Japanese figure skating 2022-23 season news & updates

tony

Throwing the (rule)book at them
Messages
17,896
Some cleary don't pain attention and try to claim so often that Yuzu isn't even that popular, even if the opposite is proven of the thousandth time. :rolleyes:

His fandom is huge so it's always easy to target a few of them because they are more visible. There are plenty of biased comments, trash talking, screaming etc on Twitter or on all other skating-related platforms from fans of other skaters as well. What about such comments here and here, for example? Many don't notice them or in worse case, they pretend such comments don't exist.

Maybe you are relieved that you got rid of many Yuzu fans, but Japanese TV stations and sponsors can have a lot of worries when it comes to the future of figure skating. And this is what really matters in the end.
First- I never said that the immature behavior was exclusive to Yuzuru fans. But what I can tell you is that you provided me two examples of fans behaving less than tactful when, as someone who isn't even on Twitter, I can go there and find hundreds upon hundreds of ridiculous comments from Yuzuru fanatics in a matter of minutes. You know, it's alright for you to be a huge fan of his and still realize the problem with the behavior of a segment of his fandom rather than pointing the finger everywhere else.

And yes, I am relieved to get rid of the immature behavior of so many of those fans, acting like they are not yet teenagers and having no sense of right and wrong when their fingers go to work on social media. They can run off to the next big thing that hopefully isn't in skating.

ETA- Japanese skating will rebound, and it's everyone else's loss if they don't see what they already have at the moment. So many glorious skaters way down the standings in men and women (including current World Champions), a top-level pair team, and two good dance teams with more interest in that discipline than ever before.
 
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Sylvia

TBD
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81,173
ETA- Japanese skating will rebound, and it's everyone else's loss if they don't see what they already have at the moment. So many glorious skaters way down the standings in men and women (including current World Champions), a top-level pair team, and two good dance teams with more interest in that discipline than ever before.
THIS! :)

@ShuPa, I know you are updating Hanyu's fan thread regularly but feel free to create a thread in GSD about Hanyu's big show at the Tokyo Dome next month: https://olympics.com/en/news/hanyu-yuzuru-tokyo-dome-gift-february-2023
Five months removed from competitive figure skating, the two-time Olympic champion stunningly announced on Monday (5 December) his next project, a one-night only performance at the 55,000-seater on 26 February 2023.
He is calling it 'Gift', as a token of appreciation to everyone who supported him throughout his career.
Like Prologue, Hanyu will be the only performer in Gift.
“I’ll be on my own for Tokyo Dome as well”, Hanyu said in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, after wrapping up the fifth and final show of Prologue that started in Yokohama last month.
Hanyu will be the first figure skater ever to perform at the Tokyo Dome, home to Japanese baseball’s Yomiuri Giants but also serves as an arena reserved for the world’s biggest entertainers.
 
S

ShuPa

Guest
First- I never said that the immature behavior was exclusive to Yuzuru fans. But what I can tell you is that you provided me two examples of fans behaving less than tactful when, as someone who isn't even on Twitter, I can go there and find hundreds upon hundreds of ridiculous comments from Yuzuru fanatics in a matter of minutes. You know, it's alright for you to be a huge fan of his and still realize the problem with the behavior of a segment of his fandom rather than pointing the finger everywhere else.

And yes, I am relieved to get rid of the immature behavior of so many of those fans, acting like they are not yet teenagers and having no sense of right and wrong when their fingers go to work on social media. They can run off to the next big thing that hopefully isn't in skating.

ETA- Japanese skating will rebound, and it's everyone else's loss if they don't see what they already have at the moment. So many glorious skaters way down the standings in men and women (including current World Champions), a top-level pair team, and two good dance teams with more interest in that discipline than ever before.

The discussion was about TV ratings in Japan and Japanese audiences in general but you started to comment about a portion of his fandom which isn’t Japanese, and I’m not sure you are even aware of this. :confused: Anyway, as I said, his fandom is huge, it is natural that there are many comments/tweets etc from them so it’s easier to find opinions you disagree with, but if I wanted I could also post hundreds of comments from Yuzu antis, though I won’t do that.

THIS! :)

@ShuPa, I know you are updating Hanyu's fan thread regularly but feel free to create a thread in GSD about Hanyu's big show at the Tokyo Dome next month: https://olympics.com/en/news/hanyu-yuzuru-tokyo-dome-gift-february-2023

Maybe someone else will create a thread. Sorry, I’m not interested in yet another thread in which some regular posters will continue to obsess over his fans.
 

tony

Throwing the (rule)book at them
Messages
17,896
The discussion was about TV ratings in Japan and Japanese audiences in general but you started to comment about a portion of his fandom which isn’t Japanese, and I’m not sure you are even aware of this. :confused: Anyway, as I said, his fandom is huge, it is natural that there are many comments/tweets etc from them so it’s easier to find opinions you disagree with, but if I wanted I could also post hundreds of comments from Yuzu antis, though I won’t do that.
First of all, my initial post commented on the idea that he wasn't filling up arenas in Japan and elsewhere (note my mention of Canada in my first post, for starters). He definitely was. And I'm still, in my third post on the topic, sticking by two things: that crazy fandom that exists solely to follow Yuzuru won't be missed, and Japanese skating will move on without him if not at this very moment.

See bolded- please give it a rest about 'disagreements'. Anyone who talks constantly about how x skater should die or have bad things happen to them, because there was a rut in the ice or they got in the way of Yuzuru unintentionally during a warmup is not an opinion I disagree with. It's disgusting behavior.
 
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Sylvia

TBD
Messages
81,173
Maybe someone else will create a thread.
Well it IS a big deal for Hanyu to be able to stage a show in the Tokyo Dome.

Anyway, I would REALLY appreciate if we could keep this thread focused on news for the many talented Japanese skaters who are currently competing - there's always the Trash Can forum (and a thread created for that purpose) for further "debates" about Fanyus.
 

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
81,173
Yuhana Yokoi has announced her retirement.
Here's an blog article in English:
Excerpts:
“My mom worked part time when I was in kindergarten,” she said. “Ever since I became an athlete, she worked as a full-time employee, and she worked a lot.”
She said she looked upon Japanese skaters like Yukari Nakano and Fumie Suguri when she was young.
But she then realised that every skater was different in their own way, she said.
Since young, she would like to be a skater who entertains the audience, Yokoi said.
Figure skating was fascinating as she could walk in others’ shoes through the acting, and had a taste of others’ life, she said.
“The audience seemed to have enjoyed my performance,” Yokoi said. “So I guess I have achieved that.”
Revisiting her 14-year career, the 2017 All-Japan Figure Skating Championships vividly stayed in her heart.
She said it was her first time receiving a standing ovation in a national competition.
“The cheers and the round of applause, those made me very emotional,” Yokoi said. “Till now, I’m still touched recalling those moments.”
Yokoi said she had been entertaining people with her skating, and from now on, she would like to spread positivity on her own.
And she said she wanted to work for something figure skating-related.
“I still like figure skating very much,” she said.
She would also like to be a senior-like figure to younger skaters, Yokoi said.
Yokoi said it’s because she liked teaching people and it would be nice if she could give advice to others, like what she did in the rink she practiced.
She said with a smile that there were many great next generation skaters.
“Everyone is doing amazing,” Yokoi said.
“After all, figure skating is an expressive sport,” she said. “I hope everyone find things that only you can do.”
 

livetoskate

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,029
Here's my fancam video of Miura and Kihara's short program.

I have a fledgling skating channel that hardly gets any views, but this video has over 20k views so far. It shows how popular skating is in Japan! Meanwhile, the video of Deanna & Maxime only has 200 or so views, and the one of Chan/Howe doesn't even have 100 views. No wonder skaters like Jason Brown have been learning Japanese!
 

livetoskate

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,029
Congrats to Mone Chiba on winning the bronze last night. She skated with such lightness and musicality. After getting her medal, she couldn't do a victory lap right away because so many fans wanted to take her picture and talk to her. I always remember her as Yuzuru Hanyu's former training partner and friend. He was waving and calling at her at Japanese nationals a few years back.
 

Sylvia

TBD
Messages
81,173
Congrats to Mone Chiba on winning the bronze last night. She skated with such lightness and musicality. After getting her medal, she couldn't do a victory lap right away because so many fans wanted to take her picture and talk to her. I always remember her as Yuzuru Hanyu's former training partner and friend. He was waving and calling at her at Japanese nationals a few years back.
Glad you were able to enjoy her lovely performance in person, @livetoskate! :) Copying out Mone's translated quotes from the ISU's 4CC Women's Press Conference Highlights document from last night:

Mone Chiba (JPN) 2023 Four Continents bronze medalist
Regarding today's performance I was able to successfully land all of my jumps so I'm very happy about that. My skating itself was maybe not as grand or big as I would have liked, but I'm still definitely satisfied with today's performance.
(on the possibility of a future Olympics, what kind of skater would she like to be and which skater she aspires to be like)
I certainly did not even dream that I would be able to get the bronze medal so I am very surprised and also equally very pleased. In terms of my age I believe that the Milan Olympics (in 2026) is when I will get to be at my peak performance so that's what I am currently aiming for. In the future I would like to become a skater who excels in skating, in spins and jumps - can do everything - that's my ideal skater. There are many skaters that I respect and admire - both women and men - but I'd like to give out Yuzuru Hanyu's name since we are from the same rink as somebody I completely admire.
(on skating before a U.S. audience)
The audience in the U.S. gave a very energetic support and they were able to feed power to my performance so I really enjoyed the very fun atmosphere here.

Chiba mentioned in her ISU Quick Quote that her next international will be Coupe de Printemps, March 17-19, in Luxembourg.

ETA the 4CC results for the JPN women:

BRONZE Mone CHIBA 204.98 7 2 (ISU SB/PB FS score of 137.70 with 3Lz+3Tq & 5 more clean triples landed)
5 Rinka WATANABE 200.50 8 4 (opening 3A in FS was clean = 8.8 points; fell out of her 3A< in SP); next up: Worlds
8 Hana YOSHIDA 189.60 10 7 (stepped out of her 3A in SP & fell on her 3A in FS, both called rotated)
 
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Sylvia

TBD
Messages
81,173
4CC results for the JPN men:

GOLD Kao MIURA 281.53 1 1 (189.63 in FS) - both are his new ISU SB/PB scores; Junior Worlds is next for him
BRONZE Shun SATO 259.14 6 3 (178.33 in FS) - maybe Coupe de Printemps in LUX is his final comp.?
11 Koshiro SHIMADA 217.85 10 8 (143.79 in FS)

Both Miura, 17 (will turn 18 in June), and Sato, 19 last week, were very supportive and complimentary of each other :) in the press conference last night - I've copied out their translated words (from the ISU document) below.

Kao Miura (JPN) 2023 ISU Four Continents Champion
Today was amazing because, just before I went on the ice, Keegan put on such an amazing program and the whole atmosphere was completely different and I was able to actually go with that flow. So he gave me a lot of energy by setting that wonderful program in front of me. And I was able to really skate well, I was happy about my components and everything I was able to do. I was able to make sure I had the right speed at certain times and also take it slow, or maybe relax, at some moments. I was really happy I was able to do that.
(on being on the podium together at Four Continents with his teammate)
Ever since we came here we were really psyched up and ready that we would go on the podium together. Shun put on such a wonderful free skating and I thought that I needed to make sure I could keep up with him. I had to step up to the occasion. Just around lunch today, Shun was telling me a year ago exactly he was undergoing surgery today, so I could really imagine how tough it must have been for him. But he never was demotivated - he persevered and worked hard and at the end he got his medal, so I think that's going to really give him a lot of energy and motivation throughout his long skating career. And I was really happy for him and I was happy for myself too because I have such a great rival and a friend on the ice together at this competition.
(on the effects of the altitude)
I don't really know why but compared to the free skating, the short program was tough for me. Regarding the free today, maybe because I had no mistakes and was going on a perfect pace, it really wasn't much different from the usual figure skating. But in the short program, it was just so tough - I had to push myself. Then with the dry air, my throat was so dry and I couldn't breathe at the end, and when I finished I was still in pain.
(on how he was energized for his free skate)
To begin with today, I forgot my costume! Thanks to help from everybody, I was able to get my costume in time so that gave me enough energy to begin with. The spectators were wonderful. Shun, Keegan and everybody was skating with great energy, creating great flow and atmosphere here. So all of that energy just accumulated inside me - I should say crystallized - but it just exploded in my performance!
(on being the youngest competitor in the event compared to Keegan Messing who is the oldest)
Keegan and I are 14 years difference, I think? I watched him as a little boy and I aspired to be like him in skating. Isn't it just amazing about this sport that we can be here together like this.
(on whether he is the Beauty or the Beast)
Today I think that Beauty did appear a little bit during my choreo(graphy), but I don't have any Beauty quality in me, so of course I am the Beast!

Shun Sato (JPN) 2023 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist
Last year just about this time I was undergoing surgery and right now, a year later, I won the third place at Four Continents. So I really want to show last year's me that I was able to do so much this year. Still, this season the short program is not consistent, I've been having problems with it. I still have one competition left and so I want to make sure I nail a perfect short program at that next competition.
(on being on the podium together at Four Continents with his teammate)
In this competition I was really happy to win the bronze medal but I think it's thanks to Kao. I owe him that much because after the short program I was really down. Yesterday we spent some time together, relaxing together, playing games, and he said "you know, we're going to be on the podium together" and it really helped me get rid of the tension and nerves today. I look forward to competing against and with him and we'll improve each other and I hope we will have many such occasions in our career.
(on the effects of the altitude)
Yesterday we were watching the women's free skating and they were all putting on wonderful, perfect performances so we said we had to keep up with that. Altitude is no excuse and we just wanted to make sure we skated to the very end with our full energy.

Keegan Messing also spoke highly of them both - will post what he said in the presser in the Canadian Men's news thread next (ETA): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2022–23-canadian-men-news-and-updates.109755/page-4#post-6392188
 
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kwanette

Fetalized since 1998
Messages
3,455
4CC results for the JPN men:

GOLD Kao MIURA 281.53 1 1 (189.63 in FS) - both are his new ISU SB/PB scores; Junior Worlds is next for him
BRONZE Shun SATO 259.14 6 3 (178.33 in FS) - maybe Coupe de Printemps in LUX is his final comp.?
11 Koshiro SHIMADA 217.85 10 8 (143.79 in FS)

Both Miura, 17 (will turn 18 in June), and Sato, 19 last week, were very supportive and complimentary of each other :) in the press conference last night - I've copied out their translated words (from the ISU document) below.

Kao Miura (JPN) 2023 ISU Four Continents Champion
Today was amazing because, just before I went on the ice, Keegan put on such an amazing program and the whole atmosphere was completely different and I was able to actually go with that flow. So he gave me a lot of energy by setting that wonderful program in front of me. And I was able to really skate well, I was happy about my components and everything I was able to do. I was able to make sure I had the right speed at certain times and also take it slow, or maybe relax, at some moments. I was really happy I was able to do that.
(on being on the podium together at Four Continents with his teammate)
Ever since we came here we were really psyched up and ready that we would go on the podium together. Shun put on such a wonderful free skating and I thought that I needed to make sure I could keep up with him. I had to step up to the occasion. Just around lunch today, Shun was telling me a year ago exactly he was undergoing surgery today, so I could really imagine how tough it must have been for him. But he never was demotivated - he persevered and worked hard and at the end he got his medal, so I think that's going to really give him a lot of energy and motivation throughout his long skating career. And I was really happy for him and I was happy for myself too because I have such a great rival and a friend on the ice together at this competition.
(on the effects of the altitude)
I don't really know why but compared to the free skating, the short program was tough for me. Regarding the free today, maybe because I had no mistakes and was going on a perfect pace, it really wasn't much different from the usual figure skating. But in the short program, it was just so tough - I had to push myself. Then with the dry air, my throat was so dry and I couldn't breathe at the end, and when I finished I was still in pain.
(on how he was energized for his free skate)
To begin with today, I forgot my costume! Thanks to help from everybody, I was able to get my costume in time so that gave me enough energy to begin with. The spectators were wonderful. Shun, Keegan and everybody was skating with great energy, creating great flow and atmosphere here. So all of that energy just accumulated inside me - I should say crystallized - but it just exploded in my performance!
(on being the youngest competitor in the event compared to Keegan Messing who is the oldest)
Keegan and I are 14 years difference, I think? I watched him as a little boy and I aspired to be like him in skating. Isn't it just amazing about this sport that we can be here together like this.
(on whether he is the Beauty or the Beast)
Today I think that Beauty did appear a little bit during my choreo(graphy), but I don't have any Beauty quality in me, so of course I am the Beast!

Shun Sato (JPN) 2023 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist
Last year just about this time I was undergoing surgery and right now, a year later, I won the third place at Four Continents. So I really want to show last year's me that I was able to do so much this year. Still, this season the short program is not consistent, I've been having problems with it. I still have one competition left and so I want to make sure I nail a perfect short program at that next competition.
(on being on the podium together at Four Continents with his teammate)
In this competition I was really happy to win the bronze medal but I think it's thanks to Kao. I owe him that much because after the short program I was really down. Yesterday we spent some time together, relaxing together, playing games, and he said "you know, we're going to be on the podium together" and it really helped me get rid of the tension and nerves today. I look forward to competing against and with him and we'll improve each other and I hope we will have many such occasions in our career.
(on the effects of the altitude)
Yesterday we were watching the women's free skating and they were all putting on wonderful, perfect performances so we said we had to keep up with that. Altitude is no excuse and we just wanted to make sure we skated to the very end with our full energy.

Keegan Messing also spoke highly of them both - will post what he said in the presser in the Canadian Men's news thread next (ETA): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/threads/2022–23-canadian-men-news-and-updates.109755/page-4#post-6392188
TY, very sweet..
 

denise3lz

Active Member
Messages
142
Oda vs Hamada lawsuit.

Hamada won, Oda lost.
 

Frau Muller

From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
Messages
22,542
Oda vs Hamada lawsuit.

Hamada won, Oda lost.
Wow! So her joy in Calgary, coaching Shimada, is double sweet.
 

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