SK8 the infinite is the first original series by director Hiroko Utsumi. While she has been working as an animator since the mid-2000s on shows such as Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid AND The Melancholy of Haruhi SuzumiyaUtsumi has earned a reputation over the past decade for directing Free! AND Banana fishDuring its runtime, Free! It showed a lot of homoeroticism but no canonical love story between its athletic protagonists, while Banana fish featured numerous canonical queer characters.
Even after the complete release of its first season, both SK8 the infinite will fall into Free!queerbaiting models or Banana fishThe queer canon of remains uncertain. At the moment, is more aligned with Free! in terms of heavily teasing multiple romantic couples and failing to follow any of them. However, the subtext and overt themes in SK8 the infinitealong with the confirmed second season and OVA on the horizon, suggest that the series still has the potential to follow the path of Banana fish explicitly confirming queer characters or relationships.
Updated September 6, 2024 by Lauren Younkin: This article has been updated to meet current CBR formatting standards, including additional information from the full version of SK8 the infinite Season 1 and news about the upcoming season 2 and OVA.
SK8 the Infinity creates multiple queer-coded characters
In both Japanese and English, the characters exemplify homosexuality in different ways.
At the very least, SK8 the infiniteintroduces multiple characters who challenge gender norms and could be considered queer-coded. Shadow, a skater who dresses like a KISS reject, undergoes a Sailor Moon-inspired magical girl transformation in one of the bumpers. The enigmatic Cherry Blossom is a feminine man whose chemistry with skater partner Joe borders on tsundere. The main antagonist, Adam, is described by other characters as flamboyant and doesn't shy away from directing romantic overtures toward other men; he refers to each skating match as a “date” with his opponent and is looking for one of them to be his “Eve,” implying a desire for a romantic connection.
At this point it is well known that the SK8 the infinitedub has made significant changes to the original dialogue, and many of these changes actually make the queer-coding more blatant. In English, Adam is inclusive of those who identify as non-binary when addressing the skater crowd. The exchanges between Joe and Cherry are made even more flirtatious than initially portrayed. Of course, there's also the famous pause in Langa's delivery of “Reki, my love… for skateboarding is because of you,” from episode 10, “DAP Not Needing Words.”
Hey bitches, bros, and non-binary bitches!
However, even in the original Japanese version, the main focus of the show and the big issue regarding LGBTQ representation is the relationship between Reki and Langa. Reki is a skateboarding enthusiast who has loved the sport his entire life, while Langa, a transfer student from Canada, is an experienced snowboarder who is learning to skateboard for the first time. Langa is a socially awkward character who sometimes seems reserved and inexpressive, and in contrast, Reki is a human puppy who gets excited when he talks about skateboarding.
The two characters quickly become friends, with Reki teaching Langa how to skate. While that friendship is clearly important to them, there is a closeness between them that could border on romantic attraction. Reki comes to admire both Langa's adapted skateboarding techniques and Langa himself after overcoming his own doubts. Langa, meanwhile, is often reserved, but shows an emotional range to Reki in private that he doesn't even reveal to his mother. It is noticeable that Langa opens up mostly to Reki and only enjoys skateboarding when they are together.
Reki and Langa are just one of the potential couples of SK8 the Infinity
The signs also point to a romance between other characters
There are several moments during the first season of SK8 the infinite which all but confirm Reki and Langa's interest in each other, one of the most substantial being Langa's apparent admission of feelings for Reki while talking to his mother in episode 8, “The Fated Tournament!” After Reki and Langa's “breakup”, Langa consults his mother for advice on how to make up with him, but she misinterprets the conversation as Langa having feelings for a girl. However, Langa confesses to her that he likes Reki. While this could be interpreted as confirmation of romantic interest, it's also vague enough to be dismissed as a bit of comedy. This comes alongside a pile of other similar examples, like Reki and Langa pretending to be a couple in the beach episode, which are heavy-handed in implying them as a potential couple but don't cross the line into serious territory.
Joe and Cherry are another couple who spend a lot of screen time together. From the beginning, it's clear that the two share a lot of history and care for each other despite their constant bickering. Throughout the first season, they share a goal of beating Adam and often team up to help the younger skaters even though they act reluctant to be in the same room. This comes to a head in episodes 9 and 10 when Cherry is seriously injured by Adam in their encounter and Joe decides to take Cherry to the hospital rather than confront Adam. Since the show often takes great pains to show Joe's womanizing tendencies, it's unclear if anything more will come of their relationship, but fans of Joe and Cherry will get to see more of their past dynamic explored in SK8 the Infinity next OVA.
One of the smaller (but still very present) subplots is the relationship between Adam and his servant, Tadashi. Through flashbacks, it is revealed that Tadashi was the one who introduced Adam to skating when they were children, but now regrets it because he feels it is a hindrance to Adam's political career. The relationship they share now is far from the friendship they once had, however; Adam refers to Tadashi as his “dog” and exerts total control over him. Despite this, Tadashi shows more happiness in the season one finale than at any other point in the series when Adam tells him, “You're my dog for the rest of our lives.” This is a clear example of a toxic relationship and it wouldn't be the best representation of queer romancebut it is impossible to deny the similarity of this to a marriage proposal and all the implications that entails.
Will Season 2 make up for the shortcomings of Season 1 of SK8 the Infinity?
The next episodes will open the door to confirming what until now had only been implied.
In August 2022, a second season of SK8 the infinite has been officially confirmed, exciting fans who have been eagerly awaiting such an announcement since the Season 1 finale aired over a year earlier. While no release date has been given for Season 2 (or the OVA that was announced alongside it), studio Bones is set to return for production. Since the anime is an original work not based on a pre-existing manga, fans are in the dark about what to expect from any future SK8 the infinite content.
Season 1 covered a full story arc that ended with few loose ends, making it difficult to predict what might happen in Season 2. The current villain of the story, Adam, seems to have gotten away with it without facing any consequences in his professional life or his life as a skater, which could be an avenue for the writers to explore. The real question on everyone's mind, though, is whether SK8 the infinite will take the next step when it comes to romance. It’s been three years since the series first aired, during which anime has continued to become more and more progressive. Many feel that it might be the right time for the second season to openly explore the queer themes and relationships that could only be hinted at in the first season.
Is SK8 the Infinity Queer or is it just Queerbaiting?
The SK8 Infinity could follow in the footsteps of its predecessors in either direction.
SK8 the infinite is a series that seems to be defined by what is left unsaid. In the opening lines of the first season, Reki ponders the meaning of happiness. In a parallel to this scene, the final episode ends with Langa also pondering the same question, only when he is about to declare what his happiness is, the sentence is cut off and interrupted by a shot of Reki. What is left unsaid here is that Reki is Langa's happiness (along with, presumably, skating). While this may be the most explicit confirmation of a romantic relationship yet, it is still not openly stated and thus is non-canon for many fans.
At present there is no clear sign that SK8 the infinite will canonize a homosexual love story. However, some fans are hoping it will follow a similar path to Yuri!!! on the iceanother sports anime that paved the way for queer relationships. SK8 the infinite It could go either way at this point, but the trajectory of Reki and Langa's relationship seems similar to Yuri and Victor's in that they both feature two people who become close over their shared love of a sport. It could veer off into a gay romance or continue straight down the path of best friends. However, the odds seem to be in favor of a Reki-Langa romantic ending for the series, and with season 2 still awaiting release, anything is possible.