Skate-Leading Stars (スケートリーディング☆スターズ)

Hey!

Look. I just...

I just want you to hear this!

If I lose to you today, I'll quit figure skating!

I really mean that! I swear it!

It's the All-Japan Novice Championships!

The skater on the ice right now is fifth grader,

Kensei Maeshima!

He landed that double axel beautifully.

Well done. He should be proud.

Reo Shinozaki currently has a healthy lead,

but Maeshima could still turn the tables on him!

Maeshima's parents, who were also his coaches

and former pro-skaters themselves,

were tragically lost in a car accident two months ago.

He's overcome quite a lot to be here.

It's notable that in past championships,

he's always been edged out by Shinozaki.

He seems more determined than ever before

if we can judge by his performance here today.

Grandma. Grandpa.

I'm sorry for making you anxious about me.

But, if I finally nab first place,

that should help you relax!

And I'll get to skate more!

He landed every jump perfectly.

We can expect solid marks.

Let's see! Any moment now!

Oh, wow!

He was just three tenths of a point shy!

The champion is, once again, Reo Shinozaki!

But I practiced so hard. Why?

I mean... I get that I don't know when to give up.

I know it's weird.

But... But if he were to...

Shinozaki.

Okay, if he at least acknowledges me as his rival.

It looks like you beat me again.

Then I could keep going.

But next time? I'm definitely gonna--

The results are in.

You can't beat me.

Just stop trying.

You're wasting your time.

You should quit figure skating altogether.

Shinozaki, you've won the Japan Championships

four times in a row.

Why switch to skate-leading now?

This was my plan all along.

In fact, I've already submitted the paperwork.

People expected you to debut at the Seniors

now that you're in high school.

What made you decide to do this?

Making this decision was necessary in order

for me to grow.

As you know, many of your rivals

from your younger days have transitioned over

to skate-leading.

Are you looking forward to seeing and competing

against them again?

I'm not interested in that.

As an athlete, I have one goal, no matter what I'm competing at.

I just aim for the top.

Man, you just kicked our butts!

You should join the basketball club, Maeshima.

They'd make you a regular player right away.

Thanks, but no thanks. I can't stand practicing.

Get out! If that's true,

how come you can move like that?

It's not that hard! Lotsa basketball videos online.

Well, most people can't pick up those kinds

of moves just by watching videos!

'Preciate ya.

You know, you said the same thing once before.

Huh?

Remember? During the baseball game?

You said you'd copied a pro player

from an online video.

Didn't you tell us that's how you learned

to play soccer, too?

I remember the baseball and soccer clubs

were trying hard to recruit you.

But when you got cocky and challenged the go

and shogi clubs, you got thrashed.

You're a total meathead, you know. Ya lunk.

Shut up.

You're wasting your talent.

You shouldn't lay around at home after school like us.

You should join a club.

It's not my thing.

I'd only wanna do the fun stuff.

Like playing in a match to look cool--

Aren't they the skate-leading club?

I'm sorry!

I can help any club except skate-related ones,

unfortunately.

I don't care if we did used to be in the same club before!

Not me! I wasn't in that club!

Hey.

Okay, okay.

Maeshima. What are you talking about?

No one in our club is in any way inferior to you.

We'd never ask for your help.

That's good to know, I guess.

Why bother lying? You do wanna skate with us.

People believed in you, too.

You're the one who chose what you are now.

Uh... Captain.

Maeshima.

I really couldn't hate you any more than I do at this point.

If you don't wanna take part in skate-leading,

that's fine.

But don't act like we're old friends.

Just stop. That atti--

Okay, take the intensity down a notch.

Bye, now. See you later.

Yeah, see ya!

Sorry guys. I gotta go take a leak.

Huh? But we're about to clear this level, though, dude!

Look behind you.

Huh?

Jeez, he's so messed up.

Despite what he says, he never talks about his

early days, you know.

What a wuss.

This is exciting!

Now that Shinozaki is moving over from figure-skating,

skate-leading's entered the spotlight!

Here are the basics.

Skate-leading, AKA team figure skating,

consists of five members who skate as a team

in three positions.

"Leads" are point-getters who perform the jump combinations.

"Wings" are agile skaters who get lifted in moves

like the twist lift.

"Guards" offer support for lifts and steps.

Teams must have at least one skater for each

of these positions.

But all five skate at once, right?

That must be hard for the judges.

Right.

That's where this automatic measurement system comes in.

It uses 15 cameras to record--

What is it?

This better not be about skate-leading.

See ya!

Later, man!

Yeah.

Excuse me, can I ask you for directions?

Oh, sure. Where do you need to--

Thank you so much!

I just moved to the area recently,

and I don't want people to think that I'm a bumpkin,

but the truth is I don't know my way around here

at all.

To think that the first person I talked to was so nice!

I'm glad I mustered up the--

Okay, okay, I get it!

So, where do you wanna go?

Right. I'm looking for two ice rinks:

the one where Ionodai High's skate-leading team practices

and the one Reo Shinozaki uses.

Sorry. Ask someone else.

Come on, don't be so cold-hearted, dude.

Let's chat,

Kensei Maeshima, former novice skater.

Runner-up at All-Japan.

Here, look, check this out. Someone uploaded it.

I heard this is Shinozaki's next exhibition program.

He's good, isn't he?

The moves are so sharp.

Made me want to see it in person.

What's your problem?

If you're a fan, look it up on your phone

and go by yourself!

He's biting.

Grandpa, I'm gonna run for a bit.

Yep, he does tighten his muscles here.

Which means...

That's weird.

I wonder, is it because I'm on the ground?

Hmm.

On the ice, I'll have to push more with the back outside edge.

How do I take off?

I have to use the right side as an axis, or I'll land wrong.

That wasn't bad!

I acknowledge your effort.

Problem is, you do a thing where you tend

to bend forward when you jump.

That's why your left leg becomes unstable.

You should stop training only on the ground.

What's with you?

Why stalk me instead of Shinozaki?

Leave me alone, or I'm gonna report you

to the police.

Go right ahead.

You sure, though?

'Cause if you do that, your grandparents will find out

you've been out here practicing figure skating every day.

Considering how far this park is from your house,