Medalist Episode 4 Review: Get Back Up!!

This episode of Medalist was an emotional rollercoaster. Let’s see how this episode turned out.

Medalist Episode 2 Episode 3 Recap

This episode highlights why this series stands out as an exceptional sports anime, as it explores Inori’s journey from a novice to a potential professional skater. In a pivotal moment, she shares with her coach, Tsukasa, her mother’s decision to allow her to skate only until middle school. While Tsukasa respects her mother’s wishes, he devises a plan: Inori will enter her first competition, and if she wins, it might convince her mother to support her passion further.

With this goal in mind, Inori begins preparing her routine. However, her biggest challenge lies within herself as she struggles with extreme shyness and a lack of self-confidence, often worrying about being judged by others. Fortunately, Tsukasa proves to be a remarkable mentor, helping her break out of her shell. This episode also marks the first time we see Tsukasa skate, showcasing his incredible talent and inspiring Inori to push herself harder.

We also see Inori navigating the complexities of forming friendships and rivalries, experiences that challenge her but also contribute to her personal growth. For the first time, she makes a decision entirely on her own, guided by Tsukasa’s wisdom and encouragement. His ability to help her find the right path truly cements his role as an outstanding mentor.

Medalist Episode 4 Review And Recap

Today’s episode definitely was the best of this series, and there is a significant reason behind that. It is the time of the contest, and Inori is as excited as she is nervous. On top of that, her older sister, who used to be a professional skater, has returned from Canada and is going to see her perform for the first time. The stakes are also high because Inori must prove to her mother that she is worth spending time and effort on if Inori wants to continue her skating career after middle school.

However, it is easier said than done, and one cannot reign over their nerves just like that, specifically someone like Inori, who has always been a nervous wreck. In a competition like this, each skater gets some time before the actual performance to warm up. However, the judges are already observing and taking notes about the athlete from this point onwards. Here is where Inori should show a decent performance to get added points for her performance. But exactly the opposite thing happens, and she falls multiple times.

In this episode, we are again beautifully shown how difficult such a high-pressure situation can be for these very young athletes, who are not even teenagers. Inori loves to skate, but to continue that, she must showcase she can do something out of it. But there are times when things do not go our way, and here we see Inori having a taste of that aspect of life.

Her mother might infuriate you at the beginning, but you will also understand her perspective once you realize that she just doesn’t want Inori to feel lost. Her overprotectiveness and disdain for skating come from a position where she doesn’t want her child to get hurt. Thankfully, we see a significant growth in her character and towards the end.

Verdict

Today’s episode was really emotional and powerful when it comes to storytelling and character development. The one thing that might not be a positive aspect for some is the very apparent usage of CGI when the actual skating performance is happening. But in its defence, I must admit that the animation did not look bad at all. But other than that, this was truly a very good episode that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Also Read: Medalist Episode 3 Review: Tsukasa Is The Best Anime Sensei!