Episode 2

***Skate 2 - Two Yuris?! Drama at Yu-topia!** (第2滑走: ２人のユーリ！？　ゆ～とぴあの乱, Dai ni Kassō: Futari no Yuuri!? Yu～topia no Ran)* is the second episode of *Yuri!!! on Ice*.

## Summary

Following Victor Nikiforov's abrupt departure to Japan, his coach Yakov, who disapproves of Victor leaving Russia and taking a season off from his skating career, is left to deal with reporters who wish to know what Victor is doing in Japan. Meanwhile, Victor decides that he will be living with Yuuri. The first step to Yuuri's training regimen is returning Yuuri to his previous weight. As Victor enjoys the Japanese customs and culture, he reveals his location by posting a photo on his Instagram, which causes a media uproar and Hasetsu is flooded with fans and journalists. Seeing the photo, Yuri Plisetsky goes to Japan to find Victor and make Victor follow through on his promise made to him.

## Plot

Back in Russia, Yuri Plisetsky is furious, as Victor is breaking his promise to him by leaving Russia.

   In Japan, Victor is learning the joys of Japan and gets to know Yuuri better. He tries Yuuri’s favorite food, Katsudon, and falls madly in love with it. However, Victor informs Yuuri that he himself will be the only one enjoying Katsudon for a while because Yuuri is going on a diet. Yuuri has put on quite a bit of weight since he let himself go after the skating season, and he’s got to work to build up his muscle and stamina again. Victor dubs Yuuri "kobuta-chan" (’Piglet’) and establishes an exercise regimen for him. One week later, Yuri Plisetsky winds up wandering the streets of Yuuri’s hometown in a foul temper, searching for Victor and his new student. Passing a clothing shop and spotting a pull-over with a tiger stitched on the front, Yuri buys the sweater immediately and wears it, though still in a foul mood.

   Yuri Plisetsky learns that Yuuri and Victor are at the local rink and he arrives to find a squad of reporters surrounding the skating rink. Though the Nishigori triplets are trying to prevent the crowd from entering the rink, they let Yuri Plisetsky through once they recognize him. Yuuri arrives shortly after, and Yuri Plisetsky kicks Yuuri to the ground after the latter fails to realize that the former is behind him. After they both enter the rink, Yuri Plisetsky confronts Victor about his forgotten promise to choreograph his program if he had won the Junior Division without skating any quads. He then demands Victor to return to Russia.

Victor, forced to choose between coaching Yuri Plisetsky or Yuuri Katsuki, decides that he will make them compete for him in a one-on-one competition. Yuri and Yuuri will compete with each other, skating to the same song using Victor’s choreography. Yuri and Yuuri are confused, since they can't skate to the same program. Victor, however, explains that he has chosen a song with two arrangements, which will each have different programs. The two skaters will then have a skate-off for Victor's coaching. The triplets intervene, asking that they be the ones who organize the skate-off and make it a public event called "Onsen on Ice", and Victor agrees.

Since Yuri Plisetsky is clearly going to be staying for a while, he announces that he’ll be staying with Yuuri and Victor as well. The inn becomes a little cramped, but the family seems happy to have guests. Yuuri’s older sister Mari is more than a little star-struck by Yuri Plisetsky, as he resembles her favorite boyband member, and she nicknames him "Yurio". Yuri loathes the nickname–but it sticks, to his chagrin, and the name is accepted by everyone.

Later, Victor plays both arrangements of the song for Yuri and Yuuri in the ice rink and asks their opinions of both of them. Yuuri is immediately drawn to the first, slower, and gentler arrangement, while Yuri is determined to skate to the second arrangement, which is more lively, as both feel this fits them better. Victor then explains the meaning of the arrangements. The song itself is about love, and the two arrangements focus on different kinds of love: agape (unconditional, innocent love) and eros (romantic, sexual love).

   Victor agrees with their preferences about the arrangements, but decides that Yuuri will skate to the eros arrangement and Yuri to the agape arrangement. He says that to shock the crowd, they cannot do the predictable. He also wants them to discover a new image of themselves, and to show that image to others.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

Yakov Feltsman

Victor Nikiforov

Minako Okukawa

Hiroko Katsuki

Makkachin

Yuuri Katsuki

Yuri Plisetsky

Georgi Popovich

Mila Babicheva

Mari Katsuki

Yuuko Nishigori

Takeshi Nishigori

Axel, Lutz, and Loop Nishigori