SK8 the Infinity

SK8 the Infinity (SK∞ エスケーエイト) is a Japanese original anime television series produced and animated by Bones. It premiered on January 11, 2021, on ANN's Animazing!!! programming block. A comedy manga spin-off was serialized on the Young Ace Up manga website from January to September 2021. A manga adaptation of the television series began serialization on the BookLive! e-book store in March 2021. Few years after the first season, original video animation (OVA) was released in Japan in March 2025, with a second season being produced.

Plot

In Okinawa, a group of hardcore skaters participate in a secret, no-holds-barred competition after midnight known as "S", racing each other on skateboards down a winding road carved out of an abandoned mine and occasionally forming rivalries, also known as "beefs", with each other. Reki, a high school sophomore and hardcore skater, takes new transfer student Langa to S one night, and ends up pulling him into the world of skateboarding.

Characters

• Reki Kyan (喜屋武 暦)
• A cheerful and energetic high school sophomore passionate about skateboarding and dedicated to the underground "S" races. Reki works part-time as a mechanic at a local skate shop, where he also crafts custom skateboard decks. Reki quickly befriends Langa and introduces him to skateboarding and the "S" races.
• Langa Hasegawa (馳河 ランガ) Snow
• A half-Japanese transfer student from Canada, Langa moves to Okinawa with his mother and joins Reki’s class. With a background in snowboarding, he adapts his skills to skateboarding upon joining his first "S" race. He is introverted and dreamy but can be extremely stubborn.
• Miya Chinen (知念 実也)
• A cheeky and skilled first-year junior high student known for performing complex tricks with ease. Miya aspires to represent Japan in the Olympics and loves cats and video games.
• Hiromi Higa (比嘉 広海) Shadow (シャドウ)
• An "S" racer characterized by his cape, heavy metal makeup, and self-proclaimed title as a "dynamite flower". Known for carrying fireworks and his shamelessness to use ruthless tactics to win, Shadow contrasts with his shy and kind personality as a local florist by day.
• Kaoru Sakurayashiki (桜屋敷 薫) Cherry Blossom
• A high-tech "S" racer with pink hair, who works as a renowned AI calligrapher by day. Assisted by his AI partner Carla, Cherry approaches skating with a strategic and analytical perspective. He has a longstanding rivalry and friendship with Joe, and often bickers with him.
• Kojiro Nanjo (南城 虎次郎) Joe (ジョー)
• An "S" racer and owner of an Italian restaurant. Known for his cheerful and flirtatious personality, Joe's dynamic skating style reflects his character. He is Cherry's both childhood friend and rival.
• Ainosuke Shindo (神道 愛之介) Adam (愛抱夢)
• The mysterious founder of "S" and a legendary skater. Beneath his glamorous mask, Adam leads a double life as a popular young politician.
• Tadashi Kikuchi (菊池 忠) Snake (スネーク)
• Adam’s secretary and skateboarding mentor. In "S," he oversees the management of the baseball-capped staff behind the scenes.
• Shokichi Oka (岡 正吉)
• Manager of the Dope Sketch skateboard shop, in charge of board maintenance.
• Sketchy (スケッチー)
• The fennec fox mascot of Dope Sketch, who listens only to Oka.
• Carla (カーラ)
• Cherry's advanced AI assistant.
• Nanako Hasegawa (馳河 菜々子)
• Langa's mother.

Production

In an interview with Wakanim, Studio No Border founder Thomas Romain said that after meeting with Bones about Carole and Tuesday, him and the other crew at his studio ran into Suzuki, a producer on the show.[7] She asked the studio if they were interested in designing skateboards for an original show, of which they ended up agreeing to do.[7] The skateboards were specifically designed so that they could work if built in real life.[7] Juliette Mercier, who had previous experience designing skateboards, ended up doing most of the designs. After some small changes, they were approved.[7] When it came to the decals, they were purposely stylized to be unique to each character in order to symbolize their personalities. Ayumi Kakei did the designs for Reki and Langa's skateboards, with a "pop" style. French comic book artist Loic Locatelli did the decals for Shadow and Joe, while Thomas Romain did Adam's himself.[7] In total, five different artists from the studio worked on the series, which was a first for them.[7]

The skaterboarders' moves were also inspired by real people, with one example being Miya's style, which has striking similarities to Rodney Mullen's style.[8]

Bones also ran a weekly blog for the series, where they shared various concepts sketches by Hiroko Utsumi alongside each episode's release.[9]

Media

External links