Olympic Gold Medalist Alysa Liu is a Huge Chainsaw Man Fan
On February 6, Alysa Liu represented Team USA in the Figure Skating Team Event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, securing a second-place finish. When combined with the performances of her teammates Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito, Liu’s team clinched the Olympic gold medal on February 8. Not only is Liu known for being the youngest U.S. figure skating national champion in history, but she’s also a huge fan of *Chainsaw Man*, particularly fond of Pochita, the adorable yet powerful companion of the main character, Denji.
Just before the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 6, Liu shared an Instagram story featuring her hugging a cute Pochita plushie, which she carried with her during the interview rounds at the Olympics. Pochita, the Chainsaw Devil from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s popular manga series, plays a crucial role in Denji’s tragic and eventful journey by transforming into his heart.
Liu’s achievements are nothing short of remarkable. She competed in the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, finishing sixth in the women’s singles event, and followed that up with a bronze medal at the 2022 ISU World Figure Skating Championships just a month later. This bronze win made her the first U.S. woman to reach the world podium since 2016. On top of that, Liu is a two-time Grand Prix medalist and a four-time Challenger Series champion. Phillip DiGuglielmo, one of her coaches over the years, praised her exceptional understanding of her craft, stating:
“Nobody understands what they’re doing better than Alysa understands what she’s doing. If we’re working on the technique of a jump, it’s, ‘What are you feeling? What am I seeing? Where can we make this look better?’ It’s a collaboration; it would never be me telling her, ‘Do this!’ That would not fly.”
After receiving her gold medal, Liu accidentally dropped it while celebrating, causing it to get scratched and slightly dented—a mishap that several medalists experienced during the games. In a recent interview, she recounted the incident:
“I was just jumping up and down, as one does to celebrate, and it just dropped. It just literally fell off the ribbon. It got very scratched up, well, not very dented, but pretty dented. I actually liked it when it was off the ribbon, but that’s not allowed. I had to give it in. I was like, ‘Can’t you just fix this one?’ I’m attached. But it’s O.K., I’m detached. Just like it was.”
Andrea Francisi, the chief games operations officer for Milan Cortina, assured that the issue with the medals would be investigated and that any damaged medals would be replaced. Fortunately, Liu received her replacement gold medal shortly thereafter.
While Liu’s professional accolades are impressive on their own—she was also named in the 2019 Time100 Next list—her passion for *Chainsaw Man* and anime, as showcased by her delightful Saiki K. cosplay, adds a charming dimension to her public persona.
