Disney+ Anime ‘Medalist’ Takes the World by Storm with Stunning CG Animation!

Disney+ has been secretly unveiling one of the top new animes from the Winter 2025 anime schedule, with Medalist swiftly gaining global popularity due to its stunning CG animation that’s been widely shared among fans. This year, Disney+ is set to showcase some of the biggest anime releases, and one of the highly anticipated titles from the Winter season is the adaptation of Tsurumaikada’s Medalist. Initially a massive success in Japan since its debut in Kondansha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine in 2020, it’s now spreading its influence across the globe due to its new anime version.

The title character “Medalist” premiered this winter in the year 2025, gracing Disney+’s schedule as a highly anticipated exclusive for the new year. It has swiftly dethroned popular series like “Dandadan” and “Jujutsu Kaisen” in sales within its first few weeks alone. The impressive CG animation, which vividly showcases its intricate figure skating routines, is a significant factor contributing to this success. A recent clip from the latest episode has garnered widespread attention, leaving fans astounded by the high-quality viewing experience typically uncommon in weekly anime series. You can watch it below, as it’s been making waves on social media thanks to @hensyucyoanime on platform X.

アニメでここまで美しさやしなやかさ、軽やかさを表現できるなんて知らなかった#medalist #メダリスト

— 編集長X (@hensyucyoanime) February 1, 2025

What Is Medalist?

First introduced by Tsurumaikada for Kondansha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine in 2020, Medalist focuses on a duo who find themselves at a critical juncture in their respective figure skating journeys. What sets them apart is the significant age gap and the accumulated experience between them. When Tsukasa Akeuraji, a former ice dancer contemplating retirement, encounters the promising newcomer Inori Yuitsuka and agrees to mentor her, they embark on an arduous journey into the cutthroat world of figure skating, navigating rivals, obstacles, and challenges together.

Yasutaka Yamamoto is leading the production of Medalist at ENGI studio. Jukki Hanada is in charge of the script, Chinatsu Kameyama is supervising character design, and Yuki Hayashi is responsible for the music composition. Notably, Akiko Suzuki, a former Olympic skater, is contributing to the choreography of the skating sequences alongside retired skater Yuhana Yokoi and active skater Hinano Isobe, ensuring the routines are authentic. With its stunning CG animation and global success since its debut, it’s no surprise that this anime has captured attention worldwide.

How to Watch Medalist

To discover why fans have been raving about “Medalist,” you can now watch its latest episodes on Hulu in the U.S., or on Disney+ in various international regions. If you’re a subscriber to both Disney+ and Hulu, it’s also easily accessible within your Disney+ library. The series is available in both Japanese and English dubbed versions, so fans can choose between the two according to their preference.

I’m observing a remarkable ensemble cast in this production. From my perspective, the Japanese dub is graced by Natsumi Haruse as Inori Yuitsuka, Takeo Otsuka as Tsukasa Akeuraji, Kana Ichinose as Hikaru Kamisaki, and Yuma Uchida as Jun Yodaka. Switching gears to the English dub, it’s currently being led by Jonathon Ha as Tsukasa and Madeline Dorroh as Inori. As for how Medalist is building anticipation on Disney+ and Hulu, they’ve crafted an intriguing synopsis that spotlights the series:

Tsukasa Akeuraji, a discontented skater, encounters Inori Yuitsuka, a girl passionately aspiring to become a figure skater. Inspired by Inori’s fervor on the ice, Tsukasa takes on coaching duties for Inori. Under his guidance, Inori’s abilities flourish, transforming Tsukasa into an outstanding mentor. Their joint goal is to help her achieve glorious medal success!

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2025-02-05 01:09