Toni

Also @LadyLou It was one of the experts on Planet Hanyu who said you can't recycle both programs from the immediate last season. I believed them when they said it because they sounded very knowledgeable. That's the only basis for my statement. LadyLou: HAHAHA, yes, we absolutely ARE also addicted to the thrill.

It was one of the experts on Planet Hanyu who said you can't recycle both programs from the immediate last season. I believed them when they said it because they sounded very knowledgeable. That's the only basis for my statement.

He's planning the hardest jumps of his career on an ankle he admits has been permanently weakened by the fall before the Olympics. ISU has also made it clear that they're going to get away with as much overscoring of Americans and as much underscoring of Yuzu as possible. Yuzu has to jump so much better than Nathan just to get scored evenly. Origin is also great music for lots of powerful jumps. Anyway, that's only one factor. Everything is in Yuzu's calculation, and if Yuzu recycles Origin, his number one reason would be determination to vindicate the program and show it at it's best. I may be wrong, but I really think it will be Origin.

First, a point of order: The rules do not allow you to recycle both of the last season's programs, only one. (BTW, this is the only rule I know about it. I don't know if the other program can be from a season before the last. Right after Worlds, I was thinking he might recycle Origin because he never got to skate it the way he wanted to. By the time he would normally be perfecting a program and putting on the final touches, he was injured. But Otonal was perfected already at Helsinki, and then again at Rostelecom. Since we had some possible confirmation of that with his music posted in IG, that means the short program will probably be new, -- unless the rules allow him to skate LGC, which he has also never perfected... (Triggering myself: YES! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE! SKATE LGC, YUZU! PLEASE, PRETTY, PLEASE, SKATE LGC!!!) As for the mood: Yes, the mood HAS changed, but the mood is full-on competition mode now. Yuzu can't stand ending the season without feeling that he has perfected the programs he put so much effort into, so that's a big reason for him to choose Origin, but there's also the fact that he wants to really concentrate on getting all his jumps back up to speed, so adjusting to new choreo would distract him from practicing his jumps. Yuzu is very calculating when he's in this mode. Origin is a malleable program that leaves him many ways to improvise for additional points. It's a very wise choice, and I think he will upgrade it massively (hopefully adding back the lost media day choreo.) I think we're in for an incredible feat, if his ankle holds out. That's why I have tickets for ACI, SCI, and World's. I think we're about to see history in the making -- again. We all just have to cross every one of our fingers and toes, praying that he doesn't get injured again. He's actually pushing himself too hard - but all great athletes do that. Just face it, our boy is an adrenaline junky. He has an addiction to the thrill of competition and victory. And like most of the real greats, Yuzu won't retire until injury forces him to.

I just realized something. With this performance, Yuzu has finally skated this program the way he intended it. And he finally justified the ribbon-wings on this costume. I think he's been trying to perfect the use of fabric as part of the graceful motion of his arms. He certainly did that. This was a perfect performance. And now I've gone from being mildly annoyed by the costume to over-the-moon loving it. But it took him finally showing me what the wings are for to finally make me get it. And, of course, this little Sakura-Blossom-Fairy King has made me cry... again.

The disaster will always be a part of Yuzu, but I don't think it's his own trauma that hurts him, so much as all the hurt he witnessed by the people of Sendai, Myagi Prefecture, and the region. He was already a local hero, featured on Sendai TV regularly, all through his childhood. They cheered for him and welcomed him home at the Sendai airport when he brought medals back. Many also helped him financially, so he could continue to train after the disaster damaged his home rink. He will never stop meaning it when he says he owes it all to the help and support the people gave him. He's talking about THOSE people. People he loved. And he had to watch them suffering, losing loved ones, and so many of them are still displaced after the disaster. Then he felt like he abandoned them when he went away to train and left them all behind to suffer more. And every one of those people called HIM a hero for bringing gold home to them to be proud of, for making them smile and remember hope and beauty again. But he doesn't see it that way. He has always felt embarrassment when they call him a hero and guilt that he escaped the misery they couldn't escape. If you already have a mountain that high to climb in your soul, and then you pile on all the haters, unfair judging, repeated injuries, and his own extreme pressure on himself to win, feeling that he owes it to all the people counting on him... it's a wonder he doesn't simply float away on a river of tears.

I hope everyone is aware that the DVD will only play in Region 2 or Universal DVD players. Most players are region specific. But the Blu-Ray will play in ALL Blu-Ray players.

I think there's a very good chance that THIS is what Yuzu is going to skate to for his SP next season. It's ToshI playing only the piano part of Crystal Memories, NOT singing. Yuzu likes piano, and this is KILLER good. And if Yuzu already told him he wanted him to play piano for him for his next program -- WELL! That would definitely explain ToshI's bubbly mood (apart from the obvious - being in Yuzu's presence.) I'm always smiling at the reaction all his collaborators have to him. They always feel so honored to help the King.:

That's a good point.

I do not approve of admin's edit. I think it was enough to remove reference to other skaters. So I tried to delete this post, but there seems to be no way to do it, only erasing the content.

These things exist out there: Winnie the Pooh in skates patches, pins (GOLD!), stuffed animals, ornaments, and shirts. I listed just a few on-line sources below. I got a patch, a pin, and an ornament to show solidarity. They're wonderful): https://www.amazon.com/Wrights-Disney-Collection-Skating-Embroidered/dp/B01H9CS8F0 https://www.sassysewingandembroidery.com/store/p1129/Ice_Skate_Winnie_the_Pooh_Iron_on_Patch.html https://picclick.com/Vintage-Winnie-The-Pooh-Signed-Disney-Ice-Skating-Bear-183280339360.html https://www.ebay.com/itm/Disney-2000-Winnie-the-Pooh-with-Ice-Skates-Sweater-Scarf-13-Plush-Stufffed/302829669230?hash=item46820e0b6e:g:HRgAAOSwlBhandoD:sc:USPSPriority!01824!US!-1 https://www.ebay.com/itm/Disney-Winnie-The-Pooh-Ice-Skating-Christmas-Ornament-Noma/123313273213?hash=item1cb60b397d:g:KlkAAOSwz2VamsDf https://www.ebay.com/itm/Disney-Winnie-the-Pooh-Sweater-Polyester-Blue-Pooh-Sports-Ice-Skating-Size-XL/202405494060?hash=item2f204ebd2c:g:t3MAAOSwa9Fa64SI

This may be more obviously a G.O.A.T. against the ice for TV cameras. Plus it's cheap for 15" tall: https://www.ebay.com/itm/ADORE-15-Standing-Pygmy-Goat-Stuffed-Animal-Plush-Toy/152698900406?epid=10004921111&hash=item238d904fb6:g:GgYAAOSwqW9ZYVAy

You know what I bet happened? Their illustrator is a Yuzu fan and begged for the chance to draw him for the article. I mean, don't forget, someone had to draw that picture and it must have been fun.

Jason Brown, praising Yuzu: http://www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com/home/2016/1/8/brown-on-skating-rival-hanyu-he-is-changing-the-sport And this magical moment:

Yeah, I had just moved to the US when the wall came down -- it was hard to believe, even seeing it in video. The wall was a constant, looming presence when I lived there.

I lived in Berlin, Germany before the wall came down. That was the single coldest spot on the planet during the Cold War, let me tell you. It is a magical thing to witness, isn't it? Although, the Chinese public loves Yuzu too, in huge part because of his personal relationship with Boyang. All the videos of the two of them having fun with each other, hugging, and laughing together go viral instantaneously throughout China. There's also this wonderful article about Yuzu -- I think it was in Chinese Elle Magazine -- in which they used a common Chinese expression as the title, something like: I started with the face, I discovered the talent, but I stayed for the character. I'm probably butchering that. Anyway, big popular Chinese magazine said that Yuzu had an extremely admirable character. Maybe he could become the Japanese Ambassador to China. Sports to the rescue!

I just realized how TCC creates such an environment of sportsmanship and camaraderie. Borser makes his students understand that they're "in charge," which is what he tells them when they get out on the rink. Unlike many coaches, he is THEIR asset instead of them being HIS assets. And he equips them, equally, to design their OWN strategies. Remember how proud he sounded when he said Yuzu had a plan A, B, C, and D while he was skating? That's because Brian is teaching them all how to make on the spot, smart decisions for themselves, while they're on the ice. With creative control, learning to trust their own decisions, and the best training available to help them adapt quickly, they can never blame Brian if their strategy doesn't work. It's no wonder Yuzu, Javi, and Jun-Hwan have so much fun; they're like brothers, playing games (to win.)

Absolutely. It's also helpful to the Russian and Chinese authorities to see how two of the top skaters in the world -- competitors from different countries, no less -- have been so well nurtured at TCC they can embrace each other joyfully and yet still put their "murder faces" on and have at it. The Chinese also already know that Yuzu and Boyang get along like two peas in a pod, so they can easily have the same kind of competitive camaraderie. Zhenya will probably also work out, since her main complaint was that she had no creative control, combined with her coach favoring younger skaters with better music, better choreo, and more attention. If she has creative control -- the way TCC gives all their skaters -- I think she will finally be happy.

100% agreed -- both.

Same. I don't care if Yuzu's gay, straight, or secretly a celibate Monk. Whatever makes him happy. And I don't want to hear one word about his love life unless he publicly says he's dating or marrying someone (male OR female.) Personally, I think the vast majority of fans, in EVERY fandom, are like us. It's always the few bad apples that spoil the bunch. But the bad apples in this world are the loudmouths, so it always looks like there are a lot more of them then there are.

I, too, am unconcerned with whether someone is gay or straight, but it's not your perception or mine that matters here. I lived in Spain very briefly as a kid, and I remember the men being very concerned about being thought of as "macho." It's funny, because straight male friends were very touchy-feely, but the moment anyone suspected another boy was actually gay, it all went badly. And you and I might think it's stupid that so many men around the world think of figure skating as being unmanly, but nonetheless, many do think of it as a female or gay sport. Javi is in a very pivotal position. The future of men's skating in Spain rests on his shoulders, and I'm sure these problems of perception are very difficult for him to manage.

This is how Yuzu's friends are trying to help him with the stupid trolls and gossip magazines. They're ALL removing pictures of him. I know Zhenya and Boyang are under additional constraints, since they have to follow TCC rules now, but it's nice to see those who aren't at TCC are also trying to help. I think gossip even made Javi feel like he had to avoid Yuzu -- which is just f*cking cruel! It's none of my business, but I don't think Javi is even gay, and it can't be easy for him to have people gossiping about it while he's trying to tell Spanish boys that figure skating is a manly sport. Wasn't it nice to hear Yuzu come out and say there must be some OTHER Yuzuru Hanyu wandering around out there, since the stories about Zhenya are just the fevered fantasies of people with no life of their own. I applaud Misha so hard my hands hurt. What an excellent dude.

The Olympic Channel already covers Yuzu positively. Their commentators are in love with him. NBC also had extremely positive commentary.

This is too funny! Two of Yuzu's faves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdPMO949DEo

I heard elsewhere that he also does an amino acid drink every day.