Medalist Episode 4 Discussion

Jan 25, 8:57 AM

Offline

Nov 2011

129420

First episode that Inori gets the chance to prove herself in an actual competitive environment. That fall hurt and it was painful to see her struggle in the beginning.

I love show she didn't give up though. Seems this sets the tone for Inori's character, as someone who is aiming to prove herself.

Jan 25, 8:58 AM

#2

IzanaSolos

Offline

Dec 2021

3039

Glad to see the whole family is finally supportive of the skating thing, unlike at the start of the series. Mom even made her a skating uniform! And hell, even her classmates showed up to cheer her on... though, not even five seconds after she falls, lol. On the bright side, the animation for that scene where she rolled over in a cartoonish way was pretty good lol. And yeah, that moment brought back the same concerns Mom had in the first episode, but this time, instead of Tsukasa stepping in to defend her, she stood up for herself. And you know she was serious because she pulled out a name drop, like A BOSS.

But still, Tsukasa didn’t just stand around doing nothing. Nah, he gave Inori the confidence to lock in and take it home. Tsukasa, the GOAT as always. And then we get to the skating itself... and SHE ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT. AHHHHHHH. I was so worried because this episode was outsourced, but GRAHHHH, they freaking cooked. Just like Tsukasa would give Inori five trillion points, I’m giving the studio TEN TRILLION POINTS. She crushed it, and this was the push that finally got Mom to fully support her—not just as some medalist but as an olympic medalist. And yes, to top it all off, she rightfully took home first place. FUCKING DESERVED

One of, if not the, best episode, not just of the show so far, but of the whole season bro.

IzanaSolosJan 25, 9:02 AM

Jan 25, 9:08 AM

#3

Marinate1016

Offline

Feb 2019

9874

“I want to be a medalist. I want to be a skater you can be proud of!” Ahhh the chills and tears!

Inori you’ve already become someone we’re so very proud of. In just 4 episodes she’s transformed into a totally different person both on the ice and off it. Standing up for herself to her mother, learning to embrace failure and not fear it. She’s grown up right before our very eyes and it’s all thanks to Tsukasa, man people don’t know the impact you can have on a young person’s life in such a short time. I’m calling it already this is the best sports animanga ever idc. Recency bias be damned.

I love that her routine didn’t go perfectly and she fell at the start. Made it much more realistic and impactful. For any athlete, you can’t be afraid of failure, it’s not about how many times you fall, but how many you get back up. Even the GOATS, Bron, MJ, Brady, Gretzky etc failed. It’s because they failed so much that they became great. Seeing her recovery and ascent during the performance was just beautiful. It’s like falling actually made her more confident. Getting that out the way and seeing it’s not so bad was big for her.

The way Inori pulls on Tsukasa jacket strings to calm her nerves as he reassures her that no matter the result, he’ll be there for her and they’ll keep training and getting better is the cutest thing ever. He is truly the perfect coach. So understanding, kind and encouraging. Not to mention he pushes Inori to be herself and make her own choices.

And finally, Inori’s got her mother’s respect and support! She was so annoying, but that apology worked for me. She recognized she could’ve been a lot more supportive as a parent and her daughter really needed that hug. Now Inori’s going to be the sort of person people look up to, just like her sister was for her.

Marinate1016Jan 25, 10:59 AM

Jan 25, 9:46 AM

#4

Reecey91

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Mar 2021

2062

Congratulations Inori, she didn't let that fall disturb her and she was absolutely fantastic in her performance and rightfully took first place.

Jan 25, 10:07 AM

#5

phantomfandom

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Sep 2015

6980

I couldn't tell from 3 episodes before that Inori is having a warming family. I kinda assume she's in some kind of abusive family.

Jan 25, 10:20 AM

#6

KIDMENOT007

Offline

Aug 2024

6

"Medalist" is a visual spectacle with solid animation, but its story is a dumpster fire. The cringe-worthy script, awkward MC moments, and the complete disregard for sportsmanship and emotional intelligence are infuriating. The writer's blatant disregard for logic and the crushing of youthful dreams with the "it's too late" trope is utterly infuriating. This is a prime example of how not to write a sports anime. The creator deserves all the criticism they receive and should be judged for this nonsensical and insulting piece of work.

Jan 25, 10:34 AM

#7

AshTheChamp

Offline

Jan 2021

317

Great episode. The best so far. The animation was pretty good during the performance. The art quality has been good since the beginning. The eyes look gorgeous. Great moments between Tsukasa and Inori, but her moments with her mother were the highlights. Damn this anime is so damn good.
Best new Anime of this Winter season by far

Jan 25, 10:38 AM

#8

KingYoshi

Lilium Gardener

Offline

Jul 2011

3739

Damn, this episode hit me right in the feels. I thought when she fell at the start of her program she was going to randomly break out the jump that she couldn't land from her early practices. I was right that she broke out an unexpected trick, but it was a more difficult style of spin instead of the jump. I don't know what the scoring scale is in this though, but hopefully her 12.64 holds up.

Jan 25, 10:38 AM

#9

Mirorin

Offline

Jul 2011

4435

So happy for Inori! She did so well overcoming her nerves. I think the series is a touch too dramatic for my liking (omg the mom), but overall really solid.

Jan 25, 10:39 AM

#10

FarCritical

Offline

Jul 2016

2659

"I didn't."

It's impressive how quickly such a short line managed to break the hype meter.

The fact the random little girl that gave Inori a confidence boost when she really needed it was the first person Inori noticed over Tsukasa, the cheer squad or even her family hit me like a ton of bricks. I couldn't be happier for Inori, but that girl is easily the MVP

FarCriticalJan 25, 10:42 AM

Jan 25, 10:42 AM

#11

doomrider7

Offline

Jun 2015

189

Since episode is out there's no real reason to not talk about it, but the anime all but openly states that Inori is neurodivergent and that it's a major reason for her problems in school and the anime GREATLY toned down the severity of the bullying and her moms harshness which really veered into "A Silent Voice" territory in how bad it was students calling her dumb and useless and rumoring that she eats worms, and her mom outright saying she'd be okay with her skating if she were more "normal"(That last one was one of the big things that made Tsukasa step in). It also took a HUGE toll on Inori's mom because she internalized all of it as a sign that she was a bad and failing parent(the fanbook states that she's VERY loving and doting, but also suffers from severe inferiority complex like Inori).

Jan 25, 10:44 AM

#12

Animequeen_xx

Offline

Sep 2018

80

Great episode again❤️❤️ where is the comedy tag🤣 Tsukasa is so funny

Jan 25, 11:39 AM

#13

perseii

Offline

Jul 2021

1918

The way she pushed through the (many) falls during warm-up was frankly inspiring, almost to the point of disbelief. I would've been a broken mess after that experience.

I also relate to hardening your heart and pushing through mistakes during performance (even if I'm often not successful). If you fall apart after a mistake, it's disrespectful to the art form you love, disrespectful to the people watching, and disrespectful to yourself who worked hard to be standing there. Keep giving 100%, there's no time to waste.

And Inori yanking on Tsukasa's hoodie strings was adorable.

The first competition sequence did not disappoint, that looked really good. Solid, solid show.

Jan 25, 12:05 PM

#14

Herman97

Offline

Jul 2019

85

wtf was that shit, we're on episode 4 and I was fucking bawling the entire second half of the episode. Strong contender for a 10/10 for me if they keep this up for the rest of the season.

I can only wonder how good this show would have looked, had it been picked up by a studio like Production I.G. or Wit, or even CloverWorks (they would probably also have gone with the 3D approach tho). But in the end ENGI is hitting way above its weight class with this one, and manage to deliver a solid product anyway, so I'm not complaining at all. You just can't help but wonder.

Will definitely be picking up the manga for this one

Jan 25, 12:13 PM

#15

Herman97

Offline

Jul 2019

85

Reply to IzanaSolos

Glad to see the whole family is finally supportive of the skating thing, unlike at the start of the series. Mom even made her a skating uniform! And hell, even her classmates showed up to cheer her on... though, not even five seconds after she falls, lol. On the bright side, the animation for that scene where she rolled over in a cartoonish way was pretty good lol. And yeah, that moment brought back the same concerns Mom had in the first episode, but this time, instead of Tsukasa stepping in to defend her, she stood up for herself. And you know she was serious because she pulled out a name drop, like A BOSS.

But still, Tsukasa didn’t just stand around doing nothing. Nah, he gave Inori the confidence to lock in and take it home. Tsukasa, the GOAT as always. And then we get to the skating itself... and SHE ABSOLUTELY KILLED IT. AHHHHHHH. I was so worried because this episode was outsourced, but GRAHHHH, they freaking cooked. Just like Tsukasa would give Inori five trillion points, I’m giving the studio TEN TRILLION POINTS. She crushed it, and this was the push that finally got Mom to fully support her—not just as some medalist but as an olympic medalist. And yes, to top it all off, she rightfully took home first place. FUCKING DESERVED

One of, if not the, best episode, not just of the show so far, but of the whole season bro.

@IzanaSolos Outsourced to which studio?

Jan 25, 12:19 PM

#16

TripleRush

Offline

Sep 2022

2

Loving the story! The animation around the funny moments are great! Already 4 episodes in and I’m crying like it’s the finale. Can’t wait to watch more of this 😁

Jan 25, 12:22 PM

#17

Haustlaufivindi

Offline

Nov 2019

28

The first level boss - an overprotective neurotic mother, defeated ) I wonder what kind of material mangaka used, because obviously a lot was borrowed from real life. The dramatic moments are skillfully constructed - with tension and catharsis, but without obtusity. Indeed, an excellent title.

Jan 25, 12:34 PM

#18

MrHunterxHunter

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Mar 2021

338

peak. well done Studio Engi

Jan 25, 12:57 PM

#19

itomaua

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Mar 2022

27

feeling all the feels. skating animation is beautiful. best new show this season

Jan 25, 1:14 PM

#20

Tacsk0

Offline

Dec 2017

421

Reply to Herman97

wtf was that shit, we're on episode 4 and I was fucking bawling the entire second half of the episode. Strong contender for a 10/10 for me if they keep this up for the rest of the season.

I can only wonder how good this show would have looked, had it been picked up by a studio like Production I.G. or Wit, or even CloverWorks (they would probably also have gone with the 3D approach tho). But in the end ENGI is hitting way above its weight class with this one, and manage to deliver a solid product anyway, so I'm not complaining at all. You just can't help but wonder.

Will definitely be picking up the manga for this one

@Herman97

Herman97 said:
I can only wonder how good this show would have looked, had it been picked up by a studio like Production I.G. or Wit, or even CloverWorks

For a large and/or highly esteemed studio, Medalist adaptation would have been business-as-usual but for ENGI (and the OEMs working for them) it's the chance of a lifetime and they don't let it slip from their fingers.
Let's hope the remaining 8 or 9 eps can maintain both the impulse and quality! (In ep4 there was already visible cost-saving in animation during the big sis skating retrospective scene, which makes me a little worried.)

Jan 25, 1:27 PM

#21

Herman97

Offline

Jul 2019

85

Reply to Tacsk0

@Herman97

Herman97 said:
I can only wonder how good this show would have looked, had it been picked up by a studio like Production I.G. or Wit, or even CloverWorks

For a large and/or highly esteemed studio, Medalist adaptation would have been business-as-usual but for ENGI (and the OEMs working for them) it's the chance of a lifetime and they don't let it slip from their fingers.
Let's hope the remaining 8 or 9 eps can maintain both the impulse and quality! (In ep4 there was already visible cost-saving in animation during the big sis skating retrospective scene, which makes me a little worried.)

@Tacsk0 yeah I see what you mean. With Medalist I’m really captivated by the charavters and the story, so I’m enjoying it to the fullest even if the visuals aren’t among the best of the best. And honestly I don’t even hate how the 3D looks most of the time, as it looks very fluid and natural in terms of the characters’ movements.

I think good pacing and tone trumps pure animation quality in this case, so I’m trying not to worry too much about the production for the upcoming eps. I’d rather not expect anything special and be pleasantly surprised (like today), than to overhype it and be let down.

In the end I’m just enjoying this show a whole bunch, and I’m glad I’m not the only one appreciating this gem!

Jan 25, 2:56 PM

#22

Chris2theJ

Offline

Nov 2018

39

Inori is a sweet summer child and I feel like a proud dad watching her! Best girl of the season, or at the very least my favorite who I always want to root for

Jan 25, 3:12 PM

#23

K3Vz0

Offline

Jan 2020

7

why am I bawling my eyes out over some girl ice skating 😭. 10/10 Ep

Jan 25, 3:15 PM

#24

Cynthesia

Offline

Aug 2018

48

the skating looks fine I guess, much more blatantly CG'd. I thought it looked better in the practice sessions but obviously a whole routine is quite a bit harder to do than shots which last a couple seconds. Impact was still felt and her pulling out that broken leg sit spin was awesome. Nice to see her mom finally recognize her for who she is, looking forward to Mitten's performance

Jan 25, 3:21 PM

#25

doomrider7

Offline

Jun 2015

189

Reply to Tacsk0

@Herman97

Herman97 said:
I can only wonder how good this show would have looked, had it been picked up by a studio like Production I.G. or Wit, or even CloverWorks

For a large and/or highly esteemed studio, Medalist adaptation would have been business-as-usual but for ENGI (and the OEMs working for them) it's the chance of a lifetime and they don't let it slip from their fingers.
Let's hope the remaining 8 or 9 eps can maintain both the impulse and quality! (In ep4 there was already visible cost-saving in animation during the big sis skating retrospective scene, which makes me a little worried.)

@Tacsk0

I mean even for those studios the series would've been a VERY big deal as it's won multiple awards and is very well loved and regarded.

Jan 25, 4:10 PM

#26

Ckea

Offline

Dec 2015

225

I'M NOT CRYING, YOU'RE CRYING!!! 😭😭😭😭 This episode was so beautifully emotional, I don't even mind the cgi skating! The fact that her mom finally came around is so heartwarming!!! You did amazing Inori! Never been so prooud of a fictional character before! 🥹

Also love that we finally got to meet the rest of Inori's family, especially her big sister! I was wondeing where she was all this time. Happy to see that she has got her sister's back 👍 Oh and their dad is exactly like Inori lmao 😂

Jan 25, 7:47 PM

#27

razisgosu

Offline

Mar 2008

1169

Inori is great, a fantastic episode. It said she was currently in 1st place for the Hulu subs, her sister mentioned she was at the end of group 2, is group 2 done, or is there more? I'd hate to see her first place get ripped away. Not sure if later groups are competing with scores with earlier groups or not.

Additional thought I had, did her older sister quit due to the accident and opt to never go back? Mom has seemed pretty obviously traumatized about falls since the start.

Jan 25, 8:18 PM

#28

IhnalakoKaina

Online

Jul 2021

649

Truly a shining jewel of excellence amongst a sea of mediocre crap this season

Who cares the animation isn't legendary? This is how you craft a worthwhile and engaging story where you're not just waiting for the episode to end. No pretentious characters boasting their power, cheap platitude filled dialogue, or corny sound and visual effects and voice acting to distract from the lack of everything else.

Saturday has one of every type of show airing right now, and it serves to perfectly summarize everything wrong and right with anime this season.

Jan 25, 8:34 PM

#29

Lazuley

Offline

Feb 2020

319

Every episode of this show has made me go "MY BABYYYY. IM SO PROUD OF HER" becuz I really am so proud of her 🥺🥺🥺 GO SHOW THEM!!!

Seriously, that was so beautiful. From her falling at the start to ending with that graceful finishing... Top notch stuff

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Jan 25, 8:42 PM

#30

doomrider7

Offline

Jun 2015

189

Reply to razisgosu

Inori is great, a fantastic episode. It said she was currently in 1st place for the Hulu subs, her sister mentioned she was at the end of group 2, is group 2 done, or is there more? I'd hate to see her first place get ripped away. Not sure if later groups are competing with scores with earlier groups or not.

Additional thought I had, did her older sister quit due to the accident and opt to never go back? Mom has seemed pretty obviously traumatized about falls since the start.

@razisgosu

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the manga heavily implies that Inori is on the neurodivergent spectrum(autism, ADHD, etc.) and it made a lot of things very difficult for her at school(the bullying was SIGNIFICANTLY toned down from the manga) causing her mom a lot of anxiety and other issues(she mentions it a bit, but the manga talks about her blaming herself for Inori not fitting in and being a bad parent). The fanbook explains that it was a whole mix of things.

Jan 25, 8:42 PM

#31

anikevin

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May 2015

1944

this was too much peak

best show of the season hands down

Jan 25, 9:03 PM

#32

VivaceRex

Offline

May 2019

2094

Wtf that was so beautiful. I was floored by how graceful Inori's ice skating was. She's naturally talented and finally her mom acknowledged her talent and willing to support her to the olympic level. It feels great to see how Inori could find her conviction and confidence needed to become figure skater that she could dreamed of to perform well. And also her sister looks well too and I always love great siblings relationship and this is no exception.

Jan 25, 9:28 PM

#33

NezuSwallowtail_

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May 2023

301

INORI-SAN YOU DID A VERY AMAZING JOBBB

Jan 25, 10:40 PM

#34

yagakimilover

Offline

Nov 2021

698

Bravo ENGI, fucking amazing episode. Was literally in tears with everyone else by the end of the episode. I'm so proud of Inori for not giving up

Jan 26, 1:04 AM

#35

otakuweek

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Aug 2020

4210

another great ep

seeing her struggling in the practice and then finding the confidence was really nice

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Jan 26, 2:08 AM

#36

Ranxomare

🥊 CHAMPION 🥊

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Apr 2016

24461

First, with a great exercise!!!
kekeke

Jan 26, 2:10 AM

#37

Sigmar-Unberogen

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Nov 2013

6836

Made me tear up a little. At the same time I had a huge grin on my face. This show is amazing. Congrats to Inori. Lets see if the gremlin can beat that score.

Jan 26, 2:52 AM

#38

Wrathberry84

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Nov 2024

158

wow... this was a damn masterpiece. 10/10 episode. In the end i was crying happy tears.

Jan 26, 2:55 AM

#39

Wrathberry84

Offline

Nov 2024

158

Reply to KIDMENOT007

"Medalist" is a visual spectacle with solid animation, but its story is a dumpster fire. The cringe-worthy script, awkward MC moments, and the complete disregard for sportsmanship and emotional intelligence are infuriating. The writer's blatant disregard for logic and the crushing of youthful dreams with the "it's too late" trope is utterly infuriating. This is a prime example of how not to write a sports anime. The creator deserves all the criticism they receive and should be judged for this nonsensical and insulting piece of work.

@KIDMENOT007 are you fucking high? i mean for real. It proves exactly ALL the things you wrote completly opposite.

she is just fucking showing that its still possible to follow your dream. and her trainer supports that. you serously didnt understand a single thing abou the show.

Jan 26, 2:58 AM

#40

Wrathberry84

Offline

Nov 2024

158

Reply to razisgosu

Inori is great, a fantastic episode. It said she was currently in 1st place for the Hulu subs, her sister mentioned she was at the end of group 2, is group 2 done, or is there more? I'd hate to see her first place get ripped away. Not sure if later groups are competing with scores with earlier groups or not.

Additional thought I had, did her older sister quit due to the accident and opt to never go back? Mom has seemed pretty obviously traumatized about falls since the start.

@razisgosu i dont know the manga. but i kinda guess that in the end she will not win this competetion because of her fall.

i guess the only other girl we know in this competetion will win this by a small margin in the end.

but thats fine. its her first competetion, and she showed everyone that she is capable of doing great stuff. its ok for the protag in a sports anime to not win everything from the beginning.

10/10 episode btw. i guess best episode this season for now. Even better than solo leveling which was seriously great untill now.

Jan 26, 4:48 AM

#41

Zeerz

Offline

Jul 2022

4

Reply to doomrider7

@razisgosu

I mentioned it elsewhere, but the manga heavily implies that Inori is on the neurodivergent spectrum(autism, ADHD, etc.) and it made a lot of things very difficult for her at school(the bullying was SIGNIFICANTLY toned down from the manga) causing her mom a lot of anxiety and other issues(she mentions it a bit, but the manga talks about her blaming herself for Inori not fitting in and being a bad parent). The fanbook explains that it was a whole mix of things.

@doomrider7 i don't think that's the case, she's just not confident. She can express her thoughts where autistics have a hard time in it. last time i saw a lot of people assuming an autistic character was laios from dungeon meshi. And it turns out the author herself said he is normal lmao.

Jan 26, 5:45 AM

#42

Dodoliy

Offline

Apr 2015

9

in engi we trust!!!!!!

Jan 26, 6:43 AM

#43

patkarunungan

Offline

Jul 2023

1888

If in earlier episodes, the anime skipped much of mom's discouragement. But now, it's so painful to watch. Who needs enemies when you have a mom like that?

Good thing Inori performed better than what was supposed to be her trump card last week so much so that her mon now supports her Olympic medal dream.

Her sister is so likable. Too bad she won't likely stay long.

Jan 26, 6:53 AM

#44

kuroneko99

Offline

Nov 2010

1371

The animation quality aside, I'm satisfied that I can see the whole skating sequence for the first time.
The skating scene didn't look like unnatural 3D CG. Is it a cel-look 3D CG?

Jan 26, 6:56 AM

#45

patkarunungan

Offline

Jul 2023

1888

Reply to Wrathberry84

@KIDMENOT007 are you fucking high? i mean for real. It proves exactly ALL the things you wrote completly opposite.

she is just fucking showing that its still possible to follow your dream. and her trainer supports that. you serously didnt understand a single thing abou the show.

@Wrathberry84 Probably a troll who will downvote great anime when the time comes

Jan 26, 7:07 AM

#46

doomrider7

Offline

Jun 2015

189

Reply to Zeerz

@doomrider7 i don't think that's the case, she's just not confident. She can express her thoughts where autistics have a hard time in it. last time i saw a lot of people assuming an autistic character was laios from dungeon meshi. And it turns out the author herself said he is normal lmao.

@Zeerz

Yeah that's why I specified neurodivergent with the others in parentheses. It's not that she has autism specifically, but that she's on the spectrum.

Jan 26, 7:17 AM

#47

AshTheChamp

Offline

Jan 2021

317

kuroneko99 said:

The animation quality aside, I'm satisfied that I can see the whole skating sequence for the first time.
The skating scene didn't look like unnatural 3D CG. Is it a cel-look 3D CG?

The animation looked pretty good. ENGI managed to blend 2d with the 3d very well. Movement is smooth and doesn't look unnatural at all, due to motion capture

Jan 26, 7:24 AM

#48

reicchi-sensei

Offline

Jan 2017

569

This episode is so damn beautiful, and so is Inori.

Studio ENGI is having their redemption arc. They are doing great. Loving this series already. Came for the loli, stayed for the story...and loli. 😭😭😭

Jan 26, 8:29 AM

#49

Tacsk0

Offline

Dec 2017

421

Reply to Sigmar-Unberogen

Made me tear up a little. At the same time I had a huge grin on my face. This show is amazing. Congrats to Inori. Lets see if the gremlin can beat that score.

@Sigmar-Unberogen

Sigmar-Unberogen said:
Lets see if the gremlin can beat that score.

Let's continue to raise our middle fingers to adults!

Jan 26, 10:11 AM

#50

GersonSalas

Offline

Jan 2022

47

amazing episode.

Poll: » Medalist Episode 5 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Stark700 - Feb 1	54	by Otaku-Aniki »» 7 hours ago
Poll: » Medalist Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) IzanaSolos - Dec 14, 2024	126	by davidyodo24 »» Yesterday, 10:41 PM
» How good is Hikaru-chan compared to skaters irl? goodbyedays - Feb 1	6	by goodbyedays »» Feb 3, 12:26 AM
» OP & ED NB_Tenchy - Jan 29	7	by NB_Tenchy »» Feb 2, 9:22 PM
» One aspect of Medalist that isn't being talked about enough. MasterHavik - Feb 2	10	by Piromysl »» Feb 2, 7:42 PM

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