Skating will return at Medalist

On the official site for the anime adaptation of the manga written and illustrated by Tsurumaikada, "Medalist", a new promotional video for the project was revealed. The video confirms that the premiere is scheduled for January 4, 2025 in Japan, and lists a fragment of the opening theme titled "Bow and Arrow" and performed by Kenshi Yonezu.

In fact, in a comment included in the official statement, the popular singer admitted that he was already a fan of the original manga, and that when he learned that it would be adapted into anime, he himself requested to perform a song for the production.

For his part, Tsurumaikada began publishing the manga through Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine in May 2020, where it is still in publication. Previously he published a doujinshi entitled "Megami ni nante Narenai", for all audiences.

Voice cast

Natsumi Haruse as Inori Yuitsuka
Takeo Otsuka as Tsukasa Akeuraji
Kana Ichinose as Hikaru Kamisaki
Yuma Uchida as Jun Yodaka

Production Equipment

Yasutaka Yamamoto (Ao no Exorcist, Mondaiji-tachi ga Isekai kara Kuru Sou Desu yo?, Aharen-san wa Hakarenai) is in charge of directing the anime at ENGI studios.
Jukki Hanada (Steins; Gate, No Game No Life, Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!) He is in charge of writing and supervising the scripts.
Chinatsu Kameyama (Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni, Hataage! Kemono Michi) is in charge of character design and animation direction.
Yuuki Hayashi (Boku no Hero Academia, Haikyuu!, Death Parade) is in charge of composing the soundtrack.

Synopsis of Medalist

Becoming an ice dancer was not Tsukasa Akeuraji's goal when he decided to launch himself into the world of figure skating. However, it was there that he ended up, as he "started too late" to pursue his true solo skater dreams. For years, he was content to be a shell of his former ambitions, until he met a girl in whom he saw himself reflected. Inori Yuitsuka, a fifth-grader so desperate to skate that she practiced in secret, had visited the Tsukasa rink with her mother to ask for lessons.

Everyone around her called her useless, told her it was "too late" to start and that it was impossible to catch up with the other skaters. With a newfound conviction and unwilling to let another passionate skater follow the same path as him, Tsukasa takes on the responsibility of coaching her and promises to make Inori a medalist.

Source: Comic Natalie