[2023.10] JAPANDIGEST No.23 October 2023 issue

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

Source: JAPANDIGEST No.23 October 2023 issue, pg 16-18
https://www.japandigest.de/moderne-kultur/sport/hanyu-yuzuru-interview/

https://issuu.com/newsdigest/docs/jd2023_10

 

 

The story of the figure skating prince

HANYU YUZURU’S GIFT

 

Japan is home to many talented artists and athletes, but few enjoy as much international popularity as Hanyu Yuzuru. With two Olympic gold medals and numerous competition victories under his belt, the 28-year-old figure skater from Sendai has made a name for himself worldwide. So it is not surprising that Hanyu continues to be on the ice and enjoys great recognition even after the end of his competitive career. (Text: Maria-Laura Mitsuoka)

 

Spoiler

For many sports enthusiasts, Hanyu Yuzuru is and remains the prince of figure skating. He was the first Japanese skater to win the gold medal at the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics and was the first athlete in history to attempt the quadruple Axel (the most difficult jump to date) at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. With numerous records, fantastic costumes and emotional choreographies, he ushered in a new era of figure skating and inspired many young athletes to emulate him.

 

Hanyu is one of Japan's most esteemed personalities not only because of his masterful technique, but also because of his artistic programs. The ice surface is his canvas, his body the brush with which he paints stories. With his emotional performances, he not only opens portals to distant worlds for the audience, but also elicits storms of enthusiasm. He is considered one of the most important benefactors, especially for northeastern Japan, because after the great Tohoku earthquake in 2011, in which large parts of the country were devastated by a tsunami, he gave strength and new hope to the people of Fukushima and his home prefecture of Miyagi.

 

Just a few months after the end of his competitive career in July 2022, Hanyu opened the show PROLOGUE, and in February 2023 he finally opened the next chapter of his life with his project GIFT in front of 35,000 spectators in the Tokyo Dome. Now the journey through Hanyu's artistic worlds is taking a new direction with the picture book of the same name, which will be published in December in collaboration with the mangaka group CLAMP, which is also famous in Germany. He will also begin his first Japanese tour in November entitled "RE_PRAY", in which he stylishly combines figure skating with the world of video games.

 

 

Q: You made history in February and performed a one-man show called GIFT for the first time in front of an audience of 35,000 people in the Tokyo Dome. That is also the name of your picture book. What is GIFT about?

I wanted to put all the experiences and things I value in my life into a story and present it to the audience as a gift. Even if it was just a tiny fragment, I wanted to pass on all my thoughts and words to the people who were watching me and needed support at that time. The feelings and words in this story may be mine, but I am sure that many other people share them with me.

 

Q: During the show, you used the expression "to give colour to the world." What did you mean by that?

I’m sure I’ve had many experiences throughout my life, and the meaning I attach to things has changed. For example, as a child, I never hated the rain or associated a cloudy sky with a gloomy feeling. But as I got older, rainy weather made me feel more melancholic, and when I looked at the cloudy sky, my heart grew heavier. To describe days that I had attached such meaning to, I used the word “colour.”

 

Q: For the show GIFT, you worked with MIKIKO, the choreographer of the Japanese pop group Perfume. What did you take away from the experience?

After meeting MIKIKO, my way of expressing myself and my perception of everyday life changed. Expression has always existed, and I realized that as soon as you communicate something, words and body language (which are used in figure skating) are also means of communication. I don’t have much confidence in my choice of words or my way of speaking, but I’ve come to believe that I can express myself through these very words. And I believe that there are feelings and thoughts that are particularly strongly conveyed through my figure skating. I think I feel the music more intensely than before, which makes it easier for me to express my feelings honestly. In order to convey my emotions even better, I want to continue working on my technique and learn many different forms of expression.

 

Q: Why did you choose CLAMP as a manga group to realize your project?

I really like CLAMP's works and am impressed by their worldview. The depiction of the background and characters is bubbling with emotion. Each of these depictions carries an encrypted message. Additionally, I like stories and images that don’t come about randomly but emerge from the situation. Therefore, I wanted my GIFT to be brought to paper by CLAMP, and I asked them to illustrate the book for me.

 

Q: This interview will certainly arouse the interest of many German readers. Do you have a final message for them?

I will continue to work hard to reach people abroad - including in Germany. And I will continue to channel my emotions into figure skating. Thank you very much for all the support!

 

 

Profile and important achievements

Hanyu Yuzuru was born on December 7, 1994 in Sendai (Miyagi Prefecture) and is considered one of the most successful figure skaters in the world. He won numerous national and international competitions in the men's singles discipline. He ended his competitive career on July 19, 2022.

 

2012-2015, 2020-2021: Japanese Champion
2013-2016: Winner of the Grand Prix Final
2014: Gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi
2014, 2017: World Champion
2018: Gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang
2020: Winner of the Four Continents Championships
2022: Fourth at the Winter Olympics in Beijing