Medalist Season 2 ‒ Episode 3

A Shift in Focus

The latest installment of Medalist presents a welcome return to a more individualized narrative approach, diverging from the broader perspective of the ongoing competition seen in the previous week. While the earlier episode offered an expansive overview, this particular focus on specific characters generally enhances the series' impact. Notably, this episode's spotlight does not primarily illuminate Inori, who remains off the ice until the very close of the credits sequence. Instead, the story gravitates toward Yuna, another of Inori's burgeoning rivals, who exhibits a similar fervent ambition to surpass Hikaru. While the depth of Yuna's personal story within this episode might not quite match the compelling nature of other characters introduced earlier, her segment still maintains a sufficient level of engagement to effectively convey its intended purpose. The community has assigned a score of 4.0 to this episode.

Yuna's Dual Revelations

This episode swiftly introduces two fundamental aspects of Yuna's character. The first centers on her significant affection for Shinichiro, known as Rioh's father. This personal detail becomes accidentally known to Inori, who stumbles upon Yuna engaging in a private roleplaying session with puppets. The scene itself carries an inherent cuteness and is presented without malice. However, mindful of past narrative choices in other series that have ventured into sensitive territory, there is an initial, instinctive tension evoked by such a plot point. Fortunately, this particular comedic element does not overstay its welcome. Much of the humor derives from Yuna's profound embarrassment at Inori discovering her deeply guarded secret, leading to some of the most expressive and amusing facial reactions depicted in the show to date. These expressions are accompanied by Yuna's playful yet firm threats of dire consequences should Inori ever divulge what she witnessed to anyone else.

The second, and arguably more significant, revelation concerning Yuna pertains to her complex relationship with Hikaru and her own perception of inferiority. Yuna began her journey in figure skating at the tender age of four, having been inspired by one of Shinichiro's captivating performances. Her innate talent quickly earned her the label of a genius in the sport. However, her prominence was eventually overshadowed by Hikaru, who began to command widespread attention, including that of Yuna's idol, Shinichiro. Despite Yuna still being recognized as one of the elite skaters of her generation, her past designation as a "former genius" has instilled in her a profound need to prove her capabilities. The episode skillfully portrays this inner drive through her subsequent performance on the ice.

A Performance Fueled by Desperation

In stark contrast to the refined polish and sophisticated showmanship demonstrated in the routines of Riina and Manaka, Yuna's performance conveys a palpable sense of desperation. Her routine involves a series of highly challenging jumps, each executed with intense focus. Despite experiencing a few visible falls during her sequence, she displays remarkable resilience, quickly regaining her composure and momentum to proceed to the next element without any significant delay. The entire choreography is captured with striking clarity and detail, benefiting immensely from the animation's ability to effectively render her movements and emotional state. Given her evident drive to succeed, the ultimate outcome of her performance is scarcely left in doubt. Yuna's strenuous efforts ultimately propel her into the leading position, establishing her as the current first-place contender in the competition.

Familiar Echoes and Mounting Stakes

While the execution of Yuna's character arc is undeniably strong, certain aspects of her story in this episode feel somewhat reminiscent of earlier narratives. Her complex regarding Hikaru, for example, shares thematic similarities with the struggles previously explored through Rioh, who also harbors his own complex towards Hikaru. Rioh makes a brief appearance in this episode, just long enough to playfully tease Inori and to reveal his growing respect for Tsukasa. Consequently, although this episode provided considerable enjoyment, Yuna's character did not resonate with the same level of profound engagement as some of the other skaters encountered thus far in the series.

Nevertheless, even an episode of Medalist that might be considered slightly less impactful still manages to deliver a substantial viewing experience. Yuna's impressive performance plays a crucial role in elevating the competitive stakes for Inori's upcoming turn on the ice. With the top skaters having successfully executed jumps of a higher difficulty than Inori is currently capable of, it appears that Inori will need to devise an innovative strategy to secure the gold medal. The precise nature of this unconventional approach remains undisclosed. After two full episodes dedicated to building up to this moment, there is considerable anticipation for a truly rewarding payoff when Inori finally takes her place on the rink.