The Mao cheer thread #3 - "For the love of skating"

[rosewood]

Guys, it's just reported Mao announced her retirement!
https://twitter.com/tokai_newsone/status/851433342918549505

Can't open her official site right now since it says its server is down, but according to media reports she announced her retirement on her official site.

 

[rosewood]

Message from Mao

突然ですが、私、浅田真央は、フィギュアスケート選手として終える決断を致しました。今まで、長くスケートが出来たのも、たくさんの事を乗り越えてこれたのも、多くの方からの支えや応援があったからだと思います。ソチオリンピックシーズンの世界選手権は最高の演技と結果で終える事ができました。その時に選手生活を終えていたら、今も選手として復帰することを望んでいたかもしれません。実際に選手としてやってみなければ分からない事もたくさんありました。復帰してからは、自分が望む演技や結果を出す事が出来ず、悩む事が多くなりました。そして、去年の全日本選手権を終えた後、それまでの自分を支えてきた目標が消え、選手として続ける自分の気力もなくなりました。このような決断になりましたが、私のフィギュアスケート人生に悔いはありません。これは、自分にとって大きな決断でしたが、人生の中の１つの通過点だと思っています。この先も新たな夢や目標を見つけて、笑顔を忘れずに、前進していきたいと思っています。皆様、今までたくさんの応援、本当にありがとうございました

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20170410-01805741-nksports-spo

 

[text_skate]

Guys, it's just reported Mao announced her retirement!
https://twitter.com/tokai_newsone/status/851433342918549505

Can't open her official site right now since it says its server is down, but according to media reports she announced her retirement on her official site.

Oh no !!! Understandable. Anyhow I hoped she would stay. I liked her programs this season so much and I will certainly miss her.

 

[clairecloutier]

Thank you for telling us @rosewood. I had a feeling this day was coming, but I'm still very sad. :-(

I'm going to miss her tremendously. But I'm glad I was able to see her live at one of her last competitions (Skate America).

 

[chapis]

I just can´t stop crying, Thanks God I am alone.

 

[rosewood]

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20170410-01805741-nksports-spo
(my quick and rough translation of Mao's retirement message)

It's a sudden announcement but I, Mao Asada, decided to put a period to my competitive career. I've been able to skate for a long time. I could get over lots of difficulties. I owe them to everyone who supported and rooted for me. I was able to finish the Worlds of Sochi Olys season with my best skates. If I finished my career at the time, I might have been spending time with wishing to make a comeback still now. There were lots of things that I didn't know before I actually made a comeback. After making a comeback, I was not able to reach my skates or results that I wished, and it made me feel down many times. Then, after finishing this season's Nationals, my goals that had encouraged me until the time disappeared, and I lost all my energy to continue my competitive life. Now I've come to this conclusion. I have nothing to regret about my life as a competitive skater. It was a big decision to me. But at the same time, I take it as one of pass points in my life. I wish I'll find new dreams and new goals, and keep going forward on my way, and will not forget smiling. Everyone, I'm truly gratitude for every support from you up to today.

 

[iordachefan]

She's had a very legendary career and is without a doubt one of the most artistic skaters of all time. Piano Concerto No. 2 @ the Sochi Olympics is my favorite skating performance of all time, it always makes me tear up.

 

[Spun Silver]

It sounds like she took plenty of time to think it through and is at peace, and she has a whole new exciting life ahead of her. She's only 26! Thank you for making skating so beautiful, Mao! Godspeed!

 

[ilovepaydays]

Not surprised by this news, but I wish Mao all the best. She is one of the greatest of all time.

I hope that she will perform in shows. I would be excited if she came and performed in the U.S. or Canada.

 

[Vash01]

It came as a surprise to me. I really thought she was going to make a comeback next season. I am sad for myself but I hope she will be happy with her decision.

 

[gotoschool]

I have already made most of my comments on the special thread created for Mao's retirement and I am a bit overwhelmed with emotion because Mao is my all time favorite. I just hope she gains great satisfaction out of whatever she decides to do and that I get to see videos of her performances in The Ice and hopefully Ice Legends and many other exhibitions, where she can give her artistry free reign and not be worried about being constrained by the system any more. I will just post this long list of many of Mao's best performances all in one place. Mao, you are truly amazing. I feel so fortunate that I was around the same time as you to see such classic performances.

I have posted most all of these videos before, but since this is a special but sad day I decided to put as many high quality videos I can find of her performances in one place:

Here are the ones I have found:

Here is a high quality 1440 resolution of Mao's fabulous 4CC 2013 SP I Got Rhythm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLJc48Az10o


Here is a 4K video of Mao's Cup of Russia Scheherazade Sp performance 2011: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLagVGDDey8


And another 4K version of Mao's Worlds 2014 SP Nocturne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIkD2wwjaik


The 4K parade of Mao's past skates continues to amaze. Well actually 1440

Trophy de France SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKFAHMX1wJM


4CC Mary Poppins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw3TgIlewR8


Mao's Sochi LP 1440: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hob5DEkR9U

Jupiter and Encore 2011 at Cup of Russia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNDl_RO1uUk

2008 Worlds Fantasy for Violin SP no commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMtJ_0yTKtc

2013 Swan Lake Worlds no commentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCHdQFKDzlA

Worlds LP 2008 Fantasie Impromptu no commentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSCpgt79JMc

Madame Butterfly at Worlds 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvUXq2PVNNE

Here are some more very high quality video (1080 60 fps) of Mao's performances:

Claire de Lune at WTT 2009: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xzQiw8019A

Scent of a Woman Worlds 2009: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDO8x78o5xQ

2012 NHK Tophy SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNfS-7asNlg

Here is a magnificent ultra HD (1440) copy of Mao's Cello Suite at Skate America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81TbYtaUXnE

JSC 2011 Ballade (1440): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de_zQMmhDhY

Here is a really high quality fancam of Mao skating to Waltz Masquerade in her beautiful pink dress early in the Olympic season at an exhibition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apferrC2pFE

And here is a high quality video of Caprice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrNSnI3_tYU

And here is the best copy I could find of Scent of a Woman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8QVsi6_rgM

I love the choreography, spirals, spins, step sequences and costumes in all these programs. What a timeless treasure!

Here is a video compilation of Mao's magical step sequences: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6iUCqSzAWk

Here is an outstanding version of Mao's 2007 Worlds LP, one of my favorites from Mao and so emotional: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiTzRinN4_c

Comment from March 28 and high quality video of Mao's Bells of Moscow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUUYRb2mAns

2005 Grand Prix Final:

SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZAoBRmwqsk
LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oc1jxgLD6o

2013 4CC's

SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5s-Rp7s8Tc
LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3zf0D3M1sk

2010 Nationals
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huKegY7tU5I
LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5Ia1Zc1TJI

2011 4CC's great except for two footed triple axel in SP
SP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH70BR9ufow
LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTTxA6MkGIo

Japan Open Madame Butterfly (1080 60 fps): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n8odc0iymo
Cup of China SP(1440): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGgdW21HkUA

 

[gotoschool]

I know this has been posted before, but I don't want to lose the link and I think these comments are the best for understanding Mao and her career at least between 2010-2014. It is a compilation of Mao's comments from the Vancouver Olympics up through her Sochi LP.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQD0k4IgDA4

 

[rosewood]

I'm posting news regarding Mao's retirement on her retirement thread in GSD since probably not many people dare to visit this fan thread in Trash Can and prefer to post there.
https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...ion-share-your-favorite-memories-here.101061/

 

[gotoschool]

Recent photos posted of Mao

2016 SP: http://www.lavenir.net/Assets/Image...0d99eff316_web__scale_0.2538726_0.2538726.jpg

http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/d...11_04_2017_-_figureskating-japan_maoasada.jpg

https://japantoday.scdn2.secure.raxcdn.com/images/size/x/2017/04/urnublicid:ap.org:0b6c776a602d472f985ce69d2224bff1.jpg

http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/Sports/ap/201704101140420578852av


2010: https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/...ts/fd4ca6f356a012cf91ae479d2c4c1a13/photo.jpg

 

[DDNatalia]

I wonder (And expect) that there will be an opportunity during World Team Trophy, for Mao to somehow be acknowledged. I cannot imagine the Japanese skating federation or the ISU would skip this opportunity to have a moment to celebrate her contributions. The media attention alone for such a moment would certainly make it worthwhile for all of the sponsors.

For skating fans, to honor Mao, would be more than well earned.

 

[chapis]

I wonder (And expect) that there will be an opportunity during World Team Trophy, for Mao to somehow be acknowledged. I cannot imagine the Japanese skating federation or the ISU would skip this opportunity to have a moment to celebrate her contributions. The media attention alone for such a moment would certainly make it worthwhile for all of the sponsors.

For skating fans, to honor Mao, would be more than well earned.

I hope not, not with the way the ISU and Japanese federation treated her, I am hoping The Ice will be her real good-bye party, with her real fans.

 

[gotoschool]

Mao, your performances spoke to and opened my soul to a spectrum of emotions I had never known: like a great rainbow whose bright beauty streams from rain your passionate expression and athleticism portray the contrast between the dark and light sides of life in all its magnificent grandeur, which is why you are my favorite skater ever.

 

[gotoschool]

Here is an article about the Rika Chan doll for Mao Asada.

http://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Japan-Trends/Mao-Asada-s-retirement-helps-toymaker-twirl-up-orders

 

[gotoschool]

I think this is one of the best performances Mao has ever done like the Cup of China 2015 SP: her SP runthrough at Worlds 2016. So fluid, intricate and enticing with such fabulous dancing, an acrobatic triple axel and the spread eagle into a triple loop. What a beauty this performance is!

Worlds 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3QDAhYhoQo

really good Rach II runthrough at Sochi with a couple of short breaks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahgjqo5hi2s

 

[gotoschool]

Here is a beautiful and really youthful photo of Mao from the cover of one of her new magazines on amazon with a release. https://postimg.org/image/6dgl5gfu9/

https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E6%B5%85%E...2KAAD8E3AVQNEG

 

[gotoschool]

Here is a fantastic program about Mao to the age of 20 with a lot of great clips of Mao (and some with her sister Mai) in daily life, training, interviews, vacation, eating and some nice videos of her performances. It's almost 3 hours long. Highly recommended. Thanks to largeman for posting the link:

Mao Asada - The Fairy on Ice, at 20 Years Old: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O0g0tNBvuM

 

[rosewood]

I just bought a ticket for THE ICE in Aichi. THE ICE is always held in cities far from my house. But this year is special. So I tried my best to get things sorted. In the beginning of this season I wished to go to JSOI in January to watch Cello Suit. Sad it did not happen. But anyways I'll see her in her first show as a pro-skater.

ETA:
Here is a PR video for this year's THE ICE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn1CFBQ5WNE

(If you enjoy Mao's skates out of competitions, it should be THE ICE to see the best of her.)

 

[chapis]

I just bought a ticket for THE ICE in Aichi. THE ICE is always held in cities far from my house. But this year is special. So I tried my best to get things sorted. In the beginning of this season I wished to go to JSOI in January to watch Cello Suit. Sad it did not happen. But anyways I'll see her in her first show as a pro-skater.

ETA:
Here is a PR video for this year's THE ICE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn1CFBQ5WNE

(If you enjoy Mao's skates out of competitions, it should be THE ICE to see the best of her.)

Great!!, Enjoy it!!

 

[gotoschool]

I just bought a ticket for THE ICE in Aichi. THE ICE is always held in cities far from my house. But this year is special. So I tried my best to get things sorted. In the beginning of this season I wished to go to JSOI in January to watch Cello Suit. Sad it did not happen. But anyways I'll see her in her first show as a pro-skater.

ETA:
Here is a PR video for this year's THE ICE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn1CFBQ5WNE

(If you enjoy Mao's skates out of competitions, it should be THE ICE to see the best of her.)

I am very happy for you, rosewood. I wish I could be there. I was wondering what do you think the chances are of getting better quality or more videos posted than last year. If not, I wonder if performances of The Ice will be sold as DVD's on amazon.

 

[rosewood]

I am very happy for you, rosewood. I wish I could be there. I was wondering what do you think the chances are of getting better quality or more videos posted than last year. If not, I wonder if Mao will sell DVD's of The Ice performances on amazon.

THE ICE is a very popular show. 4-5 TV companies buy the copy rights or they record each stop by themselves. Chukyo TV used to have all the copy rights and they sold the rights to other TV companies when THE ICE was smaller or less known, but these years other companies shoot their own videos by themselves and sell them. Videos of THE ICE are repeatedly aired on paid channel as well for several month by companies who bought the rights. I think it's one of the reasons Chukyo TV gave up keeping their official youtube channel where they used to upload videos of THE ICE. So I guess it's not likely that someone will sell DVDs of THE ICE soon after the show finished...but we can only hope.

 

[Areski]

THE ICE is a very popular show. 4-5 TV companies buy the copy rights or they record each stop by themselves. Chukyo TV used to have all the copy rights and they sold the rights to other TV companies when THE ICE was smaller or less known, but these years other companies shoot their own videos by themselves and sell them. Videos of THE ICE are repeatedly aired on paid channel as well for several month by companies who bought the rights. I think it's one of the reasons Chukyo TV gave up keeping their official youtube channel where they used to upload videos of THE ICE. So I guess it's not likely that someone will sell DVDs of THE ICE soon after the show finished...but we can only hope.

Are you from Japan?

 

[Sylvia]

Are you from Japan?

Yes, rosewood is from Japan. @rosewood, do you want to start the thread for THE ICE in GSD now or wait for more skaters to be confirmed? Thank you so much & for taking the time to translate Mao's retirement press conference in the GSD thread: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/in...rite-memories-here.101061/page-7#post-5058840

I think it's one of the reasons Chukyo TV gave up keeping their official youtube channel where they used to upload videos of THE ICE.

ETA a small anecdote: I got in the elevator at the official 2016 Worlds hotel in Boston and only realized after the door had closed that Mao Asada and a woman accompanying her were the other 2 people in there with me. I didn't say anything to her but remember thinking "this is really cool that I'm in the elevator with Mao Asada and she's not surrounded by tons of fans, just me."

My one big regret was not attending her JGP debut in Long Beach, California in 2004 - that would have been . I'm so glad I was in Kitchener to witness her win 2005 Junior Worlds in person!

 

[gotoschool]

THE ICE is a very popular show. 4-5 TV companies buy the copy rights or they record each stop by themselves. Chukyo TV used to have all the copy rights and they sold the rights to other TV companies when THE ICE was smaller or less known, but these years other companies shoot their own videos by themselves and sell them. Videos of THE ICE are repeatedly aired on paid channel as well for several month by companies who bought the rights. I think it's one of the reasons Chukyo TV gave up keeping their official youtube channel where they used to upload videos of THE ICE. So I guess it's not likely that someone will sell DVDs of THE ICE soon after the show finished...but we can only hope.

If there are not videos on amazon, I guess I will have to hope for people to post videos themselves. I am already nervous about missing Mao's performances.

Most recently posted high quality photos of Mao:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/p7-nihongo-a-20170418.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cuk_FtHWYAAM8rf.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C9FKl0vXoAEpHUd.jpg:large

https://cdn-s3.si.com/s3fs-public/stats/photos/olympics/OLYMPICS_201704101140420578852-P5.JPEG

http://tnimage.taiwannews.com.tw/photos/shares/AP/20170412/2b77c54a2de040f783e2c7eab8815f35.jpg

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/sp-jack-a-20170419.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/20/d6/7c/20d67cb4ad095e4b8924688d0aa67c23.jpg

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/sp-award-a-20170412.jpg

https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/3.../420f65cb7c1371e2d145189b6edc8efb99562094.jpg

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/...ts/fd4ca6f356a012cf91ae479d2c4c1a13/photo.jpg

https://i2.wp.com/www.diceskates.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/img_5181-1.jpg

https://cdn.hk01.com/media/images/513602/xlarge/fda5ca4e23e8d6bd04bd6b6be4fba82b.jpg

http://xsport.ua/upload/news-photos/09-02-2017-sp/9303b0ecd1d12eee5c9caedaed902a43.jpg

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/5235380/images/o-ASADA-MAO-facebook.jpg

https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/_...ports/Eurosport/952046-19599592-2560-1440.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/f0/7b/ac/f07bacfb03c12ae3bff98c21daea01cc.jpg

https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/R.../9c5e690d971f9fb517b641160fe3a06282930151.jpg

http://68.media.tumblr.com/5e163d3e7a0f8b538a61fdaf9121bad6/tumblr_oo76rltIov1v4ru7do1_1280.jpg

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/sp-jack-b-20170419.jpg

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/sp-maomain-z-20170412.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/71/a2/26/71a226aebb0e9e705ca7305e0a570f55.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cuk_At1WcAA_hWb.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cuk_FtFWYAAqnAI.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C9Ek6_YWsAEv2OK.jpg:large



Some good news I read. Mao has 1st, 2nd and 4th place for the best selling products on the sports section amazon japan. She did have 1st, 2nd and 3rd for quite a while.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/bestsellers/books/46462011/ref=zg_b_bs_46462011_1

I also read an article that said all of Mao's sponsor's have decided to continue their contracts with Mao after her retirement. The article said there were 9.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20170421-01811014-nksports-spo

 

[chapis]

W/P did it great at WTT and Kaitlyn showed in the K&C a message ¨We love you Mao¨, so sweet!! https://youtu.be/wKsxo3gbXFc?t=441

 

[chapis]

Kanako retires too Mao and Kanako always were together http://imgur.com/a/8qN3C