The official social media account for Medalist announced on Friday that the popular ice-skating manga is entering an indefinite hiatus. Creator Tsurumaikada cited "production circumstances" as the reason for the pause. While a specific return date remains unconfirmed, the author expressed a desire to resume the story with enough momentum to carry the narrative through to the Junior Grand Prix finals without further interruptions.
Since its debut in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine in May 2020, the series has garnered significant critical acclaim, including wins in the Best General Manga category at both the 68th Shogakukan Manga Awards and the 48th Kodansha Manga Awards. The most recent compiled volume, the 15th, was released by Kodansha this past July.
The franchise has seen a rapid expansion into animation, following a two-season television run that aired on TV Asahi's "NUMAnimation" block. While the second season concluded its nine-episode arc earlier this year, the story is set to continue on the big screen with an upcoming film slated for a February 19 premiere in Japan. This film serves as a direct follow-up to the events of the second season, keeping the franchise active even as the source material takes a break.
