ICE SKATING RINK
Okay, let's begin.
Okay!
These extra difficult jumps are absolutely necessary
to close the 20-point gap with Hikaru Kamisaki.
Jumps like the triple flip and the triple Lutz.
If that coach can help her move towards success, even a little...
Wait, what?
Huh? She's got the hang of the triple flip?
Okay, let's move on to the triple Lutz.
Okay.
Try to make more use of the twist when moving to the outer edge.
Next, we'll try without the harness.
Right.
TRIPLE FLIP - LANDED
TRIPLE LUTZ - LANDED
No way!
Wait, did I just land a triple flip and triple Lutz?
It took me over five months to get the double axel,
and now as soon as I try more difficult jumps...
What's happening? What's going on?
ALL-JAPANS NOVICE A STRATEGY
EXTRA DIFFICULT JUMP TRAINING ARC COMPLETE
What?
Even Miss Inori the super-fast learner
is confused by how fast she's improving.
THE FROZEN LAKE
This is so fun!
Every single student has overcome their problem jumps
in just one day.
- Is the harness really such... - Is the harness really such...
- ...a miraculous piece of equipment? - ...a miraculous piece of equipment?
I'm happy I could show you how much a harness can help.
As you can see, it can dramatically improve the efficiency of jump practice.
That's true, but by this much?
What's happening now feels a little unreal.
You think so?
I mean, Miss Inori's nailed two difficult jumps in one setting on the same day?
You don't see that every day.
But in my experience as a coach, it happens a lot.
A lot?
I mean, this is how I make my living.
If I don't produce these kinds of results in a day, I can't exactly call it a job.
Is he some kind of isekai reincarnation
who came from a skating world where quintuple jumps are the norm?
I pulled it off again.
The next goal is to be able to put a Lutz into a triple combination.
Now I can do all the triple jumps Coach said I need in order to win.
With this card, I can build a hand to play against Hikaru!
Thank you so, so much!
If you have any more trouble, feel free to get in touch.
Whether a skater can land jumps or not determines the course of their career.
Don't worry.
Whatever sort of trouble you find yourself drowning in, I'll reel you in myself.
- See you again! - Come see us again!
Goodbye, wandering harness master.
There's an aura about him that reminds me of Snufkin.
He's gone.
I wonder when he'll be back.
I want to do the harness again.
ICE SKATING RINK YONEDA - YONEDA COFFEE
- Wow! - Wow!
TSUKASA OBTAINED A HARNESS
Harness! Harness! Harness! Harness! Harness!
- How did you get hold of that? - I just bought it myself.
All right! Then let's reel you in one by one!
So fun!
You can do it just like Coach Uobuchi!
I watched him do it so many times that I managed to get the timing down.
I think it helps that I'm used to skating next to someone from my ice dancing days.
Thank goodness you're so talented, Tsukasa.
Okay, let's try it on Yuki next.
Yes, please.
Okay!
I wasn't here the day the harness coach came because of cram school.
I'm so happy I get to try it.
We'll have to get Coach Uobuchi to come again, huh?
Yes!
Yuki has been struggling with her double axel since before the training camp.
Maybe this can be the boost she needs to overcome it.
Right, whenever you're ready.
Got it!
Amazing!
Now try it without the harness!
Incredible!
She did it.
I never thought I'd be able to do a double axel!
I'm already in the throes of exam prep, so when I didn't pass level six...
I was ready to give up skating...
Now I can really go for it again.
Thank you... Coach Tsukasa.
Whether a skater can land jumps or not at the necessary time
determines the course of their career.
I can't land difficult jumps,
but maybe with this harness, I'll be able to train the skaters
in a way that makes the best use of my talents.
I'm totally going to master this!
Coach, I'm up next!
Sorry.
No, that was on me.
Will you try once more?
Like Coach Uobuchi said, make sure you focus on your twist.
Okay!
Mmm. Miss Inori's more difficult to manage somewhat.
When Miss Inori jumps,
she covers more distance on the ice than the other skaters,
so she pulls on the harness with extra force. It makes the timing more difficult.
Not again! A dent in the ice?
I'm gonna fall!
But if I let go to break my fall,
the pole will be pulled forward as she rotates.
It'll hit her!
I can't let that happen!
Huh?
What was that sound?
Who fell over?
Wait, Coach?
Coach Tsukasa, are you okay?
Tsukasa!
Can you get up?
Yuki, go and get a member of staff.
Okay!
Tsukasa! Are you okay?
Don't tell me you hit your head...
Coach...
I had the wind knocked out of me.
Sorry!
- I... - It's okay.
Sorry for startling you.
We can carry on now.
You will do no such thing!
Tsukasa, you're going to the hospital right away!
I didn't hurt you, did I, Miss Inori?
THE NEXT DAY
A cracked rib?
Yes.
Are you sure you're okay to do your usual classes?
Yeah. Apparently, you just wait for ribs to heal on their own.
Does it still hurt?
I said I'm fine.
Look, totally fine...
No, I'm really fine.
Coach...
Sorry for startling you.
Let's work extra hard today to make up for yesterday!
Okay...
Miss Ino...
It's my fault.
I used the harness without having proper guidance,
and I ended up throwing off Miss Inori's sense of balance.
Coach Uobuchi is a coach who specializes in jumps.
It can't possibly be as simple as just copying what he did.
You...
You're aware that you have an extremely rare talent, aren't you?
I got too big for my boots.
Miss Inori.
Sorry.
Somehow today's not going well.
Let's take a break from testing your landing technique for now.
Let's check your arm movements and the position of your toe.
Okay.
A FEW DAYS LATER
Inori, where's Coach Tsukasa?
Uh, uh...
He's talking to Coach Uobuchi about a jump I'm having trouble landing.
Coach Tsukasa will be able to help you land it again in no time!
Stay positive!
Be positive!
I will. Thanks.
2 WEEKS? 9 MORE DAYS
Miss Inori.
We're going to Niigata right now!
What? Niigata?
Coach Uobuchi said he would take a look at your jump
if we're there by tomorrow morning.
Get ready to go home!
♪ Disinfecting, antibacterial Cleaning power! ♪
CONCENTRATED LAUNDRY DETERGENT
♪ All together It's Hyper-White Juna! ♪
Of all the times your father could be on a business trip...
And I absolutely can't get away from work tomorrow morning.
♪ It's Hyper-White Juna! ♪
I'm sorry we can't go together.
It's okay. Coach Tsukasa is coming with me.
I suppose so...
I wonder if Coach is still in pain from his injury.
As it is, she must already be under a lot of pressure
with the championship coming up.
So please make sure she can relax as much as possible at home.
Actually, you've always said how you'd love to spend a night in a car.
What?
It's a little spontaneous, but it seems your dream might just come true today.
If you leave now, you'll probably be in Niigata by morning.
Oh, yeah.
Okay, I'll sleep in the car!
I'll go wait in the entrance for Coach to arrive!
Okay, I'll be safe on the road.
Thank you. Have a good trip.
Sorry for taking you on an unplanned adventure.
No, it's totally fine!
I've never slept in a car overnight, so I'm super excited!
We've got a long old journey ahead.
If you feel sleepy, best to get some rest right away.
Okay!
Wow, there are usually so many cars, but now there's not a single one.
MISO SOUP
I'll get precooked chicken breast, and...
Then...
This is a Penkuma corner!
This is so cute!
Look at this, Coach Tsukasa!
This one's limited edition!
And to drink...
Miss Inori, do you want... Huh?
Hello!
It's Inori!
Uh... Where's all this energy from?
Huh? Are you eating something?
A pork bun.
But you ate before you left.
Goodness.
Sorry, Coach.
No, don't worry.
We're in Gifu prefecture right now.
What? Already? That was quick.
We came on the highway.
Don't stay up too late.
I won't.
Thanks for going out of your way for this, Coach.
Not at all. We'll leave you to it then.
Well, let's get back on the road.
Okay!
Coach, do you want to play shiritori?
Sure.
Okay... Apple!
Uh, well...
Elevator.
R...
Robot!
T... T...
Tent!
Huh? Tent?
But using a word that starts and ends in "T" is cheating!
What? So, when did you get so tall?
Tall?
Coach!
Coach...
Coach Tsukasa!
- Coach Tsu-ka-sa... - Miss Inori,
are you seriously not going to sleep?
Miss Inori, we've got to be up early tomorrow, so...
Oh, right. Sorry.
But it's the first time we've ever been able
to talk about stuff other than skating.
There's so much more I want to talk to you about.
Is that so?
Then just ten more minutes.
Really?
Then...
Okay, Miss Inori Yuitsuka, I'm serious.
Time to get some sleep.
From now on, I'm going to ignore you even if you talk to me.
I hate this!
Talking to you is way too much fun... My eyes aren't sleepy!
Flattering me is not going to help!
I'm going to take a nap too.
If you need to use the bathroom, don't go by yourself, okay?
Also, I'll leave my phone with you just in case you want to call your mom.
I'm not a little kid!
I'll be fine!
I'm going to sleep!
Good night.
- Actually, just one thing... - Good night!
I'm pleased.
Miss Inori is happier than I thought she'd be.
She seemed really stressed out when suddenly she could only land single jumps.
But if Coach Uobuchi takes a look at her jumps while she's in this upbeat mood...
Miss Inori?
Miss Inori.
Shall we have a little chat?
Okay.
Wow.
Lake Biwa is so beautiful.
It's Lake Suwa.
Lake Biwa is in Shiga prefecture.
Coach, does your rib still hurt?
It must hurt if it's cracked, right?
And you're still taking me all the way to Niigata...
Thank you very much.
I've just got to be able to land those jumps again--
In the winter, this whole lake freezes over.
What? You can skate on all of this?
Wouldn't it be nice to skate on it?
But you're not allowed to just go onto the ice.
Oh, that's no fun.
Next time, let's go on a lake you're allowed to skate on.
Skating on such a huge sheet of ice must be incredibly luxurious.
Yep.
It would be so cool to see you land a jump on a lake.
We're in Niigata tomorrow, but let's keep going to rinks all over Japan.
Let's hop around on all different kinds of ice.
It's okay if you can't land the jump tomorrow.
Let's experiment with different approaches and grow together.
Yes.
- I'll carry you to the car. - Huh?
You're half asleep.
I don't want you to twist an ankle or something.
I... I'm not a little kid.
I can walk that far.
I'll show you that I'm healthy enough to carry you without any trouble.
Whoo-hoo!
Miss Inori, are you comfortable in your carriage?
The scenery is lovely.
It's the best!
Your back is so warm and cozy.
Coach, do you have a fever or something?
Sorry.
My normal body temperature is about 37 degrees.
Your normal temperature is as hot as mine when I'm sick.
Yeah, but I'm always fine, so don't worry.
Really.
Then maybe you were born with a warm body
so you could skate on the ice forever.
You're 14? Starting as a middle schooler?
That's impossible.
I want someone to tell me...
NANASHINO FIGURE SKATING CLUB FEES
Even though no one wants to see me out there skating on the ice...
Do I have talent or not?
Miss Inori...
I'll make you the kind of skater
that everyone around the world will say was born to skate too!
Subtitle translation by Daisy Savage