Martina

The fact that he left competing not because he wanted to leave it, but because they made him understand that, no matter what he did, they would never let him win anything important again, will always remain an open wound. I can't help but think, in addition to the medals they stole from him, the suffering they inflicted on him, to all the masterpieces we will never have. If he had left when the situation was now clear, in December 2019, we would not have had masterpieces such as Ten to Chi to and Introduction and Rondo capriccioso. Yuzu has shown tremendous strength going all the way to Beijing, and even more amazing strength going through the competition, and everything that happened during that time, in the way he faced them. I will always support all of his decisions, the one to leave the competitions like all the others, but the wound remains open, even if he is happier and if I'm happy for him and with him.

In April's video, the one with the two Poohs, ends with the sequence 4Lo+3A. Apart from that, in the Italian group on Facebook someone asked me if anyone has ever performed this sequence. Here is the translation of my answer: The 4Lo in combination in competition was attempted only by four skaters: Daniel Grassl, Matteo Rizzo, Adeliia Petrosian and Petr Gumennik (the last two in Russian competitions). Grassl is the only one who has obtained a positive GOE. They were however different combinations, 4Lo+2T, 4Lo+3T, 4Lo+1Eu+3S. No one has ever performed a 4Lo+3A sequence in competition, but I think that, apart from Yuzu, no one has ever performed it even in training. I remember that when the second jump is an axel the element is called sequence because while in the combination the second jump is performed immediately after the landing of the first, with the axel the skater has to turn to be able to take off forward. Until the 2021-2022 season this difference had a relevance in the score, the sequences were worth less than the combinations (i.e. if a skater performed 3A+3T he had a higher base value than a hypothetical 3T+3A), now instead the rules has been changed and the base value is the same. Having said that, let's see the sequences with the quadruples. 4T+2A: performed only in Russian internal competitions by Kamila Valieva, Adeliia Petrosian, Sofia Akateva, Makar Ignatov, Gregor Fedorov and Eduard Karartynian. 4T+3A: Performed by Yuzuru Hanyu only. 4S+2A: performed only by Alina Gorbacheva, Artur Danielian and Maria Gordeeva in Russian domestic competitions. 4Lz+2A(+2A): performed only by Lev Lazarev and Alisa Dvoeglazova in Russian domestic competitions. None of the other types of sequences with a quadruple jump as the first jump, and a double or triple axel as the second jump have ever been performed. This means that Yuzu was the only one crazy enough to perform a 3A as the second jump of a sequence after a quadruple, and this when the sequences were worth less than the combinations. Why crazy? Because he's taken crazy risks, but we know he likes to challenge himself, so that's okay. This also tells us that Yuzu has a command over jumping that no one else has, because none of the others have the guts or skills to do what he does. Let's move on to the sequences with 3A as the second jump after a triple. 3F+3A+SEQ: performed only by Ilia Malinin. 3Lz+3A(+3T)+SEQ: performed only by Ilia Malinin. 3A+3A+SEQ: performed only by Matteo Rizzo (once only, and with the second 3A underrotated). Sequences with a 3A as a second jump are very rare. The fact that Yuzu attacks a 3A on pretty much everything isn't normal. Yuzu is Yuzu, and even now he's the best jumper. If he returned to competitions, and the scores were awarded correctly, he would dominate without any difficulty. But, knowing how scores are awarded, and how much fun he's been having since he's been a pro, why would he come back? One last thing. We first saw Yuzu perform the 4Lo+3A sequence at the 2015 World Team Trophy gala. This is the last competition of the season that started with the crash with Han Yan and complicated by the December operation. Yuzu was frustrated because he had only finished second at the World Championships - he still had a bandaged stomach, a sprained ankle, and only two weeks of training behind him, it's already a miracle that he skated the way he skated - and in the conclusion of the World Team Trophy, a little later than the World Championship, when his health was improved and he had managed to train more, he wanted to prove that he was capable of doing things that others didn't even dream of. Ok, on the 3A he was a bit unbalanced backwards, but I remember Yuzu landing the first 4Lo in competition at the 2016 Autumn Classic, a year and a half later, so that sequence was really incredible.

Visto lo scambio di messaggi fra Yuzu e Sandwichman, e l'impegno del duo per la ricostruzione del Tohoku, non mi stupirei se in un prossimo futuro Yuzu facesse qualcosa insieme a loro.

Ashura-chan in GIFT was wonderful, and the collaboration with Rhyzomatics and Elevenplay was amazing. In SOI, without the tiredness of everything he had done before, and with some passages of the choreography revised, the program has grown. Here we have only a fragment of a few seconds, but the energy is extraordinary. It's evident that he loves this song.

We have seen very few images of Yuzu's father, dating back to several years ago. We know Saya told him to stop talking about her when he talks about when he started skating. For years, Yumi has been doing her best not to be framed. They want a normal life, and they can only have it if they are not associated with him by the first person they meet on the street. Yuzu himself has always been very private about his personal life. For some reason I suspect his wife shares the point of view of the Hanyu family. As for the accusation of that absurd article... if only the writer had deigned to listen to Yuzu, she would have realized that he has always put respect for others at the center of everything, emphasizing the importance of individuality. Considering another individual inferior to him is something that does not belong to him. I'm guessing the writer was just looking for five minutes of notoriety, that she had a personal purpose for that attack. Too bad the newspaper didn't think before publishing that rubbish.

I wrote my post because I saw so many reactions, most of them joyous, but not all. I was taken completely by surprise by the announcement, but there were also those who told me they had caught some clues. I don't know if his behavior was related to the fact that there are people who enjoy hurting him, if it was just a desire for confidentiality or if something happened that made him change his mind, before he didn't think of getting married even though he was in love , and then yes. Not knowing him, I can't say anything. My post is, at least in part, an invitation to put things into perspective. To say that yes, he surprised us, but he is still him. I may be wrong, but in my opinion almost all of the fans who were disappointed by the sudden news because they felt an insincerity in a behavior that was probably just confidentiality, within a few days will find a new equilibrium and will look at him as before.

OK, I found you. Unlike me, who always write a lot, you stayed within the space of a tweet and were clear. How nice, another fantasy enthusiast.

If you don't use a different name, I don't think I saw your comment, but when I receive so many replies I often miss some. I don't think I will write more about his marriage, but I will definitely write more about Yuzu. Not just score analysis, I do those because I'm furious with the ISU, but what I really enjoy is commenting on the amazing things he does, so I'll post more text sooner or later. And as much as Yuzu has his own life, there is always room for us. We don't know when there will be a new project, but soon we will have the two episodes of Gen Hoshino's show, and we also just had the mini interview for the book illustrated by CLAMP. One way or another, Yuzu is always with us.

Thank you. I always feel that something is missing, that I would like to say more, and words escape me. I am glad to see that I can convey at least part of what I feel.

If anyone is interested, yesterday on my blog I published a post in Italian and English about Yuzu's wedding: Intorno a un matrimonio/Around a wedding | sportlandia (wpcomstaging.com)

No, both from Tohoku, but different prefectures.

Considering that Yuzu is Japanese, also an English article indicates that the interest is not only local. But you are right, it is better if there are texts from many countries. I'm glad you liked my review.

Great! Unfortunately, Italian is not such a well-known language, but having reviews from real newspapers and not just from users is important.

FantasyMagazine is a very small newspaper, especially now, but at least in terms of prestige it's better than a blog. I tried putting the link to the review in IMDb, let's see if they post it.

I write for a very small newspaper. Usually it doesn't have the slightest connection with Yuzu, because it's a journal specialized in fantasy. However, with the excuse that GIFT would be broadcast by Disney+, I asked the director to write an article. And then, since that article was one of the most read of the last period, I asked him if I could write the review. He gave me the ok for that too. Therefore the newspaper is tiny and the text is in Italian, but this is a review published not on a blog but in a real newspaper. https://www.fantasymagazine.it/35426/gift-ice-story-2023

Thanks. I suspect that from now on whenever fans get the chance to meet, they will demonstrate similar tastes in clothing.

There's no doubt that when Yuzu does something, he does it big, and that he also thinks of so many things that we would never think of. Whatever you choose to do, we will be ready to support you. Today I received the second part of my contribution to Prologue.

I've read about Mao's rink too, and I know that even she's well loved, Yuzu has a superior following. Yuzu has it in Japan, but he has it mostly with international fans. I don't know how many tweets I've seen from international fans who went skating at the Ice Rink during a vacation in Japan. Aside from selling merchandise, Yuzu can sell advertising space, because we all see the ads around the rink in his videos. I'd say those ads are seen by more people than they saw the ads at the last World Championship. However, the costs are very high, also because if he skates during the day, during those hours the rink would be closed to the public and to any type of course. As with everything...we'll see. The only thing I'm sure of is that he'll do his math before deciding anything, and we know he's got a world-class brain.

At the end of the show he said clearly that this story will always be with us, that we can go back to it whenever we want. In my opinion this means that he intends to make a DVD, Blu ray, or allow a download in a legal way... I have no idea what medium he will choose, but I think he will somehow make GIFT purchasable. An ice skating rink has very high costs, so it is unlikely that another will be built. I too hope they will be able to do it, because Yuzu cannot continue to train forever at night and live isolated from everyone.

Exactly my thought. Here he agreed with the organizers as he has done for years for Fantasy on Ice, he said which music he skates on, opens the initial number of the show, skate his number, returns to say goodbye, and if he doesn't feel like it or feels tired, he does not must do something else. The shows are many and close together, but overall in the entire SOI he skates more or less as much as he skated in a single day for GIFT, making fewer jumps and fewer spins (but Ashura-chan's steps are breathtaking even just looking at them). I've seen some. Jason and Piper are very nice. I don't know if Alex was the first skater who made funny videos to joke about the figure skating community, but he was the first one I saw. That twist was brilliant, even if maybe now Yuzu would like to be lifted in Riku's place, like when he was lifted by Ondrej Hotarek. There are some people at SOI that I would rather not see, but I think there are enough people that Yuzu gets on well with, and it helps him relax.

Yes, if they want to make some videos, they will find someone to film their jokes. The important thing is that Yuzu is relaxing, because in the last period he has done so many things. Here he is "just" one skater among many, even though we know that most of the audience is there for him. He doesn't have to worry about every detail of the show, and skates only one program, however extraordinary. Both physically and mentally, compared to his shows this is a piece of cake. It would be nice if young skaters studied him carefully to understand what figure skating really is, because he is teaching everyone.

but the ShibSibs are not there. Ryuichi and Yuzu's paths have crossed at least since the fall of 2006, when Yuzu finished 7th at the National Junior Championship and Ryuichi finished 17th.

Luckily his staff (his family?) convinced him to perform One Summer's Day outside GIFT as well. His entrance to the rink for the final greeting is more beautiful than the programs presented by the two skaters who reached the last world podium, and was he in doubt whether a program of his was suitable for the show? I hope television will air the whole One Summer's Day, from these few images it must have been an amazing program.

I am laughing and crying at the same time. To make that decision, the show must have had impressive ratings.

CoC 2014 is the only thing that makes me think "luckily I wasn't a fanyu at that time". I don't know how I would have lived that period. For some years work and family commitments prevented me to watch figure skating. I discovered Yuzu's existence with Romeo and Juliet at the GPF 2013, and then I saw him again during the Olympic free slatee. Had I seen Parisienne Walkways, I would have fallen in love with him instantly, however the first times I saw him it was with programs that attracted me less (I prefer rarely used music, Romeo and Juliet I've seen him performed countless times ) and/or he made some mistakes (as in the WC 2015 FS). I have no words for what he is doing. I was convinced that he didn't like he put his hands on the ice during the 4T in GIFT, and yesterday he finally managed to complete the jump as only he can. His program was by far the most difficult. Yes, Malinin did a lot of jumps too, but Malinin only jump with a background music, Yuzu interprets a story. And today he showed everyone that there's no need to jump to create programs that are extremely difficult and at the same time capable of involving the public.