The music video (MV) for the opening theme (OP) "BOW AND ARROW" sung by Kenshi Yonezu for the TV anime "Medalist," based on Tsurumai Ikada's figure skating manga, has been released on YouTube. Yuzuru Hanyu, who won two consecutive Winter Olympics gold medals in men's singles figure skating and is currently active as a professional skater, appears in the MV, and is a collaboration between him and Yonezu.
The music video is full of a sense of speed, with Yonezu singing against the backdrop of a vast sky, and Hanyu skating beautifully and powerfully on the ice. Hanyu himself was in charge of the skating choreography, and the music video was directed by Kyotaro Hayashi.
"Medalist" is a manga by Tsurumai Ikada that has been serialized in the manga magazine "Afternoon" (Kodansha) since 2020. The story is about a young man, Akiura Michiji, who has failed as a skater, who meets Yuzuki Inori, a girl who aspires to the world of figure skating, and aims to become a glorious medalist as both a coach and athlete.
The anime will be directed by Yasutaka Yamamoto, known for "Invasion!? Squid Girl," and produced by ENGI, known for "Kantai Collection: Someday at That Sea." It is currently airing on TV Asahi's late-night anime slot "NUMAnimation."
