by It has been decided that the TV anime Medalist will be broadcast on the “NUMAnimation” slot on 24 TV Asahi affiliated stations nationwide from January 4, 2025. The third promotional video has also been released, revealing that former Japanese Olympic representative and Medalist Akiko Suzuki will handle the figure skating choreography for the series.
The third PV, which uses never-before-seen footage from the anime, features the ending theme song “Atashi no Dress” by the popular band Neguse., and shows the characters skating along to the music.
In addition, it was announced that several impressive athletes, including former Japanese Olympic representative Akiko Suzuki, will help choreograph the figure skating scenes in the anime. The athletes, Akiko Suzuki, Yuhana Yokoi, and Hinano Isobe, have also commented.
The series is based on the manga of the same name currently being serialized in “Afternoon” and tells the story of a young man named Tsukasa who has given up on being a skater and a young girl named Inori who dreams of becoming a skater, who meet on the ice and team up to aim for the world of figure skating. Driven by Inori’s secret obsession with the rink, Tsukasa takes it upon himself to coach Inori, and the story follows Tsukasa’s growth as a coach as Inori’s talent blossoms.
This is a hotly anticipated work, winning numerous awards despite being the author’s debut. These include first place in the comics category at the Next Manga Awards 2022, the general audience category of the 68th (2022) Shogakukan Manga Awards, and the Best Actress Award at the Magademy Awards 2022. This manga award honors manga characters for the protagonist, Yuzuki Inori.
Comment from Akiko Suzuki
When I first picked up “Medalist,” my heart pounded with each page, and I was moved by the depth of the sport of figure skating, and tears flowed from my eyes.
The realistic depiction made me feel as if I was on the ice. It is a great honor for me to be in charge of the choreography for this beautiful work that is being animated. I imagined the various skaters while skating using motion capture. I worked on each choreography with all my heart, thinking, “What kind of expression would this skater have? What kind of feelings would they have while skating?” Through this animation, more people will be able to experience the charm of figure skating and have an experience that resonates deep in their hearts.
