12 Reasons to Watch, Re-Watch, and Love Yuri on Ice

From Yuri on Ice episode 5. Image via Funimation.

3. Relationships

Technically speaking, this is a spoiler, since things develop over the course of the season. However, it’s also one of the show’s biggest selling points: Yuri Katsuki and Victor Nikiforov as a romantic couple, because oh yes, it is very clearly canon, and it’s magnificent.

Writing for Geek.com, Carli Velocci pointed out that the two’s relationship defies stereotypes even in the realm of anime. About the most explicit moment between them is a kiss — one that fans didn’t know was a kiss to start, because the shot’s pointedly drawn to hide the two of them kissing with Victor’s arm. (The Geekiary has compiled some fans’ proof that yes, the kiss happened. Another fan on Tumblr translated one of Mitsurō Kubo’s tweets as additional proof that it was fully intended to be a kiss.)

Yes, Victor likes to touch and be close to Yuri, but as the series continues, we learn that he has his reasons for doing so. Furthermore, just because the two of them get together doesn’t magically solve their problems or make them happy forever.

As yours truly has put it to people who aren’t sure they want to watch the series, come for the figure skating, stay for the realistically-portrayed relationship.