General Yuzuru Chat

[faeline]

45 minutes ago, yuzuru-hanyus-triple-axel said:

 

It's April 1st probably somewhere already

 

Happy Hope & Legacy day  

I still remember the day I saw this. Jaw dropping, goosebumps and that creeping numbing sensation up my skull. Motivated, later that week, I head into Meiji Jingu Gaien Rink and realise that I can barely move an inch in an ice skating rink.

[rockstaryuzu]

8 hours ago, Vulnavia said:

Of course, if Nathan and Adam Rippon had traded quads and Adam had been the US #1 for the last few years, or if Yuzu was American, people like Scott would be singing an entirely different tune about the virtues of artistry, sequins, and how awesome it is to see a man do a layback spin, because ultimately having an American be the best is the most important thing to someone like him. 

Maybe. Reality is that Johnny was that good, and Scott didn't support him even though he was American. 

 

Also, Adam has never seemed particularly unmacho to me. Someone's sexuality has almost nothing to do with their competitiveness, assertiveness, protectiveness, or any other so-called 'masculine' trait, in my experience. But I come from a land where dainty-looking moms play hockey as roughly and aggressively as Hextall and Domi, so maybe my perception of gender norms is slightly skewed. 

[Dreamer]

Ice skating is hard... Figure skating is even harder... Yuzu has a unique skating ability and flow over the ice that is innate and oh so beautiful to watch.  He is a diamond of the first water... A true rare and precious gem😍

[4Nessie]

1 hour ago, yuzuru-hanyus-triple-axel said:

 

It's April 1st probably somewhere already

 

Happy Hope & Legacy day  

 

15 minutes ago, faeline said:

I still remember the day I saw this. Jaw dropping, goosebumps and that creeping numbing sensation up my skull. Motivated, later that week, I head into Meiji Jingu Gaien Rink and realise that I can barely move an inch in an ice skating rink.

 

That was the moment, I became Yuzu's fan. Almost instantly. Almost... It took some time, but it was like I couldn't get it out of my head. Still lingering somewhere in my mind, touching my soul. Then, everything that was needed for me to become a true fanyu was one other tiny Yuzu-related video on Youtube...

 

Nothing can help me now. 

[faeline]

11 minutes ago, LadyLou said:

I like that he is always himself, adapting to the music, embodying the spirtit of the program but always doing things in his own distinctive style.

Some people just don't like that very distinctive style, and especially dislike and are uncomfortable with it when he shows up as Sakura fairy of Swan and looking ethereal out there on the ice.

On the contrary, I absolutely fell in love with that and tbh I still have to find someone else who can make everything look so natural and effortless. Have I seen other refined skaters? Yes. Awesome performers? Yes. Balletic skaters? yes. Skaters that portray music beautifully and with emotion, till the tip of their fingers? Yes. But I still have to see someone else who is able to drop to the ice like in the HYK gif in my signature and make it look so un-choreographed and spontaneous and beautiful. I am in love with the move itself, and gender really has 0 relevance for me when I watch something like that. I mean, does beauty need to have one gender? or a gender at all?

 

adding to this: for some people there must be a difference between men's and ladies's skating (like...men must be "manly", ladies must be "pretty"). When they watch a man, they want to see something different from when they're watching a woman, regardless of the individual they have in front of them. I think that's also the reason why we see judges rewarding different types of programs for ladies and Men (for example busy programs are desirable among ladies, while among men what goes on between elements doesn't matter that much).

when I watch a skater, I honestly don't care if the skater is male or female, I don't expect to see something different, performance-wise (tho I have faith in the ladies's generally superior taste in costumes which sadly could also be the result of ladies having to "look pretty", while for men no one cares if the costume is training gear). I just want to see good programs, be it in Pairs or ID or Men or Ladies, and I want to see music respected, not treated as background interchangeable with 100 other pieces. So I don't really care if a lady skates with power and a man with softness, as long as they are paying attention to their music.

I find it quite funny given that the women are all swooning over Yuzu (regardless of age) and yet the men are going "nooo he's not masculine enough"...

 

Look, men, he's hot _{and yes he's 12 years younger than me I shouldn't have such thoughts... begone bad thoughts, begone} and being beefy/manly/mustachio isn't the only way to define masculinity. His "ZETTAI KATSU!" is hot as ****.

[faeline]

2 minutes ago, 4Nessie said:

 

 

That was the moment, I became Yuzu's fan. Almost instantly. Almost... It took some time, but it was like I couldn't get it out of my head. Still lingering somewhere in my mind, touching my soul. Then, everything that was needed for me to become a true fanyu was one other tiny Yuzu-related video on Youtube...

 

Nothing can help me now. 

CoR Swanyu took my soul and never returned it.

[Lambari]

     I think my biggest pet peeve about this whole issue, isn't even exactly the media hype around Nathan and the rivalry created this particular season.  It always happens at the sport, it creates narratives and tries to build  excitement towards a new Olympic cycle. That's why there's score inflation in all disciplines leading to the Olympics. It happens every 4 years, it's nothing new.  My guess is that Yuzuru antecipated that it would happen anyway when a younger contender would come along, you can't stay at the top forever during this highly competitive men's era without making your own moves, that's why Yuzuru constantly improved during all of these past seasons, keeping himself at the top even when the generation before him retired. And now we're entering a new chapter and even though he absolutely doesn't have to, he could just rest on his laurels, he still aims to do to the same.   

.

      My issue is the american media deliberately erasing the quad revolution history.  Let's go back to COC 2015 when Boyang  landed the first ratified 4Lz-3T.  Actually, let's go back even further, to the end of 2014-2015 season.  Even though there was footage of Yuzuru praticing the 4Loop since the 2014 off season  and I believe his first clean one caught on video was on an ice show in 2014,   Yuzuru unveiled a 4Loop for the first time on international ice at the gala finale of World Team Trophy on a explosive fashion, he actually did a 4Lo-3A.  It was after a season riddled with injuries (COC collision, surgery after japanese nationals...), it  kind of felt like a statement that he will be back in full force.  During the off season of  2014-2015 the thought of Yuzuru coming up with the 4Lo was looming.  What would happen if he actually introduce the 4Loop during the 2015-2016 season?    Yuzuru lost Worlds 2015 but given his status as the current Olympic champion, the fact that he had setbacks out of his control this season and  since Javier wasn't looking to change his layout anytime soon, if Yuzuru were to introduce the 4Loop it could created a wider gap between the field and it was unclear how other skaters would respond.

       

      Now we enter the 2015-2016 season that changed the FS landscape. At COC 2015, during his senior debut Boyang Jin lands the first ratified 4Lz-3T.  We could make a case that it was Yuzuru who actually pushed the whole field to a ceiling that the only way out for skaters in PCS disavantage would be different types of quads, especially given that Yuzuru himself was looking to introduce different types of quads. Let's remember that Boyang expressed his admiration for Yuzuru the first time after Worlds 2012 when he said that Yuzuru's R&J inspired him and as a young skater that he saw himself in Yuzuru  (I'm paraphrasing, can't find the interview where he said that for my dear life, If someone can help me with that I'm thankful) However,  Since Boyang was the first one who actually brought it into fruition in competition ice and despite the off season speculation Yuzuru actually decided to not introduce the 4Loop in 2015-2016,  then I think it's fair for us to start with him. Boyang also had a 4 quad planned free skate which was unheard of at the time.   Boyang was partially responsible for the incredible drive Yuzuru had during the 2015-2016 season most skating fans just blatantly like to erase that.  Yuzuru himself said that knowing that Boyang landed his 4Lz in NHK Trophy SP was what ignited  him to enter the competitive mindset in order to make his historic skates in NHK 2015.  

 

       As a matter of fact,  2015-2016 IS the starting point of the quad revolution, but since no american was in the frontline of that,  american media tends to delay the start of this phenomenon in order to accentuate the contribution of their own country athletes.  I don't always agree with CBC, but I remember during Boyang LP at GPF 2015 at least at the beginning of their commentary they acknowledged the movement that Boyang started and after 6:32 they also mentioned what happened at the NHK trophy.  At this point, Nathan was winning the JGP 2015  in this same season, at the same venue that Yuzuru took the figure skating world by storm with his GPF 2015.  The junior competition there, which was rather catastrophic in comparison to the senior men's  which remains a historic event, sparked a mild debate whether the incessant quest for quads will just destroy the sport altogether (you know.. the usual stuff... that comes up every 2 days, I guess?)  But since the goal point of the sport was still Yuzuru, in addition with  Javier and Shoma at the top together, skaters which were able to combine both aspects,  the debate didn't move on.   Nathan won the JGP 2015 doing 4S and 4T with a 3 quad planned free skate.  Fast foward to  the US nationals a month later, Nathan was the first man to land a clean 4 quad long program since Boyang never managed to land all 4 clean during the season,  and was the first US skater to land 2 on a short program.  This was his first contributiton to the quad revolution started at the beginning of this season when Boyang landed his at the time infamous 4Lz.  Maybe he was inspired by all of this buzz at the senior ranks after the GPF 2015, maybe the 4 quad playout was already his first plan even before? I don't know.  I can't remember if the junior rules allowed 4 quad layouts. Nathan then injuried his hip on the Nationals Gala and couldn't compete at Junior Worlds 2016.  Even though he had these accolades, this was a difficult season for Nathan due to his injury.

       Then right after the end of 2015-2016,  Shoma lands the first ratified 4F at minor event in April 2016.  It was his response to all that happened during this past season. Once we enter the 2016-2017  Nathan makes his senior debut now aimed with a 4F and a 4lz.  Yuzuru finally introduces his 4Loop.  It was the new era starting.  

 

     There's a whole timeline in that,  2015-2016 was the season that changed men's figure skating forever and the frontrunners in that were Boyang as the new challenger and Yuzuru as the man at the top. This season was absolutely incredible to watch, I still miss it sometimes. When Boyang landed that 4Lz it sent shivers down my spine,  it was a turning point in skating history.  But no one knew what it would lead to. It would depend on how the ones at the top would move and Yuzuru eventually did.  Both Boyang and Yuzuru had similar visions on how the sport was going to move forward, even though Boyang didn't have the finesse on his skating to bring similar PCS.  

 

However, if you read american articles going to Pyeongchang until now, you get the impression that Nathan singlehandly took the skating world by storm with his unprecedent 5 quad layout,  making all of his competitors shiver on his presence and scramble to up their game in fear of losing their place at the top ... I'm sorry, but what..?  He made an incredible contribution to this phenomenon.  But he isn't the pioneer, he's a consequence of it all.  He was the junior skater looking up at all of this happening at the senior ranks and trying to find his own answer.  He found it,  that's a full arsenal of quads and consistency and now he's achieving success with it.  American media doesn't need to erase history in order to elevate their own skater, Nathan has his own merits. I guess I need to resign that Boyang (and Yuzuru!) will never receive full credit for what he did, but it saddens me that people that also were seeing everything first hand back then like I did deliberately choose to have a selective memory, only because now there's a north american skater that entered the quad revolution who ALSO fits their ideal style of skating, even though Boyang improved leaps and bounds on PCS.   Boyang never fit the bill from the start.

 

 

PS. Sorry for the essay, but I had to this out there. 

[wildstrawberry]

one of yuzu's costumes for next season has leaked.the only improvement imo would be a high collar in the shape of a maple leaf

 

[Dreamer]

I have always loved beautiful arm and hand movements in ballet, dance, gymnastics or figure skating.  Yuzuru has absolutely beautiful expressive arms and hands in his exhibition skates. I absolutely love Believe ex for those reasons. 

[faeline]

37 minutes ago, wildstrawberry said:

one of yuzu's costumes for next season has leaked.the only improvement imo would be a high collar in the shape of a maple leaf

 

  WHAT IS THIS MONSTROSITY?!

 

Edit: because this post is at the top of this page, I declare this page CURSED.  

[Veveco]

5 minutes ago, wildstrawberry said:

one of yuzu's costumes for next season has leaked.the only improvement imo would be a high collar in the shape of a maple leaf

 

 The horror.... Can't be unseen.... Why did you have to show this to us? 

Is it just me or did they try to give him his trademark thin waist and curvy hips? Not that it makes the picture any less horrible, but it's quite funny. 

[rockstaryuzu]

8 hours ago, Vulnavia said:

 

I probably read the same post 

 

I also remember hearing a lot of talk last year about Scott wanting to set up a training center in the US that would basically be like the American equivalent of TCC and just as successful. Obviously that's not happening and it's highly unlikely that it ever will, so there may be some personal bitterness behind his comments about Yuzu as well. 

Isn't that what Raf is going to have? He just got a new rink/facility too. 

 

Anyway, you can't replicate personalities and a big part of TCC's success is Brian's and Tracy's ways of being. So trying to copy them is a doomed effort. 

[Moria Polonius]

28 minutes ago, rockstaryuzu said:

Maybe. Reality is that Johnny was that good, and Scott didn't support him even though he was American. 

 

Also, Adam has never seemed particularly unmacho to me. Someone's sexuality has almost nothing to do with their competitiveness, assertiveness, protectiveness, or any other so-called 'masculine' trait, in my experience. But I come from a land where dainty-looking moms play hockey as roughly and aggressively as Hextall and Domi, so maybe my perception of gender norms is slightly skewed. 

 

Oh, there were moments where Adam's Rippon body language was very telling - although I think it was deliberate. My mother took a look at his opening FS pose and asked, "Is he gay?" Other than that, I agree that Adam's skating style was rather on the athletic side, although I wouldn't call it macho. I must say that I found Adam's mix of athletic and some little flourishes rather appealing to watch. The thing is, those traits can co-exist too and it makes skaters more unique.

 

Out of curiosity, who are the current skaters whose style you enjoy the most, in general? Top 5?

 

Mine:

 

1. Yuzu - duh, lol.

2. Junhwan - possibly because he reminds me of Yuzu a tiny bit.

3. Kevin Aymoz

4. Daniel Samohin - I just enjoy his over-dramatic ass.

5. ... Aliev/Kolyada

 

On that list, I would only consider Samohin to veer towards stereotypically masculine, but it's tempered by his over-the-top drama and costumes. 

 

And who, in your opinion represents the typically masculine style? I would say Kovtun, Majorov and Bychenko, but I wonder if I just don't subconsciously equate "stocky and without finesse whatsoever" with "stereotypically masculine". From past skaters, who did posess finesse, maybe Patrick and Javi? 

[wildstrawberry]

4 minutes ago, faeline said:

  WHAT IS THIS MONSTROSITY?!

a guarantee of the scores that he deserves but can't get otherwise...

[faeline]

3 minutes ago, wildstrawberry said:

a guarantee of the scores that he deserves but can't get otherwise...

You just gave me such a mix of emotions Should I cry? Should I laugh?