View Poll Results: Who is your favorite Japanese National ladies champ?

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  • Kumiko Sato

    1 1.14%

  • Emi Watanabe

    2 2.27%

  • Midori Ito

    30 34.09%

  • Yuka Sato

    11 12.50%

  • Hanae Yokoya

    0 0%

  • Fumie Suguri

    4 4.55%

  • Shizuka Arakawa

    12 13.64%

  • Miki Ando

    10 11.36%

  • Mao Asada

    18 20.45%
Results 1 to 20 of 20
  1. 01-11-2013, 01:43 PM #1
    TheIronLady
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    Favorite Japanese Nationals Ladies Champion

    Who is your favorite Japanese national ladies champion, and what is your favorite performance by them?

    Kumiko Sato won '67, '68
    http://blog-imgs-18.fc2.com/o/p/e/op...adaetsuko3.jpg

    Emi Watanabe won '73, '74, '75, '76, '77, '78, '79, '80
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzNDUiHkai8

    Midori Ito won '85, '86, '87, '88, '89, '90, '91, '92, '96
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT-dHwXPZc0
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyu8GYBRIjE

    Yuka Sato won '93, '94
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaVpADchwOY

    Hanae Yokoya won '95
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gy-Nzjuxx4

    Fumie Suguri won '97, '01, '02, '03, '06
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEUd-LSfR-U

    Shizuka Arakawa won '98, '99
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3o8u_XKQlU

    Miki Ando won '04, '05, '11
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE0xftARUog

    Mao Asada '07, '08, '09, '10, '12, '13
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1GfZW03lM4
    Last edited by TheIronLady; 01-11-2013 at 02:07 PM.
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  2. 01-11-2013, 01:59 PM #2
    lulu
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    Midori Ito.

    Amongst the national champions list above, my second choice would be Shizuka Arakawa aka Voidy Swan. After Midori and Shizuka, it gets a bit tougher for me to pick a favorite, but probably Mao.
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  3. 01-11-2013, 05:56 PM #3
    Fozzie Bear
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    I noticed a gap in 2000. Upon some googling, I found 2000 Japanese National Champion Chisato Shiina and Chisato Shiina. Some Kwan-esque arms there. Anyone remember anything about her?

    I voted for Fumie. I know it's easy to pick on the old lady nowadays, but she's still my favorite Japanese lady.
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  4. 01-11-2013, 05:58 PM #4
    Vash01
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    Midori forever.

    My second (distant) choice: Mao
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  5. 01-11-2013, 07:08 PM #5
    aidan
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    That's crazy that Shizuka wasn't even able to win her own National Championship for the 7 years preceding her Olympic Gold Medal.
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  6. 01-11-2013, 07:31 PM #6
    Vagabond
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    Why is Chisato Shiina not on this list?

    She totally gets my vote! She could even land a triple salchow sometimes!

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  7. 01-11-2013, 08:11 PM #7
    DaiKozOda
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    Midori for sure.
    I still watch some of her performances from time to time and she has always been one of my fav skaters ever.
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  8. 01-12-2013, 02:18 AM #8
    Amy03
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    No doubt, Mao Asada!
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  9. 01-12-2013, 02:18 AM #9
    TheIronLady
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    As I watch these videos of ladies spanning from 1980-2008, I marvel at what a brilliant tradition of skating the Japanese ladies have created.
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  10. 01-12-2013, 04:45 AM #10
    snoopyskater
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    Is Kumiko Sato related to Yuka Sato?
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  11. 01-12-2013, 06:22 AM #11
    TheIronLady
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    Quote Originally Posted by snoopyskater View Post
    Is Kumiko Sato related to Yuka Sato?
    She is of course Yuka's mother. She is most known today for coaching Mao Asada, among others, with her husband, the famous coach Nobuo Sato (Yuka's father). She was a pretty successful skater in her day. She finished 8th in the 1968 Olympics won by Peggy Fleming. She was Kumiko Ōkawa then.
    Last edited by TheIronLady; 01-12-2013 at 10:07 AM.
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  12. 01-12-2013, 06:26 AM #12
    Akira Andrea
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  13. 01-12-2013, 04:52 PM #13
    snoopyskater
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheIronLady View Post
    She is of course Yuka's mother. She is most known today for coaching Mao Asada, among others, with her husband, the famous coach Nobuo Sato (Yuka's father). She was a pretty successful skater in her day. She finished 8th in the 1968 Olympics won by Peggy Fleming. She was Kumiko Ōkawa then.
    Thank you for replying.
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  14. 01-12-2013, 05:04 PM #14
    orientalplane
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    Midori, my favourite skater of all time.
    "I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in London, that a young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricasie, or a ragoust." ~ 'A Modest Proposal' ~ Jonathan Swift
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  15. 01-12-2013, 08:45 PM #15
    blue_idealist
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fozzie Bear View Post
    I noticed a gap in 2000. Upon some googling, I found 2000 Japanese National Champion Chisato Shiina and Chisato Shiina. Some Kwan-esque arms there. Anyone remember anything about her?

    I voted for Fumie. I know it's easy to pick on the old lady nowadays, but she's still my favorite Japanese lady.
    I'm guessing that Shiina woman won that year since Shizuka and Fumie weren't there for some reason?
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  16. 01-12-2013, 08:49 PM #16
    falling_dance
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    Quote Originally Posted by blue_idealist View Post
    I'm guessing that Shiina woman won that year since Shizuka and Fumie weren't there for some reason?
    She finished ahead of both skaters. Suguri was third, Arakawa fifth.
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  17. 01-13-2013, 02:39 AM #17
    mustafinabars
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    Watanabe for sure. She was the best figure skater in the World from 78-80 and would have dominated without the silly compulsory figures. Well Biellmann and Vodorezova would have challenged her some, but she would have crushed Fratianne, Poetzsch, and Lurz.
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  18. 01-13-2013, 04:26 AM #18
    blue_idealist
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    Ohhh.. I see on Wikipedia that Chisato was a junior level skater when she won, that explains why she wasn't sent to any Senior Worlds.
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  19. 01-13-2013, 04:43 AM #19
    NadineWhite
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    Hmm, I'm not familiar with everybody on the list, nor have I watched Japanese Nationals without fail live or otherwise like I have US Nationals.

    So taking that into account I will have to say Mao Asada is my favorite Japanese National Champion. First & foremost she does the 3axel, my favorite jump, and she alone combines lovely presentation with difficult technical elements, thus she trumps Midori Ito imho, whom was more about the technical aspect than anything else, though she did skate with spark and a friendly smile. Therefore Midori ranks second, and Miki third on my own personal favorite Japanese Champs List.

    ps: here's hoping Mao realizes her dream one day of winning 10 National Titles, just as her legendary coach Mr. Sato has done so in the past.
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  20. 01-13-2013, 08:31 AM #20
    TheIronLady
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    Quote Originally Posted by mustafinabars View Post
    Watanabe for sure. She was the best figure skater in the World from 78-80 and would have dominated without the silly compulsory figures. Well Biellmann and Vodorezova would have challenged her some, but she would have crushed Fratianne, Poetzsch, and Lurz.
    Watching Wantabe at 1980 Worlds, I am struck that she had more energy and verve than her betters in the figures. She would have placed in the medals if she had a stronger figures background. Did she come up initially in Japan where ice time was scarce? I see she graduated from an American high school. How long did she work with Carlo Fassi?

    Emi Watanabe 1980 Worlds FS
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzNDUiHkai8

    It's wonderful to discover that skating has its own lost disco years (check out 1979 SP).

    Emi Watanabe 1979 Worlds SP
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMAih1veFAg
    Last edited by TheIronLady; 01-13-2013 at 09:06 AM.
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