The Shoma Uno fan thread - Go for número UNO!

[tamms]

I am happy for all the medalists but particularly proud of Shoma. He skates like he's been doing this since forever and he's just so mesmerizing to watch. I know that this comparison has been made many times but he does remind me of Daisuke when it comes to selling a program. You can't help but keep your eyes on him.

Haven't caught up on the news yet but I hope he was happy with his LP performance.

 

[rayhaneh]

I am happy for all the medalists but particularly proud of Shoma. He skates like he's been doing this since forever and he's just so mesmerizing to watch. I know that this comparison has been made many times but he does remind me of Daisuke when it comes to selling a program. You can't help but keep your eyes on him.

Haven't caught up on the news yet but I hope he was happy with his LP performance.

He was! In all the post-free skate interviews he stated that he was really happy and satisfied with his performance (which iirc is a first since......JGPF in Barcelona last season, at least in "real" competition since Japan Open doesn't really qualify as such to me).

Several points he made in post-skates interviews at GPF:

- He was actually happy with his SP performance even with the fall because that was the best he has skated that program, especially the steps sequence (crazily enough he did it even better in practice the same day - the fluidity of movement when you take into account the difficulty of the steps, complexity of upper body movement, the edges and the speed of execution was INSANE; in particular the speed of execution is what's impressed me the most because that's something he's clearly worked on since last season)

- Concerning the free skate he was particularly happy with the jumps

- He was surprised to get 190 (I was laughing incredulously too tbh and I don't think his program deserves 89 PCs for a couple of reasons but then again, judges were generous with everyone so......)

- He said that his performance is not a goal in itself but he sees it as a starting point to build upon and to keep aiming higher: at one point he stated that he'd like to aim at getting closer to Yuzuru's level

- Points that he identified for improvement (from memory, I can't find the link to that interview rn and I think I'm missing one of those points) were jumps, upper body movement and musicality

Finally he's just returned to Japan: video clip of his arrival (also including Satoko Miyahara and Sota Yamamoto) can be seen here

 

[rosewood]

So happy Shoma won a medal at GP final in his debut GP circuit. A huge accomplishment for him! So I said this season's LP is a winning (a medal) program. Wish the best for him at Japan Nats!

 

[Sylvia]

Happy 18th birthday to Shoma! Thanks for the heads up, @skateboy!

 

[rayhaneh]

The competition at Japan Nationals will start tomorrow so there has been A LOT of media coverage in Japan.

I've translated this almost 5 minutes report on Shoma by Fuji TV which has been published here

Basically they are talking about his evolution since his first participation in 2011 and where he wants to take his skating starting from now

There's also been a very long interview published by JOC (the Japan Olympic Committee - reminder Shoma is one of 19 Next Symbol Athletes as announced this summer) and I really recommend reading its translation (by one of the two very talented ladies behind the Shoma Uno blog!) here

This is probably one of the most interesting interviews he's given yet and I found the parts about Daisuke Takahashi and how his ultimate goal is to be a skater whose joy of skating comes through in his performance for the audience to be particularly touching and a good reflection of what he has been saying for quite a long time now about skating in general and his own skating in particular. Not that he doesn't care about the technical evolution of the sport, far from it, but it always comes back to his relationship with the audience and the artistic side of the sport for him and it's something I've always found particularly endearing and also refreshing in an environment that has become obsessed with quads lately.....

 

[kittyjake5]

Great interview! Shoma comes across as a sensitive and incredibly focused intelligent young man.

Best of luck to him at Nationals!

 

[Sylvia]

After the SP, Shoma Uno is in 2nd place (97.94): http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3jeho7_shoma-uno-2015-japanese-nationals-sp_sport

 

[rosewood]

Good photos from NYOI (gala show of MWO) held this past weekend.
http://cdn.mainichi.jp/vol1/2016/01/16/20160116hpj00m050051000q/91.jpg
http://cdn.mainichi.jp/vol1/2016/01/16/20160116hpj00m050054000q/91.jpg
http://cdn.mainichi.jp/vol1/2016/01/16/20160116hpj00m050057000q/91.jpg

 

[rosewood]

This article says Shoma landed three 4Lo during the official practice at 4CC. Maybe he will not include 4Lo in programs here but he is getting ready to do 4Lo in near future.
http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=spo&k=2016021700885&utm

Last year he was struggling during this stage of the season with injuries. It's great to see how far he came since then.

You can see Shoma dropped tears at last season's 4CC by placing 5th (30 points lower than D10 who placed 1st) in this video. During the interview Shoma described D10 as a skater he can't win over even if he skates clean. And he says even if he can't win over D10 at this point he wants to make this competition as a step which leads him to higher level at next competition. Shame it's just announced that D10 withdrew from 4CC and Shoma lost the chance to compete with him. D10 is such a wonderful skater whom younger skaters aim at competing with.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3sha0y_0216-現地到着-無良-特別な舞台-ほか_sport

 

[pinky166]

D10 is out so Shoma has a great opportunity to upstage Chan with a vengeance again and win the GOLD!

 

[floskate]

Hope a lovely uber fan has managed to capture some of those quad loops. I'd like to see how close he is on them!

 

[tamms]

4T wasn't great today but that 3A was! Here's to hoping he'll slay the FS!

 

[rosewood]

Here is a video of his graduation from Chukyo Uni's attached Chukyo Sr high school as well as an interview for Worlds. Regarding his performances at 4CC he says he learned aiming at a greater height is more helpful to deliver a good performance than aiming at repeating a good skate he did in the past. It sounds he'll aim at better skates at Worlds than any performances he did so far in this season. He'll enter Chukyo Uni from April. Congrats to him for his new start as a university student.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3xi8mj_2016-03-13-ワールド前宇野選手インタ_tv

 

[DreamSkates]

He is one amazing talent - bet he's got the Olympic gold in his sites. Not sure if anyone can beat Hanyu, however.

 

[Plusdinfo]

Was hoping Shoma would get a top-2 finish, but that may come another year.

Fans who have been following him closely: where did he perform his LP the best this season?

 

[laviemn]

Was hoping Shoma would get a top-2 finish, but that may come another year.

Fans who have been following him closely: where did he perform his LP the best this season?

Probably GPF, but I didn't watch Japanese Nationals.

 

[Pattina]

Takahashi's comment after Shoma's Free (Dai was guest commentator for FujiTV)

https://www.facebook.com/DaisukeTakahashiRoadtoSochi/posts/786613698142864

 

[tamms]

A few thoughts on Shoma after Worlds.

1) I never want to see his sad, crying face again. That poor kid was so shaken up.

2) His musicality really shows. Not that I ever doubted it in the first place but to see it in person was awesome.

3) He will be on a Worlds podium sometime in his career. Maybe a few times even.

4) His jump landings still scare me but the quad in his SP looked better compared to the previous competitions.

5) I hope Shoma at least considers going on a short training camp outside of Japan. He’s young and would probably benefit from other coaches’ help too.

6) Kind of wish he’d work with other choreographers too.

 

[DobrinFan]

Practice photos taken by me Took a lot of photos but most are of him looking down at the ice so yeah, just took the best ones of those
https://flic.kr/s/aHsky8UUvz

 

[Pattina]

Thanks for pics, @DobrinFan!!

Shoma with Akiko, Shizuka, Satoko and Daisuke at SOI Japan 2016 - dressed for their group number

https://twitter.com/TBS_figure/status/720564981310169089

 

[Sylvia]

Shoma goes for 4F in a show (Japan Stars on Ice TV broadcast) - clips from 2 different angles: https://twitter.com/percyperthy/status/720940481576701952

ETA that @rosewood originally posted this link in the Japan SOI thread in GSD earlier today: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...n-virtue-moir-akiko-suzuk.97533/#post-4776574

 

[handomi]

really good attempt, although a bit pre rotated, and definitely under rotated

 

[rosewood]

After Shoma did a 4F in JSOI, he said he will do 4F in competitions next season. I'm not sure he'll work on both 4F and 4Lo as new quads to get settled for next season during this off-season, though. I'd love to see he does 4F together with 3A-1Lo-3F in a LP more than he does 4Lo which he said during an interview after Worlds he'll do in competitions next season too.

 

[skateboy]

After Shoma did a 4F in JSOI, he said he will do 4F in competitions next season. I'm not sure he'll work on both 4F and 4Lo as new quads to get settled for next season during this off-season, though. I'd love to see he does 4F together with 3A-1Lo-3F in a LP more than he does 4Lo which he said during an interview after Worlds he'll do in competitions next season too.

I love his competitive spirit. Excited to see him next season!

 

[rosewood]

Today was the final day of JSOI's Tokyo spot. Shoma attempted 4F(fall) in the second half of Turandot.

 

[handomi]

Brave by him to put that in competition, but that's the only way for him to be considered next season as one of the top. Hanyu propably gonna put 4 Lo in also so it will be exciting with new quad types in competition
We will have ALL quad types beside axel next season

 

[rosewood]

Maybe some of people are interested in score making, but I'd rather follow how he'll grow as a outstanding skater artistic-wise. His -1Lo-3F can be one of his signatures. I love the rhythm of the combo when it is done by Shoma. Doing 4F together with -1Lo-3F (hopefully 3A-1Lo-3F in the near future) may make his long program very impressive. His flip can be woven into programs.

Talking apart from jumps, IMO one of what makes him special is his sense of rhythm. Let me pick up his step-seq part or transitions into spins, the swinging tempo of his blades is insane. Hopefully he'll continue working on artistic side and show us programs that make us get addicted.

 

[tamms]

^ I agree. I normally don't like the single loop combinations because sometimes it just looks tacky, but Shoma can integrate it into his program flawlessly.

And yes, his musicality is amazing!

 

[floskate]

^ I agree. I normally don't like the single loop combinations because sometimes it just looks tacky, but Shoma can integrate it into his program flawlessly.

And yes, his musicality is amazing!

His half loop is one of the best I have ever seen; right up there with Midori Ito's. It's the fact that he gets such great ride out on the double axel and actually treats the half loop as a jump rather than a ropey step out. That quad flip is REALLY good!! Total surprise to me as i thought he was only working on quad loop. Insane to think we might see FIVE different quads in the men's competition next season. I never thought that would happen in my lifetime!

 

[handomi]

His half loop is one of the best I have ever seen; right up there with Midori Ito's. It's the fact that he gets such great ride out on the double axel and actually treats the half loop as a jump rather than a ropey step out. That quad flip is REALLY good!! Total surprise to me as i thought he was only working on quad loop. Insane to think we might see FIVE different quads in the men's competition next season. I never thought that would happen in my lifetime!

Ye, that's huge progress. And propably 2 or 3 4-quad LP. Propably Jin, Hanyu and Chen. I guess Shoma will try to do 3 with 2x4T and 4F