Hello, everyone! I'm Saori from Otaku Republic!

Today! With an expected total of 13 episodes, the finale is just around the corner......! Among the Winter 2025 anime lineup, this is probably the most talked-about series—have you been watching it?

By now, many of you have probably heard about it, but let’s go over it again! Medalist is a manga about figure skating, following a 10-year-old girl chasing her dream of becoming a champion and a former skater who once gave up on his dreams but can't let go of his passion. Together, they aim for the top!

What makes Medalist so compelling? The intense rivalries and the incredible growth of its characters! The protagonist, Yuitsuka Inori, was once considered an underdog in the figure skating world. However, after meeting Akeuraji Tsukasa, a former national ice dance champion, she undergoes a transformation—rapidly improving both technically and mentally!

But standing in Inori’s way is Kamisaki Hikaru—a rival with overwhelming talent, discipline, and passion that rivals even professional skaters at her young age. Her performance scenes are breathtaking, solidifying her role as the reigning 'champion' and the 'ultimate goal' that every skater aspires to surpass!

One of the most fascinating aspects of Medalist is the presence of the coaches who walk alongside the skaters. Since they, too, once aspired to reach the top, their expectations for their students differ greatly. For example, Inori’s coach, Tsukasa, is driven by a strong desire to support her, to help her struggle and rise. On the other hand, Hikaru’s coach, Yodaka Jun, who once reigned as a gold medalist, sees Hikaru as his successor. He treats victory as an expectation rather than an achievement and takes a highly mechanical approach to coaching, focusing purely on technique. (Jun does care for Hikaru, but he has a rather awkward way of showing it.)

The emotions of the coaches and the skaters collide on the ice, making Medalist even more captivating! Additionally, the anime’s opening theme music video features a real-life figure skating medalist, further fueling the growing excitement and popularity of the series beyond the anime itself!

Right now, the hit 2016 figure skating anime Yuri!!! on Ice is available for free for a limited time! If you’re enjoying Medalist, I highly recommend watching it as well!

So! If you haven’t watched it yet, you definitely should! Medalist is the most talked-about anime of Winter 2025, and I can’t wait to see how far the story goes! Stay tuned until the very end!