Established in 2011, the Japanese animation studio MAPPA eventually climbed to the ranks of becoming one of the biggest in the industry after creating famous shows such as Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man. The studio often found itself in the middle of controversy due to underpaying the animators on top of overworking them. However, despite all this, fans often look forward to the upcoming shows by MAPPA. About a decade ago, though, MAPPA was nowhere near as popular as it is now. Yuri on Ice, an original series released in 2016, was the breakthrough anime for the studio, after which it only continued to rise in popularity with Banana Fish and several more acclaimed shows.
Yuri on Ice gained a massive fan following that looked forward to the anime film, which was supposed to follow the teenage years of Victor Nikiforov. However, after making fans wait for almost eight years, MAPPA brutally crushed fans’ expectations by officially canceling the anime film. The anime was one of a kind, not only because of the figure skating elements but also the romantic relationship between Victor and Yuri Katsuki. It’s impossible to find another series that has all the qualities of Yuri on Ice, but SK8 the Infinity is good enough to be considered a solid replacement. Both series have their own charms and similarities, which get viewers hooked from the first episode.
This original sports anime by Studio Bones was released in 2021, and it will return with a second season, although the studio hasn’t revealed a release window. Unlike Yuri on Ice, which centers around figure skating, SK8 the Infinity focuses on skateboarding. The story follows Reki Kyan, a high school student who is not only passionate about riding skateboards, but he is also exceptionally talented in making them. During the day, he works part-time at a skateboard shop, and when night falls, he heads to an illegal underground race called the “S,” where skaters from all over the city compete in extremely dangerous situations.
There’s a strict rule that outside the area, the skaters are not supposed to reveal that they know each other through S. As the story begins, Reki loses a major race against someone named Shadow, during which he also wrecks his arm, rendering himself incapable of practicing. As he ponders over his failure, he meets Langa Hasegawa, a half-Canadian and half-Japanese transfer student in his class who came to the country after his father’s death.
Langa, with no experience in skateboarding, somehow ends up working part-time in the same shop as Reki, and they head to S together to make a delivery. After a major turn of events, Langa is somehow forced to skate in a race against Shadow, but no one knew that while he is a novice when it comes to skateboarding, he spent all his life snowboarding with his father. Langa shocks all the underground skaters with his exceptional skills, which also catch the eye of a mysterious and powerful person.
Fundamentally, both anime couldn’t be more different, but they do have a similar vibe to them. Both series focus on a protagonist who struggles with self-doubt and finds it difficult to keep pursuing their passion, especially when the stakes are high in each competition. Reki may be a skateboarding enthusiast, but he always keeps doubting himself after losing against other talented skaters.
Just like how Victor helped Yuri regain his confidence and supported him every step of the way until he finally embraced his passion wholeheartedly, Langa also serves as Reki’s support, noticing his talent and constantly pushing him forward while encouraging him. Both shows rely heavily on intense competitions where each character gives it their all, no matter the circumstance. While there are several romantic undertones in SK8 the Infinity, they aren’t completely overt like in Yuri on Ice, which is why most romantic ships are limited to the fanbase only. SK8 the Infinity is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, so don’t forget to add it to your watchlist.
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