[2023.11.03] Asahi Shimbun - Interview with Kao Miura: "My ideal skater is Yuzuru Hanyu"

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

2023.11.03

 

Source: https://4years.asahi.com/article/15047889 

 

 

[Interview with Kao Miura ②] My ideal skater is Yuzuru Hanyu, "A once-in-a-thousand-year skater" [Figure Skating Channel Kiss and Cry Plus | Asahi Shimbun

 

Figure skater Kao Miura (Oriental Bio/Meguro Nihon University High School) is aiming for consecutive medals in the Grand Prix (GP) series and to advance to the GP Final. We will introduce three interviews with Miura, who is showing remarkable growth as he prepares to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics. In the second part, Miura talks about his ideal skater, Yuzuru Hanyu, a two-time Olympic gold medalist.

 

Miura was previously coached by Shoichiro Tsuzuki, the coach who trained Hanyu. Coach Tsuzuki taught him that "the Axel is the king's jump" and he worked hard to practice the jump. Hanyu once gave gifts to Coach Tsuzuki's students, and Miura received lip balm.

 

"Although our skating styles are different, my ideal is Yuzuru Hanyu. He is a once-in-a-thousand-years incredible skater. I want to become a skater who can attract (the audience) like Hanyu, so that more people will watch my figure skating," he said. (Photo taken in July 2023)

 

Spoiler

1. Studied under Coach Tsuzuki, Yuzuru Hanyu’s mentor

-At that time, Tsuzuki-san often talked about Hanyu.

He talked every day. He said that Yuzuru really didn't have outstanding results at first, but even then, he still felt he had a certain talent.

 

 

2. How did you know Hanyu?

The first time I saw him was on TV when I was in kindergarten, probably around the time I was in my final year. I remember watching him during the Sochi Olympics when I was about eight years old and still working on double jumps. The following year, I started learning from Tsuzuki-sensei, and I was changed after hearing many stories.

 

 

3. What I learned from Coach Tsuzuki

The basics, or the foundation, especially the Axel jump. He always said that the Axel is the king of jumps, and he said things like, "Yuzu jumps like this," and "Yuzu has always valued this," so I've been working hard on the Axel too, and I truly feel its significance in various aspects of my skating now.

 

 

4. Hanyu as told by Coach Tsuzuki

Since he actually taught Hanyu, I felt a different level of conviction. No matter how much I thought, ‘What's the point?’, when he said, ‘Yuzuru did this, too’, I felt like I'd do my best too.

Really, every time Hanyu-kun achieved a good result in a competition, Sensei would come to the rink with a happy look on his face and teach with a big smile. He would be in a good mood at the time, and training would turn into a game of tag.

Even though I didn't have direct contact with Hanyu-senshu, there were many students of Tsuzuki-sensei at the rink, and he would give gifts to all of us. I also received one, and when I opened it, it was lip balm.

 

 

5. Admiration for Yuzuru Hanyu

I've always wanted to be like Hanyu-senshu, and even though my skating style is completely different, he is the ideal I strive for. I keep working hard to chase that ideal.

 

The Sochi season was truly shocking. With each competition, his short program scores kept rising and remained stable. That season, he finally exceeded 100 points, and it became clear to me that I wanted to be a cool skater like him.

 

Of course, I’ve always wanted to reach the top at the Olympics, but I know there’s a lot to overcome to get there, so I sometimes wonder, "Can I really do it?" Tsuzuki-sensei has always said that we need to aim for the Olympics, which makes me think about it.

 

Also, after Hanyu won at Pyeongchang, there was a phone call to Tsuzuki-sensei while we were warming up, and he suddenly started crying. That made me want to achieve results too and think, "I want to do it like that."

 

-Eh, all of a sudden, during practice, he received a call from Hanyu... was he okay?

Tsuzuki-sensei was crying.

 

-Oh, I see.

He looked really happy.

 

 

6. When did you first talk to Hanyu?

It was at the 2020 All Japan Championships when I first saw him in person. During the competition, there wasn’t really an opportunity to talk, but afterward, I approached him to ask for a photo. He said, "That quad was amazing. Keep it up!" I felt really motivated when I heard that.

 

 

7. Performing together at this year's Stars on Ice

Basically, during Stars on Ice, we don’t meet except for the show, so after the show, when Hanyu-kun came back, he didn't have his usual composed look, but he’s like, "Wow, I’m so tired~" I thought that was amazing. I felt happy (laughs).

 

 

8. About Hanyu's transition to professional skating

Hanyu-senshu has become a professional, but he continues to aim for even higher goals. He’s still challenging himself with the quadruple Axel, and he’s jumping like an active competitor. Seeing him pursue skating with such intensity even as a pro makes me feel that I can’t afford to lose as a competing skater.

 

Having such a great role model is incredibly valuable not just for me, but for the entire figure skating community. We live in an era where videos are preserved, and I’m also working hard while watching and learning from that.

 

 

9. Changes after Hanyu turned professional

I'll say it straight out, but since Hanyu-senshu left, the number of people watching figure skating has decreased dramatically. There are really fewer people watching now. We’ve been led along by Hanyu-senshu all this time, so I feel that I need to become a presence like his as well. The current situation is completely different with him here or not. That’s what I think, and I think everyone around feels the same way, but Hanyu-senshu was a tremendous presence, a once-in-a-thousand-years kind of talent. An incredible skater. I too want to become a skater who can attract more spectators. That’s why I need to work harder—not just for myself, but for everyone—to help people appreciate figure skating again. I’m determined to do my best.

 

 

10. Did you feel a sense of crisis?

I want more people to see my performances, but if the audience isn't interested, there won’t be any opportunities for that. Hanyu-senshu really draws you in with his performance, and that's why I like him. I feel like I need to be like him, and I feel like I need to change myself in order to pursue more and to be seen more in the world of figure skating.

 

 

11. Did you talk with Kagiyama Yuma and Sato Shun?

Well, the three of us have talked before about how we can get more people to watch us. We acknowledged that the only way to change is for us to change ourselves. It’s clear that everyone understands Hanyu's absence. We realised that we hadn’t really done anything while he was around; we were just being pulled along by his presence. It was only after such a significant figure like Hanyu left that I finally understood this.

 

So, I need to become a skater who can attract attention, and since Hanyu-senshu is my ideal, I truly want to become a skater like him who can draw people in and get more visibility.

 

 

12. Strong determination

Of course, in my competitive career, it's important to focus on how to improve my scores in terms of sports performance, but there’s more to it than just that.

 

I have a strong determination that I need to change myself more. After seeing Hanyu-senshu at Stars on Ice, it was clear that his skating was on another level; his mindset during practice was different. This made me painfully aware how naïve I was, and I strongly felt that I really need to change this year.

 

As for my program, I chose "Attack on Titan," which is an anime I already like. I thought it would generate some buzz, as it’s a cool song and many people like it. That’s one of the reasons I chose it. Of course, it’s also a song I love and one that I can connect with emotionally. During my initial meeting with Shae-Lynn, we talked about what I’d usually do in my free time. I mentioned that I watch anime during my time off, and she suggested that incorporating such movements could be interesting. I thought this choice might also serve as a way to attract attention, so I decided on "Attack on Titan."

 

 

13. What it means to be a skater who can attract an audience

The skaters who really captivate me are Hanyu-senshu, Jason Brown, and Cha Jun Hwan. The common thread among them is that they have their own unique expression and style; they skate with a strong sense of self, and I think that’s why they can convey so much in their performances.

 

In my case, everything feels a bit vague, and I lack the cohesion that skaters like those I mentioned possess. My performances lack that sense of unity, and they aren’t the kind that make people go, "Wow." Last year, I worked hard on "Beauty and the Beast" program, aiming to move the audience, but I still felt it wasn’t enough—not nearly enough. I really felt this season that I want to be a skater who can move people, not just someone who skates.

 

 

14. What kind of style do you want to express?

Everyone has a different way of skating, and of course, it’s impossible for me to be like Hanyu; he is one of a kind, and that’s clear to everyone. Each skater has their own unique style, and I want to skate in a way that brings out mine. I’m currently thinking about how I can express that. I truly feel the desire to discover a skating style that is uniquely my own.

 

 

15. How do you want to draw in the audience?

I really want to draw the audience in with a dynamic 3D feel, but I need to work on the contrasts in my performance. For example, when transitioning from the strong music of "Attack on Titan" to a slow part, I need to create more variation. Right now, everything feels too intense—100% all the time—so it can feel suffocating for the audience. I think that’s my ongoing challenge. That’s the first point.

 

Also, as the program progresses into the second half, everything tends to get sloppy. I want the entire four minutes to flow as a cohesive piece that draws people in, but with jumps involved, it’s difficult given my current state. I need to work not just on my stamina, but also on my expression.

 

But Hanyu-kun did it, he has done exactly that, so I know I have to push myself to tackle these tough challenges. I really feel that I need to change myself.

 

Last year, with "Beauty and the Beast," I felt that I gradually evolved throughout the season. I want to build on the experience last year to improve the quality of my performance this year, aiming for my best at the Japan Championships.