Ok, let’s talk about free skate programs and their meaning.
And I’m sorry, I know y'all have been reading YoI analyses all day, and this one is super long and features zero kisses, but I have a point to make.
Please bear with me. I’m attempting to blow minds here.
Yuri!!! on Ice is very blatant in showing that every choreography tells a story: from the loverboy and the prettiest girl in the town, all the way Beijing assassins as played by the world’s most innocent cinnamon roll.
You have also undoubtedly noticed how Yuri!!! on Ice (the anime) and Yuri on Ice (the song) have the same name.
The free skate program is officially a representation of Yuri’s skating career but I would like to contend that it goes way, way deeper than most of us see.
You see, Yuri on Ice (the choreography) isn’t just a narrative of Yuri’s previous skating career, it’s a meta-narrative of Yuri!!! on Ice (the anime).
ALRIGHT, let’s debunk the discussion of whether Yuri and Viktor kissed or just hugged at the end of episode 7 for once and for all with some cold, hard facts. Because that scene was most definitely, without one single doubt, a kiss.
Let’s start off with the lips. Do you notice anything particular about the way that the lips are displayed in the gif below?
As you can see, it is very noticable that there is an obvious emphasis on the lips, seeing as how they are drawn so shiny and glossy looking.
Why is this of importance? Well, that’s because the only times that the lips have been animated like that before in this show, was when something in particular was about to happen to the lips.
Example 1: Viktor’s thumb rubbing over Yuri’s mouth for the first time
Example 2: Viktor applying chapstick to Yuri’s mouth
See? The only times when the lips were drawn shiny looking, was when something was about to be done with them. And notice how in the first gif, when Viktor leans in, BOTH their lips are shiny and glossy? Hmm I wonder why…. What would they be about to do with both their lips??!! Hmmm….
Secondly, the eyes.
Now, Viktor and Yuri have hugged before many many times. And the only time that Yuri’s eyes have ever widened during their hug, was when Viktor hugged him unexpectedly from behind in episode 5.
However, this time, Yuri was expecting to be hugged. He rushed over to Viktor with his arms wide because he wanted to hug him after his performance went better than expected. If Viktor would only have returned the hug, Yuri would not have been surprised, because it was his own intention to hug him.
But as you can see, Yuri’s eyes widen thoroughly. Viktor was doing something he did not expect.
And not only that; VIKTOR’S EYES CLOSE. Viktor was closing his eyes right as he closed the gap between his and Yuri’s face. And when do people usually close their eyes when leaning in? Oh that’s right: when they are about to kiss someone.
Thirdly, the position of their heads in the zoom out.
Notice how Viktor’s hand is holding the back of Yuri’s head quite firmly? He is obviously pushing his head back in order to be able to press their lips together more firmly. If he wasn’t kissing him, Yuri’s head would firstly be at Viktor’s shoulder, and secondly, the entire side of Viktor’s face could not have been visible if their lips weren’t pressed together, meaning that Viktor could not move his head any closer.
Have you ever hugged someone with your just your cheeks pressing against each other? Yeah, me neither.
And again, THE SHOCKED LOOK ON YURI’S FACE. I CAN NOT PUT ENOUGH EMPHASIS ON THAT.
Now, I understand that the main reason why people think that it’s just a hug, is because when they hit the ice, they are shown to just be hugging, and not kissing.
And I do understand that this could cause confusion, but please note that they were literally falling down onto rock hard ice. If you were falling down when kissing someone, believe me, you would also break the kiss in order to make sure that your partner wouldn’t hit their head on the hard floor (or in this case ice). Viktor was still holding the back of Yuri’s head as they fell down, meaning that he was making sure that he wouldn’t hit his head. Plus, I also don’t think a kiss would be a very pleasant one when your heads would literally be about to hit something hard and cold.
Now, after you’ve read all of this, don’t you dare try to tell me that this was just a hug and not a kiss.