Olympian figure skater pays homage to Yuri!!! On ICE with an epic performance

Yuri!!! On ICE is officially back on the radar of anime fans. In the final show of Fantasy on Ice 2023 held in Kobe, an annual touring ice show in Japan, figure skater and Olympic medalist Yuzuru Hanyu made headlines when he delivered a stunning performance to the song History Maker by Dean Fujioka. The track is the opening theme song of the popular anime series Yuri!!! On ICE.

Japanese Olympian Yuzuru Hanyu is a legend in the figure skating world thanks to his electric presence in the rink, coupled with an impressive career that boasts multiple record-breaking performances. Fans have previously associated him with the anime in the past, and his skating to the anime's opening theme in real life sent the fandom into a frenzy.

The episode featuring Yuzuru Hanyu's performance to the hit opening theme song aired on June 25.

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Dean Fujioka sang the Yuri!!! On ICE theme song live as Yuzuru Hanyu wowed fans with his performance

The performance started off with Dean Fujioka singing History Maker live, as several skaters led by Hanyu began the breathtaking routine. The performance was a heartfelt nod to Yuri!!! On ICE, as Hanyu delivered a graceful visual reminiscent of the show's aesthetic. Needless to say, the performance struck a chord with the whole fandom, with many deeming that it made history in the anime community.

Besides Hanyu, Johnny Weir, an American figure skater, was also one of the skaters in the show. What made the show even more memorable and emotional was the fact that Johnny, who has been a seminal participant in Fantasy on Ice, announced his retirement this year.

He previously stated his love for Yuri!!! On ICE, so it was a bittersweet moment when he delivered his final performance in Fantasy on Ice, accompanied by an opening theme from the anime.

Yuri!!! On ICE is a sports anime that took the anime community by storm when it premiered on October 6, 2016. It was both a critical and commercial hit and was lauded for its accurate depiction of competitive figure skating and its LGBTQIA+ undertones.

The synopsis of the show as per Crunchyroll, where it is available to stream, reads:

"Yuri Katsuki carried the hope of all Japan on his shoulders in the Figure Skating Grand Prix, but suffered a crushing defeat in the finals. He returned to his hometown in Kyushu and hid away in his family's home, half wanting to continue skating and half wanting to retire."

It continues:

"That was when the five-time consecutive world champion, Victor Nikiforov, suddenly showed up with his teammate, Yuri Plisetsky, a young skater starting to surpass his seniors. And so the two Yuris and the Russian champion Viktor set out to compete in a Grand Prix like none the world has ever seen!"

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