You call it groundbreaking, I can't even call it sport anime, so I kind of wish they would erase it from the genres here, because new people might think this is what sport anime is.
But to what to put there instead? I DO NOT KNOW. Because this show is just a mess. The comedy probably stands if you like this kind, it just made me hate everything even more. Sport anime? Shounen ai? NONE OF THESE HAPPENS. There is some figure skating with awful art and repetitive themes that will bore you to hell after half of the show, and then there is a flamboyant probably bisexual - as I dont really believe he was ever with a man before - who forces himself on one of his admirers.
I can't tell you how creeped out I was with Victor after like three episodes when it became clear, the show runners suck at writing, and they won't ever tell you about their(especially HIS) real feelings. Because without discussing their real feelings for each other, Victor was a bored millionaire who came to play with this poor japanese boy OUT OF BOREDOM OF HIS OWN LIFE. He took a break from figure skating to go and fool around, pretending to be cheerful - he was so fake ohmygod - and outgoing. Like wow, ok man, there is so much to love about you.
And then there is Yuuri. I wish I could have a 2hours long video of that five seconds when he shouts ITS NOT LIKE THAT for the people around the table after they got their NOT-engagement rings. That is his character. I am only here to repeat It's not like I'm gay. His whole struggle to be a better skaters from episode one is gone with Victor showing up and starting to fool around with him. Everything is just Victor Victor Victor/It's not like that It's not like that. And that is not what sport anime stands for! But also not what a supposed groundbreaker anime with gay line should be. It shouldn't be VAGUE if it's groundbreaker. There shouldn't be room for doubt for anyone, but that can't be right? Because Japan is too conservative. Oh please, then what's the point of doing an anime with EXAGGERATED AND WITH THAT ANNOYING gay in it, if you will just back out at every last second? This is not how you change people's opinion about gay people. Not with making them flamboyant and fake without actually talking about their feelings so people could see love between two men can be just as sweet as any other.
This story was a mess. You can't take it seriously for the sport or the love, but not even for the comedy which sucked. And no, I won't talk about the other characters as they did not matter for the show. Poor Yuri was supposed to be a main, and he was just mostly ignored because they added unnecessary showing off scenes for Victor instead of cutting some extra minutes to make his character deeper. But still, he was the only sport anime like character.
And there is also no point of talking about a story, as there is hardly one. The show and with that you all who liked it, only care for the gay so what's the point? People'll watch it for the gay that everybody shouts about, then if they know not much about anime/sport anime they'll scream it's great, the others who saw way too many queerbaiting already will probably be creeped out like me - because just how could the makers go so overboard and still be freaking chickens, I do not understand.
Plus, listen to people who say the art sucks. It is like the whole show. At first glance you see it's something shiny and good, but then you go deeper and it's ugly and undetailed. Also the repetitiveness will bore you to death. There was more creativity to SWIMMING in Free than to the skating here. And I was so hyped for the skating, so I just want to shout into the makers face for not even satisfying me with that.
And just please. PLEASE. Stop comparing it to No6, you are utterly disrespectful to everything that story stands for everytime you say they are on the same level.
