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https://web.archive.org/web/20201025024836/https://webronza.asahi.com/national/articles/2014041500004.html
2014.04.16
Post-Sochi: Can Yuzuru Hanyu become the next Mao Asada? (2) - The Skater the Figure Skating World Needs
The Olympic season brings events that far exceed even our wildest expectations.
I had thought that Yuzuru Hanyu winning the men’s singles title at the Olympics was not entirely out of the question. He had plenty of youthful charm, and I vaguely imagined that if he won, he would become a popular star.
However, I had never imagined he would become this popular, filling Saitama Super Arena for the World Championships even without Daisuke Takahashi, and becoming such an extraordinary sensation that weekly magazines and television talk shows were all devoting special features to him.
“People in Japan didn’t know Yuzuru Hanyu as well as we thought they did,” one figure skating insider remarked. That was exactly right.
At the age of just 17, Hanyu became a World Championship bronze medalist. At 18, he set a world-record score in the short program, and at 19, he won the Grand Prix Final. For those of us in the skating world, this young man, who might even pull off an unexpected victory at the Sochi Olympics, was already more than a familiar face.
But to the general Japanese public, he was still a relatively unfamiliar skater. So when he suddenly emerged as Japan's first-ever Olympic gold medalist in men's figure skating, it caused a sensation, with people asking, “Who on earth is this guy?!”
As a result, ice shows across Japan were hugely successful in April. The young man was working through interview schedules packed minute by minute, continuing to deliver passionate performances amid enthusiastic cheers from the audience. Then, when I saw Hanyu occupying the center of the skaters' photographs on an ice show promotional poster, displacing Mao Asada, who had been the undisputed star, I had a thought.
Mao Asada had yet to announce what she intended to do next. But if she were to retire, or perhaps take a temporary break, could Yuzuru Hanyu become the figure who took her place?
It has been nearly ten years since figure skating first became truly popular in Japan. During that time, Mao Asada had shouldered an enormous role and responsibility, occupying a position of immense importance.
Of course, figure skating's popularity also depended on the many other popular skaters alongside her. Even so, there would have been a huge difference between having Asada and not having her. Mao Asada had played the role of continually drawing people's attention to the sport, including those who had little particular interest in figure skating. Even people who knew little about the rules would watch television if “Mao-chan is competing.” In other words, figure skating was broadcast during prime time because Asada was there.
It was not just competitions. A variety of events were held throughout the year because Mao Asada was there. At times, she even helped draw public attention to important issues, such as the very survival of skating rinks. People would think, “Something serious seems to be happening to the sport Mao-chan does.”
Furthermore, many people who initially became interested in skating because of Asada went on to find favorite skaters in the men's events or ice dance. Some became devoted fans who learned to appreciate the sport beyond its surface appeal.
A similar phenomenon occurred in South Korea with Kim Yuna. People first focused their attention on Yuna as a single star. From there, more fans became knowledgeable about the international skating scene, and skaters such as Daisuke Takahashi in men's figure skating, Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in ice dance, and China's Pang Qing and Tong Jian in pairs became hugely popular in South Korea.
Compared with discussions of television ratings and advertising, this may seem like a less conspicuous aspect of her influence, but Asada had certainly played a role in broadening the base of figure skating fans. No other skater had been able to attract attention on that scale, and her presence as a star, along with everything she had accomplished without even realizing it, was simply enormous.
That was why so many people had been desperately searching for the “next Mao Asada” over the past several years. She could not remain an active competitor forever. People in broadcasting, those working in other media, and those at the heart of the skating world all knew that. So many people who did not want to see skating's popularity decline were frightened precisely because they could not find the “next Mao-chan.”
Contrary to their expectations, however, the most vibrant part of Japan's skating world was its men's field, led by Yuzuru Hanyu. Whenever I brought this up, people would often respond, “No, that's not it! Figure skating needs a female star!” I understood their point very well, but...
Then the Sochi Olympics ended, and what erupted was an entirely unexpected Yuzuru Hanyu frenzy. At this point, I found myself wondering: Could he perhaps...? Could he take on the enormous responsibility that Mao Asada had carried?
These were thoughts that had never occurred to me before the Sochi Olympics.
First of all, Japanese men's figure skating already had a skater who had achieved considerable popularity before Hanyu: Daisuke Takahashi. Those who do not attend competitions in person may not fully appreciate it, but Takahashi's charisma is extraordinary, too.
Mao Asada had an overwhelming impact on television ratings and the number of commercial appearances she made. Yet when it came to driving magazine and book sales, as well as attendance at ice shows and competitions, it was actually Takahashi who had the greatest impact.
In other words, Asada had the kind of mainstream popularity that made people think, “If Mao-chan is competing, I might as well watch.” But Takahashi had many times more fans who wanted to know more about Daisuke and see as much of him as possible. They were not satisfied with watching him on television alone, so they went to competitions in person and bought publications featuring him.
This distinction was clearly evident in the media, too. Newspapers and television placed greater priority on covering Mao Asada, while magazine writers catering to the needs of dedicated fans considered securing interviews with Takahashi more important. Even among those of us working in the media, this subtle division of roles had taken shape.
In fact, 90 percent of those watching the men's singles competition at the Sochi Olympics in person were Daisuke Takahashi fans. Television broadcasters apparently wanted to capture images of Japanese fans celebrating Hanyu's victory, but most of the spectators were dejected, thinking about Takahashi, who had finished sixth.
Fans loved not only Takahashi's overwhelmingly artistic performances but also his personality. He could be a little timid, and early in his career he repeatedly disappointed people's expectations. But he struggled and struggled until he grew stronger. Even after becoming strong, he never lost his endearing humility or his self-love, which was so unabashed that it made those watching him blush. Many people loved this kind of skater deeply and intensely, even if his appeal did not extend to as broad an audience as Mao Asada's.
And yet, some people would insist:
“Even so, what the figure skating world truly needs is Mao-chan!”
By
yuzurujenn ·
