ZuCritter

I want to relate a personal experience that some fanyus may find peculiar. Fortunately, I'm old enough to have long ago accepted my own peculiarities. I was listening to a guided visualization on the theme of developing compassion, and at one point the instruction was to visualize myself in a space that was very safe and beautiful. Without even an instant's consideration, I thought, "Yuzu's heart! I'll go inside Yuzu's heart." I'm glad to report that, just as you would expect, it's a marvelous place, like an impeccable gothic cathedral, filled with light streaming in from windows high in its vaulted reaches. I just thought satellites would like to know.

Thanks for explaining the difference between the phoenix and the firebird. Either metaphor is apt for Yuzu, but it's the firebird that appeared in GIFT. I also like your interpretation.

Yes to all this. Also, as an artist myself, I know that, ultimately, the work leads, and the job of the artist is to get out of the way enough to see where it is leading. It’s an act of self-effacement as much as self-expression, which is why all Yuzu’s suffering is inseparable from his greatness. He was born with an immeasurable gift, but I don’t believe that gift would have reached its full expression without 3/11, all the injuries, the betrayals, and even the crimes committed against him by the small men who run competitive skating.

From the day-after interview with asahi.com: “I was able to create a new genre of entertainment in figure skating called 'Yuzuru Hanyu'. I honestly wonder how I can evolve it from now on." YESSSSSSS! It's so good to hear him claim his achievement. We are witnessing the birth of a new art form, because he set out, with absolute deliberation, to create a new art form. This is what I envisioned him doing once he turned pro, but I couldn't have imagined that he would do it so resoundingly, so quickly. TBH, I'm with him in having a hard time knowing how he can evolve it from here, but history tells us that he always finds a way. GOAT of GOATs!!!

True, that. But I must admit to a tiny shred of sympathy. What can they, or any skater, say but: "WTF, Yuzu? Thanks for making everything I've ever done or ever will do look totally pathetic."

It's taken me three full viewings to begin to come to grips with the scope and majesty of GIFT. Such brilliant storytelling, such searing honesty, such breathtaking courage. Working from a list of the programs he skated (omitting those, such as LGC and Masquerade, which were alluded to only musically) here is what GIFT means to me. (I acknowledge, of course, that it may mean something different to Yuzu, but anyway ...) The Firebird - death and rebirth - overall thematic statement (interesting that he set out the whole arc at the beginning) Hope & Legacy - innocence, exploration, openness, confidence One Summer's Day/Ano Natsu e (Spirited Away) - purification through trials, hard-won maturity Chopin Ballade No1 - mastery, victory on his self-defined field of dreams Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso - confronting the fragility of dreams and the limits of striving Let Me Entertain You - unmoored from dreams, looking for meaning in pleasing the crowd Ashura-Chan (Ado) - abandoning self to meet external demands The Phantom of the Opera - growing desperation to reveal his truth and his pain A Fleeting Dream (Final Fantasy X) - revealed as vulnerable, surrendering to the ebb and flow of life Notte stellata - glimpsing the solace of our oneness with all things Haru yo Koi - celebrating renewal SEIMEI (last step sequence) - embodying true power: wisdom rather than mastery Most people take many more decades to arrive at this kind of wisdom, if they get there at all. But Yuzu clearly is a very, very old soul, which, ultimately, is why he is such a GIFT.

like Yuzu, you, too, are obviously brave and strong. Be proud of yourself.

The archived stream is available!

I only received one email. Can some one forward it to me at Victoria@ victoriahicks.com. I do have a code to sign in. It was in the first email.

HELP! I got a confirmation email from KKTIX’s, but I can’t find the link to join the stream. Please help.

I keep flitting from thing to thing, not able to concentrate. I really should try to get some sleep (GIFT starts at 3 am in my time zone). But that’s probably a futile hope.

I HAVE MY TICKET!!!!!! For those who haven't gone through the process, be advised that, in my browser, at least, two of the items I had to fill in were displayed only in Chinese. I used Google translate to determine that the first one was the region of the world I'm from (Google Translate helped me identify USA in the dropdown menu). The second one is really weird. Translated into English it says something like anyone who chose an option other than "Europe or other" should write "none" -- which is the single character in brackets at the end of that sentence. I hope this is useful.

Such sad news. She was an inspiration, a shining example of integrity and courage. She leaves a hole in the fanyu community. Above all I wish peace and healing for her family.

Same here: I stayed up really late last night, subscribing to Disney+ , then realizing it didn’t work with my VPN , then getting a New VPN and testing to make sure it worked with Disney Japan . I may leave it all in place until after Gift, just as a backup system. Life of fanyu!

He wasn’t kidding when he talked about testing our nerves beyond when he was competing. I’m already hyperventilating. Stay safe, Yuzu!

Glad it’s going smoothly, @Henni147. The article is excellent. I read every word!

WARNING: Meme flood imminent!

Unless I’m missing something, there’s nothing in the rules of conduct for spectators to prohibit screaming. If that’s the case, it will be absolute pandemonium. And I will love every deafening, bone-rattling second.

YUZU: I hope the story and the programs in it will become gifts to you. FANYUS: Every breath you take is a gift to us.

So I’m imagining July 20: YUZU: Yikes! Turning pro is so scary. I have no idea what my future will look like … STAFF MEMBER: Hanyu-san, you you have a call. They say it’s the Tokyo Dome …

Thank you so much, George, for sharing these precious memories. What a wonderful experience! I especially appreciate your sensitivity and respect for Yuzu and his coaches, keeping this to yourself all this time. That shows more restraint than I’m sure I could have mustered. I hope both of us will see him live again!

Meanwhile, Yuzu is reluctant to jump the quad flip, EVEN IN ICE SHOWS, because he’s not confident of attaining four rotations AND maintaining the correct edge. FS never deserved him, and I’m so glad he’s no longer propping up a rotten system. May it enjoy a spectacular collapse.