axelsandwich

Hahha I remember seeing you post earlier in this thread or in a language thread. I don't envy you! There's always a worse language out there~ at least with English as the dominant internet language, there are many opportunities to practice

Hmm, I'm a native speaker and have taught students - trying to distill 'rules' for grammar is hard because you'll always have that rogue word that doesn't follow the rules at all Also pronunciation (http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2011/12/23/english-pronunciation/)

L O L I'm dying a little at the fact every other word has a footnote because English grammar is the actual worst and I don't envy anyone who has to learn it as a second language. I do really respect the fact he was determined from very early on to do his interviews in English even when he could be so much more eloquent in his native language with an interpreter

I didn't want to believe it but judging by her other Tumblr posts, she is legitimately skating at TCC so I'm inclined to believe her when she says she knows the music (and her cyptic comments). It was mostly her post that set off my gut-feeling about Seimei 2.0 (I feel like it would have to be something easily recognisable ie. warhorse or a repeat if she already knows what it was just from listening to it). I would love if he could do an extension of Seimei - re-arrange the music while retaining a musical motif but make it like a continuation of the story or another 'side' of the story. If he's going to take advantage of his unique connection with the character and the music (which has proven to be well-liked by judges), that's how I'd 'bring it back' for an Olympic program. But the work involved would be essentially like doing a new program.

I'm watching the gala video and looks like he was clutching the fabric when they were skating together lol. To do manner hands while pair skating is another level. Are you from Korea? I've often heard that term being used over there but it's interesting to see different terminology being used around the world

https://fsyuzuruhanyu.tumblr.com/post/162845382599/that-one-time-yuzu-did-a-partner-dance-with I've been laughing at this hover hand game for a day

In b4 he trolls us all and does an extended koi dance remix

Ohhh it's been awhile since I've read this interview in full but I love how Yuzu was the definition of 'mind blown' in this (a rare feat!). I can clearly see how he adapted the stuff they were talking about into Seimei and his other performances (especially the start and end poses in Seimei) and some were really pertinent - making the place your 'ally', the importance of 'form' and the skating equivalent of musical dynamics to bring out certain parts. I wish they could have a reunion - I feel like talking to performers in other fields and cross-discipline education in performance really helps and Yuzu is particularly sensitive to this, I think ( : Also: "So you have to make them go “Ohhh” even though they knew that it was coming." - possibly something that propelled his determination to do jumps that 'meld' into the choreography? : P

Just imagining the little kids like while he's trying to explain to them. Or he'll do a super scientific explanation in machine-gun rapid fire and......also leave them confused If his earphone collection is anything to go by, I'm pretty sure Yuzu's hearing ability is quite extraordinary like.....how could you possibly hear the differences = u =

Funny, I always interpreted the 'shuu' as the 'sweep' his arm makes when he closes them across his body to rotate a jump (and the accompanying force). He said explicitly somewhere that it wasn't related to the jump itself or I would have also speculated it meant the sound of the blade sweeping through the ice when he takes off.

Hahaha yes, I remember this! Funnily enough....I sort of get what both of them are saying?? hahahaha it's a sort of shorthand for the motion of the body closing during a jump, then opening up. It kind of is the most fitting word to describe what they're doing. I'm not 100% across colloquial/popular Japanese usage so someone more familiar can feel free to correct me, but I believe 'ドS' is used to describe someone who is very dominant and assertive in a relationship (in contrast to M-types who are softer and more submissive). I always interpreted it as someone who was also a bit sadistic/mischievous and who is the type who will playfully insult people they like or do things to get a rise or reaction out of them (though this is mostly because I think the terms are derived from BDSM terminology). And...uh...I'll leave you with that very non-confident explanation ;;;;;;

I laughed because iirc another interview, Mao also explained her jump technique in a similar way with onomatopoeia ('gyuu' and 'ku' or something)

Hey guys~ I feel like such a newbie posting here but I just signed onto a 5-week adult learn-to-skate lessons beginning next week (30min lessons with 1hr free practice on rental skates) but I'm super excited! Thought I might as well put this figure skating obsession to use and maybe get a little healthier haha. I've been skating infrequently for a number of years (only 2-3 times per year) so I can skate forward without falling over much but am a huge newbie otherwise. Had a 3hr session in the rink with a friend the other day and kind of started getting the hang of crossovers (only right foot ones though) and (kind of) skating backwards. At the moment I'm just poring through the Learn to FS archives about stretching but does anyone have any key tips or an idea of what I should expect to learn in 5 weeks? ( :

I'm also hoping all my worries about Seimei 2.0 will be for nothing but you can't be too sure at this point And yes, Japan is in a bit of a dilemma. It's not that I think the media will consciously reject or sabotage him but Yuzu not training in Japan and generally being a bit removed from the JP skating community/media does kind of leave a bit of a gap that other skaters can more easily fill. That being said, Yuzu's image is already quite established and he seems to remain quite the media darling so it seems to be okay. The PR/media game will - as I said - only potentially matter if we get down to pointy end decimals, so hopefully Yuzu's skating will speak for itself and rise above all of it.

Not at all - I've studied and worked in this area so this colours my opinions/views somewhat and I always welcome discussion (especially if I'm not explaining things clearly or if the skating media world works differently to others). What I refer to as the media/PR game is the sort of media that will reach the judges who are, at the end of the day, the critical people. It's not going to be media that overtly attacks Yuzu (read: Youtube comments, online comments which will generate positive/negative feedback no matter what and for anyone etc.) but it will be PR. That is - media generating public interest in each country's athletes, working to establish a narrative around their journey. Programs like Spirit of the Athlete, any media appearances the skaters do are all PR for their 'brand' and image. Any 'attacks' on Yuzu will be subtle ones (I hope there isn't any, but still). Positive media that creates 'momentum' (in conjunction with skaters' performances) and builds a perception and expectation in the minds of the public and judges. It will play a part because as much as we want to think the judges will be 100% unbiased, it's unrealistic to expect they will be in a bubble and immune to the buzz of what the skating media/world is saying. Of course performance at competitions is ultimately what affects judges perceptions the most, but media and public momentum does matter at the pointy subconscious end, where the difference is decimals or one or two points (I wouldn't be surprised if Worlds 2014 was because of this........) My concern with Yuzu's repeats is that simply by existing (and especially repeating a WR program), it generates a particular kind of expectation which will heavily depend on how consistent and cleanly he performs it. I'd say it's a high risk move, as much as it is an interesting strategic option (leave judges with no excuse to give him <WR if he goes clean). But it does leave open room for PR/news conversation, either by pimping another skater's completely new music choices as a talking point or triggering the media to question the current trend for 'playing it safe'. He is 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' because he is the frontrunner, but certain choices will weigh more heavily than others.* Ultimately, we can only trust and hope his team will make the best decisions and I am very grateful they seem to stick to their guns in order to just prove their naysayers wrong. But I would not underestimate the PR/media game, is all I'm saying. *I'm talking mostly if he repeats Seimei as FS here, since I think one repeat is okay (if not 100% desirable) but two will be very risky and doubly so if he repeats the exact programs he used to win his last WRs. Like. Even as a layperson, the perception he's staying in his comfort zone if he does that just materialises, even though I know that he thought about this and would not actually be in his comfort zone. At the end of the day, it's that kneejerk reaction that matters because that's what will matter to the judges. If he skates the lights out of the programs though, it could work in his favour. It's just a high risk move.

Thank you @kaeryth for completing such a monumental task of compiling all the clips, it's really really appreciated! I think what the other poster (@¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - sorry, I can't tag your username, the forum won't let me) was saying - and what I agree with - is that a season of clean skates is a strategic move as much as it is about a matter of pride/perfectionism as an artist. You see this in other sports too but judging tends to favour those who have been able to establish 'momentum' of success, going into a competition. Subconscious bias will tend to favour skaters who have shown consistently clean skates, who can establish the impression they are 'on the rise' and 'due' to peak at the right time. Doubly so for judged sports because judges are humans and, as humans, we respond to stories that 'make sense' like they're out of a novel or movie (even if it may not be the reality). The media and PR stories going into the Olympics will be a potent weapon in any politics being played, which is also why I'm anxious about Yuzu's Chopin 3.0 and very anxious if his FS is a repeat and/or Seimei 2.0 -- he's taking a strategic hit from the start by triggering a narrative that he's not pushing himself, even though it's not necessarily the truth. But I agree that if he can skate consistently cleanly with these program choices, it might benefit him more. Because there aren't many small issues to nitpick, the mistakes Yuzu tends to make are on the jumps and they tend to stick in judge's minds more than an UR, a wrong edge or a shaky/risky landing.

This is gorgeous! Do you have a source for the artist (or a link to their other work?)

omg is this the fabled 'most memorable' competition where he got his first 5+?? (I translated it here http://kaerb.tumblr.com/post/162004761794/yuzuru-on-kenjis-room-episode-2-translation#notes and the facts seem to fit apart from the point being 5.1 not 5.2). Its fascinating to watch for lingering similarities - Yuzu skated very deliberately and dramatically even back then and the way he holds out his arms and looks back when doing crossovers is still the same~ (I'm lowkey dying at the little studio ghibli floof his mushroom hair does at the end)

Shoma........ protect this child

Ah poor Tatsuki. All things considered, that's pretty level-headed

Oh my goodness, I love all of these (a glimpse of Shoma and Satton in the 2011! How surreal and touching to see the past and future generations of JP skating in one video!). Yuzu at Worlds 2012 and the emotion in his final pose will never not make me gasp a little (and that glimpse of Shizuka with Yuzu at the end of the 2012 video, ahhh ;;;;; May there be an even better video this year~

The more I listen to these original versions of Yuzu's songs (and hear the parts they inserted or reworked), the more I'm thankful he's gone with custom music these last two seasons and hoping he will go the unconventional route this Olympics. There's something so special about carving out your own niche and style, to skate to music customised to you

I hesitate to say one is more valuable over another in this context. At the end of the day, the end point is the goal, for a competitive sport. The person with the most points wins, that's the hard and simple truth. I can't bring myself to fault a strategy like Nathan's as much as I don't enjoy it - go in, take advantage your strengths, get the job done. And if he's planning to r**** afterwards, he'll be more dangerous as he's not after longevity. At the end of the day, you can let people argue their interpretations about your lack of artistry - you can't argue with the BV of a landed quad and that's what they're betting on; there's a security in that that simply doesn't exist in the performance component. There aren't as many skaters (hell, not many people) that share Yuzu's tunnel vision focus on how he wins, and not merely on how to win, and his resolve to not focus only on playing the technicalities game. I wish I could say it will ultimately pay off but ultimately, it's a gamble on something that can only be felt. Maybe it will be the thing that makes the difference when we start to talk about legacies, though hopefully not for many years. Can only hope the judges recognise this (and maybe that he leaves himself enough room to #YOLO if needed).

LOL this is the most extreme Asian mum reaction ever ('you got 99%? What happened to the other 1%???') except Yuzu feels the same way so they must make an incredible team. I'm lowkey curious about what his sister looks like currently (I know there's a photo of them when they were younger) but that's just me and my fascination with genetics

At the moment, the quad arms race is taking advantage of a sort of loophole in scoring and it reminds me a little of when we were doing uni entrance exams. Some people memorised a bunch of pre-prepared essays and hoped they'd get a question that they prepared while others took the time to learn their source material in depth. In a short term, the first approach was risky but safer if the question was a predictable one; it's when something goes awry that a strong foundation will show its value. Yuzu and Brian seem to believe in the latter approach and I do too - it's better for longevity and is essentially idealistic 'quality' over a pragmatic 'strategic practicality' approach. The question is if they will be willing to compromise on that belief if it doesn't yield results. Aren't they implementing the change to GOEs this season? (+/- 5) If so, I think their strategy will depend heavily on how judges treat the new system.