Yuri on Ice is Still a Classic Years Later
Yuri on Ice is my comfort show. It’s one of the few series I’ve rewatched multiple times. Which is something that I don’t do. I have to absolutely love a show to spend extra time pouring over it or having it on in the background on my worst days. It’s one of my favorite series ever made.
There’s a reason Yuri on Ice became a cultural phenomenon upon its release. Six years later, fans are still waiting patiently for the long-awaited movie, Yuri on Ice: Ice Adolescence, and season two. It’s won critical acclaim from both anime fans and the ice skating community. It reached well outside of the genre of sports anime. It’s more than just a romance too. Yuri on Ice is an incredibly special show.
But what is it that made Yuri on Ice a classic that still holds up years later?
A quick note before I continue: As there are two characters named Yuri in this series, I will be referring to Yuri Katsuki as “Yuri” and Yuri Plisetsky as his nickname in the show “Yurio” so there is no confusion.
Yuri is a stellar protagonist. As an unreliable narrator through and through, the very real-life portrayal of anxiety and mentally self-sabotaging oneself is so palpable that you wouldn’t expect it to come from an animated series. It feels like Yuri’s animation were motion captured because they’re so real at times. His journey to rise above it is endearing, inspiring, and the audience truly feels every high and low in the series. I’ll get more into the story side of things in a moment.
Victor is quite the enigma for the first part of the series because it’s quite hard to tell what exactly his motivations are. One of the world’s best figure skaters retires to suddenly become a coach to the full-of-self-doubts Yuri. It’s a questionable move, to say the least, and one that Yuri often gets caught in the crossfire for. It’s easy to think that Victor is flippant. He says he loves surprising people which sometimes feels like he’s acting without thinking. His inexperience as a coach pokes through. What never falters is his growing bond with Yuri and we begin to understand why he does anything. As the story progresses and we begin getting the point of view scenes from Victor’s perspective, his story really comes together. He found a lack of inspiration in his own life and felt like he was drifting. It was Yuri who helped him regain that spark again, making Victor want to grow as a person.
Yurio might seem like a little punk at the start, screaming and mocking Yuri for crying after his loss. As a prodigy, he’s almost entitled at times. The show is very quick to start smashing that viewpoint. It establishes quickly that he does have a very caring heart under his brash personality. His competitive nature, in a way, is wanting to push Yuri to be better so Yurio can compete against him. It’s actually not mean even if his execution could be more tactful. The stellar shift is in the middle of the season when one of the competitions is almost solely from Yurio’s point of view. We meet his grandfather, learn about Yurio’s own worries and insecurities, and really get into why he’s just as deep, scared, and fleshed out as the other two leads. Those middle episodes really highlight how Yurio, while the youngest of the three leads, is starting to mature and change. So much of his drive was chasing Victor and besting Yuri. Part of Yurio’s growth is finding people outside of those two to make his own goals while remembering their lessons along the way. It really separated him from the normal rival kind of stereotype often seen in these types of shows.
The best part of the three main leads is they bring out the best in each other. Romance aside, Yuri, Victor, and Yurio grow because of each other. For example, early on Yurio is very clear he sees Yuri as a rival and vice versa. Still, Yuri knows he’s at a disadvantage because he can’t land certain quads. He’s humble enough to ask Yurio to teach him. In response, Yurio does so because he’s not a bad guy and wants the competition to be equal. Yurio had every chance to deny Yuri, but he didn’t. It’s an early glimpse at Yurio’s true character as well as Yuri reaching out to others and opening himself up to change. The three protagonists each have their own arcs with and without the others to become the best versions of themselves.
The entire cast of Yuri on Ice is so dang likable that by the end of the series, you are rooting for every single one of them. Even minor characters like Minami, Yoko, and Leo are incredibly charming in that their short runtime leaves an impression in one way or the other. The entire cast plays an important part in the narrative too. Each person represents a part of Yuri, Yurio, and Victor’s journey.
Comic artist Lee Basil did a fantastic breakdown of Yuri on Ice’s story and how each character works. To give a few of their examples, Minami represents the people who supported Yuri that he could not see through his own anxiety and mental cloud. Christophe represents a piece of Victor’s past as a more mature skater comfortable in his skills but becoming listless with the lack of competition. For Yuri, Christophe makes Yuri examine his own worries that he’s stealing Victor away from the rest of the world. It makes Yuri step up, “claiming a maturity of his own.” While Otabek comes in late, he starts the supportive relationship with Yurio that Victor and Yuri have had since the beginning. But with the retroactive reveal, we find out that Otabeck, in a way, has always been part of Yurio’s story and there’s a reason he wants to be Yurio’s friend. Phichit is a piece of Yuri’s past being one of his friends prior to the series. But Phichit, as Lee Basil points out, also showcases the love of his community in Thailand, something that Yuri grows to realize his own worth within his own community in Japan too.
These are only a few examples as Lee Basil does an excellent job breaking down the majority of the cast, and it’s a wonderful watch. I highly recommend it. Go check it out!
There are no bad characters in Yuri on Ice. Everyone is so well written that even when they have small, brief stints in the series, they have a reason and impact for being there. Even the ones set up to be antagonistic aren’t horrible people. Jean-Jacques AKA JJ is about as close as we get to a full villain, and even then, the series goes well out of its way to make him sympathetic. Watching him crack under pressure in the final competition is one of the most heart-wrenching moments of the show. It also thematically has weight to it as Yuri reflects on his own journey in those moments.
The story of Yuri on Ice is part of the reason why it’s such a stellar show and Yuri is the wonderful protagonist that he is. I don’t want to downplay the groundbreaking romance of Yuri and Victor in any way, and I will absolutely get to it in a moment. But whenever I tell people about the show, I usually bring up the romance element second. I know it’s usually dubbed “the gay ice skating anime,” but this series is so much more than that.
At its core, Yuri on Ice is a story of learning how to deal with anxiety and overcoming mental hurdles against the backdrop of ice skating.
The story starts with Yuri at his lowest point. He is literally locked in a bathroom stall and sobbing after losing his competition to get into the Grand Prix Final that year. His beloved dog has passed away. His biggest flaw is his own view of his self-worth. Despite being Japan’s top skater, he calls himself a “dime a dozen” skater which is simply not true. Yuri wasn’t a prodigy like Yurio, but he trained hard to get his skills and has some of the best stamina in the competition.
Once Victor decides to be his coach, it’s not an easy path for Yuri. I appreciate the series showing how hard Yuri has to actually work to get back into shape. He’s out of practice, and Yuri on Ice doesn’t shy away from every fall, every bruise, and even a bloody nose in a competition. He’s not magically perfect overnight.
That’s only the physical side of things. His mental battles are the entire point of the series. Every competition is a new challenge for Yuri. Victor can only help so much. In the end, it’s Yuri that has to overcome it all and find confidence in himself. He has to realize that there have always been people in his corner and he’s not as alone as he thought. He has to determine his own goals and how to seize them. Every time he falls, he figures out how to get back up. When he tries to put up walls to hide his insecurities, he realizes he is pushing people away that love him. Change is the theme of Yuri’s story. In episode four, he mentions how some things are the same like the support of his friends and family. But Victor is a new start for a new Yuri. No one has ever seen this side of him, not even Yuri himself. The series is about Yuri discovering who he really is.
Watching Yuri come into his own is such a joy. The audience really goes through every high and low with him.
The competition structure adds immediate drama to the story too, something that Lee Basil also points out in their video. Competitions, by nature, have stakes. Every person Yuri and Yurio face is a roadblock in their story. Even friends like Phichit are now competitive rivals. There can only be one winner in each one which helps drive the story forward to the final face-off with the six big characters.
One minor thing I appreciate too is they get a lot of the figure skating rules and terminology out of the way early on. I personally feel the first few episodes are the slowest part of the series. The rules are important so it is a factor that must be known upfront. It does, to me, feel like a little bit of a slog right out of the gate. But it’s a vital moment to understand the why and how the rest of the story plays out. It doesn’t linger long enough for me to mind. It also allows for there to be more of a focus on the skaters as characters instead of getting bogged down with the technicality of the sport.
The series is also very re-watchable. Many of the subplots and smaller side characters are tracked through news segments or social media posts. For example, Otabek is in episode one but he doesn’t have any lines. He’s shown briefly alongside Victor and Christophe after the competition. He reappears in news segments in episodes six and eight to highlight his first and second place victories in competitions and why he’s qualified for the Grand Prix Finals. It’s not until episode ten that he makes his full first appearance to completely change Yurio’s story. He is a catalyst for Yurio to continue to push himself. Many of the side characters have this kind of story so it’s fun to go back and rewatch them.
Of course, one of the biggest parts of Yuri on Ice’s success is the romance between Yuri and Victor.
Writer for Anime News Network, Gabriella Ekens, really summed up best why the romance of Yuri on Ice is so important and groundbreaking. She said:
“Ok, so onto the elephant on the rink – Yuri!!! on Ice, in depicting a sincere and uncomplicated engagement between two dudes, is unprecedented in anime. There hasn't even been a for real gay marriage in Japan, so this show is depicting something that isn't legally possible in its country of origin. I don't want to throw out the word “radical” too lightly, but this is pretty radical. I guess that the show wasn't lying when it said that it was “born to make history.” There was a lot of hubbub earlier over whether Yuri!!! on Ice would fulfill its initial promise as an uncompromising queer romance, and, uh… it has. More than we could've imagined, in fact. Wow. I'm honestly having trouble imagining how their relationship could develop past this point. Yuuri and Victor have rounded all of the (limited) bases that anime usually tackles in its depiction of heterosexual romance, where things rarely even get to marriage. We're in uncharted territory right now, as far as animated depictions of romance go. Are they going to adopt Yurio? I mean, that's been the joke since the beginning, but it almost feels plausible now. Beyond breaking ground as representation, Yuri!!! on Ice is also a rare show in that it's an accurate and passionate depiction of love at a later stage in life than anime usually reaches.”
Yes to all of this. I honestly couldn’t have said it better myself.
There is a lot to be said about the criticisms around the LGBTQIA+ themes in the show. They’re valid as there is a long history of anti-gay sentiments in figure skating, in Japan where Yuri is from, and in Russia where Victor is from. Even the creators had to confirm off-screen that Yuri and Victor did actually kiss in their infamous scene in episode seven since they had to censor the actual kiss. It’s sadly the nature and truth of production that censors still have a say. The series is often criticized for being unrealistic. I argue that this is exactly the point though.
Gabriella Ekens tackles this too and I can’t agree more with her as she said:
“As mentioned previously, ice skating is rife with gender and sexuality-based discrimination. In real life, their union would provoke all sorts of nastiness from all sides. My response to this is that, while it'd be great to see an anime directly tackle LGBT discrimination, I don't want to be hard on Yuri!!! on Ice for not doing everything. Its goal seems to be to depict a sort of utopian version of cosmopolitan globalization, where these globetrotting athletes can interact (and even fall in love) without any of the identity-based socio-historical baggage that would normally constrict their interactions from the get-go. It's a fantasy, yes, but an inspiring one in that it depicts what would be possible in a better world. Yuri!!! on Ice isn't the end-all-be-all of queer representation in anime, but it is a brave and important show, so its value shouldn't be discarded just because it doesn't achieve everything.”
Even ice skating legend Johnny Weir has said about Yuri on Ice:
“I think all positive imagery of LGBT themes in sport are good. Unfortunately, the majority of people that rule the skating world are conservative and more business minded. I think many of them, while they may love and appreciate the art and the sport, are more interested in the business side of things or power trips. I don't know if Yuri on Ice will be able to change the perception of gay athletes to a 60-year-old businessman, but I am of the school of thought that every little bit helps.”
Yuri on Ice represents what our world should be, not what we have now. Like another series, Star Trek represents the future we wish to work towards. It’s an example of what we can have. Plenty of other shows have focused on the negative side of LGBTQIA+ content. For me, I love having the example that Yuri on Ice sets as a goal. It has the hope that one day, this kind of scenario is possible which is a beautiful idea.
And it’s so pure. The mark of a good fictional relationship is the story should work with the two characters together as a couple and as individuals. Yuri and Victor make each other stronger. They change because they challenge each other. But they still have journeys outside of the other. Victor can’t make Yuri’s mental health magically better. That is a goal that Yuri has to work through on his own. Yuri can’t fix Victor’s lack of direction in his life. Victor has to find his own spark and inspiration to refocus on his own goals. Yes, they jump-start this in the other, but it’s their own personal hill to climb.
One example is in episode seven. Yuri’s anxiety is through the roof because he knows any failure of his will also reflects on Victor. He’s sobbing in a parking garage after Victor pushes him too hard and breaks him down. The only thing he asks for in Victor is for his coach to have more faith in Yuri succeeding than he has in himself. It’s a request when Yuri is at a low point. He’s still learning to stand on his own so he needs Victor’s belief when he can’t see it in himself.
What I love about this scene is Victor doesn’t say anything. He does exactly what Yuri asks through his actions, not his words. After crying out all of his fears and anxieties and running on barely any sleep, Yuri throws down an amazing performance steeped in his drive to surprise Victor. He even mentally points out that Victor is an inexperienced coach and they’re learning together. Yuri recognizes his own mental weakness and wants Victor to help him in the future by saying Victor should have prepared himself for it. Yuri channels his frustrations in a positive way.
And he absolutely smashes all expectations that everyone had thrown at him by performing a routine for the ages. It envigorates everyone watching. It puts the competition on notice that he’s not the old Yuri anymore. He’s still not his new self yet, but because of Victor, he is changing into someone else.
As he comes off the ice, Victor has a surprise of his own. He rewards Yuri with a kiss. The kiss surprised the fans of Yuri On Ice by being historic in its own way. Yuri and Victor smile at each other, walls torn down more, opening each other up to trust. It’s one of the best parts of the series. It’s their own personal growth that makes it work. They both have massive flaws that come out in their relationship and it doesn’t break them. It makes them both stronger.
There are so many other little things to get into. The music is amazing, capturing each of the competitors. The “Yuri on Ice” song from Yuri’s free skate lives eternally on too many of my playlists. Even other songs like “Minami’s Boogie,” “Shall We Skate,” and even the outlandish “Theme of King JJ” are all bangers.
The animation is fantastic. It often breaks out of its anime style to showcase art styles from other countries as the show depicts skaters from all over the world. The entire show is hand-drawn 2D animation which is gorgeous. One big criticism of the series is the repetitive nature of the programs. I absolutely disagree with this. There are plenty of side-by-side comparisons showing the animators went out of their way to change each program slightly or add in different jumps, angles, and perspectives to keep the routines fresh. And professional figure skaters have confirmed that the animation is correct when the characters do their jumps, axels, and rotations which is an amazing feat when you’re stunning that crowd.
Honestly, I could go on. I love Yuri on Ice, and there are plenty of reasons why it deserved all of its praise. It’s a beautiful series with fantastic characters, a powerful story, and a groundbreaking romance. What could be better than that?
Now, please hurry up and give us the movie so we can have season two! I miss all of my wonderful good boys and I can’t wait to see what happens next with them.
