Medalist Episode 6 Review: The Mark of a True Athlete

This episode of Medalist was really good as it explored Tsukasa’s tough years growing up. Let’s see how this episode turned out.

Medalist Episode 2 Episode 5 Recap

At the start, we see Mike preparing for her competition, repeatedly assuring herself that she can defeat Inori. A glimpse into her past reveals how she was constantly dismissed by adults who failed to believe in her when it mattered, often blaming her unfairly instead. This deepened her distrust toward them over time.

As Mike begins her routine, she starts off strong, gliding confidently and delivering bold, sharp movements that reflect her fiery personality. However, her overconfidence led her to neglect practice, which quickly proved to be her downfall. Realizing her mistake, she humbly apologizes to her coach and vows to heed her guidance moving forward. She also clears the air with Inori, restoring their friendship.

The second half of the episode takes an intriguing turn with Hikaru’s long-awaited return. This time, we get a real sense of her skill as she captivates the audience with a commanding yet graceful performance, executing intricate moves one after another. Even Tsukasa acknowledges that Hikaru must have been trained by an elite coach.

Medalist Episode 6 Review And Recap

Today’s episode was one of the most wholesome episodes of this season, and I absolutely love this anime for it. After Minori gets a very upfront and direct reality check from Jun, one would think she would be depressed. However, Minori is so mature for her age that she takes his statement like a champ without wavering for even a moment. We see her asking her mentor Tsukasa if she can take part in another pretty tough competition.

She doesn’t need to do this because she already won something, and she might face a staggering defeat if she goes through with it. However, when she gives her reason, you understand her mindset behind this request. She herself is very much aware that she is nowhere near as good as Hikaru. Hence, Minori wants to keep feeling the sense of defeat so that she never stops working on herself. Minori plans to use her weakness and turn it into her strength, a perspective that only a true athlete will develop.

But not only her, we also see how Tsukasa himself is a great skater in his own right. In this episode, we finally get his backstory and understand why he had to start skating so late. Previously, it was revealed that he started skating at 14, but now, we find out that only from the age of 20 was he able to get a proper coach, which is insanely late if you want to be a professional skater.

Thankfully, he also had some very supportive people by his side, which made him see some success in his professional career. However, that still was not enough for him to be financially successful or crack any competition that he was part of. Age is definitely an important factor, and it became one of the most glaring hindrances to him.

Verdict

After this episode, we can understand Tsukasa’s motive for helping Minori better. He does not see himself in her or wants her to be successful because he wishes to achieve triumph through her. It is just that he understands she needs help, and he is a good enough human to support her, just as he got rescued when he was young. This show really needs more hype as it is one of the best sports anime that truly conveys the story through the eyes of the sportsperson.

Also Read: Medalist Episode 5 Review: Inori Will Rise Against All Odds