KatjaThera

Well, whether because of the ice or for other reasons, Yuzu's performance was not great. Or rather his execution of the elements. From what I understand, Nathan's was pretty good. So it shouldn't be that surprising. Add to that that GOE is all over the place, still and judges are still getting used to it - plus it allows some more subjectivity than before. What we should keep in mind is that despite the less than perfect performance, Yuzu still scored higher than mostly clean Nathan (just saw Shoma had two falls, so that doesn't count; though now I'm confused, I thought falls should be -5GOE by default, just like they were -4 in the old system...). Nathan had all positive GOE, while Yuzu had a few negative ones and that alone can account for the difference. The BV difference is just 1.8 points. Yuzu had -2.14 just for the 4Lo. The only jump that was really good for Yuzu was the 4S and even that was actually a bit tilted - which I never noticed it being in practice, though I could be wrong, due to my perspective. Anyway, this is Yuzu we're talking about. He'll go back to his usual high scores. If anything it might Shoma we should worry about more. Because he has a higher BV and was only about 2 points under Yuzu's record, despite two falls...

I just watched the broadcast of Origin properly for the first time - British Eurosport commentary - and yeah, it was worse than it seemed watching it live lol But what amused me a lot is what they were saying before Yuzu got his score. That Shoma had a great skate at Skate Canada and I remember hearing Nathan did great at Skate America as well - I watched neither so I have no idea about the accuracy of this - and they had 188 and 189. Then comes Yuzu with 190 and beats them both with what is, by his standards, a fairly average performance (although admittedly the BESP commentators thought it was great, too. So average Yuzu beating great Shoma and Nathan sure sounds good for the season... Especially since, knowing Yuzu, he will aim for greatness and beyond. Either way, I still love it lol

I think it might be hard to grasp the spiritual aspect of Origin also because many of us westerners tend to equate spirituality with christianity. Like many have said, this is Asian spirituality and it's very different. They have many gods and so-called demons that aren't really demons in the christian sense. That's why to me Yuzu is a sort of God, or King of a Universe, if you prefer, in Origin. He creates something in that program. But while he is strong and fierce, I don't get any negativity from it. He is strong and cold and fierce and distant, but that doesn't make him evil. And if I were to try to see what else this might relate to with Yuzu personally, I'll put it under spoilers because it's speculation That said, it's probably easier for me, because I don't feel the need to understand. I can't say I fully understand H&L either, or even Seimei. I don't necessarily perceive a story or a message watching them, but I still love them to bits. They probably do resonate with something inside of me, though, even if I can't put it in words.

I kind of get what you're saying, but if people believe this was his best, it only means they'll be completely blown away when it will truly be his best. And if not, they're hopeless anyway. Being there and witnessing it was outstanding. But yes, it wasn't perfect. Still, personally, I felt the joy of him saving the landings even more in person than I ever did on TV. It's a bit like you're skating with him and every landed jump - even the imperfect ones, or perhaps especially those - feels like a personal victory. It's special. That said, to me Helsinki was perfect because it was imperfect. We really don't want him to be perfect at this point in the season. I was actually scared after the perfect SP RT, because that's not right for right now. So, to me, this was the best possible result. He won, in commanding style, however he wasn't perfect. There's still a lot of room for improvement and if the other skaters have any sense they should be shaking in their boots at the possibility - or probability - of him achieving perfection. That's really the ideal result at this point. Once he does both programs clean, he'll probably feel he needs to bring 4A as the only possible upgrade. Considering his current plans, I guess he does intend to go clean by GPF and then bring 4A in the next big international competition (whether it'll be 4CC or Worlds). But I think a lot of people have also expressed exactly the feeling I mentioned: he's already fantastic and broke the records, so imagine what he'll do when he's clean. Those who don't realize that will either be in for a surprise or aren't worth paying attention to, IMO.

I think a lot of people aren't familiar with Yuzuru's background. They know he's Japanese, maybe they know he was considered a prodigy and I would guess most of them know he survived the earthquake in 2011. But I think that's about all they know. And that's probably because he doesn't really talk to western media and so his life story isn't really well known there. He does talk about his studies to Japanese media, but I think he only mentioned what he studied in western media once, in an ISU interview with three other Team Japan members that I don't think was even properly promoted (I know I stumbled upon it by accident). And also Brian has mentioned he does University studies, but most people when they long distance studies, they think it's just a formality to get a pretty diploma and there isn't that much studying. Also, with him being the top skater, it's hard to believe he has time for that, too (unless you know his life appears to be pretty much just skating and studying, with sprinkles of music and video games). But it's also like that with people sometimes assuming that because Yuzu comes from Japan, where they love FS, he probably had it really easy, when in fact his rink closed twice and Miyagi isn't really the ideal place to be in to become a figure skater. That the FS hubs in Japan are Osaka and Nagoya and that Yuzu is from neither and as a consequence actually had a pretty hard time (and still doesn't get as much political support as others). I think even Javi once said something like Yuzu's from Japan and skating there is easier (though I'm not sure. I just remember he said something once that made me wonder if he knows it actually wasn't that easy). I think there's a lot about Yuzu that most westerners who haven't had a particular interest in him - enough to properly research - simply don't know. Or understand. So it's not really that surprising. I do think Valtter's comments might also be more in the sense that juggling skating and a full time job is hard. Or juggling skating and med school. The thing with Yuzu is that he doesn't need a job to support himself or his skating - as we know, figure skating is a very expensive sport with very little financial reward - while many other skaters have to study and get jobs. Of course, that he has enough money that he doesn't need this is due to his hard work and talent. But it also means he has more time to dedicate himself to skating and improving his skills than those skaters who also have to go to school and get jobs. So maybe it was less about being condescending and more about explaining where at least part of that gap comes from. Whether it's accurate or not, who knows. Not many highschools could accommodate a student who actually lives half a year in Canada, for example. And some Universities you can't really do long distance. Like med school. So who knows if under those circumstances, Yuzu would have still managed the results he has. Pointless to speculate anyway. ETA: Not just getting into Waseda, but he had the interview that determined his admission over Skype, while he was in Sochi, competing in the Grand Prix Final, and he was also sick on top of that (could barely walk on the day of the gala, IIRC). That's just crazy...

I agree. While Yuzu might be disappointed that Plushy didn't get it that Origin is not about Nijinsky, it won't change his vision. He's not the type to bend to the opinion of others, not even his idols. I hope when he next sees Plushy he can explain it to him, simply because it sucks to be misunderstood by someone you admire, but beyond that, I don't worry about Yuzu being affected by this.

Now I wonder if anyone figured out what he was singing before the short program... Before the free, we could see it easily even from across the rink how into it he was and were sort of trying not to laugh, but failing miserably lol But it's so awesome, I love that he just does not care what anyone thinks lol (Now I wish I could have seen Brian's reaction when this first happened lol By now, both he and Ghislain seem perfectly used to it lol)

I think he did manage a whistle in the end, at some point lol And I was thinking there must be something wrong with the ice, too. Aside from falls on jumps, Kolyada losing his balance during steps I thought was really weird. Sure, it happens, but it happened to him twice. I don't remember what elements, but not jumps and it was on the far side of the ring (to the right of the judges). I also thought the arena got warmer through the day on Sunday and the ice was definitely melting during the gala - it was warm enough that I didn't the jacket, although on other days I was freezing even with it on. I think that's also why Yuzu struggled a bit to gather ice chips to make it snow, making quite a few people around me laugh. Now, about the not so positive things discussed here and in the Helsinki thread, regarding audience behavior, here's my impressions (under spoilers, because it's huge )

Oh, so in the end I did 'jinx' it right... At ACI, for the SP, I wore my blue parade tshirt and the SP costume was blue. Then for the LP, I wore the purple one. And the costume was black, and it was a bit of an oh well lol but now it turns out there really is purple in that costume LOL

I've actually been watching that a lot lately and I like it more and more every time LOL So I'd be quite ok with it. However, I object to big costume changes (exception being the length of the Otonal top), because otherwise my banner *points at signature* will be a bit... wrong

I think the location of the conversation counts, too. If it had been overheard while they were somewhere at ACI, or even in some public restaurant, that'd be a bit different. It'd be in a public place and while it still wouldn't really be ok, the chance of it being overheard by many people is higher and that makes it somewhat less private. However, it seems this took place at TCC, which is known to have very strict privacy rules, specifically designed to protect the athletes. I'm always uncomfortable when info trickles out of TCC, regardless of what info it is, even if sometimes it's also nice to hear and know. Knowing that TCC is built as a safe haven where skaters can be themselves and where they can say and do anything without fear of being judged, info from inside there being brought to the public, which sometimes - like now - ends up getting the skaters judged is obviously against TCC's policy and the staff's efforts. Which is not to say TCC staff themselves are always perfect either. Some of the things Ghislain apparently said to people at ACI and supposedly ok-ed to be made public also made me uncomfortable. And Brian has learned his lesson not to do such things in the past, too. And while I agree that, for his own sake, Yuzu shouldn't care what antis think or say, I'm not sure he's reached that point just yet. I'm not sure he even can. His sensitivity is one of the things that make him the artist he is, IMO.

I usually enjoy small tidbits of information from behind the scenes, but I'm actually with @Katt on this. Yuzu probably felt ok to joke like that because it was among friends and inside of TCC, which is his safe haven, and he knew there was no risk of anyone misinterpreting his words. But taking that little joke and making it public opens him up to exactly the kind of misinterpretation. There are actually many things about the story that make me cringe. Like the eating part, which was quite unnecessary, IMO. If the story had come from Yuzu or Jun or someone from TCC speaking openly, that'd be different, but as it is, it sounds like a leaked story that should have stayed private. I also think they could have made the same point, about Yuzu giving Jun advice and trying to get him pumped up, in a different way, that wouldn't have been as open to misinterpretation. Just Yuzu's advice would have been sufficient actually, IMO. It'll probably blow over quickly, since it's not a huge thing. But, IMO, even little things like this should remain private if they happened in private. It's like... at work, we might joke about a colleague being lazy or saying he's working outside the office when he's actually home or taking care of personal stuff and tease him about it. But we'd never do that in public or in front of people who are not part of our circle, because it'd be easily misunderstood. It's the same thing, IMO.

Because of the nasal voice I'm pretty sure it was shot at the beginning of July. His voice was pretty nasal when he did 24HTV filming, too. I think he caught a cold at the end of FaOI and so everything after that was with that nasal voice. (I think at least one of the last post-FaOI show interviews was like that, too) I was actually a bit amused that now this CM will have immortalized his nasal voice

Or, or, we could have CiONTU in reverse in Malaga, Yuzu skating Origin live by net from Moscow. Then Javi can be all "Yuzu, thank you so much for taking the time to skate for my show!" And Yuzu can be his bratty self and say "You're welcome, but I actually did it because I wanted Plu-sama to see me skate to this in Russia! " To more serious topics, IMO, I believe Yuzu's biggest weakness is his big brain, which is also one of his greatest assets. He is very analytic and self-analytic and he uses his brain a lot. However, that sometimes results in overthinking and I think that's when things go off. I think his mistakes have little to do with technique, which I believe could be quite perfect, and a lot to do with him being able or unable to show that technique off when the time comes. The way he thinks about things in great detail is what helped him develop his technique and learn from mistakes. But it's really easy to fall into overthinking. And I think I actually saw him doing it at ACI. He was thinking a lot and seemed to end up 'obsessing', over the 4S before the SP, and over the 4Lo before the LP. I believe at times like that it'd be more important to focus on the program, the theme, the overall feeling, because if he nails that, his body will probably do the elements naturally. However, last year, I think I remember he said at one point that he'd found the way to focus when it matters and that he can now do it at will. Get into the zone, basically. Pyeongchang definitely worked, especially the SP (though he was 'obsessing' over the 4S a bit then, too, if I remember correctly lol). So that makes me think, if it's true, that maybe he allows himself to focus on the 'wrong' things early in the season, because it's more important to fine-tune the elements than getting the whole program clean. But that, come the important events, he'll switch gears and show he has learned to control his mind and avoid overthinking. I guess it remains to be seen. We didn't really get to see what progresses he has made last year. On the other hand, I don't really know about weaknesses... Personally, I don't think I'd be as big a fan if Yuzu were perfect day in, day out. His unpredictability is part of his charm, I think. The passion, the feelings and the mind that make you unsure of what exactly will happen, but in the same time, absolutely sure you're watching a human and not a robot. That to me is part of the magic of watching him skate.

Some sources, supposedly quoting his media guy said he was going to Toronto until the beginning of November to get his SP... The beginning of November is just around the corner, though, and he's still doing stuff in Spain... I love Javi and I get his priorities, but it feels a bit like his chances of winning Euros are decreasing with every day he's not training for it... >_< I just hope he's not underestimating his rivals... (Though the way he usually puts it, as "if I go to Euros, it's to win" makes me fear he'll realize he's not ready and decide not to go. That would be bad for so many reasons...)

I think it's way too early to judge. Hope and Legacy is the best proof that Yuzu's programs grow throughout the season. While other skaters tend to lose content as the season progresses, Yuzu usually gains it, as the elements get polished and he can start feeling in the blanks. If anyone wants to dismiss Otonal and/or Origin at this point, IMO it's their loss. More specifically, about your comment, I personally also feel there is stuff missing. But I think that's because for now he's just focusing on getting the elements right. The timing, the execution, seeing if everything works as he wants it to. Practice is one thing, but it's when he does it in competition that he really figures out if some things work or not. And later on, he'll start building on it. But the overall construction of the program doesn't bother me. I get the kind of balance he's probably aiming for. The first half is slow music, but the jumps give it some dynamic. The second half, the music picks up and there's that very energetic step sequence, but no jumps. If there were more jumps in the second half, I think it'd feel even more unbalanced. However, I also wouldn't be surprised if he'll decide to shift things around after all. The bottom line, IMO, is that he's trying new stuff. He has no reason to stick to the patterns that worked before, not anymore. On the contrary, I think he wants to challenge new things. New layouts, new spins, new entries and exits to jumps, new combinations etc. So I'd be surprised if he went back to the Chopin layout, or even something similar. But maybe his kuyashii will be stronger lol I actually get a bit confused watching Origin, also because it's different. I think we're just too used to the patterns he's been using for years, so it's going to take some time to get used to the new ones. Or at least I think that's my case. But somehow, I find it easier for Otonal than Origin. Maybe because Origin is longer.

Personally, I think I liked Prague more than Paris or Rome lol But that's mostly because it's not as crowded (I also prefer Brussels to Paris and Rome for the same reason). I really did love Prague! Should go again some day... However, I also love seeing the Roman ruins in Rome... Paris I like mostly because I have great memories there, but beyond that... reminds me too much of home LOL I'd find it hard to write a travel guide for Yuzu, though it's a really cool idea, because my favorite places to visit are in Japan I think in general visiting won't happen much for Yuzu until after he retires, though...

Actually, if I remember correctly, Javi's Ina Bauer ends right in front of me... or thereabouts... and there's at least one arms crossed above his head moment around there. I think... I don't remember where the moments of Plush's Tango Amore happen lol Well, if the skating gods were really super nice to me, there would be a reverse of Continues, with a live broadcast from some anonymous rink in Moscow and a certain kitty doing a costume rehearsal of his Ex for the next day's gala >_> (Though in Continues style, if it happened, it should happen for the Madrid final; imagine Yuzu going live from Ice Rink Sendai ) But if not, I could do with Plush physically molesting and Javi emotionally molesting me, just fine, too lol

You are evil! lol I wonder if he might do Nijinsky, though... Hmm... oh, Sex Bomb is dangerous, too...

I'm going to Malaga... wouldn't be able to travel that close to the holidays to go to Madrid ^_^; (Although traveling to Madrid would definitely be easier and less of a pain than traveling to Malaga...) But hey, I'm (probably; they said VIP means meeting all the guest skaters, not just Javi...) going to meet Plushenko, so... (It just crossed my mind yesterday that I'm front row... if he does Tango Amore, I'll get nervous lol Though the chances of him picking me to molest, out of everyone there aren't great. But still, you never know >_> I'm not sure if I'd want it or not LOL)

It's Yuna... But only in Murcia, Las Palmas and Madrid

It gets practical whether you want it or not because you stock up on gum! My xylitol gum stock from last year lasted me months lol (and I had gone years without chewing gum before that...) I have a binder of clearfiles now, most of them Yuzu. I tried using an X Japan one once but it got scratches, so, since then, my clearfiles are collectibles. However I do have an extra hydroblade from last year and that one I do use.

I'm not sure you can use Yahoo Auctions Japan from abroad (I know a few years ago you couldn't). But proxy/shopping in Japan sites often have an option to buy from Yahoo Auctions. I use ZenMarket ^_^

Many clearfiles sold out early in the morning it seems... there was a tweet by someone who was at a store at opening time, 5:30am and said the lady at the front of the line took them all >_< I actually gave in and bought a set of the more regular ones from Yahoo Auctions, for a still ridiculously high price... Though not as high as others there. There was a ポプラ right next to the hotel I usually stayed at in Tokyo... Wish I was there... Though actually even last year when they were far more common, some clearfiles were really hard to find. After a while I just got tired ^_^;