Question: who is yuri on ice based on?
Answer: As revealed by a real-life figure skater last year, Yuri Katsuki bears an uncanny resemblance to Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu. Interestingly, the similarities do not end at their identical facial structure, posture and stances, but go way beyond. Just like Yuri in YOI, Hanyu idolizes Russian figure skaters.