General Yuzuru Chat

[makebelieveup]

I'm so happy about FaOI. I was definitely not looking forward to FaOI because I was enjoying how I didn't have to get into a heart attack every time Yuzu competes. But FaOI has turned out to be so fun, and I really am glad Yuzu participated. Hope Sendai will be even crazier! But most importantly, I hope Yuzu will have a speedy recovery and that there will be no injury for any skater!

[Henni147]

6 minutes ago, Paskud said:

He had spirals long time ago in his programs. Even as a novice! Spiral was in TFTT. And in Seimei2.0. And Origin of course. He has problems with holding them when they are in second half of program, when he is tired. And i'm sure some time ago there was footage of him doing y position off-ice (during one of media days?). It really can't be his own idea?

If Boyang decided to join TCC last year, would you call Zu's current 4lz attempts a Boyang influence? And Pudding is only thanks to Alina's POTO?

 

Of course the Y-spiral can be 100% his own idea, no doubt about that  I just think, it's not unlikely that some daily studies or practice jokes gave him an impulse to bring it back. No more, no less 

The 4Lz and POTO are another cup of tea and I think this is hard to compare...

 

 

Back to the topic: FaOI was a joy to watch and I'm looking forward to Yuzu bringing down the house in Sendai next weekend. I'm sure, he has prepared something special for his home crowd 

[Paskud]

8 minutes ago, makebelieveup said:

I'm so happy about FaOI. I was definitely not really looking forward to FaOI because I was enjoying my offseason not having to get into a heart attack every time Yuzu competes. But FaOI has turned out to be so fun, I really am glad Yuzu participated. Hope Sendai will be even crazier! But most importantly, I hope Yuzu will have a speedy recovery and that there will be no injury for any skater!

Instead we have heart attacks during every finale.

[Katt]

Edit//

[KatjaThera]

I think there might be slight misunderstandings here. I don't think anyone is saying Yuzu is copying other skaters or that he only does these things because other skaters make him do it.

 

Obviously, we don't know if the flexibility focus is Jason's influence (though I think Yuzu did say he observed Jason's flexibility, when they were all praising each other during the press conference at Worlds SP, if my memory doesn't deceive me), but it is a noteworthy coincidence, since some things are Jason trademarks. That being said, I don't believe it's copying, rather more like Yuzu's competitive spirit, seeing Jason doing stuff and going: "Hey! I can do that, too!" How he does it afterwards and that he incorporates them in programs is wonderful and purely Yuzu. That he maintains this level of flexibility is also wonderful, because we know Yuzu has often said that throughout his career he had to very carefully balance flexibility with the ability to jump. That having your body be too flexible affects jumping ability, but if you get too muscled up for jumps, that affects your flexibility. That he is both a fantastic jumper and very flexible is great and it's pretty much just him who has both to such an extent. (It also makes one wonder if maybe the high flexibility might play a part in Jason's difficulty to master quads.)

 

I don't think it's a bad thing to say he is influenced by those around him. It shows he is receptive and willing to learn from anyone. However, he never just copies and plants elements for the sake of it and I think we all know and agree on that. He learns, he makes them his own and then he perfects them until they are up to his standards, before carefully incorporating them into his programs. That doesn't change the influence part. But being influenced also doesn't mean being a carbon copy of the original. (Even Javi's 4S, while Yuzu mastered it in the end, I don't think anyone can say they're the same and I don't know if Yuzu ever used the same entry as Javi until ACI last year, when it was clearly a tribute.)

 

As for whether Jason being there was good for him after Javi left, I'm not sure. I guess the whole team being there was probably good. I don't know how affected Yuzu was by Javi's absence - I have my theories, but they're just that - but all in all, I'm not sure how much time he had to think about things. Personally, I've been thinking that Zhenya's presence might have helped more. I can easily imagine them feeding off of each other's fired up attitudes and ambitions and kuyashii moments. They probably have fire alarms going off when they both get into it lol And with Zhenya fighting to get back to the top, her hard work might have helped give Yuzu any push he might have needed, if he even needed any. BUT. We don't actually know how much they train together, if they do at all, aside from the group stroking session with Tracy. We don't know if Yuzu trains with Jason or Jun or Zhenya or Gabby or by himself whenever possible. We just don't know, so everything is speculation, especially since we also won't know, if TCC rules are respected. And that's fine. I don't know who's influencing whom and who's helping whom. What I do know and I think it's great to see is that they are all a team and they all get along well and support each other and IMO, that's the most important thing. Those Worlds Banquet TCC group pictures are seriously the best!

[Ferrer]

Hey guys, I'm the satellite that was abducted by real life for a few months. But no worries, because King Yuzu's Masquerade just saved me back to the planet. He's just that awesome! 

[Paskud]

34 minutes ago, KatjaThera said:

As for whether Jason being there was good for him after Javi left, I'm not sure. I guess the whole team being there was probably good. I don't know how affected Yuzu was by Javi's absence - I have my theories, but they're just that - but all in all, I'm not sure how much time he had to think about things. Personally, I've been thinking that Zhenya's presence might have helped more. I can easily imagine them feeding off of each other's fired up attitudes and ambitions and kuyashii moments. They probably have fire alarms going off when they both get into it lol And with Zhenya fighting to get back to the top, her hard work might have helped give Yuzu any push he might have needed, if he even needed any. BUT. We don't actually know how much they train together, if they do at all, aside from the group stroking session with Tracy. We don't know if Yuzu trains with Jason or Jun or Zhenya or Gabby or by himself whenever possible. We just don't know, so everything is speculation, especially since we also won't know, if TCC rules are respected. And that's fine. I don't know who's influencing whom and who's helping whom. What I do know and I think it's great to see is that they are all a team and they all get along well and support each other and IMO, that's the most important thing. Those Worlds Banquet TCC group pictures are seriously the best!

No, sorry. Yuzuru always was kuyashii monster. WTF does Evgenia have to do with this?!

[Fay]

22 minutes ago, Ferrer said:

Hey guys, I'm the satellite that was abducted by real life for a few months. But no worries, because King Yuzu's Masquerade just saved me back to the planet. He's just that awesome! 

Welcome back! 

[micaelis]

10 hours ago, Katt said:

While I don't doubt Jason and Yuzuru could learn abit from each other , do you really think Yuzuru need anyone to remind him what a total package is, when he already was and focus on that way before Jason come to TCC ? Jason's presence won't change how he think and aim for his ideal skating. Yuzuru's flexibilty, musicality, transitions are already everywhere in his program since novice days. He does deep and long IB/hydroblade in his ex for years. I don't like how some people often said Yuzuru need X or Y to replace Javi, as if he couldn't train on his own, with his own motivation. 

And one more thing, Jason did landed some good 3A this season, but all from long/telegraph entry. He often struggle with second 3A in LP, and his success rate (fully rotated with +GOE) this season is about 50% so I couldn't say it become much better and consistent. This is not to put Jason down, but maybe don't give him or anyone too much credits in Yuzuru's skating when its clearly not. 

We have to remember the relationship of Javi and Yuzu during their years together was predicated not only on their simultaneous training but on the fact that they were both consistent podium placers.  In short, they were both solid members of the men's elite.  That is not the case with Yuzu and Jason as much as Jason's skating might improve.  As I see it, the elite men are all those who have scored over 100 in the short, 200 in the long, and 300 in the combined.  Jason has yet to enter those exalted heights.  Javi, however, did so more than once.  With Yuzu it has been habitual to do so and when he fails to do so his skate is regarded as somehow 'off' that day.

 

How the relationship between the two evolves I think it safe to say the influence will be more one way, Yuzu's influence on Jason.  I can't think that getting proximity to Yuzu was not one of the factors guiding Jason's decision to move to Toronto.  Brian, of course, has exacted a price from Jason if he expects to be at TCC, to get a haircut, and that haircut has done wonders for Jason's image.  He definitely looks younger, although not as young as Yuzu, who actually is exactly eight days older than Jason. 

 

With the proximity to Yuzu I think Jason hopes that one trait of Yuzu's that in Jason is not very strong, the desire to win, might rub off.  Yuzu, above all, is a fierce competitor, competing against all the other skaters and most of all competing against himself, since none of the other skaters are as good as he is.  In ages past Yuzu spoke of being the 'absolute champion' and I think that is still the ultimate motive behind every other motive.  What has probably surprised him, though, is that as he advances through the seasons he sees that he constantly has to redefine exactly what constitutes the absolute champion.  At least right now he is consoled by the fact that there is no other candidate, however impressive that person's wins might be, who comes near to fulfilling Yuzu's notion of the absolute champion.  It is still a one-person competition. 

 

In any case I think Jason's proximity to Yuzu has Jason also realizing the costs of being a living legend, the lack of privacy.  I think Jason realizes that life amongst the lesser skaters makes it much easier to live a normal life outside the ever-present cameras and journalists.  I'm not sure that Yuzu himself was prepared for the degree of fame he has achieved.  Looking at Daisuke, for instance, Yuzu was able to see what 'normal' fame entails.  Now Jason can see what iconic fame entails and given the insights we have into his personality I think he is probably glad that he is merely close to Yuzu and not Yuzu himself.

 

[eagle]

1 hour ago, KatjaThera said:

 

As for whether Jason being there was good for him after Javi left, I'm not sure. I guess the whole team being there was probably good. I don't know how affected Yuzu was by Javi's absence - I have my theories, but they're just that - but all in all, I'm not sure how much time he had to think about things. Personally, I've been thinking that Zhenya's presence might have helped more. I can easily imagine them feeding off of each other's fired up attitudes and ambitions and kuyashii moments. They probably have fire alarms going off when they both get into it lol And with Zhenya fighting to get back to the top, her hard work might have helped give Yuzu any push he might have needed, if he even needed any. BUT. We don't actually know how much they train together, if they do at all, aside from the group stroking session with Tracy. We don't know if Yuzu trains with Jason or Jun or Zhenya or Gabby or by himself whenever possible. We just don't know, so everything is speculation, especially since we also won't know, if TCC rules are respected. And that's fine. I don't know who's influencing whom and who's helping whom. What I do know and I think it's great to see is that they are all a team and they all get along well and support each other and IMO, that's the most important thing. Those Worlds Banquet TCC group pictures are seriously the best!

Evgenia has said in an interview she trains together with Yuzuru & Jason 3X a week.

Jason has said(also in interviews) he has trained together with Yuzuru in group training. And after the training sessions Yuzuru will give comments to Jason abt jumps.

There are pics, snippets of Yuzuru skating round the rink at TCC. With the seniors and a few juniors(Conrad Orzel, Joseph Phan) there.

So, a lot of stuff is not speculation but what the other skaters have said abt Yuzuru when asked.

 

[Paskud]

17 minutes ago, eagle said:

Evgenia has said in an interview she trains together with Yuzuru & Jason 3X a week.

Jason has said(also in interviews) he has trained together with Yuzuru in group training. And after the training sessions Yuzuru will give comments to Jason abt jumps.

There are pics, snippets of Yuzuru skating round the rink at TCC. With the seniors and a few juniors(Conrad Orzel, Joseph Phan) there.

So, a lot of stuff is not speculation but what the other skaters have said abt Yuzuru when asked.

 

Of course they train sometimes together. That's not the problem. The problem is that whatever Zu does, first thing what people tend to assume is that it must be someone else recent influence. Because he can't be creative or motivated on his own.

Maybe Y-spiral indeed came from Jason. We don't know after all, right? But why first thing some people here assumed was "It must be Jason, not Yuzuru's own idea"?

[vanadiezz]

23 minutes ago, Paskud said:

Of course they train sometimes together. That's not the problem. The problem is that whatever Zu does, first thing what people tend to assume is that it must be someone else recent influence. Because he can't be creative or motivated on his own.

Maybe Y-spiral indeed came from Jason. We don't know after all, right? But why first thing some people here assumed was "It must be Jason, not Yuzuru's own idea"?

 

Y spiral is Shizuka's trademark. Moreover, his name is Yuzuru. Given his narcissistic tendency, for me those two reasons are more than enough for him to keep his Y spiral until now even though he didn't use it in competition. The boi has enough signature moves to choose from anyway. 

[Katt]

I want to say that when skater decide to do new jump/moves , it all come down to their own ability and practice first.  its not like they look at Jason's sprial or Yuzuru's back counter 3A and decide to put it in their program in the next minute. The influence part is about 1% in the whole process. It would be nice if some people could give Yuzuru credits for whatever new things he does, rather than quickly speculate who influence him. After all we have no clue about his training at TCC, how he interact with people,  even media hide alot of his footages.

[Paskud]

2 minutes ago, vanadiezz said:

 

Y spiral is Shizuka's trademark. Moreover, his name is Yuzuru. Given his narcissistic tendency, for me those two reasons are more than enough for him to keep his Y spiral until now even though he didn't use it in competition. The boi has enough signature moves to choose from anyway. 

I know. And I hope we will see them doing SBS Y-spirals in Sendai.

[rockstaryuzu]

32 minutes ago, Paskud said:

Of course they train sometimes together. That's not the problem. The problem is that whatever Zu does, first thing what people tend to assume is that it must be someone else recent influence. Because he can't be creative or motivated on his own.

Maybe Y-spiral indeed came from Jason. We don't know after all, right? But why first thing some people here assumed was "It must be Jason, not Yuzuru's own idea"?

After watching FaOI, I'm 100% certain Yuzu's Y-spiral was originally because of Shizuka.

 

 

1 hour ago, micaelis said:

 

With the proximity to Yuzu I think Jason hopes that one trait of Yuzu's that in Jason is not very strong, the desire to win, might rub off. 

 

I'm going to disagree with you here. I personally think that Jason is madly motivated to win, for all his happy puppy ways. You don't, after being written off for the Olympics by your own federation,  uproot your entire life of the past eight years and emigrate to another country, set up life in a new city, and start re-learning the fundamentals of your entire sport almost from scratch in gruelling 3-hour daily training sessions (as Jason did last year), while also being asked to look after another new skater from a third country, and basically being put to the test at every turn by your new head coach, out of some 'not very strong' desire to win. Jason wants IT, IT being Olympics and Olympic podium, and he wants it BAD. Yuzu has nothing to teach him in that department. 

 

2 hours ago, KatjaThera said:

, rather more like Yuzu's competitive spirit, seeing Jason doing stuff and going: "Hey! I can do that, too!" How he does it afterwards and that he incorporates them in programs is wonderful and purely Yuzu.

This I would agree with. Like, seeing Jason do it might have reminded Zu to add them back in once in a while. 

 

 

 

As for Jason's influence or lack thereof at TCC, I believe Brian said during the GPF interview that he gave, that Jason had been a positive influence on the whole team and was good at reminding the hyper-focused skaters that there is such a thing as life outside the rink. I can't remember if he said Yuzu specifically, but I felt that was who he meant.