[2024] RE_PRAY

[yuzurujenn]

Compilation of interviews about RE_PRAY 2024:

- Saga (Jan 12th & 14th)

- Yokohama (Feb 17th & 19th)

- Miyagi (Apr 7th & 9th)

 

 

Info: 

https://repray-icestory.jp/

https://x.com/repray_icestory

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.01.07

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240107-OHT1T51126.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240504125110/https://hochi.news/articles/20240107-OHT1T51126.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu "I have to give my best performance". "RE_PRAY" a fusion program of game & music 

 

``Exclusive Close-up! Documentary Yuzuru Hanyu RE_PRAY,'' which follows the solo performance ``RE_PRAY,'' which was planned, written, performed, and executive produced by professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, was broadcasted on TV Asahi on the 7th.

　

 

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The tour, which began at Saitama Super Arena in November 2023, is an ice story that expresses a magnificent world view. One of the themes was fusion with game music, and the production was handled by MIKIKO, one of Japan's leading choreographers. Ringo Shiina's "Chicken, Snake, and Pig" was choreographed by MIKIKO. After receiving guidance from MIKIKO while standing in front of a mirror on land, he applied his movements to the ice. There is also a scene where MIKIKO reveals with a smile, ``He’s a very quick learner.''

　

``I want to create a program that can be shown without jumping,'' said Hanyu.

 

Ado's ``Ashura-chan'' was performed by dancing, ``Final Fantasy 10'' theme song ``Itsuka Owaru Yume'' was performed by skating, and part of the song ``Undertale'', ``MEGALOVANIA'', was performed by just spinning. Fascinating.

 

　This is a gruelling one-man show in which he performs 12 performances, including three new programs, for approximately two and a half hours. ``The Messenger of Destruction'' (Final Fantasy 9), which was performed after a 6-minute practice similar to a competition, had a ``jump composition and difficulty that could be used in a competition'', including 3 quadruple rotations and 2 triple axel (3 and a half rotations). After his performance, he ran out of oxygen and collapsed backstage.

 

　``People around me often say, ``You're really skillful,'' but I've never thought of myself as being that. If anything, I’m scared if I don’t listen to all the music to the point it gets into my body, my head hurts every time.''

 

　``The reason I want to continue even if it's so hard is because there are people who come to see it. There are people there who expect something from me and who want to see it. Because of that, I want to show some good performance, in front of the people who want to see it. There are also people who want to share my ice story, and I will do my best for those people. I have to give my best performance. That's my motivation," he said, adding, "That's what makes me want to get better and keep working hard to deliver even better things. I hope I can get better that way," he said.

 

　Performances in Saga (SAGA Arena) will be held on January 12th and 14th, and Yokohama performances (Pia Arena MM) will be held on February 17th and 19th.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.01.13

 

Source: https://nishispo.nishinippon.co.jp/article/811644/2/

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240504131034/https://nishispo.nishinippon.co.jp/article/811644/1/

https://web.archive.org/web/20240504130755/https://nishispo.nishinippon.co.jp/article/811644/2/ 

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu performs for 2 and a half hours in his first solo performance in Kyushu, ``I want to express my full power even if it means sacrificing my soul.'' He also stands by the victims of the Noto Peninsula.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu (29), who won two consecutive Winter Olympics in men's figure skating and turned professional in 2022, performed "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd ``RE_PRAY'' TOUR'' at SAGA Arena in Saga City on the 12th. This will be Hanyu's first solo performance in Kyushu. It attracted approximately 5,500 spectators from Japan and abroad. The Saga performance will also be held on the 14th.

 

 

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Hanyu danced vividly on the silver board set up in the brand-new arena. The production combines life with the world of the game, making full use of video technology such as large screens and projection mapping. After completing a gorgeous stage befitting the new year, he exuded a sense of fulfillment, saying, ``I'm really happy to be able to skate in front of everyone.''

 

　``I want to use the framework of this ice story to convey various things to everyone as a story. I created this story with the hope that people will enjoy the skating, and the characters, along with the story."

 

　It was two and a half hours of breathing life into the programs and performing with all his heart and soul. The show opened with the song ``Itsuka Owaru Yume'' from the popular game ``Final Fantasy 10,'' and he went on to perform high-quality jumps, spins, and steps throughout the show. The excitement reached its climax when he performed the encore of ``SEIMEI,'' the free skate from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics where he won the gold medal, to a standing ovation from the audience. In the new program "Messenger of Ruin" that was used in this tour, there was a scene where he fell while jumping. ``I think that’s part of the ice story, including that fall.'' Including that, he gave his best performance today.

 

　As a competitor, he won two consecutive Olympic titles and attempted an unprecedented quadruple and a half jump. Even after he turned professional, he continued to perform with great success, including an unusual solo performance at Tokyo Dome. During the talk session, he revealed that recently people around him had told him, ``Maybe you don't have to work so hard and risk your life so much?'' His fans have also expressed their concerns on social media and other channels. He himself talks about the behind-the-scenes of his solo tour, where he skates alone for long periods of time, saying, ``It's tough, and I'm very proud of it.'' Even so, Hanyu says, ``I won't be satisfied unless I work hard.''

 

　“Right now, I want to express my full power, even if it means sacrificing my soul.”

 

　The world situation is unstable, and there is a series of dark news in Japan, such as the earthquake in the Noto Peninsula starting on New Year's Day in 2024. Mr. Hanyu, who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, said, ``The world is really in trouble right now, and the situation in the Noto Peninsula is also the same, and the world situation is still not good...I'm sure you're worried about various things, even personal ones", empathizing with those who are on the edge of suffering. The performance on this day included the hope that everyone would be able to enjoy it, even if it was just for a little while, even if it was just a little bit of virtual energy.

 

　``Tomorrow will come as long as we don't stop moving forward. Therefore, there may be times when we don't want to move towards tomorrow, as I myself felt that way on March 11th, but I would be happy if, through this story, I could inspire people to think about moving towards hope and do their best tomorrow."

 

　Believing in hope for tomorrow, Hanyu will continue to skate gracefully and strong this year. (Serika Ito)

 

 

[Full text of Yuzuru Hanyu's comments after his performance on the 12th]

 

- Thoughts after completing your first tour in Kyushu in the new year.

``Anyway, I'm really happy to be skating in front of everyone, and the framework of this ice story itself really makes me want to convey a lot of things to everyone as a story. I'm creating this with the hope that you can enjoy the skating, and the characters, along with the story. I skated thinking that I would be happy if you could feel it.”

 

-What is your image of Saga Prefecture?

``I haven't been to Kyushu very often, and at this time of year, maybe it’s just for now, but it was much warmer than I expected, even though it was January. The atmosphere of the city also felt very homely, and even when I was heading to the venue, I could feel the calm atmosphere while looking at the scenery.''

 

-What message would you like to convey to everyone in Saga through this ice story?

``It's in the epilogue at the end, but really, unless you stop walking, tomorrow will come. There may be times when you don't want to move towards tomorrow, as I myself felt on 3/11, so I would be happy if everyone, through this story, even just a little bit, would feel inspired to walk towards hope and do their best tomorrow."

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.02.19

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240219-OHT1T51224.html?page=1

https://hochi.news/articles/20240219-OHT1T51228.html?page=1 

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240505054646/https://hochi.news/articles/20240219-OHT1T51224.html?page=1

 https://web.archive.org/web/20240505054858/https://hochi.news/articles/20240219-OHT1T51228.html?page=1

 

 

“Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd “RE_PRAY” TOUR,” the first solo tour performance by Yuzuru Hanyu, who won 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics in men's figure skating and turned professional in July 2022, reached its final stage at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama on January 19.

 

　At the end of the first half, he performed the song ``The Messenger of Ruin'' from ``Final Fantasy 9,'' and completed the skating without making any mistakes, showing off his powerful performance to the sold-out audience of 7,000 people.

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: ``I want you to live your one and only life properly.'' Q&A after the Yokohama performance with ``prayer'' (Part 1)

 

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The Q&A after the performance is as follows (Part 1).

 

　-After concluding the Yokohama performance.

　``No, really, um, up until now, each time I was on tour, I found various challenges, and I found things I've been able to accomplish. To tell you the truth, every time I was on tour, I've found things I need to improve on. So, in a sense, uh, especially in the first half, I'm always thinking about how to overcome my past self and become stronger, like competing as a competitor. As I was thinking about it, I realized that I was able to practice stoically while pushing myself, and I was able to practice for the Yokohama performance.

 

　- Completed 3 shows.

　"Well, I feel a sense of accomplishment. Compared to myself up to now, I feel like I've practiced the most, and, um, in terms of eating, I continued to spend the days paying attention to various things, such as my diet and sleep. Well, in a sense, it was a day that I was rewarded, and above all, the people who watched it looked really happy, so I'm really glad I did my best.''

 

　-What are your current plans for the future?

　`` Well, honestly, I thought about that during ``Gift'' too, but that's over. Now, I have put my heart and soul into my skating today as well, so much so that I feel that I have already exhausted all I have to give. Well, I think, more than anything else, it is because of all of you, who come to cover, watch, read, listen, etc., that I am able to do such things as ice stories, and ice shows, I think, it is because of you that I am able to do such things. I am truly grateful to all of you. I would like to continue to do my best in my own way, while being truly grateful to all of you.

 

　-Could you briefly describe the theme of the performance?

　“Well, um, well, to put it simply, the days just go on and on, and some of them are really exciting, and then there are days that are nothing but gloom and darkness, days when it seems like it's been cloudy for a long time. But I'm trying to convey the message that I want you all to live even in such a situation. Basically, life comes and goes, but I created this story with a prayer that I want you to live your one and only life properly. Was it brief? Okay?”

 

　-What new possibilities have you discovered as a professional?

　“I'm feeling once again that Ice Story is very tough. Well, originally, as for “Gift”, it was, uh, one performance. Also, the last performance in the first half was, well, it’s a competition program, but it was a short program, so I think I could still manage to do it. So, this time, I wanted to challenge almost the same situation with free program, but it was really tough. However, after having been challenged many times in the form of a tour like this, I have finally been able to feel again that I can achieve results if I train in this way, and I could improve myself every time. Well, that’s also part of my story, as I gain experience and get better, I hope to show my more technically advanced self again.

 

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: ``I practiced like crazy and was able to achieve this with the same intensity as the Olympics.'' Q&A after the Yokohama performance (Part 2)

 

  Reveal hidden contents

The Q&A after the performance is as follows (Part 2).

 

　-What things evolved over the three shows?

　"Maybe some kind of training methods. Well, that's right. I feel that my training methods have been reestablished."

 

　-What about evolution in terms of expression?

　``Ah, well, I was also thinking about the thoughts of the composer and the feelings I wanted to put into the story. Also, I was thinking about what the people who were directing and lighting the show wanted to show, and what their feelings were, and the more I skated, the more I felt it. I think it was great that I was able to skate the way I did.

 

- How did you manage to push yourself that far?

　``For example, I wake up in the morning, stretch and train for an hour, then go to practice, then train and skate for three hours, then come back home and train for an hour and a half, and then do an hour of image training before going to bed. I kept repeating days like that. I’ve been practicing and doing image training a lot more than when I was competing. But somehow, while I wanted to show something really good, at the same time, I felt once again that my ability was vastly inferior to what I wanted to show, so I really want to continue to evolve."

 

　- Evaluation of “Messenger of Ruin” with no mistakes.

　``I feel like it's like a competition, and my practice has finally paid off. I've been working hard every day to go through practice three rounds and make no mistakes all three times. However, as I went through the first half of the show, I kept repeating things like changing clothes and putting on shoes during the video part, and I started to lose my grip strength. It was totally different from just skating. But to be able to make no mistakes in such a situation was a moment when I realized once again that what I had done was right.

 

　-About the role of water. What meaning do you want to express?

　``I have this image that water is like the root of life. I have a strong image that when life is born, it comes from water. It is because of water that, well, plants are formed, and we, mammals, are created and so on... I used water as a symbol of life, as the root of the evolutionary process.

 

　-What about the tree?

　``It's like, uh, life, for example, if something like uh, life, started from the roots of a tree, then it gradually splits off and goes in various directions. But when you look for the root, I realized that we were all just one, newly born, completely empty self, and from there, we branched off into various paths and did various things. A branch may break there, but if you walk from there, you might be able to make something out of it. I was sharing various images with MIKIKO-sensei while creating this work.''

 

　―When you said “I feel lonely” at the end of the performance, was it about parting ways with “RE_PRAY”?

　“Ah~ I guess. I felt a sense of accomplishment that I was able to finish it today, so in a way, it might be hard for you to imagine, but in a sense, it was like winning the Olympics for me, and I was able to achieve something that I had practiced so hard for. I was happy because I was able to accomplish something, and along with my happiness, I was also feeling sad. However, I think I can still improve my skills and become even stronger, so I will practice more".

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.04.08

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20240408-OHT1T51002.html?page=1 
Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20240512080506/https://hochi.news/articles/20240408-OHT1T51002.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu returns to competitions: ``None.'' His days as a professional: ``I've been practicing far more than I did for the Olympics. I want to become even stronger.''

 

Professional figure skating skater Yuzuru Hanyu, who won back-to-back Olympic titles in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang in 2018, held his solo tour in Miyagi, “Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd “RE_PRAY” TOUR,” at Sekisui Heim Super Arena on the 7th. It was the first time it was held locally.

On this day, he performed a total of 12 songs for over 2 hours and 30 minutes. It attracted a packed house of 5,800 people.

The solo tour, which began in Saitama last November and has been held in Saga and Yokohama, will conclude on the 9th.
 

 

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-What is your next professional ambition?

　``Yeah, what are we going to do? I'm in trouble too. However, as long as everyone has expectations, I want to work even harder and show you something great. Actually, I think I'm still in the process of evolving. I hope I can continue to work hard, turn my various experiences into strength, and turn your support into strength as I move forward."

 

-- Great performances in all 12 songs. How do you feel about returning to competition?

　``None. To be honest, uh, yeah. I've been practicing far more than I did for the Olympics, so I'm better now. When I think back on the Olympics, um, I think I could have practiced more for the Olympics. But I feel like it's because of this solo performance that I'm able to practice as hard as I can, and I want to become stronger, so I can proudly say I'm definitely better than I was back then.”

 

―What new discoveries and personal growth did you experience through your solo tour? Also what was your most impressive program?

“Well, the structure and choreography of the first program of Part 1 and the first program of Part 2 are almost the same, actually. And, um, the songs are the same, just the arrangements are slightly different, the costumes have changed, the lighting has changed. Well, I was skating with a different feeling, but after watching it in the first half, when you saw the same program again, I wondered, ``How do you feel about it?'' I wanted to convey that feeling, or rather, I wanted people to feel that way, so I chose this structure. The meaning of each program is, of course, besides the feelings I want to convey, I also want to know how it makes you feel, depending on what your background is, what your experiences are. Through this replay, I realized that it is important to pay attention to how people feel when they see this program, and this is necessary in order to evolve. I am happy to do so.”

 

--Additional performances were decided in a hurry. Was it possible because you had the desire to show the peak of your professional skating in your hometown?

　``I’m not at my peak yet, but as a professional, I've been exploring and creating a new form of ice story, er, skating, and I'm sure I had a strong feeling that I wanted to skate in my hometown. In fact, people from all over the world came, and this time I heard even people from Taiwan as well. People from all over the world come to my hometown, and I would be very happy if my show was the reason they came to my hometown. I would love to do it in Sendai and Miyagi.”

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.04.25

 

Source: https://www.fujisan.co.jp/product/1281681333/new/ 
Info: https://twitter.com/s_style/status/1782703665415110694 

 

 

S-style May 2024 issue - featuring the Miyagi performance of "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd "RE_PRAY" TOUR"

 

Approximately 5,800 fans gathered on the first day of the additional performance in Miyagi, which was held on April 7th, 2024. We will deliver footage of this performance, which was only allowed to be covered by media connected to Miyagi, along with new photo shots.

 

Photo: Kiyoshi Sakamoto
Text: S-Style Editorial Department

 

After turning professional, Yuzuru Hanyu has been able to perform solo figure skating performances in an unprecedented form called ‘ICE STORY’. Following the first series “GIFT”, the work “RE_PRAY” is based on the theme of games that he loves. The world of games that can be played over and over again, and a life that we can only live once. It is a work that expresses both worlds while also filled with prayers for the people living today.

 

Held in Saitama, Saga and Yokohama, Miyagi was suddenly decided as an additional performance. Many fans came from all over Japan and around the world to see Mr. Hanyu’s event in his hometown.

After skating 9 programs, before the encore, he addressed the fans in the venue and said, “I’m sure there are some people who can only come today, I want them to see me do my best with all my heart and soul, so I gave it my all”. He joked, “I’m suffering from hay fever. Why don’t you change your nose with me (laughs)?”, stirring up excitement in the audience, before adding, “If you have a flag, please wave it. I also want to cherish the banners that you all showed me. Thank you so much for all the handmade goods that you all made,” he said, expressing gratitude for the fans who have supported him over the years. After the performance, which lasted about two and a half hours including the encore, he spoke to the media about his work and feelings for the local area.

 

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After the performance, local media gathered for an interview. We will publish the full text.

 

--Thank you for your hard work.

Hanyu: Thank you.

 

--How did you feel after skating on the first day of your special solo performance in Sendai?

Hanyu: I’d say it’s a bit like a competition, it gave me a lot of confidence to see that the hard work I put in produced good results. After all, I always think that in order to say to myself, “I did my best”, there has to be a result, otherwise it is just an “intention”. I feel like today I can finally say that I worked really hard, rather than just feeling tired all the time. However, it’s only the first day, so yes, I’m going to recover and train well tomorrow, and I’m going to do my best to stay focused for the day after tomorrow (the final performance).

 

--Is that hard work referring to the second half of Part 1? From the flow of the 6-minutes rehearsal, I think that “The Messenger of Ruin” had a wonderful performance that surpassed even Yokohama. What do you think?

Hanyu: Well, (in a whisper), “Alright! Yes!” I said that in the backstage for a while (laughs). But really, the reason why I am able to do my best and practice every day even more than competition is because I want to somehow show everyone a good performance, and I want to show something better every time. It makes me want to get better and perform in a way that makes people feel impressed, and I’m really happy that people have that kind of expectation for me and that they support me in that way.

 

-The second part is filled with prayers, and the other day there was a big earthquake in Taiwan. I believe that 13 years ago, when this city was suffering, Taiwan was a great source of strength. I wondered if the thoughts you put into Part 2 could reach Taiwan and provide a little boost. Mr. Hanyu, what kind of thoughts did you put into it?

-Hanyu: First of all, when I saw the news about Taiwan, it really hurt my heart. I’m sure there are many people who were affected by the disaster and are still suffering. I don’t know what to say to those people. However, as I am doing this and performing in this special place, this may just be selfish thinking, or self-satisfied, but I hope that even just a little prayer could reach them. In addition, various disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Noto earthquake, have occurred or are occurring both in Japan and around the world, in fact, even in places like New York, there are days when I feel a little scared. I skated with the hope that it would cleanse the Earth of some kind of distortion of whatever you call it, even a little bit.

 

--The day after tomorrow, this ICE STORY “RE_PRAY” will come to an end. How would you like it to end?

Hanyu: I will skate with all my heart and soul again. It’s a very special performance for me because it’s in my hometown, and I think this “RE_PRAY” is also different for those who have come to experience it while getting a feel for my hometown. Including all circumstances, I would like to do my best to turn everything into strength, so that everyone can watch “RE_PRAY” that is unique to this Sendai performance.

 

--For today’s performance, I think in the first part, “The Messenger of Ruin” got the audience excited because of no mistakes, but even in “RE_PRAY”, it feels like it’s one of the few times you made no mistakes in that part.

Hanyu: It was probably the best performance so far. I think I was able to land all the jumps with almost no flaws anywhere. To be honest, I feel glad that I worked hard now.

 

--I think you said, “Because it’s Miyagi, you want to show better performance”. In that respect, what does the success of “Messenger of Ruin” means to you?

Hanyu: After all, in the first part of the story, the characters in the story feel pain and suffering that they can’t fight back against. And following that scenario, I was just swallowed up by the pain. In a sense, it’s my experience of the earthquake, or something like that, where you really can’t do anything about it on your own. As I look back on it now, I think that this story was born from my own experiences. That’s why I not only wanted to express my strong desire to fight against that pain in my hometown, but also to stand up to it and overcome that wall. It is precisely because of that the prayer theme in the second part was possible, I felt like the prayers would reach me too. Really, I put my all into it, and I think I was able to perform it.

 

--There was talk that this additional performance was decided on short notice, but was it Mr. Hanyu’s underlying desire to allow everyone to see him at his peak as a professional athlete in his hometown? Could you please tell us more?

Hanyu: I’m still not quite at my peak. However, as a professional, while exploring and creating a new form of skating called “ICE STORY”, I had a strong desire to skate in my hometown. Well, I’ve heard that people from all over the world actually came, and this time we even had people coming from Taiwan. The fact that people from all over the world came to my hometown, I felt like I couldn’t be happier if my show was the reason for that, so I really wanted to do it in Sendai and Miyagi.

 

--The whole show was so amazing that I don’t even know how to describe it, but after seeing something this amazing, I couldn’t help but wonder what would Mr. Hanyu’s next professional ambitions be.

Hanyu: “Hey, what are you going to do?” (laughs). I’m at a loss too. However, as long as everyone has expectations for me, I want to study harder, work harder, and show something good, and I believe that I am still in the process of evolving. So, I will continue to work hard, turn various experiences into strength, and also turn your support into strength as I move forward.

 

--What were the things you were conscious of, or find important specifically because it was in your hometown Miyagi?

Hanyu: This may be a bit dark, but in Part 2 there is a program called “Requiem for Heaven and Earth”. The music was written and performed by a composer named Yasunobu Matsuo as a requiem for the earthquake disaster. I wonder what it really means to be able to perform that song at this venue. Hmm, there are so many different feelings that I can’t quite express in words. However, I hope that my prayers would reach both in the heavens and on the earth. In fact, 13 years have passed since then, and some people may think it’s inevitable and have moved forward, and I have actually met them and heard their stories. But, after all, I know that there are also people still living with various conflicts, feeling inconvenienced with what they went through. Today I skated, while thinking that I would like to offer prayers in whatever way I can for all the various people.

 

--What about returning to competition?

Hanyu: (sounds like a cover-up) Not really (laughs). To be honest, yes, I’ve been practicing far more than I did for the Olympics. Looking back now, I feel like I could have practiced more for the Olympics. But I think it’s because of this solo performance that I’m able to work hard and practice like this, and I think I’m working hard because I want to become even stronger. I can proudly say that I am definitely better than ever.

 

--There is still the final performance on the 9th (note: the interview took place on the 7th), but Mr. Hanyu himself has talked about new influences and areas where you felt you have grown, things you have discovered, and what you have learned from the programs. Is there anything that left the most impression on you?

Hanyu: Well, um... the first program of Part 1 and the first program of Part 2, “Itsuka Owaru Yume”, are almost the same in structure and choreography. And the songs are the same, just the arrangement is slightly different. The costumes have changed and the lighting has changed, so I also skated with a different feeling. But after watching the first part, when you watched the same program again, I was thinking, “I wonder how everyone will feel. I’m sure it will feel different”, so I chose this composition because I wanted to convey that feeling, or rather, I wanted people to feel in that way. In that sense, the meaning of this program, apart from the feelings I want to convey, I also realised it is important to consider how others may feel depending on their backgrounds and experiences. Through “RE_PRAY”, I’ve come to cherish this aspect as part of its evolution.

 

--Thank you very much.

Hanyu: Thank you very much.

 

(warm applause from reporters)

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.06

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/Ol76Nulpa

Info: https://axelstore.net/series/re_pray_memorialgoods/detail.php?goods_id=106

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd “RE_PRAY” TOUR OFFICIAL PHOTO BOOK - INTERVIEW

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Q: Now that the Repray tour has ended with 8 shows in 4 locations, what are your thoughts?

A: When GIFT ended, I was filled with the feeling of "Ah... it's over...", but this time I was thinking "I've worked so hard to build this body, and I want to continue to build it in the future", and I am full of the desire to move forward.

 

Q: After Saga’s performance, do you want to maintain the body you have consciously trained, and further upgrade it to become even stronger?

A: It's not that easy to upgrade, but in any case, I just want to build a body that can continuously achieve zero mistakes. During the actual performance, I really used more than 100% of my strength, and I was indeed a bit overworked, but I also glimpsed a little hope that I could become stronger than now.

 

Q: It's really an athlete's feeling.

A: Really (laughs). Of course, regarding the performance level, such as the coordination with the images, the coordination with the ice projection, the positioning of the storyline and the programs, there are professionals in the fields of image, stage design, broadcasting, lighting, etc. who support each other and trust each other to complete this performance. Because of this, we can complete such a professional show. The biggest change I feel after turning professional is that the people around me are thorough professionals. This also makes the image of a professional skater that I want to show in my heart continue to upgrade. During the performance of Repray, I feel that the audience's eyes are becoming more and more discerning, and we can no longer challenge with a half-hearted attitude. Every time, we think about taking the tour to the next level and work hard for this.

 

Q: Professionals are promoting each other.

A: "Time flies by without noticing" or "I immerse myself in the story without realising it", they successfully made things for me that can make the audience feel this way. I think this is one of the reasons why I can completely trust and rely on them. For example, when I wanted to display a lot of sky lanterns at the "Requiem", if I just let people feel "the sky lanterns here are pretty", it would not be able to balance with my performance, stage lighting, and the connection with the video at the end. But MIKIKO, the video team, the stage design team, and the lighting team were able to control that balance. "I want to show the work like this", such a common concept exists vaguely in everyone's mind, and everyone were helping me to complete it, I think it is impossible for an amateur. One by one, those are the techniques that only professionals can complete. And those details, for example, are like the difference between +3 and +4 in GOE of figure skating. To non-figure skaters, even if you say "this is the feeling of +3" and "compared to +3, this is the feeling of +4", even if you understand these as knowledge, you can't understand more deeply. Only when professional techniques are well embedded in these subtle details can it become complete and unified. I think that the ICE STORY can be presented in a complete and harmonious way because it was created by such a professional team. I talked with MIKIKO about "details determine success or failure (literally: God resides in the details)", and the gods who reside in the details can only appear in the things that professionals in various fields use their special skills to create.

 

Q: Mr. Hanyu is also a member of this profession.

A: Because of this, as a basic, if my own skating and performance cannot reach that level, when put together with everyone's images and choreography, it will pale in comparison. I must also reach the level of those who fight at the top of the "professional" level, and if I work hard and say "Wow--", everyone will also think that they can't lose to me and work hard to improve. This cycle continues, so I can reach the current level.

 

Q: Like this, you and your professional team polished the performance every time, right?

A: Yes. For the audience, if it is a limited show, it will be difficult to follow the story while savouring the performance live at the same time. But because it is a tour, the audience can not only watch the show, but also think "what can I feel from the story" and "how is the story composed", and after thinking about these, they can see more details hidden in the video, and from this, they can further associate "Ah, so this performance and that performance are connected" or "So this is what they wanted to express". People will gradually realise such things. These are only possible on a tour. Of course, I think people will watch the recording over and over again, but “going to a live show several times and examining it over and over again" is something that cannot be done if it’s not a tour. That's the fun part of a tour, but it's also the hard part. That's why the team was very serious about pursuing the highest quality down to the smallest detail.

Q: From Saitama to Miyagi, I feel that many aspects have improved.

A: Megalovania has changed a lot, and so has A Fleeting Dream RE. From the first stop in Saitama to the second stop in Saga, there have been quite a lot of changes in the images, ice projection, lighting methods, spotlight brightness, etc. If you compare the recordings of the first day in Saitama and the last day in Miyagi, you will find that the images, LEDs, and lasers are quite different. I really want to see these myself! (laughs) However, although I also hope that everyone will notice these changes, I also think that the feeling of "I just realised that it seems to be more immersed than before" is just right. If there is any other change, it is that the images shot by the camera have also been polished from Saitama to Miyagi. Including MIKIKO, everyone was doing detailed checks, "This scene should be shot from this angle" or "This stage effect must be shot from a distance", so things that could only be appreciated from one angle on the scene could now be seen from other angles. It is also interesting that there is a difference in excitement between watching live and watching through recording.

Q: Repray introduces the ethics and values of the game world. Can you talk about these?
A: For example, justice and evil, in the end, are just what you think. It is like this idea. What you think is righteous in your heart may be evil to others, and those who you think are evil are justice and right to them. So, right and wrong are not something that can be easily determined. Everyone is justifying their own behavior. This idea is one of the keys to Repray. In Repray, players do not intend to let the characters go to destruction, but sometimes the characters will go to destruction step by step as the players act, right? It's like this. (The player) didn't want this to happen, but from the perspective of the character, maybe he is forced to go to destruction. Therefore, it is not enough to act simply based on your own justice. You also have to think about the thoughts of others. I have to be alert to this.

Q: In addition, Repray has a storyline, and the show is arranged according to this storyline. This time you used several music from games. Does using game music make your mood not driven by the story of Repray, but by the emotions when playing those games?
A: Yes, yes! But that probably only exists in my own mind. No matter how hard I try to express it, the scenes in my mind cannot be shared. Knowing this, I will leave all the interpretations to everyone. And after leaving it to everyone, if someone can feel something from it, I think that is enough. The main idea when I was writing the story this time was that this is not my story. Because it is not my story, it can become both a story about me and for other people. For the fans and everyone who fought with me, this may become a story about me. And when people related to the game or the fans of Ms. Shiina Ringo watch it, people who don’t know me well can also understand it as a story. This is something I paid close attention to when writing. It doesn’t matter if I can’t fully convey what I think in my heart, I often think this way. This story is very much fiction. There's very little of my own experience in the story, and to be honest, the personality of the characters is quite different in each chapter. It's a bunch of things like this that form a story, so it would be great if someone was impressed by one of them and kept examining on it... Precisely because it's a tour, and because people can keep examining on it, small fragments that leave marks in people's hearts can continue to accumulate, and for me, this is also the happiest part of making ICE STORY and creating stories.

 

Q: How did you consider incorporating the previous programs that have their own unique emotions and meanings into the storyline of "RE_PRAY"?

A: For example, "Requiem for Heaven and Earth" is entirely dedicated to be a requiem for 3.11. But this time the imagery used is not a requiem, but a requiem for the soul, or the "empty vessel" after the orange light disappears. Therefore, this time, my skating is completely focused on one soul. This one soul is both my soul and the soul of the program ‘Requiem for Heaven and Earth’ itself, the soul that breaks away from the empty vessel in the story, or perhaps it is a wisp of soul left in the earthquake disaster. It can be interpretated in many ways. What it is to me doesn’t need to be said, because I believe that everyone will understand it in their own way. I think this is the charm of the story. And I think figure skating has this aspect to it because it is not a language.

 

Q: From a very young age, Mr. Hanyu gave people the impression that he cherished his own programs. In exhibition skating and ice shows, he often showed his old programs.

A: Yes, that's right.

 

Q: Have you always thought that a program can have different perspectives?

A: Yes. I started to feel this way when I was in Nice.

 

Q: 2012. 17 years old, that’s early!

A: After all, although the “Romeo and Juliet” at that time was called Romeo and Juliet, it was not the real Romeo and Juliet, right? That Romeo looked like he was about to defeat the poison, right? He looked like he would say, "What the hell is poison?" and then win a great victory (laughs).

 

Q: Now that you mention it, it is true (laughs).

A: It feels like I just accidentally realised that figure skating has such an interesting side. In competitions, the program is more significant because of the added value of the result of the competition or my life up to that competition. However, for example, this time, some people came to watch after knowing that I would skate "The Messenger of Destruction" or "MEGALOVANIA", and for such people and long-time fans, I think that even if it is the same program, their views will be completely different. Even among fans, for example, some people watched the live performance in Nice (2012 World Championships), some watched "Hope & Legacy" live in Helsinki (2017 World Championships), and some people just started watching the performance recently, I think their views on "Hope & Legacy" would be different. I think the performance, and the expression, is formed by a mixture of backgrounds, thoughts and memories from each person. So honestly, it doesn't matter what I think. Whilst I do put a lot of thought into it, I believe that 90% of the audience's feelings are their own ideas and what they have cultivated so far, whilst my visions and reflections are probably only about 10%. I feel this, and in turn, I value this in creating ICE STORY.

 

Q: Indeed, it’s true that when you're moved by a performance, it's because it resonates with something inside of you.

A: When I know that people have watched my performance and responded with various reactions, seeing everyone shed tears or showed an emotional expression because of my performance, I really feel very happy and joyful. I would think, "Ah, I conveyed it to them. My efforts have been rewarded..." Well, it may just be that I think my efforts have paid off, but that moment is really wonderful. But to be honest, I have also encountered many times when I felt that I could not go on. But I no longer blame my problems on my age like I used to... I remember when I was about 24, I would blame my age very much and thought "This is no longer possible."

 

Q: Was it after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics?

A: It was after the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, when I was practicing 4A. During that period, I couldn’t jump at all, and I thought, "Oh, I'm almost finished..." But now I no longer think that I can't do more because of my age. It's just that when I hit a bottleneck no matter how much I practised, I thought, "No matter what I do, I can't get over this wall...", and it’s really painful at that time. When I was practicing, I didn't have the support of fans, and I didn't have a coach, so I had to rely on my own motivation to get through it. And I felt how hard it was to maintain that motivation. In addition, you never know when the world will end, right? Maybe there will be an explosion here in the next second. But even if that really happens, I hope that I've made something that I can hold my head up and say that I've left it all behind. That's what I've always thought. But it's really hard when you accumulate thoughts like that (laughs). I live every day with the idea “I really did my best today, I won't regret it even if I die tomorrow", sometimes I will think, "Let's just call it a day. As long as I'm alive tomorrow, I'll be fine" (laughs). Even so, people are looking forward to me, so if I don't push myself to do my best every day, I won't be able to satisfy them. And I've become a person who can't be satisfied if I don't do that. I've been feeling the changes in the way people look at Hanyu Yuzuru and the changes I've brought to them, and because I've been feeling all of that, I've had to work hard. It is indeed very hard, but it is precisely because of this hard work that the moment of reward is so happy and blissful, and the tool to achieve all this for me is figure skating. I deeply appreciate this.

 

Q: Why do you no longer care about age?

A: Because I think there are still so many training methods. Figure skating has not been scientifically analysed at all, and we don't know the practice methods or research results that have been scientifically analysed. I'm lucky enough to be able to review what I learnt at university. I'm curious and inquisitive myself, and in this day and age it's easier to learn on my own, and I can read content in other fields, so I think "Isn't there still a lot of room for improvement!" And right now, I think it's the closest my body has come to perfection in my life so far.

 

Q: Although we are talking about age not being important, you are already 29 years old, right?

A: 29 years old, I’m shocked (laughs). Of course, I think the potential of a teenager is definitely different from that of a late 20s, but comparing the 19-year-old me to the 29-year-old me now, I have been practicing for 10 years since then, so it is impossible to be worse, right? After all, the difference between training based on imagination and training based on scientific evidence is obvious. So I vaguely felt that "I can get better from here. After all, if I just completed the six-min practice normally and put "The Messenger of Destruction" as the first program, it would definitely be clean! Because there are only S jumps and T jumps, and there is no Lo! (laughs)

 

Q: One 4S and two 4T (one of which is 4T+1Eu+3S+1Eu+3S) It is really not that easy to clean every time! (laughs)

A: "The Messenger of Destruction" is almost a free skate, so it is indeed difficult, but it is precisely because I performed so badly in Saga that I was able to re-learn and get here. Now I feel fortunate that this is a tour.

 

Q: Speaking of the tour, the final "MEGALOVANIA" is different from the previous ones. The expression reached the extreme and showed a clean and neat performance.

A: Because I thought, "This is the last time, so I will completely get into the role", I completely immersed myself in the role. I was able to do this because there were fans who understood my expression instead of thinking, “What the hell is that expression?!”. People were willing to think deeply about what I was performing and what I was trying to express, so I was able to do this. That made me really happy. I was able to rely on that and give it my all, and I let go of everything, and part of the reason was that this was a tour. If I had made that expression in the first show, people might have thought, “Huh?”

 

Q: That means you just trust your fans a lot, right?

A: Yes, because everyone was looking forward to seeing me! For example, everyone thought that Yokohama would be the last show, but Miyagi was added, and it was on a weekday. Despite that, everyone was still looking forward to seeing me, and that really made me feel at ease... That's why at the Miyagi performance, I was able to talk in a completely relaxed manner even during the MC's session.

 

[Subtitle: Because there are fans who understand me.]

 

Q: Both the first and second parts of RE_PRAY start from the saved data, and the second part is like playing it for the second time for the players, so there will be a feeling that "It looks different from the first time", and Mr. Hanyu has now completed 8 performances of RE_PRAY. Is there any difference between the current Hanyu Yuzuru and the Hanyu Yuzuru before RE_PRAY?

A: Yes, there are differences.

 

Q: What has changed and what is different between the Hanyu Yuzuru before RE_PRAY and now?

A: The body shape has changed (laughs).

 

Q: Body shape? Is it because you changed your training method during the tour?

A: Yes. For example, my butt has become bigger (laughs). Also, the hamstrings have become stronger, naturally there are changes like this. In addition, as the number of performances increases, the sense of reassurance that people are willing to come to see me, and the idea of how to rely on them, such as "Ah, it's okay to rely on them..." have also changed. Of course, I don't compromise on the work that I want to convey. I have to refresh my best performance every time, and everyone's expectations are constantly refreshed, which is really scary. But I think this is my responsibility as a professional. In terms of mentality, I have not changed from the competitive period. Not only that, I also began to feel that I can present my performance to the audience with more peace of mind. In the past, I would be more timid, as if I was saying "Is this performance okay...", but as I performed one after another, I began to realize that "it turns out that this can make people happy" or "it turns out that people understand it this way." I don't think that everyone will like the performance that I conceived from the heart, and everyone will have their own thoughts in their hearts that "That performance is better." I think this is completely fine, and it is the right thing. It's just that under such a premise, there are still so many people who can say that my performance is "good" with all my efforts, which always makes me feel at ease. I'm not sure if the word "rely" is the right word, but I feel like "I can completely trust them." And I also have the feeling that "I can believe in the path that I am taking."

 

Q: When did you start to have this idea?
A: I guess it started around the Saga performance. The content of the Saga performance was really terrible in my opinion. Whether it was a competition or an ice show, I thought I had put a lot of emotion into it, but sometimes it was just in vain and I didn't achieve anything in the end. And that's something that should never be done, never be allowed to happen in a solo performance. I have to deliver the highest quality performance every time and give the audience a sense of satisfaction. Yet I did this thing that should never be done, and I have reflected deeply on this. But despite this, some people still said that I did a good job... I think this must be a recognition of what I have worked hard for, what I have been pursuing, and what I wanted to show. If this is the case, then I can think that what I'm doing isn't wrong. So if I try my best but still don’t fully achieve my goal, it would be very important to me personally if someone could feel that “This is also a once-in-a-lifetime performance”, and I would start to feel that this is good enough, not “This is fine too”, but “This is good enough”.

Q: That's great. This will be your future nourishment.
A: But...

Q: But?
A: But, I still want to be clean! (laughs).

Q: Of course, that's natural (laughs).
A: Well... I still plan to refresh my good performance every time, but this may not be possible. Even so, if someone can think "this point here is good" every time, I can now feel that what I have been doing is not wrong.

Q: The word "PRAY" in "RE_PRAY" means "prayer". What is prayer for Mr. Hanyu?
A: It is the theme of my life at present. I think the concept of prayer, in the final analysis, is self-fulfilment. It's hard to explain, but for example, when I try to get close to people who are suffering or grieving, I do want to help them, but as I said before about good and evil, in the end it's just me doing what I want to do. It's just me trying to stay close to them. As for whether this can really be understood correctly, I don't know, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that kind of intention. Prayer also has a religious significance, and it cannot be generalised, but for me, prayer is just something that satisfies the self in order to live happily, and that's the only way to understand it. Think about it, there are about 60,000 people watching "RE_PRAY" this time, and there are others who watch it through live broadcast in theatres and on TV. I don't really think that I can be close to everyone at every moment, but I do want to be close. I really hope that everyone's life will be happy from here on out, or at least that's how I want to be close to everyone and pray for them. It's just that this might seem cheap if I say it out loud. So, I can only express it through actions. As for whether my prayers can be conveyed to everyone, it depends on the values of each individual and I have no way of knowing. For me, prayer is just a kind of self-satisfaction. But I think that prayer can also be a kind of energy that drives oneself forward. For myself, if possible, I hope that it can become a kind of energy for the people I pray for. That would be great.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2024.06

 

Source: https://weibo.com/5437806211/Old3i2XQK 

Info: https://axelstore.net/series/re_pray_memorialgoods/detail.php?goods_id=107

CN translation of the guidebook:
1 https://weibo.com/1683522853/Onv25Ahyu

2 https://m.weibo.cn/status/5054969468161360 

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd “RE_PRAY” TOUR OFFICIAL PLAYER’S GUIDE → Production Director Yuzuru Hanyu ←

 

  Reveal hidden contents

→Theme and concept

Regarding the theme of [RE_PRAY], I had the idea of "getting rid of repetitive routines" from the beginning. Of course, I have been influenced by many games, lyrics of songs and stories so far, and I have drawn from them such as "I want to use this word" or "I want to use this image", but the biggest theme is "changes in the way forward" and "breaking the rules". The concept I used to express this theme is that I thought about the two types of "daily" and "non-daily". For example, in the scene that starts with "swallowed by the rapids" in S-1 (the VCR after the blue dream), I thought about the feeling of an ordinary office worker. It's another workday, sitting on a crowded bus and subway to go to work, thinking "Ah, the same work today", I finish work and go home, start eating... My focus is on these daily rules and social rules. Somehow, I want to do something non-daily from this daily life that is bound by rules. But it is very difficult to do something non-daily. Although sometimes I experience something non-daily that is exciting, I still return to daily life after that. I think a lot about things like this.

 

 

→The Script

It exudes a feeling of "If you are not a game player, you will not understand it." For example, when you are playing the game as usual, suddenly the game tells you (the player) "You are just watching", you will definitely be shocked. I hope the audience can feel this feeling.

 

One of them is the "trolley problem". The audience who was watching the show as usual were suddenly asked a question. While watching the show as usual, the trolley problem suddenly appeared. The clicking sound that made you choose a certain option was very long and difficult to decide. Just when everyone was so nervous, the lights shone on the audience seats and the camera was filming them. It was a performance that made them say "Ah, what is that?" in shock. Games can only be fun if you immerse yourself in them, so I wondered if [RE_PRAY] could do the same. So, I set up the trolley problem so that the audience could feel that they "made their own choices" and "they are also players" while watching. It is really difficult to make a performance like "the audience is the game player". In order to let the audience become the player, I played the game with the controller at the beginning of the story. Then the game started, and there was also me in it. That was me as the character "○○○" in the game. Although "player" and "character" are two different divisions of labour, I am the actor in both. Even the person who actually performs the show with skating is me.

 

So, whether it is "Hanyu as a player" or "the character '○○○' in the game controlled by (the player)", it must be easy for the audience to understand. There are also very complicated parts where the player is unconsciously controlled by the character. Regarding how to express Yuzuru Hanyu's image, we also had a lot of discussions and thoughts with everyone and performed it.

 

 

→【RE_PRAY】 in ICE STORY

"With a story, the look and feel of the show will also change." This is the core I put in ICE STORY. Putting the show in the flow of the story, with different audiences in different venues, even existing shows will look completely different. I want everyone to feel this difference in look and feel.

 

So, in [RE_PRAY], I want to show you "how the colour of the world will change if you try to do the same thing again in your daily life over and over again". With this in mind, I changed the ice projection colour, arrangement and performance arrangement, and costumes between [A Fleeting Dream -original-] and [A Fleeting Dream: RE]. Although the game starts in the same place, the colours that symbolize the world in the first round (Part 1) of the game [Chicken-Snake-Pig] and the second round (Part 2) of the game [S-7 Freedom] (VCR after Heaven and Earth Requiem) are interpreted with "intense red" and "black (pitch black)" to give a completely different feeling. How do you think in a world that repeats over and over again? I don't want to get the answer, I just want everyone to think and feel it in Ice Story. I hope [RE_PRAY] can be such an opportunity.

 

Another point about the "difference in the perception of the show" is that fans who like Yuzuru Hanyu and game fans who became interested in RE_PRAY because of "The Messenger of Destruction" and "Megalovania" have completely different feelings after watching RE_PRAY. Also, for "Chicken-Snake-Pig”, the performance and choreography from the perspective of Shiina Ringo's fans, the visual effects that seem to flow with a sense of breathing, are different from what I see and what fans who like Yuzuru Hanyu see. For example, the world view immersed in water in the video, for people who are familiar with the original work "A Fleeting Dream" in the work "Final Fantasy 10", their impression of water is also different after watching it. In the original work, there is a scene of requiem on the water, so they may see souls in each orange light on the water in the video of RE_PRAY, and some people may regard that light as real light. Fans of "UNDERTALE" may see determination (ケツイ-a concept in the game). There are so many different opinions and interpretations about [RE_PRAY], and I personally enjoy it very much.