After a seven-year wait, Yuri!!! On Ice fans have finally gotten their long-overdue closure. The official website and social media accounts for the previously announced movie, titled Yuri!!! on Ice The Movie: Ice Adolescence, confirmed that it’s no longer in the works “due to various circumstances”.
“Thank you very much for always supporting Yuri!!! on Ice,” reads the cancellation notice. “Regarding the postponed release of Yuri!!! on Ice The Movie: Ice Adolescence, we have come to the decision to unfortunately cancel its production. We deeply apologise for not being able to meet the expectations of all those who have been waiting and have continued to support us throughout these years.
“The production committee and staff have been in constant discussions to create and to deliver the movie, but due to various circumstances, we have had to make the difficult decision to stop the production. We sincerely apologise to everyone who has been anticipating its release and thank you once again for your continued support.”
The update, while disappointing, doesn’t come as a surprise. Originally announced in 2017, the animated feature was slated to debut in 2019, only to be pushed back indefinitely. A statement and teaser trailer released in 2020 got hopes up with confirmation that it was still in the works, but no release window was given.
The Yuri!!! on Ice anime aired from October to December 2016. Studio MAPPA (Attack on Titan Final Season, Jujutsu Kaisen) helmed the animation, with Sayo Yamamoto (Michiko & Hatchin, Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine) directing the writing the 12-episode show. It grew to become a crowd favourite, featuring a story that follows the relationships between Japanese figure skater Yuri Katsuki; his idol, Russian figure-skating champion Victor Nikiforov, and up-and-coming Russian skater Yuri Plisetsky.
The sports series left considerable influence in both the anime and figure skating scene. In addition to raising discussion about its depiction of a same-sex relationship between its protagonists, it also received praise from professional figure skaters, some of whom performed to music from the show in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Natalie
