The opening theme for the anime Medalist, titled “BOW AND ARROW”, has received a music video unlike any before. This project is a collaboration between Kenshi Yonezu and Yuzuru Hanyu, both of whom deeply immersed themselves in the Medalist manga before creating this visual expression.

The result is a fusion of Yonezu’s powerful music and Hanyu’s emotive skating — a piece overflowing with intensity, spirit, and meaning. While the full depth of their vision may elude us, one thing is clear: this is a culmination of each artist’s current best. It is, without a doubt, a landmark work in both of their careers.

Kenshi Yonezu - BOW AND ARROW /Yuzuru Hanyu Short Program ver.

Hanyu’s Tribute: A Competitive Program Unlike Any Before

Hanyu, the only male skater to achieve a Super Slam and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, has long admired Kenshi Yonezu — calling him a “god.” Inspired by Yonezu’s songs since his early “Hachi” era, Hanyu found emotional strength and courage beyond words in his music.

“BOW AND ARROW” is a reflection of that admiration and collaboration. It marks a departure from Hanyu’s past self-choreographed programs (which began in 2022) that were unconstrained by competition rules. Instead, this new program follows the structure of a competitive short program, meticulously tailored to the current figure skating rules and compressed into a precise time limit.

Despite not participating in official competitions, Hanyu choreographed BOW AND ARROW to mirror a short program, since the song’s length—2 minutes and 56 seconds—closely aligns with competition timing. To comply with technical rules, Hanyu waits 4 seconds after the music starts before moving, and ends just shy of the 2:50 cutoff.

The Elements of “BOW AND ARROW” — Technique Meets Emotion

Sit Twizzle
A few seconds after the music begins, Hanyu executes a dynamic move where he spins vigorously while gliding forward in a crouched position. In the “Kenshi Yonezu × Yuzuru Hanyu – BOW AND ARROW Conversation”, Hanyu referred to this as “a movement I use as my signature,” and it’s sometimes called a “sit twizzle.”

This move has been a staple in Hanyu’s repertoire since he was 17, when he debuted at the 2012 World Championships in Nice and won bronze. There, he incorporated the twizzle into his step sequence in the Romeo and Juliet free skate (nicknamed “Nice R&J”). In his exhibition skate White Legend at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, he performed it with serene elegance.

But in BOW AND ARROW, the sit twizzle is executed with ferocious strength and incredible speed—unlike anything we’ve seen before. The explosive momentum sets the tone for the rest of the program, raising anticipation from the start.

4Lz (Quad Lutz)
The first jump in the program is the quad lutz—one of the most difficult jumps in figure skating, successfully performed by only a handful of athletes in competition.

Hanyu was the first Japanese skater to land a quad lutz in official competition. In October 2017, during the free skate at the Rostelecom Cup (part of the Grand Prix series), he opened his performance of SEIMEI with a quad lutz that earned a +1.14 grade of execution.

However, this success was followed by a major setback. In November, during practice for the NHK Trophy, he fell on a quad lutz attempt and tore ligaments in his landing foot. He had to withdraw from the NHK Trophy, miss a potential fifth straight Grand Prix Final appearance, and sit out the Japanese Nationals. He spent the months leading up to the PyeongChang Olympics unable to train on the ice.

Though he miraculously recovered in time to win his second Olympic gold medal, he did not include the quad lutz in that program.

The jump that caused such a serious injury—so pivotal to his career—didn’t return to his competition programs until nearly two years later. At the 2019 Grand Prix Final, he successfully landed it along with a quad loop (another high-difficulty jump he first landed in 2016).

Such a brief moment—a few seconds—can hold immense meaning and history. Now, more than two years into his professional career, Hanyu showcases the quad lutz once more in BOW AND ARROW.

The Beauty of the Takeoff
The quad lutz in BOW AND ARROW is filmed from an overhead angle, making it easy to see—and stunning in execution.

There are six types of jumps in figure skating, all of which rotate counterclockwise (to the left). The lutz takes off from a backward glide on the left foot, with the skater launching using the toe pick of the right foot.

Key to the lutz is the use of the outside edge of the left foot. Ideally, the edge should lean strongly outward—toward the clockwise direction—while the skater rotates counterclockwise. Many skaters lose this edge at takeoff, causing the jump to blur into a flip.

But Hanyu’s edge remains beautifully tilted to the left. At takeoff, the edge deepens firmly and cleanly. It’s a textbook example of what makes a lutz a true lutz. Though there are no judges here, this jump would undoubtedly receive a high grade of execution.

Source : ORICON NEWS