Yuzuru Hanyu announces his retirement from competition (updated after his press conference)

Rukia

A Southern, hot-blooded temperamental individual
Messages
21,778
I think it will be great for skating. He can put together a huge world-wide tour, invite lots of other skaters, and invigorate professional skating. He's probably the only one who could do it.
I agree with this. He has the name and the draw basically all around the world. And he will definitely have basically any skater he wants in his shows. He has always seemed to be on good terms with other skaters in the past.

Part of me hopes beyond hope he invites Enemy No. 1 aka Nathan Yale Chen for at least a few shows. It would be a delightful outcome.
 

Carolla5501

Well-Known Member
Messages
7,138
Aww, I’ll miss Hanyu’s skating, especially his gorgeous transitions in and out of jumps. Wishing him a happy retirement!
I really wish I could say I will miss his skating. And had he quit four years ago I would be saying that. But watching the last couple years I’ve just been like it’s time to go. I think it’s incredibly sad that he’s let his skating become all about one element when he was an absolutely wonderful skater
 

jenny12

Well-Known Member
Messages
8,239
I really wish I could say I will miss his skating. And had he quit four years ago I would be saying that. But watching the last couple years I’ve just been like it’s time to go. I think it’s incredibly sad that he’s let his skating become all about one element when he was an absolutely wonderful skater

Well, I didn't like his skating as much as in the past but he was still one of my favorites. I still think he showed really nice skating skills and I still preferred him to several other skaters. Don't think he was that terrible in his last couple years.
 

misskarne

Handy Emergency Backup Mode
Messages
23,474
Personally I'm with the people saying he's announcing it's his last season (so he can go to Worlds in Saitama), but it could also be that after training this spring he just knew he couldn't go for one more.
I'm with Willin on this; I think this is a no-GP but last season announcement. Worlds at Saitama would be a hefty draw.
 

starrynight

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,234
I really enjoy Hanyu’s skating and he was one of the men that really pushed the technical aspect of the sport forward. But with a lot of beauty in the technical. And I do think he brought a lot of identity and staying power to the mens - Hanyu, Fernandez, Chen etc provided great rivalry and intrigue.

Somehow I must avoid all platforms where his fans go crazy, so I’ve never had my enjoyment of his skating affected by that.
 

Rukia

A Southern, hot-blooded temperamental individual
Messages
21,778
I'm with Willin on this; I think this is a no-GP but last season announcement. Worlds at Saitama would be a hefty draw.
Why torture your body to compete at worlds when you can just get invited to skate in the exhibition and just watch the rest of the competition from a VIP box while being fed grapes or something idk
 

Theatregirl1122

Needs a nap
Messages
30,046
This article says he's retiring but I don't think the press conference has happened yet: https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220719/p2g/00m/0sp/018000c

Correct, the press conference is at 5pm local time on July 19th, which is 9am BST on the 19th and 4am US EST. The article is a leak, basically, which is why the Fanyu's are freaking out that they won't listen to anything that doesn't come from Hanyu himself and how dare they steal this moment from Hanyu, if it is true.
 

misskarne

Handy Emergency Backup Mode
Messages
23,474
Correct, the press conference is at 5pm local time on July 19th, which is 9am BST on the 19th and 4am US EST. The article is a leak, basically, which is why the Fanyu's are freaking out that they won't listen to anything that doesn't come from Hanyu himself and how dare they steal this moment from Hanyu, if it is true.
Just in time for dinner, for me.

The Fanyus acting like no other athlete in the history of any sports has ever been beaten to the punch on their retirement announcement by over-eager press. It's only happened to practically every top athlete in every sport in the history of ever.
 

MsZem

I see the sea
Messages
18,495
Hanyu is one of the best skaters ever, he's retiring after a long and accomplished career... and his fans are so over the top, we're discussing them instead of him. That's just sad.

I hope he can have something approaching a normal life.
 

On My Own

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,214
Too many big ones, I think we can think of the deed as done.

I think some of the fans are in denial because they're young and just got into the sport, which is fair, they want to see him more. He does impress a lot of people with his skating even now. I do think some of the others' behavior is very troublesome, though, and genuinely... distressing? to see. And that part I'm not sad to see the back of.
 
Last edited:

Karen-W

How long do we have to wait for GP assignments?
Messages
36,610
Just in time for dinner, for me.

The Fanyus acting like no other athlete in the history of any sports has ever been beaten to the punch on their retirement announcement by over-eager press. It's only happened to practically every top athlete in every sport in the history of ever.
cough*Tom Brady last February*cough
 

Karen-W

How long do we have to wait for GP assignments?
Messages
36,610
I mean, in all fairness, it's not like most of these Fanyus have ever followed any other sports, so they really don't know this is how this usually works. :rofl: And, shouldn't they be focusing their anger on whomever leaked the news to Nikkan Sports rather than on the media outlet? Amateurs.
 

Sally1214

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,709
Why do so many of you care what the "Fanyus" think or say? It's like you're kind of addicted to them as a form of entertainment or something. I've never paid a minute of attention to them...no time for such frivolity.

I will be a little sad if he retires but I think he really needs to for his health. But, oh, I feel so privileged to have seen his greatness over the run of his career. He's a legend...always will be...and all I can say is "thank you for all the absolutely thrilling and incredible memories." What a ride!! I ❤
 

robinredd

New Member
Messages
14
Why do so many of you care what the "Fanyus" think or say? It's like you're kind of addicted to them as a form of entertainment or something. I've never paid a minute of attention to them...no time for such frivolity.

I will be a little sad if he retires but I think he really needs to for his health. But, oh, I feel so privileged to have seen his greatness over the run of his career. He's a legend...always will be...and all I can say is "thank you for all the absolutely thrilling and incredible memories."
No worries if we don't have the fanyus maybe we will get the "yumans".

 

Willin

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,608
Hanyu is one of the best skaters ever, he's retiring after a long and accomplished career... and his fans are so over the top, we're discussing them instead of him. That's just sad.

I hope he can have something approaching a normal life.
That is a good point - Fanyus often overshadow their idol.
Honestly they make it seem like Yuzu has no agency of his own... I wonder if they realize that.

I mean, in all fairness, it's not like most of these Fanyus have ever followed any other sports, so they really don't know this is how this usually works. :rofl: And, shouldn't they be focusing their anger on whomever leaked the news to Nikkan Sports rather than on the media outlet? Amateurs.
They seem not to follow anything but Hanyu - what major news isn't leaked before an announcement these days? You see it in Politics (retirements, scandals, runs for office), entertainment (casting leaks, retirement leaks, more scandals), your workplace (rumors about who's quitting/getting promoted/getting fired/transferring), your family/friends (pregnancy rumors, engagements, deaths/illnesses). If this is disrespectful, Fanyus might as well tell everyone to shut their mouths about everything.

Why do so many of you care what the "Fanyus" think or say? It's like you're kind of addicted to them as a form of entertainment or something. I've never paid a minute of attention to them...no time for such frivolity.

I will be a little sad if he retires but I think he really needs to for his health. But, oh, I feel so privileged to have seen his greatness over the run of his career. He's a legend...always will be...and all I can say is "thank you for all the absolutely thrilling and incredible memories." What a ride!! I ❤

As I said at the start of these replies, Fanyus often unintentionally steal or co-opt Yuzuru's narrative and assume his feelings, motivations, and reactions to news and spread them to the world. I can't often say anything about Yuzu himself because he doesn't reveal much. I'm sure other skating fans would agree that most of what you can say about him is inextricably tied to his fans because they are so loud and he is so quiet about his narrative.

We have no idea how Yuzu feels about the leak, and honestly I doubt he cares because I would bet he was expecting it. His fans may be naive about the news/leak cycle, but he isn't. Meanwhile what we do have to care about is how the Fanyus are creating this narrative about how it is disrespectful it is to Yuzu and how he requires an apology, and that's the only narrative we have.

The same will be the case after the press conference. I'm sure Yuzu will read some canned statement and answer some canned and respectful questions (how Japanese news conferences work - much less chaotic than, say, NBA or NFL ones). He won't say much controversial. Then the Fanyus will weep and whine or extrapolate about something - I have many guesses from "the evil judges hate him because they underscored him due to Nathan bias and that's why he's quitting" to "this is the death of figure skating" to "I'm never watching again" to "Ilia's 4A caused him to retire! Shame on Ilia" to "JSF is throwing him under the bus for Shoma/Yuma" to some bizarre political thriller of a conspiracy theory. And whatever they say will be a whole lot more entertaining and fun to discuss than whatever Yuzu himself says - because Yuzu is quiet and rational.
 

misskarne

Handy Emergency Backup Mode
Messages
23,474
cough*Tom Brady last February*cough

Yup. They have to pretty much pull an Ash Barty to avoid it.
Even the legendary Michael Schumacher didn't get to control the announcement of his first retirement.

Ash Barty managed it because she just chucked it onto social media. You call a press conference these days you have to expect the press scooping you.
 

Sally1214

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,709
[QUOTE="Willin, post: 6276195, member: And whatever they say will be a whole lot more entertaining and fun to discuss than whatever Yuzu himself says - because Yuzu is quiet and rational.
[/QUOTE]

Not for me. Any information I have on Hanyu has come from interviews he has given over the years, his own personal statements and interviews /comments from his coaches, choreographers, commentators or other people who know him personally. I have no interest in what the Fanyus do or say. Never have ... never will.
 

jenny12

Well-Known Member
Messages
8,239
Why do so many of you care what the "Fanyus" think or say? It's like you're kind of addicted to them as a form of entertainment or something. I've never paid a minute of attention to them...no time for such frivolity.

I will be a little sad if he retires but I think he really needs to for his health. But, oh, I feel so privileged to have seen his greatness over the run of his career. He's a legend...always will be...and all I can say is "thank you for all the absolutely thrilling and incredible memories." What a ride!! I ❤

Yeah, in general, I think people pay too much attention to fandoms. I don't really get the obsession with Fanyus either. People should just ignore them.
 

YukiNieve

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,639
ANN/TV Asahi will broadcast the details of the press conference as soon as they are available (in Japanese).

Reuter's live website on the press conference
 

MINAM

The "NICE" Admin
Staff member
Messages
8,666
OMG, most TV channels have switched to his press conference live.
Cut to the chase already. :)
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top
Do Not Sell My Personal Information