[2024.11.22] 7-Corriere della Sera "The Skater of Hope"

[Wintek]

[2024.11.22]
*Machine Translation*

The source is the printed article, which includes a few more parts than the online version (opening bio, longer intro) and different photos.

 

YUZURU HANYU
"I dance on the ice: it’s my prayer"
The skater of hope

By Costanza Rizzacasa d’Orsogna

On February 10, 2022, at the Capital Indoor Stadium in Beijing, injured and pushed to eighth place due to a hole in the ice during the short program, Yuzuru Hanyu performed the quadruple Axel for the first time ever at an Olympic event. Though he fell and rose gracefully, as if it were part of the choreography, the audience erupted into cheers. Hanyu could have played it safe and secured yet another medal—even if not the gold one. Instead, by risking everything, he captured the hearts of millions, showing what honor and true resilience really mean. Because his jump wasn’t just a technical feat; it was art. A culmination of courage, honesty, and the strength of character of an extraordinary artist.

Spoiler

At 29 years old, from Sendai in northeastern Japan, Hanyu is the greatest figure skater of all time: 19 world records; the only man to complete the Super Slam; the only skater, after the American Dick Button (1948–52), to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in what is now a far more competitive field—all despite battling asthma and a series of injuries. His technical and artistic excellence is such that a recent AIPS ranking, compiled by over a thousand international journalists on the most important athletes of the past century, placed him sixth—ahead of Michael Phelps and Maradona.

Hanyu had just turned 16 when, in 2011, the "3.11" Tohoku earthquake and tsunami (20,000 victims, with its epicenter near his hometown) struck, damaging the ice rink where he was training. He fled with his skates still on, later spending several days in an evacuation center with his family, without water or electricity. To continue training, he participated in charity shows across Japan. The audience gave him hope, and he returned it to them, vowing to win the Olympics for his people. That promise was fulfilled in Sochi in 2014, where he became the youngest Olympic champion and the first Asian male to win gold in figure skating history. He repeated the feat in 2018. At just 23, he received Japan’s highest civilian honor, the People’s Honor Award, from then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for inspiring his country with courage.

But then, things changed. Someone decided Hanyu shouldn’t keep winning. Rules shifted, and his confidence was shaken. He understood. After Beijing, he turned professional—and hasn’t stopped since. Now a producer, choreographer, and screenwriter, in 2023, his solo performance GIFT (available on Disney+) became the first figure skating performance held at the Tokyo Dome, where stars like Madonna have performed. Meanwhile, his efforts to support disaster-stricken areas continue to grow. Versatile and strikingly charismatic, he recently became an ambassador for Gucci. Hanyu is also a philosopher: he recently engaged in a conversation on the meaning of life with the revered Buddhist priest Ryojun Shionuma. Because Hanyu speaks a universal language—one that transcends sports and borders, proving that challenges can transform into strength.

More than 300,000 spectators from around the world have attended your shows in less than two years, not to mention those who follow you through streaming. While competitive figure skating struggles to fill a few thousand seats, you are revolutionizing professionalism by creating unprecedented formats to tell universal stories. At the same time, you’ve never been in such great shape. Professionalism used to be the phase when skaters could relax. But once again, everyone is forced to keep up with you.

"Before my series of Ice Story shows, it was unthinkable for a skater to perform more than ten programs in a single day, some of which included high-level technical elements, as part of a two-hour solo performance. Not only that, but each program was usually self-contained. Today, each of my programs is part of a cohesive narrative, telling a larger story and presenting a worldview. I want Ice Story to become a symbol of Japanese entertainment. In a few days, I’ll turn 30 (on December 7, editor’s note), but I don’t see age as a limitation. I try to give my all. When I was competing, the wall I had to overcome was defined by scores. As a professional, I determine my own walls, my own limits. I continually push my boundaries, becoming stronger to break down that wall. And then another, and another (wall)."

Many of your programs, and entire shows like Notte Stellata, performed on the anniversary of March 11, are tied to the experience of the earthquake. How do you deal with the challenging legacy of being a survivor?

"If the earthquake hadn’t happened, my life would be different. Every program of mine is, even if not directly, connected to that experience; in a sense, each is a prayer. It was then that I decided to skate for others. The concept of hope is present in every one of my programs. Like Haru yo, Koi (Come, Spring, editor’s note), which I also performed in Beijing.

I believe I won my Olympic gold medals because I lived through March 11, and if my medals have any meaning, it is as a symbol of hope in these troubled times for the world, with wars, pandemics, and natural disasters. I would like to offer my victories to the world as a symbol of hope."

You’ve often spoken about the guilt you feel for surviving. Recently, while reporting for Japanese television among the people of Ishikawa—struck by the New Year’s earthquake and later by the flood, where you performed in September for charity—you described the overwhelming sense of helplessness that accompanies such experiences. You know what it’s like to live with the fear of an impending disaster, and you’ve emphasized the importance of living in a way that leaves no regrets. Your upcoming tour, Echoes of Life, is dedicated to exploring the meaning of life.
"I’ve studied bioethics and often reflect on life and death. The only thing we can do is move forward—survive day by day in this world where we know nothing of what awaits us. Living one second at a time, one day at a time. If my skating, where I give everything I have, can convey the feeling of living in the moment, living fully, that would make me happy. After 3.11, I was supported by so many people. The only way I can repay them is by doing my best, even if it’s just a little. There are still so many people suffering. Keeping their struggles from being forgotten is something I carry with me every moment."

Since 3.11, your skating and your example have provided comfort to those in pain. Every day on your YouTube channel, hundreds of people from around the world write to thank you. Do you feel the weight of their expectations? Skating is a tough and deeply solitary sport. But when you perform, it feels like everyone is skating with you.
"I feel a great sense of responsibility toward my audience and, consequently, toward my performances. But I think it’s a positive kind of pressure because it drives me to improve. Seeing the audience’s enthusiasm is the motivation I need. Solitude is part of life, but if my skating can bring comfort, even just a smile, then that is my mission."

With programs like Seimei and Ten to Chi to—the first, with which you won the 2018 Olympics, dedicated to a famous mystic from feudal Japan, and the second, to Uesugi Kenshin, a warlord who became a Buddhist monk—you’ve brought Japanese culture and history into figure skating, a realm traditionally dominated by Western music and traditions. Your first tour, RE_PRAY, explored the ethics of video games. What can video games teach us about the world we live in?
"Programs like Seimei and Ten to Chi to represent the pride of Japan. When I create a program, I think of something that only I can bring to life. RE_PRAY was a significant challenge. No one had ever delved into the world of video games so intensely. It’s part of Japanese culture, but it’s also deeply personal to me. Tracks like Megalovania, Dark Messenger, and Gate of Living… The show, which mimics the structure of a video game, includes the repeated scene of 'GAME OVER. Continue?' 'Yes.' It’s the middle of a battle: the player is exhausted, wants to give up, but keeps going. Obstacles, fear, choice, rules, mission, solitude, giving your all—these are the core of both video games and life."

You often mention having conversations with the nine-year-old Yuzuru. Despite everything you’ve gone through, you’ve managed to stay true to yourself and carry the child you were within you. Today’s society seems to demand that we forget our childhood selves, and as we grow up, we inevitably lose the creativity we had as children.
"I’ve learned so much from nine-year-old Yuzuru, who put his whole heart into everything he did, always trying his best to surpass himself—just as I do now. He was so brave, so pure. At that age, a child hasn’t yet been swallowed up by society, and though they feel its pressures, they don’t yet know fear: they have a dream and want to achieve it. As we grow older, we begin associating emotions with what surrounds us. Rain = darkness, darkness = pain. But as children, rain is just rain, and darkness is just darkness. Compared to a child’s purity, the adult world is full of interference. Adapting to society is important. But when I skate, I need to step away from the adult I’ve become and return to that pure state. To give my best, I have to go back to being a child." (T/N: reconnect with his inner child)

After 3.11, Gucci was very active in Sendai, supporting reconstruction efforts through scholarships and the promotion of local crafts. What are the goals of your partnership with them?
"To me, Gucci has always represented the pride of Italian culture, the same pride I feel for my country and my skating. Just as I meticulously craft programs that reflect the history and culture of Japan, Gucci creates garments and accessories that tell the story of Italy and its heritage."

(Translation by Minori Shimizu)

WHO HE IS

LIFE
Born in Japan in 1994, Yuzuru Hanyu is a figure skating legend, the winner of two consecutive Olympic titles (2014 and 2018).
A ranking by AIPS, compiled by sports journalists from around the world, places him sixth among the most important athletes of the past hundred years.

THE EARTHQUAKE
At 16, he survived “3.11,” the most devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan’s history. He continues to contribute to reconstruction efforts.

ARTIST
Producer, choreographer, and scriptwriter, he is also a brand ambassador for Gucci. The photo here, taken by Jiro Konami, is part of an exhibition dedicated to him at Gucci’s flagship store in Tokyo.

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Please visit the online article too to show support and interest to the journalist and the publisher:
https://www.corriere.it/sette/24_novembre_22/yuzuru-hanyu-il-pattinatore-della-speranza-io-danzo-sul-ghiaccio-e-la-mia-preghiera-334d0ef6-a5aa-4880-b391-9cffe8495xlk.shtml