Episode 5 of “Medalist” titled ‘Meikoh Cup, Junior Women’s Prelim Free Skating (Part Two),’ keeps audiences gripped as the Meikoh Cup beginner competition unfolds. Inori’s emotional and literal victory last week proves she has what it takes to be a skater, but now the focus shifts to her rivals. The episode explores themes of rivalry, self-doubt, and the harsh realities of competitive figure skating, delivering both heartwarming and tense moments.
Inori’s Triumph and the Specter of Doubt
The previous episode saw Inori giving her all in her ice-skating performance at the Meikoh Cup. Tsukasa, her coach, remained optimistic and supportive, preventing Inori from getting discouraged. Inori’s mother, initially skeptical, even visited Tsukasa, urging him to stop Inori from pursuing skating. However, Inori confronted her mother, asserting her passion. The next day, Inori’s performance began with errors, but she skillfully improvised, incorporating the mistakes into her routine and even showcasing new moves that Tsukasa hadn’t taught her. This led to a touching moment where her mother embraced her, suggesting acceptance of Inori’s passion.
Episode 5 sees Inori temporarily holding first place in the beginner category. Her performance clearly shook the confidence of her rivals.
Miketa’s Challenge and the Weight of Expectations
The episode introduces us to Miketa, another competitor in the beginner category. Miketa aims to surpass Inori by attempting a double jump combination, a move no other beginner has tried. Her coach, Mario, is confident in her abilities, given her exceptional rhythm and athleticism.
Miketa’s performance is highly anticipated. We see a bit of her background and realize that she has been shunned by adults all her life who did not believe her when they should have, blaming Mike even when she did not do anything. This made Mike distrust adults all the more. While she initially performs well, Miketa ultimately struggles to land her routine, highlighting the immense pressure and difficulty of executing complex jumps in competition. Even after witnessing Inori’s performance, Mittens still believes she can steal her first place so long as she can nail her usual routine. When Mittens fails to nail one of her critical jumps, her mind starts spiraling and her desire to do it over ends up costing her the win. It’s then that we learn how Mittens’ attitude has always been a source of conflict for her, as she’s been the kind of kid who has trouble apologizing and only lashes out more when the adults around her refuse to take her side. Trying too hard to force them into compliance can sometimes result in them doubling down on it.
Lessons in Humility and Defiance
“Medalist” avoids a predictable lesson in humility. Instead, Nacchi reinforces Mittens’ sense of defiance as a strength rather than a weakness, since it’s part of what makes her unique and tells her that the best way to prove herself right is to get good enough that no one can talk back to her. It’s great to see how the best support adults can give to kids is pushing them towards being themselves rather than just trying to control them.
The Stark Reality of Hikaru’s Level
With the prelims out of the way, and Inori willing to bury the hatchet with Mittens in favor of restoring their friendship, the stage shifts over to the novice division as we see Hikaru take to the rink. Unsurprisingly, her performance drives home how big the skill gap between the two of them is, and I liked how well that was reflected in the animation of the performance itself. Where we saw Inori and Mittens making a few visible mistakes in their choreography, Hikaru’s is much more polished and theatrical.
Inori’s love for skating is evident, but passion alone isn’t always enough, she must prove she can turn it into something more. At first, Inori’s mother may seem frustrating in her strictness, but as the episode unfolds, her perspective becomes clearer. Her resistance to skating doesn’t stem from mere disapproval but from a deep-seated fear of seeing her daughter struggle and feel lost.
A Crushing Blow and a Declaration of War
When Inori attempts to meet up with Hikaru to thank her for her previous encouragement, she instead runs into Hikaru’s coach Jun, who up to now has seemed like a bit of a mystery. We get a funny couple of minutes where Inori thinks she might have done some murders as Tsukasa walks in on her trying to restore him to life by pouring tea on him only for Tsukasa to slip on it and become her next victim. Hilarious as this all is, the mood changes when Inori tries to get Jun to pass on her message, and Inori makes it clear that her goal is to someday skate with and defeat Hikaru. Upon hearing this, he tells Inori that she doesn’t have what it takes to stack up against Hikaru, and since Tsukasa recognizes Jun as a former Olympic-level skater, those words carry a lot of weight.
However, in Jun’s mind, Inori proclaiming that she has what it takes to beat Hikaru is the same as saying she could defeat him. Thankfully, Tsukasa quickly realizes that this is a moment where he needs to assert himself, and makes it clear to both Inori and Jun that he’s ready to dedicate the rest of his life to ensuring that Inori will someday rise to Hikaru’s level. It’s a nice little declaration of war.
