ZuCritter

With, I'll admit, some sadness, I have retired my old avatar. After reading Yuzu's comments at the Prologue press con, I can no longer champion his pursuit of Nessie. I chose, instead, this image from "A Fleeting Dream," where he symbolically laid that aspiration -- which had become a burden -- to rest. R.I.P, Nessie. Fly on, Yuzu.

Or “ … Hanyu Yuzuru, representing Truth and Beauty!”

I keep thinking about the moment in Prologue when when the the video of RJ1 in Nice segued into the live performance. If he chose to, Yuzu could use similar techniques to construct long-form narrative programs for future shows, with or without other skaters. Some segments could be video, and some could be live skating, perhaps including footage shot by Jordan Cowan in addition to footage from fixed cameras. Yuzu could even play multiple roles, perhaps interacting with himself in video or holographic form. I can see something like the saga of Uesugi Kenshin lending itself to that sort of treatment, just for starters. Yuzu would never lack for material, given the entire sweep of Japanese history and culture. This type of theater/opera/ballet approach may not appeal to him. But if it does, the possibilities are pretty mind-blowing, given the technical tools at his disposal and his obvious desire to explode the traditional concept of ice shows. Personally, I hope he does experiment with developing a complex narrative over the course of an entire show. But I know that any show he presents will be extraordinary, and I'll watch every single one of them!

In a single stroke, he has rendered the I*U, J*F, all other feds, every other ice show, and even, to some extent, the Olys totally irrelevant. Not bad for a day's work.

I should have learned by now never to underestimate Mr. Hanyu, but I'm blown away by how completely he has made the transition to pro athlete before ever setting foot on the ice! He's not only laid the foundation for a pro skating career, he's created a full-fledged brand. I'd love to know how long all this has been in the works and how many people are on his team. I refuse to believe that anyone -- even the Ice Emperor -- could pull it all together in less than four months. The attention to detail is stunning, right down to the fact that we haven't seen him in public wearing anything but a suit since July 19. (I'm not counting the CM shoots.) I'm pretty sure that a major athlete in the US undertaking a similar venture would not have adopted a business suit as their uniform. Subtly, Yuzu is making it clear that he is a professional, and a CEO at that. To quote Belinda Noonan: "Genius. Hanyu Yuzuru is a genius!"

Clarification, also under spoiler:

What a lovely gesture of support. Thank you!

Dear Henni, I’m so very happy to hear that you will regain your sight. May you never have to endure such fear and uncertainty again. You are a very special part of this community. Please safeguard your health in every way possible. Victoria (ZuCritter)

This makes me insanely happy.

Absolutely stunning, and one of my all-time favorite videos. This was the true WR, until he broke it himself with 24-Hour TV Roncapu.

My secret hope is that he will schedule his own shows — with ample streaming options — at the same time as ISU’s big events, just to drive home the realization of what they lost when they pushed him away. Taking competition to a whole new level, indeed. Of course I know he’s unlikely to do that out of respect for the skaters and the sport. But it would be such sweet revenge.

Such a concise, comprehensible explanation of what makes his skating so unique -- clear enough for readers who don't know much about skating but sophisticated enough to hold the attention of those who do. The range of primary sources is impressive, especially to one who knows first-hand the hours of work it must have taken to compile them. Thank you, @Henni147, along with the entire team for all the loving care you have poured into his page.

FANYUS: Yuzu to reveal his private life????? YUZU: I don’t like seafood. I do like gyoza. And cats.

Dear @Henni147, as @Faithyu said, you are such an important part of the fandom, I'm very sorry you are struggling with health problems. I felt your absence and wondered what was keeping you away. It is hard to hear that your situation is so precarious. Please rest well and do everything you need to do for your recovery. I will hold you in my thoughts. And congratulations on the nomination!!

Yes, but the ones who tried to crush him will pay in the end. "It is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,” said Firenze. ”Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. ... You have slain something so pure and defenseless ... you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from [that] moment ..."

It's occurring to me more and more forcefully that a huge part of FS's problem is that it's a sport run by old men that attracts a largely female audience. And the men who run it regard the relative lack of male fans as a problem they must solve my any and all means -- including waging psychological warfare on the GOAT. They obviously haven't gotten the memo that this is the 21st Century, because the flaws in their logic would be laughable if they weren't so tragic. Let's take a look at some of those flaws: (First, apologies for talking in terms of a gender binary. Everything I say regarding the disrespect showed to women applies with even greater force to trans, nonconforming and nonbinary fans.) In many cultures, women's spending power is on a par with men's, or nearly so. Women also have more influence over family spending in some cultures. Because so many sports cater to men, women represent an immense, comparatively untapped market segment. Although some men reject FS as too "girly," many men actually don't drag their knuckles when they walk. They can appreciate virtuosity even if it wears sparkles and ruffles. Even if the ISU's machinations gain it some new fans (which is highly questionable), it's asinine to do so at the cost of alienating a huge swath of the existing fan base. When you're on shaky financial ground, driving away your biggest revenue source is a path to bankruptcy -- and who knows what scandalous revelations will emerge, once your creditors lawyers start digging through your files? In sum, I devoutly hope that ISU's misogyny will be repaid with financial ruin, disgrace, and civil and/or criminal penalties.

I’m sure Yuzu will feel this keenly, as will all the people of Japan. My heart breaks for them. All violence is tragic and shocking, but especially in a land where it is so rare. May all beings everywhere enjoy safety and peace.

I would be stunned if Nathan ever skates competitively again. Very few people take a two year break (which I believe is his stated intention, in order to finish college) and compete again. The training required — both physical and mental — is just too brutal. And he seems to have different goals. So, yes, he has effectively retired before Yuzu.

With deep apologies to Japanese fanyus, I hope that both Finland an “TBD” agree to host the event only if they get Yuzu (as Finland reportedly did in 2018). Make ISU and JSF confront the reality: He’s way bigger than the sport. (I’m not bitter, no, I’m not.)

I think Photoshop adores Yuzu almost as much as I do ...

You know, Yuzu’s legs get a lot of attention, and rightly so. But his arms are equally remarkable. When I see images of him with his arms fully outstretched, my jaw just drops. His wingspan is insane!

Thank you so much for sharing your memories. It's been a little bleak waking up the past couple of mornings with no fresh FaOI content to look forward to. But your descriptions were almost as good -- I smiled all the way through! Arigato gozaimasu!

Stephane, BRAVO!

I don't just watch them, I keep showing them to anyone who will indulge me. Not only is the skating sublime, he was skating against doctor's orders, as a treat for the volunteers and -- I believe -- a consolation to himself. To me it says everything about why he not only transcends figure skating, but all of sport. He exists in some rarefied realm with a handful of individuals who manifest the nearest approach to perfection a human can attain. Genius is one word for it, but even that doesn't fully capture it. Anyhow, that's what I see in those practice sessions. They also point the way to a future in which Yuzu will rise to even greater heights without the distraction of competitive pressure. Personally, I hope he continues to compete for a few more years (health permitting). But I don't dread the day he r*****s, because I'm confident that his post-competition career will be every bit as singular and spectacular as what we've seen til now.