CNN Profiles ‘Slam Dunk’ Creator Takehiko Inoue As Artistic Hero [Video]

The latest subject of CNN's "Human to Hero" series -- which profiles "the best in the fields of architecture, dance, fashion, music and sport" to explore "the discipline, dedication and determination involved, as well as the sources of inspiration" for the best -- is a welcome surprise: Slam Dunk creator Takehiko Inoue.David Brothers extolled the virtues of Inoue's basketball manga on this site last month, and CNN has similarly taken notice, showcasing what the artist brings to his work with a nice four-and-a-bit minute profile that shows the creator as "unpredictable and exciting" as he describes his work as.

The 45-year-old creator has been working as a professional for essentially a quarter of a century, first as an assistant on City Hunter for Tsukasa Hojo before making his solo debut in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump (the basis for Viz's prominent line of localized Shonen Jump US releases) in 1988. Since then the creator has worked on numerous series including the mega-successful Slam Dunk, and the still ongoing Vagabond and Real. That level of output may seem jarring, but watching the artist in action, it just seems natural.