Overview
- Left-Hand Layup, a Chinese animated series, is set to launch on Crunchyroll soon, spotlighting the journey of basketball prodigy Xu Xing Ze.
- The protagonist faces unexpected challenges as he finds himself enrolled in an underperforming school that shares its name with the elite institution he aspired to attend.
- This series has garnered acclaim in China, receiving a nomination for Best Animated Series at a prestigious festival, and is helmed by directors including Yanwen Gao.
Navigation
Left-Hand Layup, also known as Zuoshou Shanglan in its native language, is an exciting new addition to Crunchyroll’s offerings, launching on April 23rd. This Chinese donghua is perfect for fans of basketball and sports anime alike. The series is divided into two parts, both of which will be accessible on the streaming platform starting April 23. Originally premiered on Tencent Video back in February 2023, the series has already captured the hearts of viewers and is eagerly anticipated for its next installment due out in December.
The narrative centers around Xu Xing Ze, a gifted basketball player whose ambitions hit a roadblock when his sister inadvertently registers him at a low-ranked school—one that bears a striking resemblance to the elite institution he dreamed of joining.
Watch the trailer here
What Is Left-Hand Layup?
Plot and Production Information
In the vibrant world of Left-Hand Layup, viewers follow the journey of Xu Xing Ze, an extraordinarily talented basketball player whose lofty aspirations are sidelined when a mix-up leads him to a poorly ranked school. Renowned for its animation quality and compelling storytelling, the series features a diverse cast of characters as Ze must unite with a mismatched group of teammates to take on formidable opponents in the region.
Significantly, this series received recognition in China, being nominated for the Best Animated Series category at the 2024 China International Cartoon and Animation Festival (CICAF). Furthermore, Jintian Li, known for his impactful story setting, was a contender for the Best Original Screenplay at the 2024 Golden Screenwriters’ Night.
The creative vision for Left-Hand Layup comes from a talented team including directors Yanwen Gao, Yang Huang, and Zhongli Xie. The writing team boasts names like Xiaohan Chen (initial screenplay), He Li, Jintian Li, and Yijin Pan. Character design was entrusted to a skilled ensemble featuring Long Lin, Jing Zhang, Lizheng Zong, and Zeyi Liu, with the latter also acting as animation supervisor. The voice cast includes:
- Qiege Qin as Xing Ze
- Wenxiao He as Gu Liaoliao
- Zhangtaikang Chen as Mo Yun
- Chenyang Fu as Chenkuan Sima
- Jinger Wang as Xin Guan
- Ziping Chen as Zhan Gao
- Bo Jiang as Baiting Duan
- Huilin Zhang as Xingyou Xu
Don’t miss the premiere of Left-Hand Layup on Crunchyroll starting April 23.
Source: Crunchyroll Announcement