Umebachi

The blue hoody, the same one that @rockstaryuzu ordered??

He is seriously fighting for something. Preparing all the different jumps. He says he wants to break something.

Oh is he going for 4A?

Hi! Watching on TV Asahi 1.

And he just squeaked it out! Too bad for the Axels. But otherwise a lovely skate.

So sorry for Jun!! I am here to cheer Sota!

Dear Satellites! Let's all send our reviews and rating to the Rotten Tomato - which is an important indicator of the movie/show's performance value. I sent in my review - which seems to be the only one so far. But it's only been up on the website for a couple of hours... https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/yuzuru_hanyu_ice_story_2023_gift_at_tokyo_dome

Hi, @JanMary I have some ideas regarding the problem of translating Japanese to English - as the direct translation totally misses out on the whole host of nuances that Yuzu is trying to express in this very round-about response regarding the collaboration with King Kohei. I know the direct translation would suggest what you are saying and you are correct from this perspective. But the way Yuzu went so far out of his way to obfuscate the response raised questions in my own mind as to why he did so, and I have my personal reflections below under the spoiler.

Ashura-chan - The camera work was not good today, too many out of focus/out of frame close ups. Just stick to whole body shots from different angles, forget about doing close ups because he moves too quickly and you chop up the overall rhythm and flow of the movements.

I love Satoko's "Ne me quitte pas". So expressive and delicate.

Wow, Uchimura Kohei (the Olympic gold medalist gymnast) and fellow gymnast Shirai Kenzo are attending today's show! This is according to the tweeter at the venue:

It is 3:30 PM here in Japan, and I could not find any stations showing Exhibition Gala live. Checked all the Fuji channels and alas, no WC2023 figure skating. Meanwhile, TV Asahi is showing Yuzu's Prologue from 6 PM. I had thought about looking at the Gala before the Prologue, but now I will turn back to Sumo - our other major national pastime (after baseball and football/soccer). PS Fuji TV is showing thoroughbred racing (there is a major spring season race today). Should have added horseracing as the other national obsession.

Uchimura collaboration was definitely Yuzu's initiative, and Yuzu had been talking about for a long time and on many Japanese media appearances. I enjoyed Kevin's performance qua performance, and his artistitry and musicality deserve greater opportunities to develop. Yuzu can help Kevin expand on those abilities.

That is exactly the point I was making: because he doesn't have to produce the event, he is not bearing the burden of direction and production, and can concentrate on just his performance. You can't expect him to be producing and performing every month! He will burn out and not have the time to recover.

Fully agree. Notte Stellata was his own production, and not a part of some established production like FaOI. And I believe it is his own choice to participate in SOI. This will give him chance to continue performing in front of his audience without having to expend his entire life and soul into producing his own show, which is probably very exhausting and he needs to recharge. You can also see that he loves performing with the other skaters, and it will be a chance to test out new ideas with relatively lower investment in time and energy. He has always loved skating. What made him disappointed were the travesties at the competition, and not the skating itself.

My favorite performance last night: Kevin Aymoz, bar none! Absolutely beautiful and mesmerizing interpretation of the music, and it suits his style - lyrical but interpreted with his uniquely animal-like twists and turns. It was his entire body dancing to the music. I really hope Yuzu will invite him to perform with him in some future event. Perhaps in Europe?

Uchimura Kohei is skating with the rest in the finale, held on both sides by two lovely ladies Satoko and Violetta!

Now it's a solo performance by Uchimura Shohei! Wow!! With light projections following his movements like a wave or water droplets. Beautiful!! In a different, simpler costume, more gymnastic-like. Simple black with white triangle and red accent. Addendum: And he sticks all his landings! He hasn't lost any of his skills or strength. Spectacular!!

I love Satoko's lovely lines and movements. So expressive and delicate. Skating to Pergolesi?? Wow!!

I am on Hulu. That Uchimura and Hanyu collab was beyond belief! Beautiful. Both men's costumes accentuated their upper body musculature, especially the upper arm and shoulders. I have never seen Uchimura in a costume (apart from the drab gym uniforms) but this black and gold brought out the beauty of his lines, in movement and in body. The camera angle didn't always catch the two in action together, too bad. Hoping for better camera angles in the broadcast version.

Dear @Yuzu_legend A million thanks for sharing the detailed review of live GIFT performance! I am glad you had such a memorable and spiritual experience. Hope to see you in Japan in your future visits!

As a health economist and health policy analyst by profession, I wanted to share an inspiring discussion from this corner of the world that has strong relevance to Yuzu's GIFT. It has been inspiring to see many researchers and policy analysts finally making connections between art and mental health, and bringing the topic into the mainstream of healthcare research. I immediately thought of the deep impact that the Gift had on the audience, and how the performance could have a transformative effect on a society. It also reminds me of the way the original Greek tragedy (trago-edia= "goat song") affected the Greek audience: apparently it was a collective psychotherapy for the anxiety-ridden denizens of the polis. I can imagine that the tragedies, performed in the open-air amphitheatres with the backdrop of oceans and mountains, must have been a transformative experience. The Tokyo Dome's massive cavernous structure would also have the effect of creating the sense of awe and oneness with cosmos! Here is an excerpt from the health policy blog: "The role of art therapy in helping people channel their feelings and emotions through a self-expressive activity can help inspire better health and wellbeing. To do so as part of a mass activity, where people of all ages come together to share in a collective outcome – one which will now go on display in one of the hospitals involved – will surely only elevate such positive emotions among the participants, as well as those who view the art piece in future... "It seems somewhat apt to be discussing the importance of brain health on a day that marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, a seminal rock album that, in part, explores the mental health problems of the group’s former band member Syd Barrett. One of the tracks, ‘Brain damage’, touches on his illness, with the line: ‘And if the dam breaks open many years too soon’." - from SALUS European Healthcare Design Just a glimpse of the relevance of Yuzu's Gift on the health and well-being of our society.

Hi dear Satellites! I hope you are all recovering from the aftereffects of the Gift!! Like everyone else, I have found it difficult to express all the emotions that I felt watching the Gift. Instead, I have been immersed in reading a whole new wave of people expressing their thoughts and emotions about the event. Here is one tweet that I found particularly poignant, precise and effective in describing the experience. Translation below: "GIFT is a creation that immerses us in the spiritual world of a wounded young man. His resurrection is nothing "cool" or special, just a process of suffering and struggle that one day brings light, and the only way to open the next door is to struggle in the darkness until you break out of your shell. That's what this work was for me. Even if you are not an athlete or an artist, there are times when you fight against your own limitations. This work is a gift to all such people, and while it is quite bitter and abstract, it also exposes the loneliness and anguish of the athletes themselves in an unabashed manner. Hanyu is capable of making any number of entertaining shows, but instead he has made a show about what he really wants to say now. Because that is what truly touches people."

Yuzu will take on a regular role as "News Every" special ambassador for covering people and communities affected by natural disasters. Should happen every few months. A perfect extension of his past efforts at helping people in need. Looking forward to him taking on the role as Unicef ambassador...when he eventually gets around to the international circuit!

Watching News Every, where Yuzu is showing how he produces his Youtube videos. 12 cameras! Because of the cold temperature, the batteries don't last long - only about 8 minutes! Wow, it took 30 hours to edit the video!