Spotlight#140: Infinity

Have you ever wanted to change your fate? If so, maybe you'll get inspired to take that next step through the high-flying webtoon Infinity by two5.

Summary

Since he was young, Daimin Lee gets cursed with an innate talent for dodging. So much so his instinctive evasion has made him the punching bag of his soccer team after costing them several vital games. For a while, Daimin thought he'd never be able to find a sport he was passionate about until he met with Taegyun, a veteran member of the high school fencing team.

Realizing he had no other options, Daimin agrees with his constant insistence. But, once he does, Daimin quickly picks up that his automatic dodging skills mesh well with the sport. Eventually putting the young boy on the path to prove his potential may very well be infinite.

Characters

Daimin: After experiencing a traumatic event, Daimin Lee has developed an automatic talent for dodging. A trait that has left him with a skittish and timid life of self-deprecation. Despite this, when he gets dropped into the fencing club Daimin later develops a newfound pride and determination for the sport.

Tageyun: One of Daimin's treasured seniors, Tageyun has a very energetic and determined mindset. However, his incredibly protective mentoring hides a man suffering from both physical and mental scars from a tragic match, forcing the young man to try and counteract his opponents through sheer skill.

Sangheyon: The fiery redhead of the fencing team Sangheyon is the most aggressive and passionate. So much so that his temper and pride to always do better than his teammates can lead him into trouble.

Gyeongheon: The triumphant ace and "prince" of Daimin's team, Gyeongheon puts much pressure on his skills. His more detached and calm attitude also often creates powerful friction amongst the group. Though in later arcs, it seems they are getting tempered. His goal seems to surpass his older brother, a famous fencer in his own right.

Overview

Infinity was a story that took a while to grow on me. Of course, fencing is a unique sport, but it's still interesting, given its more limited room and less collaborative nature. Look-wise, I also wasn't fucking with the characters a bit either since I felt the bright surroundings, compared to the characters, made them pale.

Over time though, both the visuals and story won me over. Infinity does what every sports series should do. It gives you a solid introduction to Fencing's rules, history, and finer mechanics to give it a nice shine. Daimin being the audience surrogate also means we get to see uniquely see how the others neatly develop their methods of play while he fosters his own.

Combined with the "shiny" art style, which later evolves to give the team a unique spiritual manifestation. Tageyun is the careful owl who stealthy widens the gaps through quick double taps. Sangheyon's fiery temper gets condensed in his brutal counterattacks like a volcano, and Gyeongheon's strikes are fast but straightforward, like a knight in shining armor.

Combined with the stellar choreography, Infinity makes the most of its limitations with impressive action spectacles. Between matches, though, is where the series shines as well. For every pulse-pounding match we have against a foe, we also get plenty of time to see the team's interpersonal conflicts and Daimin's modest rise to development. Aspects that are starting to creep up as the story gets more intense.

Epilogue

Overall Infinity, much like its MC, has much potential for some cool shit down the line. It's still a story in the early stages, so I can't say much about it now, but it has an uplifting core. I hope that, along with Damin's rise, we see his teammate's skills and friendships progress. Until then, though, let's try and joust to where the spotlight will take us next, shall we?