Genius on Ice (Japanese: 氷上の天才 Hyoujou no Tensai) is the first chapter of the Medalist manga.
Characters[]
(mentioned)
Story[]
Two years after retiring from ice dancing, Tsukasa Akeuraji has been auditioning for ice shows but is repeatedly turned down despite having reached the All-Japans. Koichi Kago offers to cover Tsukasa's skating expenses, but Tsukasa declines. Flashbacks reveal that Tsukasa started skating late at the age of 14, and eventually was forced to abandon his dream of singles skating and settle for ice dancing.
Skating at Nagoya Sports Center, Tsukasa spots a young girl sneaking in without paying. When confronted, she flees, but he catches up to her. She explains she earns free rink access by bringing worms to the old receptionist for his pet birds. Learning she dreams of becoming a figure skater, Tsukasa gives her a club's contact information, but she insists on joining his, forcing him to clarify he’s not a coach. Upon learning she's in fifth grade, he urges her to start soon if she’s serious about skating.
When the girl returns home, she tries to speak to her mother, but is told to finish her homework first. Later at school, she is seen facing bullying and isolation from her peers.
Later, Tsukasa's former ice dance partner, Hitomi Takamine, invites him to work as an assistant coach, but he feels unqualified, believing he only succeeded thanks to her. A mother then arrives for an appointment with Coach Takamine, bringing with her the girl from before. The mother reveals she is there to have the coaches turn her daughter down, explaining that her older daughter used to skate but had to quit, and she sees no point in starting so late.
However, Tsukasa insists on seeing the girl skate first. As soon as she steps on the ice, the girl's speed and grace astonish him, and she effortlessly performs basic techniques. Unable to contain his excitement, he praises her loudly despite Hitomi’s warning against favoritism. He begins teaching her the fundamentals of figure skating, and though she stumbles, she quickly improves. Even her mother is impressed, but she remains firm in her stance. She argues that she simply hasn't found another dream yet and questions whether the investment will be rewarded.
Tearing up, the girl expresses her dissatisfaction with her current state and her strong desire to skate — Though she is aware that skating is hard and that she is causing trouble for her family, it is the one thing that helps her escape the struggles she faces at school and find her place in the world. Through skating, she hopes to find something she loves and excels at for which nobody can belittle her, and to become someone she is not ashamed of.
Hearing this, Tsukasa turns to the girl's mother and bluntly tells her to let her start already. Recognizing the girl's talent and passion, and recalling his own past struggles, Tsukasa impulsively volunteers to be her coach and goes as far as to promise taking her to the All Japan Championships, bowing deeply in front of her mother. Caught off guard, the mother hesitantly agrees.
Tsukasa turns to the crying girl and asks for her name. She answers, "Inori Yuitsuka," a name Tsukasa praises. Later, Hitomi laments to Tsukasa about the trouble he's caused — the parents have been complaining about his favoritism. Tsukasa shrugs it off, but the moment a beaming Inori arrives for her lesson, he loudly praises her glowing smile, much to Hitomi's frustration.