Medalist Anime Film Sets February 19, 2027 Premiere
The film extends the story beyond the second season's conclusion, which aired its finale the same day the movie was announced, positioning the film as a direct continuation rather than a side story.
Key Facts
- The Medalist anime film opens in Japan on February 19, 2027.
- The film's story takes place after the end of the television anime's second season.
- The second season of the Medalist anime ended on Sunday, the same day the film was announced.
- The first season of the Medalist anime premiered in Japan in January 2025 on the NUMAnimation block on TV Asahi and 23 affiliated channels.
- Tsurumaikada's Medalist manga has 15 compiled volumes as of July 22.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, Anime Corner.
Kadokawa revealed on Sunday a teaser trailer, teaser visual, character visuals, and the February 19, 2027 opening date for the upcoming anime film based on Tsurumaikada's Olympic ice-skating manga Medalist. The film will tell a story set after the end of the television anime's second season, with the cast and staff from the TV anime returning. The first season premiered in Japan on the "NUMAnimation" programming block on TV Asahi and 23 affiliated channels in January 2025, with Disney+ streaming it. The second season debuted on January 24 on the same block and ended on Sunday. Hulu is streaming the anime in the U.S., and Disney+ is streaming it in other countries and territories. The second season featured the returning cast and staff, with Hazuki Nakamura as art director and Kentaro Kashiwagi as compositing director of photography. The anime's second season opening theme was "Cold Night" by girl group HANA, and the ending theme was "Rookies" by Conton Candy. Japanese figure skater Rika Hongo took part in motion capture filming alongside the first season's Akiko Suzuki, who choreographed the skating routines. Tsurumaikada launched the manga in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine in May 2020, and Kodansha published the 15th compiled volume on July 22.
The film's February 19, 2027 date lands roughly five months after the second season's finale, and the announcement came immediately after that finale concluded on Sunday. The movie was first announced earlier this year.
The second season's production saw two key staff changes from the first season: Hazuki Nakamura, who served as 3DCG environment supervisor on the first season, became the art director, and Kentaro Kashiwagi, the first season's 3DCG composite supervisor, became the compositing director of photography. Former Olympic skater Akiko Suzuki returned for the second season to choreograph the skating routines, working with retired figure skater Yuhana Yokoi and active competitive figure skater Hinano Isobe.
The Medalist manga, which began in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine in May 2020, has won Best General Manga at the 68th Shogakukan Manga Awards in 2023 and at Kodansha's 48th annual Manga Awards in May 2024. Kodansha USA Publishing licensed the manga in English.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.