axelsandwich

Thanks @Xen for the detailed translation - I want to read the whole thing when I have time as it feels like Zhao has a lot of interesting things to say. De-mythologising is a good word for what Zhao was trying to do re: Yuzu since the interviewer was basically putting Yuzu on a pedestal and mounting a challenge to the Chinese training system. I actually see the Chinese team's approach as similar to TCC's in their emphasis on drilling basic foundations - which explains why Boyang has such good jumping technique - but where TCC adapts to each skaters' individuality (eg. getting different choreographers to work with different skaters), the whole 'group discount for one choreographer' approach is my biggest gripe with their system. The underscoring debate and people who push back against it make me roll my eyes most of the time because the issue has never been about Yuzu's scores alone, but about the relative gap between Yuzu's scores (PCS/GOEs) compared to the other men, given the extra care he takes on the form of his jumps and steps/transitions and also the fact that there are judges who actively underscore him when given the opportunity.

Ahh looks like the docu is full of new content... well, he’s definitely giving us a lot for the drought

Japan's spots might be in danger a little but given the slightly depleted field, Keiji and Mura could potentially pull through. There are three of them going right? : / And yes, I agree w/ his more solemn demeanour, probably coming off the emotional high just a tad... I guess because he's never been so frank about how painful the rehab period will be, it's just surprising to see him talking about it so frankly.

yeah I'm a bit...idk. It's weird to hear him speaking so openly and frankly about expecting a very painful time ahead (he literally said すごく辛い時期). I know he has a tendency to smile and hide all his pain but it's kind of jarring to have him be smiling while saying stuff like that (and like......the JP media just...not really...addressing it? maybe we'll have people sharing opinions tomorrow on news/talk show programs). Would love a second opinion re: translation from gladi or the usual translators as well, I'm not sure if I got it completely right. I would be stunned if he went to Worlds, I expect that might be the reason he's trying to manage expectations like this (pls just announce your withdrawal and put us out of misery yuzu T__T)

lolol yuzu and shoma

most searched thing for PC olympics I think, he clocked in about 26M searches. yuzu should be happy about getting another No 1 lol

lol the ondrej/yuzu lift had its own twitter moment https://twitter.com/i/moments/967737468593328128

wwwwww japanese TV are as Extra as yuzu Host said there's a message from someone special Yuzu: Scary. Scary... Natsuki Hanae (seiyuu for Kaneki): This is Natsuki Hanae! Yuzu: Hello, we spoke the other day. N: I found out you love Tokyo Ghoul and since we're here now, I thought I will ask you some questions as Kaneki-kun! Kaneki: Hanyu-senshuu, congratulations on repeating as an Olympic champion! Yuzu: Thank you very much! K: Please come and drink some delicious coffee together. Yuzu: Yes of course, of course! K: I watched the Olympics as well, it was a wonderful battle wasn't it? Yuzu: Embarrassing. This is very embarrassing. Thank youuu Kaneki-kun (affectionately) K: This time, you made a wonderful recovery from injury. Was it hard to keep being courageous (hold strong feelings)? Yuzu: Yes it was hard but because of so much support from everyone, I was able to receive a lot of courage K: Thank you very much! Yuzu: Oh! White-haired Kaneki! White-haired Kaneki: Hanyu-senshuu, congratulations on your gold medal... Yuzu: Thank you very much hahaa /bows down White-haired Kaneki: I was touched... Even if you get eaten by me... there's no helping it right?' Yuzu: Of course! Definitely! Please, eat me! Yuzu: Oh, we've returned... (Natsuki thanks him and leaves) Yuzu: Ahhh I'm happy, I was sweating so much. I've read all the manga and I hear Hanae-san's voice when I read it like 'ah, Kaneki-kun is here!' I was really afraid like 'is it okay to even talk to such a person?' (in an awed way). I was really scared! I'm glad I chose to skate (implies so he could get a chance to talk to Natsuki-san I believe, THIS DORK)

Hm. Listening to this, he does sound slightly defensive and there's no doubt he's minimising a bit of Yuzu's actions or at least pushing back against the 'hype'/laudatory statements the interviewer is making (eg. implying the interviewer may be mistaking deep thinking abt injuries while on the bed with 'studying anatomy'). But it's also because the Chinese interviewer was being quite laudatory of Yuzu and quite pointed in his questions - specifically asking 'is there a difference or gap', the underlying subtext being 'is the current Chinese system failing because Yuzu is so superior?' and the interviewer mentioning the Chinese skaters 'going off to play' instead of work hard is also a bit...hm. how to put it. Something that would put Zhao on the defensive so I'm not exactly surprised he kind of plays down Yuzu's achievements to try and boost his own team up. He doesn't seem to know too much about Yuzu and seems to misinterpret the interviewer's specific question for the second part (seems to think the interviewer was suggesting Yuzu does all his own program design or something). His comments about the 'Yuzu era' at the start is a little suspect - I think he was starting to say something like the judges will favour someone who introduces a massive 'change' in the style/trajectory of skating but reconsiders and uses a more vague word ('change'). I don't think he goes quite as far as to imply Yuzu doesn't deserve his marks but he's definitely saying the judges have a fixed idea/acknowledgment of his presence/aura which means the gold is his if he doesn't make mistakes (气场 is hard to translate). All in all, the most interesting thing that comes out of this is that the judges do meet and discuss trajectories/good performances by skaters. It suggests the 'style' that is impressed upon the judges' minds as 'top' performances is predicated on the current champions, which may explain why skaters who go against this style (I'm thinking primarily in the ladies field) tend to get punished/not recognised. Interesting...

some love for the girls

yep it was yuzu's! one of the ladies remarked it was like a woman's handprint lolol

Yes, you basically got the gist which is that Sendai loves him a lot (feels like they just dumped all the news reports from the last few days LOL) Little boy #Exposed his mum as a yuzu fan lol she was like 'please don't say that, you like him too right?' Over 2000 people had wishes for Yuzu which they tied to the tanabata tree Public viewing in Sendai station peaked for when Group 4 began Yakisoba place was where Yuzu visited after his first victory in Sochi Touchingly, I think they visited the places in Sendai still rebuilding after the disaster and the elderly residents were buoyed especially by the fact he was able to recover and win after an injury There was an old lady who called him 'Hanyu-tono' aldkjaslf (Lord Hanyu) They showed a lot of people visiting a shrine for the god of victory on the morning of the FS leaving ema (prayer blocks) for him, including Chinese tourists. Yuzuru himself visited the one at the end (Akiyuu Jinja)

lmaooo did they accost him in the bathroom together and lol trust Mr Button to throw in a tiny bit of shade, but at least he was mostly nice

It wasn't a challenge, it was more like discussing who seemed like they would be able to do it. His tone is actually more like a big brother or senpai eagerly awaiting Boyang to challenge a quint and we know how much he loves Boyang's 4Lz - it's the only concrete technical element he ever mentions admiring about any of his rivals apart from Javi's 4S and we know how high Mr 'Only debuts jumps when they can get +3GOEs' Hanyu's standards are (for others like Shoma it's more like their mentality that he says he admires) (and yes, please someone send this to Boyang's weibo, I don't have one or I'd do it myself, I hope he knows how much his idol admires him ;;;)

Was this still on Fuji and Minna No News?

you're welcome! I wish I could edit tweets bc live translating is so hard and there are things I could have worded them better but i'm glad the usual uploaders like pino seem to be back so we can get the HQ clips soon after ;;

Doubt it, unless someone else had a substantial lead in the SP. But it's a good insight into how much more he can do in a practice setting than he shows in competition. I have no doubt he's at least landed the 4A now

AHA we were right! I remember when they released the 4Lz footage and everyone was like 'looks like he's drawing his foot back for a combo'..... he really was Like That in September aslfkjsal d

might be a comment at the end.... looks just like another chance to show the skate and kind of 'round off' the other docus/features they did of him

ahh that's nice, I've already forked out the money for flights and tickets so I'm resigned to my fate of watching a v expensive mens FS (but to be fair, I'd have been in europe anyway.... alas, the majority of my time here is during off-season but just as well because otherwise I'd not actually see anywhere in Europe). Will they do a lottery for Worlds too? maybe they'll save some tickets for foreigners )): did we?? I'm frankly shocked, Australia doesn't exactly have much of a winter sports tradition lmao

I mean the flight would be worth it....the money......... tbh probably time to start looking for cheap flights to Japan again (I've been 6 times in my life, some planned and others unexpected but the country....has its way of calling me back to it alkjfsa) (I mean, we can try and get a Brisbane JGP situation happening! or I'll win the lottery and create my own GP series in Australia........)

lmao I demand FULL COMMITMENT to that body twist and lmao I know... it's not even a question of whether I'd prefer him to rest or go to Worlds, his health always comes first, absolutely no question. As an Australian, I'm just a little sad at how most comps he might go to next year will be a 25-30hr+ flight from me again. So y'all who can make it in <10hrs, please do try to go if you possibly can, you have no idea how lucky you are. I'm just gonna have to try and win the lottery for Japan Worlds or NHK...

The original tweeter said apparently he was only running through the choreo? She's like 'Yuzuru often has energy out of nowhere so better not to expect anything'. And....well....I'm emotionally steeling myself against confirmation of no worlds but it's still gonna be sad T____T

Absolutely, Yuzu is never one to take ice time for granted. But it was also fuelled by his 'this isn't good enough' belief. And I'm glad he's finally feeling like yes, it's good enough, you can get better but right now, enjoy the moment because you deserve it so much. ;; (also I'd die laughing forever if - just like the 4Lo - this injury forces him to basically only train the 4A)

Nomura Mansai, ie. one of the few people with the power to produce Flustered!Yuzu