The anime "Medalist" recently gained attention for its impressive animation in one of its scenes, but what began as admiration quickly turned into controversy. South Korean netizens accuse the production of copying choreography from legendary figure skater Yuna Kim , the 2010 Olympic champion.
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According to South Korean fans, the anime scene features moves nearly identical to a performance Yuna Kim performed in 2009 during an International Ice Skating Union event.
In addition to the choreography, the costumes and the chosen song, “Danza Macabra” , are extremely similar, raising suspicions that the studio had taken excessive inspiration, possibly without official permission.
Korean social media quickly lit up with critical comments:
- “They could never beat her in real life, so they made her a villain in an anime to achieve a 'spiritual victory'.”
- “They used the same music and almost identical costumes. How can they deny the similarity?”
- "In figure skating, choreography is also copyrighted. Did they ask for permission?"
Despite the criticism, some people try to downplay the controversy, arguing that although the song is the same, the structure of the jumps and other technical details differ from Yuna Kim .
The plot of “Medalist” follows Inori Yuitsuka , an 11-year-old girl who dreams of becoming a professional figure skater, coached by Tsukasa Akeuraji , a former figure skater determined to guide her towards Olympic gold.
Finally: Plagiarism or inspiration from the anime Medalist? The debate is open. What do you think of this controversy? Also, keep following AnimeNew for more updates on the world of anime, manga, and geek culture!
Source: Yaraon!
