I love watching sports. I’m a huge fan of American football and watch tons of college basketball games. If there is a baseball game on TV, you can bet I am watching it. But I have not read many sports manga lately since it is not a genre I usually seek out.
I had seen the cover of Medalist Volume 1 for a while but never picked it up. From the title, I figured it had something to do with sports, but I was not sure which one until I read the description. It turns out it is about figure skating. While I enjoy watching sports, figure skating is not something I follow closely. I might watch it during the Winter Olympics if it happens to be on TV, but not always. However, once I started reading this manga, I was hooked!
The story begins with the first meeting of the two main characters. Tsukasa Akeuraji is a young man who dreamed of becoming a figure skater, but since he did not start skating until middle school, no coach wanted to take him on. He eventually found a coach on the condition that he switched to ice dancing. Tsukasa worked hard and even competed in the All-Japan Championships, but after retiring, he struggled to make a living as a skater. One day, his former ice dancing partner asks him to help as an assistant figure skating coach. That is when he meets Inori Yuitsuka.
Inori is a fifth grader who loves figure skating but struggles to make others take her passion seriously. She teaches herself by studying books and watching other young skaters, but deep down, she longs for proper coaching. However, she lacks the confidence to ask her mother to let her pursue skating seriously. With Tsukasa’s support, she finally finds the courage to speak up about her dreams. Their journey begins as coach and student, two people who know hardship and disappointment but refuse to give up.
Medalist, Volume 1. This is the first time Inori skates in front of Tsukasa. Translation: “On the ice, she is like completely different person.”
Though Tsukasa has never coached before, he has an incredible eye for detail. He can analyze a skater’s performance just by watching them once. He is also fiercely passionate and endlessly supportive of Inori, always lifting her spirits when she doubts herself. One small but meaningful detail that shows his respect for her is how he calls her “Inori-san” instead of “Inori-chan.” (The “-chan” suffix is often used for children, especially girls in Japanese language.)
At first, Inori struggles with self-doubt, but she is remarkably self-aware and mature in processing her emotions. She constantly pushes herself to overcome the obstacles in her way. Honestly, her level of maturity is almost too much to believe. I have never met a real fifth grader who thinks and acts the way she does. Still, in the volumes I have read so far, she is an inspiring underdog who works relentlessly to improve, making it impossible not to root for her.
One of Medalist‘s standout features is its beautiful illustrations. The characters’ facial expressions are so vivid that you can tell exactly what they are thinking just by looking at them, even without reading the dialogue. The artwork also captures the fluidity and movement of skating beautifully, making the performances feel dynamic and alive.
The manga also goes in-depth on the technical side of figure skating. As someone who knew nothing about skating, I found these explanations fascinating. For example, early in Volume 1, it explains the importance of using the inner and outer edges of skate blades and maintaining proper body alignment. In Volume 2, it details how the setup for a single-loop jump actually starts several steps beforehand. Since this is a manga, these explanations are easy to follow thanks to the illustrations. It is clear that the author put a lot of effort into researching both figure skating and life at skating clubs.
Naturally, this manga is a must-read for figure skating fans or anyone curious about the sport. But even if you are not passionate about sports, I still highly recommend giving Medalist a chance. It is a story about growth, determination, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. Just make sure to have a tissue box nearby. You might find yourself tearing up every 30 pages.
