Image: Studio Bones
Sports anime can be exciting, endearing, optimistic, emotional, and in some respects, way better than actual sports. But many shows fall into a tired trope: having a protagonist who is really good at their respective sport from the very beginning. Which makes
has a sports prodigy, but Reki, the
protagonist of
SK8 the Infinity, isn’t the prodigy himself — and it makes all the difference
When studio Bones and creator Hiroko Utsumi first introduce Reki, he’s narrating to the audience how some people define happiness as being rich, famous, or respected. Though he doesn’t offer an answer for what he believes happiness is, his actions speak for themselves. The next thing we see him do is participate in the high-thrill, highly illegal, and highly dangerous skateboard racing track called “S.” Though Reki doesn’t have remarkable skills or a signature trick or fantastic persona going for him, he finds happiness through the thrill and challenge that comes with skating.