Comparing <i>Medalist</i> with any other ice skating manga out in English is like apples to oranges. This is, first and foremost, a sports manga about competitive figure skating, with the dynamic art to back it up. But it's also a story about learning to believe in yourself against all odds - unlike, for example, the boys of <i>Haikyu</i>, Inori doesn't fully believe that she can win or that she's worth it. Mostly that's because all of the adults she interacts with prior to meeting Tsukasa, her coach, are horrible people who not only don't understand her implied learning differences (I'd guess dyslexia and a rote memory disorder), but tell her that she's not smart/good enough because of them. Even her own mother doesn't believe that she has a future in figure skating, although her objections could be framed as simply not wanting her to pin her hopes on an impossible dream.

And maybe it will turn out to be impossible. But Tsukasa doesn't think so, and more importantly, he's willing to work with Inori until she sees it too. She has <i>talent</i> if only people would look past her anxiety and learning differences to see it. She's the kind of heroine we desperately want to see succeed, not just because she's good despite what the world is telling her, but because her triumph will rub it in the world's collective face - and more importantly, show her that she's worth believing in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for an advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Medalist Vol. 1 is the start of what I think is going to be a really great series. Inori has a dream to become the best figure skater in the world, even though she's starting her career late compared to the many kids who start their training at age 5.. Tsukasa was never able to reach his dream as an ice dancer, but is realizing that being a coach may be more rewarding than anything else he's ever done.

The cast of characters is very likeable, and I really enjoyed the style of this manga. I don't typically read sports focused manga, but thought that this one did a great job of explaining necessary details of the sport without being too much technicality.

I'm really looking forward to the next one!

All the stars.
This manga is off to such a promising start.
Tsukasa age 26 is a retired ice dancer whose dreams were to be a singles skater. He keeps being turned down for ice shows but he is always auditioning. In the meantime he is offered a job as an assistant coach for the kids in his local skating club. Feeling a bit dejected about his past losses he feels he doesn't have the credentials to coach even though he has skated at the highest levels in Japan. This is where we meet Inori Yuitsuka age 11 who has only ever wanted to skate, but her mother has been reluctant to let her since her sister didn't get that far in the sport. Seeing her determination and love of skating has Tsukasa inspired and willing to become her coach.
Together they are aces. It’s full of encouragement, hard work, and joy.
In this volume we see their journey to earn her preliminary badge test, meet some child skate prodigies, and learn the basics of skating in a way that is easy to understand. Every character you meet is trying their best in their own way. It’s heartwarming to see Tsukasa becoming the best coach he can be for Inori and her trying her best to be a beautiful dancer like him and closing the gap between her and her competitors.
I hope we get to see this journey go all the way to the Olympics. I can’t recommend this enough. It’s beautiful.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first sports based manga I have read and I loved it. The combination of the humor with the character development and the woven in information on the art of ice dancing/figure skating is perfect. I can't wait to read the next volume and see what happens in the prelims.

This Sports Seinen series all about the highs and lows of figure skating gets tens across the board from the judges... and me! Mangaka Tsrumaikada crafts a strong debut here, mixing familiar underdog tropes with a few fresh twists. Failed figure skater Tsukasa has his passion for the rink restored when he meets the timid Inori, a young girl that’s new to skating but posses a distinct drive and passion for it nonetheless. Can this unlikely duo take the skating world by storm?

By introducing Inori to the skating world alongside the reader, Tsrumaikada ensures we aren’t bogged down by technical jargon from the onset, and instead you find yourself swept up in Inori’s (and Tsukasa’s!) infectious excitement and the spectacle of it all. Introducing intriguing supporting cast members and potential rivals later in the volume allows the reader to become fully accustomed to the unique setting of the ice rink at their own pace.

Lastly, the humour in this volume was a welcome surprise, and succeeded in making the characters a lot more sympathetic and endearing. A good balance in tone provides penalty of light hearted moments along with more heart-wrenching scenes. Inori’s difficulty to approach her passions with her mother along with her mother’s reluctance was particularly moving. Couple that with striking art that captured the speed and movement on the rink particularly sharply and this volume makes for a stunning performance that you don’t want to miss!

This manga is amazing, it is such a favourite now. I really loved it. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this manga because I hadn’t seen it anywhere before but it definitely needs to be more known.
We have passion, ice-skating, friendship, humour and happiness. I laughed so much while reading this manga, sometimes, just because of the drawings. The thing is, I also did ice-skate when I was younger (around 14yo) so I can kind of relate but I would be more a side character because I was afraid of falling and hurting myself, unlike Inori. What I also like about this manga is that it shows how are this world is in Japan and how much pression is put on kids at a very young age.
I recommend this manga to everyone and especially fans of sport manga.
5/5

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cute and so much inspiring story about trusting yourself and to keep believing in your dreamswhatever the obstacle that might stand in your way. Also, it's about the impact of the parents' words on their children's mental health, happiness and dreams.
About the illustrations, I'm kind of in between liking it and not. For me, it was kind of too much when it came to the characters' way of expressing their feelings like crying or excitement, it was over done, also, there were a lot of bubbles for my taste .

It is the beginning of a beautiful story that I'm sure will grow to be a great one, as usual for Kondansha comics, the books that they choose to publish are always amazing.

I really liked this and for the first time in ages I got to the end and wanted the next volume because I *need* to know what happens. Between the blurb and cover I wasn’t sure what to expect, I had a brief worry that Tsukasa and Inori competing together because sometimes artstyles are skewed maybe Inori was meant to be older but thankfully not.

Inori dreams of skating, her mother isn’t thrilled about this because Inori doesn’t have the greatest aptitude for school and everyday chores. Tsukasa used to be a professional skater but started late, he’s struggling with career skating job and is offered a coaching opportunity. There is a serendipitous meeting between him and Inori prior to his and when she shows up at the skating club, he sees himself reflected in her.

The first volume of Medalist follows Inori as she begins learning skating professionally and trying to close the gap between her and the other students who started 4-5 years before her. Her drive and Tsukasa’s for her to achieve skating excellence is the backbone of the story.

This manga was super inspirational and I thought it was super sweet.

Tsukasa had risen in the ranks of Japanese Figure Skating, but has been unemployable in the field mostly due to his age. Having a late start, starting skating at age 14 instead of 5, Tsukasa had been turned away by several coaches just because they didn't want to waste their time trying to play catch-up, until he met his coach who decided to give him a chance.

Tsukasa knows how hard getting into professional skating can be, and when he meets 11 year old Inori who wants nothing more than to skate professionally, he knows she'll have a hard time finding an in. Reaching out to Ms. Takamine, a coach at a local skate school, he suggests to Inori that she and her mother visit Takamine and talk about following her dream of skating.

Medalist is an ice skating series about 26-year-old, Tsukasa, an unemployed and retired ice skater. And 11-year-old Inori, a girl who has a passion for ice skating despite her mother's blatant disapproval. Tsukasa becomes a coach for children and convinces Inori's mother to let her join the figure skating club. From the beginning, Inori is a very talented ice skater but because of her age, she is far beyond some of the other students. Also, Inori has very low self-esteem and it is constantly expressed through her emotions. I cried multiple times reading this volume because Inori found a place where she belongs. Tsukasa also makes a great trainer, it's clear how much he wants Inori to succeed and build confidence in herself. We are also introduced to a cast of characters who make for some interesting rivals and friends for Inori. I never wanted the volume to end!

The Medalist holds a lot of promise and is something you won't want to miss. The story is really engaging and readers will be cheering on Inori.

Thank you Netgalley and Kodansha Comics for allowing me to read an ARC of the Medalist volume 1 in exchange for an honest review!

WOW. The story of the two comings together to accomplish their dream was magnificent. Tsukasa is a young man with shattered dreams, who meets Inori, a girl no one believed had the skills and heart to compete. In the face of adversity, the two work together on the rink to create beautiful magic on ice, displaying to all of those who didn't believe in them they could accomplish their dreams. The adverse dilemmas these two undergo are a display that anyone can overcome obstacles as long as they believe in themselves and their partner.

The journey of Tsukasa and Inori was so beautiful to watch and I was turning the pages with butterflies in my stomach, wanting more. If you are a fan of "Yuri on Ice", you will LOVE the journey of Tsukasa and Inori.

I enjoyed this manga a lot!

This manga follows a 26 year old skater (Tsukasa) trying to figure out exactly what he wants to do, and the 11 year old new skater (Inori) that he eventually decides to coach! I love the relationship between the main two characters - it was so wholesome! I really like the drive that Inori has, and I also like how the manga depicts how she struggles with school and with pressure. She gets anxious and freezes up, but she also tries so hard and has such a passion for skating. I can't wait to see where else these two characters' journeys go in future volumes - I will definitely be continuing with this series!

Some of the art and facial expressions felt a little over-exaggerated at times, but that's just a personal preference and that didn't seem to bother many other reviewers so I think most people wouldn't mind that aspect.

Even though I've only ice skated a few times, reading this made me want to stop everything and go to an ice rink!

Take the young-adult-and-kid friendship of Mob Psycho 100, add it to the sport of Yuri!!! on Ice, and you would get something like Medalist, in the best possible way. A mid-twenties adult who got into ice skating too late to really succeed at it becomes inspired to coach a young girl who is also starting late, but might just have the talent and passion to make it all the way. The story is wholesome, the artwork hilarious, and in the end all I wanted to do was read the next volume to see where it would go next. Highly recommended.

ARC Copy...highly recommended for figure skating enthusiasts and so far very promising start to this j-drama series. I so far liked the dynamics between the pro0skating coach and his very young but promising student so far.

5/5 stars

I received an ARC of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

Tsukasa never quite fulfilled his own skating dreams. Inori has yet to get the chance to pursue her skating dreams. Together, the pair is working to make Inori's dreams come true! With Tsukasa as her coach, Inori might finally get the chance to skate.

If I had to describe this volume in one word, it would be "wholesome." The whole story is just so adorable! Inori is so cute, and I love her spirit! Tsukasa is such a good and patient character as well! As adorable as this story is, it also deals with some darker subjects, like the intensity of the skating world and crushed dreams. However, the story is a happy one, and the two main characters are such dorks! They have the best reactions/facial expressions! I honestly am looking forward to seeing more of Inori's journey and learning more about Tsukasa in future volumes! There are also some interesting side characters that have piqued my curiosity! Again, this was such a wholesome read! I would recommend it to manga readers looking for a sweet sports read that's a little different from the norm!

Thank you to Kodansha Comics, NetGalley, and TSURUMAIKADA for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Inori is already ten years old and wants to skate, but her mom wouldn't let her before. Serious skaters begin at age five, so Inori is a bit behind everyone else. Tsukasa bombed an ice dancing audition and pursues the path of coaching. When he sees Inori's ambition, he steps in to be her coach, despite her mother's berating Inori's lack of talent--in her opinion. Tsukasa can see Inori's potential. she is a fast learner, and even though they have to start small, he can see Inori going a long way. Where he couldn't follow his dreams, he encourages Inori to follow hers.

This is a really nice feel-good manga that also builds on the student-coach relationship. The encouragement that shines through this manga demonstrates the importance of one following their dreams and not giving up in their pursuit. I enjoyed the art in this manga and found that the ice-skating story was a bit different than some of the other ones out there (lots of TV shows and movies that feature older teens or college age people). This manga features a child with a coach who is college age. There is a lot of potential where this story can go, and I am curious how long it will run. Will it be like Major, a baseball manga that runs through a young boy's life from Kindergarten to playing in college? Or will it be a single run of the season for Inori, kind of like Yuri!!! on Ice?

A great first installment great for Middle Grade, Young Adult, and New Adult audiences, sports-lovers, and those looking for a great ice-skating story!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha for giving me a free PDF copy of this manga in exchange for an honest review.

Now, if you’ve been anywhere near Anime in the past 5-ish years, you probably heard of Yuri on Ice. When I requested this title, I correlated my love for that anime and hoped I would find something similar in this manga. And while ice skating is the focus of this manga, it is nothing like Yuri on Ice.

You meet Tsukusa, a young man who had grand dreams of being a single ice skater that stood on the Olympic stage. Starting late in his med-teens, those dreams were sadly washed away and after college, he was forced to retire as he had no future within skating.

He meets little Inari shortly after meeting with his old skating partner and somehow finds himself becoming a coach to her. Riddled with anxiety and low self-esteem, she isn’t the normal ice skating student. Tsukusa pledges to his student however to get Inari to stand on the Olympic stage and fulfill her dreams of being the best ice skater the world has ever seen.

This manga is so wholesome. Poor little Inari wants nothing to skate but everyone is against it and it crashes her hopes and dreams of becoming an ice skater. Her biggest opposition is her own mother. She finds Tsukusa and she finally finds someone that will fight for her and not against her. Pair that hopefulness and drive from Inari with Tsukusa’s want and faith, this manga will put a smile on your face and have you rooting for them before you even hit page 100.

I personally can’t wait for the second volume and highly suggest this manga for anyone who wants a feel good manga to lift their spirits.

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this manga this also needs a physical copy asap!!! I have to say currently, this is my favorite ice skating story of all time. Yes that's a pretty tall order. However, I love it because it presents these three items: What it is like starting out in a hobby/field so late that people do not take the main character seriously, How the ice skating world works in Japan for someone new to ice skating in general, and finally and to me the best part, learning the technical aspects of ice skating itself as well as what happens from the coaches' perspective. Because of these points and also the amazing artstyle that this manga holds, I have to give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars only because I wish that the ending wasn't a cliffhanger!!

W H O L E S O M E
Do you need a reminder that there is good in the world? This manga is IT!

Inori is a wonderfully unique spitfire, that makes you want root for her. She feels genuine through and through, from her anxiety to her passion.

Tsukasa is incredibly supportive, and does an amazing job supporting Inori in her growth as a skater, as well as her mental health. His drive to ensure she feels like she has agency in her growth as a skater is also awesome.

WOULD RECOMMEND!

I am SO impressed with this volume! What an absolutely delightful read that I was not expecting. The characters are great, the plot is interesting, and the artwork is phenomenal! I am very, very much looking forward to checking out the second volume when it releases!