TallyT

Happy birthday Yuzuru, may the next year be kind, healthy, happy and glorious, if it's even half as good as you deserve it surely will be...

Amused and mildly freaked ("umm.... he's a baby and he's coming for us!!")

Beautiful. It occurred to me to be grateful that the two skaters little Yuzu fixed on as his idols - Plushy and Johnny - were neither of them the sort to resent the rise of someone even greater then they were and instead encouraged, befriended and appreciated him. Plushenko has his faults, god knows, but his self-confidence meant he has always been unstinting towards Yuzu (and no names, but I can think of a couple of others who would have not been nearly as generous watching their little fanboy overtake them as Yuzu did). Watching either of them with Yuzu, the mutual adoration society is just so lovely...

Comfort drink... I want this

He may keep a few but I think, with his love of children, he would want as many as possible to go to them. The letters and individualised gifts he gets are another story... When you consider everything he's won, earned and been given through his career, his storage room must be truly amazing.

Has anyone said the waggy finger yet? If not... 150. For the waggy finger

130. For wearing that glorious hakama to the People's Award Ceremony, and for how graceful, dignified, humble and quite perfect he looked though the whole thing.

To dear Yuzuru, with so many thanks for the joy and inspiration you have given to others, and all the wishes and hopes I can make that the year ahead will be as happy, healthy and filled with everything good that you deserve. You are one of those who make the world a simply better place.

108. For the way he fights back from adversity, never railing against the unfairness or complaining, just doing what needs to be done and more to overcome it... an inspiration to everyone even from a young age.

So we keep going!! 44. For his delayed single axel and other beautiful, clearly learned from the history he has studied and loves, touches (honestly, I could watch that single axel for hours...)

I save every video I might want to rewatch now, simply because of the number in all areas that disappear (I;m still miffed about an 80s history program that was deleted - I mean, 80s?????)

24. The nose scrunch (come on it has to be in there!!!)

It's unfair that it has happened to him again, but it's brave, knowing how hard it is for Yuzu to step back and how badly he feels when he thinks he's let his fans down... I hope the folk who are there can take a banner or two for him to let him know, if he watches it, that we are thinking of him.

This is lovely!!!

Totally adorable (some things never change...) I've been watching Continues With Wings again...

Roughly translated into Aussie, our boy did bloody good.....

I can see where people might find that picture... not appealing, that's not the right word, but not horrible either. One of the things that many fans and admirers do feel for Yuzuru is very very protective, which can be seem from outside as {cough} overprotective, but it's partly because, despite the fact that he's tougher than 1000 other skaters put together, he does have a slightly vulnerable, sometimes fragile quality at times (you look at all the YT comments saying things like "protect this cinnamon roll/precious boy!)". Yet at the same time, he is incredibly indomitable, that soldier who is the storm. It's a mixture that anyone who's been in a media fandom will recognise from the most popular characters, it's powerfully appealing. And here it's in a real person, with real blood, real tears, and real, raw courage. I remember hearing the TSL broadcast just after the collision where the woman was going something like "I would have gone onto that ice, I would have scooped him up"... despite the face that even at that age, she (like the officials and poor Brian) would have been faced with his iron determination to do precisely what he set out to (the GS live thread for the collision and FS is full of the same thing) The pictures of COC 2014, like the medal ceremony at COR 2018, bring that power and vulnerability into high focus, and push a hell of a lot of buttons. He doesn't mean to do it, and he's certainly not manipulating... it's just part of his charisma.

I want him to give people the Origin of his dreams and yes, maybe the 4A. They are more important than the GPF itself now (he had four of them!) So yes, I think dropping the GPF and maybe Nationals (since they've made it clear he can) and going for these prizes later is probably what I'd suggest... But in the end , it's not the fans, the commentators, the experts, not the doctors and Team Brian - not even the JSF now, for him - who should decide. It's certainly not this little anonymous person on the web who doesn't know anything, but just loves him. It's Yuzuru. He may be recklessness personified sometimes, but he must know now he doesn't need to prove he's the best, he's well and truly proven it. And that whatever he does now, right or wrong, cautious or reckless, justified oin hindsight or not, he can do purely because he wants to. Whatever you choose, Yuzu, choose it for you.

We are going to worry, but can keep in mind that he will get the absolute best medical attention and treatment that Japan can provide, no expense or effort spared. He is too important to Japan to do otherwise.

The Russians already loved Yuzu, but I do think the fact that he put so much importance and emotion into doing this, in their country and to honour Plushy and his own love for Russian skating, probably won him even more fans and more admiration. It may not have been prudent, but it came from the heart.

With the Worlds in Japan, there is no way they will want to risk Yuzu not making it. I do like the fact that they haven't said a definitely yes or no - they have ticket sales to consider - but have said enough to take some of the pressure off him. He will still want to be there, but it lets everyone know he has earned his place already...

How does this artist make you feel all sorry and teary-eyed - for a jump?

Oh, our boy... the first good laugh I've had today and it was Yuzu himself who gave it to me. Ups and downs be damned... he is past price.