TallyT

I tend to think their money is their own business, but... yes, from everything I've read, Yuna is in the crazy rich sportspeople category - she's Korea's darling (they don't have the number of sporting superstars that Japan does, so little competition for the role) made the most of it as a smart businesswoman, and nothing at all wrong with that. The thing is if he isn't already (and we don't actually know, I suspect the public doesn't know the half of it) Yuzuru could be in the same financial league - even though there are other Japanese skaters competing for the public's eye, he has the lot of them beaten hollow, and yes, if he with or without an agency decided to cash in, he'd cash up big. No doubt of that. And as for public worldwide fame outside skating and the massive Asian fan followings... he could have that too. No one could possibly think he doesn't know far better than we do what he could parlay his success into ... if he wanted to. But he doesn't. He is clearly and undeniably not interested in money; not only does he not pick the advertising big bucks, but both lots of Olympic prizewinnings he promptly gave away, and the gift that went with the People's Award, he politely declined. He has never shown the slightest interest in the lifestyle and trappings that wealth could bring him - apart from his earphones, he doesn't seem to have any great indulgences and with all due respect, how much can you spend on even the best of those? He's a private, somewhat reclusive sort so the idea of doing anything to increase the level of fame and adulation he already gets would probably horrify him (though I think he'd do it for his beloved sport or his beloved Sendai, and those are the things I can see him using it for when he does retire. That is, if he doesn't decide to ninja permanently on us). And he doesn't want other people apart from his family trying to 'help' him run his life (okay, to an extent he has to let them - the JSF for instance, and maybe Brian when necessary. But even the JSF and Brian, I suspect, find it a job and a half).

Exactly. Perfect 'truth is stranger than fiction' material... and he can be obsessive and difficult and probably has some bad habits we'll never know about (everyone does). And (speaking as someone whose third-most-loved-as-a-writer... writer I try not to think about as the utterly cruddy if brilliant person she is) at least we get to invest in someone who really deserves the love.....

(Err, sorry, this got long) Though one has to say, that even if he hadn't managed that 2nd OGM he'd still be the biggest most glittery star of the sport... and conversely, had someone like Patrick (and this is no slur against him) done it, he wouldn't have IMO reached the insane heights of, as you say, rock star adulation Yuzuru gets (I personally doubt that even Shoma would have quite reached it, let alone Nathan or Boyang, but I've no proof there, YMMV. Nor could they handle it as well.) Yuzuru has that unique charisma, the changeable, elusive personality, the intellect and emotional intelligence, the looks and camera-appeal, the dramatic aura/cute dorky side, the backstory with its rise from tragedy and the trouble and grief (and stumbles, which kept it all from getting even slightly predictable) along with way, the fairytale culmination last year from injury right through to crown. And he's a genuine, amazingly good person as well as a fiercely driven fighter. Yes, he has his faults like anyone else, but honestly, if you invented Yuzuru for a fictional hero, you'd be slapped down for him being too fantastic... it's no wonder that he's the ultimate star of skating, IMO he'd be a star in whatever field he was in, but then you marry it with a body and mind almost designed to be the perfect skater and a deep love and gift for everything that makes the sport unique, the athletic side and the artistic. And even the timing, with the rise of social media and the internet meaning that fans around the world can 'get together' and follow him, virtually or quite literally. I'm not about to say there won't be another skating rock star of his standing in the future - Takahashi fans did, and look what promptly happened - but they are going to find it hard to match the lightning in a crystal cage.

I like it....

I love that bit about the move that mimics opening a photo album. Both programs can and will be unpicked for ages, teasing out all the imagery and allusions.

It would have broken hearts around the world had Pooh not been there this year... And again, it's something I think only Yuzuru could forever get away with. 2 times Oly and World Champion, Lord High Prince of Murderface, Memeface, Drama and Extra, but if skatingdom hasn't gotten the message that Yuzu will do whatever the damn well he wants/needs to, whether the stuffier/staider among them think it fitting or not... skatingdom needs to open their ears.

As Kurt Browning said, "They screamed every time he jumped in the warmup, they screamed when he fell in the warmup, they screamed when he blew his nose with a kleenex from his Winnie the Pooh kleenex box" (actually it was a strawberry shortcake, wasn't it?)

Does anyone else get a deep and dramatic version of the Jaws theme going in their head every time they click on this thread?????

Watch Brian's hairline as Nessie comes closer.... I'm reminded of that KissnCry clip someone put up where Yuzu is saying "I have to do everything, I have to do... perfect." What we didn't realise, perhaps, is that he is still of that mind. Everything. And everything perfect.

These really got to me, I love love love the idea of dark supernatural Yuzu.....

That first one is breathtaking, I was just coming over with it...

This is simply exquisite....

Agreed - and I really like these, the way these young aspiring skaters are inspired by and look up to him (and they all seemed such lovely kids too, I really liked a LOT of the skaters here...)

I sometimes wonder how he sees his unprecedented level of stardom and fannish (and national!) adoration - I mean, he wanted to be Olympic champion, he wanted to be the absolute best, and he must have known, from looking at Takahashi and Mao, that that would mean a high level of public stardom, but he's always called himself an athlete first and foremost, he never aimed to be a celebrity, and not on a level that dwarfs any and everyone else in the sport. Sure, he handles it with amazing grace and skill - even brilliance - but sometimes I think "if you'd told any skating forum/group in 2014 what that that 19-year-old Olympic hopeful was going to become... could anyone believe it?"

I saw him cheering for Jun, just like he always did for Javi from the KnC when Javi was after him... and as Javi did for him. Quite a few fans could learn from our boys, fiercely competitive but utter sportsmen...

Adorable..... just adorable.

I blame you folk... in the wee hours last night I dreamed about Origin Yuzu riding on a giant plesiosaur-Nessie-type creature (and yes, it was goldy, well sort of!!) on a inland frozen lake in the middle of the desert.... which didn't make any sense (how the creature managed the ice wasn't at all clear either) but in the dream who cared???

This has simply made my day...

And - say it though I shouldn't, and though I do love Shoma - because Yuzu has the longer, more slender body, more beautiful lines and curved movement, and that face and hairline, he isn't the one who would suffer in comparison....

I hope he's not ill or anything....