Tsurumaikada
Description
Tsurumaikada is a Japanese manga artist recognized as the creator of the award-winning series Medalist. Hailing from Aichi Prefecture, a region known as a hub for figure skating, this background significantly influenced the setting and subject matter of their debut work.
Medalist, which began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine in May 2020, is Tsurumaikada's first commercially serialized manga. The series follows the story of a young girl, Inori Yuitsuka, and her coach, Tsukasa Akeuraji, as they pursue success in the competitive world of figure skating. Prior to this debut, Tsurumaikada created doujinshi, including Nakiyami, a work that earned an Excellence Award from the Monthly Afternoon editorial department at the COMITIA123 event in 2018. This recognition was a pivotal step that led to a dedicated editor and the eventual serialization of Medalist.
The path to creating Medalist involved significant personal dedication from Tsurumaikada. Lacking prior experience with figure skating, the creator enrolled in a month-long skating class in Nagoya to conduct research for the manga. A notable anecdote from the production period involves an accident where Tsurumaikada suffered an open fracture during practice, receiving the confirmation call for the series’ serialization while hospitalized.
Tsurumaikada’s artistic identity is closely tied to a personal aspiration that became a driving force for the work. A self-professed fan of voice actress Natsumi Haruse, Tsurumaikada expressed a wish in 2018 to create a figure skating manga that would be adapted into an anime featuring Haruse in the lead role. This ambition was realized when Haruse was cast as the protagonist Inori Yuitsuka in the Medalist anime adaptation, which aired from January to March 2025. The creator cites Hiromu Arakawa, the author of Fullmetal Alchemist, as a deeply respected figure and a source of inspiration.
The industry significance of Tsurumaikada is underscored by the critical and commercial success of Medalist. The series has garnered major accolades, including first place in the Next Manga Awards 2022 in the print category, the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category, and the 48th Kodansha Manga Award in the same category. These honors mark Tsurumaikada as a significant new voice in the manga industry, with a debut work that achieved widespread recognition across multiple major award platforms. Tsurumaikada maintains a private public presence, with no disclosed age or gender, and no personal social media accounts.
Medalist, which began serialization in Kodansha's Monthly Afternoon magazine in May 2020, is Tsurumaikada's first commercially serialized manga. The series follows the story of a young girl, Inori Yuitsuka, and her coach, Tsukasa Akeuraji, as they pursue success in the competitive world of figure skating. Prior to this debut, Tsurumaikada created doujinshi, including Nakiyami, a work that earned an Excellence Award from the Monthly Afternoon editorial department at the COMITIA123 event in 2018. This recognition was a pivotal step that led to a dedicated editor and the eventual serialization of Medalist.
The path to creating Medalist involved significant personal dedication from Tsurumaikada. Lacking prior experience with figure skating, the creator enrolled in a month-long skating class in Nagoya to conduct research for the manga. A notable anecdote from the production period involves an accident where Tsurumaikada suffered an open fracture during practice, receiving the confirmation call for the series’ serialization while hospitalized.
Tsurumaikada’s artistic identity is closely tied to a personal aspiration that became a driving force for the work. A self-professed fan of voice actress Natsumi Haruse, Tsurumaikada expressed a wish in 2018 to create a figure skating manga that would be adapted into an anime featuring Haruse in the lead role. This ambition was realized when Haruse was cast as the protagonist Inori Yuitsuka in the Medalist anime adaptation, which aired from January to March 2025. The creator cites Hiromu Arakawa, the author of Fullmetal Alchemist, as a deeply respected figure and a source of inspiration.
The industry significance of Tsurumaikada is underscored by the critical and commercial success of Medalist. The series has garnered major accolades, including first place in the Next Manga Awards 2022 in the print category, the 68th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category, and the 48th Kodansha Manga Award in the same category. These honors mark Tsurumaikada as a significant new voice in the manga industry, with a debut work that achieved widespread recognition across multiple major award platforms. Tsurumaikada maintains a private public presence, with no disclosed age or gender, and no personal social media accounts.