Medalist Season 2

I went into Season 2 expecting it to be a step down from the first one. Like how do you top that origin story, right? Inori going from nothing to finding Tsukasa, that whole emotional journey. I was ready to just enjoy it and move on. But honestly? Season 2 got me more than Season 1 did. The stakes are just higher now. Inori is at actual tournaments, qualifying for the All-Japan Championships, going up against the best young skaters in the country. And the show knows how to make you feel that weight. There are girls we've never met before, total strangers, and within a few minutes of watching them skate, you're already stressed for them. That got me every single time. The competition episodes in the first half are genuinely some of the best the show has ever done. When Inori finally performed with no dramatics, no last-minute miracle, just clean skating and one big combination at the end, it felt so satisfying precisely because it wasn't over the top. I actually held my breath. The rivalry building between Tsukasa and the coach, Yodaka, is also really compelling, two completely different coaching philosophies are about to collide, and you can feel it coming. Inori and Tsukasa together are still the best part of this whole series. Watching Tsukasa slowly accept that he actually has real talent as a coach, not just luck, was such a good arc this season. And the moment where his old friend Koichi shows up to watch a competition for the first time, just to see what Tsukasa has become, I'm not even going to pretend I didn't get emotional. Okay, but here's my one real complaint, and it's a big one. The second half slows down SO much. After the tournament high, we go into this long training stretch, and it just drags. There's a whole harness training episode that kind of undercuts itself. Inori basically masters the jumps almost immediately, and the show has to make a self-aware joke about it because even the writers knew it felt anticlimactic. Like the momentum just stalls. You're sitting there waiting for something to happen, and it keeps not happening. And then the season ends at nine episodes, with the actual Inori vs Hikaru showdown being saved for a movie in 2027. Which honestly feels unfair after you've sat through the slower back half waiting for that payoff. They introduce new characters right at the end who are clearly going to matter, but there's no time to care about them yet. Still, though, when this season was good, it was really good. The first half alone made it better than Season 1 for me. The animation is still beautiful, the skating sequences are incredibly detailed, and the emotional reactions feel completely real. Inori has genuinely grown into someone you root for differently now, not because she's the underdog anymore, but because she's becoming something. Slow second half and a cliffhanger ending aside, I liked this season more than the first one.

I went into Season 2 expecting it to be a step down from the first one. Like how do you top that origin story, right? Inori going from nothing to finding Tsukasa, that whole emotional journey. I was ready to just enjoy it and move on. But honestly? Season 2 got me more than Season 1 did. The stakes are just higher now. Inori is at actual tournaments, qualifying for the All-Japan Championships, going up against the best young skaters in the country. And the show knows how to make you feel that weight. There are girls we've never met before, total strangers, and within a few minutes of watching them skate, you're already stressed for them. That got me every single time. The competition episodes in the first half are genuinely some of the best the show has ever done. When Inori finally performed with no dramatics, no last-minute miracle, just clean skating and one big combination at the end, it felt so satisfying precisely because it wasn't over the top. I actually held my breath. The rivalry building between Tsukasa and the coach, Yodaka, is also really compelling, two completely different coaching philosophies are about to collide, and you can feel it coming. Inori and Tsukasa together are still the best part of this whole series. Watching Tsukasa slowly accept that he actually has real talent as a coach, not just luck, was such a good arc this season. And the moment where his old friend Koichi shows up to watch a competition for the first time, just to see what Tsukasa has become, I'm not even going to pretend I didn't get emotional. Okay, but here's my one real complaint, and it's a big one. The second half slows down SO much. After the tournament high, we go into this long training stretch, and it just drags. There's a whole harness training episode that kind of undercuts itself. Inori basically masters the jumps almost immediately, and the show has to make a self-aware joke about it because even the writers knew it felt anticlimactic. Like the momentum just stalls. You're sitting there waiting for something to happen, and it keeps not happening. And then the season ends at nine episodes, with the actual Inori vs Hikaru showdown being saved for a movie in 2027. Which honestly feels unfair after you've sat through the slower back half waiting for that payoff. They introduce new characters right at the end who are clearly going to matter, but there's no time to care about them yet. Still, though, when this season was good, it was really good. The first half alone made it better than Season 1 for me. The animation is still beautiful, the skating sequences are incredibly detailed, and the emotional reactions feel completely real. Inori has genuinely grown into someone you root for differently now, not because she's the underdog anymore, but because she's becoming something. Slow second half and a cliffhanger ending aside, I liked this season more than the first one.

Gotta learn Japanese to watch this show. Those subs are garbage. But if you know Japanese, god damn Medalist is amazing

The animation with Jun and Tsukasa was everything. And Iruka too omg, now I can't wait to see more of how the older skaters move

If I were Tsukasa, the entire first half of this episode will feel like a fever dream for the next few weeks. And that soundtrack while they were skating was *chef's kiss*

I love moments where we can see more of Tsukasa's skills. The rivalry is getting crazier now. The pace seems slower but the tension is just as heavy as the last episode

Aside from that amazing competition result, the world-building opens up some more in the latter half of this episode. The stakes are getting higher than ever before. The comedic moments are nicely balanced here too

Huge payoff from Season 1. Our dynamic duo has come so far 🥲 solid writing and pacing here

Such a satisfying episode :') So proud of Inori here, and Tsukasa too! That last scene was a real cliffhanger tho

The world-building is crazy in this episode. Very realistic that anything can happen in a competition. And Gramps's banner was so wholesome :')

Yuna's backstory was definitely unexpected but it was necessary. Rivalry is brewing. Can't wait to see the next episode. This competition is so intense aaaaa

Yuna's performance was omg the animation and her thoughts behind it make the stakes feel higher than before. BUT that last line by Inori was literally goosebumps! What a cliffhanger!!

The pacing feels slower as we're waiting for Inori's turn but the tension builds up as the competition starts. And can I just say that the camera angles during the competitors' skating are so dynamic and engaging

It's heartwarming that Koga and his daughter are here too. I can feel the support through the screen. And that Tsukasa and Inori banana scene was too cute!

On top of the fluid animation, the world-building is nicely portrayed here. Really makes this competition feel more intense

That opening ceremony was fire. Inori is on a totally different scale now. Can't wait to see how the Chubu tournament goes, especially with all these new characters

Interesting take on the episode 1. The pace seems slower but the tension is higher than ever before. Finding out about Hikaru here really changes your perspective of her skill gap from the rest.

The OSTs are bangers this season! This episode 1 really sets the mood, things are getting more intense and the stakes are higher than ever

Such a fulfilling finale. When Juna Shiratori arrives in a duck costume and chomps Tsukasa’s head lol

Tsukasa dreams he nails a jump only to crash - this is what I wanted! Some character growth!