Underrated
Medalist: a figure skating anime about a coach and a student
Two seasons are out, a film follows on February 19, 2027, and it streams on Hulu in the US. Here is what the series is and who it suits.
What it is
Medalist is a figure skating series from the studio ENGI. Tsukasa Akeuraji is a frustrated skater who meets Inori Yuitsuka, a girl who longs to become a figure skater. Moved by her obsession on the ice, he starts coaching her, and together they aim to make her a medalist.5
It is based on Tsurumaikada’s manga, which began in Kodansha’s Afternoon magazine in May 2020. The manga won Best General Manga at the 68th Shogakukan Manga Awards in 2023 and at Kodansha’s 48th Manga Awards in May 2024.2
Why it matters now
There is plenty to catch up on and plenty ahead. Season 1 premiered in January 2025 with thirteen episodes, and season 2 debuted on January 24, 2026 with nine.23 In the US, Hulu began streaming season 2 on February 20, 2026 with Japanese audio, and Disney+ carries it in other countries.2
A film follows. Kadokawa revealed in August that the Medalist anime film opens on February 19, 2027.4 As of October 13, 2026 we found no release date outside Japan for it.
Who it is for
It is for people who like sports dramas about getting better at something, and for fans of mentor and student stories. If you do not enjoy competition arcs, it may not be for you. It is rated TV-14 on the US listing.3
There are 22 episodes in all across the two seasons, about eight and a half hours, so it is a few weekends rather than a single sitting.3 Disney+ also lists an English dub.5
What makes it different
It has two leads who need each other. The official blurb pairs a skater whose own plans fell apart with a student whose talent grows, and says he becomes a brilliant mentor as she improves.5 The adult gets a second chance as much as the child gets a first one. Disney+’s episode list shows how it starts: the first episode, “A Genius on the Ice”, has Tsukasa meet a self-taught skating girl, and the second has her encouraged to take the badge test, a certification exam for figure skating.5
Skating is hard to animate, and the credits show how this series approaches it. Anime News Network’s staff list for season 2 includes a 3D director, a 3DCG animation supervisor and a 3DCG producer, so computer animation is part of how the performances are made.1 Yuki Hayashi composes the music, with HANA performing the opening, “Cold Night”, and Conton Candy the ending, “Rookies”.12
The one thing to watch for
Any story about a young athlete and an adult who coaches her has to be careful with pressure. Watch how the series treats it: how much the adults ask, and what they do when asking turns into demanding.
Opinion
Our take
Our take: if you like stories about getting better at something, this is time well spent, and it is one of the easier ways to try a sports anime.
Time well spent is clear: 22 episodes of 23 minutes is a defined amount of your life, with a film to follow, and nothing here asks you to follow a hundred-episode run.
“Underrated” is our opinion, not a measurement. The manga’s awards show the story is respected,2 and we think a show about figure skating gets passed over by people who would enjoy it. If that is you, try the first episode.
For becoming and belonging, the coach and student pairing is the heart. Getting good at something is almost never a solo job, and a story that shows two people helping each other is a good model for your own projects.
It can feel like a sports show in the moment and read as a story about second chances afterwards. Both judgements are fair.
We have kept spoilers out and kept the list of facts to what the sources state. If something here is out of date by the time you read it, tell us and we will fix it.
Make a scene inspired by this
Open the studio, pick the Frozen Lake background, place a coach with his arms crossed and a student who is not ready to stop, and write the exchange where she asks for one more try and he decides whether to say yes.
Open the studioFree to start. No card.
Talk about it on the forum
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Sources
- Medalist (TV 2), encyclopedia entry Anime News Network
- Hulu adds Medalist anime season 2 in U.S. Anime News Network, February 18, 2026
- Medalist: where to watch JustWatch US, checked September 30, 2026
- Medalist anime film’s teaser reveals February 19 opening Anime News Network, August 30, 2026
- Medalist, season details and synopsis Disney+
- Animation and film business overview, listing ENGI and its work Medalist KADOKAWA Group
- Medalist Season 2 | PV 1 Medalist official channel on YouTube
Facts above come from these pages and from the official trailer's own channel. Opinion is only in the box labelled "Our take". Spot a mistake? Tell us at support@qol.one and we will fix it.