[2024] Compilation of translated interview articles with Yuzu

[yuzurujenn]

2024.12.20

 

Source: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002082.000004702.html

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20241220100125/https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000002082.000004702.html

 

 

30-year-old Yuzuru Hanyu will reprise his self-homage to "The Beginning of the Blue Rose" with Mika Ninagawa! The photos will be featured in the "Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai," set to be released on March 21.

 

The "Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai" (scheduled for release on March 21, 2025), currently available for pre-order, will include newly taken photos! For Yuzuru Hanyu, who has just turned 30, Mika Ninagawa has prepared the set from their first photoshoot together, the 2018 "Blue Rose" set.

 

Spoiler

"The sets that Mika-san prepares have a mysterious power that immediately draws you into their world. Mika-san suggested recreating the blue roses, so I approached the shoot with the mindset, 'If I'm going to create a book, I want to make it something special.' I thought, 'Would it be more interesting to try to capture the facial expressions I had back then?' but as I faced Mika-san's camera, my expressions gradually shifted to reflect who I am now. I hope you enjoy the completely different photographs, even though they are set in the same situation." (Yuzuru Hanyu comment)

 

"It has been six years since I first photographed Hanyu-san. For the photobook 'Tai,' we had the opportunity for the fifth photoshoot. This time, we used the same blue rose set from when we first worked together in 2018. Because it's the same set, the photos showcase even more clearly the incredible expressiveness that Hanyu-san has developed over the past six years. I'm very excited to see how Hanyu-san's expression will evolve as he enters his thirties." (Mika Ninagawa comment)

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: The Culmination of His 20s and the Starting Line – Six Years Captured by Mika Ninagawa

The photobook Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai (scheduled for release on March 21, 2025), which contains the best of the best photos taken by photographer Mika Ninagawa of professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, will also feature newly shot images. For Hanyu-san, who has just turned 30, Ninagawa-san has prepared the same "blue rose" set from their first photoshoot together in 2018.

 

 

Editor’s Comment:

Yuzuru Hanyu turned 30 on December 7th of this year. The background behind the creation of Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai lies in Mika Ninagawa's desire to capture the expressions of Hanyu-san in his 20s in one volume.

 

During discussions about the structure of the photobook, Ninagawa-san came up with the idea, "What kind of expression would be created if the current Hanyu-san entered the same 'blue rose' set from 2018?" It was an idea we never imagined, but as soon as I heard it, I was convinced that if it came to life, it would definitely result in an incredible work of art.

 

Both Hanyu-san and Ninagawa-san are active at the top of their fields. While there was some anxiety about whether we could coordinate their busy schedules, with the support of everyone involved, the "reenactment of the blue rose" came to fruition. The hair and makeup artist, as well as the stylist, who worked with us in 2018, also participated in this project.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai contains a wealth of precious photos capturing Hanyu-san at 30. We invite you to look forward to the latest images created by these unique and irreplaceable artists.

 

 

Announcing the Ultimate Collector’s Edition Large-Format Photobook Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai (AERA Special Edition / Special Box) – Release Date: March 21, 2025!

The Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai (AERA Special Edition / Special Box), featuring the best shots taken by photographer Mika Ninagawa of professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, will be released on Friday, March 21. Hanyu-san has been photographed by Ninagawa four times, starting with a session before the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. This photobook features the best of the best selections from 18 different sessions, encompassing approximately 5,000 shots. It is a collector’s edition meant for permanent preservation.

 

This product is available for pre-order only (pre-order deadline: January 6, 2025 / extended due to popularity!).

 

Yuzuru Hanyu and Mika Ninagawa first met six years ago during a cover shoot for AERA. At the time, Hanyu was 23 years old. His expression, gazing intently at the camera while surrounded by the blue rose set, still showed traces of youthfulness. The AERA cover featuring this "blue rose" shot quickly sold out and became a huge hit.

 

Since Hanyu-san's declaration of turning professional in 2022, he has had sessions about once a year, each time deepening his expressions. These shoots have resulted in four previous photobooks: Yuzuru Hanyu: The Driving Force behind the Leap (2022), Yuzuru Hanyu: A Solitary Driving Force (2023), Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Shin, and Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Gi (2024).

 

This December, the fifth session took place! The photobook Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai, scheduled for release in March, will be a culmination of the six-year Yuzuru Hanyu × Mika Ninagawa collaboration, capturing the evolution of Hanyu's expressions and marking a new starting point. In addition to carefully selected shots from the four previous shoots, the book will also include unpublished images and the "reenactment of the blue rose" from the fifth shoot. This photobook will be presented as a large-format edition, measuring 297mm x 297mm, and will be packaged in a special box. The dynamic composition of the photos will allow readers to feel the energy of the shoots. Full of highlights, Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai will be available exclusively through pre-order in a special box!

 

 

[Contents of the Special Box]

■ Large-Format Photobook (Photography by Mika Ninagawa)

Presented as a large-format book, measuring 297mm x 297mm!

It includes carefully selected shots from the four previous photo sessions, along with unpublished images.

• The fifth session was captured! Yuzuru Hanyu at 30, photographed in the "Beginning of the Blue Rose" set.

■ Booklet

A reprint of the interviews that AERA has conducted with Yuzuru Hanyu!

The booklet also includes numerous off-shots taken during the photo sessions.

■ Special Calendar

A calendar starting in April 2025! Of course, the photography is by Mika Ninagawa.

The calendar's dates were handwritten by Yuzuru Hanyu.

■ Behind-the-Scenes DVD

Unpublished behind-the-scenes footage from Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Shin and Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Gi.

Includes 2 videos from Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Shin and Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Gi (already released on AERA's official YouTube).

Also includes 4 behind-the-scenes clips from Yuzuru Hanyu: The Driving Force of Solitude (already released on AERA's official YouTube).

• The behind-the-scenes footage of the fifth session will also be included!

 

"Yuzuru Hanyu Photobook Tai" (AERA Special Edition / Special Box Included)
Photobook: 144 pages (planned)

Booklet: 32 pages (planned)

Price: ¥16,500 (¥15,000 + 10% tax)

ISBN: 978-4-02-332376-6

Available on Amazon Japan

 

This product is available for pre-order only (pre-order deadline extended due to high demand! Orders close on January 6, 2025).

 

[yuzurujenn]

2024.12.23

 

Source: AERA December 30, 2024 issue, pg 37-41

Info: https://publications.asahi.com/product/25174.html

 

 

"Guided by 'Sound'
Report on 'Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR' 

 

The third installment of the ice story by professional skater Yuzuru Hanyu has begun.
This is a report on the first day of his Saitama performance, which took place on his 30th birthday.

Writer: Takaomi Matsubara Photo and Video Department: Takuya Matsunaga

 

Spoiler

Before the doors opened, many people had already gathered around the venue. Some were taking pictures of large posters, others were taking commemorative photos with the venue in the background. On December 7th, at the Saitama Super Arena, the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd 'Echoes of Life' TOUR" premiered. It marked the beginning of a tour that will visit Hiroshima in January 2025 and Chiba in February. Despite the cold air, there was a palpable sense of excitement.

 

As the venue opened and the showtime approached, the murmurs of the crowd filled the space, only to gradually fall silent. The lights dimmed. A loud round of applause erupted. Images began to play on the large screen installed at the back of the skating rink.

 

The scene that unfolded before the audience resembled a near-future cityscape, with a cluster of skyscrapers in ruins—suggesting a possible future. Amidst this, the protagonist of the story, played by Hanyu as "VGH-257 'NOVA'," wakes up, unsure of his memory, and questions himself.

 

"Why am I here? Why was I born? What is life?"

 

The Theme of "Life" and "Living"

The third installment of the ice story series, following "GIFT" and "RE_PRAY," is based on the theme of "life" and "living."

 

Hanyu later revealed his intent after the performance: "I've always been interested in the philosophy of 'living,' having thought about bioethics since I was a child and studied it at university. I reflected on the thoughts and theories that had been circulating in my mind for a long time and wrote this performance with the hope of giving you all an opportunity to find your own answer to the question of what it means to live in this world and to think about philosophy."

 

Many people, regardless of how deeply they have thought about it, will have considered the theme of life at some point. Simply presenting this theme is a major challenge. Moreover, the story unfolds on the ice while incorporating visuals. How to make it work as a narrative? That's where Hanyu's idea came in.

 

It’s "sound."

 

The guide who appears in the visual narrative says: "You can experience words and letters as sound."

 

By using "sound" as a medium, the theme is embedded within the story, and through the guidance of "sound," the meaning of life and the purpose of living are explored. As it is transformed into "sound," the performance on the ice also becomes an integral part of the story.

 

Philosophy Becomes Music

 

Hanyu continues: "Originally, I thought that scenes could become colors, sounds, or emotions. For example, some people associate the color 'red' with passion, while others see it as fear. It's all about individual interpretation. However, I was the type of person who, from a young age, would hear those things as sounds. It's not that I have perfect pitch, but rather, I would hear them in a sort of melodic sense. When thinking about my own experiences, and as I was writing fiction, I considered, 'What kind of abilities should I give to this character?' I incorporated elements such as the intonation of the words I use in training, the meanings behind them, and so on, into the story. Philosophy enters the body as sound. That philosophy becomes music, and the program is created. This is the kind of story I wrote, exploring many different ideas."

 

Starting with an excellent concept, the story unfolds with mostly new programs. Each program was carefully crafted to represent the story, but the most striking part was the scene before the intermission, transitioning from "Piano Collection" to "Ballade No. 1.

 

A Stunning 10+ Minutes

 

In "Piano Collection," Hanyu skated to five songs with brief 30-second pauses in between, without ever leaving the rink.

 

"From the continuous classical piano pieces to 'Ballade No.1,' it was something I had never done before. I didn't leave the stage once. I studied classical music with pianist Kiyozuka Shinya, and had detailed discussions with choreographer Jeffrey Buttle to meticulously plan the program and create this concept."

 

A large white cloth screen, suspended in the air, and the world on the ice were accompanied by projection mapping, where musical notes flowed. Through the performance within this setting, it expressed questions and inner conflict. The overall expression was truly breathtaking.

 

"Turning 30"

 

The story continues. The protagonist, struggling, suffering, fighting, and seeking answers to his questions, eventually reaches a certain conclusion. What will the audience, who has watched the opening performance or will attend one of the shows running through February, take away from it? With a lingering emotion, the story concludes.

 

While presenting a profound theme, Hanyu not only conveyed the theme but also revealed various aspects of himself through his expressions in the visuals and on the ice, creating a truly rich narrative.

 

One of the key factors that supported this was, of course, Hanyu's ability as a skater. His sharp quadruple jumps, triple axels, various spins, and connecting movements... He truly embodied the ice story once again.

 

Hanyu reflects: "The strongest feeling I have is that it's finally started. I was really nervous, and although I spent a lot of time training every day, you can't truly know until you're performing in front of everyone. There were parts where I wasn't sure whether it was a success or failure. Honestly, I feel like 'it really started now,' and I’m just glad that I could complete the performance without injury on the first day."

 

Hanyu was all smiles after the performance. The opening day of the tour was also his 30th birthday.

 

When asked about turning 30, Hanyu responded: "I feel like, 'Wow, I’m turning 30' (laughs). When I was told, ‘You’re 30,’ I thought, ‘Oh, 30...’ but the way I imagined being in my 30s when I was younger is completely different from how I feel now, both physically and mentally. I feel like I can still do a lot. In 'Echoes,' there are questions like, 'What is the future?' or 'What is the past?' but I think the future will be even better than I imagined, and by doing my best in the present, I feel like I can welcome my 30s in a way that’s different from the time when I thought, ‘30 means you’re getting old.’

 

"I had a vague image that figure skating would deteriorate at this age, but if you think about it in terms of other sports like baseball or soccer, I feel like this is the time when my experience, my sense, and my technique will start to really come together. I want to always approach training, practice, and performances with the mindset that I have hope for my future and that I will definitely seize every opportunity."

 

On this day, he performed a total of 15 programs, including three encores. The performance lasted over 2 hours and 30 minutes. Standing alone on the ice and demonstrating an overwhelming presence, he conveyed more than anything else the powerful message of his current state at 30 years old.

 

Dedicated Effort

 

It wasn't just on the ice. There was the work of conceptualizing the story, collaborating with the staff to bring it to life, the detailed direction, filming, and daily practice—all the accumulated effort leading to this point. With unwavering dedication, he continued to move forward as a skater and refine his work as an artist, and this process culminated in a tangible result on that day.

 

And it was a moment that gave a sense that even now in his 30s, he will continue to create new worlds.

 

The number of spectators on the opening day was 14,000. Not only that, many people in Japan and abroad enjoyed the show via streaming.

 

Many more people will surely watch the performances going forward. Yuzuru Hanyu's tour continues to deliver his story to these audiences.