ZuCritter

As someone who's still learning the mechanics of the jumps, I appreciate your noting the difference in his body position. I realized that it's actually easier to differentiate the Sal from the Toe by watching the angle of his torso than by looking for the toe pick itself. He's more upright with the Sal, while he leans forward on the Toe to get the picking leg back. These YT videos were helpful as well.

Such an evocative video. Watching it brought home a couple of -- rather contradictory -- things. 1. At Worlds, the look on Yuzu's face when he locked eyes with Brian just before his SP did not convey his usual confidence. There was almost a desperation about it, which I had seen very clearly in the look he gave Brian before the FS but missed until this video in the footage of the SP. He said in the press conference after the short that he needed to find a more confident attitude, so I know I'm not imagining things. Still, it tears at my heart to see it in his eyes. 2. Despite what it cost him, that popped Sal really is a thing of beauty. His pops are more beautiful than other skaters' completed jumps! Edit: Of course the Sal would have been even more beautiful if he'd managed to pop to a double rather than a single!

Not to mention: Meme Face Space Kitty Karaoke Demon Lord High Priest of Kuyashii

It was epic! Thank you @sallycinnamon

Thank you! Excellent edit. Although the Rostelecom version breaks my heart, I think it was the best performance overall. So heartfelt and YOLO. It's almost impossible to believe, watching the first half, that he was skating on a severely sprained ankle. Part of me wishes he hadn't skated that day; the other part is eternally grateful he did. (Life of a fanyu.) By comparison, Worlds felt like he was holding back a bit in the interest of not making mistakes and preserving his stamina. But intercutting the second-half jumps from Worlds really gives a sense of just how magnificent this program could have been if he hadn't gotten injured. I'm sorry we won't be seeing it again. (I take the Masquerade/Origin encore in Toyama as a sign that he's retired the program for good.) .

How lovely, @Louitunes, to think of you back in Helsinki. We had such a special time there -- me seeing Yuzu live for the first time as well as meeting many devoted satellites and other fanyus. Now I'm looking ahead to Torino. Here's hoping we survive the ticket stampede!!!!

Me, too. Satellites who go out of their way to bring us closer to Yuzu are as much a treasure as he is. May they be richly rewarded in this life and beyond.

TBH, with anyone else I stan, I would be hiding under my desk, dying of embarrassment for my poor idol. But Yuzu is such a thorough dork to begin with that I just get a kick out of this fresh proof of his adorkableness!!!! Edit: the blog really is pathetic, though.

Fascinating! It would be so cool to see comparisons of Yuzu's jumps and other key elements to those of his rivals. It might also make it possible to test a pet theory of mine: that he shifts his center of gravity more often than other skaters and that his weight is often distributed farther from that center than other skaters'. That would explain why his skating is so dynamic and exciting. Let's hope we get that kind of scientific data someday!

Re the insanely undervalued 4A BV: Yes, that's true. However, I suspect that Yuzu and Brian calculate that Nessie will have a sort of halo effect, leading to higher scoring for the programs overall, including increased PCS as well as better GOE for other elements. Same with having a wider arsenal of jumps. The judges seem more generous to skaters who have a greater variety of quads. Of course, there's also the obvious bias toward certain red, white and blue flags *hangs her American head*. But Yuzu can't change that, he can only add more quads in an attempt to compensate. Finally, I think reintroducing 4Lz and adding 4F and 4A changes the narrative around him. Instead of the fading star with unimpeachable quality who has been eclipsed by the younger, more technical skaters, he's the indomitable force of nature who simply refuses to bow to time and injury. Any skating bodies (I'm looking at you, ISU and USFSA) that have been flogging the former narrative will have to choke on their words. And that, I'm absolutely sure, is part of his calculations.

Thank you for your more nuanced reading. It certainly makes more sense, given what we know of Yuzu's approach to training and his reticence (one might even say his ninja-level secretiveness) about his physical condition, his training, his programs, his life ... I guess I was so shocked by his more or less training 4Lz and (possibly) 4F in public during FaOI that I was ready to think he might actually discuss his ability to land 4A. But it does seem really out of character, especially compared to your interpretation. Yuzu being the gorgeous troll that he is, we'll all fret and speculate endlessly with close to zero information, and Nessie will suddenly appear when we least expect her. *shakes her head and sighs fondly* Good to know, BTW, that you made it home safely. Get some well-earned rest and know that you made many, many fanyus very happy with all your detailed accounts of your adventures in Japan. Doumo arigatou gozaimasu. Edit: I replied before reading BWOZWaltz's post on the same subject, which is in agreement with Katja Thera's and is also excellent. Those of us ignorant of Japaneese are so lucky to have accomplished translators to help us understand our enigmatic Overlord. Thanks again.

Isn't this the first confirmation, though, that he's actually LANDED it? Seems like the last statement from anyone with inside knowledge (Brian, I think), was that he was able to rotate it -- with the implication that he wasn't landing it yet. If so, this seems like an moment. Of course, other satellites probably have better memories or more solid information ...

And much of that muscle appeared to be in his chest and upper arms -- where it will help him attain the greater rotational speed necessary to conquer certain jumps. Here's my take on that: Edit: Sorry if this is OT.

Of course, there are a million what-ifs, but consider the timeline. Even our favorite extraterrestrial isn't likely to tame 4Lz, 4F and 4A in a single season -- meaning he can land them all consistently, with positive GOE. If his body holds up (a big if, as we all-too-sadly know), the attempt will almost certainly carry him through the 2020-21 season. Say, then, that he's skating through WC 2021, and winning most if not all the time. Would he r******** less than a year short of a possible 3rd OGM? I can't see any elite athlete doing that -- much less Yuzu. Whether his goal is another Olympics or just to conquer all six quads, he's likely to find himself on Beijing's doorstep.

In the spirit of Henni147's brilliant 6 quadruple demon gates ... (for those who missed it in the FaOI Kobe thread , they were: 4T - Quad MephisToe 4S - Quad Satan 4Lo - Quad Diaboloop 4F - Quad Firedevil 4Lz - Quad Lutzifer 4A - Quadster of Loch Ness) ... I hereby offer Yuzuru Hanyu's YOLO, Damn-the-Torpedoes, I'm-Looking-at-You-ISU quad arsenal for the 2019-20 season: 4T - Quad You're Toast 4S - Quad Pray for Salvation 4Lo - Quad Don't Loop Now 4F - Quad Think I Give a Flip? 4Lz - Quad Kiss My Lutzcious Ass 4A - Quad Axel Murderer

Fanyus: He really should skip ice shows this year to rest his poor ankle. Yuzu: ^%##*@^&*# -- I can't practice 4Lz cuz I injured myself training 4A!

Seimei Otonal H&L Masquerade Otonal Origin Notte Stellata LGC (if Masquerade were a fully developed competitive program, I might waver) Chopin Change Seimei (with the caveat that Helsinki H&L is obviously his most sublime skate) PW Confession time: although Yuzu is GORGEOUS in HYK and CM, the choreography doesn't do much for me. Just a matter of taste, I'm sure. No shade on DW. I'm also one of the few people in the world, apparently, who dislikes the score to Phantom, so I sort of enjoy it through gritted teeth. *runs for cover*

I just flashed back to the World's gala, where everyone but Yuzu was in black and red, and most of the numbers were on the angsty side, and it was ... well, a bit boring. I think we've seen Yuzu's response: "You want black and red and angsty? Excuse me while I show you how it's done. Oh, and you might want to have fire extinguishers on hand."

Why is it that I love him even more when he's a brat? I mean, he does something bratty, and I'm like ... Truly, this boy has bewitched me!

Dory Lives!

The boi does rock blue!

A tribute worthy of Yuzu's grace, power and delicacy! Thank you so much for beaming it to us satellites. And welcome to the Planet!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PLANET HANYU! A special thanks to the fabulous admins and support staff who keep this magical world spinning, and hugs to all satellites who reward my daily (sometimes hourly) visits here with laughter, tears, beauty and kuyashii. Long may Yuzu skate, and long may we continue to orbit around him. xoxoxo