Medalist Manga Volumes: How Many & Collecting Guide

How many Medalist manga volumes are out right now? As of mid-2026, there are 14 volumes in Japanese and 14 in English — and the series is still going. Whether you watched the anime (the animated TV adaptation of the manga), heard the buzz, or just stumbled across the gorgeous cover art, this guide covers how many books you’re signing up for, how to buy them, and what to expect from the series.

Medalist (メダリスト) is a figure skating manga — a Japanese comic series — about a young girl named Inori and her coach Tsukasa. It’s packed with stunning skating sequences, genuine emotional weight, and a mentor-student dynamic that feels completely earned. The story first appeared as individual chapters in Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon, a Japanese manga magazine, starting in May 2020. Those chapters are then collected into the paperback volumes you see on shelves. The English edition from Kodansha Comics has been steadily rolling out ever since.

How Many Medalist Manga Volumes Are There?

Here’s the quick answer:

• Japanese volumes: 14 (the latest released January 9, 2026)
• English volumes: 14 (published by Kodansha Comics)
• Series status: Ongoing — no end announced

The English edition has caught up with the Japanese release — both are currently at 14 volumes. That’s an unusually tight gap — many manga series run a year or more behind their Japanese counterparts. The Japanese edition is published by Kodansha, and the English edition is handled by its US imprint, Kodansha Comics — the same corporate family — so there are no complicated license transfers or publisher switches to worry about.

The manga is created by Tsurumaikada, and it’s been running consistently since its first compiled volume released in September 2020. New Japanese volumes have shipped at a steady, reliable pace — typically every few months — so the series keeps growing at a comfortable clip.

For anyone trying to plan a collection, 14 English volumes is a manageable starting commitment. But keep in mind: this series isn’t wrapping up anytime soon, so you’ll want to budget for future volumes too.

The Easiest Way to Collect Medalist in English

Good news for collectors: Medalist is straightforward to buy. Every English volume comes from a single publisher — Kodansha Comics — in both print and digital formats. Some manga series have their rights split between multiple publishers, or early volumes go out of print when a license changes hands, forcing collectors to hunt for rare copies. None of that applies here. One publisher, one consistent edition, no headaches.

Digital vs. Print

Digital is the fastest and most affordable path to a complete set. You can buy and start reading within minutes through platforms like Amazon’s Kindle store, Apple Books, or Kobo. There are no stock concerns, and digital editions don’t take up shelf space. If you’re the type who reads on a tablet or phone, this is the easiest way to start.

Print is the way to go if you like having physical books on a shelf. Medalist’s volumes have consistent cover and spine designs, so they look great lined up together. The cover art is lovely, and the skating sequences really benefit from being seen on paper at full size.

No Box Set — Individual Volumes Only

As of now, there’s no box set for Medalist in English. You’re buying individual volumes one at a time (or, more realistically, in a satisfying stack of several at once). This is typical for an ongoing series — box sets usually appear after a series ends or hits a major milestone.

A Practical Buying Tip

If you’re going the print route, check availability on the earliest volumes before you commit to buying the later ones. There’s nothing more frustrating than owning Volumes 5 through 13 and finding Volume 2 temporarily out of stock. Start from the beginning and build forward.

Digital readers don’t have this problem at all — every volume is available instantly.

The English volumes are available through major retailers. Digital editions can be picked up through Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, and other platforms that carry Kodansha Comics titles.

Key Volumes Worth Knowing About

Medalist is a strictly sequential story. This isn’t a series where you can jump in at a random volume and figure things out — every book builds directly on what came before. Start at Volume 1. Always Volume 1.

That said, here’s a sense of what you’re getting into at different points in the series:

Volume 1: Where Everything Begins

Volume 1 introduces Inori, a young figure skater with raw talent and emotional vulnerability, and Tsukasa, a coach carrying his own baggage. Their meeting and the decision to work together forms the emotional backbone of the entire series. This first volume establishes the figure skating setting with striking visual detail — you can practically feel the cold air of the rink. If this volume hooks you, the rest of the series will too. If it doesn’t, well, at least you only spent one volume finding out.

Volumes 2–3: The Competition Begins

The early competition storylines kick in here, and this is where Medalist starts to show what makes it special. The skating sequences are drawn with incredible attention to movement and technique — jumps, spins, and choreographed routines are depicted with a precision that makes them feel real even if you’ve never watched figure skating in your life. You’ll also start to see the emotional stakes ramp up as Inori faces other skaters and the pressure of performing.

Mid-Series Volumes: Rising Stakes

As the series progresses through its middle stretch, the competition gets fiercer and the character dynamics grow more complex. Rivals aren’t one-dimensional — they have their own motivations, fears, and stories. The mentor-student relationship between Inori and Tsukasa deepens in ways that feel authentic rather than melodramatic. These volumes are where a lot of readers go from “this is good” to “I can’t stop reading.”

Recent Volumes: Pushing Forward

The most recent volumes push toward higher-level competitions, raising both the technical and emotional demands on the characters. Relationships that have been building for multiple volumes start to pay off in meaningful ways. Without spoiling anything specific, the series continues to find new ground even as the volume count climbs — a sign of a manga that knows where it’s going.

The Bottom Line on Reading Order

There is exactly one correct reading order: Volume 1, then Volume 2, then Volume 3, and so on. Medalist rewards patience and sequential reading. Don’t skip ahead.

Availability Traps — Stock and Demand Spikes

Here’s something worth knowing before you start buying: popular ongoing manga series — especially ones with active anime adaptations — can experience frustrating stock fluctuations.

The Anime Effect

When a manga gets an anime adaptation — a TV series based on the original comic — it introduces the story to a much larger audience. Medalist has had two full anime seasons, both now complete: Season 1 aired January–March 2025 (13 episodes), and Season 2 aired January–March 2026 (9 episodes). A theatrical film is also set for 2027. Both seasons brought waves of new readers to the manga. That’s great for the series, but it means early print volumes can temporarily sell out at major retailers. Volume 1 is usually the first to go, followed by Volumes 2 and 3.

This doesn’t mean the books are out of print (permanently unavailable from the publisher). It means demand temporarily outpaced supply, and restocks take a few weeks. But if you’re trying to collect right now during a period of high anime visibility, be prepared for the possibility that a volume or two might be temporarily unavailable in print.

How to Avoid the Frustration

A few practical approaches:

• Buy early volumes first. If you see Volumes 1 through 3 in stock, grab them before starting with the later books. Building your collection from the front avoids the scenario where you’re stuck waiting for a restock on the one volume you need most.
• Consider digital for immediate reading. If a print volume is out of stock and you don’t want to wait, digital editions are always available. You can always pick up the print copy later when it restocks, if having the physical book matters to you.
• Don’t overpay from third-party sellers. When a volume goes temporarily out of stock, individual resellers on marketplace platforms sometimes list it at inflated prices. Restocks happen regularly for ongoing Kodansha series — patience almost always saves you money.

No Out-of-Print Concerns

As of now, no Medalist manga volumes are out of print in English. The series is current, actively publishing, and backed by a major publisher. This is a safe series to collect right now without worrying about permanently missing volumes.

Is Medalist Finished? Will Your Collection Stay Complete?

Let’s be direct: Medalist is an ongoing series with no announced ending. The manga continues to publish new chapters in Monthly Afternoon, and new collected volumes keep coming out at a steady pace.

What This Means for Your Wallet

If you start collecting now at 14 English volumes, you’re not buying a finished set. More volumes are coming. How many more? Nobody knows — the story is still unfolding, and the creator hasn’t signaled a final storyline. Budget for at least a few more volumes beyond what’s currently available.

The English Release Keeps Pace

One reassuring factor: Kodansha Comics has kept the English release relatively close to the Japanese edition. With the English edition fully caught up to the Japanese release, English readers aren’t stuck years behind. New English volumes should continue to arrive regularly as long as the Japanese series continues.

Publisher Commitment Looks Strong

The anime adaptation is a strong signal that Kodansha is invested in Medalist’s long-term success. Anime adaptations drive manga sales, and publishers don’t greenlight anime tie-ins for series they’re planning to quietly drop. The English edition should remain well-supported and in print for the foreseeable future.

For Readers Who Prefer Completed Series

If you’re the type of reader who only buys series that have already ended, Medalist isn’t there yet. But if you’re comfortable collecting an ongoing title — and the steady release schedule suggests you won’t be left hanging — this is one of the safer bets in current sports manga.

Who Medalist Is For — And the Final Verdict

So who should actually read this?

If You Love Character-Driven Sports Stories

Medalist isn’t a hype machine. It’s not about over-the-top power-ups or screaming rivals. It’s a story about the grind, the beauty, and the emotional cost of pursuing something you love. The figure skating is depicted with stunning visual detail, but the real draw is the characters — their growth, their doubts, their small victories.

If you’ve enjoyed other character-focused sports series — Blue Box (a romance-sports blend about badminton and basketball), Run with the Wind (a grounded distance-running story), or Welcome to the Ballroom (competitive ballroom dance with gorgeous choreography art — note that this manga has been subject to extended hiatuses and has not been publishing regularly since at least 2022) — Medalist fits right in. And if you haven’t read any of those, Medalist is a great place to start.

If You Know Nothing About Figure Skating

That’s totally fine. The manga explains skating concepts naturally through the story without turning into a textbook. You’ll pick up terminology and understand the scoring system just by following along. Several volumes in, you might find yourself watching real figure skating competitions and actually understanding what’s happening. The series is that good at teaching through storytelling.

If You’re New to Manga

Medalist is genuinely beginner-friendly. Manga reads right-to-left (the opposite direction from Western comics), but you’ll get the hang of it within a few pages — each volume includes a guide showing you which way to read. The page layouts are clean and easy to follow, the emotional beats land without requiring any background knowledge, and the story hooks you quickly. Volume 1 does an excellent job of establishing all the essentials.

If You Want Something Different from Typical Sports Manga

A lot of popular sports manga follows a familiar pattern: a team of teenagers chasing a national tournament, with flashy rivalries and dramatic power-ups along the way. Medalist is something different. The mentor-student dynamic between Inori and Tsukasa is the heart of the series, and it’s handled with a maturity and tenderness that sets Medalist apart. This is a more intimate, personal story about two people trying to bring out the best in each other through sport.

The Verdict on Medalist Manga Volumes

Medalist is one of the strongest ongoing sports manga you can start collecting right now. Fourteen English volumes give you a substantial story to sink into, the release schedule is reliable, and the single-publisher setup makes collecting simple. The anime has raised the series’ profile, but the manga stands on its own — beautifully drawn, emotionally rich, and deeply rewarding from the very first volume.

Grab Volume 1 and see for yourself. If the opening chapter doesn’t get you, fair enough. But if it does — and for most readers, it absolutely does — you’ve got a wonderful series ahead of you.