yuzurujenn Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 2024.07.19 Source: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240719/spp/sp0/004/047000c / https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000374000c.html Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240719070320/https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240719/spp/sp0/004/047000c / https://web.archive.org/web/20240719071816/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000374000c.html Yuzuru Hanyu's determination: 3rd year as a professional, the legend moves to a new chapter - putting his soul into the cycle Spoiler In 2022, a new story began. For 23 years, he has continued to move forward with confidence. And on July 19, 2024, Yuzuru Hanyu (29), the two-time Olympic champion in men's figure skating, marked two years since turning professional. A fulfilling third year. On December 7th, he will turn 30. Now that he is breaking new ground, he has agreed to an interview with Sponichi Shimbun and shared a message of determination along with a committed 30-minute photoshoot. The path to mastering expression is "a world where there is no right answer." From a "state of trial and error," he says, "I established the foundation for what I want to do." And now, "I am currently in the midst of producing something." He has successfully completed a number of solo performances, all of which are unprecedented for an ice show, including his first solo tour "Prologue," the Tokyo Dome tour "GIFT," and his second year "RE_PRAY." "As an athlete, an artist, and a figure skater, my primary goal is to have people watch me. I need to continue training so that people will watch me." He continues to attract many people and transforms the emotions he receives into his own strength. "That cycle is what motivates me." And, "How much heart and soul can I put into one goal?" Whether in competitions or on the professional ice rink, his beliefs as an athlete have never changed. "Put your soul into it." The legend enters a new chapter. Yuzuru Hanyu (29), a consecutive Olympic champion in men's figure skating and an active professional skater, celebrated his second year as a professional on the 19th. He has successfully completed a number of solo performances, all of which are unprecedented for an ice show, including his first solo tour "Prologue," the Tokyo Dome tour "GIFT," and his second year "RE_PRAY." Now in his third year as a professional, and turning 30 in December, he spoke at length about his two-year trajectory and future possibilities. The following is a Q&A. Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000370000c.html Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240719072301/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000370000c.html [Yuzuru Hanyu’s two-year journey as a professional (1)] From a “state of uncertainty” to a “clear understanding” of the basis of the expression he seeks Spoiler --Looking back on your journey over the past two years. "Until now, I've really thought about many things as an athlete in a stoic manner. Not only about technique, but especially because I've always thought about winning. Then, in my first year as a professional, to be honest, I was feeling my way around. The year passed while I was constantly thinking about whether I should do this, whether I should do that, and what I should do. This year was a year in which I came to have a clear understanding of what I wanted to express and what I wanted to do as a professional.” --What, specifically, have you come to understand clearly? "In the first year, I had something called 'Prologue'. In it, I was feeling my way around to see if I could skate solo. I was also working on 'GIFT' at the same time. At that time, I wanted to write my own story too. I had always wanted people to experience how the programs they had seen up until now would change depending on how their mindsets changed. I had been thinking about that since competition day. That was realised in the first year. In the second year, with 'RE_PRAY', the ice story was completely formed. It wasn't just about trying to figure out how to skate by myself or changing perspectives by putting what I wanted to express into a story. I think the big thing about the second year was that I was able to clearly define what pieces existed in the story and the kind of story I wanted to tell." --If that’s the case, will your third year be different as well? "I have finally established the foundation for what I want to do, and as an extension of that, I want to see how I can improve my skills in terms of expression. In terms of expressing myself, I think that I can't improve my level without a strong technical foundation which I've been talking about since my competitive days, so I feel that my third year will be about strengthening both my techniques and my physical strength." Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000371000c.html Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240719093257/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000371000c.html [Yuzuru Hanyu’s two-year journey as a professional skater (2)] “A prayer for life” is at the heart of what he wants to express Spoiler --What is your best memory from the past two years? "There are so many memories, after all. I can't really say there's just one, as I had so many precious experiences. Above all, the cheers I received at the most recent RE_PRAY and the feeling of being acknowledged by the audience there are giving me motivation and drive to work hard, even though I'm currently in the midst of a work production." --What do you mean by currently in production? Is it something new? "Of course, I'm also making some new programs. I've started digging deeper into what I want to express. Since I have been working alone for so long, the feelings that emerged from within me are inevitably biased in a certain way. My thoughts haven't changed much fundamentally, so I don't have that many more ideas to draw from. I really do feel that my experiences at RE_PRAY and other such things are the driving force behind the birth of new emotions and new expressions." --Will you continue to create themes for Ice Story while asking yourself questions? "It was the same when I created 'RE_PRAY', or 'Goliath' and 'Aqua’s Journey', or when I choreographed various programs. Basically, I think that at the root of it all is the idea of life. Also, I think that a constant prayer for life is at the core of what I want to express. What do I want to convey on top of that? What do I want to delve deeper into? I think these things will be expressed in different ways depending on the program at different times." Source: https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000372000c.html Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240719100620/https://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2024/07/19/kiji/20240718s00079000372000c.html [Yuzuru Hanyu’s two-year journey as a professional (3)] Turning 30 in December: “I’ve become clearer about the core of my life” Spoiler --You will turn 30 in December. How does it feel to actually reach the age of 30 that you had envisioned? "To be honest, when I was 18 or 16, I thought that I probably wouldn't be skating by the time I was 30. I thought that I would turn professional at age 24 after the Pyeongchang Olympics and be done with skating after about five years, but the way my stamina and technique have developed was completely different from what I had imagined. I feel like, 'Wow, I can still do this much,' and I see a lot of potential for the future. I feel like human beings can achieve more than I thought." --What kind of 30s do you want to have? "Nothing has really changed. However, as I continue to polish my expression and spend more time practicing and constantly facing myself, my sense of self is gradually being refined. I really feel like my core is becoming more and more established. I will continue to cherish myself in my 30s. But I think that being able to perform and facing skating is a big part of what makes me happy, so I want to always keep in mind the meaning and reason of my existence for everyone for the past 30 years. Not just because my fans watch me, or because skating is all I have, but I want to create a clearer core for myself in my 30s." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 2024.07.19 Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240718-OHT1T51180.html?page=1# Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240719134624/https://hochi.news/articles/20240718-OHT1T51180.html?page=1 Figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (29), who marked two years since announcing his decision to turn pro on the 19th, agreed to an interview. He spoke at length about his two years as a professional, his present and the future, his fateful encounter with a program, and the "ideal" he is pursuing. We will be publishing Hanyu's words, who continues to evolve as an athlete and artist, for three consecutive days. The second and final instalment is a stand-alone interview. (Interviewer: Takagi Megumi) Yuzuru Hanyu: "Pursuing the Ideal" - Interview two years after turning professional - First Part (1) Spoiler Hanyu-san appeared dashingly at the studio in Sendai. As soon as he arrived, he started the interview by saying "Thank you." His quick thinking and agility were as good as ever. His black jersey looked good on him as always. "Honestly, my first year as a professional was a bit of a trial-and-error state; I was constantly thinking about whether I should do this, whether I should do that, what I should do. But this (second year) has been a year in which I have clearly understood what I want to express, and what I want to do as a professional." Though he was thoughtful at times and carefully choosing his words, he was smiling throughout the interview. Looking back on the past two years, his expression showed how contented he has become as a professional. It all started with a one-man show “Prologue”. “GIFT,” the first solo Tokyo Dome performance by a skater in history, lasted two and a half hours in which he skated alone. In "RE_PRAY", the second instalment of the ice story following "GIFT", he took on his first national tour. "In the second year, with 'RE_PRAY', the ice story was completely formed. I think the big thing about the second year was that I was able to properly establish what pieces existed in the story and what kind of story I wanted to tell." He wrote the story himself, served as executive producer, and performed "Ice Story" by himself. With "RE_PRAY," he created a new form of entertainment that combines gaming and skating. "It's the same when I choreograph various programs, but I think that the essence of what I want to express is always the idea of 'living' and the constant presence of something like a 'prayer' towards 'living'." He has changed the concept of a professional skater. He can perform quadruple jumps and perform programs in a variety of genres. His evolution as an athlete and an artist continues in his third season. "I have finally established the foundation for what I want to do, so as an extension of that, I am wondering how I can improve my skills in terms of expression. In order to convey myself, I believe that I cannot improve my level unless I have a strong technical foundation, as I have always said since my competitive days. I feel that my third year will be a time when I will be working on improving both my technique and my physical strength." He will be turning 30 in December. He says that his present life is different from the future he envisioned as a teenager. He was supposed to have turned professional after the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and retire from skating in his 20s. "The way my stamina and technique have developed is completely different from what I had imagined, but it gives me a real sense of how much more I can achieve, and a sense of great potential for the future. I now feel that humans can achieve much more than I had thought." He won consecutive Olympic gold medals in Pyeongchang and after his third Olympic Games in Beijing, he turned professional. He had an incredibly intense 20s. What will his 30s be like? "Nothing in particular has changed," he continued, tilting his head. "While still cherishing who I am, I think that showing my skills and facing skating are a big part of what makes me happy. I want to always have within myself a reason for my existence, a meaning to the past 30 years for everyone. It's not just because my fans watch me, or because skating is all I have, but I want to create more clearly within myself the core of my life in my 30s." Skating with soul. "Pursuing the ideal," he wrote on his coloured paper. The story of professional skater Yuzuru Hanyu has just begun. Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240718-OHT1T51181.html?page=1 Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240720064508/https://hochi.news/articles/20240718-OHT1T51181.html?page=1 Yuzuru Hanyu: "I've become clearer about the core of my life" - Interview two years after turning professional - First Part (2) Spoiler -What have the past two years been like since you turned professional? "As an athlete, I have really thought about many things in a stoic way up until now. Of course, this is true in terms of technique, but I think I have always been thinking about victory in particular. To be honest, in my first year as a professional, I was feeling my way around; I spent the whole year constantly thinking about whether I should do this, whether I should do that, what I should do. I think this (second year) has been the year in which I have clearly understood what I want to express, and what I want to do as a professional." -What have you come to understand clearly? "In the first year, I had 'Prologue,' and I was feeling my way around whether I could skate solo. I was also working on 'GIFT' at the same time. At the time, I wanted to write my own story, and I wanted the audience to experience how the programs they had seen up until then would change as they watched them. This was something I had vaguely thought about since my competitive days. I was able to make this a reality in my first year. In my second year, I had 'RE_PRAY,' and I felt like I had completely formed the ice story. It wasn't just about trying to figure out how to skate by myself or changing perspectives by putting what I wanted to express into a story. I think the big thing about my second year was that I was able to properly establish that this story has these pieces, and that this is the story I would like to convey." -What kind of year will your third year be? "I have finally established a foundation for what I want to do, so as an extension of that, I am wondering how I can improve my skills in terms of expression. As for conveying myself, I have always said since my competitive days that I can't improve my level without having strong technique as a foundation. I feel that my third year will be a time when I will be working on improving both my technique and my physical strength." -Memories from the past two years. "There are a lot, of course. I can't really say just one, but I've had so many different, precious experiences. Most recently, the completion of "RE_PRAY". I had that feeling that it was received well. I'm currently in the middle of the production process (laughs). It's my motivation to keep working hard, it's my driving force." -Are you currently working on any new projects? "I've been creating new programs and other things. I've started digging deeper into what I want to express. Because I've been working alone for so long, the emotions that come out of me tend to be biased. My ideas haven't fundamentally changed that much, so my repertoire hasn't expanded that much. But I do feel that my experiences with 'RE_PRAY' and other such things are the driving force behind the birth of new emotions and new expressions." -Will Ice Story continue to create themes by asking itself these questions? "Whether it was when I was creating 'RE_PRAY,' or when I was choreographing programs like 'Goliath,' 'Aqua,' and others, I think that at the core of what I want to express is the idea of 'living,' and the constant presence of something like a 'prayer' towards 'living.' So, what I want to convey on top of that and what I want to dig deeper into may affect the way I present myself depending on the program at hand." -You'll be turning 30 in December. How does it compare to how you imagined your 30 would be? "When I was 18 or 16, to be honest, I imagined I probably wouldn't be skating anymore by 30 (laughs). I would turn professional at 24, immediately after the Pyeongchang Olympics, and I thought I'd be active for about five years and then be done with skating. But the way I've developed my stamina and technique is completely different from what I imagined, and I feel a real sense of realisation that I can still do so much, and a great sense of possibility for the future. Right now, I feel that humans can still do much more than I thought." -What kind of person do you want to be in your 30s? "Nothing has changed in particular. However, the more I polish my way of expression and the more time I spend constantly practicing and facing myself, the stronger my sense of self is becoming, and I feel like my foundation is becoming more and more established. In this way, I will continue to cherish myself in my 30s. But I think that showing my skills and facing skating is a big part of what makes me happy. I want to always have a reason for my existence, a reason for living for the past 30 years. Not just because my fans watch me, or because skating is all I have, but I want to create a clearer core for myself in my 30s." 2024.07.20 Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240719-OHT1T51148.html?page=1 Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240720142422/https://hochi.news/articles/20240719-OHT1T51148.html?page=1 On the 19th, it has been two years since figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (29) announced his professional debut. In the second part, he spoke to Sports Hochi in an exclusive interview about his "fateful encounter" with a certain program. (Interviewer: Megumi Takagi) Yuzuru Hanyu's new professional debut is full of tension: "To be honest, it's really scary". Interview two years after turning professional - Second Part (1) Spoiler -Does time pass differently now compared to when you were an athlete? "When I was a competing athlete, I could just keep thinking about things like building my physique or practicing skating. But when I'm creating something or choreographing a program or doing things like that, I don't have time to just practice. So, I thought, 'I won’t be able to practice during this period, so I'll just try to maintain it’, or ‘I'll try to keep it to a certain level, and since I'm currently in the production period, it can't be helped if I cut down on sleep.' I want to provide something good, and when I think about all sorts of things, I can't sleep. To begin with, I'm the kind of person who tends to live an unhealthy lifestyle (laughs). I know I should sleep more for my skating, or eat more of this or that, but it just keeps falling apart." -How much sleep do you get? "It depends on the day. If I feel like I can't take it anymore, sometimes I'll sleep for eight or nine hours straight, and sometimes I fall asleep without realising it. On the other hand, there are also days when I'm awake all day. It's normal to stay up all night even though there's no need to. But it's at times like those that stories are born. It's hard to put into words. It's not that different from writing lyrics or composing music. I guess that's just how it is. I've accepted it and thought that this is just my style." -During the rehearsals for "Notte Stellata" in March, you said you were "nervous about the new program." "Of course, I felt nervous about performing it in front of everyone for the first time, wondering if I’ll make a mistake or if everything will be okay, but if anything, I thought it's great, and the people around also thought it's great. But when that circle expands from me to people who are close to me, and then to my fans and to the general public, honestly I'm really scared about what people will think. People have completely different values, and there's no doubt that the impression people get when they hear a program or a song is different for each person. So I do feel a bit scared that it may go in the wrong direction." -How have you felt about that over the past two years? "I've created a lot of programs, including 'RE_PRAY', and it makes me happy to see that people have different preferences for the programs they like. Some people say they like my self-choreographed programs, and others say they prefer programs that are properly choreographed by a choreographer. Some people say they prefer programs that are more like traditional figure skating, and conversely, some people prefer programs that are more over-the-top, like 'MEGALOVANIA', so it really varies. That's also one of my strengths. I'm really happy that everyone has different interpretations of the programs and likes them." Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240719-OHT1T51151.html?page=1 Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240720142628/https://hochi.news/articles/20240719-OHT1T51151.html?page=1 Yuzuru Hanyu: "Danny Boy" is a "fateful encounter" - Planning a 15-minute program - Interview two years after turning professional - Second Part (2) Spoiler -What programs would you like to try in the future? "I actually want to make a 15-minute program, but I'm worried it might be difficult." -Is that a physical thing? "Of course, it's physically demanding. For example, even if I don't jump that much, I don't want it to become boring. I want to create something with so-called contemporary movements, but I don't think I can keep up." -There’s a concept. "I have a vague idea, but I'm not sure if I can go that far yet. I don’t know. I haven't found a song that I want to skate to yet. I just don’t think I’ve found a song that I want to skate to for 15 or 20 minutes." -"Danny Boy" (※1) has a more empathetic and gentler feel than ever before. Is this due to the fact that your range of expression has expanded over the past two years, or is it a change from within? "I do feel like I've become able to express emotions that were already there in new ways. That's true when I skate to 'Notte' (Notte stellata) or 'Spring' (Come, Spring). I've been able to express things like compassion or prayer through the melody, the way I use my hands, the way I use my upper body, and so on. Up until now, I've been doing classical, pop, and instrumental pieces, and 'Come, Spring' was originally a pop song. This time, I used a jazz melody, which was something I hadn't done before, and I think the biggest difference is that I feel like I've finally become able to do it. Of course, I think part of it is that I'm getting older and becoming more mature, but I feel like I’m catching up a bit in the way I use my body to express that, and in my thought processes." -"Danny Boy" was recommended to you by Hoshino Gen. "That's right. I met Gen-san (※2) on the show and he said, ‘This is a good song’. At that moment, I had a feeling that this was it. I decided almost immediately that I was going to skate to this song." -Did it come in easily? "It's hard to find songs that inspire me and songs that, when I first listen to them, I can imagine myself standing there and skating to them. I've been searching really hard for songs, but it's not easy to find one. But that song just came to me. I had a feeling that this was it. The melody was not something I could choreograph by myself, and I felt that this song needed to be skated over and over again to mature, so I immediately thought of David (Wilson, *3) and asked him for help. It was a quick development with the song, and I felt like it was a fateful encounter." [※1] Performed by Keith Jarrett. Debuted at "Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata 2024" in March this year. [※2] He appeared as a guest on Hoshino Gen's show "Ogen-san's Sabusuku-do" (NHK, broadcast last August). He played the role of "Ogen-san's younger brother" and talked about music. [※3] Canadian choreographer. Choreographed "Romeo and Juliet" for the free skating at Sochi Olympics, "Notte Stellata," and "Spring, Come", among others. 2024.07.21 Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240720-OHT1T51199.html?page=1 Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240721060603/https://hochi.news/articles/20240720-OHT1T51199.html?page=1 The final episode of an exclusive interview with figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (29), who announced his professional debut two years ago on the 19th. He talked about "full effort," "mind, technique, and body," and his "ideal" as an athlete. (Interviewer: Megumi Takagi) Yuzuru Hanyu: "Remove the limiter" - The full-power dance he's been building up to - Interview two years after turning professional - Final Part (1) Spoiler -During a press conference for "RE_PRAY," you said, "I can still improve the composition." "Originally, in practice, I was practicing 'Messenger of Ruin' with the final axel as a 3A3T (a triple 1/2-triple toe loop combination jump). Sometimes I would also practice the first toe loop in the second half as a 4T3T (a quadruple toe loop-triple toe loop combination jump). I probably wouldn't be able to do it in a real performance, but I was practicing it as a way to build up my stamina and improve my skills. I had some time to spare, so I thought I'd like to do it if possible. I tried it on the final day of the Miyagi performance, and there were some flaws. I guess I was hoping that if I practiced more, I'd be able to do it." -Will there be a composition as difficult as that (※1) this season as well? "I would like to do it. However, I think the composition will be completely different depending on what I want to express. Is the challenge a quadruple jump, or something more physically difficult? Also, I think the way it is presented will be completely different depending on whether I am challenging myself expressively. If possible, I would like to improve the composition. However, when it comes to a tour, I wonder if I am really 100% confident that I can deliver something good to everyone. I think it is necessary to always consider the balance and make sure I am not overestimating myself." -It was the same in the ice shows and exhibitions when you were competing, and of course it's still the same now. Why are you able to give it your all every time? "On the contrary, I feel more uncomfortable if I don’t give it my all. Performing in front of people is in itself something that may or may not please them, but in that moment, it may also be a catalyst for a change in someone’s life, even if just a little. If it were my own performance, I don't think I could show a half-hearted performance." -Is that always the case? “Always. I think I've been like that since I was little. I think my physical ability is pretty high, but if I didn't give it my all, I wouldn't reach that level. Therefore, I had to remove that limiter and try to catch up with my sister (Hanyu started skating because of his sister, who is four years older than him) or try to reach her level, since I couldn’t get that far unless I gave it my all. For example, when I was a novice and I couldn't jump the triple or double axel properly. Other kids could jump them, but I was flexible, didn't have much muscle strength, and wasn't blessed with a body that was so good in terms of explosive power, but when I thought about wanting to be better than everyone else, or wanting to catch up with everyone else, that's why I kept giving it my all. I removed my limiter more than other people. Because I didn't want to lose. I wanted to be praised (laughs). So, removing the limiter is normal for me probably from a young age. I have an older sister, so there’s always someone at home to aspire to. So, I guess I had to remove the limiter in everything. And now I have a sense of responsibility. Because I am Yuzuru Hanyu, the question of how far I can go in my pursuit is gradually coming into play and giving it meaning. If I were to talk about my childhood, I think that's probably what it was like." [※1] In "RE_PRAY"'s "Messenger of Ruin," he completed a highly difficult routine just like in a competition, including a single quadruple Salchow and toe loop, five consecutive quadruple toe loops, and two triple axels. Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240720-OHT1T51200.html?page=1 Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240721061418/https://hochi.news/articles/20240720-OHT1T51200.html?page=1 Yuzuru Hanyu: "My ideal is getting higher and higher". At the core is "for the fans" - Interview two years after turning professional - Final Part (2) Spoiler -How do you increase your concentration before a performance? "In my case, theoretically, I think that if I can get excited or create a situation that I find enjoyable, I will naturally be able to concentrate. So, although I don't sing it out loud, I think that getting into music is what turns on my concentration switch. It's like my blood gets pumping, or like the switch in my brain changes. I guess it's the song, the music." -You are still a complete athlete. Athletes often use the phrase "Shin-Gi-Tai” *," but where does ‘mind, technique, and body’ fit into your perspective, Hanyu-san? "In the end, I think there's no point if you can't find a balance. If you excel in one area... For example, if your heart becomes very strong at one point, but your technique is not strong enough to match the size of your heart, then the heart itself will probably be destroyed and you will be swallowed up. So you definitely need the technique to express your heart. Even if you spread that heart and technique widely, if you don't have the physical strength, if your body itself isn't functioning well, then you will be swallowed up by your technique and your heart. In the end, I think if you really want to level up, you have to make everything bigger." (*心技体 (Shin-gi-tai) – Shin = mind/heart, Gi= skills/technique, Tai = physique/body) -What is an athlete? "Now, I have the opportunity to work in various professional fields and have more opportunities to come into contact with people whom I really respect, I think that the people I consider to be the very best are all athletes. For example, there is the NHK programme ‘The Professionals’, and people like that are really athletes. Personally, I think the way they use their time, or the way they use their heart and soul, to achieve a certain goal or ideal is what makes them athletes. I don't know whether to call that an athlete or a professional, but that's how I've always been since my competitive days. I think that's what I would like to call myself, an athlete.” -You've often used the word "ideal" since the latter half of your competitive days. It sounds like a declaration of determination not to compromise on that. "The reason I started talking about my 'ideal' towards the end of my competitive days was because, well… To be honest, I wanted to perform a certain way, but after all, it didn’t always lead to positive evaluation. That's when I decided to shift towards pursuing my ideal." -Perhaps around Autumn Classics? "The most significant was Autumn, I guess...Autumn 2019...? At that time, I had no choice but to reconsider and realise that the most important thing was to do what I wanted to do and perform the kind of performance I was aiming for, rather than worrying about scores. I felt that this was equal to making the fans happy. From then on, I am still on that same path. After I become a professional skater, I have to pursue it even more. Because I am skating for the fans. The ideal is getting higher and higher, and I am chasing that ideal." Post-interview notes Last year, one year after turning professional, Hanyu-san sent a message to his fans to Sports Hochi. "I will continue to strive for my ideal and continue to constantly renew that ideal," he wrote. I think that this past year has been exactly like that. The path he should take must have become clearer now. His expression was bright and full of contentment. We asked him to write down his aspiration for his third year on a coloured paper. He wrote, "Pursuing the 'ideal’”. "I'm skating for my fans, so the ‘ideal’ will get higher and higher," he said. Beautiful skating that blends in with the music. A range of expression that can only be achieved with advanced technique. I hope that Hanyu-san will continue to cherish the "ideal" skating that he has carefully cultivated. (Takagi Megumi) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 2024.07.22 Source: https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/b83041c2aa0049b0a6834af9a6d25189 Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240722092556/https://news.ntv.co.jp/category/society/b83041c2aa0049b0a6834af9a6d25189 Yuzuru Hanyu and others to hold charity performance in support of Noto reconstruction in September, "I hope we can bring some cheer to people..." Figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu and other professional skaters will help support the Noto Peninsula earthquake reconstruction efforts. It has been announced that the "Noto Peninsula Reconstruction Support Charity Performance Challenge" will be held in Ishikawa Prefecture on September 15th. Top skaters including Yuzuru Hanyu (consecutive Sochi and Pyeongchang Olympic gold medalist), Satoko Miyahara (World Championship 2nd place), Akiko Suzuki (World Championship 3rd place), and Takahito Mura (Four Continents Championship winner) will participate in the event, in support of the desire to connect smiles and energy in Ishikawa. The title "Challenge" also contains a message to overcome difficulties and move forward. In addition to the skaters' performances, the event will also be linked to the disaster-stricken areas of Noto through video. Although it will not be possible to watch the event at the venue, it will be streamed live through a video streaming service, and the proceeds from the stream will be donated to Ishikawa Prefecture to support reconstruction efforts. Details such as streaming tickets will be announced on the TV Kanazawa website at a later date. Spoiler Comment from Yuzuru Hanyu: ──What thoughts will you put into your skating in Ishikawa Prefecture? There are people who are suffering right now, so I hope I can give them some energy. I personally feel that it is very meaningful to skate there. I'm sure there are thoughts and performances that can only be done in that place, so I really want to skate while putting all kinds of thoughts into it there. ──About the fellow skaters you'll be performing with. I strongly hope that I can give a performance that can bring hope and smiles to people's faces, even if just for a moment, that can only be done with my friends. ──Message to Ishikawa Prefecture and the people in the disaster-stricken areas. When we look to the future, I think there are many things that make us anxious and uncertain about the future. In such a situation, I hope that there will be a moment that can ease the pain and suffering a little. ──Message to those who will watch the stream. I believe that by watching, everyone's strength will come together, which will help with the reconstruction and the people in the disaster-stricken areas, so I hope that many people will watch it, and I would be happy if you could give me your strength as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 2024.08.05 Source: AERA issue 24.8.12-19 No.37, pg 9-15 Info: https://x.com/AERAnetjp/status/1819281986546020374 / https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0D89L6LS2 person in focus "After all, it's frustrating when I can't perform well." A session with photographer Mika Ninagawa for the first time in a year. In a long interview exclusive to this magazine, he talks about the ideals he pursues. Writer: Takaomi Matsubara Spoiler Professional skater Yuzuru Hanyu Born December 7, 1994 in Sendai. 2009 Won the Junior Grand Prix Final at age 14. 2010 Became the youngest Japanese male to win the World Junior Championships. 2011 While practicing at a rink in Sendai, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, and he had to live in an evacuation shelter. The rink where he was training was temporarily closed. 2012 First participated in the World Championships, coming in third. 2013 Graduated from Tohoku High School. Enrolled in a correspondence course at the Faculty of Human Sciences at Waseda University, studying human informatics and cognitive sciences. Won his first Grand Prix Final. Won four consecutive titles thereafter. 2014 First Asian gold medal in men's figure skating at the Sochi Olympics. First World Championship win. 2017 Second World Championship win. 2018 Second gold medal in men's figure skating at the Pyeongchang Olympics. 2020 Won his first Four Continents Championship, becoming the first man to win all major international junior and senior competitions. 2022 Participated in the Beijing Olympics. In July, announced his professional career. The ice show "Prologue" was held in Yokohama in November and in Hachinohe in December. 2023 In February, the ice show "GIFT" was held at Tokyo Dome. In March, the ice show "notte stellata" was held in Miyagi Prefecture. In March and April, he appeared in the ice show "Stars on Ice" (Osaka, Iwate, Yokohama). In May and June, he appeared in the ice show "Fantasy on Ice" (Makuhari, Miyagi, Niigata, Kobe). In November, the ice show "RE_PRAY" tour began at Saitama Super Arena. The following year, it was held at SAGA Arena in Saga in January, Pia Arena MM in Yokohama in February, and Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Miyagi in April. 2024 In March, the ice show "notte stellata" was held in Miyagi Prefecture. In May and June, he appeared in the ice show "Fantasy on Ice" (Makuhari, Aichi). On September 15th, he will be performing in the "Noto Peninsula Reconstruction Support Charity Performance Challenge" in Ishikawa Prefecture. ---------------------------- It has been two years since he made a new start as a professional figure skater in the summer of 2022. In 2024, he led three successful ice shows: "RE_PRAY" (Saga, Yokohama, Miyagi performances), "notte stellata" and "Fantasy on Ice". The shoot with Mika Ninagawa for the first time in a year began with a cheerful greeting from each other, "Thank you for your continued support this year," and "Thank you." When she said to him, "You're still as young as ever!", Hanyu replied with a smile, a little embarrassed, "I'm almost 30." "Move freely." With those words, he made expressions and gestures as he pleased. Various scenes were set up in the vast studio. Hanyu, who changed costumes and was photographed in each scene, moved and made expressions freely, sometimes under instructions and sometimes as if he was imagining (creating) a story himself. The people watching repeatedly let out gasps of amazement as the images were displayed one after another on the computer monitor. It was nothing short of amazing how he instantly exuded various moods - from boyish with a hint of innocence to cool and seductive. His creativity was not limited to the way he behaved as a subject. When the BGM was played during the shoot, his body naturally responded to the music, and he also requested songs himself when he saw the costumes. There was also a moment when he saw a prop that had been set up and asked, "Do you have one more of these?" This revealed his high level of creative awareness. The shooting has completed. "Thank you very much," he said, and there was something light-hearted and cheerful about it. After a year, what he showed in the studio was a more mature and expressive side to him. Exclusive interview with this magazine [In pursuit of a distant ideal] He is now in his third year as a professional figure skater. Reflecting on his days of taking on unprecedented challenges, he spoke about what he has gained from them and what the future holds. Photo: Mika Ninagawa Writer: Takaomi Matsubara Yuzuru Hanyu, the journey continues hair & make up: Noboru Tomizawa styling: Masataka Hattori costume: NEEDLES BED j.w. FORD YUKI HASHIMOTO prop styling: Ayumi Endo Spoiler Yuzuru Hanyu started out as a professional figure skater in 2022. In his first professional ice show, "Prologue," he performed the first solo ice show in history. He skated for nearly two hours, with a structure that richly conveyed his skating career. Following "Prologue," he then performed a solo show at the Tokyo Dome for the first time in history, "GIFT." The ice show filled the gigantic venue, which had never been seen before. After "Prologue" and "GIFT," he held the performance "notte stellata" in March 2023, which was filled with thoughts and prayers for March 11. It has been a year since our interview last summer, following those three performances. Changes in the "depth" of thinking "When I was interviewed a year ago, it had just been a year since I turned professional. I had a desire to grow and learn more specialized things. In the year since then, I think that my technique, expression, and many other aspects have changed. Among them, I feel that I have had many more opportunities to think about expression. I have been thinking about expression even in my daily life. I think that the way I think about my show, the way I think about each program, the depth of those things has clearly changed." He talks about what triggered the change in the past year. "First of all, I had to spend more time thinking about writing a new ice story after GIFT and also about my own performance." The new ice story is "RE_PRAY", under the title "ICE STORY 2nd". It opened on November 4, 2023 at Saitama Super Arena. It was performed in Saitama for two days, on that day and the following day, and in the new year it was performed in Saga on January 12th and 14th, and in Yokohama on February 17th and 19th, for a total of six performances in three cities. After the premiere in Saitama on November 4th, Hanyu said the following. "First of all, I myself have learned from games, manga, novels, and various other sources, about what life is all about, how precious life is, and other similar things that everyone else roughly feels. In games, the concept of life is really light in a sense, and you can repeat it, so you can use characters to do all sorts of things and push forward with curiosity. If you apply that to the real world, you might be a person who has the drive to grab hold of dreams, or conversely, from a different perspective, you might be a very terrifying person. But if you could do it all over again, I'm sure people would try it." 24 hours a day, always skating In this story with a game motif, the question of "choice" is often depicted. We make choices in our lives, even if we are not aware of it. What if you choose a different option than the one you originally chose? Or would you choose the same option? This story asks the audience, which serves as an opportunity to reexamine their way of life. Of course, just like "Prologue" and "GIFT," the fact that this story was completed and received with overwhelming acclaim was due to the performance of Hanyu, who was the sole performer. And even after six performances, he did not try to stay in the same place. He continued to evolve. There were many evidences of this growth at the final performance of the Yokohama show, for example. The movements in the performance of "Chicken, Snake and Pig" where he moved forward as if resisting the shackles. The performance of "Megalovania", following a silent performance without music with only the sound of his edges resonating, was more integrated with the music than in previous performances. Not only in the production aspects, but also in the details of Hanyu's performance itself, there were traces of refinement here and there. After the Saga performance, Hanyu spent his days preparing more rigorously for the Yokohama performance. "Of course, I trained and restricted my diet. Well, how should I say it, there are 24 hours in a day, but I spent the entire time on nothing else but skating. In other words, skating was always present, 24 hours a day.” "That's right. To put it simply, it felt like I was spending every day just working on 'RE_PRAY'." The reason he spent all his time facing skating was because he had regrets about the Saga performance. "After all, it's frustrating when I can't perform well." However, the standards of frustration have changed from when he was a competing athlete. Still not enough "Gradually, the focus is shifting from scores to an evaluation. If something technical that I had planned didn't go well, then my evaluation vector changes and my perspective shifts. I couldn't accomplish what I wanted to accomplish in Saga, so I was simply disappointed." After spending 24 hours focused on skating, the Yokohama performance came. After the final performance, he said, "I feel a sense of accomplishment like winning the Olympics." While he felt a sense of fulfillment, he wasn't completely satisfied. He also felt that his ability had not yet caught up with what he wanted to do. "So I feel like there are still things I need to study more. Of course, I think I'm evolving. I think I'm getting better. But I still feel like it's not enough. As I keep digging deeper and deeper, my ideals become higher, and the things I want to express are becoming more and more specific. The more my ideals become more concrete, the more I feel like I'm not catching up." He is aware that he still has areas where he needs to improve, especially in the finer details. This is something he realises now, which he didn't feel this way when he was competing in the sport. "It's impossible to realise this when you're a competitive athlete. After all, if you can jump, you win. To be honest, if you couldn’t jump, there was no point in talking about it, as the outcome of the competition was pretty much decided by how many types of quadruple jumps there are and where you put them in the program. For example, what memories do you have of this song, the background of this song, what is the story you want to express, how the story and the song will fit together, or what meaning is in the choreography, to be honest, there’s not much room to think about that. You have to complete all your technical elements in one go in the four minutes of a competition (free skate), so that's all you can focus on." A world not in first place Win the match. In a competition, that is set as a goal. "Since I had already achieved that, there was no way I could go any higher. If you think about it in the world of competition, I won first place, so even if I tried harder, I couldn't get any higher than first place. In other words, I just tried to see how long I could maintain that first place position. But in the world I'm in right now, even if I think I'm in first place, it may not be. It’s a place where I can think, "I'm still at the bottom". When I look at the various works of art or technically excellent things from around the world, I feel that there are still many things I can't do, so I think that I still have a long way to go." When he moved from the world of competition, which was fixed in a sense, to a new world, it was no longer a confined space. However, whether one knows its vastness or not, whether one feels that there is an endlessly wide world out there, is up to the individual. So even though the world is infinite, some people only notice a limited space. Or, there are those who limit the space themselves. Right now, Hanyu thinks, "I still have a long way to go." He feels like he's at the bottom. This is because he knows that the world is endlessly vast. The reason he feels this way is because he has the ambition to move forward without being content with the present. So instead of seeing the place he has arrived at as the end point, he knows that there is still space to go beyond that. Ideals evolve "I may have surpassed the ideal I had a year ago. But the sense of distance between me and my ideal is probably the same as it was a year ago. For example, if the distance between me and my ideal a year ago was 10 meters, it may be 10 meters, no, 11 meters now. That's how I feel. I'm living and experiencing life, I see information every day, and in the midst of that, my ideal evolves. My ideal gets further and further away. But at the same time, through what I have seen and experienced, I'm sure I’m also one step closer to my ideal." Then, after a short pause, he continued with a smile. "As long as I want to, I think I can continue for the rest of my life." The skater is still on his journey, striving towards the ideals he has built with his own will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted July 22 Author Share Posted July 22 2024.08.17 Source: AERA issue 24.8.26 No.38, pg 37 Info: https://x.com/AERAnetjp/status/1823993033878114654 / https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0D89L989K The 29-year-old's "Shin" and "Gi" An overwhelming presence in both monochrome and colour During breaks in the photoshoot, he answered questions from fans that had been submitted in advance. At times, he was troubled and thought about the person asking the question, saying “That’s a difficult one”. Editorial Department: Shiho Fukui Photo and Video Department: Tetsuya Higashikawa Spoiler During breaks in the photoshoot, he answered questions from fans that had been submitted in advance. At times, he was troubled and thought about the person asking the question, saying “That’s a difficult one”. The 29-year-old's "Shin" and "Gi" An overwhelming presence in both monochrome and colour The light from the projector illuminates his figure as he stands tall in the studio. Even with the simple lighting, he has an overwhelming presence. Two photo books documenting the collaboration between professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu and photographer Mika Ninagawa will be released simultaneously in November. It has been two years since Hanyu announced that he would turn professional in July 2022. During this period, AERA has produced two photo books, "Yuzuru Hanyu: The Driving Force Behind His Leaps" and "Yuzuru Hanyu: The Driving Force of Solitude." Both were photographed by Ninagawa. Needless to say, Hanyu is an athlete. But the moment he puts on a haute couture outfit, he brings it to life and captivates with his expression. His way of making the colorful sets prepared by Ninagawa his own always receives a great response. A collection of photographs by two artists who always aim for the top and pursue expressions that no one has seen before. The reason they decided to produce two new books, the all-black-and-white photo book "Shin" and the all-colour photo book "Gi", again came from their desire to "see things they have never seen before". At the Sochi Olympics when he was 19 years old, Hanyu won the first gold medal for Japan in men’s figure skating. Four years later, at the Pyeongchang Olympics, he achieved the first two consecutive Olympic victories in 66 years. At the Beijing Olympics, he attempted the unprecedented quad axel. He has continued to hone his skills even after turning professional. Hanyu turns 30 this year. How will he celebrate this milestone that everyone considers a turning point? He started skating at the age of four and has been doing it for 25 years. Behind this achievement recognised by everyone, there must have been unimaginable loneliness and suffering. In an interview for "The Driving Force of Solitude," he answered that the kanji that best describes him is "core." His words, "I absolutely do not want to waver," showed his longstanding determination as he continued to face skating head-on. The pinnacle of skill shown in a world of vibrant colours, and the unchanging depth shown in a world without colour. Look forward to the photobooks that record the last of his twenties. Note: *心技体 (Shin-Gi-Tai) – Shin = mind/heart, Gi= skills/technique, Tai = physique/body Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted August 31 Author Share Posted August 31 2024.08.29 Source: Figure Skating Life Extra "PROFESSIONAL Season 2, pg 50-65 Translation by Pep: https://x.com/pep_on_ Info: https://x.com/fskating_Life/status/1828953371572846812 Interview: HANYU YUZURU "I realized that there was still so much potential" Hanyu has now completed his second year as a professional athlete. Having completed his first solo tour, "RE_PRAY," he appears to have explored and elevated his expression to a higher level both as a producer and as an artist. However, the responses he spoke of were unexpected. From this valuable long interview, we explore where Hanyu Yuzuru is now in his third year as a professional and the state he is aiming for. (Interviewed in Sendai on June 17, 2024) Text by Yumeko Yamamoto; Photos by Toru Yaguchi; Styling by Shogo Yanagi, Hair & Make by Tomomi Kakizaki Spoiler Interviewer: Let's start with your recent activities. How was the overall experience of "Fantasy on Ice," especially the shows in Makuhari and Aichi? Yuzuru Hanyu: Well, after starting to do solo shows as a tour, my awareness as a professional-like how I want to be as a skater and the kind of effort I want to put into shows-has really solidified. In that sense, even though it was "Fantasy on Ice," I think I approached my performances with a much stronger sense of responsibility than in previous years. Interviewer: Do you think that this feeling has accumulated as you entered your second year as a professional? Yuzuru Hanyu: It's still only been two years, but I've become more conscious of the responsibility that comes with performing. The gratitude for being watched and supported, and the feeling that I must cherish and fully live up to those expectations, have grown stronger. Although it wasn't a solo show, I felt like I approached it with the same energy as a solo show. Being with other skaters highlighted these feelings even more within myself. I felt that I've changed since becoming a professional. Interviewer: Is there a difference in mindset between solo shows and shows with other skaters? Yuzuru Hanyu: Until last year's "Fantasy," I strongly felt that sense of comfort that comes with it being "Fantasy on Ice." Of course, there were physical challenges, like having to jump quads in the opening, but this year, instead of feeling that comfort, I thought a lot about what it meant to skate here and faced each program with sincerity. But as senior skaters like (Evgeni) Plushenko and Johnny (Weir) have been gradually stepping back-although Stéphane Lambiel is still active, and Oda (Nobunari) wasn't part of the A Tour-I've found myself becoming one of the more senior, prominent skaters within "Fantasy on Ice." In that sense, I felt a sense of responsibility... I felt like I needed to take the lead and deliver performances that were expected of me, just like in a solo show. While skating, I was also thinking about the significance of having two programs, so in that sense, perhaps the atmosphere I aimed to create in "Fantasy" this time was something different when I look back now. As for the collaboration piece, "Meteor," I was skating with a sense of tension. (Takanori) Nishikawa-san was also very passionate about the song, and I think that passion, in sync with my skating, brought out a certain strength and agility in that program. Interviewer: "Meteor," which is also a theme song for "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED," holds great significance for you as well, doesn't it? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, it's one of the songs I've always really liked, but because I like it so much, it was difficult to imagine skating to it. Usually, when I'm asked to skate to a piece of music that I haven't listened to extensively, I can think about it as a skating program while listening. But since I was already familiar with this song, I thought, "How do I create a skating program from an image that's already so clear in my mind?" It was really challenging, and I remember it being very difficult. Interviewer: I heard that it took about four weeks to create the choreography for "Meteor." Yuzuru Hanyu: It really did take a lot of time (laughs). Nishikawa-san's strong vocals played a role too, and I thought a lot about how I should respond to that in my skating. Because I knew the song so well, I could hear all the different sounds, which made it difficult to decide how much to express. I wanted to stay true to the original image, to the feelings Nishikawa-san probably had while singing, but I also wanted to honor my own image as a skater. There were so many complex layers, and it was a tough process. I kept going back and forth, thinking, "This isn't right, that isn't right," while working on the choreography. Interviewer: It was difficult precisely because you had a strong emotional attachment to it. Yuzuru Hanyu: Exactly. Interviewer: The choreography included elements that seemed to evoke a story. Was this intentional, as you wanted to incorporate influences from the stories that have affected you, in addition to just the music? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, I wanted to respect the story, but I also didn't want it to become too theatrical. If I focused too much on the story, the performance would start to feel like acting and lose the essence of the music. When I choreograph, I always think, "The choreography should be unique to this program, and this program should be unique to this choreography." There should always be a relationship where the music and choreography are inseparable, so I paid a lot of attention to expressing the imagery and tempo of the music. Interviewer: The gesture where you place the bird-like robot on your shoulder made me think, "Could it be...?" even though I'm not that familiar with Gundam. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, exactly (laughs). The protagonist (Kira Yamato) is tied to his past but has to fight because of the expectations placed on him. I'm not someone who is overly tied to the past, but I can relate to the sense of duty to fight, regardless of whether I want to or not. When I skated with those feelings, I thought that if I expressed too much of myself, it wouldn't fit the music. While I hesitated to create choreography that included key moments like placing the robot on my shoulder, I eventually decided that it was necessary to create something that could only be done in this program. Having such elements helps evoke the story for the audience and makes it easier for them to understand. So, I tried to balance my personal satisfaction with the satisfaction of the viewers. Interviewer: When I first saw it in Makuhari, I didn't know who choreographed it, so I thought, "This choreographer must be a Gundam fan..." Yuzuru Hanyu: Haha, yes, I'm a fan (laughs). But I think the way I choreographed that program is something that a typical figure skating choreographer wouldn't be able to do. When I choreograph, I often start with the footwork. "Ashura-chan" was like that, and so was "GIFT." | begin with the rhythm in the feet and then add the upper body movements, so the upper body doesn't take the lead. If anything, when it comes to figure skating, most of the work is done from the upper body when creating the choreography. In figure skating, when creating choreography, it's more common for the choreography to start with the upper body. The upper body movements are established first, and then, if you feel that something is a little lacking in certain parts, you think, 'Maybe I should add a turn here, or maybe some steps,' and that's how it comes together. But for me, it starts with the steps and turns, so the programs I create might be a bit different from those created by typical figure skating choreographers. Because I know this, when I'm creating more traditional figure skating programs like "Envoy to Destruction," I sometimes tell myself, "Lead with the upper body!" Interviewer: You remind yourself to do that. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, exactly. Otherwise, it might not feel like figure skating. I think, “Maybe I should focus more on picking up the melody," or, "I should create parts where I don't pick up the melody to make it feel more like figure skating." Interviewer: Does this approach of starting from the rhythm in the feet relate to your tendency to pick up on the bass or drum rhythms when you listen to music? Yuzuru Hanyu: Ah, yes, I do tend to pick those up. It's partly because I just like that kind of rhythm, but it's also something that figure skaters generally can't do with their feet. For example, in the finale of this month's "Fantasy on Ice," during "HIGH PRESSURE," I had my part where I would improvise, and each time it was different. The rhythm in the drums is very fast, and picking it all up with your feet is challenging (laughs). But I did it unconsciously because I've always liked that kind of thing since I was a kid. So it's not something typical for a figure skater; it's more like something that only someone who loves music and hears it deeply can do. In that sense, I might be a bit closer to a dancer. Also, I think I developed this style thanks to Alexei Yagudin and Kurt Browning. Yagudin's "Winter" (2001-2002 Short Program) has that famous toe step, and while he was probably aiming to enhance the music's intensity, I turned it into rhythm. Kurt, on the other hand, used his feet more for rhythm rather than melody. He was incredibly precise, and you could visually perceive the music through his steps, making you hear the music differently. I feel that my style has been influenced by both of them. When I was creating "Meteor," I watched a lot of Yagudin because I couldn't come up with ideas (laughs). The beginning part of the choreography is heavily inspired by the opening scene of "Gladiator," where the character swings his sword around-it's quite similar. Interviewer: So the cool image you had was Yagudin. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, although I love Plushenko and think he's incredibly cool, his aura comes from within rather than from choreography. The more I listen to music, the more I understand the world Yagudin wanted to express, and I've come to realize just how skilled he was. It's something I've only come to appreciate recently. Interviewer: In the past, you were completely obsessed with Plushenko. Yuzuru Hanyu: That's right. I always thought his overwhelming aura was so cool, but this time, I found Yagudin's coolness to be more appealing. 'Meteor' was heavily influenced by him. The edge work of the toe steps near the end of the interlude, just before collapsing, is entirely Yagudin. I did change the rhythm a bit, and the way I use my arms is more Hanyu-like, but the way I move my feet is very Yagudin, at least in my mind. Interviewer: I'll definitely go back and watch it again. Yuzuru Hanyu: Please do! (laughs) It was heavily influenced by him. The part right after the intro, when the song starts and at the line 'Frozen~♪,' when I spread my legs wide and turn-that kind of move is something Yagudin often does. Interviewer: So there's a bit of Yagudin sprinkled throughout? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, there is. (laughs) I always watch it thinking, 'I was influenced by him.' (laughs) Interviewer: The costume was also very elaborate. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, it was. Interviewer: How was it designed? Yuzuru Hanyu: I provided an image of the kind of design I wanted, and they took that and created the design based on it. Turning Trouble into Opportunity Interviewer: I see. The decoration on one shoulder was also interesting. What was the inspiration for that? Yuzuru Hanyu: Oh, that was really just a coincidence! The colors matched the model that came with the limited edition of Nishikawa's CD 'FREEDOM' by chance. Interviewer: That's amazing! Yuzuru Hanyu: Originally, I did have that color in mind, but when I first received the costume and checked it, it was much whiter and had a lighter, more pastel blue. At that time, I wasn't aware of the model, but I thought to myself, 'It would stand out more if it were a bit darker.' Then, while checking the costume, I accidentally hit my face and ended up covered in blood (laughs). So, the costume got a lot of blood on it, and I had to get it cleaned right away, but since I didn't compromise, I was able to ask, 'Can you make it a bit darker?' That incident left a permanent scar, but I can't help but think it was a fateful injury (laughs). If I hadn't ended up covered in blood at that moment, I probably wouldn't have been able to say anything. The costume was a softer shade of blue originally. So maybe that's why everything fell into place. Interviewer: Is your forehead okay now? Yuzuru Hanyu: The scar is still there, but the pain has mostly gone away. When a big low-pressure system comes, I do still feel some pain. Also, when I roll over in my sleep and it rubs against something, it hurts a bit. But it doesn't hurt while I'm skating, and compared to when I sprained my ankle, it's nothing at all (laughs). Interviewer: You've had so many painful injuries up until now. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, it's true-only painful injuries (laughs). Interviewer: And your 'Danny Boy' performance in 'Fantasy' seemed even more evolved than 'notte stellata.' Yuzuru Hanyu: Wow, thank you! Interviewer: Was there anything specific you did to make it even better? Yuzuru Hanyu: I studied a lot in April about how to use my body and express myself. 'Danny Boy' was the program where I could most clearly showcase that. It's about how to incorporate the rhythm into my body, like how to move my feet during jazz, or how to capture the subtle fluctuations in rhythm that only a person who is deeply connected to rhythm can feel. I gradually understood how to bring that out more effectively, and 'Danny Boy' was the program where I could do that best. Interviewer: So the evolution of your performance in 'Fantasy' came from that study. Yuzuru Hanyu: That's what I'd like to think (laughs). Interviewer: I already thought 'notte stellata' was a beautiful program, but at Makuhari, it was even more refined, and I was really moved. The lines were so clean and elegant. Yuzuru Hanyu: "Thank you! I'm so happy! With that kind of program, the more delicately you can show the lines of your body and the way you use your arms, and how those movements are connected with the rest of your body, the better it is. You want to use big movements, but it's not about using your full range of motion. Even though you're not using your full range, every movement is completely controlled and at just the right angle. You really have to master it for it to look good. On the other hand, the more you master it, the better the program becomes. It's similar to programs like 'Ballade No.1' or 'Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.' Interviewer: Until two years ago, you only performed one program, but this time you decided to do two. Why is that? Yuzuru Hanyu: When I was originally offered the opportunity to perform, I had already decided that I wanted to do two programs. When I heard the music that was suggested for collaboration in this Fantasy on Ice, I thought, 'One program alone probably won't be enough.' There are many people who know my solo performances well, and I have a sense of pride about showing something worthy to the audience, especially when they're paying the same amount or even more to come to 'Fantasy.' I didn't want them to feel it wasn't enough. So when I thought about how to maximize audience satisfaction, I felt that two programs would be the way to go. But it was really tough. In 'notte stellata,' I start with a triple Axel, so I don't have to do any quads. But for the opening of 'Fantasy,' I have to do a quad right away after getting on the ice. That was really hard (laughs). It's one thing to prepare a quad on dry land, but you have to be ready to jump it as soon as you get on the ice. To go from nothing during the six-minute warm-up to landing a quad right away on the ice... It was really tough. And I had 'Danny Boy' right after that, so I was totally exhausted. Interviewer: Now that 'Fantasy' has ended, I think you've finally had a chance to catch your breath. But are you already feeling restless and looking forward to what's next? Yuzuru Hanyu: Oh, I'm definitely already thinking about various projects and keeping my antennae up for ideas. I can't go into details, but there's a lot of work I need to do. In that sense, it's pretty tough right now. Interviewer: Are you in the stage of preparing various things now? Yuzuru Hanyu: I guess you could say I'm in a phase where I'm actively putting things out there, rather than just nurturing ideas. I tend to be stronger at inputting and outputting simultaneously rather than storing things up and then releasing them all at once. It's kind of like when I'm listening to music and the choreography comes to me ad-lib. My expressions are born while being influenced by something. So, whether it's planning or having a photo shoot, most of the ideas that come to me are often inspired by the music in the moment. Interviewer: I always wondered how you gather your input. Yuzuru Hanyu: Surprisingly, it's often from manga, and of course, games. Recently, I've also been reading philosophy books and academic papers, so I might be spending more time on those kinds of texts. I've never disliked reading papers, and I go through about two a week. They don't have to be long; short papers are fine, and if I'm not really in the mood, sometimes I'll just read the abstract (laughs). There are times when I only read the introduction and the conclusion and think, 'Oh, I see, that's what it was about,' and leave it at that. But even just gaining that knowledge increases my repertoire when it comes to expressing myself and gives me more perspectives to consider. So, I make a point to read them for that reason. Interviewer: How do you find these papers? Yuzuru Hanyu: Actually, when I created 'RE_PRAY,' I was reading a paper on the narrative elements of video games. The paper analyzed what kinds of elements are included in game stories, and it concluded that games have these specific characteristics. It compared how novels have certain narrative features and games have others. I read a lot of that kind of literature while making 'RE_PRAY.' Interviewer: How was the 'RE_PRAY' tour for you? Yuzuru Hanyu: I learned so much from it. It wasn't a tour where we performed multiple times over a month, but rather over an extended period in different locations. Each time, my mental state, my perception of the ice story itself, and the audience's reactions were completely different. It really made me realize just how much expression is linked to one's emotional state and background. Interviewer: The lighting and projection mapping were really cool. I also felt a sense of newness in those aspects. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yeah, it made me realize that in the field of ice shows, there's still so much room for improvement in how we use lasers, mapping, and even lighting. With the first ice story, 'GIFT,' I couldn't participate much in the production aspects. I just didn't have the capacity for it. I was also working on 'Prologue,' so there weren't many meetings either. Interviewer: You were working on 'Prologue' at the same time, weren't you? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, exactly. That's why I couldn't have many meetings back then. But with 'RE_PRAY,' I was more involved in the production, participated in the video aspects, and got involved in various elements, which made me realize how many possibilities are still left unexplored. On the flip side, I also realized how much I hadn't been able to do before. Interviewer: The animation was also really cute, like the 8-bit pixel art style. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yeah, we had discussions with the designer who created the pixel art and agreed that this style would work well. When we think about games, they're not just limited to pixel art; there are so many games now with incredible realism. These days, there are so many games that are almost human-like in terms of technology-like watching a movie. But still, for the people who came to see skating, to see Yuzuru Hanyu, it needed to be something that easily communicated 'this is a game,' and that's where we landed on that approach. While I also love realistic games, at first, I was inclined to go for a more realistic style, even for the title screen. But in the end, when we considered both sides, we thought it would be nice to evoke a bit of nostalgia as well, so we chose that pixel art style. Interviewer: It's so cute, please make some merchandise of it someday. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, we will, so please buy it (laughs). Interviewer: I'm looking forward to it (laughs). Also, in 'Prologue,' you started with a program featuring jumps like in a competition (with 'SEIMEI'), but in 'RE_PRAY,' you included a piece (with 'Envoy to Destruction') at the end of the first act. And it was a free program setup. Yuzuru Hanyu: When I did 'Roncapu' at the end of the first act in 'GIFT,' it was quite challenging, and I thought 'this is impossible.' Why did I choose to include it ['Envoy to Destruction'] in the free program? Interviewer: That was really a challenge (laughs). Yuzuru Hanyu: When creating the story, or rather, once the structure was set, I already had the idea that 'this piece should be in the free section.' It wasn't about physical endurance; it was more about feeling that this was the best option, so that's what I went with. So, even though people around me were concerned, saying, 'Are you okay? You were already so exhausted in the short program,' I believed that the exhaustion itself would help express 'Envoy to Destruction.' I thought, 'It's okay to be exhausted.' Even though I was confident that the expression would come out of being on the edge, looking back now, I realize I really pushed myself. Interviewer: But even after pushing yourself like that, you kept moving without taking breaks during the intermissions. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, I had to keep moving. It was really crucial. To avoid messing up my hair, I used an enormous amount of hairspray. It's so hard that a comb doesn't go through, and if you force it, it might pull all the hair out. Sometimes the comb even breaks. So, I had to wash it thoroughly. First, I use a treatment to loosen it because shampoo can't get through initially. Then I shampoo twice and use treatment again, totaling four washes. Instead of a shower, I put my head in the sink (laughs). It takes so much time, and afterward, I have to dry and style my hair quickly before going back on stage. It was really hell (laughs). But I wanted to change the mood from a very stiff hairstyle to something that seemed like it never happened. The theme of 'RE_PRAY' is 'Starting from a save data,' so I didn't want to start with a worn-out look from 'Envoy to Destruction.' Interviewer: You needed to start fresh from the previous state. Yuzuru Hanyu: Exactly. I had to start with a fresh look, making it clear that it wasn't exhausted, and present it as if 'the data has been loaded.' In my mind, I thought I could do it in 20 minutes, but it took more time than I expected. So, after finishing 'Envoy to Destruction,' it took about 5 minutes to remove my shoes, then 7 minutes to get to the dressing room, and another 10 minutes to wash my hair. After that, I spent 5-7 minutes styling my hair and then had 7 minutes to get ready before putting on my shoes and heading out. It was hell. Interviewer: You mentioned on a TV show that if you took a break, fatigue would hit you hard. So, you didn't even have time for breaks. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, that's exactly it. If you stop, you realize how tired you are, so I tried to keep moving, but there wasn't even time to rest (laughs). Interviewer: I was going to ask when you realized that, but it's quite a revelation (laughs). Yuzuru Hanyu: Haha (laughs). But because I was doing that in 'RE_PRAY,' I knew that if I stopped, it would be over. During 'notte stellata 2024,' I had a sample of that experience. With 'notte stellata,' 'Carmina Burana,' and 'Danny Boy,' I tried to maintain my physical condition without much rest between the programs, just like during the 'RE_PRAY' solo performances. Interviewer: It's evolution through experience. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, so this 'Fantasy' was similar in that sense. I was constantly moving. 'notte stellata 2024' is about 'hopes for recovery.' Interviewer: Can you tell us about the collaboration with Mao Daichi? Did the decision to include 'Carmina Burana' come first, or was the collaboration with Daichi decided first? Yuzuru Hanyu: Daichi-san came first. Deciding on a collaborator is incredibly challenging. Considering that 'Yuzuru Hanyu' has a strong impact and there are many people who come to see him, it's important to choose someone who can stand out equally. While thinking about this, we* considered someone who can both sing and dance, and thought about someone from the Takarazuka Revue. When we thought about someone who could captivate with just their aura, I wondered if we could ask Daichi-san. [*T/N: there is no pronoun and with the context is unclear if this could be a 'we' or a 'they'] Interviewer: I see. And 'Carmina Burana' was a piece that fans had wanted to see in a program someday, right? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, 'Carmina' is a piece with religious overtones, and it was challenging to use it as part of my program due to differences in religious perspectives. It was difficult. I had wanted to use it for a long time but found it challenging. When the producer of 'notte stellata' decided on 'Carmina Burana,' it was more the producer's choice from the beginning. They wanted to use it and collaborate with Daichi-san, so the selection and arrangement were made, and I just performed it with all my effort. Interviewer: The atmosphere and aura were incredible. Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, 'Carmina Burana' made it clear that it couldn't have been done alone. Each role was essential, and it became a true collaboration that couldn't have been achieved without each participant. Interviewer: 'notte stellata 2024' had a brighter, more luminous impression compared to the previous time. When did you decide to go in this direction? Yuzuru Hanyu: After the last 'notte stellata,' we talked about doing it again next year. By then, the idea of making it brighter was already in my mind. Last year, I was still heavily influenced by March 11, and it was really hard. It was my first experience performing on that date, and I had rarely met people on March 11, usually spending it at home. But this year, I wanted to focus not just on my personal feelings but also on those affected by the disasters in Tohoku and Noto. I wanted to put my thoughts into it and do my best. Interviewer: I am also from Tohoku so I watched it the first time thinking it would still be painful, but this year I felt a lot of hope and light, so I felt a little relieved.. Yuzuru Hanyu: Just like with 'RE_PRAY,' I've started thinking about what I want to convey and what I hope for. I have my own things I want to express, but I also think about what I want the audience to feel and how to convey that. I've started to view things from a broader perspective, thinking about how to express something to make the audience feel a certain way, rather than just pushing my own emotions. Interviewer: In "RE_PRAY," you mentioned that "the audience is the player." Was that based on such an idea? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, that's right. This is a recent theory of mine, but when you read a novel or manga, the dialogue and narration are ultimately in your own words or the voice of your own mind. Even if you imagine the voice of a voice actor, it's still your own voice echoing in your head. The same goes for games; while the story progresses, the player who advances it is yourself, which is what makes games interesting. I think that in figure skating, where there are no words, there's a lot more open to interpretation, and we leave a lot to the audience's interpretation. Because of that, the degree of freedom in interpretation is greater, and that's why there are emotions that can be felt through that freedom. That's the essence of "RE_PRAY" and ice stories. For example, if you perform "Danny," the way it's received in "Notte" versus "Fantasy" is completely different. With the various programs leading up to "Danny Boy," the way it's perceived changes, the way the music is heard also changes, and of course, the lighting plays a part. That's what I find interesting about skating, and ice stories always seek that. However, until now, I had often just left it to the audience's emotions, but I felt that in "Notte," it was stronger to guide them a bit more. I wanted to subtly guide them to "this way." Interviewer: Will Ice Stories continue in the future? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes! Interviewer: You also mentioned in "RE_PRAY" that "the end is the beginning of the beginning." Are there any new plans beyond Ice Stories? Yuzuru Hanyu: I'm thinking about various things. It's difficult to be specific, but entering the third year after spending two years like this, I realized how much I was lacking. It was a year where I realized how shallow the things I had been taking in were. Therefore, I want to absorb a wider range of information and study more, and deepen and expand my expertise gradually. I think that will lead to my own unique figure skating expression. For example, there are expressions that are very ballet-like, very dance-like, and very figure skating-like. I want to make sure these are not just half-hearted but are expressed properly according to the theme. That's my current goal. Interviewer: Lastly, a quick Q&A outside of the show. As a professional athlete, how do you maintain your motivation? It must be different from competition, right? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes, the expectations... Honestly, there's less time when I'm just thinking, "I love skating!" The reality is that practicing skating is tough, and practicing without anyone watching can be challenging. But because of the expectations, I want to meet them and exceed them. That's my goal and motivation. Interviewer: Are there any plans for SharePractice in the future? Yuzuru Hanyu: I'd like to do it, but when I thought about doing it once, the security issues were really tough! I don't want to inconvenience the ice rink (Ice Rink Sendai). Interviewer: What about live streaming? Yuzuru Hanyu: That might be a good idea, but the problem is that you can't interact with comments if it's not live, which is a bit sad. It's a SharePractice after all. But I do want to do it again someday. Interviewer: And as for you, Mr. Hanyu, you've always been very thorough in demonstrating your appreciation and gratitude, both now and in the past. What does showing appreciation mean to you? Yuzuru Hanyu: Thank you. As a professional, I've come to think even more about how I'm able to skate because of the support from those around me. Whether it's about the production, the ice preparation, the management, and the advertising, I feel a lot of human power involved in everything. I've realized that I'm not skating alone, and recently, I've been thinking about how much gratitude I owe to those around me. Interviewer: Also, congratulations on becoming a GUCCI ambassador. I also saw the photo exhibition in Ginza, "In Focus: Yuzuru Hanyu Lensed by Jiro Konami." Have you become more interested in fashion? Yuzuru Hanyu: I'm not really interested in fashion (laughs). I don't really have the desire to wear so-called fashionable things in my daily life. I'm not like Steve Jobs, but I don't feel like using my thoughts on that. Besides, it wouldn't feel like me, would it? Suddenly hearing people say, "Wow, Hanyu's gotten so stylish!" would be a bit strange (laughs). Interviewer: But wouldn't it be great to use this opportunity (laughs)? Yuzuru Hanyu: I'm turning 30 this year-it's a milestone (laughs). But I feel more comfortable when I'm dressed in something I can move around in, like a tracksuit. I think I want to maintain that kind of athlete-like feel. Interviewer: As you mentioned, this year is a milestone. What's your ideal image of your 30s, compared to how you viewed it as a teenager? Yuzuru Hanyu: When I was a teenager, I used to say, "30 is old" (laughs). I distinctly remember Kenji Miyamoto-sensei getting mad at me, saying, "30 isn't old!" (laughs). Back when I was in my teens, I had this strong image that skaters in their late 20s would struggle with jumps and lose their stamina, so I thought that in the competitive figure skating world, 30 was old. But now, after learning various training methods and ways of expression, I've come to realize, "Wow, 30 isn't old at all!" So, I want to keep improving in skating, continue to express myself, and keep evolving in life. Well, I'm vaguely thinking that way. Fufu [haha], I'll do my best in my 30s. Interviewer: Yuzushenko (ゆづ シェンコ) has grown up too, hasn't he? Yuzuru Hanyu: Yes! (laughs) Interviewer: Lastly, could you please give a message to your fans? Yuzuru Hanyu: From now on as well, without changing. I'll continue to do my best without changing anything! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted August 31 Author Share Posted August 31 2024.08.29 Source: Figure Skating Life Extra "PROFESSIONAL Season 2, pg 117-120 and pg 105-111 Translation by Pep: https://x.com/pep_on_ Info: https://x.com/fskating_Life/status/1828953371572846812 Interview: MAO DAICHI The way he skates is really special "The one chosen by the Gods" We asked Mao Daichi, who co-starred in "Carmina Burana" for "notte stellata", about the story behind their first collaboration. Spoiler Interviewer: "Firstly, what were your thoughts when you were approached about the ice show?" Daichi Mao: "I wondered how I could collaborate when I can't skate at all (laughs). It was something completely outside of my previous stage and acting experience, so I was surprised and a bit confused. But then I thought, 'This might actually be interesting."" Interviewer: "In the collaboration number, you played the Goddess of Fate to the majestic music of 'Carmina Burana.' What kind of image came to your mind when you first heard about it?" Daichi Mao: "First of all, since I was going to be part of this, I thought that a quick costume change could be one element to include. I wanted to surprise and entertain the audience by changing my costume in the blink of an eye, so I proposed transforming from a black-themed goddess to a white-themed one." Interviewer: "So, the idea for the costume change came from you. It was quite surprising when the costume suddenly changed." Daichi Mao: "Yes, I think it took less than four seconds (laughs). The costume was designed with all the tricks, and the ensemble members helped me coordinate the quick change. The black costume symbolized intimidation and turmoil, while the white costume, in my mind, represented the goddess that the young man played by Yuzuru Hanyu sees as he moves forward." Interviewer: "The beauty of it was otherworldly and mesmerizing." Daichi Mao: "Oh, thank you so much. The hair, makeup, costumes, and choreography were all created by highly skilled staff who understood my difficult demands. The quick change was a result of careful planning with the ensemble members, where we synchronized our movements perfectly." Interviewer: "I understand that each of your performance parts was prepared in advance, and you only practiced with Hanyu-san just before the performance. You rehearsed remotely, but actually working together happened only two days before the show. "How was it when you first practiced together?" Daichi Mao: "The space was so vast that I was quite surprised, thinking, 'Wow, really?' Since the stage was on the ice rink, it was very cold, and Hanyu-san felt far away. But watching him skate was truly special-I was in awe, thinking he must have been chosen by the gods." Interviewer: "You mentioned that during the performance, you felt a connection with Hanyu-san multiple times. Was there a kind of resonance between you as fellow performers?" Daichi Mao: "Yes, although there was physical distance between us, I definitely felt those moments many times during the performance. As fellow performers, it was as if I could actually see a thread connecting us for a split second. The air itself felt connected, and it was as if time momentarily stopped. That happened several times. Although we decided our movements based on counts, since it's classical music, it's not strictly 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 2, 3, 4. The way you feel and interpret the music depends on each person's sense. When Hanyu-san had his back turned, I tried to adjust to him as much as possible, but when I tried to match him, I ended up being late (laughs). So it really came down to breathing together." "Challenging the Impossible" Interviewer: "How did you perceive Yuzuru Hanyu as an 'artist' after performing alongside him?" Daichi Mao: "He truly possesses remarkable talent as a performer, doesn't he? He kept evolving, especially in terms of 'acting.' Of course, he has always expressed himself on the ice, but this time, it felt like he came closer to my realm. I think he challenged himself with things that might be considered difficult on the ice, performing in a way that's closer to stage acting." Interviewer: "Did your impression of him change before and after meeting him?" Daichi Mao: "When we first met, he seemed very humble and nervous, but once we started discussing the content, he became incredibly passionate. I realized he's not the type to hold back; instead, he's someone who pushes forward with great intensity. Given the vastness of the skating rink, I imagine there are physical and logistical challenges, like the time it takes to prepare or to gain momentum, but he worked hard to overcome those obstacles." Interviewer: "When you were encouraged to suggest "things that seemed impossible", did you make any specific requests or suggestions?" Daichi Mao: "Yes, he told me, 'Please, just say everything you think is impossible' (laughs). One thing I requested was for him to come onto the stage at the end. I knew that walking on a regular stage could damage the edges of his skate blades, and that it's generally difficult to walk normally in skate shoes, but Hanyu-san still came onto the stage. That moment was incredibly moving." Interviewer: "So, it was your idea for him to come onto the stage at the end?" Daichi Mao: "Yes, exactly. In that scene, I transform into a white goddess, guiding the young man, who then confronts his fate. There are stairs involved, and the timing with the music is crucial. I thought it might be a bit of an unreasonable request, but not being familiar with the intricacies of skate shoes was my advantage (laughs), so I asked him anyway. The way the wind blew softly, and the way the lighting was all set up everything came together in such a beautiful way." Interviewer: "Do you have any other backstage stories you could share with us?" Daichi Mao: "Before the performance started, he was very focused, but afterward, he greeted us with such a warm and friendly face, saying, 'Good job, everyone!' I think everyone feels the same way before a performance; in a sense, it's like a competition. There's a unique tension that comes with being a professional before a show, and I felt that very strongly." Interviewer: "Do you yourself feel very nervous before the first performance of a show?" Daichi Mao: "Of course, I get nervous, but I try to keep things as normal as possible. The fact that I'm consciously trying to stay calm is a sign that I'm nervous, though (laughs)." Interviewer: "Is that mindset the same for other stage performances as well?" Daichi Mao: "Yes, especially before the first performance of a show. But this time was different because it was such a unique experience. I didn't know much about ice shows, so I wanted to enjoy the process as much as possible. I also wanted to contribute to Hanyu-san's performance in any way I could, and I saw my role as expressing this unusual collaboration in a fresh way." An unforgettable work Interviewer: "Your solo performance in the show was a divine medley of 'Luck Be A Lady' and 'Anything Goes.' Could you tell us the intention behind your song choices?" Daichi Mao: "First of all, I wanted to offer the audience a medley that allowed them to enjoy both a masculine and a coquettish feel within the limited time we had. I also spent a lot of time thinking about how I could manage the very quick costume changes. While it's common to wear pants under a skirt, it's not often that you have a skirt under your pants (laughs). Considering things like that, we actually ended up changing faster than expected, so I sometimes made my entrance earlier than planned (laughs). Above all, I just wanted to give the audience that 'Wow!' and 'What just happened?' feeling." Interviewer: "I was so thrilled to see you as Sky Masterson (in 'Luck Be A Lady'), and the audience clearly shared that excitement when you appeared. I'm sure your fans were delighted." Daichi Mao: "Everyone gave such warm applause and cheers, and that made me really happy. Last year, I celebrated my 50th anniversary since my debut with a concert, and I chose songs from that concert, which I rearranged specifically for 'notte stellata.' I also changed my costumes and hairstyle, and I think that was something the audience appreciated as well." Interviewer: "Your performance of 'Anything Goes' was so charming and glamorous. The way you seamlessly switched between a male role and a female role was impressive. It seems like that might be difficult, but you made it look effortless." Daichi Mao: "Oh no, thank you (laughs). It is challenging, of course. The keys of the songs are different, so during the quick change, I have to switch my voice as well. By offering the audience a broad range of expressions, I hope they can enjoy and feel satisfied within the short time we have. Although I could take it easier and not push myself so hard, I somehow end up tightening the noose around my own neck (laughs). But it's because I really want to entertain the audience and make them happy, so I take on those challenges." Interviewer: "It seems like you share that drive with Yuzuru Hanyu." Daichi Mao: "Yes, I felt that too. It's not just about doing something or getting through it; it's about how you create it. In that sense, and I say this with all humility, I felt we were similar." Interviewer: "Did your impression of ice shows change after participating in one?" Daichi Mao: "At first, I was unsure about how it would turn out, but in the end, I'm genuinely glad I took on the challenge. It's a completely different world, yet I found some common ground. I also felt that the ambition and the spirit we aim for might be the same in some way. An opportunity like this doesn't come often, so 'notte stellata' became an unforgettable experience for me." Interviewer: "Finally, do you have any message for your fans or for the skating fans?" Daichi Mao: "Through this collaboration, I received a lot of feedback from Hanyu-san's fans who don't usually watch stage performances. My fans also expressed that they were interested in going to see figure skating, so I'm very grateful for this opportunity to collaborate. I hope that, beyond Hanyu-san's skating, this will encourage people to also watch my future stage and film works. I, too, treasure this connection and will continue to support Hanyu-san." "Experiencing Yuzuru Hanyu's New Creation "RE_PRAY" as a "Player" By Fumofumo Column (p. 105-111) Fumofumo Editor-in-Chief (https://x.com/fumofumocolumn/status/1830380364579422228) Sports blogger and columnist. I engage in various support activities filled with love for sports every day through my blog "Sports Watching and Telling - Fumofumo Column." Spoiler After thrilling audiences across four cities with eight performances, Yuzuru Hanyu's third solo show, Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd "RE_PRAY" TOUR, reached its grand finale amidst great excitement and fanfare. Since turning professional, Hanyu has continuously broken new ground, with endeavours like his solo performances, hosting an ice show at Tokyo Dome, and integrating advanced technology such as projection mapping into figure skating. The "RE_PRAY" tour is yet another demonstration of his evolution as both a performer and producer. This show wasn't just a novel experience as an ice show; it was a daring undertaking even by the standards of various stage performances. The most striking aspect of this show was that it wasn't merely something for the audience to "watch." The entire performance was designed as a "game," with the audience positioned to "experience the story as players." When we think of video games, the defining feature that sets them apart from other forms of entertainment is that the "player" themselves becomes the protagonist, experiencing the story firsthand. The audience of "RE_PRAY" indeed took on the role of "players," experiencing the narrative of the show as if they were in a game. A "Game Experience" Where the Audience Chooses and Decides the Outcome "RE_PRAY" begins with a large monitor in the venue displaying a frame that mimics a video game screen, along with a title screen for the game. Soon, Hanyu appears on the large screen holding a controller, and he selects "PLAY" and chooses one of the saved game data files. The save data corresponds to the date of that specific performance (for example, the February 15, 2024 performance would display as "20XX/02/15"), reinforcing to the audience that this is something happening "now." From there, Hanyu plays the role of both the "player" and the "character" within the game, unfolding the story of the "player playing the game," with the audience experiencing the story by projecting themselves as the "player." Hanyu himself emphasized the "audience as player" concept, offering insights after the inaugural performance in Saitama with statements like, "You are the players. You are the gods," and "Each one of you is a player." Moreover, in the official guidebook released after the tour, he addressed the audience with messages like, "To all players, thank you for playing until the end" and "Congratulations on completing the game!" These messages thoroughly established the notion that the "audience = player." The opening performance, with its display of a game-like screen and title, was meant to signify that the audience was about to embark on this game as players. The point where the concept of "audience = player" became particularly clear was during the "Trolley Problem" segment in the first half of the show. Here, the audience was faced with a dilemma that forced them to choose between two difficult options, and Hanyu called out, "Will you press the switch?" The rink alternately displayed "YES" and "NO" choices, and the large screen showed the audience in the stands. The approximately 20 seconds of "thinking time" gave the audience a palpable sense of hesitation and uncertainty: "Will the show not progress until we make a choice? Should we clap or raise our hands?" The results of the audience's choice determined the next performance-if "YES" was selected, "Hope & Legacy" was performed; if "NO" was chosen, "Ashura-chan" was performed, with the subsequent visual elements diverging in completely different directions depending on the choice. In reality, the YES or NO route was pre-determined by the date of the performance, irrespective of the audience's reactions. However, encountering this uncertainty and surprise without prior knowledge was undoubtedly a "game experience." It was the moment when the audience realized that "RE_PRAY" was not just something to watch passively, but a game to be experienced and chosen by themselves. Game-Like Elements Packed into the Performance and the New Game "RE_PRAY" Throughout the performance, Hanyu incorporated numerous game-like elements into "RE_PRAY." The entire show was structured in two parts: "the first part depicting the playthrough until the game is cleared" and "the second part, where the same game is replayed after the save data is corrupted, forcing a new challenge." The opening scenes and performances in both parts shared common elements, yet by altering the play style, the progression changed midway, giving the audience a sense of replaying the same game. The storyline used original retro-game-style visuals to depict gameplay, including battles between "8-bit Yuzuru" (a pixelated version of Hanyu in his iconic costumes) and giant bosses. Many of the programs themselves were inspired by games. The opening numbers for both parts, "A Dream That Will End One Day" and "A Dream That Will End One Day; RE," were set to music from Final Fantasy X. Towards the end of the first part, Hanyu performed "MEGALOVANIA" from UNDERTALE, leading into a climactic sequence that included multiple game music pieces, such as "You're Not Alone" from Final Fantasy IX and "Envoy to Destruction" from Final Fantasy VI, culminating in a six-minute skating session. The ending movie of the show also featured a medley of music from the game Lufia II (Estpolis Denki II). These elements were not just about using the music but were filled with respect and homage to the original works. For example, in the performance "A Dream That Will End One Day" and "A Dream That Will End One Day; RE," Hanyu's costume was reminiscent of the summoner Yuna from the game Final Fantasy X. The dance he performed invoked the image of the "Sending," a ritual in the game that sends the souls of the dead to the afterlife. The projection mapping used during the performance depicted "pyreflies," luminous beings considered to be life energy (souls) in the game, as well as visuals reminiscent of the "Lifestream," a concept representing the cycle of life in the Final Fantasy universe. In "MEGALOVANIA," Hanyu wore a costume adorned with a skeleton, mimicking the character Sans, a formidable opponent from the game UNDERTALE. Just as the battle with Sans in the game begins in silence, Hanyu's performance also started with only the sound of his skates resonating in the venue. This was followed by various effects: the teleportation ability of Sans, represented by Hanyu appearing on various small screens around the venue; visual effects of bones falling on the screen, mimicking Sans's attacks; and choreography that expressed Sans's relentless attacks from all directions through Hanyu's spins. These elements were so faithful to the game that those familiar with UNDERTALE praised the performance as a perfect recreation of the Sans battle. During the final performance of the tour in Miyagi, Hanyu, embodying Sans even more intensely, delivered an even more grotesque expression and a throat-slitting gesture, saying, "Since it's the last time, I'll give it my all." In "Envoy to Destruction," Hanyu wore a red beast-like costume, modeled after Trance Kuja, a powerful enemy from Final Fantasy IX. Those who know the original game would immediately recognize that Hanyu was portraying Trance Kuja, not just from the music but also from the costume. The choreography included movements mimicking Ultima, the ultimate spell used by Trance Kuja when he finally accepts his impending death, making this homage truly meticulous in its dedication. In the ending, the performance showed Hanyu skating while wearing the costumes from the various programs of the first half of the show. As each program (character) completed its role, it transformed into a ball of light, accompanying the subsequent performances. This imagery overlapped with the ending of the game Lufia II, where the souls of the protagonist Maxim and his beloved Selan turn into orbs of light and traverse the world that has regained peace. These programs and performances were not merely acted out as homages. Rather, it seems that Hanyu carefully reconstructed them into a new "game" while cherishing the influence these works had on him and aligning them with the thoughts he wanted to convey in this show. In a message shared before the show, Hanyu expressed, "Life is a one-time experience; games can be played repeatedly. I believe there are many important things to be found in these two seemingly contradictory concepts." After the first performance in Saitama, he offered some interpretative hints, saying, "In the relentless flow of everyday life, as we calmly go about things in the same way, I want you to think deeply about the small choices you make, little by little," and "And I hope you will ponder, even if just vaguely, the idea of life cycling and returning-that's what 'RE_PRAY' is about." In this new work "RE_PRAY," viewed through the lens of the games that influenced Hanyu, there is a pervasive theme of reflection on the nature of life. The game Final Fantasy X tells the story of the summoner Yuna, who sacrifices her own life to save the world, and the protagonist Tidus, who is destined to disappear once their mission is accomplished. In UNDERTALE, the player can choose multiple paths: by continually defeating monsters, they follow the "Genocide Route" and eventually face Sans as an enemy; conversely, if they progress without defeating any monsters, they follow the "Pacifist Route," where they return to the human world with the monsters. In Final Fantasy IX, the villain Kuja, driven to destroy the world along with himself due to his despair of imminent death, is ultimately freed from his despair after losing everything in a battle against the protagonists, and finally, he saves them, saying, "I think I finally understood what it means to live." In Lufia II, the first game in the series, the player relives the adventure of "past heroes who sacrificed their lives to save the world" from 99 years ago, experiencing it firsthand as one of those heroes. Each of these original stories, with their portrayals of life, death, and the choices of the characters, converged into "RE_PRAY," which encapsulates the concept of "a journey where something must inevitably be lost along the way." The "Player" (i.e., the audience) faces this choice. After clearing Part 1 and replaying Part 2, they navigate toward a new path. Through these stages, "RE_PRAY" allows the "Player" to repeatedly experience "life and death," a process that can be experienced differently with each choice, because it is, after all, a game. In this sense, "RE_PRAY" is a new game that was born by drawing influence from many preceding works. It possesses a consistent theme of "how to live a finite life," a theme that the "Player" (the audience) can experience. In the final moments of the second part of the performance, where the story of "RE_PRAY" reaches its culmination, the command on the game's screen changes from "PLAY" in Part 1, to "RE_PLAY" in Part 2, and finally to "RE_PRAY." Accompanied by a narration that says, "Keep praying, even if it eventually ends," "As long as you don't truly choose to stop, it will continue," and "No matter what future awaits, live with determination," the performance ends with a call to keep praying so that hope, dreams, and life may continue to be connected. This conclusion, in which the "Player" has arrived by experiencing various forms of life, death, and ways of living, felt as though it was telling the audience, "From here on, this is your story." This ending itself felt very much like something out of a game. Although it wasn't directly featured in this performance, one of the game series Hanyu loves and which influenced UNDERTALE is the MOTHER series, specifically its second installment, EarthBound, where during the final battle with Giygas, the command "pray" becomes the decisive factor for victory. When the "pray" command is used during the Giygas battle, it sends the player's thoughts to the people they met along their journey, and the collective prayers of those people weaken Giygas. When the prayer reaches the "Player" of the game, it is the "Player's" own prayer that delivers the final blow to defeat Giygas. The scene where the screen goes dark, displaying only the message "ooo (the player's name) prayed continuously," was a uniquely game-like way of incorporating the player's reflection in the monitor as one of the characters. Similarly, the act of praying in "RE_PRAY" also seems to involve the "Player" (audience) in a way that is characteristic of a game. It feels like the creators are hoping that through the audience's own prayers-wishing for hope, dreams, and life to continue-some spark may be lit in their lives, allowing them to overcome difficult battles. Depending on how you look at it, "RE_PRAY" could be seen as a biography tracing someone's life, or it could be a standalone narrative like a movie or a play. But its essence is still a "game," one that is only complete with the existence of the "audience/players." The story of "RE_PRAY" is only fully realized when we consider how the players (audience) are influenced by this work, how they interpret it, and what choices they will make in their lives moving forward. The memories of traveling to each city to follow "RE_PRAY" over the past six months have become a cherished "experience" that I hope to carry forward into my life. It was a truly unforgettable "adventure" in every sense of the word. As is customary with games, I hope there will be a "remake" someday. By that time, I hope I will have made some progress in my own life and will have developed new interpretations and new choices. I will continue to pray for the release of a remake so that I may someday replay "RE_PRAY." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted Tuesday at 12:24 AM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 12:24 AM 2024.08.29 Source: Figure Skating Life Extra "PROFESSIONAL Season 2, pg 92-95 Info: https://x.com/fskating_Life/status/1828953371572846812 Interview: TANAKA KEIJI The depth of his dedication to his performance is like he's putting his life into it As peers who have spent their second year as professionals, with a common bond, we asked him about his thoughts on skating. Text by Yumeko Yamamoto Spoiler This year, you performed with Yuzuru Hanyu in "Notte Stellata 2024" and "Fantasy on Ice." How was each of them? -The concept of last year's ‘notte stellata’ (to send out hope to areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake) was carried over for the second time. Compared to normal ice shows, the ‘notte stellata’ show is not so much about ‘fun’ as it is a show with a deeper meaning given the time of the year, so in that sense there was a rather solemn atmosphere last year. The direction is the same as other shows, which is to have the audience enjoy themselves, but I got the impression that Yuzu's own feelings were a little heavier. As a fellow performer, I felt that while skating, and I was able to approach it with a very focused attitude. This year, the event was held at a slightly different time and wasn't held on March 11th (March 8th-10th), but my own impression was that he was skating with a slightly brighter, more forward-looking feeling than last year. Hanyu also said that after last year's performance, he thought about making next year a little brighter. It's impressive that you understood that without even him having to say it. -Yes, I felt that way. What made you feel that way? -At the venue, his focus was always the same from practice to the actual show, but maybe it's during the practice and rehearsals. I just felt that way a little. This was your first performance of your program "HOPE." What was the meaning behind the program? -At first, I wasn't thinking of performing it at "notte stellata," and I had prepared it as an exhibition for this season. However, as the title of the song suggests, it also has the implication that moving towards hope is not something you can do in a straight line, and it expresses the idea that you can only reach your goal after facing pain, setbacks, and obstacles. The choreography was done by Kohei Yoshino, right? -Thank you, Kohei-sensei. Last summer, I told him, "I want to skate to this song," and we had many discussions about how to edit and direct it, and then we decided on it. It's a program with a lot of innovative and cool movements. - It's quite rap-like, so if you capture all the sounds, the movements will be choppy, so we edited it a little bit. Like, put in a different part in between, stop, and then start moving again. Kohei-sensei also researched how to create that kind of image. That's how we choreographed it, matching each other's senses. I think it's interesting to discuss and create together. Kohei-sensei and (Sasahara) Keiichiro-sensei (choreographer for "Run Boy Run" and "The Phantom of the Opera") are about the same generation, so before we start choreographing, we would have a discussion like "What should we do with this?"... We would have a long chat (laughs). I think that's how it becomes quite elaborate. Both of them are Gundam otaku So, what did you think of "Fantasy on Ice"? -Yuzu only performed "Fantasy" in the first half this year in A Tour. "Fantasy" was the same as usual, but this year I was really excited (laughs). I was talking about it with Yuzu and I asked him, "What are you collaborating on?" and he said, "Meteor," and I was like, "Seriously?" (laughs). Yuzu had said that he choreographed it himself, so I thought, "That’s great". We were both talking in a geeky way (laughs). I think it was a song that got him really excited, and that he had a lot of feelings for, so it was well-made and I think that’s what led to that performance. Did you see the performance? -Yes, I did. We had the same practice time. I was like, "He must really like (Gundam)~" (laughs). I really felt that he loved it and did a lot of research on it. Did you see the costume? -I know the show too, so I was wondering who it would be based on, then I saw it and thought, "Ah that one?" (laughs). What did you think it would be like? - I thought maybe it was the main character, but then I thought about it more and decided it was more like Gundam. That was the right answer (laughs). A Mobile Suit Gundam collab is sure to get you excited. - At first, I wondered what Nishikawa Takanori would be singing as a guest. I had no idea until I arrived at the rehearsal venue. Of course, I knew my own songs, and I also knew who else would be skating with me, and that Yuzu would be collaborating with him, but I wondered what song Yuzu would collaborate on. After all, it's Nishikawa-san, and I figured Yuzu might be a Gundam fan, and he did pick the best part (laughs). I was happy just to hear "Meteor." Did you want to skate to "Meteor" yourself? -Well, I'd be happy no matter what song came up, but I thought it would be even more fun if Nishikawa-san sang a Gundam song. So when you were asked to do "BEYOND THE TIME"... -I was really excited (laughs). Your costume was bright red, so the moment you came out I thought, "That's Char!" -I tried to go all out (laughs). Kenji Miyamoto, the choreographer, wasn't very familiar with Gundam, so I had to explain it to him, but in the first place, I hadn't seen Char’s Counterattack, so I watched the whole series up to that point. I watched the first one, and then ‘Z’. So, you watched it after you received the song. - Yes. From the very first Amuro (Ray) to Char’s Counterattack, it took me about half a month to watch all of them (laughs). I’ve probably watched about 100 episodes. After all, the story started with the first Gundam. It was a good series, no doubt. Originally, I had watched the recent Gundam movie “Gundam SEED FREEDOM”. But revisiting the start of Gundam made me realize that this is where it all began. I can see why this is a series that has a lot of fans. What kind of thoughts did you put into the program? -Is it okay to talk about this now? It's going to be a long story (laughs). I talked too much at the "Fantasy" fan meeting too. Well, I'll ask you about that separately (laughs), but please tell us if you have any stories about your time with Hanyu during the ice show. -We had the same practice time for "Fantasy," so we spent a lot of time on the ice together, but that also meant that we didn't have much time to talk. But I watched him practice a lot. This time, Yuzu skated to two programs, so I got the impression that he was practicing those two programs and warming up the whole time once the show started. I had the image of Hanyu always being next to you during rehearsals, but what did you talk about this year? You said that last year you only had casual conversations that didn't stick in your memory. -Ah, we did talk. But I don't remember it this year either (laughs). I don't recall it... Even though I've been with (Fantasy) for three years, I do look forward to the collaborations with other artists. Watching Yuzu, I can definitely feel the effort he puts into that, and I’m trying to follow his example. I wonder what kind of feelings he has when he performs." Embodying the image of a professional You've both just finished your second year as professionals, but have you noticed any changes in yourself or Hanyu? - I think Yuzu embodies what it means to be a professional. He's in a place that no one can imitate, and even though we can't imitate him, there are things we need to learn from him. Of course, I can learn a lot from him as a professional skater, and although it may be difficult to get the chance, I think there are things that current skaters can learn from him and things they need to learn from him. So, I hope everyone will watch him. What do you think you have learned from him, and what do you want current skaters to see in him? -It’s related to both, on how he concentrates on the ice show and how seriously he takes each performance. Of course, everyone takes it seriously. But among them, it’s his level of concentration, and his attitude of using all his nerves and exerting himself mentally to perform. He stays focused throughout the performance, so even when you think he might get tired and unable to move, he still stays focused right to the end. It feels like he's burning his life into it. I want everyone to see how passionate he is about skating. Now we’re both focused on skating Finally, do you have a message for Hanyu here? - A message in the magazine (laughs). Eh, um... he wasn't on the B Tour this year, so I wish he'd been there? (laughs). Did you miss him? - I'm only in my third year with Fantasy, but I felt that the atmosphere was different from usual. But rather than feeling lonely... (at the Shizuoka performance) I had the opportunity to go to a hot spring, so I wished we could have gone together (laughs). After all, we were in the same show, and he really showed me the attitude to have as a professional, so as I've always said, I hope that when he can take a break, we can spend time together with the old members. You certainly said that last year as well. -Yes, I’ve been saying that for a long time (laughs). Now, it feels like we can really face each other properly when we meet on the skating stage. It’s also easier to talk when we’re facing skating in the same space. I’m curious to see what kind of conversations we’ll have when we eventually strip away all of that someday. At the moment, as a professional skater, I’m meeting new artists and having opportunities to speak with various people. I often think that if I weren’t doing this, I wouldn’t have had these encounters. So, I think it will be more enjoyable to have a relaxed chat in the hot spring after we’ve explored this phase a bit more, but now we’re focused on skating, with that awareness, I think there are more suitable things to talk about from that position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted Tuesday at 01:10 AM Author Share Posted Tuesday at 01:10 AM 2024.08.29 *FS Life placeholder* Sota/Sekkisei Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted Friday at 01:02 AM Author Share Posted Friday at 01:02 AM 2024.08.30 Source: https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/950917 Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240831154129/https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/950917 A special conversation between Yuzuru Hanyu and Daiajari Ryojun Shionuma on the theme of "The meaning of life" is published across 12 pages in the October issue of Kateigaho, on sale today. Spoiler The October issue of Kateigaho (Sekai Bunka Publishing), which goes on sale on the 30th and will be the 800th issue since its launch, will feature a 12-page special conversation between professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (29) and Daiajari Shionuma Ryojun (56), the chief priest of Jigenji Temple (Sendai City), who is known for having completed the arduous "Omine Sennichi Kaihogyo" (The Omine Thousand Day Circumambulation Practice), a pilgrimage that only two people have accomplished in the past 1,300 years. The theme of the talk was "The meaning of life," and in the talk, Daiajari Shionuma said, "We also have guidelines like 1000 meters or walking 48 kilometers a day, but that is only a period of training necessary to improve our inner self," to which Hanyu responded, "When I am doing physical training or strength training, in a sense, it may feel similar to ascetic practice." He continued, "Since becoming a professional figure skater and beginning to think more strongly about 'expression,' I feel like I have more time to face myself wholeheartedly. After all, I realized that I can't express myself as I envision it unless I think deeply about who I am and what life is, and begin to form my own core. I think there are some states that can only be seen when you are pushed to the point of no escape." In addition, in response to a question from Daiajari Shionuma, "When something difficult happens, how do you deal with it?", he replied, "I fall as far as I can. It's hard, it's painful, I don't want to do it, and when I reach that point, I think, 'Ah, I'll try my best.' But I think that if you don't have difficult times, it's hard to see hope for the future." The book is filled with beautiful words woven by the two men on topics such as "What is the meaning of living?" and "What is life?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yuzurujenn Posted Friday at 01:05 AM Author Share Posted Friday at 01:05 AM 2024.08.30 Source: https://weibo.com/5437806211/Ov6fSqbGO Info: https://www.kateigaho.com/article/detail/177345 "Kateigaho" 800th commemorative issue · Ryojun Shionuma x Yuzuru Hanyu: The meaning of life "Unmoved by the eight winds, sitting upright on the purple lotus - The words of the soul that give life the power of enlightenment" serialization In the 800th commemorative issue of this magazine, a miraculous special conversation was realized. Ryojun Shionuma, the abbot of Jigenji Temple in Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, and Yuzuru Hanyu, a legendary figure skater who has repeatedly reached the peak of the figure skating world and has engraved his name and left countless milestones in its history. The two of them have always been regarded as the beacon of hope by people, and the profound yet light-hearted communication between them has the power to illuminate our way forward. The meaning of life, the way to accept pain, and other words of the soul that are relevant now will all be conveyed to you in this conversation. [The most difficult pilgrimage, "Omine Thousand Days Trip to the Peak", completed by Ryojun Shionuma. The great ajari Ryojun Shionuma was born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in 1968. He is the abbot of Jigenji Temple. He graduated from Tohoku High School. He became a monk at Kinpusenji Temple on Mount Yoshino in 1987. He completed the Omine Thousand Days Trip to the Peak in 1999. He completed the Four No-Practices* (no food, no water, no sleep, no lying down for nine days straight) and the Great Goma Offering of 8,000 Pieces* (after abstaining from the five grains -rice, barley, wheat, red beans, soybeans, and salt for 100 days, one continues to burn 8,000 goma for 24 hours without eating, drinking, sleeping or lying down). In 2003, he established Jigenji Temple in his hometown of Akiu, Sendai. He has written many books. In June 2004, he published "Kurashi no Shio Kagen" at his own expense.] [Consecutive Olympic gold medallist and four-time Grand Prix Final champion - Yuzuru Hanyu Yuzuru Hanyu was born in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture in 1994. He is a professional figure skater. He graduated from Tohoku High School and Waseda University. Gold medallist of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. He is the first male singles athlete to win consecutive Olympic gold medal in 66 years. He is scheduled to appear in the "Noto Peninsula Reconstruction Support Charity Performance: Challenge!" on September 15, 2024 (no audience/live broadcast only).] Precious words woven by two people who have experienced countless hardships. Spoiler [The Great Ajari and Yuzuru Hanyu, who had already decided their future paths at a young age] Dai Ajari Shionuma (hereinafter referred to as Shionuma): I am very happy to welcome Yuzuru Hanyu to Jigenji Temple again. It has been a long time since we met. Yuzuru Hanyu (hereinafter referred to as Hanyu): I have been looking forward to seeing you again. It is great that you still look the same as before. Shionuma: This time, we will discuss important topics such as "What is the meaning of life?" and "What is life?" with Yuzuru Hanyu. What I want to ask is, when did you start to think about becoming the "Yuzuru Hanyu" you are now? Hanyu: When I started skating at the age of four, I said, "I want to win a gold medal at the Olympics." What I have been pursuing is not the feeling of the urge to get it, but the set course of transforming the urge to get it into reality. I feel a little strange (laughs). Shionuma: Speaking of weirdness, can I say that I am also pretty weird myself? (laughs). I saw a documentary about the "Thousand Days Journey to the Peak" on TV and thought, "I want to practice this kind of training." I began to yearn for it from then on. I was in the fifth grade of elementary school at that time. I always had this dream in my heart. After graduating from high school, I went to Mount Yoshino’s Kinpusenji to practice. Even though I was just a little monk at the time, I always believed that "I can definitely complete the Thousand Days Journey to the Peak." It's strange, right? (laughs). Hanyu: But when you really started trying, was it very hard? Shionuma: Yes, it was very hard. Hanyu: Me too. The path I started on is completely different from the path I imagined for myself when I was a child. I thought I should have gotten the gold medal more easily, like "Oh, I got the gold medal", but in fact, the process was really difficult. Why do humans always choose to go down those painful paths? (wry smile). Shionuma: Maybe it's because people choose to continue to pursue "truth". When you face your true self calmly, unnecessary impurities will be eliminated, and your heart will become clear. I also have standards like 48 kilometres round trip every day for 1,000 days, but these are more for the necessary practice period to temper the heart. This is the biggest difference between adventurers or explorers, who are attracted by the charm of nature and choose to confront it, and practitioners. Hanyu: In order to sharpen my inner self, I need to constantly push myself. When doing physical training and strength training, in a way, I have a similar feeling of cultivation. Since turning professional, I have begun to think more deeply about the theme of "expression", and I feel that I have more time to face myself constantly. Indeed, I began to think deeply about questions like "Who am I?" and "What is the meaning of life?" I felt that if I didn't explore and understand my core essence, I wouldn't be able to express my true will and expression. Some states can only be achieved when you are forced into a corner, and you may never see them in your whole life. Shionuma: That's true. However, if you are not dealing with work like training or performing that requires constant progress and efficiency, it may be considered truly good to not push yourself too hard and live a relatively relaxed life (wry smile). Hanyu: That's right. However, when I was a student, I was forced to complete my exams and homework before the deadline, and I think this helped me develop my concentration to some extent. Shionuma: Facing oneself when pushed to the limit may indeed be an effective way to open up new states and gain new insights. Hanyu: I feel that if I don't challenge myself, I'm not myself, so I have been trying to add those difficult technical components to the competition, even if my success rate is only 10% or 20%. Looking back, I think the reason I fell in love with figure skating was probably because it gave me the courage to face difficulties in an extraordinary experience. Shionuma: Once you experience success in the face of extreme difficulties, that feeling will make you unable to stop, and you will never stop pursuing success. Hanyu: But, in fact, until now, I still only dream about my failures. Recently, I dreamed that I was in a competition, and even though the start time had passed, I still didn't change into my skates and costume. I felt very anxious and nervous. (wry smile) Shionuma: Have you never dreamed about success? Hanyu: Very rarely. In fact, before I dreamed that I succeeded, I kept dreaming about jumping the quadruple Axel. "Although I jumped it, it was in a dream. But this feeling is very real, I have to remember this feeling... I started to wake up a little, and after waking up, I took the time to practice image training of the quadruple Axel." I used it directly with the dream (laughs) and threw myself into it with full enthusiasm just like in the dream. Did Daiajari also have dreams similar to those during his practice? Shionuma: Sometimes I still dream that I am walking in the mountains. I don’t think my 1,000-day trip to the mountain has ended. Every day I keep the same state of mind that I had when I hit the 1,000th day. In fact, I only wrote the diary of my practice until the 999th day. Because in a corner of my heart, my practice is still going on. The state of mind discovered and finally reached in the diary Hanyu: Did you write in a diary every day? Shionuma: Yes. I wrote it until the 999th day, without missing any day in between. Before I started the “Thousand Days Journey to the Peak”, I never gave in to any kind of pressure or stress. Every morning, I would set out on the path of practice with the determination to "Let's go!" In my diary, if I practiced with a positive attitude, I would write a white dot in my diary, and if I had a mentality like "I really don't want to go today...", I would write a black dot. But in fact, I never faced practice with a negative attitude for a single day. So, my diary was full of white dots. Even now, that diary still gives me full confidence. Hanyu: That's really great. By writing down "Continue to work hard tomorrow" (such content to motivate yourself), it not only serves as a spiritual support, but also has the effect of making yourself realize that it is time to make a change. Shionuma: It does have this effect. But apart from that, the main reason I write it down every day is to remember my thoughts and feelings at that time. Hanyu: I am exactly the same as Dai Ajari. Dai Ajari’s behavior is completely like that of an athlete (laughs). My figure skating coach once taught me, "If you feel good about your jumps that day, you must write it down in your notebook." I started doing this when I was very young. I have always kept a figure skating notebook, so I still write down some details I notice during training. Shionuma: I see. The words you use to express your inner self have the power to resonate with people all over the world, and that's the origin of that accumulation. Do you often write in your skate notebook with a positive feeling? Hanyu: I think I should just accept all the negativity as it is and acknowledge it. It's not good to vent your negative feelings on others, so I write everything in my skate notebook. I’ll write it, tear it up, throw it away, and that's it! A pattern like this. I think I've thrown away as many worries as the number of pages in the notebook I tore up (laughs). Shionuma: That's a good method. In Buddhism, the greatest enlightenment is to let go of attachments. The Zen phrase "Eight winds blow but I remain unmoved" really resonates with me right now. When the eight winds (prosperity, decline, disgrace, honour, praise, censure, suffering, and pleasure) that disturb our minds come, our minds are inevitably shaken. Of course, we may react and become disturbed temporarily. The important thing is not to be caught up in that for too long. The teaching is that the way humans should aim for in life is to let go (throw away, discard) everything and encounter a new state of being, and that is exactly what Hanyu has been doing. I will do it that way from now on too. I may end up with a lot, thinking, "Am I really writing and throwing away all this in one day?" (laughs). Hanyu: No way (laughs). Concentration that can only be achieved in extreme situations Shionuma: By the way, I was moved when I saw your solo performance "ICE STORY 2023 "GIFT"" held at the Tokyo Dome in February 2023, the first time in the history of skaters to do so. What is the driving force that allows you to perform in such extreme situation? Hanyu: Because everyone has high expectations of me. I guess that's the only reason. I'm currently putting on an ice show where I'm the only skater for over two hours, and it's because I'm pushed to the limit and have my physical and mental strength worn down that my performance can be filled with tenderness, or conversely, even create a bit of a destructive atmosphere. There are times when I find myself thinking, "Why am I trying so hard? What am I doing this for?" But the reactions and energy of the audience when I deliver my performance is really enjoyable and makes me happy. I do it because I want to experience that joy. Shionuma: I wondered what this power is. Hanyu: If I don't do that much, I can't perform in a way that moves people's hearts. To begin with, I don't have much confidence... Everyone says I'm "mentally strong," but it's precisely because I'm not strong that I have to practice and prepare a lot to be able to endure. Also, I was thinking recently, "Why am I called a narcissist?" As a skater, I have many opportunities to look in the mirror, but it's not like I like looking at it. Even when I'm asked to check the photos during a shoot, I don't really think I need to check my own face. Shionuma: That's bad. Maybe I'm the narcissist... When my photo was taken just now, I said, "Show me the photo! It's good, it's good" (laughs). Hanyu: Ahahah (laughs). I'm not confident to begin with, so I can't do things half-heartedly. For example, when I'm warming up, I often concentrate so much that I'm immersed in my own world. People tend to think that I'm "conceited" because I'm not embarrassed when they see me lip-syncing enthusiastically, but it's not that. I have to go that far to perform at my best. Maybe I'm labeled a narcissist because I go all out more than the average person... Shionuma: In general, people only have access to a very limited amount of information, which can lead to an image that is perceived as completely different from reality. Hanyu: Oh~ Regarding the statement of narcissism, I want to refute it here. I am not a narcissist (wry smile). Shionuma: Now, I want to tell you something. People often think I am special because I have successfully completed the 1,000-day journey to the peak, which is only completed by two people in 1,300 years. But in fact, when they talk to me, they often say, "After meeting you, I realized that you are just like ordinary people." This makes me very happy. [100-year-old active monk + 100-year-old active figure skater] Hanyu: But I grew up knowing that I was a pretty weird kid. But you decided to complete the Thousand Days Journey to the Peak in the fifth grade of elementary school. It seems that DaiAjari was also a weird kid at that time (laughs). If you go back to the time when you first saw the Thousand Days Journey to the Peak program, would you make the same choice? Shionuma: (Answer immediately) Yes. Even if there is an afterlife, I will definitely embark on the same path again. Hanyu: This is really great. If possible, I would probably choose to take a different path from now. If there is a reincarnation, I feel that I have fulfilled my mission in this life because I have dedicated my life to skating! I think that I have done enough. Hmm, maybe it would be nice to be reborn as an ant in my next life (laughs). Shionuma: Ant?! Seriously (laughs)! I now live a very happy life every day from the time I wake up in the morning until I go to bed at night. Many monks reach a higher level after the age of 80 as they accumulate skills. But if life is like climbing a mountain, I am 56 years old and have only reached the second level. Since I was born, I feel that my mental state has been well adjusted, so I have decided that I want to study until I am 80 and continue to work on the forefront until I am 100. And, it is my wish that when I finish this life and welcome the next one, I hope that God and also my Master can say to me, ‘You have done a good job’. To help everyone achieve happiness, this is the driving force that keeps me moving forward even if I choose a difficult path. Hanyu, what do you think is the meaning of life? How do you think about your role? Hanyu: I do think about the meaning of my existence in this life, and about my role. It's not quite the case that I live for the whole world or for everyone, but I feel that I live for certain people. It just so happens that through the medium of skating, I can connect with everyone, that's the role I'm taking on right now. Shionuma: I see. I just said that I want to continue to study until I'm 80 and continue to work at the forefront until I'm 100. So, what are your plans for the future, Hanyu? Hanyu: I think I'll be active at the forefront until I'm 100. A skater who can still be active at 100 years old sounds amazing (laughs). I'm in a period of constant change right now, so to be honest, I can't predict what I'll do next... As I change, I do feel the realities of life. Because figure skating is a sport that requires physical involvement and includes the risk of injury, I can't predict what will happen when and where, or when and where it will end, but I hope that I can deeply feel the meaning of my existence in those moments, and that's a good approach towards life. Shionuma: It does feel like a real sense of change. So how do you cope when difficulties come your way? Hanyu: I would let myself fall completely to the lowest point. I would feel the pain, hardship, and disgust, and then, after sinking completely to the bottom, I tell myself, "Ah, it's time to make an effort." But I also think that without these difficult moments, it would have been difficult for me to see any hope for the future after this. When I was 16 years old, I experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, so I had many opportunities to visit the affected areas, and I realised that there were many people who would compare their own suffering with others, saying, ‘My suffering is nothing compared to those people’, and endured it with that thought in mind. Although this is a virtue of the Japanese, I recently feel that we should accept suffering frankly and work hard to face it. Shionuma: That's right. I think the only thing we can do is to accept suffering and turn it into sustenance for moving forward. Hanyu: I think so too. On the contrary, if you always say, "I don't feel pain," you won't have enough strength to take the next step. That is why we have to accept suffering without reservation. [Accepting suffering is a powerful step forward] Shionuma: Yes, can Hanyu accept difficulties and turn them into sustenance for moving forward? Hanyu: But I feel that my mental state is getting worse every year. Is it because I will soon enter my 30s? Sure enough, I am different now than when I was a teenager (wry smile). Shionuma: is that what you really think? I am 56 years old this year, but I’m stronger, more optimistic and positive now (laughs). In life, sometimes you will encounter unexpected obstacles and mishaps. At times like these, I will never let myself get caught in a passive situation. If something happens, I will choose to be proactive in turn. If you can turn this pain into sustenance to overcome it, you will definitely be able to climb up again. In life, this kind of tenacity is very important. Hanyu: As expected of the Great Teacher! But, do you get depressed too? Shionuma: Depressed... never (laughs). I'm so busy running around every day that I hardly have time to think about that. Of course, I will feel very upset when I fail or make mistakes, but I always adjust my emotions as soon as possible and try to make up for it. I always keep a positive mindset and try my best to go with the flow. Hanyu: I really want to know if, in another twenty years, I will be able to reach such a state where I am no longer depressed (laughs). Today, I discussed a lot of topics with DaiAjari about ‘how to face oneself’ and ‘the meaning of life’. In this age of SNS, which is full of uncertainty and all kinds of topics, especially in the context of the current turbulent world situation, such reflections become particularly important. I hope that this conversation will help everyone become more aware of themselves and find out if they can see the essence of things clearly. I would be very happy if our conversation could become an opportunity for everyone to examine themselves and inspire their thoughts. In my life, I firmly believe that as long as a person makes a change, their surrounding environment, their country, and even the world will change accordingly. Shionuma: Just as you said. Each of us should embrace the mindset of being "unmoved by the eight winds" and steadfastly pursue what we need to do. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Reflecting deeply about how to express (this issue) is also a consideration of the meaning of life." - Yuzuru Hanyu "Still learning at the age of 80, still at the forefront at the age of 100." - Ryojun Shionuma "I write down the negatives in a notebook and then tear it up; the number of pages torn represents the worries discarded." - Yuzuru Hanyu "Suffering can come to anyone, the only thing you can do is to accept it and turn it into sustenance for moving forward.” - Ryojun Shionuma [End of the conversation] [Message to the other party] DaiAjari Shionuma to Yuzuru Hanyu: [Strong and gentle, mysterious and beautiful] “Although we haven’t met for many years, from his words, I can clearly sense that he has accumulated a wealth of experience and depth in his life. As a rare figure skater, the weight carries on his shoulders is immeasurable, and I sincerely hope that this conversation can show the truest Yuzuru Hanyu, and convey his unique charisma that combines gentleness, resilience, and sensitivity. I sincerely hope that more people can gain inspiration about life from this, even if it is just one more person. Yuzuru Hanyu to Daiajari Shionuma: [The meaning of existing here, the meaning of being yourself is ‘life’] “I came to visit with a teacher from Tohoku High School when I was a teenager. I was a little nervous when I first arrived, but Daiajari greeted me with a series of cold jokes, and it was the same this time (laughs). Sharing the significant growth and changes I’ve experienced over the years with him has been very reassuring, so we discussed many topics I had never talked about before. For those who read this conversation, I would be very happy if you could find some words that touch your heart and brings us closer together. 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