DESCRIPTION

CAST

MANGA DramaMedalist
ANIME DramaMedalist 2nd Season

REVIEWS

• 

  HidamariSeashore

  84/100
  Like the main characters, someone worked hard to make a dream come true, and this is the result.

  It's kind of funny how this story about striving to make a wholesome dream come true came from someone with a wholesome dream of their own. Tsurumaikada, a doujinshi artist and fan of voice actress Natsumi Haruse, once declared on Twitter that they wanted to one day draw a figure skating manga that would get an anime adaptation starring Natsumi Haruse. If that were me, I would have left it at that, saying that that would be nice, but Tsurumaikada actually took steps to make their dream come true, even taking ice skating classes for research. This all resulted in the serialization of "Medalist", a manga that quickly gained the adoration of readers and even won some awards, including the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2023. This year, Tsurumaikada's dream finally came true with the release of the Medalist anime, but was pursuing this dream really worth it in the end? Let's find out.

  Medalist begins when Tsukasa Akeuraji, a former ice dancer whose dreams of being a solo figure skater never truly got off the ground due to him starting late in life, starts working as an assistant skating coach at an ice skating rink. There, he meets Inori Yuitsuka, a fifth-grader with figure skating dreams of her own. However, due to her mother not letting her pursue figure skating and people her age being considered "too old" to start, anyway, Inori doesn't have the self-confidence to go beyond secretly practicing at the ice rink. Tsukasa sees great potential in Inori, however, and not wanting to see her give up like he did, he agrees to become her coach. Together, they overcome various challenges and work toward Inori's ultimate goal: to become an Olympic gold medalist.

  The story told in Medalist is a very inspiring one with a strong message of "It's never too late to go for your dreams". Not the most original message, I know, but a good one, nonetheless. I've never had any interest in figure skating - I struggle with roller skating, so forget figure skating - yet seeing Inori and other characters skate almost makes me want to try; that's how inspirational it is. I do have one major gripe with the story, and it's a time skip that happens partway through the series. It made me feel like I skipped some episodes with some really important plot developments, although I guess adding the events that were skipped might have created a repetitive storyline.

  I said that Medalist is an inspiring anime, but I don't think I would have said that if the characters were unlikable. I absolutely loved Inori as a character; the way she was so hard on herself in the beginning was very heartbreaking (and sadly relatable), which made it all the more satisfying to see her gain some confidence and really come into her own. Plus, her interactions with other characters, especially her fellow figure skaters, are pretty fun. As for her coach, Tsukasa, I also really liked him and the coach-and-student bond he formed with Inori, and the parts of his backstory that we get are pretty sad. There are also a plethora of supporting characters who are varying degrees of likable. Even Inori's mother becomes more likable as she becomes more supportive of her daughter, and she actually has an understandable reason for her initial reluctance to let Inori pursue figure skating.

  When I found out that Medalist was being animated by ENGI, I'll admit that I was a little bit concerned. As some in the anime community know, ENGI isn't exactly known for producing high-quality anime; even their arguably best-known work, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out, is okay at best animation-wise. (Same goes for other aspects of that series, but that's not the point.) Luckily, the animation quality here is very good. Most of the series is 2-D animated, and it looks very colorful and well-animated. However, during figure skating routines, CG animation is used for whichever character is doing the routine, which may scare some people off; I would like to bring those people back by saying the CG animation is very fluid. It is jarring when the series switches from one animation style to the other - which it does quite a bit to show other characters' reactions to a skating routine - but it's not too bad once you get used to it.

  So, uh.... I may have mentioned Inori's Japanese voice actress at the beginning of this review, but since I could only find the English dub when I searched for Medalist on Disney+, I had to watch that version; thus, I can't really comment on Natsume Haruse's voice performance or that of the rest of the Japanese cast. Maybe I should have just watched it on Hulu.... Anyway, it turned out to be a mostly solid dub, with Madeline Dorroh being a suitable enough fit for Inori. However, I would like to advise Grace Lu, the English voice actress for Hikaru Kamisaki, to be more careful about where she records her lines, as there was a scene in episode 2 where her voice sounded echo-y in a way that felt unintentional. Her other voiced lines sounded fine to me, but that particular scene seemed like it was supposed to be more impactful than it was for me due to the echoes in Hikaru's voice distracting me.

  Given how figure skaters perform with music playing, it's reasonable to expect the music in Medalist to be good, and luckily, it delivers. The opening theme, "Bow and Arrow" by Kenshi Yonezu, is a beautiful song that has an icy and mystical vibe to it; meanwhile, "Atashi no Dress" by Neguse, the ending theme, is as cute as the visuals that are shown while it's playing. (That is to say, very cute.) The background music and the insert songs were also very good. My favorite is probably "Go For The Gold"; the scene where it was first played was probably the most captivating scene in the entire series, and the song played a large role in that with how absolutely gorgeous it was. With how good Medalist is already, that's an incredible feat.

  Although it doesn't feel right for me to rate it higher than I am, I can't deny that Medalist is a very good anime, and it's a worthy result of all of Tsurumaikada's hard work to make their dream come true. If you want a good coming of age story or just want to (at least partially) fill the void that the Yuri On Ice movie left with its cancellation, I highly recommend it. Let's just hope that the upcoming second season can keep Tsurumaikada's dream going strong!

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• 

  Akeuragi

  90/100
  A series that emphasizes the importance of development and hardwork, a key factor for success, and drive for goals.

  Starting Late Doesn't Mean You'll Fail

  Medalist is an underrated anime adaptation that emphasizes the significance of development. In the series, you will encounter numerous characters having problems about themselves or others, which affects their perspectives, and becoming the person they are. However, the story teaches us hope that hardwork or not giving up will bear fruits that may lead to success, but even if there's no success, there is development.

  The main characters in the story (Inori & Tsukasa) inherently pertain to "being late" regarding ice skating, which many of us apprehend to be via various aspects- be it may career, life, maturity, or others- and usually, people invalidate as to them thinking they are "left behind" or "too late". However, despite the both of them were "late" in their passion for ice skating, and that the others around them invalidated them for it, (e.g. Inori's mom, Tsukasa's past) the main characters' firm idealization of their characteristics tells us how impactful support and faith are, no matter the cost.

  Tsukasa Akueraji, the coach of Inori, stands for "guiding people" which he simply does not do just because he is a coach, or he empathized to Inori for being late, but it's his nature to be humble and persevering. When Inori was having struggles in school, she took a profound interest in ice skating after watching her older sister's performance, and secretly practiced until she gained the courage of telling her mother. Inori's name stands for "to bind", which Tsukasa Akueraji does in the story after Inori always shows a negative attitude towards herself, and in fact, makes sense at all.

  But, the story teaches us that society will always have their prejudice, which halts one's creativity and goals, (where her mother exactly implies the failure of her sister which she has doubts), but one shouldn't stop advocating for oneselves, which the main character does in the story. Her persistence made her mother rethink of her decisions, and let her enroll to ice skating where she met coach Tsukasa, who coincidentally had the same fate as her. At the end of the story, you can see the doubts turn into "thank you's" and realizations which makes the story more fulfilling.

  As such, failure plays a big role in the story, as the story primarily executes the distinction between talentand hardwork. Both Akeuraji and Inori started late, their beginnings were filled with hardships and various failures, the others were judging them for it, and worse, they didn't believe in their selves in the most crucial times in the story, but with each others' support, they were able to adapt and teach each other that failures will always be a crucial part for success. At the end of the story, you can see Inori saying goodbye to herself, it's as if she had already moved on from her failure life of school, and her failures lead her to where she is now.

  There is also the concept that "people become who they are" due to factors such as childhood, influence, environment, and experiences, which certain characters in the story adapt, like Jun Yodaka. He is a coach, and former athlete who is obsessed with ice skating (and Tsukasa) cold, unsociable, and doesn't like to be underestimated, but it was primarily because of his past, which he took Hikaru (Inori's rival in ice skating) as a disciple to prove others wrong. He also became a moving force for both Tsukasa and Inori as he explicitly tells them that "they can't beat him, and that they'll have to go against Hikaru first if they try". He is the exact opposite of Tsukasa, who is humble and cooperative with the other coaches, but the both of them are moving forces to each other, all thanks to their different nature.

  The lesson being that others' prejudice could also be considered as a way of driving one to become better and that our differences can be a good thing is apprehended. What one sees faulty in the past can be improved- e.g. Tsukasa understood the significance of working out because of his past or that both Inori and Tsukasa go out to their limits despite their inconveniences and what people become will also build the foundation- e.g. as we see how many characters in the story choose to continue and pursue their dreams amidst the challenges and competitiveness of the industry that is ultimately reasonable. Despite characters in the story with improvised challenges, they still continue with hope to see another day, and develop for the sake of themselves, and others. Ultimately, each character in the story have their roles to pertain, just like in society where everyone has their reasons of their why, what, and when.

  Talent cannot be bought, but perseverance and hard work will bring talent. This series encapsulates various lessons that evokes power and wisdom. It's primary key point is to not give up and start doing.

  Visuals
  The visuals aren't all that crazy, especially that we have to consider the animation source, but it did a fair job in terms of using various blends of CGI, 3D, and 2D animation.

  Overall
  The story is good. The visuals aren't all that, but it's fair. The characters have qualities that deserves recognition, and their character designs are well done. There are various lessons that can be apprehended in the story, and the good thing is, there is explicit acknowledgement of the execution of failure, which the others' become aware of and truly develop with the help of themselves, others, and their hardwork.

  Truly,
  Starting late doesn't mean failure, but if one is given talent, make use of it.

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• 

  Zeldslova19

  93/100
  IT'S NOT TOO LATE! An emotionally charged and uplifting show, packed with valuable lessons to take away.

  ENG Review

  

  __"Spokon"__. A term that has become a mantra for me lately. It's one of those genres (or target, as you prefer) that I'm totally obsessed with, since every new sport I delve into is making me want to have new skills and abilities. I never thought that a manga/anime about __ice skating__ could make me fall in love with this sport, which I know practically nothing about.

  ...And yet, __*Medalist*__ by __[Ikada Tsuruma](https://anilist.co/staff/169333/Ikada-Tsuruma)__ was love at first sight! <3

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  SYNOPSIS

  __Japan__, one of the great powers of figure skating. Only a handful of athletes can compete at the national championships and then compete at the world level. __Tsukasa__ is a former professional skater who, however, due to his late debut in this world, cannot find a job related to his greatest passion. Despite the sacrifices and struggles faced in the past, Tsukasa has no choice but to do odd jobs and dedicate himself as much as he can to skating. However, when hope seems to have faded, __Inori__, a fifth-grade girl, appears, the victim of pranks and insults from her classmates, who all owe her ineptitude. Everyone except Tsukasa, who meets and clashes with this very small and battered girl, and who soon understands her immense talent. Their unexpected meeting on the ice will bond them as coach and athlete and will then lead both of them, albeit on two different levels, to live a new dream, linked to ice skating, as they will aim harder than anyone else for the world stage.

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  PERSONAL THOUGHTS/IMPRESSIONS

  While watching this anime, I was overwhelmed by different emotions several times: if on the one hand the story excited me and overexcited me, on the other it devastated my heart and saddened me a lot. From an emotional point of view, __*Medalist*__ is one of those works with immense power that never leaves you indifferent, regardless of whether you are interested in the underlying sports theme or not. In fact, even before the sport, the __dreams__ and __emotions__ of the protagonists shine through in this story. However, this certainly does not mean that ice skating is treated carelessly: on the contrary, when necessary it manages to express itself in a technical and precise way, especially when it comes to having to explain and represent the fundamentals.

  One of Inori's performances: manga vs. anime comparison

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  Truly a noteworthy point is the characterization of the two protagonists, as well as the development of rest of the additional cast. Even if at first Inori dominates the scene and attracts attention with a greater percentage, the characterization of Tsukasa's character is also really well structured. Both have a solid background, which most of the time justifies their actions and especially their dream: a background that is only hinted at, just enough for the spectator to empathize with both, albeit in two different ways. Both, however, manage to touch the heartstrings of ours because they are victims of the distrust of the people around them and who have done nothing but repeat that there could never be hope for them. Sometimes, in fact, this sense of defeat and defeat is also told in a harsh and ruthless way, especially when it comes to Inori, who despite presenting herself as a real victim, still manages to get up and shine precisely by virtue of that dream that never fades, even when everyone is against her.

  

  Tsukasa's and Inori's Paths, Two Sides of the Same Medal

  

  Alongside this way of __telling the growth and evolution of a character__ (in this case of two characters who move hand in hand on two different but parallel tracks) the __theme of sport__ (and in this case that of ice skating) certainly cannot be easy, especially when addressing an audience that knows very little about that particular sport. Yet _Medalist_ succeeds in its intent, thanks to a clear and precise storytelling, which at the same time is attentive to the fundamentals, without ever delving into long and boring explanations that would inevitably end up slowing down and stopping the narration. The explanations are there, but they are short and concise, elementary, so as to really allow everyone to understand something.

  ---

  In short, to conclude my speech: considering the history of the [studio](https://anilist.co/studio/6292/ENGI), this adaptation was a __MIRACLE__. An incredible work with stratospheric characters with wonderful music, both the Op/Ed and the OST. Even the __CGI sequences__ when they skate are very well done in terms of animation (and the fact that it is noticeable at times is really a lesser and necessary evil).

  Cover for the Medalist Fan Book

  We are only at the end of the first season, and my hype is already quite high. I am curious to see how the characters and the story will evolve, with the hope however that the series does not end up becoming long and endless (because in my opinion, even speaking of the manga, it has the right potential to continue and then conclude in the space of a not excessive number of volumes). Surely, the problem with this series is the cost. In fact, I read that the parts, as you may know, in which the various characters skate were made using _motion capture_. So, I think it will take a while before we see the second season.

  Medalist's special illustration by the manga’s author, to celebrate the thirteenth and final episode of the first season of Medalist TV anime and on the imminent occasion of S2 announcement

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  But anyway, what else to say... Really congratulations, __one of the most beautiful and above all exciting spokon of recent years (and my personal anime of the previous season) that seriously needs more recognition!__ For those who have doubts about the theme: __give it a chance, you will not regret it. ^>^__

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  v

  P.S. As a reward, here's a wagon of comical moments that cracked me up the most (XD)

  
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