* machine translation, inaccuracies may exist
Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4812532582
Source: https://weibo.com/1428123685/4595505147419852
PIW Hachinohe (August 21-22)
Yuzuru Hanyu Interview
— To start off, this is your first time participating in PIW, right?
Yes, it is.
— How does it feel?
First of all, there are so many group numbers! Also, it’s clear that the skaters all get along really well.
— You’ve likely been to this rink in Niida many times for competitions. Does it feel different for an ice show?
Well… it’s a bit smaller, and with such a large audience, the temperature in the venue gets quite high, which makes the ice a little soft… (laughs). Still, since I’ve been here often for events like the Japan Junior Championships, it feels somewhat familiar and reassuring.
— Your jumps looked a bit wobbly today. Are you feeling a bit tired?
I’m always tired! (laughs)
— And you’re still so young! (laughs) But your Triple Axel (3A) has become really consistent, hasn’t it?
Yes, I’m feeling very confident with the 3A now. As for the rest… (laughs), I just hope I can land those successfully too.
— You always challenge yourself to land a quadruple jump during the finale of ice shows. How is your success rate at the moment?
Hmm… well, right now it’s a hit-or-miss situation. Sometimes I can land two, sometimes I can’t. The success rate is… still nowhere near where it needs to be. Ultimately, the quad is the threshold for moving up to the senior level. It’s something I absolutely must include in my programs.
— Plushenko mentioned, "I saw Yuzuru land a beautiful quad when we were practicing together."
Hehehe. Plushenko taught me so many things. I don’t speak English, so I couldn’t understand everything, but he really tried his best to teach me. I felt so honored. Even though I didn’t catch every detail, I did my absolute best to understand. It was a huge help, and it’s been great for learning English, too!
— You’ve participated in other ice shows alongside some of the world’s top skaters. What’s that been like?
My first impression was that their level was completely different. I also noticed how each skater has such a distinct personality—or rather, such unique, standout strengths. Every skater has at least one area where they truly excel—something unique to them, something that belongs to them alone. I don’t have a specialty like that yet, so my first priority is to discover what mine might be.
—As you move up to the senior level, is there anything you feel you need beyond just quadruple jumps?
Well, my footwork hasn’t been highly rated so far, so I want to work on improving that. Also, as always, I want to ensure that my jumps and footwork flow naturally within the program, to really make the most of that momentum.
—When I watch your quadruple jumps, it looks like you take off effortlessly, as if the jump is just a seamless part of the movement. Is that something you do intentionally?
Yes, it is intentional. I don’t want the audience to think, "Oh, here comes a jump." My quads aren’t fully consistent yet, so I can’t always pull that off (laughs). But after all, the quadruple jump is also just one part of the program. I want to work hard so that my jumps blend naturally into the program as a whole. Yes.
—After winning the World Junior Championships last season, did you notice any changes in the people around you, or perhaps in your own mindset?
Hmm, let’s see... I haven’t paid too much attention to what’s going on around me, but the number of people supporting me has definitely grown, and that’s given me strength. It’s only recently that it’s really started to sink in (laughs). Winning the World Junior title gave me confidence. After all, it was a competition I had set as a specific goal.
—You’ve said it a few times now: "Next year, for sure!"
Exactly. "Next year!" (laughs)
—Congratulations!
Thank you!
—You’re moving up to the senior level as the World Junior champion. Do you feel any pressure?
It’s less about pressure and more about a sense of unease.
—In what way?
Moving from the junior level to the senior level is a lot like the transition from the novice level to the junior level. I suppose you could call it a dividing line in terms of the standard of competition. There's this hurdle I have to overcome, and I'm really anxious about whether I'll be able to make that transition successfully. On top of that, I've never competed internationally at the senior level, so I don't know how I'll be evaluated or whether I'll be able to deliver the performance I want under those circumstances. There are quite a lot of things I'm uncertain about. Still, I want to do my best to enjoy it all.
—Even though you haven’t competed internationally as a senior yet, you have already participated in the All-Japan Championships, haven’t you? Does it feel different to be competing in the senior-level Grand Prix series, having been a senior skater since the very start of the season?
Hmm... the mental preparation is definitely different. It’s not about competing in a senior event as a junior skater; it’s about competing as a senior skater among other senior skaters. The mindset of "being one of the senior competitors" is there, so yes, my mental preparation is different from what it used to be.
—Have you done any specific physical conditioning to prepare for competing at the senior level?
Before coming here, I took part in a training camp in Sendai, where I focused on strengthening my footwork and building up my stamina!
—Was it a super grueling "hellish training camp"? (Laughs)
Yes! Ahahaha! It was a hellish training camp. I feel like my stamina has improved quite a bit. That said, it’s still nowhere near enough to handle the inclusion of quadruple jumps while getting through the entire free skate, so I’ll need to keep working even harder.
—Are your programs completed?
Yes, both are ready.
—Your short program is White Legend, which you performed at this ice show, and your free skate is Zigeunerweisen?
Yes, Zigeunerweisen.
— The violin piece that you had wanted to skate to for a long time, but which Nanami Abe had told you was "still too early" for you, has finally been given the green light?
Yes, finally! (laughs)
—How does it feel to skate to it?
The music builds up to a grand finale, so I’m not sure if my stamina will be able to keep up! (Laughs) I want to ensure that my performance doesn’t get overshadowed by the music’s climax. Instead, I want to skate the program in such a way that I create the climax myself.
—And what about the short program? It has a bit of an Oriental flair, isn’t it?
Yes. There are quite a lot of distinctive, or perhaps rather original, choreographic movements in it. I hope I can express White Legend in a way that reflects my own individual style.
—I see! I’m really looking forward to it. How is your lower back doing now?
It’s fine. No issues at all.
—That’s a relief!
Hehe. Everything’s good!
—How has high school life been so far?
High school life… honestly, it’s been a lot of fun! (Laughs)
—Oh? (Laughs) What makes it so fun?
At first, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to make any friends (laughs). Back in Sendai, I’d occasionally appear on local television and became a bit well-known… so, initially, I felt a little isolated (laughs). But lately, I’ve finally managed to fit in with everyone. They’ve even told me, “You’re just a totally normal first-year high school student!”
—That’s wonderful to hear.
Yeah! (Grins) It’s really great. Though, the schoolwork is tough. And on top of that, I’m working hard on my English conversation skills! (Laughs)
—You have plenty of opportunities to interact with English speakers, though. I’m sure you’ll figure it out!
I certainly hope so!
—Wait, what happened here? (Pointing to a deep purple bruise on the knee)
Oh, that’s from practicing a quadruple jump today. I took a fall and—*bam!*—hit it hard.
—That looks painful… Well, keep up the good work! I’ll be rooting for you!
It’s alright. I’ll do my best!
By
yuzurujenn ·
