A fun volume of Medalist that humanizes Hikaru, Inori’s rival, as swiftly as it demonizes her. Implying, accurately, that people are often a lot more complicated than we initially think them to be.
The focus on Hikaru turns out to be an interesting take on things, plus it glosses over some of Inori’s story to get the two of them back to throwing down on the ice pretty swiftly. It’s a narrative shakeup that really works.
If there’s one thing that I don’t think makes much of a dent, it’s Rioh’s sudden love for Hikaru, which is as open here as it was not really mentioned previously. Technically, it’s because she’s moving to a new club, but it felt a bit forced and awkward (I’m also at the ‘jaded at eternal love when you’re not even 14’ stage of my life).
Hikaru’s mask slips all over the place this time out. She’s mouthy, overconfident, more than a little full of herself, and beyond driven to beat Inori, who Hikaru sees as the real heir to the legacy of her coach, Jun. The way to prove herself better than Jun goes right through Inori.
I’ve said before - I love this idea that Inori could be taking the road that the grim Jun took and Hikaru’s feeling far more akin to Tsubasa. It’s not quite there in their skating yet, but she’s clearly convinced herself of this at the very least.
The next competition is not only crazy important, but full of surprises. There are some big moments from characters you might not have expected and some real shocks. You’re only perfect at something until you’re not, and given what was on the line, is it possible that nerves finally played a part?
Part of me thinks that having a rival that remains an impossible machine of perfection is a great hook, but there’s a lot more to be mined from where things sit at the end of this volume. It’s also a reminder that this is a sport that can be brutally unforgiving in myriad ways.
The drama of Medalist remains spot on. There have been some moments where I think these kids are a little more mature than their ages suggest, to the point of incredulity, but mostly it’s been a heck of a ride.
This volume really drills down on Hikaru’s journey and totally changes things up. It was a great way to move things forward and I can genuinely say that I’m not sure exactly where it’s going, but I can’t wait to find out.
Oh, there’s also an extended omake section that doesn’t amount to much.
4.5 stars - love confession and omake aside, this was another fantastic instalment. It’s one of my favourite competition manga and almost certainly my favourite sporting one.
4.5 stars Wieder ein richtig spannender Band. Fand es erfrischend, dass dieser Band sich sehr auf Hikaru fokussiert hat, da wir sie bisher noch nicht gut kennenlernen konnten. Dadurch haben wir zwar Inoris zweiten Auftritt bei der JGP-Reihe verpasst, jedoch treffen die beiden nun endlich bei einem Wettkampf direkt aufeinander. Es scheint, dass Hikaru auch nicht immer ganz mit Jun Odaka übereinstimmt - zB was Inori angeht - trotzdem frage ich mich, was theoretisch passieren würde, wenn Hikaru nicht gewinnt und somit ihre Vereinbarung nicht hält. Gleichzeitig empfinde ich den Druck, den Odaka auf Hikaru mit sowas ausübt alles andere als pädagogisch wertvoll, weshalb ich erst recht froh bin, dass sie die Sonidoris hat. Inori scheint sich auch weiterentwickelt zu haben und ich bin sehr auf ihren Auftritt gespannt, erst recht weil diese Meisterschaft ja bereits zwei große Überraschungen der unschönen Art mit sich gebracht hat. Einfach eine tolle Reihe!!
This volume of Medalist focuses on Hikaru and her move to Starfox FSC, taking a short break away from Inori. I think this has been long time coming, and it's interesting to see more of Hikaru's home life, motivations, and struggles.
I loved this volume for how it fleshes out Hikaru's character, especially because she chose to move clubs, when Inori chose not to. It also builds up the very stressful All-Japan Junior Championships, and I can't wait to see how it fully plays out!