Funimation has announced that the new original anime series Skate-Leading Stars will be joining their 2021 Winter Season lineup.
The series begins its simulcast in Japan on January 10, and episodes will air on Funimation an entire two weeks before the Japanese broadcast!
The series will stream on Funimation in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland; on AnimeLab in Australia and New Zealand; and on Wakanim in France, Germany and Scandinavia.
Ex-Fo'xTails singer Takao Sakuma is performing the opening theme song titled, "Chase the core."
Shugo Nakamura is performing the ending theme song titled, "Jump."
The anime tells the story of high school students who participate in an original skating competition called "Skate Leading."
Skate-Leading Stars was originally set to premiere in July 2020, but has been postponed due to COVID-19.
The anime is set to premiere on Tokyo MX on January 10, and BS11, and MBS on January 12, 2021.
YUMA UCHIDA as KENSEI MAESHIMA
MAKOTO FURUKAWA as HAYATO SASUGAI
HIROSHI KAMIYA as LEO SHINOZAKI
Gen Sato as Tomoyuki Kubota
Yuichiro Umehara as Izumi Himekawa
Reo Tsuchida as Akimitsu Mochizuki
Shōya Chiba as Sōta Jōnouchi
Satoshi Hino as Jōtarō Terauchi
Tomoaki Maeno as Itsuki Kiriyama
Natsuki Hanae as Yukimitsu Mochizuki
Kaito Takeda as Toranosuke Kurayoshi
Yuki Ono as Taiga Himuro
Sōma Saitō as Noa Kuonji
Hirofumi Nojima as Hajime Ishikawa
Kenji Nojima as Susumu Ishikawa
The website describes the anime's story:
"You will never win against me."
Figure skater Kensei Maeshima stopped his career when he heard those words from his rival Reo Shinozaki. Some years after, Maeshima, now a high schooler, uses his physical talent for to help other clubs with various activities, while never committing to any one thing. One day, he sees a press conference where Shinozaki announced that he was shifting from single skating to "skate-leading." After that, he met a boy named Hayato Sasugai, who knew of Maeshima's single skating career. With the words, "I need you," Sasugai invites Maeshima to the world of skate-leading, or competitive team-based skating.
Skate-leading is a fictional figure-skating competition, in which each team of five skaters earns points for technical skills (such as unison formation) and artistry (such as composition and entertainment) from an automated camera-based system and nine judges. There are three positions on each team: the lead who is the point-getter with many combination jumps, the wings who are mainly responsible for twist lifts and similar elements, and the guards who perform with such elements as lifts and steps.
Ex-Fo'xTails singer Takao Sakuma is performing the opening theme song titled, "Chase the core."
Shugo Nakamura is performing the ending theme song titled, "Jump."
The anime tells the story of high school students who participate in an original skating competition called "Skate Leading."
The anime is set to premiere on Tokyo MX on January 10, and BS11, and MBS on January 12, 2021.
MAIN CAST:
YUMA UCHIDA as KENSEI MAESHIMA
MAKOTO FURUKAWA as HAYATO SASUGAI
HIROSHI KAMIYA as LEO SHINOZAKI
Gen Sato as Tomoyuki Kubota
Yuichiro Umehara as Izumi Himekawa
Reo Tsuchida as Akimitsu Mochizuki
Shōya Chiba as Sōta Jōnouchi
Satoshi Hino as Jōtarō Terauchi
Tomoaki Maeno as Itsuki Kiriyama
Natsuki Hanae as Yukimitsu Mochizuki
Kaito Takeda as Toranosuke Kurayoshi
Yuki Ono as Taiga Himuro
Sōma Saitō as Noa Kuonji
Hirofumi Nojima as Hajime Ishikawa
Kenji Nojima as Susumu Ishikawa
Goro Taniguchi is directing the anime, Yana Toboso is in charge of character designs, and J.C.STAFF is producing.
STAFF:
Chief Director: Goro Taniguchi
Director: Toshinori Fukushima
Character Designs: Yana Toboso
Scripts: Noboru Kimura
Animation Director: Yoko Ito
Original Clothing Concept: Osare Company
Performance Director & Choreography: TETSU (Bugs Under Groove)
Choreography: Hirokazu Kobayashi (former competitive figure skater) (Prince Ice World)
Music Composition: Ryō Takahashi
Animation Production: J.C. STAFF
The anime is inspiring a manga adaptation by Chiaki Nagaoka and Sumika Sumio.
KEY VISUAL:
"You will never win against me."
Figure skater Kensei Maeshima stopped his career when he heard those words from his rival Reo Shinozaki. Some years after, Maeshima, now a high schooler, uses his physical talent for to help other clubs with various activities, while never committing to any one thing. One day, he sees a press conference where Shinozaki announced that he was shifting from single skating to "skate-leading." After that, he met a boy named Hayato Sasugai, who knew of Maeshima's single skating career. With the words, "I need you," Sasugai invites Maeshima to the world of skate-leading, or competitive team-based skating.
Skate-leading is a fictional figure-skating competition, in which each team of five skaters earns points for technical skills (such as unison formation) and artistry (such as composition and entertainment) from an automated camera-based system and nine judges. There are three positions on each team: the lead who is the point-getter with many combination jumps, the wings who are mainly responsible for twist lifts and similar elements, and the guards who perform with such elements as lifts and steps.