The latest issue of Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine, released on the 25th, features a special collaborative cover illustration bringing together two of its flagship series: Medalist and Wandance.

The cover shows Inori Yuitsuka, the protagonist of Medalist, sharing a dynamic high-five with Kaboku Kotani (Kabo), the lead of Wandance. This striking image symbolizes a “passing of the baton” — from Medalist, whose TV anime just concluded to wide acclaim, to Wandance, which is set to premiere as an anime in October.

Medalist, a sports manga centered around figure skating, premiered its TV anime adaptation in January 2025. The series quickly gained popularity thanks to its compelling storyline and dynamic skating scenes brought to life through motion capture technology. Its success led to an early greenlight for Season 2, scheduled to air in January 2026.

Wandance is a coming-of-age story set in the world of street dance. Its anime adaptation will air from October on TV Asahi and other networks every Wednesday at 11:45 p.m. Like Medalist, the series incorporates motion capture to faithfully depict its dance scenes, with “dance cast” members selected for each major character. Over 30 original songs have been created for the anime, and leading professionals across animation, dance, and music have been brought in to deliver an ambitious production.

Commenting on Wandance, Medalist author Tsurumaikada stated:

“‘Freedom means not being confined in expression.’ Through its unique expression of dance, Wandance and its protagonist Kabo continue to prove the power of this message with every page.”

To celebrate the collaboration cover, the official Wandance X (formerly Twitter) account is holding a giveaway campaign. Three lucky followers who repost and follow the account will be selected by lottery to receive a canvas print of the illustrated cover.

Source : ORICON NEWS