KatjaThera

1 hour ago, Melodie said:

I don't think Yuzu will get reassigned to Helsinki (which we are not even sure it will be Helsinki or elsewhere) unless 1) For some reasons Yuma wants to switch/has to give up the GP, 2) For some reasons Yuzu can't enter Russia. Politics and whatever aside (if they indeed did play a prominent role), Yuzu didn't not really have much of a say in choosing the assignments since N then Yuma got to pick before him.

 

PS: Or, you know, the GP gets cancelled altogether.

Oh, I agree, I think the chance of being reassigned is very small. In 2018 it worked because the switch from CoC to Helsinki was done before the GP assignments (IIRC). This time, it's too late.

I just mentioned it since someone else was talking about that possibility. But I very much doubt it will happen. Honestly, canceling the GP would make a lot more sense at this point, but we know how the ISU is...

I agree that China probably gave up CoC as it's not really that important and I can easily imagine them thinking it's not worth the effort and potential trouble. If they held CoC and something bad happened, a lot of people would question their ability to hold the Olympics. Also, because of the structure of GPS, international participants to CoC - skaters, coaches, staff - would be unable to properly quarantine ahead of the event. That's not really and issue with the Olympics, when athletes can fly in early, be put in proper bubbles and continue their training in these bubbles, while also being tested regularly etc. The Olympics being the Olympics gives them a lot more freedom to impose safety measures - and it's unlikely many will protest, especially given the numbers coming out of Japan.

I tend to think China puts China and Chinese people's safety - even if only because the economy suffers if your people are sick and/or dying, so it's in your best interest to do everything to quickly stop a pandemic; it's amazing how many other countries in the world fail to understand this... that super strict measures for a short time are better than more lax measures for a long time - first, so they will take decisions that benefit China first and foremost. If they have difficulties handling this new wave of infections or they get hit by another near the Olympics, I would not be surprised even if they postpone or cancel. But right now, the Olympics is way too far ahead to say anything. CoC itself is really far away and it's possible that by November, China will be safer to hold a competition in than other places, but they had to make a decision early on to give another country a chance to hold the GP event as well, and this was surely the easiest decision.

While I'm not sure about the specifics, China is dealing with a new wave of infections and they do appear to have been quick to take measures against it, but I'm not sure if we are at a point where it's possible to draw a conclusion on those measures' efficiency yet. It is easier for them to take strict measures, though, so I expect they will and likely end this wave fairly quickly. But we'll see.

(And I really hope Yuzu doesn't get reassigned to Helsinki - if they get the GP - because I would honestly be too torn about it. Traveling doesn't feel safe to me at all, even as a fully vaccinated person, but it would hurt like hell to give up the chance of seeing Yuzu again. But I've had covid and even if it was super mild, I most definitely do not want to risk getting it again. So, best not to have to make that choice...)

13 hours ago, rockstaryuzu said:

Yuzu new SP speculation: what if he brought back Sing Sing Sing, only revamped to match his current skill level, and made it into a real razzle-dazzler? Not only would he be coming full circle on his career but he'd be trolling all the people who slag him for recycling with a massive flex.

 

I forgot to reply to this, but I would love it if he brought back Sing Sing Sing! I've always loved that program for him and he seemed to have so much fun with it at CiONTU! Also, both Brian and Jeff have skated to that before, so it'd be a nice nod to them, too. I don't know how likely it is - personally, I find it hard to anticipate Yuzu's moves lately lol he definitely has a mind of his own - but I would love it!

Speaking of getting inspired by Yuzu costumes, as I was away, I don't know if this was posted here (though I think I saw a Yuzu fan account on twitter post it, so likely it was, hence spoiler lol)

1 hour ago, memae said:

So this was posted on Reddit and someone mentioned that Keegan is a Canadian Olympian and all these people were like duh, he's on the podium at the Olympics so obviously he's an Olympian and the Canadian flag is behind him. 

 

Lol. I mean, I got a giggle out of it. Sorry mate, but Autumn Classic (was that even the event?)is not quite the Olympics. 

I wouldn't mind it if that had been the Olympics, then I could say I was at the Olympics It was at ACI 2019 and was very sweet to witness in person, too!

The Reddit comments were mostly cool, but some were also pretty . Like several people didn't just think it was the Olympics, they thought it was the Tokyo Olympics that just finished... and while FS was part of the Summer Olympics a few ages ago, it's not anymore lol It was the timing, I think, it confused people, since they've recently seen stuff like this from the Tokyo Olympics, so they just assumed this was as well lol

I also found it funny how some people were like: Actually, Keegan is American, when people went on US vs Canada rants.   (I have to say, my own experience is also that Canadians are very nice, but actually all the Americans I've met so far have also been very nice... Like all countries, those two also have both good and not so good people lol)

Sorry for the continued slight OT, but regarding the previous talk about the situation in China, I saw this thread on twitter and some people might find it interesting:

1 hour ago, Purple said:

On the within China info, I have read & heard of China actors traveling into and out of Beijing without quarantine. Its recent, happened last week. Fly back to Beijing for 2 days, then fly out to filming location in another city.

 

I dont know abt the general public , but the actors & actresses are flying here & there within China which gives the impression no quarantine is needed.

 

I think the Beijing situation is on and off. There have been times when traveling to Beijing, at least from some cities in China, was either impossible or required quarantine and/or regular testing. As far as I know, right now that's not the case. But because Chinese authorities seem to react really fast, that can change at any moment. Although, admittedly, my own information is also just from following various Chinese actors lol

I did hear on the news that they are considering mass testing in WuHan, after some new cases, though, and some public events have been canceled (not entirely sure about locations, though).

To be honest, at this moment, I wouldn't worry that much about Yuzu - and other skaters - being in China for the Olympics, but I would still worry about the trip there...

4 hours ago, rockstaryuzu said:

I'm thinking the same. However, now that the Summer Games are in full swing, it seems much more likely that the Winter Games will go forward some way or other. 

 

 

It seems to me that China is taking Covid - and always has - a lot more seriously than most other countries. So it wouldn't surprise me even if they did cancel or postpone, if things got bad. But 6 months is actually quite a lot, as the initial wave of pandemic in China was only around that long - they were already opening in April last year, if not even earlier - and they've probably learned from that, too. From what I've seen, every time there are new cases in an area, they shut everything down quickly, which has probably helped control things there. So it's not unlikely that China itself will be safe when the Olympics come along. I also think they are likely to take the safety measures more seriously and it's likely more athletes will be vaccinated by then, too. But, like I said, I also wouldn't be surprised if China ends up saying no can do, if this Delta wave hits them hard. If they do hold it, I tend to doubt they'll allow foreign audiences, but they would probably make exceptions for athletes and media, as long as they quarantine and get tested and/or are vaccinated. I doubt there would be stuff like in Tokyo now... (and honestly, as someone who loves Japan, this whole pandemic and Olympics thing hurts... they made such a mess of the whole thing...)

On 7/31/2021 at 4:39 PM, Henni147 said:

I had to think about that mysterious SP for the new season... what it could be... I still have absolutely no idea tbh.

All we know: it's a program that only Yuzuru Hanyu can do.

 

However. What I would 100% celebrate:

 

1. John Cage: 4'33''
   Definitely a music piece that only Yuzu can bring to life. Absolutely no one else.
   Would love to hear the media's reaction to that genius move 
   (Especially after saying that he couldn't present it at DOI because of the music cut lolololol)
    
2. Europe: The Final Countdown
   Considering that Yuzu set himself the goal to land the 4A this season... it truly feels like a final countdown 
   I'm sure, he would bring the house down with that program. Even the spiders and cockroaches in the arena would go wild 
    
3. Gloria Gaynor: I will survive

   Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye?
   You think I'd crumble? You think I'd lay down and die?

   Oh no, not I. I will survive!

   This would be the sweetest message to all people who have been wishing him into retirement from day 1  

Thank you @rockstaryuzu, @ZuCritter, @IceWings for the warm welcome back

And welcome to the new members!

I'm a bit late to this, but if we're talking about songs to skate to as a message to those wishing he'd retire, how about Queen's Don't Stop Me Now?

(Actually, since someone mentioned F1 earlier, I fell in love with this song ages ago when someone made a fanvideo for Kimi Raikkonen set to this song - among others - and it was so awesome lol I can't believe it's still on youtube, though the quality definitely feels prehistoric lol)

As for the topic of netizens, we know that there are nasty people everywhere in the world - we recently had controversies in Europe, in relation to Euro 2020, too - who simply enjoy attacking others, and especially popular people. It's not even really personal, it's just a matter of finding an excuse to attack. For people like that, attacking and being given the satisfaction of seeing their attacks affect their victims - or their victims' fans - is a thrill. It's best to try to avoid giving them that satisfaction. But, unfortunately, they also tend to be really loud, so they often get noticed more than the rational people. Ignoring them is definitely the best thing to do, though. That's the lesson I've learned on twitter over the past year and a half in other fandoms, too.

32 minutes ago, Henni147 said:

 

Welcome back to the Planet, Katja! Hope, you will post more often again, you were really missed  

Thank you for sharing your differentiated opinion on this spicy topic. As this is the General Yuzu Chat, I try to reduce my feedback to the Yuzu-related parts.

 

I agree that Yuzu's social environment probably played a key role in the development of his world view, values and attitude towards life, including the perception, acceptance and treatment of other people.

However, I remember his former classmates reporting how Yuzu used to defend fellow students, who had been bullied or excluded at school, and even made friends with them. From what I read, he was not that type of kid who bent the knee to peer groups and followed the mainstream in order to appear "cool". He followed his own convictions and principles from very young age.

The experiences of Tohoku 3-11 probably contributed a lot to Yuzu's early maturity, growth and wise way of thinking, but the foundation must have been layed in his childhood already. This does not happen from one day to the next.

 

 

Of course, it is hard to fundamentally change your attitude, even as an adult. You cannot simply push the reset button, drop your family, your friends and leave everything behind. When you haven't been in touch with anything else but a social surrounding with a bigoted world view, it's difficult to break out and go your own way. (Footnote: when you are training with Adam Rippon and dating Amber Glenn, you cannot say that you've never experienced different perspectives, though)

 

However, when you represent a sport as a world champion, it's your job to learn to give proper interviews and think before you say something. Receiving a medal also means to take the responsibilities that go along with it. You become an ambassador of your sport and it's your duty to live up to that status. This is the step that sets the true champions and role models apart from the rest. This is one of the reasons why Yuzu is so loved and respected as an athlete and a person.

Thank you very much! I will try to post more often again! (I have been watching you all from the shadows of my twitter account, though )

And actually, I fully agree with what you've said. The point of my post was rather to extend the perspective rather than to disagree with anything. It felt like some people were just expecting Nathan to have the same attitude as Yuzu and I wanted to explain a bit why I think that's impossible. But I fully agree that ALL athletes and especially champions in all sports have responsibilities towards their peers and the sport as a whole. As they say, with great power comes great responsibility. It's really sad that many athletes shrug this off.

In FS, especially given the delicate topics, a World Champion should stand up for their sport, for their fellow skaters. The go to answer to questions like the one Nathan was asked should always be along the lines of "I respectfully disagree. Figure Skating is an amazing sport with great diversity in every possible way and I believe everyone should celebrate that. All the disciplines are full of very talented and hard-working athletes who approach the sport in different and interesting ways. I believe the general public should put aside their prejudices and give it a look with an open mind. I'm sure many of them will be very pleasantly surprised." How wonderful would answers like this be? You'd think with the way so many people look down on FS, skaters would have more of a "us against the world" mentality...

It still astounds me sometimes, the the ISU, instead of fully supporting the guy who lives and breathes FS, who's dedicated his entire life to it, who loves the sport more than anyone else and has contributed to its popularity more than anyone else and who has constantly tried to make the sport better, they support the guy who appears to be doing to pass the time and check some points on his resume and who shuns parts of what makes FS what it is and who apparently wants to change it to make it more appealing to people who probably won't care even then. It literally makes no sense... but well, that's ISU for you...

(who knew I'd make my comeback here talking about Nathan )

I know this topic has mostly moved to the Team USA thread, but since it has been discussed here again and there has also been some discussion about how Yuzu's attitude towards the subject is so very different from Nathan's, I hope it's ok to share a few thoughts of my own. But just in case, I'll hide it under a spoiler.

Regarding Ari saying it the MVS would be Nathan, I think someone mentioned it was a misunderstanding/mistranslation and Ari had actually said something like Nathan is the best (this season), not that people would vote him for MVS. Also, IIRC, the source was a Japanese interview, so it probably went through several translations and re-translations. I also wouldn't be surprised if Ari would say something like that just to stir the spirits and raise interest in the stupid awards, even if negative interest. I can't imagine any universe in which they would dare not give MVS to Yuzu. The award was quite literally made for him. People naming him is simply because they're asked. They're asked who they think should get it and they answer Yuzu, regardless of actual championship wins, because he's above that now.

I don't think we should waste energy without knowing exactly the result. IF they do reveal the winners and Yuzu is not in it, then I'm all for a revolution, but until then, we can spend our energy on better things. Like looking forward to that NHK thing!

3 hours ago, monchan said:

You think he's gonna do it if they ask? He didn't even bother to be flagbearer in PC despite making history, I don't know why he has to light cauldron for Summer Olympics. He might just politely refuse even if asked. 

 

Yuzu seems not interested at all in all these ceremonial activities. Why fans care? Hope organizers leave him alone. This Olympic is cursed enough.

Being flagbearer in PC was a different issue. Kodaira Nao was his sempai, so he deferred to her. I think she also got two gold medals, while he got one. And she was also the team captain. And on top of that, he was tired, injured and probably just wanted to enjoy the ceremony a bit. He also disappeared right after they paraded, so he likely didn't stay for the whole thing, which I'm not sure he would have been able to do as flagbearer.

Lighting the Olympic flame is a different thing. It's unlikely the one lighting it would be an active Summer Olympian - I don't think they usually are - and they do say there's going to be a theme of recovery from the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and nobody is more of a symbol of that than Yuzu. That he's also a Double Olympic Champion is bonus points. And if it's seen as a further symbol to the recovery, I suspect he would do it, if only just for that. Whether they'll ask him or not and whether he'll accept or not, no idea. If he doesn't, we might never know either. I think it would be a good recognition of his value to the Japanese people, though, that's why I'd like to see it happen. And it would further cement his status. But if he doesn't want to do it, then he obviously shouldn't.

As things are now, though, then I definitely hope he'll stay a hermit in Toronto. But under normal circumstances, depending on the reason given, I would like him to do it, yes.

1 hour ago, Geo1 said:

As of 8 PM on Sunday, March 22, Japan had a total of 1,091 confirmed cases of coronavirus infections.

 

Including the 712 cases from the Diamond Princess cruiseship, the total number is 1,803.

 

The total number of deaths stand at 49.

 

By prefecture, Hokkaido has 162, Aichi 143, Tokyo 138, Osaka 131, Hyogo 111, Kanagawa 75, Saitama 51 and Chiba 44.

 

There are no reported cases in Tohoku.

I thought I had heard of a case in Sendai... or maybe it was just a suspicion.

I think there might be some things that work in Japan's favor. One is that physical contact isn't as common as in the West, another is that using masks is common there at all times, so wearing masks is no big deal for them. And maybe that hygiene is usually very important - they often bathe/shower at least twice a day - and things are generally cleaner (I still remember the shock of going from sparkling clean Japanese airport bathrooms to Vienna airport bathrooms... and that's Vienna, not some poor country, like my own, where I have no expectations) and people, possibly, a bit healthier, all of this combined might have helped, despite the authorities not taking serious measures. But the authorities appearing lax is making some people wonder if they're not hiding things in order to make the country seem safer and NOT get the Olympics canceled. I'm against conspiracy theories generally, but you can hear more and more people say this and assume that Japan's numbers are actually much worse than they say. I hope not.

Here, we're at over 550 cases and 6 deaths. All 6 deaths happened within 24 hours or so. Worse, they say several of those had no known contact with infected people and had no travel history. The authorities have been fairly strict and taking measures early on and now we're on virtual lockdown, but the problem is, like everywhere else, the people. Those not taking it seriously, those still socializing - although that is as good as banned now - and, worst of all, those lying about their travel history. And those running out of self-isolation or even quarantine. It was people like that that brought the numbers to where they are. People coming from affected areas, lying about it, so they wouldn't have to self-isolate, or ignoring self-isolation altogether and then going around and having contact with at least 100 other people. It's nuts. They're given large fines and a police record, accused of impeding pandemic measures, but it seems they just don't care. Maybe the new measures of taking them to quarantine and restarting the 14 days of quarantine every time they run away might work better as determent.

I've been working from home for almost a week now - only went out briefly yesterday, to an ATM - and I don't mind staying at home much. I have lots of things to do that I never got around to doing otherwise. Currently, I feel I might enjoy it a bit more if I didn't have to work, but I'd also probably get bored more quickly. The only real thing is I envy people who have yards and who can still go out into their own yards when the weather is nice lol

15 minutes ago, rockstaryuzu said:

Canadian skaters might be free to travel but getting back to the country might be another story. There's been news item after news item about Canadians getting stranded overseas as airlines shut down. if I were in their shoes, I'd stay put at home right now.

Thanks for the update. I admit I haven't followed restrictions for Canada after Montreal settled. I don't think anyone is truly willing to travel now. Way too many unknowns.

14 minutes ago, Paskud said:

Bruh, ice shows. I wonder if even GP will start. What if we will have second wave in autumn?😥

That, too... By next Spring, there will hopefully be a vaccine, but until then anything is possible. That's why the rest of this year looks pretty bleak IMO. Many people hope it'll be better in the Summer because it'll be warm and generally coronaviruses  don't like warm weather. But there have been outbreaks in warm areas, too, most recently spring breakers from Florida, so it doesn't look very positive. I think for now we just have to take it a step at a time, hope for the best, but be cautious. It's why I decided not to invest money in planning for FaOI, although I want to go so badly again. I just can't see it happening or at least can't see it being safe enough to travel.

17 minutes ago, SitTwizzle said:

Many thanks to everybody.

KatjaThera, the only thing I don't necessarily agree with is, is Yuzuru Hanyu better off now in Toronto or in Sendai. The risk in flights and airports is lessening with dwindling numbers of passengers, if he's in Sendai he may be able to skate as soon as he ends a self-imposed quarantine, and he is home. And with both parents, and his sister, and maybe her family if she has. So, I really have no opinion on the matter, and am sure HE has and is doing best.

Of course in Toronto he can find a job as a baby-sitter, or cat-sitter. ;-) Or read Pride and Prejudice, to "find himself" (partly) portrayed by the cleverest, wittiest, most tenderly teasing author, and get the most wonderful and pleasant English skills boost that can be.

It is even available online.

https://pemberley.com/etext/PandP/index.html

I think he's safer in any place that doesn't require him to go out and given that he is, as far as we know, still in Toronto, it's there.

Traveling is a risk even at other times. The dry, recirculated air in the airplane, the crossing of time zones, the sheer tiredness of a long flight of over 10 hours, plus airport waiting times are always a risk of getting sick. I get colds virtually every time I travel long distance. I have spent flights home from Japan shivering continuously from fever and I don't usually get fevers. And that was without any viruses going around. We also know it has happened to Yuzu as well. It's why he had his accident in 2017, because he was stubborn enough to jump while not fully recovered from the strong fever he developed after traveling from Canada to Japan. Traveling is also likely to trigger asthma attacks, IIRC, so really, if it's not absolutely necessary, like for visa reasons, I hope he stays put.

On top of that, given how lax Japan is, I wouldn't be surprised if his sponsors would have demands of him and it would be hard to refuse. And the media would try to get a hold of him and whatnot. Also, as far as I know, Ice Rink Sendai is closed and likely to remain so. If he's in Toronto, his contact with people is very limited and staying indoors is what he mostly does anyway. So definitely safer. Likely not more comfortable, but we're talking safety now, not comfort. In an ideal world, sure, it would be great if Yuzu could spend Summers with his family and stay at home and so on, but this isn't an ideal world. He usually has so many eyes on him and so many obligations in Japan. Personally, I think he feels more comfortable in Toronto by now, anyway, simply because in Toronto he can breathe a little and not be THE Yuzuru Hanyu 24/7.

And even that aside, COVID-19 restrictions are not an excuse for a holiday. Even if most people stay at home with their loved ones, it's not a holiday, it's a siege. Comfort is not the top priority, safety is. And nothing is safer now than being a hermit with as few contacts as possible, which is what he is in Toronto.

And also, it's not like he doesn't have things to do. There are games, there are his studies, just imagine how much he can study and how much he can think about skating now, with no real time restrictions. How much music he can consider and choreography and so on. I'm sure he'll get the itch, too, from being cooped up with no chance to practice, but he's a smart boy. He knows there are bigger things than skating going on in the world now, so he'll grit his teeth and find ways to occupy his time. Just like all of us.

(Personally, I think my biggest regret for this Summer is Yuzu not getting to to be the one to light the Olympic Flame I wanted that really badly, but now I just want him to stay away and stay safe, even if they offer it to him. Maybe if they postpone he can do it at the new date...)

3 minutes ago, SuzyQ said:

@KatjaThera Funny thing is, FaOI has only announced foreign skaters.  No Japanese skaters are known at present although this is the show held in Japan.

I really don't understand 

FaOI I think is just being optimistic... Choosing to do things as they usually do, as if nothing's wrong and it's just another off season. They always announce the foreign skaters first, then a big batch of Japanese skaters, then other skaters trickle in and they usually end with Yuzu. I can't imagine any of these are 100% sure,though. Also, aside from Ashley and Kaetlyn, all are FaOI regulars. Well, Liza became one last year. (I wonder if Ashley being in ROI played a part lol I actually liked her at ROI a lot, she was super fun and even at the M&G was really full of energy and very nice.) If it were right now, the Canadians are probably free to travel, though recommended against, Liza and Plush, too, maybe (not sure if Russia has taken any measures), but Ashley, Johnny, Stephane, Javi would all go straight into quarantine.

3 minutes ago, monchan said:

Yuzu loves gyoza, it's a fried food. He also said about his mom would grill meat for him in days that need energy.

But yep, he's grown up with mother's food, I don't think he's interested in anything outside basic Japanese meal. Jpn food in general has light taste and is healthy.

We've also seen him eat karaage when he was in highschool and it was apparently his favorite then. That's even more fried than gyoza. Japan generally has healthy food, but they also have a lot of fried and deep-fried dishes. The difference is they are usually properly drained of oil, so it's not that bad, especially if eaten warm, immediately after preparation. (I admit some things that are perfectly good freshly made can be really heavy after a while).

37 minutes ago, Figure_Frenzy said:

 

I got the info about preferring delicate tasting food from the FaOI interview he did with Nobu and Shoma (admittedly it was in response to which kind of cake he prefers, so it's most likely that he responded specifically about cakes, not about his food preferences in general).

 

...and about the Ghana cocoa concoction, he made that with his fans in mind, so you can argue that he didn't base that creation on his own preferences at that time 😏 (...and another word on him preferring Ghana chocolate — I remembered that he said he likes Ghana because he can eat more without feeling like he had too much of it too quickly).

IIRC in that interview, when Nobu first asks why he doesn't eat more chocolate cake, he says I don't know... more like... I just don't. But actually, I find chocolate cake way too heavy myself, not so much taste wise as just... in general, it's too much. I prefer something lighter and fruitier. Which doesn't necessarily extend to other things.

As for the Ghana thing, he did say that about the last one, with the mountain of whipped cream - and it made me wonder if he secretly wants his entire fanbase to die of sugar overload - but I don't remember him saying it about the previous two (the one with the marshmallow and the candied ginger or the one with zunda). That being said, I did try the mrshmallow one and it wasn't nearly as sweet as you would think, mostly because Ghana chocolate isn't as sweet as other milk chocolates. (Here, I'm partial to Milka and that's much sweeter than Ghana.)

8 minutes ago, SuzyQ said:

No mercy 

Stars on Ice in Hachinohe and Yokohama have been cancelled.

 

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20200323-00010041-chuspo-spo

https://figureskate-soi.com/news_20200323.html

 

Skaters should be safe. Now I'm expecting Yuzuru will join FaOI this year.

There was no way SOI could have happened. Almost half the cast was from the US and US citizens are advised not to travel, plus they have now been included on the 'must quarantine for 14 days upon arrival' list. The Canadians are probably next on that list, the Europeans already are on that list and the Japanese skaters training abroad risk not being able to go back to their training places if they go to Japan, because they wouldn't be allowed back in their respective countries. And that on top of how dangerous it is to travel now. I personally suspect Yuzu might have already withdrawn (which might be why TBS chose to air that clip with the florist, as a sort of lashing out; though I could also be reading too much into it; it just seems so stupid to me to air something like that about the star of your upcoming shows...) and that might have given them the final push to finally cancel. (Or well, postpone, as it seems it hurts their soul to outright cancel.)

I also can't see, at this point in time, FaOI happening either. With Canada announcing that they refuse to send athletes to the Olympics if it doesn't get postponed, I can't imagine the Olympics will go on. And if the Olympics, which are even later than FaOI, get postponed, I can't imagine how FaOI would be ok. Japan also seems to NOT really be taking serious measures. Admittedly, I haven't followed infection rates, but seeing people attend large scale events, not practicing much social distancing, hearing that many people don't follow basic instructions, like hand washing and cough courtesy, it's hard to imagine that, from the outside, Japan looks safe for people to travel to. I personally gave up on participating in the lottery for Niigata at this point. I might reconsider future lotteries based on what happens next, but seeing how utterly KY Japan looks compared to the rest of the world, I wouldn't feel safe traveling there. And the last thing I want is for Yuzu to go anywhere not safe. If he sets foot in Japan, you know he'll be swarmed to do promo stuff, CMs and whatnot. He's better off as a hermit in Toronto. On top of that, FaOI skater announcement has a small issue, in that Javi appears confirmed for all shows in Shizuoka, yet he's scheduled to have his Summer Camp in Spain, starting on the last day of that. No way can he teleport, but I think at this point nobody knows if either will happen, so no point in clarifying. Spain is doing really bad, Italy is beyond bad, all of Europe is bad and I expect US and Canada will follow. I know many skaters need the ice show money, but I hope none of them needs it enough to risk their health for it.

Regarding alcohol, it's been debated before and it's hard to reach a conclusion because the information Yuzu has given isn't much. He's said it himself that he doesn't drink alcohol, because he's allergic to it (Asaichi interview). And he said that it's because when he had his surgery, they had to lose a lot of rubbing alcohol and he broke out in hives, IIRC. The debate started because rubbing alcohol is different than drinking alcohol, but maybe there's more to it than Yuzu has said. It's also possible he has low alcohol tolerance, and saying he's allergic is an easy way to get out of social situations where he would be expected to drink. (Japanese adults are generally expected to drink, at least a beer, at least some sake, at least something, and claiming allergies would be an easy way to get out of that.) I do remember he brought it up in the Sekkisei talk show thing last Summer again, but it was more along the lines of Sekkisei products don't have alcohol, so it's good for him, because he's allergic, or something like that, I think.

About other foods, he has admitted that he's very picky and has little appetite, regularly. I recently stumbled upon some fan comments that claimed it was revealed he actually had a condition that was to blame for this - and not just that he was fussy - but that he got a nutritionist's help and they found solutions for it and now he eats normally, HOWEVER, I don't think there was any source for this info, so take it with a grain of salt. He has admitted to eating chips and McDonald's at times (Yuzu, try KFC, rather, it's much tastier :P) and he was seen drinking Cola at the airport in Moscow, in a documentary, after Rostelecom 2017, but he takes the tiniest of tiny sips lol (I'd have chugged half the can, tbh). Most of the time, at competitions, he eats what Ajinomoto staff cooks for him, and they are very careful to make stuff he is comfortable eating and that helps by providing all the nutrients he needs.

One thing I do remember is that, I think around GPF 2016, his team found out he had a very slow metabolism, so eating before competitions left him super full and he couldn't perform properly, because his system was very slow to digest the food. So after that they changed his habits and I think they said he wouldn't eat until after skating? Though probably later they figured out there are things he can eat before, too, that aren't so bad, because Ajinomoto always has three meals a day prepared for him, IIRC. They did have some stuff last year, where they revealed what they made for him during each day of competition, but I don't remember where it was.

So, aside from alcohol - which, like I said, is a common debate among fans - I don't think he has other food allergies - or at least not that we know of - but he probably does have things he processes more easily than others and is probably still somewhat picky about taste. Then again that also changes... there was a time he said he doesn't eat fat things or things fried in oil, and then he also said he loves karaage and things fried in oil lol And I think he has said he's trying to overcome he's aversion to paprika lol Generally, he likes his mother's cooking more than anything. I'm not sure about liking more delicate tasting things, because those concoctions he's made for the Ghana Hot Chocolate clips are anything but delicate lol Although I generally find Ghana to be more delicate tasting than other milk chocolate, so maybe there's something to it after all.

About other allergies, I think he also developed an allergy to one of the antibiotics he was given after his surgery. And generally, given his asthma and apparently a more fragile body - just thinking about all the times when the recovery times for injuries or the surgery initially given ended up being way off compared to the time he actually needed to fully recover - it's not unlikely he is prone to allergies. But he rarely speaks about them, because he doesn't want it to seem like he's making excuses. I still wonder if we'll ever know whether he really did have an asthma attack before JNats or not. And who knows how many others there might have been that we didn't know about and might never know. Surely nobody could have ever guessed he had an asthma attack two weeks before Helsinki Worlds if they hadn't revealed it as part of that year's 24HTV.

1 hour ago, rockstaryuzu said:

Nam's also a lot taller than his baby version, whereas Yuzu didn't grow quite so much.

IIRC, Yuzu had a big growth spurt in his first years of puberty, when he suddenly ended up towering over his peers (there were some videos of his rivalry with Ryuju and in one year they were the same height, in the next one, Yuzu was quite a bit taller), but after that his growing seems to have been fairly steady, without any sudden shooting up in height. Which was probably very good for his jumps. Although I think there were people who said he grew quite a bit even in the Summer before becoming a senior (I'm sure I've seen comments that he looked taller in NHK '10 than he'd looked at Junior Worlds). Then again, Yuzu's not as tall as Nam, so Nam did need a more sudden growth spurt to reach that height lol Most figure skaters are quite short, though...especially single skaters. I was really surprised the first time I saw Javi and Jeff, for example, with normal shoes and they were barely any taller than me. Not tall and SO slim... The waists on those guys... (I think if I ever saw Yuzu's up close, my eyes would pop out, given how amazing the other guys looked already) But I digress lol

I'd say this is one way in which nature favored Yuzu, because if he'd had a big growth spurt in his mid teens, it probably would have affected him quite a lot. Though now I wonder, if he did grow a few cms the Summer of 2010, maybe that played a part in his struggling with learning 4T at that time...

I was really happy with the CBC interview as well. Admittedly, the bar for Western Yuzu coverage is pretty low, but it was really good. My only issue is the translation of the Japanese parts which was very hit and miss. I'd like it if some of the better translators in the fandom would politely write to them and offer a more proper translation of those parts. If it's done respectfully, I think they might be open to it...

15 minutes ago, memae said:

 

Marie-France just announced that the 13 ice dance teams she has that were supposed to go to worlds are going to perform their favourite programs of the season in full costume to be filmed and aired later as a way to finish the season on a more positive note. Maybe other clubs and skaters will follow suit? 

Is that still on with Quebec authorities closing all the rinks?

6 minutes ago, Henni147 said:

Suggestion for the long summer break:

 

TCC can invite Jordan for one day to the club and record a small Team Cricket show. Everyone can skate in normal training gear and choose a program or do a funny impro challenge. It would be so cute, if the skaters announced each other and commented on each other's performances with mommy Tracy 

They could even have their own little competition, maybe with the coaches and choreographers as the judging panel Actually it'd be fun if all skaters would do stuff like that and do a sort of Virtual World Wide Figure Skating Exhibition... but with many rinks closed it'd be hard. (I guess TCC being a private club that can regulate attendance, they might stay open unless things get really bad in Toronto...)

15 hours ago, river said:

And ACI is Yuzucon. No assigned seating, sit with your friends... at least you have some support for when he does things like 4A or wears something like Origin 2.0.

Late, but ah, memories! Let's fangirl scream our lungs out again over a new Yuzu costume, like we did Origin 2.0!

35 minutes ago, yumeaki said:

We all know he is polite. Whether he meant to hint to us to stop being angry or not, I'm not sure. Maybe, maybe not. I can deal with judging nonsense but I think ISU this time carried things a bit too far with the red carpet and fan festival amid the current Coronavirus situation despite fans' concern. Oh well, thankfully it's all over.

I didn't really mean it like he hinted we should stop being angry. It's hard to explain, I see it more as acknowledging our anger, but also like "well, it's over, don't waste anymore energy on it" sort of pacifying? I think I'm explaining it wrongly. But I got the same feeling from him insisting he loved competing and was happy to continue competing in FS after Saitama and again GPF. Like he knew fans were pissed off because of the judging and he probably has his own feelings about it, but at the end of the day a sort of "It's ok, don't worry, I'm still loving it." He seems to have a way of indirectly and discreetly addressing fan issues and perhaps trying to calm us, while also doing the usual polite thanking. I'm sure he's also aware some of his fans can at times get aggressive and step out of line, so maybe he feels that trying to discreetly calm the spirits might help before it gets to that. But of course, that's just my speculation.

In Japan (and I think not only, but also other Asian countries), all celebrities, including athletes, are expect to take responsibility for their fans, to some extent, like asking them to behave when they don't and such. And even if they weren't, I'm sure Yuzu would feel responsible for how his fans act anyway, because he's that sort of guy. So it makes sense to me that he would try to calm the spirits, even while not directly saying there are any spirits that need calming.

4 minutes ago, Salior said:

Oh no Toronto looks quite close to the New York State 

 

I hope he stays safe.... He's got asthma too, can't be good :c 

Apparently, specialists say asthma isn't an aggravating fact for COVID-19. It is a bit confusing, because you'd expect it to be, but I hope they're right. And anyway, Yuzu rarely goes anywhere that isn't TCC, so I think he should be fine, as long as he doesn't have to travel.