kiches

If I were to pick music for Yuzu to skate to I'd have no idea what it would be. Instead, one day I'd love for him to let Shae pick music for him and for him to continue letting Jeff suggest music for him. I think Otonal is the first SP music he's asked for with Jeff. I just love their collaborations and have loved all of Jeff's choices for him so far (Parisienne Walkways, Ballade no. 1, and Let's Go Crazy). They've worked together so many years I'm sure Jeff has a lot of ideas and music sitting in his playlist. Shae as well, but sometimes I look at the music choices she's given other skaters and I'm not sure if I always trust her .

I think this was David Wilson’s idea. From what David and Brian have said a couple years back what Yuzu always wanted to skate to was Phantom of the Opera, but David clearly didn’t want to choreograph a Phantom program (I suspect this may be why Brian found Shae to choreograph a Phantom FS for Yuzu after Olympics). I think David in his TSL interview in 2016 mentioned he wanted Phantom for the Sochi Olympic season as well, but that it was Brian who suggested Romeo and Juliet again. Maybe this is in the Team Brian book but I think Yuzu’s text response back to Brian was “I love it” or something along those lines. Back on the topic of Notre Dame, David said Yuzu liked it because Johnny skated to it, but I often wonder how much he really understood Yuzu because I remember in one of his interviews Yuzu struggled to remember the name of the music! There’s a photo of the music suggestion list that fan sent where it asked him to mark with circles, triangles, and x’s which songs he didn’t like, likes, and really likes. Asian Dream Song was a “really like”. I think you can find this image on twitter somewhere although I had no idea if it came from a documentary (I’ve never seen it if it did) but among other songs listed I remember the same fan also had Man in the Iron Mask and Lord of the Rings listed but I can’t remember how he marked those.

I remember that pre-Olympic interview, it probably came out right around media day. From what I recall Yuzu said he originally wanted to reuse Let’s Go Crazy since he wanted to skate it cleanly, but Shirota talked him out of it saying that it’s better to have a classic program for the Olympics. So I think he was persuaded, and honestly it probably worked out for the best given how things happened.

Do you mean these?

I think Matteo Rizzo has a 4Lo in his planned free skate content.

I can only guess that maybe the videos didn’t have any ISU or Skate Canada trademark or permission to be shared in the first place, which is unfortunate since it was so cool. The other piece could be that he has received donations for his work and maybe they see that as monetizing his videos and maybe that isn’t allowed for an “unofficial” shared video.

I suspect the YouTube stream will be geoblocked for US since NBC has the broadcast and streaming rights. Probably same for other countries that a company already has rights.

Actually I think he told the photography crew that his waist was insane. This was written I think in Kateigaho feature by the actual crew.

I've been to ACI the last 4 years and to me the reaction to Origin's costume reveal this year was slightly different, and a bit more exaggerated than in the past. I had to go back to my fancam of the 6 min warm-up to job my memory a bit, but what was a bit different was that beyond the initial hurrah and cheers after the costume reveal fans went on for some jumps Yuzu landed etc. Then suddenly, 2 minutes after Yuzu already took off his jacket and was just skating around, fans began cheering again when he skated close by their section - this part has never happened before beyond maybe that first minute when he takes off his jacket. It basically continued like this all the way until the end of the warm-up. I was amused at first, although ultimately I think it's a bit much since the warm-up is only 6 minutes. I think cheering is generally fine even during warm-up to support skaters, but like yuzuangel mentioned maybe some people were trying to outdo each other this time around. Also don't believe Yuzu would EVER say anything even if he felt the cheering was excessive, I don't think he'd want fans to feel bad. He may occasionally shush the crowd and that's the extent of it. As others mentioned, this type of reaction usually only happens at the start of the season. Later on at Worlds, Grand Prix, or even the Olympics I don't think I've seen costume reactions like we do at ACI so I think part of it is the novelty of seeing the costume for the first time. That and there wasn't any media day this year and maybe everyone was a bit more excited than usual. I will say though that usually Yuzu gets the crowd so amped up that the cheers for other skaters tends to be louder or more enthusiastic, which I imagine is nice for skaters that may not generally be used to that warm a reception.

A roller skater posted her Seime inspired costume here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1610393525875114/permalink/2354407798140346?sfns=mo Also I remember a group of male rhythmic gymnasts a couple years ago matching sporting R&J2 costumes, I think they were from China but haven’t been able to dig up a photo yet.

Fans give whatever they feel like, but I think letters are less visible in the huge box of gifts. I did see the Team Japan crew on Saturday basically come by and pick up the gifts since by the time I stepped back outside the large box was replaced by a much smaller emptier gift box. I had a card I wrote which I tucked into the box which wasn't visible at all. I'm sure a lot of gifts include cards and letters too tucked inside, and it's been known that the team pulls out all letters and cards from the gifts and plush to save.

I don't remember any redirection for applause during practice run-throughs, but maybe I missed something. My take on the cheering is that sometimes fans get a little overexcited over very small things, this year there was cheering mid-combo during practice sessions and cheering whenever Yuzu passed by with his new costume. Honestly, I thought it was a bit much since the skaters there were still in competition mode and I want to allow them the ability to concentrate. What really annoys me though is when people leave mid-performance or do their makeup in the middle of someone else's skate (yes, I have sadly seen this happen). I also prefer not to get up and down from my seat when someone is just about to start their program since I worry it can be distracting and it also blocks people's view. If I've left my seat, then I wait until the skater has finished their program to go back to my seat. I typically try to apply the etiquette rules I learned from my high school tennis coach about being respectful while watching games and moving around behind when players are on the court, but I understand that not everyone is taught these things so hopefully people practice their best judgement and are mindful while skaters are on the ice competing. I feel the movement in the crowds are usually more noticeable in small competitions and venues like ACI so I'm usually really careful. For practice sessions I think it's typically okay to get up and move around more freely, but I'd usually try to keep applause and cheers for after an element is successfully completed, but you can't keep track of everyone on ice during practice.

I think you may be mixing up ACI with 2016 Skate Canada which was in Mississauga, which is also close to Toronto. I think Yuzu showed up for the draw but didn’t actually take part in the open practice that day and I think it was assumed (or maybe it was officially said) that it was so he could practice at the Cricket Club instead.

@Geo1 I've read some speculation on this as well. I'm not sure Yuzu would accept (especially as he is a Winter Olympian), and while I'd love to see him carry that torch I feel it may be more meaningful if they had a young athlete from the Tohoku, even someone who is an unknown student. Although I think it might be beautiful to see him running alongside a young athlete to light that torch, I'm not sure if having two people run the last leg is something that's done.

Amazon Japan won’t accept Amazon gift cards from other country Amazon sites.

If I remember correctly Yuzu actually got this idea from Mathhew McCoungahy when he gave his Oscar winning speech about the man who he wants to be is the person he’ll be in 10 years. I think back then Yuzu mentioned he may have watched the speech.

New documentary! It played for me but I’m currently in Japan, otherwise I wouldn’t have realized. Gotta get in that preorder.

Been a bit busy in Japan to post but really quick: If you’re looking for Yuzu music boxes they’re available at the orgel museum store in both Arashiyama and Matsushima. Alternatively send an email to Nidec Sankyo and they can try to look up stock wherever you’re staying (that’s what they did for me). In the case of the Arashiyama store I emailed them and they held some of the little bag music boxes for me so that I could purchase them when I arrived. Xylitol clear files, if any of you are staying in Sendai right now Ito Yokado in the Ario shopping center in Izumi-Chuo has a decent stock of them. This is located right outside the Izumi-Chuo subway station on the first floor, pretty easy to find right now in the gum section but it didn’t really have signage. Likewise there’s a bookstore in Selva next to Ario that also has some of the Yuzu photobooks, magazines, and calendars. Almost any bookstore in Sendai is bound to at least have the most recent Ice Jewels photobook (I bought one at Ayumi Books at Jizenjidori yesterday night. If you walk around the entrance between the JR and Sendai subway stations you’ll sometimes see the older Yuzu tourism campaign posters. Zuihoden Mausoleum also has Yuzu’s autograph and currently has tanabata decorations based on Yuzu’s costumes at the front gate. Also for those in Hong Kong, about 1 week ago they still had Yuzu’s ad in Terminal 1 but when I returned on 8/4 it was gone. I had also seen a large billboard coming into T1 on bus, not sure if that’s still there. Also, major thanks to @KatjaThera for tips on how to find the Sekkisei counter at Haneda Airport. A week ago there was a sign that you can get the Otonal clear file if you buy 6500 yen of Sekkisei and the Tiat duty free shop. This is located right after security at Haneda Airport international terminal.

Thanks everyone for supplies Yuzu-themed travel suggestions!

Hi everyone, I’ll be in Japan at the beginning of August and planning to visit Kyoto, Tokyo, and Sendai while I’m there (luckily dates worked out for Tanabata) but are there any current Yuzu photo or item exhibits in Japan during this time I should try and check out? I’ve visited Ice Rink Sendai before and will go and see the new monument, but I wonder if there are any recommended Yuzu-related sites I should visit.

Thanks @kaeryth for finding the quote from the book! This seemed to be around WTT 2015. Not sure if he used alcohol to disinfect his scissors when he did this, but he mentions it may have gotten inflamed because he was jumping and he wasn't supposed to be using too much strength with his abdominal muscles immediately.

I need to dig it up but I think he said he got a rash when they used rubbing alcohol in Blue Flames 2. I think it also lead to an infection (or maybe it was when he decided to take the stitches out himself!!).

He mentioned the alcohol at least two times that I can remember. One was the Asaichi segment back in 2015 where he said his skin had a reaction to alcohol when he had surgery. It was brought up since one of the viewer questions sent in was what type of drink does he drink/like. I don't necessarily think having skin sensitivity to alcohol means you have sensitivity to ingesting it, so in truth I think Yuzu used it as a segue to tell us he doesn't really drink or can't handle drinking. Second is in that P&G Yuzu Days interview (fuller translation here: https://yuzusorbet.tumblr.com/post/145257287482/pg-interview-1-june-2016-what-figure-skating). Doesn't say how much sake he actually had, but to me it sounds as if he can't couldn't handle liquor too well and implied his speech started to slur after having only a small amount of sake. Whether that's considered an allergy I'm not sure, but I'm the same way. Just a couple of sips usually and I get very lightheaded.

According To this press release Yuzu is assigned to Skate Canada and NHK Trophy! https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/125-grand-prix-news/12648-olympic-and-world-champions-to-compete-in-the-isu-grand-prix-of-figure-skating-series-2019-20?templateParam=15

Yeah I was actually a bit surprised fans threw stuff on ice (not just Yuzu’s fans) since I thought it said no gifts on ice online. I know there was a local girl who tossed something for every skater, I do wonder if people saw others tossing things and mistakenly thought it was allowed so they followed suit but organizers sort of went with it and organized some young skaters to sweep for the free skate.