I thought the episode was good, but it felt a bit rushed. They portrayed Victor as someone completely out of reach, only for him to decide to become Yuri's coach by the end of the episode. Everything else was great, though.

beluga

6 mo

Competition can be overwhelming, and you can really feel that through Yuri this episode. There’s a really beautiful skating moment where he’s just being himself on the empty ice rink <3 The figure skating animation is really smooth + camera work and the BGM gave me goosebumps!!

myshpurpleu

6 mo

Verified

Animación fluida y química instantánea entre los protas. Presentan al trío y extras sin atropellarse. Aunque la depresión de Yuri se trata medio en broma, no esperes profundidad sobre eso en el cap. La escena del reencuentro en las aguas termales es top. ¿Ver? Sí, totalmente.

Episode Context

Yuri!!! on Ice opens with a portrait of defeat. Yuuri Katsuki is a figure skater at a crossroads, talented enough to compete at the highest level, fragile enough to crumble under its weight. The premiere leans heavily into introspective melancholy, giving space to Yuuri's self-doubt and the quiet sting of failure before threading in moments of warmth and dry humor from his hometown community. Pacing is deliberate and character-first, prioritizing emotional texture over spectacle. MAPPA's animation shines in the skating sequences, but this episode is more about establishing who Yuuri is off the ice than dazzling on it. The introduction of Victor Nikiforov adds an electric undercurrent of possibility. Expect a slow burn that rewards patience, this is a foundation episode building toward something much bigger.

Runtime23 min

Filler StatusCanon

Plot ImportanceHIGH

Air DateOct 6, 2016

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