Takeo Otsuka:The anime "Medalist" is generating a lot of excitement, and Haruse Natsumi also commented on the upcoming movie, saying, "I'll finally get to fight against Hikari-chan."

An event for the anime "Medalist," based on a popular figure skating manga, was held on March 28th at "AnimeJapan 2026" currently taking place at Tokyo Big Sight (Koto Ward, Tokyo). The event featured a selection of memorable scenes from the anime chosen by the original author, Tsurumai Ikada. Tsurumai Ikada chose the scene from episode 21 where Akira Michiji, seeing his past self in Inori Kessoku, encourages her as she wants to perform a quadruple jump, and commented, "I thought this episode completely transcended manga expression."

The scene in question was created after Tsurumai Ikada shared an anecdote with series composition and scriptwriter Jukki Hanada that "Tsukasa secretly participated in a singles match during his high school days." In response to Tsurumai Ikada's comment that "this scene made me truly appreciate the joy of seeing it animated,"Takeo Otsuka, shared his passionate feelings, saying, "The words woven in the original work and the feelings of each character speak so passionately that the enthusiasm of the production team, who absolutely love 'Medalist,' grew stronger and stronger, and I think the animation was created with the same or even greater passion than the original work."

A theatrical film depicting the events after the second season of the TV anime is being produced and is scheduled for release in 2027, which has also generated a lot of buzz. In the film, Inori, who has decided to participate in the All Japan Novice Championships, will finally face off against her rival, Hikari Oogami. Haruse Natsumi, who plays Inori, expressed her excitement, saying, "I'm so happy that I'll finally be able to fight against Hikari-chan."Kana Ichinose, who plays Hikari, also commented, looking at the visual from the film showing Inori and Hikari facing off, "You can see a lot of things in the difference in their expressions, like their resolve."Yuma Uchida, who plays Yotaka Jun, also appeared at the event.

"Medalist" is a manga by Tsurumai Ikada that has been serialized in the manga magazine "Monthly Afternoon" (Kodansha) since 2020. The story follows Akira Michiji, a young man who failed as a skater, as he meets Kessoku Inori, a girl who longs for the world of figure skating, and together they aim to become a glorious medalist as coach and athlete.

The first season of the TV anime aired from January to March in TV Asahi's late-night anime block, "NUMAnimation." The second season started on January 24th in the same block and concluded with its final episode airing late at night on March 21st. The series' first theatrical film will be released in 2027.

(c) Tsurumai Ikada/Kodansha/Medalist Production Committee