The anime “Medalist” special event “Anime ‘Medalist’ Special Exhibition 2026” was held on August 30, 2026, at Bellesalle Takadanobaba in Tokyo. The day performance featured cast members Haruse Natsumi (Inori), Ootsuka Takeo (Tsukasa), Ichinose Kana (Hikaru), Abe Natsuko (Yuna), Sakata Taito (Shinichiro), and Kato Emiri (Hitomi). The event unveiled new details about the upcoming theatrical film, including its release date and a teaser visual.
The opening was announced by the Lux Higashiyama trio of Inori, Tsukasa, and Hitomi, who delivered the event’s safety notes in character. After the second season’s opening dance sequence, the cast was introduced with newly drawn visuals and memorable scenes.
Awards for Shining Scenes
The first segment, “Shine! Medalist Awards,” saw cast members, staff, and special guests select standout scenes from the second season. The day performance featured several awards, with live dubbing of selected scenes.
The Haruse Natsumi Award went to a scene from episode 16 where Inori, nervous before her performance, receives words from Tsukasa and replies “Leave it to me.” Haruse and Ootsuka performed the scene live. Haruse noted that Tsukasa’s line about gold medals requiring courage to stand above others felt like a protective charm for the All-Japan Novice competition depicted in the film.
The Kato Emiri Award highlighted a scene from episode 20 where Tsukasa falls during harness practice while protecting Inori, and Hitomi rushes over. Kato praised the series for depicting not only bright moments but also tense ones, and recalled discussing the trauma of witnessing injuries with Haruse.
The Suzuki Akiko Award, chosen by professional skater Suzuki Akiko who contributed choreography and motion capture, went to the four-skater scene from episode 15 featuring Anaguma Sakina, Ushikawa Yotsuba, Niwa Sana, and Hanashu Kurumi. The selection reason emphasized the dedication each skater poured into every second with their coaches.
The Staff Award went to a scene from episode 17 where Yuna and Shinichiro discuss their aspirations after the Novice Chubu Block competition. Abe and Sakata performed the live dubbing, with Sakata noting the harsh reality that not everyone can win, and Abe expressing joy at performing a favorite scene.
The Ichinose Kana Award selected a moment from episode 22 where Hikaru watches Yodaka’s skating intently. Ichinose performed solo, describing Hikaru’s “frightening depth” and her obsession with mastering everything beyond what Yodaka teaches.
Professional figure skater Sakamoto Kazuki made a surprise VTR appearance, having won an Olympic medal and retired in May. Her award went to a scene from episode 21 where Inori chooses between landing a triple lutz or attempting a quadruple jump. Sakamoto, a fan of the series, appeared with bangs inspired by Inori and praised the choice as a turning point.
Finally, the Tsuruma Ikada Award, chosen by the original creator, went to a scene from episode 21 where Tsukasa sees his past self in Inori’s desire to jump a quadruple. A message from Tsuruma, read by Kato, praised ENGI’s dynamic composition, the realistic 3D-based animation, the performances of Haruse and Ootsuka, Hayashi Yuki’s powerful music, and the flashback scene added by series composer Hanada, calling it a complete transcendence of the manga.
Live Reading and Games
The second segment featured a live reading of an original story supervised by Tsuruma Ikada. The cast performed a tale tied to the exhibition, with some characters showing new sides. A new detail revealed that Yuna saw Shinichiro’s show when she was eight, and the cast joked about the idea of “wild acting” for Yuna and Shinichiro.
The game corner began with “One-Pole Fishing Question,” where cast members fished for boards with questions. Haruse answered she wants to learn trampoline backflips, Ootsuka chose Suzuka as his current favorite character, and Kato picked jumps, wanting to know what skaters see while spinning.
The next game, “Can You Properly Compose?,” had the six cast members each take one character to spell out six-letter answers to elementary-level questions. The math question caused chaos, and only two of five answers were correct.
In the “Reward Voice Quiz,” the audience answered true/false questions about the series and cast. The winner received a special “reward voice” from Ootsuka as Tsukasa, congratulating them with “GOE +5.”
Theatrical Film Announcements
After introducing event goods, major announcements were made. The TV anime’s first and second seasons will be rebroadcast, and a special report showed the latest footage of the theatrical film. The release date was confirmed as February 19, 2027. A teaser visual depicting Inori and Tsukasa performing a fist bump with determined expressions was also unveiled. Recording for the film has already finished, and the special report uses actual audio from the film. Haruse expressed her eagerness to see Inori in action, saying she put her whole heart into the performance.
Cast Messages
Each cast member shared closing messages. Kato said she enjoyed the event and plans to rewatch the series to build excitement for the film. Sakata noted that the series portrays not only athletes but also coaches, and hinted that Yuna’s journey may continue in the film. Abe expressed gratitude for the large fan presence and anticipation for February. Ichinose encouraged fans to rewatch the series before the film, especially with Hikaru’s full-scale appearance. Ootsuka mentioned that reading the script and original always moves him to tears, and he looks forward to sharing the film with fans. Haruse said she felt recharged by the event’s love for the series, and urged fans to watch the rebroadcasts before the film’s release.
The day performance concluded with a collective thank-you from the cast, followed by a shadow narration from the Meiko Wind trio of Shinichiro, Hikaru, and Yuna, closing the two-hour celebration of all things “Medalist.”
(C) Tsuruma Ikada / Kodansha / Medalist Production Committee
