[Sports Anime Crossover, Focus on Gold Medalists] A Brilliant Shine

"Come skate with me!"

Four years ago, a red-haired girl stopped on a dreamlike rink and called out from afar.

"Do you like skating?"

Four years later, a young man with tea-brown hair came from far away, crouched down, and asked her earnestly.

The two people who changed Da Kong Yao's life crossed paths through skating. From that moment on, her future was filled with dreams.

But the road to making them come true was far from smooth.

"No one... would look forward to someone like me performing."

"People are like gemstones. They don't shine unless they've been painstakingly polished."

"The right answer was right there from the start. Why did I waste so much time?"

"Then what exactly is talent?"

"Does someone really have to go this far just to live an ordinary life?"

"The world of figure skating is lonely. Those who let the world beyond the ice affect them can never become first-rate skaters."

Can dreams come true?

No one can find the answer to that question.

So, in search of an answer, she will keep dancing and struggling on the ice until the day her dream shines before her.

Please note:

This is an atypical crossover, written by a nonprofessional author. The main ideas are: "What would happen if an outsider, a long-distance running coach, trained a figure skater who was afraid of skating?" and "What if the characters from all these works lived in the same Tokyo?" In other words, this is a completely chaotic mash-up (haha).

This story came about because I was moved by the relationships between the characters in Medalist. Then my imagination ran wild: why not have Haiji, who led a ragtag team to challenge the Hakone Ekiden in Run with the Wind, become the coach? That led to Yao, the protagonist, a talented skater who needs guidance from an adult, and then to the Da Kong family as I thought about family relationships.

Later, while catching up on Medalist and running anime, I had a sudden idea (whether it really was a good idea remains to be seen): I could use multiple protagonists to bring together several sports anime, so the characters from the works I love could interact on the same story stage. That gave Yao a brother, a sister, and rivals. In this story, these characters connect the stories and plotlines of Haikyuu!!, two band anime, and Welcome to the Ballroom.

Every setting in this story exists to fulfill my wish to see all these beloved characters living in one world and interacting on the same story stage. As a result, settings unrelated to that may not be very thoroughly thought through, since I have limited time and energy.

I tagged it as romance because I selfishly wanted an original male lead of the same age, because I adore Haiji's personality, because I'm attracted to Jun Yatou's looks, and because I have a soft spot for Oikawa. That said, their interactions won't feel overwhelmingly romantic. I prefer relationships built on hazy admiration and gentle, steadfast support. Even when it's a ship I like, I can't force myself to ship it.

There are some light yuri elements, since this crosses over with those two band anime. Please be understanding.

This is an outrageously indulgent wish-fulfillment story, but the wish fulfillment centers on the relationships between people around Yao and Haiji, as well as their growth in competitive skill. It isn't a feel-good power fantasy: misunderstandings between characters and mishaps at competitions create some angst. If you want a story that's fun and satisfying from beginning to end, this may not be for you.

Here's the crossover list: Medalist / One Step Toward the Ice (main plot), Run with the Wind (subplot), Haikyuu!!, It's MyGO!!!!!, Ave Mujica, Welcome to the Ballroom.

Theme: Growing up isn't easy, but it's worth it. Skill is earned through hard work, and dreams can come true if you persevere.