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メダリスト [Medalist] #9
Medalist Vol. 9
After she added a quadruple salchow to her jump repertoire, Inori's become the target of attention as she and Tsukasa take on the All-Japan Novice meet. In it, Hikaru Kamisaki-the student of Olympic gold medalist Jun Yodaka-dominates with a quad toe loop, followed by a triple axel to round out the show. The performance stuns the other competitors, some of whom let their nerves fatally destroy their routines-but now it's time for Inori to get on the ice! It's the first direct competition between Inori and Hikaru for gold and glory... How will it turn out?!
193 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 23, 2023
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38 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 11, 2025
I think it's the best volume so far. In a way, this story became personal for me, and I only just noticed that. I wish I could give it 10 stars instead of 5. I forgot I was reading a manga, and for a moment, I was there, on the rink, watching Inori skate. I even heard the skates scraping on the ice and felt the chill from the ice.
It's not only beautiful as a manga and how it's drawn but beautiful as a story about what is important while doing things that you love.
It's not only beautiful as a manga and how it's drawn but beautiful as a story about what is important while doing things that you love.
April 4, 2024
As the All-Japan Novice Meet comes to a close, Inori is about to have her shot at taking on Hikaru. But it’s also a battle between the heartfelt coach, Tsukasa, and smoking robot coach, Jun, as their styles literally clash right on the ice.
Writ large, this seems to be turning into a dramatic fight for the ice skating soul of Hikaru Kamisaki, waged between Tsukasa and Jun, with Inori as the weapon of Tsukasa’s attempts to prove that the rink may be cold, but the life lived for it doesn’t have to be.
It’s also a powerhouse of a spotlight on Inori, proving that the huge amount of time spent at this competition was worth it for such a wickedly good payoff. Her routine is a page-turning masterclass in sporting suspense.
One reason manga appeals to me is because it has very fallible, very human characters that are allowed to fail. So, when this massive finale begins in earnest, it’s fair to say that it could go either way. I mean, there are lots more competitions, so this is really a drop in the bucket.
It would not be fair to spoil this, since it is the biggest chunk of the volume, but it is about as perfect a bit of story as one could hope for. There are several times where it seems like it’ll be a solid victory, or maybe not, or… yeah.
Tsurumaikada’s scratchy art does really well with the skating action and I absolutely respect their clever framing of the meets with various audiences or fellow competitors to break up the repetition of being on the rink constantly and then use that to zero in hard on Inori.
This is very, very well told. The flashbacks are used judiciously and spread out so as to not overwhelm the main action; Tsukasa’s failure at skating is finally made plain and it’s a heartbreaker. That failure, in turn, informs his desire to see Inori not sacrifice her entire life to skating. After he lost his chance he had nothing, then ended up in coaching. Tsukasa wants better for Inori, versus Jun’s ‘win at all costs’ philosophy.
The only bump in the road comes with the conversation between Tsukasa and Hikaru towards the end, which goes a little super dramatic and feels a bit more theatrical than we usually see the off-ice sections get. It’s okay, but I wasn’t a huge fan, since it is basically an argument between an adult and a kid. The story tries to call that out, but it really only gets away with it because it’s manga, in my opinion.
Still, the bulk of this is stellar and we see all the paths open up for Inori, but they just look even harder than what she’s already done, which should play into the themes being established quite neatly. There’s also Inori herself, who feels she has to succeed because of what Tsukasa has sacrificed, which is probably going to be a contentious issue later on.
4.5 stars - one wobble does not ruin an entire volume, though you’ll have to read this one to see if that pertains to any other aspects of the story. Brilliant as usual.
Writ large, this seems to be turning into a dramatic fight for the ice skating soul of Hikaru Kamisaki, waged between Tsukasa and Jun, with Inori as the weapon of Tsukasa’s attempts to prove that the rink may be cold, but the life lived for it doesn’t have to be.
It’s also a powerhouse of a spotlight on Inori, proving that the huge amount of time spent at this competition was worth it for such a wickedly good payoff. Her routine is a page-turning masterclass in sporting suspense.
One reason manga appeals to me is because it has very fallible, very human characters that are allowed to fail. So, when this massive finale begins in earnest, it’s fair to say that it could go either way. I mean, there are lots more competitions, so this is really a drop in the bucket.
It would not be fair to spoil this, since it is the biggest chunk of the volume, but it is about as perfect a bit of story as one could hope for. There are several times where it seems like it’ll be a solid victory, or maybe not, or… yeah.
Tsurumaikada’s scratchy art does really well with the skating action and I absolutely respect their clever framing of the meets with various audiences or fellow competitors to break up the repetition of being on the rink constantly and then use that to zero in hard on Inori.
This is very, very well told. The flashbacks are used judiciously and spread out so as to not overwhelm the main action; Tsukasa’s failure at skating is finally made plain and it’s a heartbreaker. That failure, in turn, informs his desire to see Inori not sacrifice her entire life to skating. After he lost his chance he had nothing, then ended up in coaching. Tsukasa wants better for Inori, versus Jun’s ‘win at all costs’ philosophy.
The only bump in the road comes with the conversation between Tsukasa and Hikaru towards the end, which goes a little super dramatic and feels a bit more theatrical than we usually see the off-ice sections get. It’s okay, but I wasn’t a huge fan, since it is basically an argument between an adult and a kid. The story tries to call that out, but it really only gets away with it because it’s manga, in my opinion.
Still, the bulk of this is stellar and we see all the paths open up for Inori, but they just look even harder than what she’s already done, which should play into the themes being established quite neatly. There’s also Inori herself, who feels she has to succeed because of what Tsukasa has sacrificed, which is probably going to be a contentious issue later on.
4.5 stars - one wobble does not ruin an entire volume, though you’ll have to read this one to see if that pertains to any other aspects of the story. Brilliant as usual.
March 26, 2025
Ah Inori my child i am rooting for you always. No.1 in my heart. Also I feel like recent arcs made me not a fan of Hikaru. There's something unsettling about her.
July 11, 2025
Inori finally takes to the ice for the All Japan Novice Championship, and it makes for a beautiful, gut wrenching volume. Inori's growth as a skater and as a person is the focus of this volume. I love how Inori has grown from the stuttering mess of the early volumes, to the determined, positive skater she is now. She's got more to learn as the competition only gets fiercer from here, but I'm so excited to see her journey continue.
I also love Tsukasa and Inori's ability to believe in and uplift each other despite everything. Compared to Jun and Hikaru's tense, competitive relationship, Tsukasa and Inori make me smile, and I hope they can show that Jun and Hikaru's destructive views around sacrifice do not have to be the only path to victory.
In terms of art, this series continues to showcase ice skating beautifully, but it also captures emotion fantastically. I loved reading this volume!
I also love Tsukasa and Inori's ability to believe in and uplift each other despite everything. Compared to Jun and Hikaru's tense, competitive relationship, Tsukasa and Inori make me smile, and I hope they can show that Jun and Hikaru's destructive views around sacrifice do not have to be the only path to victory.
In terms of art, this series continues to showcase ice skating beautifully, but it also captures emotion fantastically. I loved reading this volume!
March 13, 2025
4.5 stars
Endlich ist Inori an der Reihe, und ihre Performance war echt gut. Sie hat die Leute mitgerissen und sich einen Namen gemacht, egal wie es auch ausgegangen sein mag. Aber man hat auch gemerkt, wie extrem die Halle und das Publikum jemanden beeinflussen kann, wenn auch ungewollt. Tsukasa ist enorm stolz auf Inori und auch die anderen sowie die älteren haben sie jetzt auf jeden Fall auf dem Schirm, auch wenn sie ein Risiko eingegangen ist. Hikaru wird mir irgendwie unsympathisch, weil sie sich Tsukasa gegenüber so selbstgefällig aufspielt. Das mag ich nicht. Ihr Trainer ist ja aber auch ein bisschen komisch … Inoris Ehrgeiz finde ich durchaus gesund, Hikarus hingegen gar nicht. Ich freue mich schon darauf, Inoris weiteren Weg mitzuverfolgen, da sie jetzt eine Stufe höher geht. Einfach eine klasse Reihe!
Endlich ist Inori an der Reihe, und ihre Performance war echt gut. Sie hat die Leute mitgerissen und sich einen Namen gemacht, egal wie es auch ausgegangen sein mag. Aber man hat auch gemerkt, wie extrem die Halle und das Publikum jemanden beeinflussen kann, wenn auch ungewollt. Tsukasa ist enorm stolz auf Inori und auch die anderen sowie die älteren haben sie jetzt auf jeden Fall auf dem Schirm, auch wenn sie ein Risiko eingegangen ist. Hikaru wird mir irgendwie unsympathisch, weil sie sich Tsukasa gegenüber so selbstgefällig aufspielt. Das mag ich nicht. Ihr Trainer ist ja aber auch ein bisschen komisch … Inoris Ehrgeiz finde ich durchaus gesund, Hikarus hingegen gar nicht. Ich freue mich schon darauf, Inoris weiteren Weg mitzuverfolgen, da sie jetzt eine Stufe höher geht. Einfach eine klasse Reihe!
April 4, 2024
As the All-Japan Novice Meet comes to a close, Inori is about to have her shot at taking on Hikaru. But it’s also a battle between the heartfelt coach, Tsukasa, and smoking robot coach, Jun, as their styles literally clash right on the ice.
Writ large, this seems to be turning into a dramatic fight for the ice skating soul of Hikaru Kamisaki, waged between Tsukasa and Jun, with Inori as the weapon of Tsukasa’s attempts to prove that the rink may be cold, but the life lived for it doesn’t have to be.
It’s also a powerhouse of a spotlight on Inori, proving that the huge amount of time spent at this competition was worth it for such a wickedly good payoff. Her routine is a page-turning masterclass in sporting suspense.
One reason manga appeals to me is because it has very fallible, very human characters that are allowed to fail. So, when this massive finale begins in earnest, it’s fair to say that it could go either way. I mean, there are lots more competitions, so this is really a drop in the bucket.
It would not be fair to spoil this, since it is the biggest chunk of the volume, but it is about as perfect a bit of story as one could hope for. There are several times where it seems like it’ll be a solid victory, or maybe not, or… yeah.
Tsurumaikada’s scratchy art does really well with the skating action and I absolutely respect their clever framing of the meets with various audiences or fellow competitors to break up the repetition of being on the rink constantly and then use that to zero in hard on Inori.
This is very, very well told. The flashbacks are used judiciously and spread out so as to not overwhelm the main action; Tsukasa’s failure at skating is finally made plain and it’s a heartbreaker. That failure, in turn, informs his desire to see Inori not sacrifice her entire life to skating. After he lost his chance he had nothing, then ended up in coaching. Tsukasa wants better for Inori, versus Jun’s ‘win at all costs’ philosophy.
The only bump in the road comes with the conversation between Tsukasa and Hikaru towards the end, which goes a little super dramatic and feels a bit more theatrical than we usually see the off-ice sections get. It’s okay, but I wasn’t a huge fan, since it is basically an argument between an adult and a kid. The story tries to call that out, but it really only gets away with it because it’s manga, in my opinion.
Still, the bulk of this is stellar and we see all the paths open up for Inori, but they just look even harder than what she’s already done, which should play into the themes being established quite neatly. There’s also Inori herself, who feels she has to succeed because of what Tsukasa has sacrificed, which is probably going to be a contentious issue later on.
4.5 stars - one wobble does not ruin an entire volume, though you’ll have to read this one to see if that pertains to any other aspects of the story. Brilliant as usual.
Writ large, this seems to be turning into a dramatic fight for the ice skating soul of Hikaru Kamisaki, waged between Tsukasa and Jun, with Inori as the weapon of Tsukasa’s attempts to prove that the rink may be cold, but the life lived for it doesn’t have to be.
It’s also a powerhouse of a spotlight on Inori, proving that the huge amount of time spent at this competition was worth it for such a wickedly good payoff. Her routine is a page-turning masterclass in sporting suspense.
One reason manga appeals to me is because it has very fallible, very human characters that are allowed to fail. So, when this massive finale begins in earnest, it’s fair to say that it could go either way. I mean, there are lots more competitions, so this is really a drop in the bucket.
It would not be fair to spoil this, since it is the biggest chunk of the volume, but it is about as perfect a bit of story as one could hope for. There are several times where it seems like it’ll be a solid victory, or maybe not, or… yeah.
Tsurumaikada’s scratchy art does really well with the skating action and I absolutely respect their clever framing of the meets with various audiences or fellow competitors to break up the repetition of being on the rink constantly and then use that to zero in hard on Inori.
This is very, very well told. The flashbacks are used judiciously and spread out so as to not overwhelm the main action; Tsukasa’s failure at skating is finally made plain and it’s a heartbreaker. That failure, in turn, informs his desire to see Inori not sacrifice her entire life to skating. After he lost his chance he had nothing, then ended up in coaching. Tsukasa wants better for Inori, versus Jun’s ‘win at all costs’ philosophy.
The only bump in the road comes with the conversation between Tsukasa and Hikaru towards the end, which goes a little super dramatic and feels a bit more theatrical than we usually see the off-ice sections get. It’s okay, but I wasn’t a huge fan, since it is basically an argument between an adult and a kid. The story tries to call that out, but it really only gets away with it because it’s manga, in my opinion.
Still, the bulk of this is stellar and we see all the paths open up for Inori, but they just look even harder than what she’s already done, which should play into the themes being established quite neatly. There’s also Inori herself, who feels she has to succeed because of what Tsukasa has sacrificed, which is probably going to be a contentious issue later on.
4.5 stars - one wobble does not ruin an entire volume, though you’ll have to read this one to see if that pertains to any other aspects of the story. Brilliant as usual.
October 9, 2025
Je suis revenue au manga après l'anime, et là j’ai mieux compris ce qui me perd : la chronologie un peu brouillonne et les passages secondaires moins clairs. Mais dès que la performance d’Inori commence, j’oublie tout. Je l’ai lu les yeux humides. Peu importe le résultat, c’est l’émotion brute qui compte et elle est incroyable. Vivement que je retrouve cette scène en couleur sur mon écran !
Ma chronique complète est dispo ici : https://sorbetkiwi.fr/index.php/le-ca...
Ma chronique complète est dispo ici : https://sorbetkiwi.fr/index.php/le-ca...
July 25, 2025
Men would really rather engage in a proxy war with each other through the young figure skaters they’re teaching than go to therapy, huh?
Lol. Jk. Sort of.
This series is GREAT. I can’t wait for Inori and Hikaru to have a rematch.
Lol. Jk. Sort of.
This series is GREAT. I can’t wait for Inori and Hikaru to have a rematch.
August 8, 2025
Wow! What a finish to the All-Star Japan arc! All eyes are on Inori as she takes her turn on the stage! Her performance makes waves and things take unexpected turns that keep you glued to the page. I almost cried reading this volume. So proud of you, Inori!!!!
October 18, 2024
SBOOOOOOOOOO
July 18, 2025
Touching and beautiful finale to the All Japan arc that got me crying all over the ground. Inori’s story has a lot of themes that we can all relate to- the duality of sacrifice, the pain of failure, and the resilience of a smile. Even non- figure skater fans will definitely find meaning in this tale.
January 17, 2025
Inori.... ;-;;;-;-;-;-;-;-;
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews