Medalist Volume 10 Review
Jun Yodaka was special.
Inori skated to the best of her ability at the All-Japan Novice figure skating tournament but just missed out on making it to the podium, in spite of mastering the fiendishly difficult quadruple salchow. However, she’s now in the Junior class and determined as ever to compete for the top rankings – and with coach Tsukasa there to help her make the best of her undoubted abilities, she’s overcome the disappointment. However, she’s still suffering from growing pains which limit what she can achieve (she can’t even repeat the routine she performed at the All-Japan Novice because her legs hurt).
We meet up with Inori and Tsukasa again in full summer by the ocean in Osaka as the Junior competitors gather for a training camp for Junior Grand Prix skaters, including tall Iruka Okazaki, the winner of the Junior Grand Prix last year. The young skaters have to prepare a short programme as well and this is a problem for Inori as they all have to perform a lutz, her weakest jump. And why does Iruka always bring up Inori’s older sister Mika whenever their paths cross? As Inori sets out to find the reason for Iruka’s possible grudge against her sister, Tsukasa joins the other coaches for a drink, hoping to find some answers to help Inori with her growing pains issue. Will they have any helpful suggestions? He’s desperate for new ideas. Coach Sonidori remembers working with Jun Yodaka – and how exceptional the young man was. “He didn’t even really need… the presence of a coach” which causes Tsukasa to remember how Jun Yodaka changed coaches every year. But when Sonidori says about Hikaru, “If she decides to leave me, there’s no way I could stop her” Tsukasa protests that he’s doing a great job. Nevertheless, Tsukasa has been quietly comparing himself to his idol, Yodaka, and wondering if maybe he also had that same uncanny ability the other coaches are calling ‘the eye of the hawk’. Did I let my tools go to waste?
As this is the start of a new chapter in Inori and Tsukasa’s life as student and coach, and Inori is rapidly growing up, it’s reassuring to see that their relationship is still as positive as ever, in spite of the many hurdles in the way. But there’s no denying that Inori’s leg pains are proving a problem, even though Tsukasa is trying everything he can think of to bring her relief.
Tsurumaikada’s artwork is still one of the main reasons for reading this manga (as well, of course, as the truthful depictions of the joys and heartbreaks of competing on the ice) and here the standout sequence is the depiction of charismatic Jun Yodaka in action. In Volume 4 we were treated to a dazzling display by Tsukasa which not only wowed the young students at the training session but the readers as well – but now we get to see his rival (and once his inspiration) and it’s a breath-taking sequence of panelling; you can almost hear the skates scything through the ice and the gasps and cheers of the crowd. It’s fascinating too to learn more about the way the young skaters relate to each other off the ice and to their art as the stakes get higher and rivalries and resentments begin to arise. Saddest of all is the fact that Inori now can’t greet Hikaru face-to face without bursting into tears even though Hikaru is the one who inspired her to keep skating in the first place.
The extra chapter is a compelling read as well as it’s devoted to Rioh (Coach Sonidori’s son and Hikaru’s friend) competing in the Boys’ All-Japan Novice competition and still riven with self-doubts, in spite of Tsukasa’s morale-boosting tuition. Is this the end for him when it comes to competitive skating?
Translation for Kodansha is by Kevin Gifford and is as good as ever, dealing effortlessly with all the skating jargon, and the print edition letterer, Scott O’Brown, does a great job too. There are four 4-koma panels at the end, as well as Stuff That Didn’t Make it Into the Main Story, Things We Wish Jun Yodaka Would Stop Doing and a Junior Camp Relationship Chart and a one-page Volume 11 preview. The digital edition of Volume 11 is already available and the print edition comes out on November 11th.
With the second season of Medalist the anime due out in 2026, this is a great way to keep ahead of the story if you’re invested – and to catch up on all the little details which don’t always make it into the anime. Inori and Tsukasa’s unique relationship is very believable and relatable and it’s very difficult not to get involved in the challenges they both face on and off the ice. Still one of the best sports manga out there today.
Our review copy from Kodansha was supplied by Diamond Book Distributors UK.
