Image: Tsurumaikada, Kodansha / Medalist Production Committee
AMBot | 08/30/2026 | Reading Time: 3 Min.
The first theatrical film based on the ice skating manga series "Medalist" by Tsurumaikada has a fixed release date: it will hit Japanese theaters on February 19, 2027. Production company KADOKAWA announced this on August 30, 2026. At the same time, a teaser trailer and a teaser key visual were released.
The film continues the story after the second season of the TV adaptation and focuses on the All-Japan Novice Championships. There, skater Inori Kessoku and her coach Tsukasa Akeuraji face their strongest rivals: the "prodigy" Hikaru Kamisaki and her coach Jun Yodaka, a former Olympic champion and gold medalist. The teaser condenses the tension of the competition: between the silence of the arena and the pressure of the rivals, Tsukasa tells Inori: "You have the power to change your destiny." Inori replies resolutely: "I will definitely make it." The fist bump, the duo's familiar gesture, is also visible in the trailer. The key visual shows Inori in a bright red competition costume, stepping onto the ice with a determined look, while Tsukasa watches her from behind the boards. The slogan of the visual reads: "On the ice, there is nothing absolute."
With this film, the series celebrates its big-screen debut. The source material has been serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine "Afternoon" since 2020 and has received multiple awards: including first place in the Comics category of the "Next Manga Awards" 2022, the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award, and the 48th Kodansha Manga Award. The anime adaptation has been airing since January 2025, spanning two seasons and streaming internationally on Disney+; the second season ended in March 2026. The film was already announced in January 2026, with a first "Ultra Teaser" following in March. For the production, director Yasutaka Yamamoto, screenwriter Jukki Hanada, character designer Chinatsu Kameyama, and composer Yuki Hayashi return. The animation is once again produced by Studio ENGI, with distribution handled by ANIMEC. The main cast includes Natsumi Haruse, Takeo Otsuka, Kana Ichinose, and Yuma Uchida; the choreography is once again overseen by former professional skater Akiko Suzuki.
Along with the announcement, the team also released character images and brief introductions of the characters. Advance ticket sales start on September 4, 2026: Mubichike cards with newly drawn motifs of Inori and Tsukasa will be available for 1,700 yen; the two card designs, when placed together, form a fist bump motif. Additionally, the Kadostore offers a limited set of an advance ticket and a framed, color reproduction colored by Tsurumaikada for 7,750 yen until September 29.
To get fans in the mood for the theatrical release, TOKYO MX and BS Asahi will rebroadcast both seasons of the TV series starting in early October: TOKYO MX from October 1 at 10 p.m. on Thursdays, and BS Asahi from October 3 in the night from Saturday to Sunday at 2:30 a.m.
The film continues the story after the second season of the TV adaptation and focuses on the All-Japan Novice Championships. There, skater Inori Kessoku and her coach Tsukasa Akeuraji face their strongest rivals: the "prodigy" Hikaru Kamisaki and her coach Jun Yodaka, a former Olympic champion and gold medalist. The teaser condenses the tension of the competition: between the silence of the arena and the pressure of the rivals, Tsukasa tells Inori: "You have the power to change your destiny." Inori replies resolutely: "I will definitely make it." The fist bump, the duo's familiar gesture, is also visible in the trailer. The key visual shows Inori in a bright red competition costume, stepping onto the ice with a determined look, while Tsukasa watches her from behind the boards. The slogan of the visual reads: "On the ice, there is nothing absolute."
With this film, the series celebrates its big-screen debut. The source material has been serialized in Kodansha's manga magazine "Afternoon" since 2020 and has received multiple awards: including first place in the Comics category of the "Next Manga Awards" 2022, the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award, and the 48th Kodansha Manga Award. The anime adaptation has been airing since January 2025, spanning two seasons and streaming internationally on Disney+; the second season ended in March 2026. The film was already announced in January 2026, with a first "Ultra Teaser" following in March. For the production, director Yasutaka Yamamoto, screenwriter Jukki Hanada, character designer Chinatsu Kameyama, and composer Yuki Hayashi return. The animation is once again produced by Studio ENGI, with distribution handled by ANIMEC. The main cast includes Natsumi Haruse, Takeo Otsuka, Kana Ichinose, and Yuma Uchida; the choreography is once again overseen by former professional skater Akiko Suzuki.
Along with the announcement, the team also released character images and brief introductions of the characters. Advance ticket sales start on September 4, 2026: Mubichike cards with newly drawn motifs of Inori and Tsukasa will be available for 1,700 yen; the two card designs, when placed together, form a fist bump motif. Additionally, the Kadostore offers a limited set of an advance ticket and a framed, color reproduction colored by Tsurumaikada for 7,750 yen until September 29.
To get fans in the mood for the theatrical release, TOKYO MX and BS Asahi will rebroadcast both seasons of the TV series starting in early October: TOKYO MX from October 1 at 10 p.m. on Thursdays, and BS Asahi from October 3 in the night from Saturday to Sunday at 2:30 a.m.
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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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