Medalist Episode 12 Review: Tsukasa Is A Beautiful Skater

This episode of Medalist was a treat to watch as it touched on many facets of skating. Let’s see how this episode turned out.

Medalist Episode 11 Recap

The summer training camp has officially begun for Rioh and Inori, offering them the opportunity to train under experienced skating coaches and connect with new fellow skaters. Right from the start, each skater is asked to share their goals. Inori, full of ambition, sets her sights high. Rioh, however, refuses to participate, dismissing the exercise as pointless, especially since he doubts Tsukasa’s ability as a coach and doesn’t see the value in his guidance.

From the outset, Rioh proves to be a challenge for both Inori and Mike, but his defiance reaches new heights during a shared bath with Coach Tsukasa. He openly questions Tsukasa’s qualifications, pointing out that he lacks the credentials to train skaters ranked higher than him. Rioh clearly intends to undermine him, unaware that Tsukasa has already confided in Inori about his lack of certifications.

Although Tsukasa is hurt by Rioh’s blatant dismissal of his skills, he refuses to let it shake him. Instead, he silently resolves to prove his worth by helping Rioh grow as a skater. Inori, too, is determined to land the double axel, ensuring that no one can ever doubt her coach’s abilities.

This episode highlights the parallel struggles of Inori and Tsukasa, both working tirelessly to prove themselves. Along the way, we also gain insight into Rioh’s past and the reasons behind his pessimism. He hates Jun because he actually admires him, but Rioh is too hard headed to accept that.

Medalist Episode 12 Review And Recap

Tsukasa tries to skate first, and Rioh is still not convinced that Tsukasa will be able to pull off his routine. But the moment Tsukasa starts to dance, Rioh realizes just how beautiful his skating is. Not only are his long limbs and elegant figure perfect for an equally elegant skate, but his movements are far more expressive than what Rioh expected. He also notices that Tsukasa’s skating is a lot more reminiscent of Jun with just fewer jumps. He even claims that Tsukasa’s skating might be of a higher grade than Jun’s.

Later, Rioh finally understands his wrong perceptions and decides to properly learn under Tsukasa. He even fills the form that almost moves Tsukasa to tears. But the lesson is not over, as Tsukasa has invited a very special teacher to teach the kids the importance of postures. It is none other than a ballet performer who is going to be of immense help to the skaters who do not know how to be more aware of their bodies.

Mike, who was at first not interested in ballet starts to take an avid interest towards the craft after she realizes how important it is for skating. Inori also works a lot harder in her stances thus making jumps sharper and finer. She almost becomes good enough for level 6 of the badge test.

Verdict

Today’s episode was again really good as we saw the growth of Rioh as a person and as an athlete. At first, he was insensitive about everything, but when he realized how wrong he was, he quickly mended his ways. Not only that, but I also love how dedicated Tsukasa was till the end. He never once gave up hope on his students and always thought they would accept him one day.

Also Read: Medalist Episode 11 Review: A Good Enough Teacher