[2024-2025] Compilation of translated interview articles with Yuzu

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.05

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250204-OHT1T51148.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250204212212/https://hochi.news/articles/20250204-OHT1T51148.html?page=1

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: "Ballade No. 1" is the "sound of destiny" - the second half of the performance is a determined effort... Exclusive interview 3

 

This is the third exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). The final performance of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" will be in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay), where he will perform "Ballade No. 1," his short program from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. He is executing the same high-difficulty routine as back then, layering it with the 'Sound of Destiny.' (Interview and composition by Takagi Megumi)

 

Spoiler

After performing a 10-minute "Piano Collection," composed of five pieces of music, Yuzuru Hanyu skates his short program (SP) "Ballade No. 1" from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. As he had said, "It's all tough!" the routine includes not only jumps like the quadruples and triple axels, but also parts expressed with spins and steps, making the physical demand extraordinarily high.

 

"My feet were strained in the previous piece, 'Mass Dis'[Note 1]. Also, the costume change from 'Mass Dis' is quite difficult. While frantically changing into the 'Ballade 1' costume, I quickly put on my shoes and head out to the ice. I was panting and thinking, "I need to concentrate," when Brahms started. I recently made a mistake on the triple loop (the first jump)...I think I made a mistake once and it became a trauma. I couldn't get the loop right, so I was feeling anxious about the loop in the (next) Bach part. And after that comes the toe loop."

 

Scarlatti plays as soon as Hanyu landed the quadruple toe loop.

 

"That toe loop is extremely nerve-wracking. The following (triple) axel is also nerve-wracking, and it's tiring. It's like doing anaerobic exercise the whole time. It felt like I was getting ready, then doing anaerobic exercise again, then catching my breath and doing anaerobic exercise again, and so on and so forth."

 

Then comes "Ballade No. 1," a high-difficulty routine starting with a quadruple Salchow and featuring two jumps in the second half: a triple axel and a quadruple-triple toe loop combination.

 

"Well, it’s tough. At first, I thought I could do it just fine. I thought it would work (laughs). But it turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Initially, I thought maybe I could just use the structure from the 2020 Four Continents Championship [Note 2], not the one from PyeongChang. I thought that was the final form, so I figured that would be fine. But when it came to 'the Sound of Destiny,' if I was told to 'play the sound of your own destiny,' I realized that it had to be the PyeongChang version."

 

This Ice Story has "sound" as one of its key themes. Right before taking his starting position for "Ballade No. 1," a narration is played: "Now, please play the 'sound' of your word 'destiny'."

 

"The destiny I have reached is of course "SEIMEI" (from my free program at the PyeongChang Olympics), but I think I was able to win because I was able to perform "Bara 1" without any mistakes there. There was a ritual (the piano collection) to get to that point, and I wanted to show that I had followed the path of destiny to reach it. It’s difficult, but I’m determined to stick with the two jumps in the second half."

 

He performs this after skating for over 30 minutes since the start of the show, on a smaller rink compared to a competition, in a dimly lit show venue.

 

"The trajectory has changed quite a bit, and I’ve had to change the choreography. The sharper the curve, the harder it was on my legs. I was experimenting with different things, and I did feel it was tough. But, I managed to do it once without any mistakes (at the Saitama performance), so I’m going to do my best."

 

 

Notes:

1. 'Mass Destruction' - A track from the role-playing game Persona 3.
2. After the Pyeongchang Olympics, the rule that multiplied the base points of all jumps in the second half of a performance by 1.1 was revised, limiting it to the last one in the short program and the last three in the free program. After the revision, the composition of the Four Continents Championships was a quadruple salchow, a quadruple-triple toe loop combo, and a triple axel in the second half. Hanyu achieved a world-record score of 111.82 points in that competition.

 

 

 

2025.02.06

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250205-OHT1T51134.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250206073446/https://hochi.news/articles/20250205-OHT1T51134.html?page=1

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: "Because I want to get better" Training research and dance basics... Exclusive interview 4

 

This is the fourth exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). Since turning professional in July 2022, he has been taking on the unprecedented challenge of performing a two-and-a-half-hour ice show all by himself. The final performance of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" will be in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay). While interacting with his body and researching training methods, he is focusing on building a body that balances endurance and explosive power. He has started gym training and also taking dance lessons. With an endless desire to improve, he is on the path to evolution. (Interview and composition by Takagi Megumi)

 

Spoiler

Training to build up the stamina needed to skate for two and a half hours while also mastering the explosive movements unique to figure skating is hard work.

 

"Explosive movements need to be practiced specifically for explosiveness, and for slow-twitch muscles [Note 1], it depends on how much practice I can do in full runs. I always feel like I have to think of them separately and train for them individually. For high-difficulty jumps, I approach them with techniques suited to their difficulty. Then, there's the stamina needed to skate for over two hours, as well as the grip strength required to tie my skate laces."

 

He changes costumes for each program and takes off his shoes each time. The laces of his skates need to be tied very tightly. Including encores, there are 15 songs in total. There are many moments, other than skating, that drain his physical energy.

 

"I’ve been pulling continuously for so long. Like in “Utai” (the third performance), if I keep stretching my hands all the time (in choreography), I lose arm muscles. Of course, jumping also requires grip strength. So, I guess my grip strength is getting stronger as I go along. I have been lifting barbells recently. I do deadlifts and high cleans."

 

While interacting with his body and conducting further research, he has also started new machine-based training.

 

"That’s really to make sure I can maintain high output no matter how tired I am and also to make sure I can use my body effectively."

 

His physical condition is better than during his competitive days. He says he is currently at his leanest, and this is intentional. "For what purpose?" He immediately answered.

 

"I just want to get better. As I continue training to improve, I naturally get leaner. I feel like any excess has been eliminated. It’s close to the balance I had during the Helsinki World Championships in 2017. I’ve gained muscle mass since then, so I’m about 1.5 kg heavier, but I think the fat balance is the same as it was back then. I think it's ideal for myself."

 

He turned 30 in December last year. His physical strength and technique are evolving. "I’m amazed at how much more I can still do." He feels the possibilities for his future. His desire to improve knows no bounds. After completing "RE_PRAY" last April, he started taking dance lessons, which he had taught himself until then.

 

"I took a little lesson with MIKIKO (the choreographer). MIKIKO originally works in hip hop, and also jazz, or rather contemporary, so it's a variety of genres. When it comes to hip hop in particular, I've always said that I really don't have a solid foundation. I told her, 'I want to work on the basics.' She sent me a lot of videos and I worked on it."

 

Hanyu, who has the ability to effortlessly control his body in everything from classical music to intense pop tunes, gives himself a harsh self-evaluation which also reflects the potential for his growth.

 

"No, I realized I can’t do this much. There were really simple things that I couldn’t do at all. I practiced those simple things for about three months, and I wonder if I’ve gotten a little better, but I still feel like I have a long way to go."

 

 

[Note 1] Slow-twitch muscles are related to endurance, and fast-twitch muscles are related to explosiveness.

 

 

 

2025.02.07

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250206-OHT1T51158.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250207061300/https://hochi.news/articles/20250206-OHT1T51158.html?page=1

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: From "full marathon" to "ekiden", increasing output to 2.5 hours... Final part of exclusive interview

 

This is the final installment of an exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). He is both a performer and executive producer of "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR," which will kick off its Chiba performance at Lala Arena Tokyo Bay on the 7th. The two-and-a-half-hour solo show will reach its final series with some changes only possible with a tour. The pace distribution will change from a "marathon" to an "ekiden". He will pour his soul into every performance, keep his output high from the start, and fulfill his "expression" beyond his limits. (Interview and composition by Takagi Megumi)

 

Spoiler

In the January performance in Hiroshima, he left an impression by using his body more expansively. What happened after the Saitama performance in December?

 

"After Saitama, I received criticism from (director) MIKIKO-sensei."

 

He shared this with a laugh.

 

"She told me, 'You had more power in "First Pulse" (the first piece), didn't you?' and I said, 'Ah, yes, that's right.' There were also some things like, 'Let's fix this here, let's fix that there.' I just said 'yes.' When I watched the video, I definitely agreed with her. The hardest part for me was recovering from the fatigue of the Saitama performance. After that, focusing and practicing the full run-through was also difficult because of time constraints. But I’ve been doing training to expand my own physical range of motion and mobility."

 

A two-and-a-half-hour solo performance, connecting each piece with full energy.

 

"I’m doing it with the momentum of an 800-meter sprint or a full marathon (laughs). In "RE_PRAY" (from the previous Ice Story), I felt like I was doing it with the breathing and exhaustion of a full marathon, but this time it's probably closer to a relay race (ekiden). Fans have said, 'It's like an ekiden,' which left an impression on me. For example, they said, 'The section of Ballade No. 1 is like a hill, right?' Each program can cover for each other even if one of them falters, so it's like a relay race. That made sense to me."

 

While the Saitama performance was more of a full marathon type, the pacing was changed for the Hiroshima performance.

 

"In Saitama, I kept a steady pace throughout, not varying much, but still consciously putting in effort where necessary. That was something I learned from RE_PRAY, and it was a success because of the practice I had done. In Hiroshima, I increased my output significantly, including for the new program. As a result, there were parts that didn’t go well, but I believe the expressive quality improved tremendously."

 

There was something to be gained from the two shows in Hiroshima, where the performances were performed with full power from the very start.

 

"I had never used my body in such a full range of motion before, like in “Poem” (“Eclipse/blue”) and "GATE OF STEINER. From start to finish, I was able to skate while immersing myself emotionally, which was a successful experience for me."

 

Through the cycle of questioning and reproduction, the tour will reach its final performance in Chiba.

 

"Right now, I’m trying out new knowledge and training methods. I've made some big updates between Saitama and Hiroshima. I’m still in the process, and my body is changing as I go. Like with RE_PRAY and GIFT, there were times when I sacrificed expression for the more intense parts, like Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso or Dark Messenger or Ballade No. 1. I want to continue training my body so that I can give my all without sacrificing expression."

 

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.09

 

Source: https://digital.kyodonews.jp/deepedge/ice-show/94275/
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250209162536/https://digital.kyodonews.jp/deepedge/ice-show/94275/

 

[Full Comment - Free Access] Yuzuru Hanyu, Tears at the Final Performance of the Tour: "Skated with All My Soul" - Successfully Landed Two Types of Quadruple Jumps, Delivered a Passionate Performance of 15 Songs for Over 2 and a Half Hours

 

Yuzuru Hanyu, the two-time Winter Olympic gold medalist in men's figure skating, performed in the ice show "Echoes of Life" on the 9th at Lala Arena Tokyo Bay in Funabashi, Chiba. The solo tour, for which he served as the executive producer, concluded with a passionate performance of 15 songs over more than two and a half hours. After skating, Hanyu, deeply moved, thanked the audience, saying he "skated with all my soul," while his eyes welled up with tears.

 

Hanyu completed all seven performances, including those in Saitama last December and Hiroshima this January. In the short program from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, to Chopin’s "Ballade No. 1," he executed the quadruple salchow, triple axel (a 3.5-revolution jump), and a flawless quad-triple loop combination. His performance was breathtaking, thrilling the audience of approximately 8,300 people. "I was able to end it with a performance that couldn’t have been better. I’m a bit in a daze right now," he said, soaking in the sense of accomplishment.

 

The full comment from Hanyu after the performance is as follows. (Interviewer: Fujiwara Shinya)

 

Spoiler

"I couldn't have ended it any better."

 

 

Q: Now that the "Echoes of Life" tour has come to an end, how do you feel right now?

A: I just feel like I really gave it my all. Also, the scale of the people involved in this ICE STORY is something unparalleled. So many people have been a part of this. I am filled with gratitude for how many people have moved and worked for me.

 

Q: This was your final performance, and you wrote the script and performed. How would you rate your own sense of completion in terms of this project?

A: I was able to finish with a performance that couldn’t have been better. I’m a bit in a daze right now. I can’t fully express it with just words or text, and I think that this ICE STORY is something that can’t even be fully expressed by skating alone, it’s something one-of-a-kind. It really makes me happy that today’s performance, direction, and story will be preserved in footage and remain in the memories of the people who came to see it.

 

Q: You presented a variety of programs, but your "Ballade No. 1" was particularly remarkable. The rink for the show was a bit narrow and dark. How did you approach performing "Ballade No. 1" today?

A: TV Asahi (who asked the question) has been following me all along, so I think you know, but I’ve really struggled with it from the very beginning. Looking back at the short program, it was a short program under the old judging rules, and in the second half I did two jumps. They were a triple axel and a quadruple-triple (two consecutive toe loops), and I really felt how difficult the jumps are. There's a different kind of tension to the free program, and unlike the free program, there's no room to recover (from stamina). That's what makes the short program so difficult, and I felt that again throughout this tour. And on top of that, I had already done four pieces before during 'Piano Collection,' so I was already thinking, 'This is tough,' before going out to do the 'Ballade.' Also, performing with show lighting was something I wanted, but it was also challenging, especially since the rink size changes depending on the venue. It was difficult, but thanks to the efforts of everyone involved, including the ice crew, I was able to make it work.

 

 

"No one knows what the future holds. I want to live in the present, believe in my own heart and my own sense of justice, and move forward."

 

 

Q: It’s just finished, but do you have any plans or ideas for the future?

A: (immediate answer) No. Zero. (laughs) Honestly, I’m kind of in a daze right now, and my mind might not be working as clearly as usual. But more than anything, I’m just reflecting on how special it is that so many people gathered together, and I’m taking in this moment deeply, appreciating the present as it is.

 

Q: Previously, you said that skating = living. As you look toward the future, what kind of way of living do you want to show?

A: One thing I’ve realized and reflected on while writing this story and completing this tour is that 'the future is something no one can know.' That’s the biggest thing that stayed with me during this tour. It was the same with the (2022) Beijing Olympics, but there are times when you feel like no matter how hard you try, it won't be rewarded, and no matter how many good things you do a day, and no matter how many good things you repeat, something unfortunate is bound to happen in the future. That's why I can't easily say that this is the way I should live my life, but for now, I want to live the present, believing in my heart and my own sense of justice and moving forward.

 

 

"At the end he said, 'May everyone live.'"

 

 

Q: What was your mindset as Nova (yourself in a virtual space) during the fourth song, "Mass Destruction -Reload-"?

A: That song itself is a battle song. So, I'm fighting with some kind of sound, using sound as a weapon, or rather, with sound, well, how can I put it, persona. In the Persona game, there is an enemy called Shadow, and I'm using sound to summon my own persona and fight. I wonder how to explain that to the general public (laughs). Essentially, I felt like I was enveloped in sound, dancing, and using positive emotions like joy and fun to crush negative emotions like hatred.

 

Q: For today’s "Danny Boy," during the Saitama performance, I felt a sense of relief. Today, there was a feeling of calm. What was your mindset while skating?

A: (pauses for a few seconds) "I’m thinking back on it now, trying to remember what kind of feeling I had. At that moment, I was just focused, doing everything I could. I was skating with the image of praying with my whole body. That prayer was something that is at the origin of Danny Boy, a prayer for the deceased, but it's also a prayer for the hopes of everyone here, for my own personal happiness, and for the staff who helped create this show. There were many different prayers all mixed together, and in the end, I was just praying through the music, with the intention to express it all as one."

 

Q: Was there also a prayer for the purification of hatred, in terms of the story?

A: That scene is when Nova finally begins to realize that life has sprouts again in a world where it has almost completely disappeared. It's like a prayer for life to grow around him, or rather, that each and every life will grow, and that everyone will live. At the end, he says, 'May everyone live.'

 

 

"I expressed it with the feeling of 'It's okay' towards the little loneliness that exists within all of you, the loneliness that no one else notices."

 

 

Q: Looking back at the progression from the first to the third installment of 'ICE STORY,' loneliness has been a consistent source of inspiration throughout. In every work, there is always an answer provided to the concept of loneliness. What does loneliness mean to you now, having had these experiences?

A: I don’t really think of it as loneliness. There are times when we have to fight alone, and of course, everyone has these moments. But we can't share everything with others. It's a very sad thing, but we can't share all our suffering or joy with others. In that sense, I feel like everyone experiences loneliness. But that's also why humans use words, write, and express themselves. What I wanted to convey in Nova was that even if you're alone in that world, as long as there are words, records, or sounds, you're not truly alone. I don't really think of myself as lonely, these days. But I wanted to express the feeling of 'It’s okay' to the little loneliness that exists within everyone, the kind of loneliness that no one else notices.

 

 

"I have the feeling that I can continue to evolve and improve from here on out"

 

 

Q: Just like in competitions during the season, the performance kept getting better and better as the shows progressed. After these 7 performances, is there anything you feel you’ve surpassed or achieved?

A: I've also started new training, not just increasing my range of motion or improving flexibility, but focusing on how to move my body more effectively and how quickly I can recover. I've been working on refining my movements, as well as enhancing the fluidity and beauty that are my strengths. I started practicing this around the time of the Hiroshima performance in January, and now I finally feel that it's coming together. So, I truly feel that I can continue to evolve and improve from here on out.

 

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.16

 

Source: https://goetheweb.jp/person/article/20250216-yuzuru
https://x.com/GOETHE_magazine/status/1890930299132883180

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250216022738/https://goetheweb.jp/person/article/20250216-yuzuru

 

 

[Yuzuru Hanyu] Pursuing the "True Flame of Life"… A message he wants to convey to people living in modern society

 

Athletes who challenge the limits of human potential—there is a world that can only be seen because they continue to push their bodies and minds to the very edge. Beyond competition, there are untold stories of their lives behind the scenes. This is an irregular series, "The Moving Spirit of Athletes," which delves into these moments. What is the essence of Yuzuru Hanyu?

 

Spoiler

Why Does Hanyu Keep Raising the Bar for Himself?

 

 

Japan’s national figure skater, Yuzuru Hanyu, continues to break new barriers one after another. Beginning with GIFT at the Tokyo Dome in February 2023, he took on the role of executive producer for his ice stories, successfully completing RE_PRAY as the second installment in 2023, and most recently, Echoes of Life this month. At the heart of his performances lies a profound theme—a prayer for life, shaped by his own extraordinary journey. Through various artistic techniques, he challenges audiences with deep, philosophical questions.

 

Whenever you step into his performances, you find Hanyu skating with all his heart and soul. His latest work, Echoes of Life, just completed its seven-show run, with a script written entirely by Hanyu himself. Set in a virtual world, the story explores the meaning of life through a protagonist encountering various "sounds."

 

"This time, the performance is quite serious, and the message itself is quite strong. The script is quite complex, and to be honest, you can't understand it just by listening to it once," he admits. The overarching theme is philosophical, suggesting that what seems like a series of coincidences is actually fate. To convey such a heavy theme, the most essential element isn’t elaborate stage props but his own body and technique. That determination infuses his performance with intensity.

 

"You can’t fully absorb the script just by reading it once. It might only convey a vague impression at first. That’s why the tension in my performance is absolutely necessary. If I had simply pursued an entertaining, crowd-pleasing approach, the structure of this ice story would have completely fallen apart," he reflects.

 

One of the show’s highlights was his performance of Ballade No.1, with the same technical layout as his short program from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, where he won his second Olympic gold. It was a very challenging performance composition, with a triple axel jump and a quadruple-triple toe loop jump in the second half of the performance. He skated with his whole being, matching his movements to classical piano and various musical genres. But why does Hanyu continue to set his own bar so high?

 

"Even when I give my all, Ballade No.1 is nearly out of reach. It’s incredibly difficult, and back at the PyeongChang Olympics, I managed to pull it off in that one crucial performance. But performing such a difficult program after already skating for about 30 minutes (from the start of the show) was, to be honest, even for me it was almost impossible, or rather quite difficult."

 

Even when he feels like giving in, he believes that only by confronting his limits head-on can he create something truly compelling.

 

"But when I reach for it with everything I have, focusing completely and putting my whole heart into it, I feel like that’s where the true flame of life exists. I think that is something essential to my Ice Story, as an expression of art x sports," he states with conviction.

 

Even after stepping away from competitive skating and entering the professional world, Hanyu remains as uncompromising as ever. Because he pursues his present with such sincerity, he continues to inspire people. In a world overflowing with information, where it’s easy to fall into the illusion that answers are readily available, listening honestly to one’s own heart is more difficult than ever. The message Hanyu wants to convey to people living in modern society is simple.

 

"If you're engrossed in something, time will pass before you know it. If you do nothing, time will also pass before you know it. Don’t have regrets. The things that you think of, the ideas that come to you in the moment, act on them. Cherish the present."

 

Make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. What seems simple is, in truth, one of life’s greatest challenges. But in that challenge lies the key to living life the way we want to.