Takahashi to Make a Comeback

[Kateri]

I saw a grainy clip of a skit from a Japanese gameshow a few years ago. His face was covered, but someone was skating between a bunch of obstacles, and I knew it was Takahashi just from the way his feet moved. Because no one else moves like THAT.

Anyway, I don't care if he can do all the jumps, I'm so excited to see new competitive programmes from him. Nobody skates like he does, and I don't think it's something he could lose if he tried.

 

[Angela-Fan]

YAY!!

 

[PRlady]

Be still my heart. What great news!

 

[Lis]

Yeeeees

 

[Jammers]

Ummm what? Is this a April fools joke? Post Olympic seasons are always a bit weird with depleted fields meaning skaters winning World titles or medals that they never come close to winning again as the depth gets built up again but this takes the cake. Maybe Joubert and Plushenko can come back too.

 

[centerpt1]

I hope he does very, very well. Now we need Oda and Abbott back. I wish there was a pro competition circuit for the retired skaters.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

I’m. So. Pumped!

 

[Stephanie]

Wow! I did not expect that.

Given that he likely made the decision a while ago, it's interesting that Takahashi did not apply for two GPs as a comeback skater. Or does that possibility not exist anymore?

Even if his TES probably won't be competitive, it'll be great to see Takahashi again. I wish him all the best with this.

There's always the TBD at NHK

 

[rosewood]

Q&A from the press conference (in Japanese).
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180701-00000234-sph-spo

ETA:
He thinks it'll be a one-year comeback. He started training from April. Coach Utako Nagamitsu gives him advices. His goal at this point is Japan Nats and doesn't think about international competition at this point. He's capable of doing 3A now and wishes to do two different quads if possible.
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180701-00000063-mai-spo

 

[nimi]

Q&A from the press conference (in Japanese).
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180701-00000234-sph-spo

ETA:
He thinks it'll be a one-year comeback. He started training from April. Coach Utako Nagamitsu gives him advices. His goal at this point is Japan Nats and doesn't think about international competition at this point. He's capable of doing 3A now and wishes to do two different quads if possible.
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20180701-00000063-mai-spo

some google translated excerpts:

Until now I was fighting in the part of "I want to meet expectations", but from now on I thought "I want to do it for myself, not for someone." Although I am selfish, but I do it for myself I want to"

Preach!!!

- On the stage of the world.
"At the moment we can not imagine ahead, but if it is, if you have a chance, I will decide after deciding whether or not I should go there, I do not want to disturb junior skater"

I take it that he's not interested in getting the NHK host spot.

"I was dancing in the meantime and there is a change in the body.I also made muscle to reinforce with the muscle train that I have not done.It is a different way of making it and heading for return in a completely different body ing"

Can you imagine those L4 stsqs with even more impressive dance skills and body movement?!? *dies*

- Want to win the Pyeongchang Olympic gold meddling Yuzuri and the same silver Uno Masato players?
"Well, I would like to win if it can win, but I do not feel like winning at all, I want to keep on getting on it, it is a challenger from Ichi and there is nothing to lose. If I win the medalist I make a profit (laugh). In another dimension.Who sees it is pulling the world.When at the same level ... If you enter in the All Japan Championship of December, I will enter in the final group and I want to practice with them for 6 minutes together. "

So... If I understand correctly, his goal is to make the last warm-up group @ Japanese Nats FS with Yuzu and Shoma...?


ETA: Found this on twitter (https://twitter.com/Iron_Klaus/status/1013410921463603203)

#DaisukeTakahashi will be competing at the #Kinki regionals in October and at that Western Japan competition in November.

Imagine going to your 1st regionals and competing against The Legend

 

[Sylvia]

Kyodo News article in English:
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports...kahashi-announces-return-competition-stunner/

... But he said Sunday that watching skaters compete at last year’s Japan national championships made him rethink his decision.
“Watching those skaters from different backgrounds, with varied goals inspired me. I began to think, ‘I want to be pumped up and competing again. I want to skate,’ ” he said. “I began feeling that was what I really wanted to do, and that feeling grew and grew.
“I know it will be difficult to make up for the four-year absence, but I want to push my body, train and perform to feel a sense of accomplishment, which I didn’t have when I retired,” he said.

Takahashi’s coach, 67-year-old Utako Nagamitsu, blamed herself for Takahashi retiring before he was really ready to walk away.
“Four years ago, at the worlds, his (right) knee was in bad shape,” Nagamitsu said. “It was my recommendation that if he was too worried about it he should quit. That was the worst instruction and it held him back.
“I’ll be so happy if he can return to compete at the nationals.”

ETA:

This is cute: https://twitter.com/SPARK_fujitv/status/1013425093618196480

 

[kittyjake5]

Full video clip of Dai's press conference.

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20180701/k10011503801000.html

 

[Meredith]

What wonderful news!

 

[rosewood]

.....

ETA: Found this on twitter (https://twitter.com/Iron_Klaus/status/1013410921463603203)

#DaisukeTakahashi will be competing at the #Kinki regionals in October and at that Western Japan competition in November.

Imagine going to your 1st regionals and competing against The Legend

Miki went through the same path to the Nats. In Mao's case the local fed said they can't afford to have that big star in their regional for the reasons such as they need bigger house for a big audience etc. So she had to start her season from Japan Open for bye even though her original plan was to join the regionals in her hometown. I think it was one of the reasons that increased strain on her body. Happy Daisuke can start from a small competition that gives him less pressure than starting from Japan Open.

 

[LilJen]

Good for him! Hope his knee is much happier these days and that he simply enjoys every minute, regardless of results. I'm sure he'll give us some awesome performances.

 

[Finnice]

The threesome number of Takahashi, Lambiel and Kostner at Ice Legends 2016 is still the best show number ever for me. There is always room for an artist like Daisuke.

 

[blue_idealist]

Emanuel came in 11th at Canadian Nats when he tried to make a comeback...but he did it without a coach, and he wasn't quite a Dai-level competitor even at the best of times. I certainly hope he does better than that if he's going to put himself through all of the stress and media attention. Working with Mishin is a good start...

Daisuke coming back is more like Patrick coming back (albeit with a few more years off) than Emanuel coming back. Emanuel had never even won a world medal in his prime, while Takahashi was a multiple-time world champion with an OBM.

 

[nimi]

English translation of Dai's Q&A from the press conference:
https://fstranslations.tumblr.com/post/175442420489/daisuke-takahashi-figure-skating-has-to-be-the

Some kind of news clip showing him doing 3S & 3A in practice:
https://twitter.com/mkm_the_future/status/1013410823400710144

Short snippet of a new program:
https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1011423112645218304

 

[peibeck]

WHAT?!?!?!?

Can someone get on the phone with Joubert and convince him to come back too?

 

[ostile17]

The video of the whole FUJI TV program he took part in today after the press conference with clips from training and more.

Benoit Richaud is choreographing his FS and David Wilson his SP

S- Park
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6nbee0

With partial, rough translation:
Daisuke san decided to come back then and there at Japan Nationals 2017
And the first person he told about his decision was his trainer Watanabe san. (Utako sensei was busy taking care of her skater at the competition). He just happened to see Watanabe san at the time, and since he lives in Hokkaido he thought once he missed this chance he he could not tell him about it for a while, so he told him that. Watanabe san was very surprised, telling "not expected THAT!"
He told Utako sensei about that during the New Years Eve celebration, (it was after the countdown actually so it was New Year already) So she was telling that it was a great New year surprise.
He hasn't started to practice quads yet, trying not to rush, but feeling not bad about it.

When he was asked what is his objective, he replied that ***it is to get to the final group at Japan Nationals***

Q: How long did it take you from when you felt like coming back to when you actually decided to do it?
A: Almost the same time
And about new program
Q: What did you find about the new 4 minutes FS (along with the topic of the new ISU rules that may give him advantages)
A: it could be harder, (busier with the elements) with only one jump minus that's only a short time, but I still have to see it skating in.
He explained his decision had been made before the rule change announcement and the change does not necessarily give him advantage.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6nbkla

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I didnt see this coming at all...

But I loved his skating. Wonder if he will have quads now that you dont necessarily need many of them.

How cool.

And a bit shocking... Well this and Li doing pairs......

 

[nimi]

Wonder if he will have quads now that you dont necessarily need many of them.

He talked about quads in the Q&A. See my post above (#48) for the link to English fan translation.
Here's an excerpt:

For quads… I’m hoping at least 2 kinds twice (laughs). I think I have to become at least able to jump that much. As I practice, I think I’m getting better than a few of the younger skaters, so I can still see it maybe happening. Even then, I need to be careful to not force my body too much all of a sudden, so I will not rush too much and take it slowly. I’m still feeling good about it though. I’d like to put at least 2 kinds twice.

ETA: Apparently there's a mistake in the original Japanese article and Dai said 'kohan', not 'kohai', so he's actually saying his jumps now are getting better than they were in the latter part of his competitive career (or something to that effect; source).

 

[Kateri]

Obviously he's being super-humble about everything (eg laughing about his chances of beating Hanyu/Uno), but it was interesting that he said he wasn't sure if it was right for him to compete internationally, even if he made the team, because he felt it was fairer to let the younger skaters get the experience.

 

[Kasey]

Wow! I doubt he'll be overly competitive, either in Japan or abroad, with the current upswing of quad jumps; but who cares, if it means we get more of competition Daisuke!! Such a gorgeous skater!

 

[ostile17]

Obviously he's being super-humble about everything (eg laughing about his chances of beating Hanyu/Uno), but it was interesting that he said he wasn't sure if it was right for him to compete internationally, even if he made the team, because he felt it was fairer to let the younger skaters get the experience.

Oh rest assured, should he make the team JSF will make him go!!

 

[MINAM]

I'm surprised and happy. I have something to look forward to.
If Kimiko Date can make a comeback, so can Takahashi!

 

[oleada]

OMG

 

[WillyElliot]

Yes, and he still came in 11th? It wasn't much of a comeback at all, that was my point. Obviously I don't want to see Dai embarrass himself or get compared to Fumie Suguri. But I love him and hope it works out.

I'm excited for Dai! He was always my favorite. He's no Fumie. He's only 32. Fumie recently turned 49. No comparison. Poor Fumie..... I'm sure there is some club competition that she's already planning to mount her own comeback at this summer. Fumie for OlyGold2022!

 

[zebraswan]

I'm excited for Dai! He was always my favorite. He's no Fumie. He's only 32. Fumie recently turned 49. No comparison. Poor Fumie..... I'm sure there is some club competition that she's already planning to mount her own comeback at this summer. Fumie for OlyGold2022!

49?!! She's 37 (and retired in 2014). Are you confusing her with 48-year-old Midori Ito?

 

[blue_idealist]

I'm excited for Dai! He was always my favorite. He's no Fumie. He's only 32. Fumie recently turned 49. No comparison. Poor Fumie..... I'm sure there is some club competition that she's already planning to mount her own comeback at this summer. Fumie for OlyGold2022!

Fumie is 37. Midori Ito will be 49 in August...