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https://w2g.tv/?r=141jp4r37bsiv3w0kq

ETA Marika shared her impressions of the Couture on Ice exhibition.

Thanks, Jenn, for finding the book and the translation. I began from Chapter 5 and haven't finished it yet. I love this book. I felt it was better organized than Yuzu's biography, at least with more details. His biography is more like plain transcriptions of his interviews, and this book digs deeper and connects everything better, more like telling a story.

The picture from sport hochi's article...

It's from Prequel pamphlet https://axelstore.net/products/realive-157

@Yuzurella Where did this photo come from? What book is it from? Here's a compilation for Yuzuru's 4th anniversary : the song lyrics and Yuzu's lyrics are translatable.

Over the past few years, I've read numerous books and newspaper articles, and compiled countless statistics, and what I've seen is disturbing. And the ISU does nothing, or does too little, because the people who run the federation have their own vested interests, and honest and competent judges struggle to get their work done. In 2021, as soon as I read the names of the judges who would be judging the World Championships, I complained about Salome Chigogidze's presence, stating clearly that she was one of the most biased judges around. A few months later, the ISU suspended Chigogidze for national bias, specifically for the scores awarded at that World Championships. If I knew before the competition that she was biased, how could the ISU not know? Why was she allowed to falsify that result? And why was she back judging after just a year? So when someone tells me they trust the judges' scores because they're more competent than us, I don't know whether to laugh or cry. There are many interesting statistics to be done, although unfortunately, for some time now, if you don't have a paid subscription, you can only see the top ten results. With a little imagination, however, you can get a few more answers, because the order can be by score, BV, GOE, PCS, chronological, from highest to lowest, or reversed. If you search for all skaters, you can request the result by "single skater," which will give you the best score for everyone. You can select the season, nationality, competition, short program, or freeskate... by combining the results together, you can see more than just 10 lines.

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist* Link to read: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS-l0DHERSFcyaI3qMYVDdiDIh7aOIt9W8_EXtwlTCtZpkuMw4sQKNo6_sNUfkU1GVyfQ5Jx-YiIlMd/pub > Contains full interviews with Yuzuru Hanyu, MIKIKO, Marihiko Hara and Eri Sawatari.

To purchase: https://axelstore.net/products/realive-157 Product details: "Prequel: Before the WHITE" is a prequel to the upcoming ICE STORY 4th, based on an original story written by Yuzuru Hanyu. This book allows you to experience its world more deeply. In addition to artistic original photos created by Yuzuru Hanyu in collaboration with an elite team of creators, it also features a luxurious collection of performance photos. It will also include a special interview with Marihiko Hara, who composed all 10 new songs for this work, as well as interviews with video director Eri Sawatari, director MIKIKO, and executive producer Yuzuru Hanyu, who talk about their thoughts on the performance and behind-the-scenes stories. Performance photos and making-of footage from "REALIVE" will also be included. Reading this will surely give you hints about the next story, ICE STORY 4th. Content (planned) • Performance photos: "Prequel: Before the WHITE" and "REALIVE" • Music: Marihiko Hara Interview • Video Director: Eri Sawatari Interview • Direction: MIKIKO Interview • Executive Producer & Performer: Yuzuru Hanyu Interview • Making-of

[2026.07.21] ***Machine translation, inaccuracies exist*** Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2026/07/20/annexz/20260720b00079000008000c.html Yuzuru Hanyu, 4th Anniversary as a Professional (3) Heading into a Fifth Year of Deepening with Calm Composure: "The Flame at the Center, the Core, Will Never Change Throughout My Life" July 21, 2026 Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu (31) marked the fourth anniversary of turning professional on the 19th. In an online interview with Sponichi, he looked back on these four years while outlining his vision for what comes next. During the past year, despite taking a maintenance period, he completed both the disaster recovery ice show notte stellata and REALIVE, which condensed the trajectory of his career. The fourth installment of his ICE STORY series has already been announced, and he has begun walking into a fifth year of ever-deepening expression. In this final installment, he speaks about the confidence he feels moving forward and the convictions that have never changed.

To Jenn: Thank you so much for pointing me to the books and thanks for the translator. I am still reading them. Noriko Shirota is a wonderful lady and an angel who takes care of Yuzu, as important as Brian and Tracy. I only read part of the first book and will come back with more thoughts. To Martina: I just read your entire post using Google Translate. It's so dirty. I didn't know skatingscores can produce data like that. I will try to play with it more.

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist* 2026.07.20 Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20260720-OHT1T51452.html Yuzuru Hanyu Treats Yuzuru Hanyu as a "Piece" [1]— Executive Producer and Skater Pro 4th Anniversary Solo Interview, Part 2 Sports Hochi July 21, 2026 Professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (31) marked the fourth anniversary of turning professional on July 19. Part 2 of this special anniversary interview focuses on "The fear he felt four years ago and the happiness he feels now," and "How the executive producer sees the skater Yuzuru Hanyu." (Interview and composition: Megumi Takagi)

Yuzu...

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist* 2026.07.20 Source: https://topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp/article/newscn/world/newscn-J000160_20260720_CBMFN0 https://jp.news.cn/20260720/0111f98e5afc426f9ef1335e920c77f2/c.html Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20260720124546/https://topics.smt.docomo.ne.jp/article/newscn/world/newscn-J000160_20260720_CBMFN0?redirect=1 https://web.archive.org/web/20260721002505/https://jp.news.cn/20260720/0111f98e5afc426f9ef1335e920c77f2/c.html XinHua News - Living the Present to the Fullest: Four Years Since Yuzuru Hanyu Turned Professional [Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, July 20] Yuzuru Hanyu, who won two consecutive Olympic gold medals in men's singles figure skating, gave an online interview to Xinhua News Agency ahead of the fourth anniversary of turning professional. This was his first interview with Xinhua News Agency in a year and a half. Since announcing his retirement from competitive skating on July 19, 2022, he has continued to pursue his own form of expression and create new stories on the ice.

Because in 2014, the United States had no chance of reaching the podium in any of the other events, so they went all-in on ice dance. And when the United States gets involved in politics, Canada isn't strong enough to keep them at bay. This is the passage from "On Edge," a book written by American judge Jon Jackson. Note that he's talking about a novice competition, not a major competition. And note that the judge he's talking about has judged Yuzu (giving him absurdly low marks) at the 2016 GPF, 2017 4CC, and 2018 OG, among other events. I commented on this book on my blog. The comments are in Italian, the quotes from the book are in English: https://sportlandiamartina.link/2020/12/14/jon-jackson-on-edge-4/ Jenn already answered this by showing you Noriko Shirota's role. I'll just add Yutaka Higuchi's name. Higuchi was the first Japanese skater to train at the Toronot Cricket Club, in the 1970s. He met Orser when he was still very young, and they remained friends. After retiring from competition, he worked as a journalist (in this photo, you can see him on the left, interviewing Yuzu and Mao Asada at the 2012 NHK Trophy) and collaborated with the JSF, connecting Japanese skaters with foreign coaches and choreographers. Discussions took place with Shirota, but the organizational work was done by Higuchi. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Yutaka_Higuchi?uselang=it#/media/File:Hanyu_and_Asada_in_Yutaka_'_s_room_at_the_2012_NHK_Trophy.jpg Yuzu wanted to learn the 4S. I don't know when he started carefully observing other skaters, but I'm sure he had already started doing so at least in his second junior season, since he said he studied the 3A of Denis Ten and Artur Gachinski. Fernandez began training in Toronto in the 2011-12 season. That year, he competed in four competitions where Yuzu was also present: the Nebelhorn Trophy, the Rostelecom Cup, the GPF, and the WC. You can be sure he studied him carefully, because at the Rostelecom Cup, Yuzu won by just 3 hundredths, which made him realize that every extra hundredth can make a difference. If you look at the link, these are Fernandez's 4S, arranged in chronological order. Notice when he started landing the jump, and think about who his coach was. If Orser could teach Fernandez the 4S, he could teach him too. https://skatingscores.com/q/element/?show_ranks=on&underline=&season_codes=all&division_codes=sr&division_codes=jr&event_codes=intl&series_codes=all&discipline_codes=men&segment_type_codes=all&unit_country_codes=all&unit_name=javier+fernandez&element_type_codes=jump&element_code=4s%&bonus=none&sort=chron&limit=10&submit-button=Submit I think there are two reasons. Chan had not the 4S in his programs, and Yuzu wanted to watch closely a skater land the 4S. Also, probably he felt he had to maintain a certain distance, since Chan was the skater he wanted to overtake. We don't know all the details, but Nanami Abe know really well the training conditions in Sendai after the earthquake. She knew this was a huge limitation for Yuzu. And I think Yuzu is capable of showing the intensity of his feelings like no other. Abe was very important to him, but getting results was also very important. And she understood this and put Yuzu's needs first. The relationship remained excellent; Abe's husband continued to sharpen Yuzu's blades, and they later worked together on some choreography.

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist* 2026.07.19 Source: https://deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp/feature/patrick-chan2/ (paid) Reflecting on his rivalry with Yuzuru Hanyu, says he loves Japan and hopes to pass on his experience to younger figure skaters. Patrick Chan, who won the men's figure skating world championships three times in a row from 2011 to 2013, gave an interview to Kyodo News in Vancouver in June. Chan has roots in Hong Kong, and an exhibition showcasing the achievements of Chinese-Canadian athletes held in Vancouver in conjunction with the FIFA World Cup included a display reviewing his accomplishments. Chan made his Olympic debut at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where he finished in 5th place. At the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he was a gold medal contender, he was beaten by Yuzuru Hanyu and won the silver medal. "It took me several years to accept the disappointing result, but now I am truly happy with the silver medal," he recalled. This is the second of two parts.

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist* 2026.07.12 Source: https://deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp/feature/patrick-chan1/ (paid) A journey of self-discovery throughout his career: Western stereotypes about Asians became his driving force. Patrick Chan, who won the men's figure skating world championships three times in a row from 2011 to 2013, gave an interview to Kyodo News in Vancouver in June. Chan has roots in Hong Kong, and an exhibition showcasing the achievements of Chinese-Canadian athletes, held in Vancouver in conjunction with the FIFA World Cup, included a display reviewing his accomplishments. Chan made his Olympic debut at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where he finished in 5th place. At the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he was a gold medal contender, he was beaten by Yuzuru Hanyu and won the silver medal. "I am truly honored to be a part of this exhibition, and I am very grateful to be able to celebrate everyone's great achievements together," he said. This is the first of two parts.

Hiya, just popping in to share these books that touch on Yuzu's move to Toronto. You can read more here from Shirota's book, who helped make the arrangements: Also, more about his days with Brian from the "Team Brian" series. Unfortunately I don't have the first book which should touch more on the move. And one more book from a journalist who had covered Yuzu a long time before. In Chapter 5, it seems that Nanami was the one who first brought up the idea of training overseas. Yuzu had gone abroad before to study choreography with Russian coaches in 2011. Whether Nanami was thinking of something temporary like that, or if she meant a permanent move, that I don't know.