Forcefield

Does NHK have a press con before the competition too? Does Yuzu ever attend these?

Oh that's quite sad, staying out of obligation to the nation, though they may love the sport. But I think of Dennis Ten, Misha Ge, and many more who must be breakthroughs of fs in their country and it's quite sad when they retire if there's no one to take the reigns.

It is hypocritical. Nathan's win deserves to be celebrated, but people are celebrating "Nathan's win over Yuzuru", and yet Yuzu's fans are disrespectful for feeling any emotions except joy. People have been saying that Yuzu's silvers are undeserved for years. These people just conveniently forget that their favorites and Yuzu are judged in the same flawed scoring system.

I actually don't want what happened to Plushenko to happen to Yuzu. It's not only the injuries, but some people have said Plu stole Kovtun's Olympic spot in Sochi (and sadly I think that was his one chance as I don't think Kovtun will make it to PC). (There were great counter-arguments against that, but) one thing that did stood out in the criticisms was that the fed should have been thinking of the future, who was at that time Kovtun and co. I don't think that's right as everyone who deserves to be at the top whether veteran skater or promising younger skater should stay at the top until retirement especially if the youngsters still don't have the skills to beat them. The reason I bring this up is because Yuzu is only 22-23 and yet people are already roaring for some new blood and for a change of era. I side eye it now because Yuzu is young, but this will become more intense from haters and some annoying fs fans later when he's an "uncle" and overtakes some young and promising upstart from his own country. We don't know who will bloom when they come up the ranks in a few years, but it may happen. On the ladies side its sad that the turnaround is so quick especially for Russian girls and people are already looking forward to the day Medvedeva gets beaten, esp by her own rinkmates. Funny because haters will never be happy with what Yuzu does. He gets silver? Boy is inconsistent. If he ever pulls off a winning streak like in his junior year, then the sport or his programs are getting boring or the scoring is wrong (just look at what some people are saying about Medvedeva). Supposedly we're not to feel a thing if Yuzu loses gold and certainly its disrespectful if we cry, but some people are free to wish and rejoice if and when Yuzu (and Med) are beaten.

Show her Change. It might do the trick? First time I ever thought Yuzu looks good in these banquet suits. I think it's just the angle though, because I didn't like in the other shot he were with the girls.

Okay this may be blasphemy to say, and I may be in the minority, but so far I like old Seimei stsq and jump timings more than new Seimei. Basically aside from costume (which I love all 3 versions) I prefer old Seimei. Yuzu bombed ACI so I waited, but after COR and seeing the program twice plus some RT I'm currently sure. And maybe clean and even more nuanced, stronger performances further in the season might change my mind about that because I'm comparing new Seimei to the perfect NHK and GPF performances. I actually really want to love the new Seimei as much or perhaps even more because I don't want to continue comparing everytime I watch him perform and I want him to take his best version to Olys, so another reason to root for it.

It's not like I think Brian, TCC and Yuzu lives in a bubble (especially since they've been smartly dealing with the media for ages), and yet every single time I'm always awed by how self-aware they are and maybe us fans joke about a few things, but they must know a lot more about the going-ons and probably joke about a few things among themselves too. Like, Skate Canada.

I also think this perfectly sums up why Figure Skating, while such a small sport, has such toxic fandoms and why we can't get along. People argue for the technical side, people argue for the artistic side, people argue for both. It's because everyone has their version of an ideal skater, my version is someone strong at everything like Yuzu's hence I think he deserves better: ie some people who care more for technical do not think skaters with no quads should be ahead, a few people who care more for artistic think skaters who repeat programs should lose points, people in between can argue one way or another depending on the situation. While I do want to believe that Yuzu has the right answer for the present scoring and image of figure skating, I do wonder if one day Nathan's answer, or someone who prefers the artistic side, may become the right answer if the sport changes too much. Nathan's answer is actually the result of this post-Vancouver era with ISU pushing quads and so I think it's no surprise that it's what he comes to care about. I don't know what Nathan's ideal skater is, but I would say this is a strong indication of it.

I'm so angry at the insulting tweet and the targeting of Hanyu fans. And yet we're always the bad ones? This is also a narrative that is pushed and its getting tiring. This is my pessimistic tirade of the day, so ignore: I think another thing about the power of U.S. propaganda is that it's not only a big fed, but they are a top country that media plays in English which is a world language that is easy for all to see and many from around the world can understand. While the rest of us beg for Jpn>Eng translations from the Yuzu-centric Japanese media, and then its shared in the fan forums only. And that peeves me because they're pushing narratives that will be believed and people won't follow up to learn about clarifications. This is Olympic season, there WILL BE casual viewers who WILL BUY into the hype and nonsense. But still Yuzu fans politely and straightforwardly pointing out the wrong stuff or leaving more positive stuff for people who don't know anything, I think, is a good thing anyway. On another non-skating forum where there was a very recent Yuzu post, I saw some stranger who didn't follow fs say about Yuzu "Isn't he that boy who got into a personality controversy?" from a bullshit post during Worlds 2016, and someone nicely corrected the user that it was all bullshit which had been debunked long ago; of course, the user hadn't actually followed up back then and all this time believed the lies. Misinformation could have spread even further especially if there hadn't been recent corrections. Sorry for the rant. One reason I actually care so much is because I'm American and from the U.S. and so I can't help seeing or hearing this stuff that angers me. If my non-fs-interested coworkers actually tune in for just the Winter Olympics and casually start repeating the bullshit And then there's the Japanese domestic propaganda that benefits no one which many of us can't do anything about.

Someone, please share that tweet here? if possible and the tweeter doesn't hate it ETA: Nvm. Found it.

Question for Yuzu history buffs - Has Hanyu ever bombed both programs in a competition (minus GPS during 2014-2015) ever in his senior skating career? He probably might not have gone clean for one despite bombing the other, but there's still hope for a good Seimei comeback tomorrow, right?

Kind of a tangent, but why not since it made me consider: I do think Yuzu covets and prioritizes his GPF streak; he's made history with it unlike the other titles (even OGM where he'll be second man in modern history, which is a feat in itself, but). Plus GPF is a priority as he probably knows winning GPF this season is the best indicator of momentum and strength going into the Olympics. Also that a repeat of Sochi season might play a factor. Yuzu was always a threat to Patrick during Sochi, but he became the biggest threat with his GPF win. So if Hanyu doesn't take his fifth GPF title this season, we'll at least know, not through these GPS imo but with the GPF, who the biggest OGM contenders and favorites going to the Olympics are. Or more like whoever breaks Hanyu's winning streak at his claim to the GPF throne (much like how he was the only skater to beat Patrick's winning streak during the Sochi season) will be a force to reckon with not only at PC but in the upcoming era. I'm assuming Hanyu will also like to go to PC as the absolute champion, as the reigning Olympic, World and GPF champion. So this season I also see GPF as a bigger priority than Worlds just for that (though I see him going to Milan to defend his title for that too).

I will actually watch the old TSL videos that are relevant to Yuzu like Tracy and David's interview. Other than that, I click on them, pause the vid right away so it doesn't get a view, and go to the comment section (I know, youtube comments aren't great either) and see if there's anything Yuzu relevant in the comments. If there's something great or scandalous said about Yuzu some people might speak up. If not, l'm out. I can't stand their alternative facts. 104 for that dream performance though. I have no words.

Those flashes. My eyes. *o* I got full on Yuzu goods yesterday, but there's something about seeing him and knowing that he's doing good in real time that's just intoxicating.

See I don't know much about ISU history, but if its true its a very sad thing for the sport since there's so much politics and controversy and many figure skaters and coaches end up powerless looking from afar or from below. Aside from the fact that many skaters have other goals in life or want to enter the system to train etc for skaters, I wonder what is stopping the rare few who wants to see and enact change. My memory could be wrong, but didn't Arakawa become a part of something for the JSF? Climbing up your own fed may be a lot easier than getting to ISU and maybe its the powerless of so many feds save the few that is the problem.

Reading the article on Button, I get where he's coming from even though I don't agree with everything. I'm okay with COP, he isn't, and we both agree it's the application of the rules that's the issue. And maybe it's the era. I already know that when ISU changes the scoring yet again I will walk into Button territory of a disengagement and bitterness with the sport. I don't care if he actually likes Hanyu anymore or not, but i appreciate that he's at least objective. This is mere speculation because I don't know Hanyu's plans, but I think him wanting to do something for the skaters but that it doesn't actually translates to him coaching skaters is actually a reluctance to have to deal with the politics of skating once he retires. Or maybe it's the complete opposite of that.

I wish they hadn't dropped all of this promo stuff that Yuzu crammed in at once (did that boy get a rest at all this summer? jeez). Matsuoka and Yuzu is always lovely together. Haven't watched it yet, but Yuzu always shows a part of himself when with Matsuoka that he doesn't show to other interviewers. I like the fire and ambition he expresses and maybe he does because he feels like Matsuoka can understand him. Yuzu and the pianist and meeting new people in general is always a plus. I cannot respect enough the depths of his thinking. And interviewer-Yuzu is quite a thing to see. I hope if he ever retires can host special segments where he interacts with retired and current athletes too. Ps. I have bad wifi and been trying to get this posted for a while. Don't know if there's been success the other times so pardon me if there are duplicates. I'll delete if so.

About both chopin and seimei costumes being a redesign (sort of) of his old costumes- tbh I don't mind. The old costumes fit the theme and programs perfectly. Plus this is Yuzu whose costumes can go from RJ1.0 romeo to RJ2.0 romeo-juliette-the-heck-is-that so yea I'm surprisingly okay, sort of. While poto 2.0 was fine, poto 1.0 costumewise was also sorely missed. It's the small changes that I care about - like reeeaallly hope those gold slits from chopin 2.0 is gone in the new costume. Chopin 1.0 was a better costume in everything imo, much like how I preferred seimei ice show version too.

So much happening. Ah! I just find all these posters on broadcasting stations, rails, magazines and the books plus media coverage on THE YUZURU HANYU so cool and fascinating because he isn't managed by an agency (which is a different story from a sponsor and a few commercial contracts). They and the media and all those photographers probably have a lot of free reign with Yuzu's image and Yuzu might actually be missing out on a lot of money (maybe some people respectfully contacts him first, though not all), but this is when you know someone is a real phenom and not just pushed, hyped or propagated (gorioshi). All of these are up and happening and he's filling bookstores because people know him and want more on him. A real superstar and legend.

My first thought: He must have crammed all of this promotional stuff that we're now just seeing into the short off-season break he had in Japan this summer. His schedule must have been suuuuuper packed since the productions for promos & CMs/news shows/sponsors would have probably had to plan ahead and thus squeezed themselves in. If it was me

I thought the lunge was first done and created by some either skater though, maybe even Jeff and incorporated into his old programs? Though Hanyu's use of it definitely made it popular to his fans. The bielmann is already named after its creator (or the skater who made it big). I'd like to leave it at that. Imagine in the future after Hanyu retires some other popular skater's fan tries to revise something he created? Bielmann, Ina bauer, zayak (or oda), rippon should stay named as they are among fans and fs watchers imo. It's already sad enough that some people don't know that Dick Button is the only 2x Olympic Champion for fs men singles so far currently when they bring up Hanyu for PC. Our boy is a legend, but we must respect skaters of the other skating eras too because I want Hanyu to also not be forgotten after he retires and fs changes into a new era with the changed scoring system. Hanyublade makes a bit more sense since its a style of hydroblade (and his little fanboys are doing it! It'll only be a matter of time before we might these upcoming skaters pay homage to their favorites). Sorry not targeting anyone. Just my thoughts.

How'd you guess it? Swan Yuzu was admiring his own reflection on the frozen ice pond before White prince Yuzu came along. Disclaimer: Joking. I love Yuzu very much and to me his self-confidence and owning his own good qualities does not make him narcissistic in the bad sense at all.

b-but imagine the perfect love story of how rockstar in white prince yuzu came across elegant swan yuzu by the frozen ice pond and fell in love at first sight

I love the white Prince costume and the Swan costume last season. Yuzu looks so good in white. And if you think about that its surprising they originally went with a scale of black and white for two Yuzu costumes last year. If I had the time and skills I would photoshop White Prince Yuzu and Swan Yuzu together in a wedding.

This is how I feel about it on a regular day, if I'll be honest. But somewhere down the the road I suspect some people's and JSF's feelings about it might change especially if we miss Yuzu in competition too much (although maybe unlikely, since as a pro he'll have time to do other things and promotions and programs that go above and beyond competitive required elements limitations). Edit: Seems like the other retired Japanese skaters who don't join in the competition are invited to the galas at least. Maybe that's another option. Though if Yuzu snubs his nose at them forever I'll take it.