In exciting news for Tsurumaikada’s Medalist manga fans, the series is getting a television adaptation. Kadokawa released the anime’s trailer on Thursday, March 21, 2024, confirming that the Medalist anime will hit the screens in January 2025.
Medalist: Everything we know about the anime
In May 2020, the mangaka began publishing the Olympic ice-skating manga in Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine. The Medalist manga was nominated in the company’s 47th Manga Awards in 2023. Moreover, it bagged the top honor in the Best General Manga category in the Shogakukan Manga Awards 2023.
The series’ English translation began serialization in Kodansha USA Publishing, which describes its story in the following manner: “Tsukasa, whose dreams were crushed. Inori, left to fend for herself. These two share a dream…and their tenacity may be the only thing that sees them through. Their destination? The ice…on the world’s stage!”
Along with the promotional video, Kadokawa unveiled two additional cast members and staff. Moreover, the TV series will debut on TV Asahi’s NUMAnimation when it premieres in January 2025.
The Medalist anime’s stellar cast members include:
- Natsumi Haruse as Inori Yuitsuka
- Takeo Ōtsuka as Tsukasa Akeuraji
- Kana Ichinose as Hikaru Kamisaki
- Yūma Uchida as Jun Yodaka
Known for his contribution in the Noblesse series, Yasutaka Yamamoto is directing the anime while Hanada is composing the series and working on its screenplay at ENGI. Moreover, Chinatsu Kameyama is in charge of the character designs, and Yuki Hayashi takes care of the anime’s music.
Additionally, the newly announced staff includes the following:
- Chinatsu Kameyama and Yōsuke Itō as Chief Animation Directors
- Kouji as Figure Skating Director, 3DCG Director
- Takayuki Toda as 3DCG Visual Director
- Shōtarō Hori as 3DCG Animation Supervisor
- Tetsu Iijima as 3DCG Producer
- Aiko Yamagami as Color Designer
- Yoko Nakao as Art Director
- Takashi Hiruma and Rie Onodera are handling Background Art
- Shin’ichi Komeya as Director of Photography
- Tomoki Nagasaka as Editor
- Yuichi Imaizumi as Sound Director
After the promotional video started streaming, fans shared their expectations of the anime online, hoping the series would do justice to their beloved manga.
