General Yuzuru Chat

[axelsandwich]

 

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[micaelis]

4 hours ago, kaerb said:

I can absolutely see that - for me, when you pare all the 'window dressing' on Yuzu down (his media polish, the misleading cuteness/'pretty' packaging), I think he's fuelled by that fire and drive to both succeed and dominate (the Do-S side) - and that has nothing to do with age. Where others might fold or self-doubt or back down, he charges and has a thirst to be on top; it gives him confidence and fierceness and I guess that is what you would traditionally associate with the 'alpha male' type masculinity - in some ways I think of it as how 'loud' your personality/presence is - can you dominate the room and be the one influencing others instead of being influenced? To use Daisuke as an example for contrast, he has described himself as a 'herbivore' (which in Japan is - correct me if I'm wrong - used to describe a man who is more sensitive/soft inside). For all Daisuke is good at performing that sexy, extroverted masculinity, the fact he has revealed he regularly struggles with confidence, self-esteem etc. is what distinguishes him from Yuzu (I don't doubt Yuzu struggles w/ confidence at times too but he would never show that to the media and I don't think it's the same brand of self doubt that Daisuke shares -- for Yuzu it's always about 'can I do this given my injury/circumstances' and not 'am I even capable of doing this?'*). but that's what's always given yuzu an inherent, unmistakeable 'masculinity' for me; the fact he's also equally confident to show his cute/soft/feminine side to me is actually a reflection of how strong his inner confidence is, because it's like 'I know who I am, I don't really care what others think and I do what I like'. And it's intriguing that side of him - soft, almost childlike love for things like Pooh/children/strawberry shortcake, with a very traditional feminine elegance in his performance - exists and is displayed almost equally with his fierce demon 'on-ice' side. It's a really rare blend!

There can be little doubt about Yuzu's masculinity.  Watching him on ice interacting with other skaters in unscripted moments there is no doubt he's male but one also sees still lurking about a definite boyishness, just as we see in his spontaneous exuberance in the kiss and cry.  What one also sees when he's on ice with others is a definite alpha male quality.  Frequently he's organizing things out there when playing and others go along with him, and I don't think it's because he's the one on top of the skating world.  Actually in those times I think of him as a sort of 'Peter Pan' figure, the boy who doesn't want to grow up, although there is also his intense maturity when approaching his skating and education.  It's almost as if he's letting himself go in the playtime of galas and such, recognizing that there's time for play and there's time for work and right then is a time for play. 

 

As far as his costumes are concerned, I see them not as effeminate but rather as 'fantasy', a sort of super-hero or fairy tale dress.  With Yuzu's penchant for gadgets (at least headphones) he has the sort of personality that were he in the United States he would be into the whole comic book super-hero, Star Wars, Star Trek culture.  He's precisely the sort of person who would not be out of place as a character in Big Bang Theory.  By and large Yuzu's costumes, in my opinion, are his means of framing his performance as a 'fantasy' enactment, a reflection of those very significant boyish elements that are always lurking under the surface and which come out when the stress levels of a particular situation are suddenly released (kiss and cry good scores revealed) or essentially absent (galas).  I think many of those seeing Yuzu's costume frills as effeminate are essentially projecting their own gender insecurities onto him and he's hardly the only skater out there garbed exotically.  Shoma's following Yuzu's lead there.  In many ways I think Yuzu's costumes reflect his approach to his skating programs.  He's not just out there doing a series of skating moves.  He's not a skater, he's an actor out there performing, and his program is not an athletic routine but the script for a drama and of course such a drama requires an appropriate costume.

[ruruzest]

Wow, I love the discussion about little nuances from Yuzu’s speech ! the very interesting subtteties that we foreigners don’t get! Thank you so much multipled language fellows who explain this to us mortals . Yuzu is truly a fascinating person! 

[SparkleSalad]

People are getting very serious about their budgets. 

 

Cost of buying all merchandise from

 

• Photo exhibition - 19700円
• CiONTU - 18400円
• Sendai Parade - 6000円
• All together - 44100円

 

 

[MrPudding]

4 minutes ago, SparkleSalad said:

People are getting very serious about their budgets. 

 

Cost of buying all merchandise from

 

• Photo exhibition - 19700円
• CiONTU - 18400円
• Sendai Parade - 6000円
• All together - 44100円

 

 

we should open an official bank of Planet Hanyu for money consultations 

[xeyra]

How dare, Mr. Hanyu. 

 

[robin]

8 minutes ago, MrPudding said:

we should open an official bank of Planet Hanyu for money consultations 

 

We might have to start a shady money lending business 

[Forcefield]

On the costume discussion, as an outsider I always felt that for Japanese their costumes are "costumes as part of the performances" and so it seems a few performers go above and beyond to be outside the box of casual. I didn't even bat an eyelash at Yuzu because I was a Johnny's fan with all their fluff and sparkles for their concerts, and they don't wear a suit and call it a day. And that's what I really like about their costumes, even if it's not to my taste, as well as the figure skating costumes of some figure skaters (like Yuzu).

[MrPudding]

7 minutes ago, robin said:

 

We might have to start a shady money lending business 

isn't this off season the most expensive because the merchandises actually has his face on it.. previous off season we were just mostly shouting our heads off to the bad camera work in ice shows.. 

[kiches]

7 hours ago, kaeryth said:

 

Ah.. I kinda remember that interview... was it also the interview where they joked that if you include ALL of team Japan then Narumi Takahashi is the manliest of them all?

I think I’ve seen this as well. I believe this was a post 2012 Worlds interview with all of Japan’s medalists. Daisuke was next to Yuzu (I think Akiko was also next to them) while Narumi and Mervin sat behind them. Daisuke was the one that said he was the most masculine. 

[sweetwater]

According to this press release released by the organizer, part of the sales of those cute things to be sold at the photo exhibition venue will be donated for reconstruction of areas affected by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.

[yumeaki]

26 minutes ago, sweetwater said:

According to this press release released by the organizer, part of the sales of those cute things to be sold at the photo exhibition venue will be donated for reconstruction of areas affected by the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.

Shit. I just went thru past posts and finally concluded that if the money of these goods don’t go to Yuzu’s pocket or to charity, am not spending. 

Thanks for the new info.... 

 

oh wait, not like I can buy them.... WHY NO ONLINE SALES?!

[OonsieHui]

1 hour ago, xeyra said:

How dare, Mr. Hanyu. 

 

 

I know thats not the intention, but dang did anyone else immediately think of "paint me like one of your French girls"?  

[ruruzest]

1 hour ago, SparkleSalad said:

People are getting very serious about their budgets. 

 

Cost of buying all merchandise from

 

• Photo exhibition - 19700円
• CiONTU - 18400円
• Sendai Parade - 6000円
• All together - 44100円

 

 

Why you do this ??? I’m in denial ignoring the agonizing cry of my wallet 

[valkyrie]

1 hour ago, Forcefield said:

On the costume discussion, as an outsider I always felt that for Japanese their costumes are "costumes as part of the performances" and so it seems a few performers go above and beyond to be outside the box of casual. I didn't even bat an eyelash at Yuzu because I was a Johnny's fan with all their fluff and sparkles for their concerts, and they don't wear a suit and call it a day. And that's what I really like about their costumes, even if it's not to my taste, as well as the figure skating costumes of some figure skaters (like Yuzu).

 

i know that people have strong opinions on the boobskirt, but after the horrible way johnny was treated for his costumes and general presentation during his career, yuzu winning gold at sochi in a costume designed by him felt like poetic justice tbh.