Yuuri!!! on Ice has Made Me on Fire

Reeling from his crushing defeat at the Grand Prix Finale, Yuuri Katsuki, once Japan’s most promising figure skater, returns to his family home to assess his options for the future. At age 23, Yuuri’s window for success in skating is closing rapidly, and his love of pork cutlets and aptitude for gaining weight are not helping either.

However, Yuuri finds himself in the spotlight when a video of him performing a routine previously executed by five-time world champion, Victor Nikiforov, suddenly goes viral. In fact, Victor himself abruptly appears at Yuuri’s house and offers to be his mentor. As one of his biggest fans, Yuuri eagerly accepts, kicking off his journey to make it back onto the world stage. But the competition is fierce, as the rising star from Russia, Yuri Plisetsky, is relentlessly determined to defeat Yuuri and win back Victor’s tutelage.

From MAL

Did you like that pun/title? Hehehe, it was fun to write it! 😼✨

But that’s right, YoI has finally ended and I screamed, like legit shrieks and screams, my voice cracked on that last episode. Before I delve into spoilers, I wanna talk about why I love this anime and why it’s been the highlight of this year, for me.

One of the most important ones is definitely the GAY. Not because of the fan service, or queerbaiting, or whatever other terms people like using to put down shows.

This is the first anime sports, serious sports mind you, that there’s real gay in it, that is approached beautifully and so realistically. This is breaking norms, rules, and I love it.

 

Another thing is racial diversity! The cast has all kind of races and ethnicities, and they’re not dumb stereotypes, in fact I’ll get to that in a bit. Everyone is treated super cute, and with respect, while also being true to their roots, so it isn’t racial diversity for “show” like some haters like to spout off.

This is also super important: breaking gender stereotypes. We see boys using eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, lipstick, using cute pink cellphones, pink curtains and pajamas, and all kinds of cute, glittery thing that by all rights is not gendered, and I love seeing it being used for everyone!

I can’t forget that they also approached everyone’s ages with an amazing respect, they didn’t sexualize Yurio or Minami, or the other cuties, the ones that were sexual were the adults, and heck if I don’t like that! Not saying teenagers can’t be sexual or sexy, just that there tends to be too much focus on that, and here we see just cute kids, angry little kittens, coming into their own without the need for that. I just like it, okay?! /protects all the cuties

Speaking of the gay, this isn’t just focused on gay, heck this is inclusive. There’s heteros, bisexuals, homosexuals, and there’s shout outs to the real ice skaters that broke norms, which is lovely!

Speaking of shout outs, one of the things I love is that this show is so well researched, not just the costumes, but the shout outs, the routines, everything has been done right, and I love seeing the passion infused in this!

The writing is stellar, as are the characters, I really get the sense these are people with their own needs, dreams, goals and desires, and flaws, and they’re all so compelling, I want a season for each character!!! 😭😭😭

The OST is super great, from the OP, to the ED, to the songs picked for the routine. The art is gorgeous, have you seen those character designs and costumes?! Aaah! Plus the animation is tricking amazing!

/deep breathes

Now it’s for some spoilers about the last episode!!!!!
This is why I screeched and my voice cracked:

THEY

FINALLY

DUO

SKATED

O

M

F

G

I’VE TALKED ABOUT IT SINCE DAY ONE

DAY ONE

AND THEY DELIVERED IT, I’M SO HAPPY 😭😭😭😭😭

After the engagement, the rings, the kisses, the hugging, everything I wanted, I just wanted a marriage and a duo skating, and they delivered on it, it was so beautiful that if I hadn’t screamed I would have suffocated in happy, so I had to, okay?! 😭

My life is complete, I can now die without regrets.

/goes to get buried

/pops up

Wait, before I go!!!

That season 2 better happen, SPECIALLY WHEN I CALLED IT THAT HE WASN’T GOING TO WIN GOLD, FUCK YEAH AAH.

Plus I wanna see sexy sexual tension as Yuuri and Viktor compete against each other, yes pls, boners of need and desire as they fight it out 😼😼😼😼😼👌✨

If you haven’t seen this, well I don’t know why you’re reading this sentence, but go watch it!

If you’ve finished it, I wanna know if you loved it, did what you wanted or predicted happen? I thought Phichit would be on top 3 but nah it had to be JJ FFS! /fish slaps him GET OUT MAMORU, STOP BEING IN ALL THE ANIME I’M WATCHING 😹😹😹