glilikoi

Honestly Etude is one of my favourite programs, it's just incredible how Yuzu could perform a program with such emotional gravity at just 16-17. His skating here isn't as refined as more recently, but the fast and unrestrained movements suit this program. One of the reasons why I always appreciate Etude is that it's a program carrying so many difficult emotions from 3/11. It's impressive that the season right after the disaster, Yuzu skated a program that connects to it so deeply - I think it takes a lot of courage to do that. Maybe skating to it was a way for him to process his feelings about 3/11 as well. I could see it as the beginning of a continuum of programs connected to the disaster, gradually becoming more and more hopeful, with Haru yo Koi as the conclusion (for now). Although it's the first, Etude isn't the most sorrowful of these programs (that would probably be Requiem). To me it conveys a sense of coming to terms with the disaster by embodying nature, finding some acceptance, although there is also a lot of pain and anger. There is this very short clip where he talks about it a bit, I wish it was longer.

Did TV Asahi broadcast a new Figipedia episode today or am I wrong? Has it been uploaded anywhere yet? I'm just starved for FS content

Edited it into the post above now

Someone on twt already did, there are links on the previous page //Actually I'm too tired to focus on my work so I might do a line-by-line translation anyway, I'll edit it here in a bit. Also I noticed the fsnanchara account didn't do a full translation, they just pointed out the translation was lacking. //So here's a more detailed translation. It's still pretty rough so please forgive me for any mistakes. 1:36- Y: Figure skating is something you can do on your own in a huge rink, where everyone kindly focuses on watching just you. I think that's what's really special about it. In other sports, I don't think anyone pays as much attention to just one person. If I were doing another sport, I also think I could not express what I want to express to the same extent. That's why I think figure skating is really special, and why I love figure skating. 7:00 - Y: A lot of people have said to me, 'I felt encouraged when I watched your skating', or that they received some kind of happiness from it, and being told things like this is what motivates me to continue skating, I think. It's what makes me want to continue skating til the end/to pursue what I've started to its conclusion. 7:50 - I don't think anything about this season is particularly different from the usual. I'm being called a challenger a lot, but.. I'm always chasing after the strengths of other skaters and challenging them. So I always think of myself as a challenger, and that applies to last year's and this year's world championships too. 8:38 - I find it enjoyable to try answering to people's expectations. But.. the times I'm unable to do that are very frustrating and hard. In order to achieve that goal (of fulfilling expectations), I also need to accumulate a lot of practice and training. It often feels like a struggle, but I think that if I can overcome that struggle, I may be able to give a performance that fulfils people's expectations again. Because I'm able to think this way, it's enjoyable. So for me, I think it's like my mission/duty in life, and I'd like to see that mission through to the very end.

RIP Chris Such a sudden and shocking way to die. It seems there has been nothing but bad news recently... The CBC interview with Yuzu was lovely though, I'm glad they released it. Agree that the translation could have been better though. I don't really understand why a big network like CBC would use such poor subtitles. I'm not really familiar with North American TV customs - do they perhaps think that people don't have the patience to read longer/more lines of subtitles or something like that? They left out so much detail, there were parts where Yuzu was clearly saying multiple sentences and expressing various viewpoints but the subtitle wouldn't change at all. The interview itself was very good, but they omitted a lot of nuance in the translation. I don't want to complain too much though, because it's still one of the best non-Japanese interviews of Yuzu I've seen. His embarrassed laughter at being praised was so cute

It's true that facing the beginning of a long drought feels MUCH better when it's not forced by injury.

Although not being able to see Yuzu skate (or appear anywhere) for weeks/months is sad, I think that all things considered, this is actually the best season the cancellation could have happened in. We had such a great season so far, with Yuzu being able to do all the competitions he wanted to do without injury. That's already more than I could have asked for. And 4CC really ended the season with a high note, with the super slam and gala shenanigans and everything. To be honest, I also felt that Yuzu's decision to go back to Chopin and Seimei was like the best of bad options. He said that after the kuyashii experience with Otonal and Origin, he just wanted to skate in his own way/feeling like himself again, and was even considering creating new programs after JNats - but there just wasn't enough time. That indicates that ideally, he would have liked to get new programs, but out of necessity he went back to the old programs that made him feel the most 'himself'. But this decision was also difficult, because the programs are already iconic and there is the added pressure of not wanting to 'damage' them. While I obviously don't know how Yuzu feels about all of this, I could imagine there's maybe some relief in being able to just move on and not having to reuse these programs for Worlds, where the likelihood of messy scoring is also high. The 4CC outing of Chopin and Seimei was great, but I think it's ultimately good that now he can put them back to sleep and move on to something different. Based on the things he's been saying in interviews after JNats, I think it absolutely seems likely that he will create completely new programs, and I am so looking forward to that. It seems he's had some important realisations about what it means to him to skate in his own style, and I'm sure the results will be amazing to see. Now we just have to be patient. On a final note, seeing as Yuzu had such a packed schedule earlier in the season, I think having some extra time to just practice at his own pace is really good at this point. Who knows, maybe this will end up accelerating the 4A development - I very much doubt we would have seen that in Montréal anyway, and now he can probably focus on this and other pet projects more. So yeah, of course I feel disappointed at not seeing Yuzu (and many others) skate, but I think ultimately this was the right decision. And for Yuzu/fanyus, it might really be a blessing in disguise (sorry if this sounds insensitive right now - I know it must really hurt for people who have lost precious time/money and have been really looking forward to this, but I really think that some silver linings will be visible in the long term). Oh yeah, and I feel relieved at not having to witness the abomination that would have been the red carpet/awards thing.. The whole thing was such a mess from the start, I hope they just kill it for Stockholm.

I think in this case Yuzu had nothing to do with the naming, the only promotion he did was literally appear on camera reacting to this product.. although it's true that's more than enough to get hanyuconomy moving. Afaik Narahamachi is already using the yuzu fruit as its mascot/symbol, as I think it is a big yuzu producer. But of course it's possible that the name is simultaneously a nod to Yuzuru since he has a connection with the town now. There's that one cute video where he visits the sewing classroom and they show him a Yuzutaro plushie or something like that too.

Well at least that will be.. interesting.. I don't think he'll be attempting 4A to be honest, it seems that the landing chance is still too close to zero to be worth the risk given that he also wants to win. I know other people might think that just landing 4A is worth it even if everything else is messy and doesn't result in a gold, but I think Yuzu really wants to land the 4A and win, so the probability needs to be high enough for that. The way he's talked about it in interviews, it's clear that he really wants to do it but also feels there is still a fairly long way to go. I'm hoping that it might be a motivating factor for him to continue beyond this season tbh. But you never know with Mr. Hanyu, it never stops being a rollercoaster, so I'm trying not to be surprised by anything that may or may not happen

I think Yuzu definitely doesn't wear make-up on ice, for reasons stated by others above. Off-ice, though, they sometimes put some make-up on him for CMs and such (which is done to literally everyone for TV appearances, photoshoots etc). I think he looks best without skin makeup - there's a couple of shoots where the shade of foundation is slightly off or something. He definitely doesn't need any. It would be cool to see Yuzu wear some eye make-up for a show, I think it'd look really striking. But the fact he's never visibly worn any eye make-up in the 10+ years he's been skating in shows, where people tend to go for all kinds of experimental looks, indicates that he probably has zero interest in doing that. Maybe it's because it'd get messy or something. On that note, I always wonder if it feels uncomfortable when I see women skate programs wearing heavier make-up. I guess you just have to find the stuff that works for you/feels comfortable and is durable enough, but it must take some trial and error.

I'm not 100% sure but I think I saw some announcement about the Kose campaign being postponed because of the whole coronavirus chaos

@Umebachi thank you for writing so clearly and comprehensively about this, it really is a very complicated discourse surrounding the flag. As someone who is aware of this history and generally wary of nationalism, I also have mixed feelings about people showing reverence to the flag etc. including when Yuzu does it. I think this is a big cultural difference, especially between US/Canada and many other countries (I'm not Japanese but we have similar discourses in many European countries). I've noticed that North American people often make it a big deal and comment positively when athletes do things like display a flag or treat it with respect (like what Keegan did for Yuzu back in ACI). But for people from other backgrounds, it can seem more complicated and not something you should just celebrate as if it's uncritically the 'right thing' to do. It just comes off as a bit tone deaf to me, but that's because I have a different background. Anyway, to the point - although I also feel kind of uncomfortable about flag-waving, I understand that for Yuzu, it's probably just another way to express respect and gratitude. He's always stressing how grateful he is for being able to perform, to compete, to represent his country etc. And I think that's all there really is to it. I also think this is the kind of situation where he can't really win - if he would act in an indifferent/hostile way about the flag and Kimigayo, then people would attack him for that, and if he acts earnestly, then that attracts criticism too (like what happened with Kamakura FM). He's just trying his best. In any case, I think it's clear from all of Yuzu's interactions with people from foreign countries, how he asked Shae-Lynn to choreograph Seimei etc. that it's not like he holds any exclusionary nationalist views - and suggesting that is just silly and malicious. No matter what he does, he'll always get criticised. But at the end of the day, I think it's clear that he's an exceptionally open and empathetic person.

OT so under spoiler.. Also about this point @shanshani I completely agree, I didn't mean that remark seriously - no matter how much you study medicine or psychology, you still need to have a good support network/someone to get an external professional opinion from. But to an extent it is still helpful to study these things to understand yourself better. I think having knowledge of clinical psychology does help a person make healthier choices in daily life/to avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms etc. But it doesn't mean one is equipped to handle crises alone or anything like that. Basically my point is that it is helpful, but only to a certain extent, and understanding one's own limitations is also important.

The fact that Yuzu's mentioned specifically studying clinical psychology makes me think he's really trying to get better at being his own therapist lmao. And he's explained multiple times how many of the little habits he has are really tried-and-tested methods to balance his mental state. I'm sure he also has lots of habits we never see - he mentioned purposefully making himself cry before competitions for mental balance or something like that, too. Because of his studies and the fact he's spent so long in Canada/TCC (which I think are much better than Japan when it comes to appreciating mental health/sports psychology), I also think he's very unlikely to have any hostility towards therapy/people who need therapy. We wouldn't know if he sees a sports psychologist/therapist and it's none of our business, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. Whether he does or not, I'm sure he has his own ways to take care of his mental health, and also a lot of people around him who are available to help. Maybe a few years ago (like before Boston) the situation would have been different, but I think he's really taken some lessons to heart in this department. I kind of sensed a change in the way he spoke at PC, when he specifically mentioned studying about stress management, controlling anxiety etc. while he couldn't be on the ice. It seemed to me that he'd started to take mental wellbeing more seriously, and a lot of it was probably connected to his studies. So I have more faith in him being able to handle this kind of stuff positively than I did before.

I was thankfully able to watch Music with Wings in its entirety today, and I was really impressed! The performers were first class and it was very well presented. Standouts for me were White Legend and Seimei, I really appreciated how Western and Japanese instruments were so seamlessly used together in these arrangements. I also really liked NDP, and hearing new renditions of Requiem, Ballade No. 1 & Etude was great. The weakest links for me were PW - but I've never particularly liked that song anyway - and Otonal. While I don't mind Otonal, hearing it side by side with Chopin's and Scriabin's arrangements makes it kind of obvious that it's just not on the same level musically. It has a pretty melody, but a full orchestra arrangement kind of emphasises that it lacks the rich nuance/complexity that the other arrangements have. But this is obviously not the orchestra's fault, they were perfect. My point is that I could listen to Chopin forever and Otonal is just not on that level.

What Yuzu said (最後の最後にちゃんと取り切れた) can be interpreted both ways, but I think what he really meant here is just that he finally got the 4CC title as the last title of his super slam. Just before he says that, he contrasts his experience with the 'norm' of winning more low-level comps before the Olympics. The way I understand it, the point he's making is that his career has been pretty unusual. If you read more deeply into it, of course he probably feels that his career is closer to the end than the beginning. But I don't think he wanted to imply here that he's necessarily planning to retire soon. If anything, I think he seems to have found a new motivation to skate for himself.

The S-Park interview segments with Yuzu are pretty good. I don't have time to do a full translation (I'm pretty sure someone will sub this later), but some points I thought were interesting: - He brings up multiple times that sound/music is really important for his performance as a whole. Eg. says that the opening notes of Chopin help him enter the word of the music differently from any other program. Later he states that being able to do jumps and spins in sync with music is like happiness for him, and being very particular about that is the essence of 'his own' skating. He says this is the case 'especially with the short program', kind of implying that one of his main problems with Otonal was probably that he found it was difficult to perform the elements in sync with the music. - He talks about how he was scared to perform these programs because of their legendary status - he was worried about how they would be evaluated/received. But as he gradually got into performing them, he felt that the music/sound really helped him regain the image he needed. Later he says that as he was doing these programs, he realised 'ah, this is really my figure skating; this is the kind of figure skating I should aim for'. So he wants to work towards Worlds with these programs, striving to show an even better version of his figure skating. - He feels kuyashii about FS. Says he was able to show his worldview to an extent, but not as much as he wanted to. There are things he wants to be able to show/express still better, and that's what he emphasises more than just becoming 'stronger'. - Performing Seimei 3.0 was tough because the music was sped up, and he wasn't completely used to the new tempo yet. - Cramming so many jumps into 20 secs wasn't really calculated. It just ended up like that because he wanted to put in a good axel from steps as a single element to get high GOE; then he thought it'd be cool if he could put in a flip from steps as well, as if it were just a continuation of the steps. He also wanted to be able to focus properly on the second half. - He isn't sure of the FS layout for Worlds yet, it might be the same or different. He intends to continue practicing 4A, but it's difficult and he can't say directly if he can do it. The layout will take shape as he practices in the coming weeks. - In the final short clip, he says that he's happy he chose to do figure skating. Although there were misses in the FS, the short felt fun. He feels accomplished and refreshed now. He also says there is nothing like figure skating when it comes to being able to express himself. I think this interview is nice because it confirms a lot of the things about his mindset we have been discussing here as well. It seems he's really focusing on himself and his own identity as a skater now. I think it's a very good sign for the future! It sounds kind of liberating to hear him talk like this.

I'd love for it to be LGC, but it seems unlikely because he hasn't brought it back anywhere else.. It seems the lack of LGC is a result of either copyright issues or Yuzu just disowning it as one of his program children. It's a sad but not unlikely possibility I think it's likely to be an old competitive program though. He seems to enjoy the technical challenge and the possibility of finding new ways to perform them. He hasn't repeated an ex so far this season, so it seems likely for it to be something different again? Then again, I think at Worlds he'd like to perform a 'heavy hitter' like H&L instead of a more 'obscure' program like POTO, and he's done most of his iconic programs already this season (except for LGC). Maybe R&J 1, or maybe that feels too distant for him now? I could also see him doing a shortened version of Origin as a final encore of that program. Who knows, I'm just looking forward to the ride!

Yeah, how the tables have turned for those predicting Chopin.. at this point I'm just hoping he'll do something he hasn't done for a while, because there are so many amazing programs we haven't seen in so long. So no PW please! I'd be overjoyed if it was either LGC or H&L, and I think both seem likely - H&L much more likely, because he's already skated to a short version of it, and it probably isn't as physically demanding as LGC with its super quick step sequences. It also does genuinely seem like Yuzu just has zero interest in ever bringing LGC back for whatever reason lmao. I would also love to see Requiem, but I'd prefer to see something more fun (LGC) or hopeful (H&L) this time, because it kind of feels like a comeback competition for Yuzu. Well, I'll happily swoon over any ex, to be honest! (But please no PW).

Rough translation for the final part of this interview - as always, feel free to comment if you have any suggestions to improve my translation: Narrator: This season, he hasn't been able to deliver the performance he imagines. The start of his counterattack will be 4CC. Y: I strongly feel that I want to accumulate more competition experience. With every competition, I can become stronger - this hasn't changed from the past. By practicing and competing together with strong skaters, I can gain all kinds of new knowledge and experiences. It feels like I'm able to see the stepping stones for becoming strong. So I feel I want to gain/benefit from that. Q: In yesterday's presscon, you hinted at challenging the 4A. (In the clip, Yuzu states that he'd like to use 4CC as a stepping stone for acquiring the 4A: ' I feel I need an overwhelmingly strong weapon, and even though the 4A only has 1 point BV difference with the Lutz, this is a point of pride for me. Currently, (the 4A) is the core supporting my skating/motivating me.' A: Mm, Uchimura (Kouhei) has said that learning new skills is his motivation, something tangible that helps him become stronger, and (when I heard that) I thought 'that's exactly how I feel'. There are still so many things I cannot do that some other people can. But there are also things that nobody can do, but that hypothetically could be done, and precisely because I'm always pursuing that kind of thing, I can feel that what I'm doing is meaningful. It's like the oil for my desire to become stronger. Q: In the next WC, you will be fighting with Nathan, and maybe in 4CC too. What's your plan for bringing out the 4A? A: I'm still not able to imagine it in concrete terms. The game is on when I can actually land it. Currently I think I'd like to land it around February. But basic stamina, absolute strength and the sense of flow must all be incorporated more deeply, or I can't do it. The hurdle/bar is high, and it might not be something I can master in a matter of these few months. I do feel something like fear in that regard, and a reluctance to talk about it out loud. But I hope I can keep on chasing after it and finally do it. Q: You talked about your 'core' before. Is that not wavering at all? A: Well, I guess there are various crackles and fractures. Like the confidence I've built up so far.. Between the performance I'm imagining, and my current ability, there is a rift. I think this is a time of painful struggle. But I strongly think that I must strive for a performance that makes me feel this struggle was necessary. Narrator: 4CC is opening tomorrow. Q: You hate losing above all, and you won't let it end like this. We believe that you can rise up and fight your way back to the top. What do you think about these expectations? A: Well, just speaking superficially, I think 'I'll definitely have a comeback/prove my worth'. Or rather than a comeback, I want to give a good performance. Not just 'want to', I will. Maybe this is still superficial now, but that's what I think. First of all, I'll rest. I'll rest before my spirit breaks into pieces*. I might be falling behind the starting line/restarting from a negative position (mentally), but I haven't been injured yet this season, so physically I haven't fallen into a negative position. I'll stick boosters to my feet again** and keep on racing forward. * Yuzu uses the phrase 心が折れ切る前に休んで　('kokoro ga orekiru mae ni yasunde'), which is an emotional statement that is difficult to translate, so I wanted to add a little note to explain a bit more. First, the word 心 (kokoro) is difficult to translate, because it corresponds with multiple English words. It is often translated as 'heart' (not the organ but inner feeling, the organ would be 心臓), but it can also mean 'mind' or 'spirit'. Basically the mental/spiritual parts of a person. Second, Yuzu uses the verb '折れ切る', which is a combination of 折れる (break, fold, bend, yield, give in) and the auxiliary ending 切る (complete/finish doing something). So this combination basically means 'finish breaking completely'. In this context, it's clear that Yuzu is talking about needing some rest before he falls apart mentally. But it's really difficult to choose the exact words, because I don't think he's just talking about his 'heart', and the verb is a bit tricky too. If anyone can suggest a better translation, I'll be grateful. In any case, I hope I could kind of convey the different nuances this expression might have. ** This is also difficult to translate because I'm not a native English speaker, not sure what verb to use here. Yuzu is basically using a whimsical expression of attaching rockets/'boosters' to his feet.

I was feeling a bit confused about the program change initially, but the more I hear Yuzu's own words about it, the more I feel this was the right choice to make. I think keeping Origin/Otonal would also have been fine, but it seems that this is really about his identity as an artist/athlete/performer and about expressing the things he really want to express. It makes me really proud of him that he's able to take action like this, to steer himself back towards the path that feels 'right' for him at a point where he feels he might be going the wrong way. It takes a lot of courage and self-awareness. Somehow I'm getting a very assertive vibe from him right now, like he's really setting out to do things his way after feeling lost for a while, and that makes me happy. I also feel it's so ironic that some people are complaining about Yuzuru's recycling being a sign of artistic laziness or unwillingness to try new things. The way he talks about his programs and his skating in general, it's clear to me that he's constantly trying to delve deeper into the things he wants to express, to bring out new nuances and refine his programs into the ideal version of his own expression. That's like the complete opposite of laziness in my book. It doesn't even matter so much whether he's skating to new programs or existing ones, the program seems to be just a canvas where he sets out to create something beautiful. But it's also clear that the choice of program matters very much to him - it's interesting how he seems to have such clear images or archetypes of each program in his head, selecting ones that help create a particular kind of mood/atmosphere/expression. In some interviews, he's also said he classifies his programs into types like 'beautiful programs' (kirei-kei) - not sure how many 'types' there are, but it would be interesting to know. If Yuzu continues to choose competing after this season, I think he'll create some new programs again, and I'm very much looking forward to that. But I also think it's very rewarding to see him revisit these old programs, because every time he adds new layers and something more of himself to them. If he does Origin and Otonal again at some point in the future, I'm sure they will also have evolved and gained new meanings. There are many forms of art where it's common to use existing forms, but it's clear that every artist and performance will be imbued with their own unique feeling and meaning - classical music is one obvious example. There are thousands of recordings of Chopin's pieces, but every one of them is subtly different, and the most memorable ones strike a balance of conveying something unique while also staying true to the core of the original piece. I think this is a mindset Yuzuru has adopted since a young age, maybe partly because he's also a very 'musical' skater, and it seems what really bothered him about Origin/Otonal was the feeling of not being able to express the music flexibly enough. Sorry for the rambling comment, I've just been thinking about the way Yuzuru seems to view his programs after reading these recent comments.

Thank you so much for writing down your thoughts, and for others who commented as well! It's really interesting to hear how others would interpret and translate certain nuances. I like doing these translations to practice my Japanese, so I try to think carefully about every aspect of the language that is being used, but it's often really difficult to convey. So getting feedback or comments from others is as interesting as doing the initial translation. And Yuzuru really is such an interesting person - the more I hear/read his interviews, the more interested I get in his worldview.

I'm going to do a rough translation of the second interview segment broadcasted today. Sorry if someone has already done this! After the introduction, the narrator states that Yuzu was trying to look ahead despite the difficult defeat at Nats. Y: Right now it feels like I've gone through a series of disasters, or from bad to worse.. (the idioms he uses here are 七難八苦 'seven difficulties and eight pains', originally a Buddhist phrase; and 泣き面に蜂 'bees on a tearful face', which is similar to 'adding insult to injury' - I think it's a nice figure of speech). I don't think I've been this tattered since my Novice days - I'm really worn out. But it's not just because I lost - I gave it my all and still couldn't make it, and that was kuyashii and painful, which is why I'm tired now. But I still have time to recover, to recover even a little bit. I'd like to whip my body into shape as soon as possible. Q: After losing to Nathan etc, how does it feel to go from 'being chased' to 'chasing'? A: Well, what I was really happy about was that Shoma was always being told he was 'Hanyu's successor', and I think this gave him a lot of pressure too. If I made mistakes, it would be described (in the press) as a 'crushing defeat'. So there was this huge pressure on both sides. What if this situation was reversed, 'if Shoma won then wouldn't something change?' - I did also think about this. But then he did win, and nothing changed - neither Shoma or myself. I guess this is our natural stance/attitude, we have that kind of relationship. So I felt a bit relieved. I could still think that I can be 'Yuzu-kun' for Shoma. And because 'Yuzu-kun' is not that weak, I still need to continue being cool/doing my best. I do still think I want to become someone Shoma wants to chase and win. So I'll keep on doing my best. Q: But you are still someone who everyone in the world wants to chase after. A: Well, but I feel really kuyashii and pathetic. I feel the pain of not being able to bring the results I wanted, and the pain of not being able to give a good performance. I've been constantly haunted this season (by failure/frustration). Well, probably not just this season, somehow there is always a feeling of もやもや (I can't really translate this word because there's too many possible translations - it can mean feeling gloomy, frustrated, depressed or uncertain, and I don't really know what exactly Yuzu means here, so I think it's better to leave it up for interpretation). When skating, there are things that make me think 'ah, it's so hard'.. Well, although this isn't a request to the gods, I would like to work hard and properly, to use various means/sources of power - and as long as I keep greedily working hard, I think someday there will be a moment where that hard work is rewarded, even if it has to be a miracle. So while waiting for that, I want to continue feeling this pain, too. Q: Has your previously stated pre-season goal of wanting to be the 'strongest version of yourself' changed? A: No, it hasn't changed at all. Well, this is going back to talking about the present moment, but.. Stephane Lambiel really consoled me this time. He's a very good friend to me. In ice shows too, he's always been very kind to me, since a long time ago. Well, this happens every time I lose in a competition, but kind people like that will always say stuff like 'It's okay since you're already a legend' to me. That 'there's meaning in the things you do, in you just being here'. But being told that is painful in itself. These are only glories of the past.. When I fail*, I can't think of myself as someone amazing at all. When I'm told that I'm already a legend, that just makes me feel all the more like my current state is no good. Like I don't want to become a relic of the past. I want to keep moving. (* This is one part I wasn't 100% sure of - maybe a native speaker could confirm? Did Yuzu mean 滑る as in 'skate' or as in 'fail/bomb' here? )

Yeah, Yuzu usually doesn't use hugely complex words but the sentence structures can get confusing He has a tendency to speak in very long and run-on sentences, which is definitely a characteristic of people who have a lot of thoughts running through their mind all the time, and these lines of thoughts sometimes sort of criss-cross or proceed at different speeds (I would know since I have the same tendency). It makes it difficult to connect the dots sometimes, but what he's saying always makes sense once you get it.

That part was really difficult to translate properly, I'm sure somebody else will put out a more thoughtful translation soon. The way I understood it, he's basically describing how the 'high' of performing Seimei will fade away, and then he'll have to face his everyday reality again, and that's a difficult transition/moment where he looks for (and receives) support from around him. Many performers experience something like this (the difficulty in transitioning), but I guess what Yuzu also indicated here is that he was going through a particularly difficult period, and the good performance of Seimei gave him some happiness, but he was worried of how he'd feel after going back to the daily routine. It's difficult to translate because there are a lot of nuances there.