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And if he makes mistakes cos of that, might as well get it all out in the team event. He'd at least be more adjusted for the individual event with that serving as a buffer, rather than going straight into it without one at all. Look, I'll be straight. I'm hoping the team event would be his SC2015 and the individual one be his nhk2015. (Ideally it'd be team being nhk2015 and individual being gpf2015 but that would be too farfetched even for a 'miracle' worker like hanyu, like so many like to think he is). I know it seems lackadaisical and almost downright disrespectful to the team event (which does give out honest to goodness Oly medals) but Japan's chances of medalling is not high enough for JSF to want to be cautious with it, if it means Hanyu's performance in the individual event is at stake, as proven by their eagerness to assign both skates to him in the men's team event as a competition warm-up straight out of being sidelined. By doing that, they basically gave him the go ahead to make all the mistakes he has to there to put himself in a better place for the individual event.

Haha and I would've agreed with you except, well, he did have some great skates over the summer in shows and programs and whatnot so it wasn't like he went into that comp after a long enforced rest from skating and rebuilding, like he is now. That and ACI and the Olys, as much as he doesn't like to think one comp is better than the other, they just don't exist on the same plane. And even if you argued that this may help him not put so much importance in the olys as THE comp and view it as just another one, well, he still is coming back from a major injury and weeks off ice (not just one and nursing a small physical discomfort), which will likely affect his performance, small comp or big one. Also, it wasn't like his FS was jaw-dropping at ACI. Or maybe it was, from a different perspective. Plus, I dont think anything he's ever done and achieved is a miracle. They're all calculations and practice finally executed the right way. If you take a careful look, he was bound to achieve what he did sooner or later, because of everything within the logical realm falling into place. None of his achievements, not a single one, no matter how bombastic, were achieved by chance. Not his Sochi gold (no matter what he or anyone else thinks of it) and certainly not his world records.

I don't think anything beats competition experience though, and when there is a choice between the two and the competition one isn't in any way inconvenient, it should be a no-brainer which one an athlete picks. Especially one like Hanyu, who seems to need some comp mileage, even if only a little, before exploding into a starburst fireworks on ice. And especially in his position now. So if he doesn't, I can only assume that it's inconvenient somehow, and not in timing or venue aspect either, because those are moot, given that it's part of the Olys.

(Jokes aside, it's probably decided between the coaches and I really think Orser registered under Cha's team so he wouldn't invite troubling chatter that might make things awkward especially now since the other two are/were world champions going into the olys as more or less rivals so.)

I'm happy you feel that way but my logic is telling me otherwise, and it hasn't been wrong in its deductions of Hanyu so far, given that he's a creature of extremely sound logic (more sound than mine could ever hope to be) and he's been extremely consistent in his character so far, having never pulled out of a comp unless he felt he didn't have a choice. That aside, logically speaking, the practice could only work for him, not against, when he hasn't competed in months. So yeah, imma be very skeptical about his choice, and then worried about his condition, for maybe the first time ever, given what's going to happen just a few days later, if he chooses to not do even a single performance in the team event. But that's just me, of course. It's great if everyone else is chill about it if he chooses this route. God knows a lot of his fans worry about him enough, sometimes over more trivial matters than this, lol. My worry will of course only kick in in the event this speculation comes true. Right now, I'm not thinking or feeling much of anything (cept maybe for mild anxiety and hope, lots and lots of hope) since there's really nothing to go on from. Which is probably exactly what the guy wants. That said, I'm well aware it's just fan speculation, which was why I expressed my hope that it's not going to turn out accurate the way some had in the past. xD Granted, there have been more misses than hits, and I'm hoping this one falls into the majority. Ah, I was wondering if they meant Fernandez but the way it was phrased, the sentence made more sense when that part was tacked to Hanyu. So they've decided on Kasai? Great! Don't think there's anyone more deserving of the role than him, really. (: Oh wait, you're just pretty sure. Well then, I hope it's him. So cool that the coach and his student are going to get to compete in the same Olys together. Edit: It says here that it's gonna be Sara Takanashi because Kasai isn't going to be available to attend the opening ceremony.

Uuuuh. I sure hope that isn't going to turn out to be the case because I can't help but think being able to skate both programs, on Oly ice no less, before the actual event (ie: the individual one), especially when one hasn't had much in the way of competition practice, is the furthest thing from a bad idea. He could use the opportunity JSF has so generously granted him despite all the accusations of their favoring Uno over him, and if I were in his shoes, even if I felt bad for robbing others of their opportunity to skate before the individual event, I'd tell my conscience to suck it up for once because it's something I really need, probably more than others (cos hey, they've got 4cc to warm up), silently apologize to them and grab the opportunity with both grubby hands, cos I could really use it to work out the competition kinks and paint over the competitive rust. I mean, if he isn't going to for whatever reason, then more power to him, since he knows himself best, but at this point, it makes absolutely no sense to me for someone in his position to decline this opportunity. Not that it has to, ofc. >_< And sides, he doesn't strike me as the sort to refuse to participate, especially in an Oly event, if he's on form enough to. If he declines, I can only think he doesn't feel ready enough to which doesn't exactly offer a great outlook on the individual event. I'm not a worrier, I wasn't overly worried even when I found out he hurt his ankle but I'd be plenty worried if he declines to skate at the team event entirely. And what is this flag bearer thing? Is it something that has been officially decided? I may be having the wrong conception about this but isn't that a role usually bestowed upon the team leader, which has been established to be Nao Kodaira? And even if he's somehow doing it, he should be there the first day, no? Since that's when the opening ceremony is? After the Team event for men's sp? Which means he might as well skate,

The music sounds vaguely familiar but I just can't seem to put my finger on it. Anybody has an idea where the song is from and what it's called? I think the title might have been given by the uploader but I can't make enough sense of the Chinese characters and "Victory" is too broad to go from. Will appreciate any help I can get on this. P/s: That's some pretty spot-on cut and splice editing there with a great selection of footages but I think the abrupt ending kind of ruined the effect it built up all towards it a little. Still a 10/10 will watch again nevertheless.

I do wonder, though, what Hanyu would have done and subsequently become had there been someone like him in the field back when he was and up-and-comer. Or what Jin, Uno and Chen would be doing now if FS never had Hanyu. >_< Chan would probably have won his Oly gold and retired. And Fernandez's success would be a huge question mark since it, as far as outside forces go, seems to be due to a combination of having Orser as his coach (and by extension TCC as a training ground), and Hanyu as both a training mate and rival. Not sure if the outcome for him would be the same if his recipe is missing one of those ingredients. Hanyu himself, had he never gotten into fs, would probably still end up an athlete (between the boundless energy he's been said to have as a kid, his highly competitive and absolutely fearless nature, and Japan being a sport-crazy nation, it's highly unlikely he wouldn't have ended up as one anyway), stirring up sh*t in whatever sport he's turned out to do instead. I just can't imagine him to simply quietly exist. Guy just isn't the sort, fs or no fs. >_<

In their defense, I'm thinking they don't have a choice if they want to be competitive, with Hanyu tearing down the previous landscape of men's fs and repainted it in his colors, and Jin kicking down the doors of the 4Z and dragging it repeatedly into competition. Also, I got a rather distinct vibe that ISU needed more top contenders in the field to "shake things up" in order to bring in more audiences, which is why they are getting way more PCS and GOEs than they truly deserve, which in turn is telling them to keep at it if they want to have any chance at all at being somewhere on top (while Mt. Hanyu, the big brother of tiny lil' Everest, is still very much an active volcano). Those that Fernandez and especially Hanyu were chasing weren't doing things in the field that required them to do the same way back when, which was how they could afford the time to grow more organically, something which I think all of us are truly grateful for. I, for one, am not too upset by what's going on now, because the selfish part of me thinks that all of these are good for Hanyu and his mentality. It seems to have the reverse effect on Chan and Fernandez, though, since theirs is a different stance and mindset.

Let's be real, it's gonna afflict him anywhere he is. It's just a matter of choosing somewhere that has less potential triggers and when it does happen, his family can for sure get him to a place that can provide medical assistance in a timely fashion even if they were to not drive. Out of the three, Toronto is probably the only one that checks all those boxes. You know, there's been a number of people credited for his move. That Spin the Dream thing Asahi did on him credited Yutaka Higuchi, who has a long-standing friendship with Brian, then here Shirota seems to indicate she played a major part, and then there's Hanyu himself crediting Fernandez. Methinks Higuchi came up with the suggestion first, Shirota put it on the shortlist and Hanyu ultimately decided based on who he wanted to train with. Think the only way he'll feel sure that he's the rightful winner is if he skated everything *exactly* the way he intended, or better. Anything less and it'd be insecure central for him. Guess that's how it is for those who innately know exactly how good they really are. And maybe this is the only other way he'd be happy with a win without two perfect performances. A comeback in the form of an FS skated to perfection, or damn near it. Though I'm not sure if it applies to the Olys since the circumstances are different. He had bungled two WCs prior and he really needed this one because of that, and with these two losses prior and Helsinki determining who gets to go into the Olys as World Champion, he really needed to prove to himself he can get what he badly wants if he puts his mind to it. PC, on the other hand, is supposed to be his chance at a redemption for his Sochi win (which he likely thinks is flawed due to being marred by a less than perfect FS), overwriting the uncertain vibes it gave him, and convince him that he deserves both that and this one. What the...thought she was at most in her 50s! She doesn't look a single day over that!

Truth be told, I actually enjoyed Yuzuru Method more than I did the Aoi Honoo books. Maybe it's cos I enjoy reading and hearing what others say about him more than hearing him talk about himself. I also seem to prefer opinion articles and blogs written about him and programs that talk about him, no matter how long or short, than actual news about him and interviews with him, though the latter is, of course, always welcome. xD Whatever this is, if it's an honest-to-goodness book about him and there's a lot of text in it, I'll likely be buyin' it. >_<

Here's my take on this thing he wrote almost a decade ago: "The coach and people from the fed said good things about me, but it's also like I'm being told this is all I can do and it's good enough, which really drove me nuts." Lol. Why do people keep saying he wrote these books himself like he actually sat down and deliberately thought up words to be specifically published as a book? Everything published under his name is more compilation of the things he's said or written as some kind of journal entry or anecdotes of his utterances. I mean the entry-style writing in Aoi Honoo II I guess can technically be said were written by him but if these are basically just a bunch of stuff he's said in interviews, calling it "written by" sounds like a bit of a stretch. >_< Don't get me wrong, if the words are wholly his and published into book format, he should be credited as the author but introducing the book as being written by him, unless inverted commas are used, just strikes me as very odd choice of words. Of course, I may have understood what's being said here wrongly. What does interviews "by himself" mean anyway? *Ordering it when it comes out*

I see! So the only way he could insert 5 quads without sacrificing a 3A is by incorporating the 4z, just like @kiches said. Doesn't sound like he has much of a choice then, if a five-quad-two-3A layout is what he wants. Thanks vm for the splanation! ^^

Ohhhh! I actually never knew that! So you can't repeat more than two types of jump element? Even as a tack-on for combinations?

Oh you mean he needed at least 3 standalone quads for that to happen? I guess that makes sense... Still, I think pride (and greed xD) has a lot to do with it. Like, if he were to win, he wants to do it with a BV that isn't significantly trailing behind others, despite being ahead of others in pretty much everything else. Because winning with one of the highest BV in the field has always been a major part of his modus operandi. He sees all these other dudes challenging him and he wants to rise to them. Which I guess is consistent with his mindset of being a challenger instead of a leader. That, or the dude just basically wants everything. >_<

Ah...so those American published articles were actually right when they said he incorporated it to stay competitive with Dynamo Nate and the rest. I've always been puzzled why he did that instead of simply adding another 4T to his previous layout to make it 5, since the 4Lo is still a pretty new toy and it takes him a while to stabilize new jumps enough for decent success rates. >_<

And here's the accompanying interview (his bit spans the first 4 minutes of the video):

Hmm. I don't think what I'm about to say warrants hiding but if it's the whole subject itself you find may be upsetting to people (and understandably so), then I shall comply.

So I came across this again the other day: This is the Kozuki Sports Award and Athlete Acknowledgment Ceremony that was held back in 2014. Hanyu was awarded the biggest award there for his achievements, and was the representative chosen to speak on behalf of athletes who were awarded in the event. He gave a speech that's a little over 4 minutes long which I haven't seen a translation for floating around, though I very well could have missed it. If one does exist, here's the version I did of it anyway: (Speech starts at the 9:17. If your want to see him accepting his award, it's starts at 7:29, right before his speech.)

Lol, and here I am still hoping and thinking it entirely possible (like a 50% chance kind of possible, based on rough statistics) that he'll present clean skates in the individual events. Would I bet on it? Well...since it *is* what I want to see and 50% seems high enough plus I'm feeling lucky...call me a fool but here's all my money. Even if my feeling deceives me and I end up losing the money, no one can say I didnt have faith in the dude. >_< And I wouldn't lose it either, if it doesn't turn out the way I hope. He's bound to go clean at some point, even if not at the Olys, haha. I'll always be betting on the dude, even if my brain disagrees with my heart and tells me not to. XP And yeeeah, this is how I make major life decisions, as well. Needless to say, I'm not exactly swimming in money but I *am* happy and most decidedly *not* quite in the poorhouse either, since I save up most of what I win when I do hit the jackpot, hehe.

Oh, okay then. Wasn't able to tell since I seemed to have missed any indications there may have been ^^; You basically echo Sano-sensei, I think, and I do think there's a lot of truth in it. But I guess it's not unreasonable for people to think that way either as we can only gauge from the things that we can see. Comp-seasoned Hanyu is enough of a wild card as it is, a comp-withdrawal one would be the gun in Russian roulette.

My focus was less on the comps before the Olys, it was more on the fact that even though Hanyu has an advantage as a non-first-timer in both participation and winning at the Games, he also faces a very different and rather lonely kind of pressure as the One the World has to Beat, something that not very many others in his sport share with him. Though I guess this may be how my relief in people underestimating him was born. Going in as an underdog would help cushion that pressure because less people would be viewing at him as the One the Others Have to Beat. They'd be too busy wondering if he could make a proper comeback and maybe even surprise us all. Not too overwhelming of a position to be going into the Olympics in, I feel. And just nice enough to fire our guy up since he doesn't like being underestimated, heh.

Well, there's gonna be pressure no matter the kind of competitor you are. It's just a matter of which kind. There's the i'm-an-Olympic-virgin-this-is-my-first-time-please-be-gentle-shit-i-can't-believe-i'm-really-here-and-doing-this-i-had-better-do-well-enough-to-justify-my-presence wow factor kind (doubled if you are regarded widely as a medal contender), there's the not-my-first-rodeo-but-i-didnt-get-the-medal-i-wanted-before-so-i-sure-hope-i-do-this-time kind and the defending champion if-i-repeat-i'd-be-a-legend-if-i-dont-*#%$:Δ?&!x9999999 kind. Whichever kind a competitor is feeling, each has its plusses and minuses, and each is unique, I feel.

You know, I've been seeing quite a number of people saying how they don't think he'll be able to manage a second gold (though I didn't come across anyone outright declaring he's no longer a contender for it) based on the current circumstances surrounding him, which, tbf, is a logically sound assumption. Despite that though, the first thing I'd have thought I'd feel seeing these opinions would be a sense of defensiveness but turns out, instead of feeling indignant, I actually feel more comforted. Before this injury, whenever I see people saying the same thing based on, well, nothing (unless superstition counts for something), I'd feel annoyed. Now though, I actually welcome it as much as I welcome the sentiments that believe he can perform some kind of miracle. Like for some reason, the more of an underdoge (heh) he is, the better I feel about what the outcome may be. Strange, huh? I imagine his mindset going into PC may turn out to possibly be one of these two: 1) Icandothisicandothisicandothisicandothisicandothisicandothisicandothisicandothisicandothisicandothis icandothis I! CAN! DO! DISSSS!!!1! Or, 2) F*CK THIs SHIT! DoN'T Y'ALL F*CK wIT ME!!1!11 IMMA SHOW Y'ALL!!1 It could also be 3)F*ck everything imma just enjoy this. Though the last one is what I personally hope for, I doubt it would ever be something he can convince himself to do in his lifetime, lol.

Huh. So he really does hold the blue version. I'm guessing he still runs out of pages long before its 5-year validity is up, though. >_< Hn? I actually understood the last bit differently? To me, he's saying that him having won at the previous Olympics is something he knows better than anyone else and he's learned to be able to acknowledge and accept both the expectation and pressure that come with that fact. I mean, I could be wrong but that makes more sense to me.