Medalist Season 2 - Episode 2 discussion

*Medalist Season 2*, episode 2

**Reminder:** Please do not discuss plot points not yet seen or skipped in the show. Failing to follow the rules may result in a ban.

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**Streams**

*None*

**Show information**

* [MyAnimeList](https://myanimelist.net/anime/61335/)
* [AniList](https://anilist.co/anime/189275)
* [AniDB](https://anidb.net/perl-bin/animedb.pl?show=anime&aid=19260)
* [Kitsu](https://kitsu.app/anime/49767)
* [Official Website](https://medalist-pr.com/)

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**All discussions**

Episode|Link
:-:|:-:
1|[Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1qlscu3)
2|[Link](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1qs83p6)

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Commentaires

AnimeMod2026-01-31 18:15

# Source Material Corner

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kingEdward222026-01-31 18:17

Peak

Equivalent-Weather592026-01-31 18:26

Animation popped off this episode holy peak.

I really like how we can see how much effort everyone is putting. Waiting to see if the skater after you gets a higher score than you must be nerve wracking.

And so, let the ~~gambling~~ skating tournament beggin.

MeatballZeitgeist2026-01-31 19:19

I know at least a few people were worried the quick turnaround might make ENGI revert to more ENGI-tier animation quality for S2, very encouraging to see that they haven't slipped just yet...!

Equivalent-Weather592026-01-31 19:23

It's completely valid to be skeptical of ENGI, I'm still on edge every week hoping for decent animation, but it's very clear at this point that at the very least the team behind Medalist loves this IP, so I can at least expect something made with passion for the story.

kkrko2026-01-31 20:58

Honestly, that may be why they did the shortened season + movie format. They didn't have the juice to fully adapt what they needed to adapt and, realizing this and rather than have the production collapse, they just shifted the finale to a movie.

Tplayere2026-01-31 22:20

I don't think that's the reason.

Without any spoilers, the anime would need to adapt the material around 14-15 episodes for it to work out, so cutting it short and making the finish into a movie just made sense. It will also put more time and resources into the movie, so realistically it's just a win-win.

AndyIbanez2026-01-31 23:40

Do you of any other source reader think that after the movie we will have enough material for more adaptations?

Equivalent-Weather592026-01-31 23:42

There's enough content for a third season after the movie.

AndyIbanez2026-01-31 23:44

You should change your name to Jupiter, because you brought me such Jollity.

Hope it happens. Thanks for the confirmation.

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:34

It is incredibly meta since ENGI took the big gamble to make the second ~~half~~ season of the ~~program~~ anime adaptation their biggest ~~jump~~ effort.

Regardless of whether or not their gamble succeeds though, I imagine that this anime will forever remain niche and amazing. Yay!

Flare_Knight2026-01-31 20:04

It's beautifully capturing the stresses. There stress to going first, to following up a strong performance, to waiting to see if you can hold your place. There's so much to unpack and various girls are giving moments to show their personalities and how badly they want it.

szalhi2026-01-31 18:27

*[This week's PSA.](https://i.imgur.com/yImWqTK.jpeg)*

Every fumble gives the show more heart. I didn't come here to watch a perfect performance... we've got the olympics next week for that.

PeaceAlien2026-01-31 19:05

Return to monke

North_Tough92362026-01-31 22:09

There are fumbles in the Olympics too...

avboden2026-01-31 18:32

Inori deserved best girl of 2025 and the only reason she didn't get it was not enough people watched Medalist.

mmcjawa_reborn2026-01-31 22:16

and the first season you could actually legally stream in the US...

ModieOfTheEast2026-01-31 18:39

Now that is where you know we reached a proper torunament arc. Older spectator explaining the rules to the newcomer. Not that I mind. I don't know much about figure skating, so a few additions are definitely interesting to know. Because while I won't understand the points for specific jumps, getting an additional multiplier in the second half was an interesting bit of information, so I hope that comes back in the future again.

I was also surprised that they show way more mis steps this season. First season barely had anyone falling, though you could say that was also because the jumps were way easier so even for newer skaters, they wouldn't miss very often. And these are still kids, so mistakes are expected. Loved the trainer who had an individual bouquet for every one of his students.

One last praise, the performance with the 4 girls at the same time was a neat idea. And as far as I could see, it was completely hand drawn. Not that the CG looks bad. I think it might have even improved, especially during the last performance, but having a performance being hand drawn for once was definitely a nice change as well.

Flare_Knight2026-01-31 20:02

I am glad they are showing more of those hard moments. Even (and especially) Manaka's performance at the end had a lot of struggles despite grabbing first place. And I think it does work. There will be more failures because everyone is pushing the very limit out of necessity. To claim victory...a safe performance won't do it. And yeah they are kids so even at this level errors are fair to see.

Gives some great moments to show gutsy effort. Like that one girl that was bleeding from her nose but kept on skating.

ModieOfTheEast2026-01-31 20:49

Oh I totally agree. I didn't mean it as a negative. Showing failures is a good way to make the skaters feel human because making mistakes is just something that could happen to everyone. Especially when the jumps become harder. I was just a bit surprised since this wasn't a big focus of the first season. Inori only made a mistake once in her first performance. So it will be interested to see how she comes back when she might make a mistake as well. This could get pretty dramatic. Furthermore, since Inori is one of the last performers, there is the possibility that her and Tsukasa (or even shust herself) decide to chance the order of the jumps to get enough points which could then easily lead to mistakes if this happens very quickly before she starts.

Flare_Knight2026-01-31 21:15

Sorry if I made it sound like I was being critical. Was pretty much in agreement with you on those points.

Inori’s skate will be interesting. There’s lots of ways it could get dramatic. Being so late means she knows the bar she has to clear to make it. But also means the ice will likely be in rough shape. Which could mess her up a bit. But I’m sure she and Tsukasa know the pros and cons to their situation.

gnome-cop2026-01-31 22:08

Good reminder that in contrast to the freakish skills of someone like Hikaru, mistakes do happen and quite frequently at that.

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:29

On the other hand, hand animation being easier for one-off scenes transforms hand animation into a "kiss of death" (cheaper and prettier since we won't get much reuse out of a CGI model).

But on the other OTHER hand! Knowing that these charactere will be defeated doesn't affect the experience, since this story is about the courage of the heroines (mostly girls) rather than the outcome!

"Oh man, she's CGI animated! She's a high level opponent!"

shad792026-02-01 04:20

>One last praise, the performance with the 4 girls at the same time was a neat idea. And as far as I could see, it was completely hand drawn. Not that the CG looks bad. I think it might have even improved, especially during the last performance, but having a performance being hand drawn for once was definitely a nice change as well.

The performances of [Sana](https://imgchest.com/p/na7k582aq78), [Yotsuha](https://imgchest.com/p/9rydnr3qw4k), [Kurumi](https://imgchest.com/p/o24anjd637l), and [Sakina](https://imgchest.com/p/ne7bnqr6n75) looked great, so I didn't even realize they were hand-drawn (unlike [Manaka](https://imgchest.com/p/pg736l25z7r) and [Rinna](https://imgchest.com/p/n87wqm89z7x)'s CGI performances in [this episode](https://imgchest.com/p/9rydnrnoa4k))!

I have to admit, I'm surprised because I didn't expect ENGI to be so ambitious with this second season, especially considering it's airing only a year after the first one, which made me worried about the quality, but I'm happy to say that so far my fears have proven unfounded.

thisisdropd2026-01-31 18:42

The music game has been on point this episode. They've all been absolute bangers. Especially Manaka's, with how it switched to a darker tune when she fumbled the jump only to return to the previous upbeat one when her mind had finally recovered.

Speaking of Manaka, she looked like she's also auditioning for an idol group with the extra touch of showmanship. That's likely one factor behind her current standing in first place. Looks like she's got a new career path should her skating one go south.

mmcjawa_reborn2026-01-31 22:19

The ED implies she has a dance background or at least a very strong interest. Guess it's always good to set up multiple career paths.

mekerpan2026-01-31 22:51

Yes. Manaka added some show biz pizzazz to her performance. ;-)

Seaphron2026-01-31 18:47

And still no word on when US streaming will start.

mekerpan2026-01-31 22:49

I couldn't find it just now -- so I moved on to an "alternate source".

Seaphron2026-01-31 22:50

Oh yeah I did the same thing. Just weird that it's airing most places with a dub already even and it's not announced for the US yet.

mekerpan2026-01-31 22:53

It seems like Hulu will might be joining CR in putting the English-subbed versions at the back of the line....

ObvsThrowaway51202026-01-31 18:48

Rinna did pretty well for the first one up. Takt and the other girls did well too all things considered. It’s a shame they can’t all make it. Figure skating seems hard as hell, man. The competition is fierce and everyone’s putting it all on the line out there.

Inori and Tsukasa’s happy banana dance was pretty funny. Those two are like on the exact same wavelength lol. I’m really looking forward to seeing her on the ice.

Frontier2462026-01-31 18:59

As much as I'm rooting for Inori most of all, I can really respect and admire all these girls putting their all out there and looking amazing on the ice even if only a few of them can make it to compete with Hikaru.

But they're all clearly doing their best and that's laudable.

Rinna's going through some stuff. If it's not having to first, it sounds like her family won't be able to make it either! Tsukasa tries to make her feel better, though her Meikoh Wind coach Shoya is pretty icy and seemingly unsympathetic to what she's going through. That's just the kind of pressure skaters have to deal with.

I guess it's unsurprising that Yoh is kind of bored and confused at her first skating competition, though her dad is really trying to make the most of it. I mean, this was supposed to be the thing their family did together before Meiko died, so he wants them both to enjoy it! And luckily Inori's skate grandpa is there to offer some skating insight!

Rinna is finally up and looking fab like some operatic dancer on the ice. She nails her big jump, but she can't help but make a few mistakes in the second half...but she still tries her best and she manages stick the landing. She fought hard and did better than most would in her position. Coach Sonidori is proud of her and it turns out Shoya treats every skater at Meikoh Wind like a princess who deserves a bouquet for their hard work! And he's right!

Rinna is now on top and that leaves four more seats for who gets to make it All Japan...and every girl brings their all to the competition, every girl chasing at the chance to compete with Hikaru, every girl doing their utmost to skate their heart out. They may all have different skating styles, different cute and fabulous skate outfits, and all be different people, but their drive to win is the same. Even if they screw up once or twice, even if they literally get a nosebleed from bumping into something, they won't give up. And that's what makes them figure skaters.

Inori and Tsukasa feel like they're slowly morphing into the same being at this rate. Also, stretching with Hitomi!

Poor Waka. Her crying jelly face was sad to watch. She can't even practice as conveniently as the other girls, having to have her coach drive her down to Nagoya as often as possible so she can practice, but I know she did her best.

Manaka is in this to win it...which means going full jazzy pop and unleashing her impressive dance skills and winning smile, full of charm and zest, on the audience. She's absolutely fun and adorable, but her plan to wait to until the second half to unleash her best jumps...kind of falters when she screws up. But her coach absolutely believes in her and her ability to not crack under the pressure and face any challenge, and she rewards that faith by sticking the landing! Next thing you know she's the new #1 and getting swung around by her coach like a bladed weapon of cuteness!

Poor Yotsuha...she too tried her best, but there's only five chairs. She's still a princess deserving of a bouquet, and it looks like Coach Sonidori's oldest student is prepared to ensure that someone from Meikoh Wind ends up on the podium.

tuwamono2026-01-31 22:30

I really like the bit at the beginning when they show a collage of their mindset going into the performance, it's a very strong message to make you realize they all have put in an equally incredible amount of effort to reach this point, that any one of their stories would've tugged on our heartstrings just as much as Inori's if they were the ones we followed from the beginning instead. The falls and fails are part of ice-skating, but it hurts just as much to see any one of them slip and their goals just out of reach.

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:31

The blue jelly is my favorite. She deserves all the victories! I'll miss Jelly.

PeaceAlien2026-01-31 19:02

Poor guy had to explain to the newbies (and us). Sarukawa's coach seemed harsh at first, but he was comforting after the skate.

PeaceAlien2026-01-31 19:04

Love that it showed all of the others skaters, compared to something like Wandance last season, which skipped a lot of performances.

Manaka was great! She seems to be a rival going forward

MeatballZeitgeist2026-01-31 19:04

Tsukasa backstory-MVP Kago serendiptously sitting next to Inori backstory-MVP Worm Gramps and striking up a (very expository) friendship is proof that our team is guided by the hand of fate...!

I like how all the skaters have at least a little bit of personality and characterization in spite of minimal screentime.

Raghav_Singhania2026-01-31 19:39

and it was enough to make me emotional

man figure skaters are amazing

IndependentMacaroon2026-01-31 21:02

Don't you mean girl figure skaters

RandomThrowNick2026-01-31 19:09

[removed]

Shimmering-Sky2026-01-31 20:12

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- This belongs in the Source Material Corner at the top of this thread. In discussion threads for currently airing anime, discussions about source material, spin-offs, author comments and unadapted content must be posted there.

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- Your comment was **not removed for spoilers;** it was removed for *discussion of the source material outside of the Source Material Corner*.

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MapoTofuMan2026-01-31 19:09

[Me the entire performance when it's finally going to be Inori's turn](https://i.imgur.com/mFFapnr.jpeg)

shad792026-01-31 19:19

Gosh, [Inori and Tsukasa are perfect for each other](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/f34fcd01b41d.png)! These two are such a goofballs xD

Overall, [a great episode](https://imgchest.com/p/9rydnrnoa4k)! [Rinna did a great job](https://imgchest.com/p/n87wqm89z7x) starting out as the first skater, although I liked [Manaka's performance](https://imgchest.com/p/pg736l25z7r) even more – it was really cool combined with the upbeat music.

I really felt sorry for [Waka](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/193d1134b2ca.png); not only did she get the lowest score, but we didn't even get to see her performance! Seeing [her cry](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/5cdbb278ea66.png) really broke my heart :(

It was also nice that [the receptionist from Inori's ice rink was explaining all the rules and what was happening on the rink](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/7b0236003a15.png) today.

Here my screenshot albums from the episode:

* [Group scenes](https://imgchest.com/p/9rydnrnoa4k)
* [Manaka](https://imgchest.com/p/pg736l25z7r)
* [Rinna](https://imgchest.com/p/n87wqm89z7x)
* [Sana](https://imgchest.com/p/na7k582aq78)
* [Yotsuha](https://imgchest.com/p/9rydnr3qw4k)
* [Kurumi](https://imgchest.com/p/o24anjd637l)
* [Sakina](https://imgchest.com/p/ne7bnqr6n75)
* [Others](https://imgchest.com/p/xny82m282yb)

*EDIT. I added my screenshot albums.*

eightcheesepizza2026-01-31 19:35

>I really felt sorry for [Waka](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/193d1134b2ca.png); not only did she get the lowest score, but we didn't even get to see her performance! Seeing [her cry](https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/5cdbb278ea66.png) really broke my heart :(

Waka must be really talented too. She doesn't live near a rink like the other skaters do, so she can't get in as much practice, but she still qualified for the block tournament.

gnome-cop2026-01-31 22:13

I feel so bad for her. I’ve known her for like three minutes but I am ready to go to war for her.

MeatballZeitgeist2026-01-31 20:18

The ultimate insult, Waka's performance got banana-zoned.

AnimeHoarder2026-01-31 23:19

>It was also nice that the receptionist from Inori's ice rink was explaining all the rules and what was happening on the rink today.

It pointed out to me why skaters usually put their most difficult jumps first.

From the ED, it appears that Inori's skating group is getting bigger. I'll miss Worm-chan in the ED though :-(

Farmaceut72026-01-31 19:24

# HOLY PEAK!

I'm just gonna say it - this might be the best animated episode of any show in this season so far for me! It was just absurdly incredible!

This show is just such a gem, I seriously cant believe it almost got me to tears every fucking time any girl fell or stumbled! I honestly thought Manaka will end just bellow 70pts and I fucking cheered when she ended up taking 1st place! I just met this character literally 3 min ago, it makes no sense to feel THIS attached!

Another thing that made this episode absolute joy to watch - MUSIC! Every song was so good, not to mention when its in combination with the performance! If this is the quality we are getting for 6 girls we didnt really know, then....what kind of peak will we get when Inori's turn comes around!?

Equivalent-Weather592026-01-31 19:27

I loved the OST for Rina's and Manaka's performance, absolute cinema.

Farmaceut72026-01-31 19:42

Manaka choosing such a different type of song from the rest made her performance much more impactful! Il loved it!

clone692026-01-31 19:56

Rinna's is called Ave Inferna, but YouTube returned nothing when searching for it.

HarmonicWalrus2026-01-31 20:25

It'll probably be released with the rest of the soundtrack after the season ends

clone692026-01-31 20:28

So it's an original? I thought it was an existing piece like Hikaru's Danse Macabre or Inori's Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity.

HarmonicWalrus2026-01-31 20:34

I can't find a song going by that name irl, and most of the music in S1 was original too. I think the only reason Inori and Hikaru skated to irl music back then was because the equivalent manga chapters had it in a footnote that they were skating to Jupiter and Danse Macabre

_cosmix22026-02-01 02:51

Everything outside of Jupiter and Danse Macabre is an in-universe track.

eightcheesepizza2026-01-31 19:31

One thing I really appreciate about Medalist: they spend the time to show the other skaters - who have just as much drive, hard work, and backstory as Inori - compete and sometimes fail. It really erodes at my sense of MC plot armor. I have no idea how Inori's one shot will go, I just know it will be animated and dramatized beautifully.

FarCritical2026-01-31 19:32

It was fun watching the Rinkceptionist explain the skating basics to Yoh and Kago like the absolute boss he is.

Fr though, the analogy of jumps in a program being like an arranged hand of cards was a masterful way of illustrating how much "gambling" is involved in a sport like this. Every defeat hurt that much more all of a sudden.

eightcheesepizza2026-01-31 22:25

I'd like a Medalist-themed deckbuilding roguelike, please. Umamusume on Ice.

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:38

He's always at all the rink events.

Is the rink man actually a hidden badass?! Probably not. But it would be so cool if he turned out to be some kind of ice skating god of destruction or something!

Setowi2026-01-31 19:41

Holy smokes they took the already great CG from season 1 and improved it even more?! Those skating performances in 3D and 2D looked freaking fantastic.

Especially the sequence with the four girls skating at the same time was directed immaculately, that was pure sakuga. I am really glad Medalist gets the justice it deserves in terms of adaptation. Not that I was doubting ENGI after season one but it looks like they really are going above and beyond. Fantastic episode.

Also super happy to see my goat Sekoma-san back in action.

AndyIbanez2026-01-31 19:46

Bruh, did they go over budget with the OST? Every single song this episode has been amazing. Those almost-RPG battle songs are REALLY to my liking, and the last song was super fun.

Usually, when I check how much time is left in a episode, it's because I'm a little bit bored. With Medalist I check hoping there's time for one more performance haha.

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:38

I didn't notice them.

The best songs are seamless! You're completely right.

kkrko2026-01-31 19:49

So the programs first. Or well, the jumps. The spins and step sequences weren't really shown

Riina | Manaka
-----|------
3Lz | 2A
3T+2T | 2F
3S (Fall) | 2Lo
2F + 2T + 2Lo | 3T (Fall)
2A | 2Lz + 2A + (SEQ)
(Lo) | 3T + 2T + 2Lo

We know that they're required to have a Lutz, Flip, and Loop in their program. And since Riina did mention that she didn't have the stamina to do Manaka's strategy, the Loop has to be in the last two spots.

The (SEQ) in Manaka's combo is actually a penalty. The rules have been changed since then, but using an Axel in the back half of your combo used to penalize your score. Based on Manaka's commentary, her intended combo was actually a 3T + 2A which would have scored higher than her 2Lz + 2A.

If we look at the jumps they jumped, Riina's jumps are actually much higher in difficulty than Manaka, who only has one kind of triple jump (Triple Toe). Aside from Manaka managing to put all her combos into the bonus, Riina was also hurt by stumbling on her 3 jump combo. The way it works is that if you stumble on one jump of a combo, it affects the score of ALL the jumps in the combo. So that stumble on the loop actually causes the flip to lose points. Manaka is also probably boosted by the performance component of the score. But still, with only one kind of triple, Manaka *really* needed to do that high risk strategy if she wants to have a chance at first. On the other hand, Riina had a ton of high scoring jumps. I think that had they both gone without errors, Riina would've come out ahead. But errors are part of skating after all.

Aside from the skating, I just love that all of the girls clearly have effort put into their character designs. No one looks like a side character and their outfits all look really good. The skating rink man was really good at explaining too. It was really cute to see Yoh get into the performance.

I have to complain about one mistranslation from the subs though. They mention [putting the jumps and spins into a single step sequence](https://i.imgur.com/4d6lCxO.png) but I think the translator didn't know figure skating. It's actually, "putting 2 combination jumps, 4 solo jumps, 3 spins, *and one step sequence* into one program with 10 techniques"

darienswag4202026-01-31 20:25

thank you for all your skating knowledge! really puts into context the competition at hand.

PerfectBeige2026-01-31 20:42

>They mention [putting the jumps and spins into a single step sequence](https://i.imgur.com/4d6lCxO.png) but I think the translator didn't know figure skating. It's actually, "putting 2 combination jumps, 4 solo jumps, 3 spins, *and one step sequence* into one program with 10 techniques"

Thanks for these posts, I always look forward to them. The subs on Disney+ are absolute trash, as they were last year. Funnily enough, they were much closer in the dub than in the sub despite adding some additional language to the original Japanese: "...Last but not least, a step sequence. The challenge is to fuse these 10 elements into one seamless routine."

kkrko2026-01-31 20:44

The ones I'm complaining about are the Hulu subs. The Disney subs should be the same as the dub (usually for the worse)

PerfectBeige2026-01-31 20:46

My Disney+ has the subs you mentioned and the dub I mentioned. So it has the Hulu subs which do not match the dub. This may be different in our respective regions.

y-c-c2026-02-01 01:00

> It's actually, "putting 2 combination jumps, 4 solo jumps, 3 spins, and one step sequence into one program with 10 techniques"

Thanks for the clarification (just to clarify for others your complaint is on the Hulu subs which is what I watched as well). I kind of figured out the meaning by pausing the video and counting but it was confusingly worded.

clone692026-01-31 19:51

I really rooted for Minami after that crash. Girl shed literal blood and tears.

Also, I'm trying to find Rina's BGM. The credits named it Ave Inferna, but YT doesn't show it

nikobans2026-01-31 19:53

i feel soo bad for the girl that beefed it into the wall and got a bloody nose 😭 she kinda really ate shit there!!

Ocixo2026-01-31 22:22

You have to respect the fact that she still continued skating with a bloody nose after having smashed into the wall. At the very least, she's won a medal in my heart.

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:35

That one is me!

That's me!

I'm the one melting into a puddle!

The one clapping is also me!

That one succeeded and is strong... that one is not me.

Oooh, the one that got disqualified is me!

Ooooh!

Bonvantius2026-01-31 19:56

''What music do you want for your routine?''

''Hit me with that Madoka ost boss!''

Weak_Season_Of_Anime2026-01-31 19:57

Hikaru might not be here but she's certainly living rent free in everyone's heads.

RIP to all the girls who had their hopes and dreams crushed. So much blood, sweat and tears shed, that was brutal to watch

Flare_Knight2026-01-31 19:59

Last episode was good. But now...Medalist is back!

Manaka's skate really highlighted everything that's so good about this series. The music was used so well. It's a simple thing, but so effective to have it blasting when she's at her best and just going deadly quiet at her lowest point. Reflecting both the intensity of the scene and also her mental state. I was ready to give her the win, lament her collapse, and then celebrate her win again throughout that skate. It was an absolute ride. I am happy she pulled herself together and just punched her way into the top spot. Gave everything she had at the end. A cute and charming skate.

Honestly this episode just nailed the whole concept and shows figure skating off in the best way. There's so much to ponder. The effort and guts required to hit the level these girls are at. Everything is riding on a single moment. There's no time on the ice to regret a miss or a fall. They have to desperately pull themselves back up and fight to the finish. Even the girl that smacked her face so hard that she was bleeding just had to keep going!

Also I will give Rinna credit. She had to be the tutorial skate to explain rules and all that. But she did pull off a good showing. 70 points right out of the gate let her set a bar that took a good while to be surpassed. Will it be enough to hold a top 5 spot...it'll be interesting to see. But she did well despite crying over going first.

Bonvantius2026-01-31 19:59

Appreciated how organic the exposition felt by making the skating newbies the surrogate for us viewers.

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:41

My slit pupils, blonde curls, and pouting lips had never felt so represented before this episode.

Of course, I head to ruin my own immersion by pointing out the surrogates (but it's still fun).

RageList2026-01-31 20:04

Didn't expect to be this invested to new characters' performances. And the animation! GREAT episode.

LeonKevlar2026-01-31 20:14

I really thought that [Coach Kijita was going to be an ass.](https://i.imgur.com/henMEKJ.jpeg) Dude sounded harsh but that's because he believes [in Rinna's ability to get a solid high score.](https://i.imgur.com/ZgdSUsP.png) I love how he calls all of their ice skaters "Princess" and [gives them a bouquet in the end](https://i.imgur.com/CLmhlss.jpeg) whether they get a high score [or not.](https://i.imgur.com/wMX7g83.jpeg)

I loved all the performances in this episode, but [Manaka was definitely the best.](https://i.imgur.com/hA4te4R.jpeg) Her gamble absolutely paid off, and she managed to get the highest score so far. I can't wait to see Inori's performance. For now, [she gets to goof off with Tsukasa](https://i.imgur.com/r3A3O9W.jpeg) while preparing for their turn. xD

Ocixo2026-01-31 22:28

> I really thought that Coach Kijita was going to be an ass.

Same! I was already hoping for Tsukasa to become Rinna's new coach. I'm glad, however, that her current coach *does* seem to support her wholeheartedly.

BG_Comedian2026-01-31 20:14

it's just episode 2 but the skating animation looks so much improved and smoother than many episodes in season 1. They have some high frame rate moment too. hope it's just not only this episode. Speaking of music, Rinna music is so good - epic music with intense piano with choir. giving me a bit of yuji kajiura music.

MoMoney_MoHoes2026-01-31 20:25

This show is such a treat.

Magnafeana2026-01-31 20:41

OP has my friend’s kiddo dancing with me and I love that for us. Gotta get her into anime while she’s young (she’s already wanting to go ice skating now) 💃🏾

I couldn’t even eat. I was sitting on the edge of my seat with every single fall. I just want all these girls to finish strong.

***Oh*** dear ***god*** her nose is bleeding, oh my gods is she okay

Oh she landed her jumps, but is she okay?

Dafuuuuq what on earth, okay, show up and show out, animation team! I’d love the BTS on this!!

Like coach, like skater 🍌

Aw, so he’s kind coach after all, yay, I’m relieved.

Why am I crying ugh ugh ugh ugh

****

I hate my friend right now because she asked “How many of those skaters would make a contract witu Kyuubey?” and I want to make her clean all the litter boxes now. Saying cursed shit like that 😭

I need to find some videos figure skaters who have reviewed Medalist because I’m so so curious. I’m sure they have; I just need to find them. I love profs giving commentary on media surrounding their specialty.

I still don’t know why I’m crying. It was such a visceral reaction whenever they fell. How do figure skater fans deal with this at competitions? I feel like I need several stress balls.

viddhiryande2026-02-01 02:26

I recommend watching Hana Milet's reaction videos, because she's a former competitive figure skater. [Here's ](https://youtu.be/yu9sVmwnS_g?si=oFT9CHLWp4DItAc4) a link to her reaction to this season's first episode.

Magnafeana2026-02-01 02:45

Oh thank you for the link! I have something to watch while enjoying my cheat-day ice cream!

PerfectBeige2026-01-31 20:44

This show has made me reevaluate competition and participation medals. Like... they all try so hard. I'm all for doing one's best and celebrating excellence and reaching the top... *but they all try so hard.*

CatchmoonH2026-01-31 20:49

this is why i can't get enough of this kind of show, i just find it charming that these characters are so passionate for this.

Nickthenuker2026-01-31 21:31

Who's that he's overhearing?

So, a bit of an explanation of things.

And there's the figure skating we're all here for.

Even if she was all tears beforehand, when she starts she's just got to plaster on a smile and push through.

That's a massive bouquet of flowers.

Lmao.

Seems like some of the others are having a bad day. But the show must go on!

Lol bananas.

Seems there's a new leader.

alconnow2026-01-31 21:36

[Tsukasa and Inori share one brain cell](https://ibb.co/1thz1KVf)

MusubiKazesaru2026-01-31 21:48

The routines are looking even better this season.

DragonPup2026-01-31 21:55

Am I missing something or is season 2 not showing on Hulu or Disney Plus at all in the US?

mmcjawa_reborn2026-01-31 22:24

You are not missing something. Even though Canada gets it?

gnome-cop2026-01-31 22:06

This competition stuff is brutal. Razor thin margins.

Hikaru is off the field, the first place throne is a realistic goal for once and everyone wants that cookie.

The series is really doing a good job with getting me invested in multiple competitors even if I can’t remember most of their names yet.

In another universe, Manaka seems like she would have done a good job as an idol. Her performance gave off that vibe.

Pretty funny yelling at her trainer for swinging her around like a deadly weapon.

There’s really no room for mistakes here if you’re aiming for the top. Will Inori pull it off or buckle under pressure?

Rasaska2026-01-31 22:21

the multi-skater was performances were done very well

cleaulem2026-01-31 22:26

Refueling with a banana is so yummy!!!

I found the animation in season 1 very good, but now they really outdid themselves. The perfomances were incredible.

The whole episode I was on the edge of my seat. Every jump, every fall, every recover. Together with the inner thoughts of the girls and their reactions afterwards, this is an absolute gold standard for a sports anime.

mmcjawa_reborn2026-01-31 22:31

Random thoughts:

Time for my weekly rant. Why the hell is Disney screwing up Medalist this season. There was no problem at all watching it on Hulu last season, and it's not like it's not airing on the Channel in other English-speaking countries. It's bad enough Medalist is cursed by airing on a streamer that probably gets overlooked more regularly by anime fans, now you have to straight on not show it at all? I can stream generic Isekai #425 but no Medalist? arrghh

Anyway...Is it just me, or is the actual animation quality actually improved over last season? I remember last season ending and people being worried about the turn-around time causing a dip in quality, but so far (knock on wood) that isn't the case.

You should get extra points for actively bleeding while skating

Manaka's performance was obviously the standout, but it really helped that it didn't feel like it was either classical music or something emulating the feel of classical music. Now I am hoping we can get some more variety. Hell now I want to see them use other anime OP's as background music for skating numbers...

Ocixo2026-01-31 22:43

I'm liking Manaka's competitive spirit. She took a big gamble, made a mistake, but pushed on till the very last jump.

You cannot win if you're afraid of taking a bet on yourself after all. Inori is the very embodiment of this motto.

Manaka's expressive skating routine reminded me a little of Miké's. Both girls' dancing got a ton of flair.

yakumbaya2026-01-31 23:08

the theme of this episode was really fitting, gambling and taking a chance on yourself is needed to be a winner here. the music during the skating scenes was really good too.

SYZekrom2026-02-01 01:00

Sheep girl my beloved

Kamisaki... Wait with funny sheep girl being the original inKtended protagonist, Hikaru and her would've been wolf and sheep, lol

Bro why am I already crying

Oh shit this girl got CG budget you know she's important

=

I AM BEING ATTACKED

> Her face is turning into jelly again.

I'M LITERALLY CRYING AT THE FIRST HALF OF THE EPISODE THEN THEY'RE LIKE 'OK COMEDY TIME BTW THIS IS LITERALLY YOU'

=

GOTTA MAKE ME CRY ONE MORE TIME HUH OKAY RIP GREEN GIRL

LIKE IT WAS THE MOST OBVIOUS THING I STARTED THIS EPISODE LIKE 'Can't wait to see the drama of someone in 5th place dropping to 6th' AND IT STILL KILLED ME PLEASE

FLorianGran2026-02-01 01:32

It's actually nuts that that Studio Engi of all places is putting out tv anime cg this strong

abandoned_idol2026-02-01 03:42

Studio Eng-Inori.

Nachtwandler_FS2026-02-01 02:22

Damn, they packed a lot of performances in this episode. And we also got some figure skating trivia, which was nice.

DonutMSG222026-02-01 02:45

I simply want a spin-off series for every single skater here! The emotions I feel seeing everyone's drive and determination laid out out the ice cannot be put into words! The fierce competition and the heartbreak when your best isn't enough... this is why I love this series!
Every routine was also animated beautifully and it's only episode 2! If this is level quality consists for the whole season, especially for our girl Inori, then maybe 9 episodes isn't such a bad thing.

chirb82026-02-01 05:16

Damn. I actually feel really bad for the poor girls crying

Jacob-C2026-02-01 06:00

It's really amazing how the show makes me root for all of the competitors and not just Inori. After watching Inori and her peers train so hard through the first season, you just know how much effort every single one in this competition has put in.

Niwaka_Samurai2026-02-01 06:50

The Ossan from the skating rink was trying his best to explain the rules of figure skating to Yoh and Koichi, haha.

I thought that Rinna's coach would be an asshole but he actually treats each one of the girls from Meikoh as a princess and hands them a bouquet even if they lose. The girls didn't give up even after making mistakes.

The animation was incredible for all the performances. Yuki Hayashi's music is always a pleasure to listen to.

darksecretsss2026-02-01 09:11

Didnt expect to cry at the 2nd episode but those 4 simultaneous girls who still did their best until the end got me 🥹

NoHead17152026-02-01 10:42

The direction was fantastic this episode. Showcasing 4 skaters at once and splicing their sequences together was perfect in showing the similarities and differences. Fit right into the story and rules explanation by Worm Grampa.

Manaka's performance was of course the standout - beautiful music, pretty routine, failed jumps and the competitive gambling spirit. Really encapsulated what ice-skating is about.

ENGI, or one of the animators there, is doing a great job with the expressive hands just like in season 1.

Shizzi2026-02-01 13:28

The greatest sports animes are the ones where you care about everyone that competes and this one does it so well our MC didnt even compete and was seen briefly and still we are like the coaches just sitting there and praying and really feel for them when they fall and make a mistake just amazing ep.

atropicalpenguin2026-02-01 13:48

This was a top episode of the series and we didn't even have nori. It was just great performance after great performance. The 4 skaters scenes were so good, I was really captivated by it, and it was amazing to see the skaters change their routines on the spot.

Engi, I kneel.

Queue_Jumping_Quack2026-02-01 16:27

This must be the spokon where I have the most sympathy for the rival contestants, even more so than in Haikyuu. I hate to see the girls cry in frustration and disappointment. You just watch wishing everyone could succeed, but unlike in Haikyuu, I never root for anyone over Inori (watch me eat these words in some later episode...)

The skating scenes are as good as in the last season. All these determined little athletes performing to their best!

What a great performance and recovery by Manaka. This is what I mean... you love to see her succeed, but Inori is coming next episode, as well as the determined girl who we end the episode with.

I can see this series rank among my top five or top three even if it keeps up the quality. Loving it so far.