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[Anime Central 2025] An Interview with Pili, the Puppet Studio Behind Thunderbolt Fantasy

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At Anime Central 2025, I received an opportunity to interview Pili, the Taiwanese studio that co-produced Thunderbolt Fantasy. I hope that fans of Thunderbolt Fantasy, fans of Pili, and anyone curious about unique media and entertainment can learn from the in-depth answers they gave.

1) Taiwan has a celebrated tradition of puppet theater, something that is likely unfamiliar to much of the English-speaking audience. What are some of the special aspects of Taiwanese puppetry, and how do you incorporate them into your work?

Pili puppetry has a unique advantage: puppets have no facial expressions. This means that all emotions are conveyed through the atmosphere of the scene, the performance of the voice actors, and the impact of the music. As a result, regardless of culture or language, emotions can still be conveyed through the puppets.

About how we incorporate them into our work, we can share how Thunderbolt Fantasy entered the Japanese market as the example. Although the genre is Wuxia fantasy, Urobuchi-san naturally incorporated various elements of Wuxia into the story, which allowed Japanese audiences to easily understand and appreciate it.

2) Given that Thunderbolt Fantasy has both Japanese and Taiwanese dubs, have you found it a challenge to work with two different languages and styles of speech?

The production of Pili puppet performance always begins with the audio. The puppeteers always perform based on the pre-recorded voices. For Thunderbolt Fantasy, once the Japanese script was delivered to Pili, it first had to be translated into Chinese, then dubbed in Taiwanese. The puppeteers would then perform based on the audio data.

However, because there are language differences between Chinese and Japanese, Urobuchi-san would need to revise the script and communicate with every voice actor about how the characters should be performed after watching the filmed version. For example, in puppet theater there are many actions similar with Japanese Kabuki movements and gestures. To voice properly for such movements, Urobuchi-san had to discuss with voice actors to provide guidance and suggestions in person.

3) Do the puppeteers treat their performance as akin to live theater when recording, or is it more like a movie or television show production?

Our production now is closer to that of films and TV dramas. The biggest difference is that traditionally Pili puppet performance was live on stage. In this case, the puppets’ heads must face the audience. However, now in a studio setting, the puppets’ heads must face the camera, so the concentration and ways of expression become different. In addition, we use narration, jump cuts, and other techniques to change settings and transition the scenes.

4) I must ask, how did a giant robot end up in Thunderbolt Fantasy? It was an unexpected choice, but speaks to the fun and unpredictability of the series.

Robots are one of Urobuchi Gen’s personal interests. He is also a big fan of Kamen Rider and Tokusatsu, so he came up with the idea of including them and designed that robot. Pili also filmed similar things before, such as scenes where puppets battled a giant gorilla. In our Su Huan-Jen movie, we collaborated with Japanese studios to create the monster Qilin. We really enjoy Tokusatsu filming style, so Urobuchi-san took the opportunity to design and incorporate more of these elements into the work to make it fun.

5) Are there any plans to bring more of your shows to English-speaking audiences? I ask simply because I would love to see more.

Of course, we do have plans. We are working with Urobuchi-san on other projects, and both now and in the future, we will be working on scriptwriting and concept design for works that appeal to a wider fanbase, especially to those who are not fans of the Wuxia genre.

6) I’ve read that one thing you had to learn from making Thunderbolt Fantasy is that Japan is more accustomed to a slower pace for action scenes. Could you elaborate on how you changed things to accommodate this?

From the very beginning, we have been constantly adjusting the pace. Especially when shooting the first episode of the first season, we studied how to present the puppets’ body movements in greater detail so that the audience could better appreciate their performance. We knew that the fight scenes in puppetry always switch too quickly, like in seconds, and the puppets have no facial expressions. The audience would need more time to process the information and understand the plot. That’s why we kept adjusting the pace. I must say that we rely on puppeteers’ live performance and improvisation as well as the director’s guidance and arrangement.

7) How do you puppet the characters relative to the voices? Does voice come before the puppetry, or vice versa? Or perhaps there’s a back-and-forth process between the two stages?

First, we record a reference track in Taiwanese, and the puppeteers perform based on that. Next comes the official dubbing. Since the official dubbing could involve various adjustments and changes, we need to reshoot and revise the makeup. This back-and-forth adjustment continues until everything is finalized. Once finalized, we proceed to the last phase of handling Japanese dubbing.

8) Are there unique aspects of specific characters that require puppeteering them in special ways? For example, is controlling Shang different from controlling Lin?

One of the biggest advantages of Thunderbolt Fantasy is that the script and character designs were developed simultaneously. This allowed our puppeteers to imagine the personalities of the characters more concretely and design unique gestures based on the script since there was sufficient information. For example, Shang scratching his nose, or Lin carrying a smoking pipe in his mouth, which looks humorous. Because we had enough prerequisites and Urobuchi-san could provide explanations in time, the puppeteers were able to enrich the characters as best as they could.

9) Is there anything unique to the technical process of making Thunderbolt Fantasy that differs from your other series?

At this point, Pili’s puppet drama series updates every week, like Shonen Jump in Japan, so the production schedule is extremely tight.

During the technical process, for example, creators often need to design characters based on only a few lines of description, while voice actors must imagine the voices of the characters before even seeing the actual designs. When these two processes run at the same time, mismatches are likely to occur. Just imagine they designed an old lady, but voice was like Rie Kugimiya’s tsundere tone. 

Producing weekly episodes is very demanding. Ding Bi, who is sitting beside me, works on the weekly-updating drama. His team often found that even after finishing filming and wrapping up, they would still discover parts that needed reshooting, which was stressful and frustrating.

On the other hand, Thunderbolt Fantasy is different. Since both the script and pre-production details were ready in advance, everything was clear, which made filming much easier. Moreover, our Pili team has developed such a strong teamwork spirit over the years that we can almost instinctively know the best way to shoot a scene, so the whole process was quite smooth.

10) How involved was PILI with the overall story and the character personalities in Thunderbolt Fantasy? What was it like to work creatively with NITRO PLUS?

Pili’s involvement is very high. Although most of the character designs from NITRO PLUS are for protagonists, we are in charge of classifying characters by levels of importance. Pili also contributed a lot to the character design. For example, many of the demon realm generals and lieutenants and other organizations were designed by us after internal discussions. 

NITRO PLUS trusted in Pili’s puppet-making, so their feedback was generally positive with few comments on things that need to be corrected. For the process of converting 2D character designs into 3D character models, we also communicated with NITRO PLUS frequently, so our interaction with them has been very close. 

NITRO PLUS is a highly disciplined and experienced company. Even though its core business is gaming, its creative strength and design framework are astonishing. Pili really needs to learn from them because our style in designing sometimes tends to be loose and irregular, so working creatively with NITRO PLUS was previous experience.

11) Looking back on your long history with Thunderbolt Fantasy, are there any important lessons you’ve learned from making it?

To be honest, ten years have not been easy. Collaborating with Japan was a huge challenge for Pili.

The first lesson is cultural differences in language. For example, in Japanese texts or messages, expressions like sumimasen can sound indirect or ambiguous for us considering the seriousness, but they could be a very clear refusal from the Japanese side. We might think the level of that dislike from them was not strong at all, but in fact their rejection was much stronger than we expected. What’s more, when we said something like “Okay, we can consider this proposal and maybe give it a try”, the Japanese cast sometimes understood it as a clear decision to move forward along this plan. 

Another big lesson is in the character market and community management. In Japan, these aspects, as well as production details, are treated with great importance, while Pili had not given them as much consideration before. After we started working together with Japanese people, we learned a lot from them in these areas.

About technical skills, we also learned tremendously. Through Thunderbolt Fantasy, we had the opportunity to learn from Japanese creators and companies other than NITRO PLUS, such as monster design just mentioned, sound production, etc. In particular, the sound director Miwa Iwanami gave us invaluable advice on how to strengthen the use of voice performance to make puppet theater characters more powerful.

Once the interview was over, one of the puppeteers demonstrated the way they control the puppet of yandere princess Cháo Fēng. 

The staff also asked me how I got into Thunderbolt Fantasy. And then they even gave me the chance to hold Cháo Fēng’s puppet myself!

It’s literally one of the best things I’ve ever gotten to do.

The Voices Called for Me: Anime NYC 2025

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A spacious view of the Jacob Javits Center from the inside, with people walking and standing around. In the distance is a large banner that says "Anime NYC."

Anime NYC 2025, held from August 21 to 24, was the second time since the New York–based convention moved its dates to take place in the summer. The decision allows it to use more of the Jacob Javits Center, but comes at the cost of being stuck in a crowded con season, as well as the risk of unpleasant heat and humidity. Luck was in Anime NYC’s favor this year, however, as the weather was pretty much ideal despite the weeks prior being pretty dire.

As always, the convention is very concentrated on its Exhibit Hall and its events. There are plenty of panels featuring industry insights and announcements of upcoming plans, but they tend to be geared more towards promotion, with a few less business-focused gems here and there. For me, because Anime NYC has become a big event for VTubers, I’ve found myself dedicating more attention in that direction.

The Takahashi Yoko Concert

I don’t always attend the concerts at Anime NYC, which require an additional ticket purchase. But there was almost no price that would keep me from seeing Takahashi Yoko, the singer of the Neon Genesis Evangelion opening. The series has been such a part of my life over the course of decades that I jumped at the chance to hear her sing live. 

Curiously, her tickets didn’t sell out that quickly, and there were plenty still available even after a small group purchase. I could see people not making the connection between Takahashi and the evergreen “Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” or that we’ve hit a point where Evangelion is considered more history than anything else among newer generations of anime fans. More for people like me, I guess.

Takahashi performed songs found in Eva such as “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Soul Refrain,” but her set was not just limited to music from the franchise. She was also accompanied by two young backup dancers, who were quite impressive. A part of me hoped that Hakos Baelz, the hololive VTuber who specializes in dance and was in NYC at this time, was in the audience and could see them. Naturally, Takahashi capped off the concert “Cruel Angel’s Thesis.”

There were some issues with the audio that took time to resolve. The acoustics of the main event space aren’t ideal for concerts in the first place, and there was something about the setup that drowned out her voice to a degree. I brought ear plugs, but had to take them out at first because I couldn’t hear her well enough with them in. There was also a tech flub on one song that forced them to restart it. In spite of all that, Takahashi’s voice was simply sublime; it sounded even better in person. 

During the concert, Takahashi gave a speech in English, reading from some prepared notes. She talked about how she basically grew up with music and was going down the path of the classically trained, but various issues kept her working as a session musician. She was initially hired to sing one of the versions of “Fly Me to the Moon” for Evangelion, knowing nothing about it. At her first recording, she was accompanied by just one bespectacled man in a sweatshirt and sweatpants—Anno Hideaki. After this, she was asked to sing the opening as well.

Takahashi described her relationship with Evangelion as a complicated one, but also something she’s overall grateful for. It boxed her in, but without it, she would not have been able to achieve such success or have so many opportunities. She talked about how her favorite episode of Eva is actually 26 because of one scene in particular: In the “abstract sketch” space seen in the finale, Shinji is shown floating through an empty void with total freedom, but the lack of any boundaries makes it intimidating. He is then drawn a ground, limiting his freedom in one way. However, the boundary that exists now allows Shinji to do what he couldn’t before, which is walk and find a way. Takahashi basically feels the same way about Eva.

hololive 

The VTubers of hololive have become a staple of this event. Returning to the Exhibit Hall was the large booth featuring convention-exclusive panel streams, as was the hololive World Tour (more on that later). Curiously, while past Anime NYCs have also included a big hololive panel as well, that wasn’t the case this time around.

The Booth

One big change from previous years was that the panels were spaced further apart on the schedule, which I found very welcome. It gave me an opportunity to check out other things, and helped mitigate the potential fire hazard that forms with the enthusiastic crowds. I didn’t attend every panel, but every one I did see was fun in its own way.

Takane Lui, along with Shirakami Fubuki on the hololive booth screen. Fubuki is wearing a Yagoo mask and has two fake muscle arms flexing.

I’m a fan of all the holoX ladies, so I really wanted to see Takane Lui. She did not disappoint, especially when it came to karaoke, but the antics of her panel partner, Shirakami Fubuki, made it even better. The fox would bust out a 2D Yagoo mask and a pair of muscular arms on occasion, which culminated in their fitting presence during the song “Onegai Muscle” from the anime How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift?

Mori Calliope and Koseki Bijou on screen. Above them is the question "Would you rather lick a subway pole for 30 seconds or drink a whole vat of hot dog water?"

The Tombstone panel, so named because Calliope Mori is a grim reaper and Koseki Bijou is a living gemstone, had them answering “Would you rather” questions related to New York City. The NYer heavy crowd naturally had a lot of opinions, and it was entertaining to hear the VTubers try to twist logic to suit their choices.

Airani Iofifteen performing karaoke on screen.

I also went out of my way to see the hololive Indonesia karaoke relay, which had Kobo Kanaeru, Airani Iofifteen, and then Pavolia Reine. You could tell that people really love Kobo’s singing because the normally boisterous crowd was almost pin-drop silent as she covered “Mayonaka no Door,” “Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” and other tunes. Kobo was going to sing “Dragostea Din Tei” too, but a technical mishap prevented her from finishing it. Iofi amazed me by singing “Do You Remember Love?” and I even got noticed by the camera when she was looking around for holo merch.

If I had any big complaints, it would be that standing on concrete for extended periods is really tough on my feet, even though I have good shoes. It’s possible to have better flooring for a booth, and I think Cover Corp can afford it.

The World Tour

Cardboard standees featuring the official art from hololive STAGE World Tour '25, featuring Nerissa Ravencroft, Kureiji Ollie, Mori Calliope, Momosuzu Nene, and IRyS.

Anime NYC was selected as one of the stops on the world tour, which is officially titled ‘hololive STAGE ‘25 World Tour -Synchronize.” This is not to be confused with the hololive EN 3rd Concert, All for One, which took place the same weekend. You can read my review of that here.

The different lineup from last year brought a different energy that was less “pop diva.” With Calliope Mori, IRyS, Nerissa Ravencroft, Momosuzu Nene, and Kureiji Ollie on stage, you had a combination of dedicated singers and all-out entertainers. Personal highlights included the covers of “Shijoshugi Adtruck” and “Don’t Say Lazy,” as well as the world tour official song, “Live It Loud!” which I think does a good job highlighting the strengths of each performer.

I do have a few complaints. The first two are ones I’ve already mentioned, namely the whole “standing on concrete for hours” thing like at the booth, and the iffy acoustics of the Main Events hall. The third is what I’d consider a very mild gripe: a good amount of the songs performed were also at Breaking Dimensions last year. However, I know I pay a great deal of attention to the musical performance side of hololive, and this is less of an issue for those who watch events less often.

Each stop includes two additional guests, and New York City’s were Natsuiro Matsuri and Haachama, aka Akai Haato. Matsuri is a nice middle point between singer and entertainer, and I’m a big, big fan of Haachama in general. I was a little sad that I couldn’t see the entirety of Haachama’s panel last year at Anime NYC, and I consider myself very fortunate that I managed to purchase a ticket to Synchronize. I even brought my Haaton wearable head towel so I could represent, and spotted other Haatons (i.e. Haachama fans) while waiting in line. For the concert, she performed her first original, “RED HEART,” and its simplicity is something that goes back to the very core of VTubing in a way I enjoy immensely.

The Stamp Rally and Other Merch

There was a great deal of hololive-related goods available at the con. They had very visible representation in the Artist Alley, and the official booth gave away a con-exclusive trading card featuring the participants of the world tour, as well as a card for a stamp rally. The prize for completing the rally was a sticker set with all the ambassadors from hololive MEET ‘25, the general umbrella for conventions and other events around the world. However, it required participants to make purchases at specific booths, and if you got there on later days like I did, it meant making more expensive purchases. This is exactly why I ended up caving and getting the Hakos Baelz hoodie from Ohmonah. I had been eyeing it since July, and the quality and comfort (on top of the stamp for the rally) was too much for me. It’s so good, man.

Other VTubers

Likely because of hololive’s presence every year now, Anime NYC has also become a focal point for VTubing on the east coast. Merch-wise, big names like Sameko Saba, Nimi Nightmare, Dooby3D, Mint Fantôme, Dokibird, and Shylily were all over the Artist Alley. Ironmouse and CDawgVA also had a panel promoting a new game. 

Additionally, the Exhibit Hall had a couple booths featuring Meet & Greets with smaller VTubers all weekend long. I used this opportunity to talk to Pillowdear, and complimented her for doing fun and creative ASMRs like her Easter stream. This was my second ever Meet & Greet, and I found it fascinating that you really get the gamut of participants. I saw someone who was clearly a dedicated fan of Pillow, but also people who literally had no idea about or even VTubing in general. I guess I fall somewhere in the middle.

A package of Ember Amane Custom Roast coffee, with a picture of Ember on it.

There was also a Phase Connect karaoke event that I ended up not attending, but I did finally buy coffee from their booth. I got the Ember Amane beans, and while I also wanted Dizzy Dokuro’s, I foolishly forgot to take into account that her blatantly shilling-oriented original song made it a hot commodity. (Expect an Ember coffee review at a later time.)

Other Panels

Tsuda Kenjiro and Yu-Gi-Oh! 25th Anniversary

I attended the Yu-Gi-Oh! 25th anniversary panel, which featured the Japanese voice of Kaiba Seto, Tsuda Kenjiro. These days, Tsuda is everywhere, but this was basically his first really big role. For those who grew up on the English dub, I still think it’s worth listening to his portrayal of Kaiba, because it gives a similar yet different flavor to the character. For the panel, he did a live reading of a scene from the Yu-Gi-Oh! movie The Dark Side of Dimensions.

There were a few stories Tsuda told that I found particularly interesting:

  • Back when Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters was airing, the voice of Yugi (Kazama Shunsuke) was still in high school, and he would sometimes come to the recording studio in his school uniform.
  • When Tsuda recorded a voice-over for a Yu-Gi-Oh! video game, he saw a lot of comments online about how “Kaiba sounds so old now.” This made Tsuda want to show that he could still voice the character, and when he was asked to come back for Dark Side of Dimensions, he relished the chance.
  • Tsuda talked about how unlike most other shounen series, where the characters get amped up and then calm down, Yu-GI-Oh! characters are basically dialed up to max at all times. It makes recording for other series way easier by comparison.

One-Punch Man and JAM Project

I could not attend the entire One-Punch Man panel due to having to leave for All for One, but I do want to make sure story in particular is told for posterity. The guests for the panel were the members of JAM PROJECT, who do the One-Punch Man openings. In recounting the creation of the first opening (“THE HERO!!”), leader Kageyama Hironobu recalls going to his bandmates and vaguely humming the lines of the first verse without any lyrics, including the part that would eventually go Nandatten da? Frustration!/Ore wa tomaranai!—which Kageyama recreated as a series of ambiguous squeals and yells. Apparently, the other members looked at him funny and basically replied, “Are you serious?”
I later found out that they played “SKILL” from Super Robot Wars in addition to One-Punch Man music. I wish I could have been there, but alas.

The Food Is Too Expensive

Like so many other convention centers, the Jacob Javits has never been cost friendly when it comes to food options. For anyone looking to save money, I never recommend anyone eat the con itself, and I do it because I see trying out different overpriced meals to be part of the experience—kind of like gambling in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. However, even I felt that the prices were getting beyond ridiculous this year. Things were close to if not exceeding $20 when they weren’t that way last year, and I will definitely bring food with me next year. Moreover, there were certain options available last year that weren’t present for 2025: Korilla and its Korean dishes were sorely missed, as was the Indian section in the food court area. 

A salmon bento, including salmon, rice, potato salad, shumai, pickled vegetables, a small omelet, string beans, and seaweed.

If I had to recommend one place, it would have been the BentOn stall in the Exhibit Hall. While the prices are still not great, the bento options (fish or fried chicken) are the best bet for getting a well-balanced meal at Anime NYC.

Cosplay

A cosplay of Kureiji Ollie in her Goddess of Death and Rebirth outfit.
A cosplay of Koganei Niko from hololive Flow Glow.
A cosplay of Cyber Akuma from the Street Fighter VS series.
A cosplay of Spike Spiegel pointing a gun.
A cosplay of Ouro Kronii in a maid outfit and a punk-rock Raora Panthera.
A cosplay of Boa Hancock from One Piece and Elias Ainsworth from The Ancient Magus's Bride.

Final Thoughts

Anime NYC has long been trying to be the Anime Expo of the east coast, and it has succeeded in essence. It gets big guests from Japan and around the world, has a major industry presence, and it looks and feels big. If you want to attend events and see things you wouldn’t be able to otherwise, this con is generally a good place to be. However, that comes at a price, in that it can sometimes feel overwhelming the same way one might get bombarded by neon signage. The difference is that Anime NYC is like a less extreme AX, where there are fewer good things (AX being on the west coast gets it a lot more opportunities for interesting guests) but also fewer bad things (Anime NYC almost never has the really bad crowding issues of AX).

I think this is why I’ve come to enjoy the VTuber side of Anime NYC so much. While it’s definitely part of the “corporate” presence due to hololive (and other VTuber companies to a lesser extent), that side still feels very fan driven. I would like to see some of that spirit and energy on the anime and manga side as well.

You’ve Already Led: Final Thoughts on “Fist of the North Star Side Story: The Genius Amiba’s Otherworld Conqueror Legend”

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Fist of the North Star Side Story: The Genius Amiba’s Otherworld Conqueror Legend is an isekai spinoff starring a minor villain from the popular shounen franchise, and it concluded earlier this year after nine volumes. This manga been one of my favorite series in recent years, so I wanted to just give my final thoughts on this ridiculous work.

For context, here are my previous two posts about the series:

S-M-R-T! I mean, S-M-A-R-T: “Fist of the North Star Side Story: The Genius Amiba’s Otherworld Conqueror Legend”
The Amiba Isekai Has a More Balanced Roster than the Original Fist of the North Star

Warning: Spoilers 

The “hero” of this series is Amiba, the cruel Toki impersonator who met a grisly (and hilarious) end from being forced to walk backwards off a ledge before exploding into a gory mess—a fate courtesy of franchise protagonist Kenshiro. Now reincarnated in a fantasy world, he has to fight monsters using his own bastardized version of the pressure points martial arts Hokuto Shinken, all while learning about the magic that governs his new environment. As he gains unlikely allies (because it’s really hard to make friends when you’re a self-centered asshole), Amiba ends up on a collision course with the army of the Demon Lord, including the Four Demon Generals. And all along, no matter his successes or numerous failures, the man still declares himself to be an unparalleled genius. 

There are three main recurring gags in this manga:

First, nearly everyone Amiba encounters oddly resembles people from his original world, though not necessarily sharing personalities. He travels with Lilin (Rin) and Pat (Bat), and fights foes like Southern (Souther) and Maou Kenshi Rou (Jagi). 

Second, many of his allies are alternate versions of other bad guys. My favorite is a gigantic old lady who was originally a muscly thug in a poor disguise but in this world is actually a titanic grandma. 

Third, Amiba remains a mostly delusional dickhead throughout, but people also don’t put up with his bullshit.

If you’re not a fan of Fist of the North Star, a lot of the in-jokes will likely go over your head, but I am squarely in its target demographic and highly entertained. Fortunately for other readers, The Genius Amiba’s Otherworld Conqueror Legend also features a contemptible antihero who actually grows and learns to a degree, avoiding running its premise into the ground.

In the original story, Amiba is presented as irredeemable, but here in a different world and context, we find that he has the power to do good even if he is anything but noble. He might not be healing people out of the goodness of his heart, but the results are the same. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but what if bad intentions create benevolent results? It makes one wonder if society (or lack thereof) is what made Amiba into the absolute monster he was, instead of the somewhat less obnoxious person he is after death.

Amiba goes from one-off character to fascinating psychological study as a result. He vastly overestimates his martial arts skills, but that’s only in comparison to the impossible standard set by the warriors of the post-apocalypse he came from. His magic starts off poor at best (a nominal bump in his mana is his only isekai power-up), but his unreasonably high confidence allows Amiba to break through those limitations and create a hybrid magical kung fu. And as reluctant as he is to admit it, Amiba learns an important lesson: Other people are capable in their own right, and they can work together with him to achieve greater things. They’re just not as capable as himself, of course.

The story reaches its climax in Volume 9. After defeating the Four Generals, it’s revealed that the legendary heroic armor and weapons Amiba obtained actually house the divided soul of the Demon Lord. That demon’s name: Maoh (as opposed to Raoh). Yes, he’s Maoh the Maoh (Japanese for Demon Lord).

His last surviving general channels the Demon Lord to take over Amiba’s body as a new physical vessel. Yet, despite being nearly overwhelmed, Amiba is able to resist the takeover through sheer ego. Maoh then answers this stubbornness by plumbing the depths of Amiba’s soul and manifesting his greatest fear: Kenshiro. Suddenly, Amiba finds himself with his back to that ledge again.

On the verge of giving up, Amiba sees images of his allies in the new world giving their support. Naturally, in his inner world, they have nothing but effusive praise for his endless brilliance. With both feet back on the ground (and a body decidedly not exploded), Amiba starts fighting back, using all that he’s learned since being isekai’d. He battles Kenshiro’s Hokuto Shinken using his own magic-infused martial arts, but can only reach a stalemate at best. Then, something incredible happens: The Kenshiro in his mind compliments Amiba for getting stronger, refers to him as another powerful rival, and fades away. It’s not clear if this is simply Amiba imagining Kenshiro accepting him, or if Kenshiro is such a great hero that even a psychic apparition of him exhibits a high standard of honor, but the result is the same. Amiba wins.

The series epilogue jumps a few years into the future, mirroring the second part of the original Fist of the North Star. Lilin and Pat, both adults now, discover that Amiba has created his own peaceful kingdom populated entirely by minor bad guys. He’s said to have later tried to take over the world, inadvertently uniting the humans and demons against him, but the veracity of this (and everything else that has happened in the story) is up to the reader to decide.

I choose to believe that everything we’ve seen is super duper canon, and if they ever make another fighting game, I hope they put this version of Amiba in there. 

The Genius Amiba’s Otherworld Conqueror Legend is a lot of things: Spin-off, parody, silly take on a popular genre. But it also scratches an itch to see a fundamentally flawed and morally void protagonist somehow manage to improve his world, at least for a little while. All the terrible qualities possessed by Amiba are channeled into doing good, all thanks to the people around him. It’s perhaps an even more far-fetched dream than all the harem and power fantasies in the world, but I simply can’t resist a wacky redemption tale that gives a new perspective on one of manga’s jerkiest villains. Isekai is ultimately about second chances, and Amiba uses his to the fullest.

“The Fantastic Four: First Steps” Is a Move in the Right Direction

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Adapting the Fantastic Four to film has long been a tricky proposition. The characters are neither the biggest nor the most iconic, yet they are meant to stand tall as titans of superhero history because they are the faces that essentially launched Marvel Comics as we know it. Indeed there have been films in the past, but for one reason or another, they don’t have the most stellar reputations. 

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is the latest attempt, and on top of the inherent challenges described above, it’s also had to contend with Marvel Cinematic Universe fatigue that has built up in its audience ever since Avengers: Endgame—a fatigue I have keenly felt myself. I think what ultimately brought me to watch this is 1) I really wanted to see what a Fantastic Four movie looks like in an era when superheroes have actually become mainstream instead of trying to cater to skeptics, and 2) the 1960s retro setting seemed interesting. In the end, I came out of the theater feeling that this was definitely a step in the right direction for Marvel, but that it still suffers from some of the issues that have plagued its releases for the past five years. 

The film takes place in a 1960s New York City in a universe different from the main timeline, where the Fantastic Four are a beloved superhero team. Reed Richards, aka Mister Fantastic, is a phenomenally brilliant scientist and can stretch himself like rubber. His wife, Sue Storm, is the Invisible Woman, able to cloak herself and others, as well as create invisible force fields. Johnny Storm, Sue’s younger brother, is known as the Human Torch. Ben Grimm is the Thing, a physical powerhouse with rock-like skin. They’re treated as celebrities for their contributions to science and their protection of NYC from villains of all stripes. However, when a threat from beyond in the form of the world-devouring Galactus tries to make them choose between family and the rest of the world, the four have their bonds tested both with one another and the very people they protect.

One of the things that made the Fantastic Four such a milestone in superhero history was the complexity of their relationships. While they were very close, there was also a good deal of interpersonal tension. I find that this movie does a really solid job of portraying this kind of dysfunction in a way that doesn’t feel quaint or two-dimensional. Reed, for example, comes across as someone whose immense genius can be alienating at times for those he loves, and his behavior makes him seem like he might be somewhere on the autism spectrum. Sue has to still give it her all as a member of this elite team despite the challenges that come with pregnancy, highlighting all the extra work women have to do. Johnny is something of a jock, but the unintended dismissal of him as a thinking human being clearly bothers him. Grimm takes his appearance in relative stride, but the guilt Reed feels about failing to properly shield his loved ones from those transformative cosmic rays colors their interactions.

Speaking of Reed and Sue’s child, First Steps is definitely a play on his inclusion. It’s also surprising that they decided to take two big storylines from two very different periods in Fantastic Four history and combine them together, but it works pretty well. However, it also feels like they’re trying to speedrun the Fantastic Four’s story to get them ready for the next big crossover. That pace is also part of what I consider to be the ongoing flaws of the Marvel Cinematic Universe—namely the need to try to cram and fit everything together for the Next Event—alongside some really awkward acting and action that seems to be the result of too many green-screen shenanigans.

I normally don’t care about the box office (and I still don’t), but it’s been news that Superman kind of ate The Fantastic Four’s lunch. While I do think Superman is the better film and carries the more powerful and relevant message overall, the two works also have a great deal of synergy. They emphasize loving family as well as treating humanity as family, and pushing back against those who want to force us into false dichotomies meant to divide us and make us suffer under bizarre and dehumanizing ultimatums. While it might seem a bit redundant, I think we need all the voices we can right now to fight the increasing levels of hate and fascism that we’re seeing.

The Confrontation: Spotted Flower Reaches a Crucial Point

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The moment has come in Kio Shimoku’s Spotted Flower: In the most recent chapter first published in June, the Wife (aka Not-Saki) confronts the Husband (Not-Madarame) about his adulterous actions with Asaka-sensei (Not-Hato). With a rather sparse publication schedule consisting of printer chapters and digital-only supplementals, getting to this point has taken many years. Now that we’re here, though, the confrontation really emphasizes the essence of this thinly disguised Genshiken alternate universe.

The Story Thus Far

A lot has happened since I last posted about Spotted Flower, so I think some brief catchup is in order. Note that I might not remember all details correctly because of how convoluted things have become: 

Spotted Flower is about an otaku husband and his normie wife, both of whom were members of the same otaku club in college. At first, the story is about their very different tastes and behaviors, as well as the challenge of having a sex life while she’s pregnant and he suffers from low blood pressure that makes even morning wood difficult to come by. They occasionally meet with and talk with old friends, who are all suspiciously similar to other characters from Genshiken (though they’re not the same).

The Wife eventually gives birth to their daughter, Saki, and one consequence is that the Husband feels inadequate as a partner. Seeing his beautiful wife chatting with her Ex-Boyfriend (Not-Kohsaka), he panics and secretly solicits Asaka-sensei, their old college club junior who once regarded themselves as a crossdressing mane but has since gotten some feminization surgery and whose gender is less clear-cut. The Husband tries to start something, but can’t get it up. No problem, Asaka-sensei declares, and puts their penis up Not-Madarame’s butt.

The Husband is plagued with guilt and shame for cheating on his wife, and Asaka-sensei tries to keep the tryst a secret from everyone they’re close to, including their own partner and manga assistant (aka Not-Yajima). While the two have an open relationship, it’s still big news that Asaka-sensei banged their old senpai. But the truth slowly leaks out little by little, with different people learning at different points from different people. Eventually, the rumor reaches Not-Kohsaka, who decides to look into it on his own.

Of course, the Wife is a sharp and perceptive person, and had naturally suspected that something weird was going on. Eventually, in a moment of weakness, the Wife propositions her ex-boyfriend, but he refuses, despite the fact that he’s actually a serial philanderer. It’s not clear at this point what he’s planning, but we also learn a few things about him as well—namely, that he seems to have hidden feelings for Not-Sasahara, and at one point even kisses Not-Sasahara when he thinks the latter is asleep (He isn’t).  

Speaking of Not-Sasahara, his relationship with Ogino-sensei (Not-Ogiue) takes an unexpected turn as she proposes a polygamous marriage between the two of them and her manga assistant (Not-Sue), with whom she already sleeps with. However, this is unlikely to turn into a threesome situation because Not-Sue hates Not-Sasahara for not letting her monopolize Ogino-sensei. 

Most recently, the old club members have gathered together for a group getaway. And then, two chapters ago, as the guys and girls are hanging out in gendered groups, Not-Kohsaka casually tells all the boys about what happened between the Husband and Asaka-sensei. Not-Kuchiki, shocked by the news, rushes over to the Wife and blurts it out, asking if it’s true. Here, the Wife herself gets a weighty grin on her face and says, “So it’s finally public knowledge, huh?”

And Now…

That’s where things stand before this latest chapter, which starts with everyone in the same room. The Wife asks if being with her was really that awful, the Husband tries to explain that it’s been great, but that he thinks she’s a goddess residing in a realm on high, and he lives crawling in the mud in the world below. She doesn’t understand what this means, so the Ex-Boyfriend explains that this is an otaku self-consciousness thing. The Ex also explains that he couldn’t possibly be with the Wife because she actually hates his guts—a fact that Not-Saki herself didn’t even remember herself.

The Wife grills the Husband about the whole situation with everyone else (especially the fujoshi) listening intently. As the Wife explains, the guy tends to hide his feelings, so she wants him to be honest. From this, they learn that he couldn’t get hard, but that it actually felt kind of good to be on the receiving end (to the thrill of the fujoshi crew). Not-Saki then goes on about what a weird little otaku club they are: Otaku are supposed to be these innocent and naive people who don’t really know what sex is like, but the people here have sex while cosplaying, engage in threesomes (which Sue adamantly denies), and her own husband got it from behind by a crossdresser. They’ve all had the wrong idea about otaku.

The chapter ends with an ultimatum from the Wife to the Husband: He must get an erection for her, or their marriage is over.

What Does This Mean?

We won’t know what happens with the two of them for another few months, but regardless of how it pans out, there’s a lot to ruminate on already.

I think the biggest revelation from this is the fact that the Wife actually hates her Ex. What has previously come across as a fairly cordial “let’s just be friends” might have been something more serious and dramatic. We know that Not-Kohsaka sleeps around more than everyone else in Spotted Flower, but that a part of him feels empty inside. I had wondered if this was him still taking the break-up poorly, but maybe this behavior from the Ex was already a problem. Or perhaps his unrequited feelings for the Editor were there all along, and he wasn’t honest with himself. Whatever the case may be, I really think it changes the assumed dynamics of the characters, and by extension the story as a whole 

I know Spotted Flower is controversial, and that some English-speaking fans of Genshiken have viewed it with derision. While I approach it as a kind of strange alternate universe, the fact that this is the only “new” material is understandably confusing and maybe even frustrating. But the way this latest chapter has played out, I have to wonder if there actually is light at the end of this tunnel for the readers who wanted something a little more wholesome. Granted, the tunnel is still of twists and jagged rocks, and a rock slide might close off the exit, but we’ll just have to see what awaits us.

I, Too, Think Highly of the 2025 Superman Movie

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Since 2021, I’ve had superhero movie fatigue. I was tired of Disney’s constant attempt to force us to watch nothing but Marvel, and the way DC films trafficked in the edgy. There were definitely some gems during this time, but I could find myself losing interest. Even long after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I hadn’t seen a superhero movie in the theaters in a long time.

That changed with James Gunn’s Superman. As a fan of Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies, I had a degree of faith that he would make something at least entertaining. But much like another recent box office and critical success, Sinners, I started seeing comments online from happy viewers. The buzz (both positive and negative) convinced me to watch it right away rather than wait for streaming.

From jump, the 2025 Superman stands out for not being an origin story despite acting as a franchise reboot. A quick and basic text exposition catches the audience up to an established Superman in the middle of his latest peril, and the story assumes that even if you don’t already know who the Last Son of Krypton is, you’ll soon understand what he’s all about: a man of godlike power who nevertheless pushes his own limits out of compassion for his fellow living beings.

Gunn’s Superman stands in pleasant contrast to Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, and I say that as someone who thought well of the latter. While I understand the complaints about Clark killing or allowing innocent people to be harmed when that goes against his whole ethos, I think both Gunn and Snyder emphasize a similar point: Despite what people assume, it’s actually not easy to be Superman. The difference is that Snyder’s version experiences more tragedy, has less experience, and fights by himself against a superior opponent. Gunn’s iteration benefits from having a community, and I think there’s a powerful message there about how even Superman can’t go it alone when it comes to making the world a better place for all.

This Superman also bucks the trends of trying to make superhero films more palatable to a presumed audience skeptical of comics. Instead, it embraces the more absurd elements that have emerged over many decades, whether it’s Silver Age shenanigans or the irony of the 1980s and 1990s. Along with the message about how doing good doesn’t necessarily come easily but you do it anyway, everything and it communicates the idea that superheroes (and human beings) have room to be both silly and earnest. 

At the same time, this film does anything but play it safe. One of the major antagonistic forces in the story is a country supported by the US government that aims to take over a neighboring country through military force and conspiracy, and the parallels to that Palestine situation (and to a degree Ukraine) are hard to avoid. Superman’s simple refrain when told to stay out of it is simple yet profound: “People are dying!!” Whatever complexities undergird this situation, the reality of starving and shooting at defenseless civilians, especially children, is hard to ignore.

The 2025 Superman dares to be a ray of hope in a bleak world, breathing new life into one of the US’s most well known fictional characters. It shows that a movie doesn’t have to be all serious business to have a serious message, and that valuing life and humanity is anything but corny. 

Checking Out the hololive Kura Sushi Collab

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The revolving sushi restaurant chain Kura Sushi has been doing a collaboration with hololive, and I decided to check it out. By the time I got there, the available merch was done, but that was okay. My real goal was to taste the hololive-themed sushi.

Ouro Kronii’s “Tuna with Avocado Cream Cheese, which pairs soy-marinated tuna with avocado and cream cheese over Kura’s specialty sushi rice.”

The spokespeople for the collab were Ouro Kronii, Ninomae Ina’nis, and Gigi Murin. I don’t think there was any particular rhyme or reason to these three being the reps, but the official art was cute and I rolled with it all.

Gigi’s “Salmon & Tamago Spicy Roll, made with spicy salmon and tamago atop a shrimp mayo roll finished with panko crunchy flakes.”

One strange thing is that when I first sat down, only Kronii’s and Gigi’s were available. About 40 minutes in, though, Kronii’s ran out and Ina’s became available. Of the three, I liked Gigi’s best because it was the most esoteric and involved the blending of many flavors.

Ninomae Ina’nis’s “Spicy Crunchy Squid, featuring squid tempura topped with spicy mayo, eel sauce, and bonito flakes over Kura’s specialty sushi rice.”

Aside from the collab sushi, all items on the conveyor belt were the same price. This made certain items seem very much not worthwhile, and almost like pity options for those who might not be all that into sushi. 

I ended up getting a $5 coupon, but it ended up being a pretty expensive dinner, so I don’t know if I’d go back just to use the discount before it expires. Despite that, I think this one trip was a fun outing, and I appreciate being able to try some nifty nigiri.

I Attended hololive night 2025 at Dodger Stadium

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Before July of this year, I hadn’t been to a baseball game in a very, very long time. My last trip was as a kid, with a friend from school. Since then, baseball hasn’t really been on my radar. But when hololive announced that they were doing a second collaboration with the LA Dodgers on the same day as the Virtual Vacation 2025 concert, I figured why the hell not. The three VTubers participating were also another friend’s favorites, so it worked out. 

Before talking about my experience, I will say that there are a few factors that make my experience likely atypical. First, because I already had tickets for Virtual Vacation 2025, I had to leave early to make sure I could get there in time. Second, Takanashi Kiara’s birthday concert was also happening during the same time frame, and I didn’t want to miss her first ever performance with La+ Darknesss. My attention was divided in a few different directions, and even the amount of downtime in baseball doesn’t exactly justify it.

In the days leading up, I looked up how to get to Dodger Stadium via public transit. This being LA, the answer was “lol.” Or more specially, you have a choice between a train that puts you ¾ of a mile away or a bus that puts you half a mile away. You need to take a car or taxi of some kind. 

Everyone who bought tickets for the hololive event had to line up at a specific entrance, in the blazing early afternoon sun with little to no shade. That’s when I learned that you basically bring water just for the line. There was also a bit of a scare that security was confiscating penlights despite them being officially permitted, but it wasn’t an issue by the time I got there. Right after the security check, I received a packet with the three exclusive hololive x Dodgers baseball cards featuring Ninomae Ina’nis, IRyS, and Koseki Bijou. This alone made the trip worthwhile.

Once inside, two things I noticed were the festive environment before the game and the sheer size of the stadium. 

Baseball fans were chatting, having lunch, dressed with the colors of their team and having a generally good time. While the only cosplayers there were hololive fans, the atmosphere reminded me of Anime Expo, which was happening the same weekend. I sometimes talk with friends about the high that comes from being at a convention, as well as the “crash” that comes from having to return to our regular lives, and what it might be like to be at an anime con all year round. While it’s not exactly the same, I imagine that having season tickets to your local baseball team (or perhaps just one of the massive ones like the Dodgers) would feel close to it.

In regard to the size of Dodgers Stadium, my seat was in the nosebleed section. I didn’t think it’d be too bad it took multiple disconnected flights of stairs and a couple escalators to get there. While there was an elevator option for parts of it, the line for it was massive. I felt bad for anyone who had mobility issues. Also, because the venue is so large, I couldn’t try all the interesting food options (sushi, takoyaki, etc.) because heading to any of those stands would’ve been a trip in itself. I will say the view from the cheap seats was still very good, though the internet service for my phone wasn’t so hot. 

I heard stories about the massive bottleneck for merch at last year’s Dodgers event, and how some people missed the entire baseball game because they were standing in line the whole time. This year, the folks in charge of the event clearly learned their lesson by having many more shops carry the hololive collaborative goods. This had the benefit of allowing me to get my seat before the first inning, but it still took over half an hour, and I ended up missing the first pitch by Cover Corp CEO Tanigo “YAGOO” Motoaki as a result. I ultimately decided to purchase an IRyS t-shirt because I always wanted one, though I was taken aback by the cost: over $60. Even the more expensive anime and hololive shirts aren’t usually quite so pricey. After getting a Dodger Dog and a commemorative plastic cup, I made it to my seat.

I have some memories of the last time I attended a baseball game, but I don’t recall it being such an audiovisual bonanza. There was a lot going on besides the actual hitting, throwing, and catching of balls, and it felt like the whole of Dodger Stadium was a multimedia diss track shit talking the opposing team. I understand that bias in favor of the home team and against the visiting team is normal in sports, but this felt like another level. The organ would play funeral music every time the Dodgers pitcher struck a player out, and at one point, the jumbotron would put graphics of Dodgers caps onto Houston Astros fans to “improve” their appearance. 

As the Dodgers started to fall behind, I could feel the energy in the stadium gradually deflate a little. Shohei Otani was indeed playing, but he didn’t do terribly well that day. The Dodgers caught up a bit, but as I found out later, they wound up losing the game by a couple points.

Every so often, Ina, IRyS, and Biboo would pop up on the jumbotron and say a few encouraging words. Unlike last year with Gura, Suisei, and Pekora, the three did their appearances using their 3D models (as opposed to their 2DLive models). It was fun but also kind of surreal to see them up there. I stuck around to watch the girls sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” before having to leave to make it to Virtual Vacation 2025.

Here is my recording of their singing, albeit one with lots of obstruction from other attendees. It’s definitely not the best choice if you want to see it, but I’m including it for posterity.

If the stars had not aligned in certain ways, I probably would not have gone, simply because baseball isn’t my thing. Even if all my favorites got together, I don’t know if it would justify the trip. Nevertheless, I was fascinated by the experience, and there is a certain joy in going to watch something different where people gather together. Maybe this is my excuse to check out other sports. Who knows? Perhaps we could get a re-creation of the Rinkside Rivalry audio drama.

New Lives, New Faces: Virtual Vacation 2025

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VTubing has been an unpredictable space for the past year, to say the least. Talents have been debuting, leaving, and even re-emerging in different forms to such a degree that it feels like a decade has passed. Among those making big waves have been indie creators Dooby3D and Nimi Nightmare, who quickly grew into top names due to implied prior experiences.

So when the two announced a few months ago that they would be doing a concert in July, I knew I had to try for a ticket, especially as a big fan of Dooby. The creativity they both possess and the positive energy they exude are things I’ve experienced before in a live setting, and I wanted to support this venture of theirs.

Virtual Vacation 2025 was held on July 5 at the United Theater on Broadway in Los Angeles. Joining Dooby and Nimi were a couple other indie VTubers, Ashton Marten and Hyuni. While the latter two aren’t as well known, they each added their own unique flair. Ashton is a self-described retro roller rodent race queen, and she literally performed a song while on skates; that’s something I feel you need a lot of confidence to pull off as well as she did. Hyuni I felt had the most inherently “idol” energy and the best singing, but those more orthodox elements stood out against the other oddballs.

While neither Dooby nor Nimi are powerhouses on the stage, they still made a great impression. Seeing Dooby come out to “God knows…” wearing an outfit reminiscent of Suzumiya Haruhi’s bunny girl costume was magical. Watching her skanking on stage also brought back good memories. Nimi debuted her own idol outfit and sang one of her karaoke mainstays, “Lovefool” by the Cardigans, and her cover of “Ride on Time” keeps replaying in my head because of her dance that was somehow both cutely awkward and gracefully cool. Ever since ex-hololive member Gawr Gura sang the famous Yamashita Tatsuro song during her debut, it’s been a kind of anthem for VTubing, and hearing it from Nimi was really special in an indie event taking place after some real tumultuous months.

That wasn’t the only oblique reference towards hololive as a precedent either. While Ashton was teaching Nimi to roller skate, the latter likened herself to a newborn giraffe (kirin in Japanese). Later, Dooby sang “Magic Ways,” another Yamashita Tatsuro number. Right before the song began, Dooby encouraged everyone to turn their penlights blue “like the ocean,” and minutes into the performance came a familiar voice in the backing vocals that I suspected was the recently debuted yet familiar-sounding Sameko Saba. My hunch was later confirmed by Dooby and Saba themselves, the latter of whom was also the announcer at the start of the concert.

To top it all off, the encore was “Ochame Kinou,” an unofficial anthem that’s kind of a rite of passage for hololive talent. The choice felt to me like a deliberate connection between past, present, and future, and the reminder that this is something of a new age. It’s also interesting to compare with last year’s Fantôme Thief’s Revenge concert, where the callbacks included “Last Cup of Coffee,” and the encore was “Thanks for the Sex.” Truly, it was a contrast.

Speaking of Dokibird and Mint, the two appeared for a single song at Virtual Vacation not as full 3D models but as models made to look like stuffed dolls. Dooby showed up at Fantôme Thief’s Revenge, so this came across as a nice bit of reciprocation and fanservice. Speaking of fanservice, the antics among all the ladies had the crowd eating out of their hands. Perhaps most noteworthy was a moment where Nimi pantomimed giving Dooby CPR.

The overall presentation was quite professional, and I have no major complaints about OshiSpark and their approach. The United Theater itself has an art nouveau feel similar to the King’s Theater in Brooklyn, giving a sense of class to all us sweaty nerds. The viewing was typical of live VTuber fare, with a flat screen on stage, CG backgrounds that help to create the illusion of depth, and a couple other vertical screens for close-ups. The graphics used during the songs, especially the times when the main lyrics of a song displayed on the screen, had a nice summery feel that I enjoyed. One issue that did arise is that there was some conflicting information about when the concert was supposed to start, and it ended up kicking off at 845pm. 

So I indeed went to a concert headlined by two VTubers not particularly known for their singing or dancing. That’s missing the point, though. What’s wonderful about stuff like this is that the fans can meet the talents where they are and bask in a shared moment. Having Ashton and Hyuni on board also gave those smaller fanbases an opportunity to gather in one spot and perhaps even add to their numbers. One of the things I really enjoy about the big hololive concerts is that exposure to talents you might not be familiar with, and this is the same idea on a smaller scale.

But I would be remiss to deny the progress that Dooby and Nimi have made as performers. Their improvement is noticeable and lovely to see, and I enjoy seeing them grow regardless of any specific adherence to the “idol journey.” I find that there’s happiness in seeing them just enjoy themselves more and more through song and dance, and it kind of makes me want to embrace a more theatrical side as well.

PS: Congratulations to Nimi on her marriage announcement!

The Second-Best Time: Medalist

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The last time we saw a figure skating anime hit big, it was the sensation known as Yuri!!! On Ice. Medalist takes a different approach, telling a story of both an older coach and a younger skater trying to make up for lost time.  

Medalist follows Akeuraji Tsukasa, a former competitive ice dancer who retired after failing to podium in his final event. As a high schooler, he dreamed of competing, but went into ice dancing after being told he was too old to start in traditional figure skating. When he meets a meek yet oddly daring 10-year-old girl named Iori, he discovers in her a girl who so desperately wants to be a skater that the local rink’s security guard shows pity on her by letting Iori sneak in in exchange for worms. Witnessing Iori’s passion for the sport, Tsukasa volunteers to become her coach, but 10 is already considered a late start in a field where beginning at five years old is typical, and Iori’s own mother is dead-set against it because another daughter of hers was injured competing.

Medalist is originally a manga by Tsurumaikada, and it currently still runs in the magazine Monthly Afternoon: a seinen magazine with more of an otaku appeal aimed more at an older male audience, though it tends to be fairly experimental as well. I imagine this is why Medalist has the structure it does, with a grown man and a young girl sharing the spotlight. As the competitor, Iori has more of the classic sports manga thrust of improving and aiming to overcome rivals, but it’s told more often from Tsukasa’s perspective as a guiding hand. These dual threads are interesting in that sports series tend to place the vast majority of the emphasis on one side or the other. With Tsukasa and Iori, however, you get to see things two ways most of the time: from the point of view of an older person who knows what it’s like to fall short of a dream, and that of a younger person anxious to compete but who dwells on the here-and-now. They’re also both passionate and timid in different ways, creating a fun and frantic dynamic between coach and player.

One of the basic questions of the series is “Where do you find your inner strength?” Is it built up as you stack blocks of experience bit by bit? Does it come from desperation to do all you can with what you have? Is it about “believing in me who believes in you?” One of Tsukasa’s greatest strengths is his ability to recognize what others do well and give them the encouragement to keep at it, such as when he lights a fire under Iori. At the same time, Tsukasa has no confidence in himself, which seems to consign him to a fate of being a great coach and a mediocre act were he to ever compete again. 

Yet, when another ex-skater sees Tsukasa, he points out that it’s a flaw for one to assume they’re the underdog even when they’re not. As the series progresses, we get to see conundrums not just Tsukasa and Iori but also an ever-expanding cast of friends and rivals have their own takes on such challenges. They show the complex feelings that come with competition, and knowing that the people you’re facing bring their own strong convictions and desires to make it to the top.

Medalist is a great work, and it’s worth checking out in anime or manga form. As for which is preferable, it really depends on what you’re looking for. The anime has the advantage of being able to portray figure skating in full motion with sound, replicating the feeling of watching and experiencing competitions. The manga is further along in its story, and the intensity of the art makes it feel as if the characters are radiating energy when they compete. Certain characters can give a very different impression as a result of the stylistic differences: Kamisaki Hikaru, the #1 skate in Iori’s age group, looks aloof in the anime but sometimes seems to border on sociopath in the manga. But no matter the medium, Tsukasa and Iori are a wonderful and endearing duo who work together to tell a story about striving for a dream while also trying to give hope to the next generation.