translation for those who couldn't XD

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. Basketball was in chaos, and he was named "The Hope of the Japanese Basketball". Nevertheless, his father fell sick a year later. Hanamichpi 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 mangaka, Takehiko Inoue created its series "Slam Dunk" based on the history of this youth.

The drawn Sakuragi Hanamichi does look like the real one on the article. Even the hairstyle is the same HAHAHA. I've never thought that it would be based on a real person. Though it's such a shame that he died at such a young age, else he would have achieved something bigger rather than being immortalised in a manga after his death.

THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT I WOULD POST

Sadly, the article is a hoax after I've gone snooping around! Such disappointment! I even felt sorry for that "Sakuragi Hanamichi" because he didn't even get to see his father for one last time. And was thinking "Hmm maybe they met in heaven or something. That would be nice." Pfft... How naive.

That "Sakuragi Hanamichi" is actually Yoshiki, the co-founder of X-Japan (a legendary heavy metal band from Japan). It's a picture when he was younger. That explains it cos he's 46 years old now ==

Aihh I feel so cheated. Anyways, Happy Chinese New Year to everyone! Eat more cookies and bahkwa! Collect more angpaos! And those who balik kampung, have lots of fun and drive safely!

EVERYBODY HUAT AHHHH! :D