You won't understand a good chunk of my review if you haven't seen SK8, so go give it a watch!
This is my first review, so I apologize if there are any errors, I'm trying my best, I promise.
I'll mostly be jumping from point to point about the series. Final ratings will be based on my overall enjoyment, as that’s what seals the deal for me.
SK8 came out of nowhere for me. I had never planned to watch it ahead of time, I just thought, "Hey! What should I watch for fun today?" and I chose it. And boy, am I glad I did.
Brief Synopsis
SK8 the Infinity follows Reki Kyan, a young and passionate skateboarder, and Langa Hasegawa, a new student who soon becomes interested in the sport. The first season follows them as they navigate through the crazy, colorful world of "S", where the stakes are high and the race is on.
Initial Thoughts
I had seen a few sports anime before SK8, and of which those were generic at best. So I expected SK8 to take the route of, “You have to be the very best at this sport!11!” and very straight to the point, and to be honest, I was going to eat that up either way. Especially since I had heard fans discussing how this show was another classic "so queer-coded it's gay" anime. Which is roughly 50% of anime these days, if we're being real. I knew what I had coming was an interesting watch, I was either going to be disappointed, content, or over the top invested. Let's just say I went with the latter option.
The Fun Side of SK8
Okay, first episode. Bang! Boom! If you came to watch SK8 under the impression you'd be comforted by anime boys reaching hard for their skating goals, you'd be mistaken. You're pulled RIGHT into the chaos. Meet Reki, but hey! There's "S"! We start to get the gist that "S" is full of determined skaters who will do anything to win. Pretty trope-y, but it works. TLDR: Langa is brought into the picture, becoming a skilled skater in no time, and SK8 begins to showcase what it does best, being batshit crazy, and I mean it. Once episode 3 kicks off, there's no going back, and you get hit with a gut punch every time. You thought a problem was going to be resolved with zero tension? Nah. Each moment gets more and more exciting, as SK8 knows how to keep you on your toes. The races are heart-pounding, the skaters are obvious freaks, and everything is just so charming that it sticks with you.
The Serious Side of SK8
If flashy and unique was all SK8 was, that would be a great disappointment. But this series continued to surprise me with how it shaped up to become more raw than I ever could've imagined. The cast hasn't had much development at this point until the dominoes do fall. Reki is self-loathing so much to the point where he cuts himself off from Langa, Tadashi strives to take down Adam because he feels it's his responsibility, and Cherry recalls being enthralled by Adam back in the good ol' gay teenager days until all hope is lost. It's a LOT, but that's the whole point. SK8 aims to continuously shock you to keep you hungry for more, and by god, it works. I think it was when Reki screamed Langa's name in "We Were Special Back Then" was when I realized... this is too. damn. good. All 12 episodes have the right amount of drama and heartstopping moments that don't ever get boring...
The Heartwarming Resolution of SK8
...and it's neatly tied with a queer, found family bow. Yes, I know, I'm getting controversial. In the end, the one thing that's touching for me when it comes to SK8 is how close and caring the main cast is with one another. From the beginning when Reki tells Miya, "We'll never leave your sight!" To when Joe has to be the one to remind Reki, "You don't wanna end up alone." It was impactful to see. When Langa and Reki finally confront one another, (Langa acknowledges his faults, Reki understands and forgives) the two both come to the conclusion that they can't enjoy skating without being right next to each other. "I want to skate infinitely with you!" Oh boy, that's a queer line if I've ever heard one. Okay, wait, do I even need to mention how obviously gay this entire show is? Don't you already know? Remember Langa coming out at the dinner table? Remember Joe and Cherry being entranced by Adam in their high school years? Remember literally all of Adam's scenes? I digress. The final race starts to look a bit scary for Langa, but he's able to pull through remembering what Reki taught him, that skating is fun. Some sense is knocked into Adam, and he too remembers, that's what HIS boyfriend—I mean Tadashi, taught him (basically: everyone needs a Reki in their life). And that's that. Langa wins the race, everyone is joyous, and I'm crying in the corner because the gang's back together again and supporting each other, like one, big happy family. Yes, it’s cliche, and I won’t make any excuses for that, but I’m not the type of person to mind.
Overall Thoughts
SK8 the Infinity is one of the first anime that I've thoroughly enjoyed in years. It's funky, flamboyant, fantastic, and most importantly, it makes you feel good. With the perfect blend of engaging action, emotional exploration, and heartfelt moments, it will leave you with an impression... and lots of good memories.