Let’s put that 2016 nostalgia into action (and hopefully get a Netflix reboot soon)
It’s been a couple of weeks since Heated Rivalry dropped in the United Kingdom (and if you’re based elsewhere, possibly even longer), so the chances are you’ve already smashed through all six episodes of the icy, hockey-themed romance. Fear not, though – the boy aquarium runs surprisingly deep. There’s another cool, winter-themed sports romance out there that you just might have missed.
For those of you who weren’t frequenting Tumblr in 2016 (although based on the 2016 photo trend kicking around, that really isn’t very many of you), I’m talking about Yuri on Ice.
Yuri on Ice – or Yuri!!! on ICE, as it’s stylised – is a competitive figure-skating romance co-created by Sayo Yamamoto and Mitsurō Kubo. The show follows down-on-his-luck figureskater Yuuri Katsuki (Jesse James Grelle/Toshiyuki Toyonaga). After several, somewhat soul-crushing years abroad, Yuuri returns to his hometown in rural Kyūshū to reconnect with his family, fade out of the public eye, and lick his wounds. Ultimately, though, he ends up licking something else entirely.
Enter Victor Nikiforov (Jerry Jewel/Junichi Suwabe): a famed Russian figure-skater, Yuuri’s long-time idol, and naturally, Mr. Katsuki’s new romantic interest. Through a series of nigh-on farcical events, Victor and Yuuri enter a coach-trainee relationship. And the rest makes history.
Is Yuri on Ice really that much like Heated Rivalry?
Yes and no. On one hand, it’s a gay romance about winter sports. How many of them are out there? Not as many as there should be, obviously. It’s a natural, easy comparison to draw. Especially when each show made such big waves when they came out.
On the other hand, there are a few key differences between the two shows. The most obvious difference is that one is animated, while the other is live-action. With that out the way, though, the biggest difference actually lies in the relationship between the two characters.
As the title suggests, Heated Rivalry is about the friction and conflict between the captains of two opposing teams; Montreal Metros’ Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Boston Raiders’ Ilya Grigoryevich Rozanov (Connor Storrie). Yuri on Ice’s primary couple instead focuses on a skater-coach relationship, shifting the dynamic somewhat.
Despite the core differences between the couples explored in each series, Yuuri and Victor’s relationship is surprisingly fraught and tense for large swathes of the shows. Victor spends most of his time pushing Yuuri’s limits as an athlete, and his buttons simultaneously, while Yuuri constantly compares himself to his beloved idol. This energy creates a surprisingly strong sense of frisson between them that isn’t dissimilar to a rivals-to-lovers story arc.
A great deal of Yuri on Ice also explores how to connect with one’s own inner sexuality and desire, through the ancient Greek expression of Eros. As a result, a lot of dialogue and inner monologues are sumptuously sensual. That’s to say that if you’re into Heated Rivalry because it’s sexy, then Yuri on Ice could definitely still be for you. Don’t be fooled by its adorable appearance.
Alternatively, if you’re there for the sports, Yuri on Ice does a lot more skating than Heated Rivalry does hockey. In fact, a great deal of Yuri on Ice’s praise came from how accurately it represented the sport on screen, with many professional figure skaters flocking to support the show in 2016. Feeling intimidated by that? Don’t. I went into watching it with no knowledge of skating at all, and still found it to be totally accessible and interesting.
I’m not done, though – there’s just one more elephant in the room that I need to address when comparing the two shows. Both Heated Rivalry and Yuri on Ice feature a Quebecois-Canadian winter sportsman called Jean-Jacques, or J.J for short. Is that a reference? God, I hope so.
Will Yuri on Ice get a season two or movie?
Magic 8 Ball says ask again later. But the outlook isn’t good. Or at least, it’s not great.
Back in 2017, production studio MAPPA announced that Yuri on Ice would receive a follow-up movie to the series titled Yuri on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence. Considering the teaser trailer shared in 2019, it looks like the movie was going to be a prequel following romantic lead Victor throughout his youth.
Sadly, though, MAPPA officially cancelled the Yuri on Ice movie in 2024, via an announcement on the Ice Adolescence website. So, as of 2026, it doesn’t look like we’re getting any other official Yuri on Ice content in the near future.
I can, however, share one small, microscopic fragment of hope. On January 21st, Yuri on Ice studio MAPPA entered a strategic partnership with Netflix to co-produce and distribute anime in the future.
With interest in queer winter sports shows at an all time high, as demonstrated by the success of Heated Rivalry, and Yuri on Ice’s 10th anniversary just around the corner, well… You never know what could happen. Maybe a Yuri on Ice reboot is somewhere around the corner.
MAPPA and Netflix’s relationship isn’t wholly new – Netflix already exclusively distributes a number of MAPPA’s TV shows, including Ranma ½ and The Rose of Versailles – but the exact nature of their partnership is set to shift in wake of this announcement. Hopefully, it’ll be good news on the Yuri on Ice front eventually.
A Victuuri, if you will.
Where to watch Yuri on Ice
You can stream Yuri on Ice on Crunchyroll in most territories, with either English or Japanese audio. It’s also officially subtitled in English, Dutch, Spanish (both América Latina and España), French, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, and Arabic.
If you’re based in the United States, you may also be able to stream it on Hulu. You can also buy the series on Blu-Ray or DVD, or as a digital copy on Apple TV.
Who is in Yuri on Ice?
Regardless of whether you watch Yuri on Ice with the original audio or dubbed in another language, you’re probably going to spot some familiar voices. Here’s the who’s-who for the show’s English and Japanese audio:
| Character Name | English Voice Actor | Japanese Voice Actor |
| Yuri Katsuki | Jesse James Grelle | Toshiyuki Toyonaga |
| Victor Nikiforov | Jerry Jewel | Junichi Suwabe |
| Yuri Plisetsky | Micah Solusod | Kōki Uchiyama |
| Otabek Altin | Mike McFarland | Yoshimasa Hosoya |
| Yuko Nishigori | Alexis Tipton | Mariya Ise |
| Phichit Chulanot | Joel McDonald | Kensho Ono |
| Christophe Giacometti | Christopher Sabat | Hiroki Yasumoto |
| Yakov Feltsman | Daman Mills | Hideaki Tezuka |
| Seung-Gil Lee | Oscar Seung | Kenji Nojima |
| Emil Nekola | Justin Briner | Satoshi Hino |
| Georgi Popovich | Dave Trosko | Wataru Hatano |
| Jean-Jacques Leroy | Jeremy Inman | Mamoru Miyano |
| Guang-Hong Ji | Howard Wang | Yutaro Honjo |
| Michele Crispino | J. Michael Tatum | Tomoaki Maeno |
| Sala Crispino | Tia Ballard | Marika Minase |
| Kenjiro Minami | Trina Nishimura | Ayumu Murase |
| Leo De La Iglesia | Ricco Fajardo | Shunichi Toki |
| Takeshi Nishigori | Cris George | Jun Fukuyama |
| Axel Nishigori | Lara Woodhull | Akiko Yajima |
| Loop Nishigori | Kristen McGuire | Akiko Yajima |
| Lutz Nishigori | Kristi Rothrock | Akiko Yajima |
| Toshiya Katsuki | Charles Campbell | Soryu Konno |
| Hiroko Katsuki | Rachel Robinson | Kei Hayami |
| Mari Katsuki | Leah Clark | Kyoko Sakai |
| Minako | Colleen Clinkenbeard | Yuka Komatsu |
| Announcer Hisashi Morooka | Sonny Strait | Taihei Katou |
| Celestino Cialdini | Ian Sinclair | Koji Ochiai |
| Mira Babicheva | Monica Rial | Seiko Tamura |
| Lilia Baranovskaya | Caitlin Glass | Mari Doi |
| Kolya Plisetsky | Kent Williams | Misao Kobayashi |
Watch the Yuri on Ice trailer here
You can take a peek at Yuri on Ice’s English dub here.
Toni Oisin H.C. is the Head of Audio at QSO Media. Read more of his writing here.
Pride Sports is a UK-based organisation that offers support and resources to LGBTIQ+ athletes. You can find their resources here.
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