Supernatural anime series in the medium have always been big ticket items. Series like Yu Yu Hakusho, Bleach, Tokyo Ghoul, and Blue Exorcist are but a few examples of shows that have taken off by incorporating heroes with the great beyond. Perhaps two of the biggest series in recent years have been Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen, anime adaptations that create amazing battles by incorporating deadly spirits into the mix. In a surprising turn of events, the two stories have seemingly been overtaken by a surprise rival that just so happens to have nothing to do with the supernatural.
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Another genre that starts with the letter “s” that has been taking the anime world by storm are sports anime. Franchises like Hajime no Ippo, Blue Lock, Haikyu, and Slam Dunk take the action of the medium and translate it to their respective athletes. Earlier this year, an anime adaptation arrive for the manga known as “The Medalist” which focuses on ice skating. Brought to life by Studio ENGi for Disney+, the series first began from creator Tsurumaikada in 2020, meaning that it could have a long anime life ahead of it. In a shocking twist, the ice skating manga series was able to overcome both Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen in overall copies sold for the end of January.
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The Medalist Skates Its Way To The Top
From January 20th to the 26th last month, The Medalist sold around 94,333 copies, giving it the slightest of leads over Dandadan. The supernatural anime series that received an anime adaptation from Science SARU came in second place with 93,164. In third place, Jujutsu Kaisen garnered 82,032, though considering its anime is currently on hiatus following season two’s conclusion, the lower sales make sense here.
You can catch the first episodes of The Medalist on Disney+ right now, with the streaming service offering the following official description, “Tsukasa Akeuraji, a frustrated skater, meets a girl called Inori Yuitsuka, who is yearning to enter the world of figure skating. Motivated by Inori’s obsession on the rink, Tsukasa takes on coaching Inori himself. Inori’s talent blossoms, and Tsukasa becomes a brilliant mentor. Together they aim to make her a glorious medalist!”
Disney+ Is Gaining Ground in The Anime Game
As anime only grows bigger with each passing year, it should come as no surprise that Disney’s streaming platform is attempting to give subscribers exclusive content of its own. Star Wars: Visions remains one of the biggest examples of Disney taking one of their biggest franchises and finally introducing it to the anime world, with the first two seasons becoming such a success that a third is in the works. While not exclusively on Disney+, the studio has numerous seasons that it drops onto Hulu, the streaming service also owned by the House of Mouse.
Hulu currently has the likes of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Undead Unluck, Tokyo Revengers, Summer Time Rendering, Sand Land, Heavenly Delusion, and Go! Go! Loser Ranger! as a part of its library. Later this year, expect more anime to arrive on both services as Disney+ has confirmed that the likes of Twisted Wonderland and Wandance will be added to its anime library.
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