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

Still from Yuri on Ice episode 2. Image via Funimation.

5. Yuri Plisetsky

Admittedly, it is easy to forget sometimes that Yuri Plisetsky actually counts as a main character of this series. (Yuri Katsuki and Victor have a tendency to dominate the conversation, especially Victor.) He does, however, feature in the opening and closing titles, has plot points of his own centering around his entry into the senior division of professional skating, and also manages to grow up about as much as a fictional 15-year-old can in one season of a show.

Although Yuri acts tough, and he does, especially when he confronts the Japanese Yuri crying in the bathroom at the start of the series, he does have some cute qualities of his own. First, he’s absolutely obsessed with big cats like tigers. While hunting Victor down in Japan, the only thing that gives him pause is a tiger sweatshirt.

He buys it immediately.

Throughout the first season, he also manages to make friends with other skaters like Otabek Altin and learn things like the meaning of love in the form of agape. Is he still the grumpy friend? Yes, absolutely. A second season could really see him grow further as a person.

Also, he loves his grandpa’s pirozhki. It’s rather tough to hate anyone who appreciates a good pirozhki.