Score: A-

This was a good episode to move things forward after the last competition without completely taking a break. This was still a great episode. Tsukasa was much more the focus this time, but Inori had her moments and clearly the next episode is going right back into her direction. The skating was great whether it was Jun, Tsukasa, or even Iruka. I won’t complain either about the hilarious rivalry between Rioh and Inori when it comes to Tsukasa.

I could make all the choices his expressions!

Wow! Tsukasa got to flex his range of expressions in this episode! Well I mean he mostly stuck to nervous, tense, and quiet panic! But it was a fantastic showing of a person utterly about to lose their mind from stress! I do get it though. Jun and Shinichirou for him are icons. They are the Olympic stars that wow’d him as a kid and inspired him to get on the ice in the first place. There’s skating with friends and there’s skating with stars. In a sense they are all peers now since they are all coaching. But I do understand him getting extremely nervous. It’s tough sometimes to see your idols as just regular people. These days it’s a bit easier since social media has kind of destroyed the mystic of famous people. But, I understand how Tsukasa was just wearing a wild expression on his face!

It is kind of fun that Tsukasa even a week later is still depressed that he didn’t get his super celebration with Inori right after her win! He wanted that! And her family just swooped in, took her, and removed that chance! So he is going to hype her up every single day until the hole in his heart is filled! It is cute though that Inori wanted to try and re-ignite her excitement so they could have that moment. But it just wasn’t going to happen.

This visual speaks volumes

This was just a great episode for Tsukasa in general. He is one of the main characters of this story alongside Inori. His past is a huge part of all this. This kid who fell in love with figure skating, but was considered too old and didn’t get the support he needed. There was support at various points of his life, but long past when he might’ve had a chance to be on that Olympic surface as an individual figure skater. If he’d had real coaching and didn’t have to basically teach himself everything…who knows. It also is a bit sad. This episode had two Olympians very much acknowledging Tsukasa’s ability. If someone when he was getting started had looked at him and not his age…

Jun’s line was a bit cold, but I get his point. Tsukasa’s talent wasn’t seen and in the very brief chances he had on the ice it didn’t work out. Which leaves the world at large seeing him as having no talent at all. The world can be a cruel place. But Jun isn’t a terrible person. It was kind of cool to have him pushing Tsukasa to try some things…and actually having it work! Plus his motive was kind of interesting. From his point of view Tsukasa’s talent wasn’t acknowledged, but it could be. Tsukasa has the skating ability to make it in ice shows. He has remarkable talent and the ability to improve at a scary rate. If…he wasn’t committed to coaching. But he’s chosen his path. Taking Inori to the top is what he wants.

Never change you two

It’s kind of funny to contrast this hyper intense rivalry between Tsukasa and Jun as coaches to Inori and Hikaru. These girls just love each other and get along. Even though they haven’t had many opportunities to interact. There’s no intense aura from Hikaru when she sees Inori. It’s just a friendly smile and wave. When it’s time to compete Hikaru will be locked in. But she’s not treating Inori as an enemy. I do hope they get a chance to chat before Hikaru starts wow’ing everyone with how absurdly good a skater she is.

I’ll never get tired of Inori and Rioh butting heads. They get along a lot of the time honestly. Their friendship has grown quite a bit. But they are hyper competitive over Tsukasa. They both idolize this guy and will pick a fight at any opportunity!

Beautiful skater…

This was a darn good episode. I love the dynamics between the characters and just how good the skating looks. Even someone incredibly rude like Okazaki Iruka can look absolutely gorgeous when she’s in her element on the ice. It is however quite fun to watch people who are generally likeable! So here’s hoping in the few episodes we’ve got left that we can see Inori just wow the audience some more.