Medalist (2025) s01e11 Episode Script

1
TSURUGA, FUKUI PREFECTURE
Lux Higashiyama students,
let's kick off this training camp!
For young skaters like you, summer is a
time to build up your strength and skill,
and push yourselves to new heights.
The work you put in now will determine
your accomplishments this winter.
- So give it your all!
- Yes, ma'am.
All right!
Have you all finished the handout
I gave you with your goals for the week?
- Yes. I'm done!
- Pass them up from the back, please.
These are gonna help us keep you guys
on the right track.
Now, who would like to share
what they wrote with the class?
- To do a Lutz!
- To not talk during practice!
To get a double flip
and a double toe loop!
To land a double Axel and a triple Salchow
before the end of the week!
Oh, I love that.
I heard you yelling about that
the other day!
You wanna compete in Novice
this year, right?
Well, I'd like to, yeah.
Well, there's no backing out now,
is there?
Way to embarrass yourself.
Hey. Play nice, you two!
Okay. Who else has a goal
they'd like to share?
- A triple Salchow!
- Huh?
Don't tell me you started the party
without me. I just got here.
Heya, gang. Sorry we ran late.
Hey, Mittens!
DANCE THE NIGH
Okay, everybody! This is
our special guest coach, Mario Nachi!
Coach Tsukasa called her up for us.
And she's gonna help us out
with jumps this week!
Yeah! Thank you for having me!
Thank you for coming!
Coach Nachi's great.
She was even able to land
a quadruple Salchow back in her day!
Except I was never actually able
to land one during a competition.
I'm glad she could make it.
Learning from different teachers is
invaluable for young skaters.
I just hope our other guest coach
will make it before the final day of camp.
Hmm? That Rioh Sonidori?
What are you doing here? Couldn't get
into the Nagano camp, or what?
- Huh?
- No, I'm doing both.
That one doesn't start till next week.
Oh, yeah. Inori couldn't do Nagano?
Nah, she's not level six yet,
so she couldn't apply.
And by next year she'll have aged out.
I know it's great for Novice
so I really wish she could've made it.
Almost every Olympic skater out of Japan
in the last decade
has gone through that camp.
Ah, well. Her path has been
anything but traditional,
but we're gonna make it work.
But can you not phrase it
like that, at least?
I'm good enough to go to the Nagano camp
every single year.
Flapjack octopus-lookin' head.
You think I'm an octopus?
I'm being a cat! These are cat ears!
Obviously! Are you stupid or something?
How about you tell me
how you really feel, four-eyes?
Yeah, I've been telling you.
All right! Give it a rest!
Kids are so much fun.
All right. Sota wants to land
a double flip and a double toe loop,
Inori's goal is a double Axel
and a triple Sal.
And Rioh wants Oh
TRAINING CAMP GOALS
Oh.
Listen up! It's time for jumping 101
with Coach Nacchin. All right?
Today we're gonna work
on straight jumping.
Jumps typically follow a curved path,
but we're gonna practice jumping
in a straight line.
How about, um Nori!
- Uh Yes!
- Come here!
Nori?
I want you to start over there
and jump towards me inside this width.
Sound good?
Um What do you mean "inside this width"?
You gotta stay in the lane!
Give it a go, Ino-no!
She changed my name again!
I'm so far outside the box.
See? When you jump in a straight line
like that, or try to,
you get a better sense
of your centrifugal force.
Sometimes, if you're trying to jump
on a curve,
centrifugal force overpowers you,
and you curl too far inwards.
So if you can teach your body
what a straight jump feels like,
you'll learn to work with the force
and create a perfect curved path.
CORRECT PATH
Make sense?
Training to keep
from getting overpowered
I wasn't sure how to fix that on my own!
'Kay! I'll try again!
Cool. Rioh! You're up.
Forward crossover
Mohawk.
Yeah! Now jump!
ICE ARENA
Yeah! Good form!
Next up!
TSUKASA'S
TRACKING LESSON
He's got us chasing
the kids all day
Sure, it's great
for keeping track of them
But I'm retired now.
I don't remember the last time
I skated this much at once.
I'm so out of shape!
Hey, ladies. Everything okay?
Yeah, we're fine.
Just a little, you know,
out of breath, here.
That's no problem! You two take a break.
- I can get them all in the next heat.
- Oh
- Let's go one more round!
- Okay!
Coach Tsukasa is pretty relentlessly
positive, isn't he?
He's all "keep truckin', go-get-'em"
He seems like it, huh?
- But he's not, really.
- Huh?
It's true that he can be super optimistic
if it's regarding another person.
But when it comes to believing in himself,
it's like he's his own worst enemy.
He won't listen to anyone
who thinks otherwise.
Wow!
Do we get this space all to ourselves?
Yeah! Where you sleeping?
Hmm I think here!
Okay, then I wanna set up
right next to you!
Okay! It's like a sleepover.
Wow, look at that!
Thank you for the meal!
That bath felt great.
I know, I'm so relaxed.
Whoa!
This place is enormous! I'm so excited.
Getting to hang out in a big, fancy
bath house like this is a serious luxury.
I'll make the most of it.
Hmm Huh?
Hey, Rioh. You're up late.
Is that a shampoo cap?
My little brother used to use
Uh
Wait.
Didn't we set a curfew for them?
Ah, whatever.
I came here late on purpose
so I wouldn't have to run into anyone.
I'll just leave.
The water's perfect.
So tell me. How was your first day?
It was fine. I'm gonna get going.
- Oh. Well, hey. Before you do
- What?
we should talk about your goal sheet.
Do you wanna fill it out together?
Yeah. No, thanks.
It's not like
I couldn't think of anything.
I already know what I want to achieve.
The triple-double combination, that right?
To pass your level six exam?
I'd rather not tell anyone.
I got ya. I know exactly how you feel.
Huh?
I was like that too. I was always afraid
that people would think my dreams
were either too big or too small,
you know?
But listen.
If you ever do feel like sharing,
just let me know,
and I'll do what I can to help.
- Okay, Coach.
- Hmm?
If you wanna get to know each other, then
tell me what your Singles badge level is.
Uh
I looked but I didn't see his name
anywhere in the public records
for Novice or Junior competition.
There's no way
this coach has a level six badge.
Just spit it out, already.
Then I can say,
"How do you expect to teach a student
who's already better than you?"
I'm Prelim.
You're kidding.
Nope.
Oh. Don't tell Inori.
I bet she would be disappointed
if she found that out.
At least, she wouldn't be talking so much
about beating Hikaru.
- No. She knows.
- Hmm?
Inori knows. I've told her already.
Well, all right.
If she thinks she can win knowing that,
there's nothing more for me
to say about it.
Rioh, wait.
And one more thing.
You don't need to worry about me so much.
I'm only here
to get away from my original club.
Besides,
I hit a wall.
I don't think I'm gonna get any better.
Wait! Why would you say that?
It doesn't matter.
And why the hell
are you so jacked, anyway?
- Huh?
- Take an honest look at yourself.
You're better off training muscle
than you are training athletes, Coach.
Have a good night.
Look. This is as far
as I could get.
And it took years!
But if I'd had a real coach,
I could have done it in an hour.
That doesn't mean
it was all wasted effort.
I don't know.
It's hard not to feel like it.
If only I'd met a coach
earlier in my career
HOW TO DANCE MAGNIFICENTLY
then
maybe
Little punk ass brat!
He asked what level I was on purpose so
I'd have to admit that I'm beneath him!
What a nasty kid! He needs Inori
to purify his rotten worm soul!
Coach.
I knew someone would bring
this up if I started coaching. I knew it!
That's why I was hesitant to start
in the first place!
But I accepted it!
I thought I had braced myself for this!
Wanting to be a good coach is all that
matters to me now!
Why'd you drag all that up?
Huh?
Just you wait and see, Rioh.
You're gonna land
that triple-double combo.
And you're gonna do it
under my instruction. You hear me?
We're gonna make that combo happen,
you little turd.
And we're gonna do it together!
Hmm?
What's the matter?
Nothing. I just thought
I heard Coach Tsukasa out there.
Well, he is pretty loud, isn't he?
- Hey, Mittens?
- What's up?
If I fail the level six test
more than once,
does that mean
I'd need to look for a new coach?
I don't think so.
People might say it,
but that doesn't make it true.
I hope not. I wanna prove
I can get better no matter what.
That's why I'm so mad
about this double Axel.
I wanna be a good athlete
who can choose the coach I like.
It's okay, 'Nori.
You got nothin' to worry about.
Thanks, Mittens.
TSURUGA ICE ARENA
Dreaming about jumping,
I guess?
What's up, Rioh? Morning!
I thought I told you.
I don't want you talking to me.
Big day ahead of us! You want to land
that triple-double combo, right?
Uh
I'm ready to do whatever I can
to help out!
All your jumps yesterday
were really clean.
I'll be watching you
more closely today, though.
TSURUGA ICE ARENA
Hey. You're doing great!
All your lines are way more uniform.
You think so?
Yeah, you're close. You fell
'cause you landed on your inner edge.
But we can work on that.
Let's look at your form in detail.
Yes, sir!
At the Novice level,
you're required to have
an Axel somewhere in your program.
You don't compete otherwise.
The triple Axel that Hikaru landed
was a miracle jump.
Only a few of the greats have ever
pulled it off.
And since I can't perform miracles yet,
the double Axel will be the trusty sword
I wield on the world stage!
I can do it.
You can do it.
I can do it!
Double Axel landed.
All-Japans, here we come!
Was that the first time
she's ever done that?
She's suppressing her excitement
because her real goal is competing
at the Novice level.
But it's obvious how elated they are.
HA, I LANDED A 2A
Wait. Did my brilliant instruction perhaps
give my future adversary an advantage?
Not that I'd mind, of course!
I'm an adult! And my heart is enormous.
Hmm? What's up?
I still want you to be the first
to land a triple-double combo.
Yeah. I know I gotta work hard, too.
I do not wanna lose again,
not to Inori or anybody.
Rioh! You're up next to skate with music!
Okay.
Why am I getting so worked up?
All this hard work for no reason
I just want to stop.
He's good.
His posture, speed, jump structure,
the flow of his movements.
High-level execution of every aspect.
He ranked eighth
at the Novice level last year.
He's obviously got a ton of potential.
So why is he so pessimistic?
I'm on a roll today.
My edges are slicing perfectly
through the ice.
So maybe
A triple?
Come on.
I knew I wasn't gonna make it.
Nice work, Rioh!
You have a beautiful routine!
You looked so graceful.
And I'm seriously proud of you
for attempting that triple.
You put up a great fight!
Don't spin.
Don't try to force yourself to turn.
Just become the axis.
Remember what that double Axel felt like.
Hug your body tight.
And feel the axis inside your body.
The rotational speed of
a double Axel
is about the same as it is
for a triple of any other jump.
So a skater who's struggled with a double
Axel for long enough may suddenly find
they can overcome the wall
to performing triples!
Yes, yes, yes!
That was a triple Salchow!
Two major breakthroughs in one afternoon.
Are you kidding me?
Um You see that?
Yeah, I saw that.
You wanna see my GOE plus five joy?
Not yet, Coach! You can't yet!
You said it ain't over till it's over.
And it's not a real jump
until you can get it timed to your music!
So don't get excited yet!
SUPER ADMIRABLE
Inori's awesomeness truly knows no bounds!
Excellent! Wonderful!
Are you okay?
How admirable.
Say hello. This is the girl
who's going to live with us.
Nice to meet you.
Ask me anything, okay?
- My dad is an Olympian, so I know a lot.
- Okay.
I'm gonna work really hard
so I can get good like you, Rioh.
Um Mr. Yodaka.
Sorry to bother you like this. But, um
I'd like to try taking
the same kind of lesson you give Hikaru
if I can.
You're in the way.
Rioh, Jun is coaching Hikaru
as part of a special agreement, okay?
Let's not bother them.
FOR CUSTOMER USE ONLY
PARKING
Aha! Finally found you!
You got another music run to do, mister!
Way to go.
- She got her triple.
- Hmm?
Go work with her more and leave me alone.
You know I'm not gonna do that.
You're my student just as much as she is!
And besides, I swore that
I'd get you that triple, too!
Your intensity freaks me out
a little bit, you know that?
Like, what are you so passionate about?
The real question is
what are you so pessimistic about?
You're incredibly skilled!
You can only compete
at the Novice level four times.
And then you age out forever,
so I can't sweep.
I can't do any triples,
not a Salchow and definitely not a Lutz
or a loop like Hikaru can.
I got into the Nagano camp
but I won't seed.
My coach is my Olympic-silver-medalist
dad, and this is still all I got.
So what do I blame my failure on?
I had the right environment,
the right training, an encouraging parent,
I come from money.
And it still isn't enough.
Not for me. I have everything
except for actual talent.
I'm just not good enough.
So I don't know.
I bet if you were me,
you'd be pretty pessimistic, too.
- Are you
- Uh
Are you trying to be like Jun Yodaka?
Uh
I'm just saying,
you're mistaking a whole bunch
of high-level stuff for the bare minimum.
Landing a triple Lutz, loop,
and Axel in your Novice B era,
being chosen as an Olympic seed
at every Nagano camp,
winning the Novice title
four years running
Only one athlete in history has
that record.
And it's Jun Yodaka.
Just shut up!
I don't even want to hear his stupid name.
Oh.
Wait, really? 'Cause your skating habits
are closer to Jun Yodaka's than your--
In the entire world,
I only hate two things,
and those are cockroaches and Jun Yodaka.
If I had to choose
between a roach smoothie
or going to buy cigarettes for Jun Yodaka,
I'd take the smoothie every time.
Jun would probably run his own
errands if he saw Rioh like this.
Well, I think I see the issue.
You're angry that he made it look so easy.
Huh?
I think you resent him so much
because you admire him so strongly.
Admire him?
I
- Um Hey. Wait.
- Now you just hold on tight!
What are
Coach Hitomi!
Hey, look who's back.
Heya. Can we play his song?
- Do we still have time?
- What is going on here?
Yeah, sure thing.
We skipped his turn, so he can go twice.
Well, good.
Because before he goes,
I would like to skate it once.