[2025] Echoes of Life - ICE STORY 3rd

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.02.22

 

Source: https://www.advertimes.com/20250222/article490354/

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250222064418/https://www.advertimes.com/20250222/article490354/

 

 

TV Asahi's "Metaverse Roppongi" collaborates with Yuzuru Hanyu, aiming for over 10,000 visitors in about an hour

 

Starting February 24th, the "Roppongi Metaverse of Light and Stars," developed by TV Asahi, will be collaborating with Yuzuru Hanyu's solo ice show tour, "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR."

 

Spoiler

Starting the same day, the floor of the arena area within Metaverse Roppongi will be transformed into an skating rink, and photo spots will be set up where you can take photos with Hanyu, including a giant banner display of him from "Echoes of Life."

 

The "Red Moon" floating in the night sky in the Metaverse

During the collaboration period, a red moon will appear in the night sky inside the metaverse, and the rainbow bridge spanning the arena will also be painted red.

Furthermore, since the character Nova, played by Hanyu in "Echoes of Life," appears from a capsule-shaped object, a capsule-shaped object was also installed that visitors could enter and take photos in, taking advantage of the characteristics of the metaverse and allowing visitors to virtually experience it.

 

"Red Moon" is from a scene in a performance where a red moon floats over a city at night, and the moon, which is supposed to be in space, grows larger and illuminates the buildings of the city. This time, as a special collaboration, Roppongi is illuminated with the light of the red moon.

 

"The rainbow in Metaverse Roppongi is also red, so climbing to the top of the rainbow and looking at the red moon will be a completely different immersive experience," says Masaru Yokoi of TV Asahi's Corporate Design Center.

 

The second collaboration with Hanyu is an even easier process

The "Yuzuru Hanyu "RE_PRAY" Event in Metaverse Roppongi" held in December 2023 attracted a total of approximately 35,000 people.

 

The "Echoes of Life" performance is the third in Hanyu's ice story series, but the entire series has a solid original worldview, and the company felt that it would be a good fit for the Metaverse in terms of expansion.

 

"The entire performance of 'Echoes of Life' is philosophical, and the protagonist, played by Hanyu, asks questions such as 'What is myself?' and 'What does it mean to be born?' I thought it would be interesting to see participants in the metaverse take part in the performance as 'avatars that represent themselves' and watch the performance," said Yokoi.

 

The previous event was a big hit, trending on social media, but this time they made it easier to get people involved, set up a practice period beforehand, extended the open period itself, and incorporated many photo spots within the metaverse.

 

Yokoi says that he hopes that this event will be an introductory experience for not only Hanyu's fans and people interested in figure skating, but also for people who have never experienced a virtual world or metaverse before.

 

"I think it's a fun experience to be able to communicate with strangers without exchanging words, just through emotional actions," says Yokoi.

 

The KPI is "more than 10,000 visitors in about an hour"

In addition, a one-night-only limited event, "Hanyu Yuzuru 'Echoes of Life' Exchange Event in Metaverse Roppongi," is scheduled to be held from 9:00 p.m. on February 26th.

 

Here, visitors can enjoy some of the performances from the final performance of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" Chiba concert held in February 2025 in the metaverse space. Anyone can participate with just a smartphone.

 

"Roppongi Metaverse of Light and Stars" is said to be a large-scale world designed to accommodate 10,000 people at the same time during events, and the company has set a KPI of "more than 10,000 visitors within about an hour of the event" on February 26th.

 

"However, since Collaboration World itself will be open until March 9th, we think that it's not just the number of visitors that's important, but also the sense of interaction between participants and their satisfaction with the event experience. The Metaverse is not something special; it's entertainment that can be played casually on your smartphone. I often use video streaming services myself, but this is different from that; it allows you to experience the world online and also offers a new experience where you can interact with the performers and participants, so I hope that everyone will enjoy it casually," said Yokoi.

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.08

 

Source: https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/336463

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250308042348/https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/336463

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu has a tremendous influence in the metaverse world. 130,000 people attended the event over three days.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu (30), a professional skater who won two consecutive Olympic gold medals in men's figure skating, also has an enormous influence in the metaverse world.

 

　When the collaboration between Hanyu's third ice story "Echoes of Life" and "Metaverse Roppongi" started on February 24th, the information spread among fans in an instant. A person in charge of the event revealed, "The number of visitors exceeded 130,000 in three days, and the total number of emotes was about 1.35 million, and the number of comments was about 32,000, making it a very active world."

 

　Furthermore, for a limited time until March 9th, the floor of the arena area in Metaverse Roppongi will be transformed into an ice rink. A red moon will be floating in the night sky, and the rainbow bridge over the arena will also be specially decorated in red. The person in charge recalled, "Fans who crossed the bridge in search of a special world view took commemorative photos in front of the red moon, and in front of the giant banner display of Yuzuru Hanyu from 'Echoes of Life,' fans came out one after another to enjoy themselves by striking the same pose with their avatars."

 

　On February 26th, a one-night-only limited event was held, in which Hanyu himself participated as an avatar. His caring spirit seems to be alive and well, as he showed a performance on and off the ice that exceeded the expectations of his fans.

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.03.21

 

Source: https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/129968

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250321112037/https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/129968

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu's "I am the Strongest" goes beyond the finale ~Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR~

 

The opening performance of "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" in Hiroshima (January 3, 2025, Hiroshima Green Arena) will be broadcast on TV Asahi Channel 2 on March 22nd.

 

Spoiler

About two weeks have passed since "Yuzuru Hanyu notte stellata 2025" came to an end. With Echoes of Life and notte stellata 2025 coming to an end, there are probably many people who feel lonely.

 

　Hanyu himself said during the encore at the final performance of the Chiba concert (February 9th) that he felt like he had "seen off" the character Nova, whom he played in Echoes of Life.

 

　Nova had a unique charm. Watching him confront various questions, struggle, and grow was endearing. Some fans even referred to him as "Nova-kun" on social media. I was no exception. After the Echoes finale, when I asked Hanyu about Nova’s state of mind during Mass Destruction - Reload, I almost slipped and said "Nova-kun", and panicked a little.

 

As I reminisced about Echoes before the upcoming CS broadcast, I reread my past articles. Something felt off. It wasn’t about the story—it was a magnificent and wonderful narrative.

 

I had previously written that Echoes featured 12 performances in the main story and three more in the encore, including his signature "SEIMEI." Other media outlets also described it as 15 performances in total, so it wasn’t a mistake on my part.

 

　However, while reviewing the footage, I suddenly realized something. I had mentally categorized it as "12 main performances + 3 encore performances" / "finale and victory lap." Typically, the latter consists of skaters waving to the audience while circling the rink. This was the source of my unease.

 

　Recently, Hanyu has chosen Ado's "I Am the Strongest" for the laps and finales of his solo ice shows and Ice Story.

 

　In Echoes, "Watashi wa Saikyou" was essentially another full program.

 

　After going around the rink, there is a part where the song changes from 4 beats to 3 beats. The lyrics go, "Even if I have to push myself a little, I want to water the flowers." From here, Hanyu showed off his quick steps and turns. He even did a beautiful upright spin. In some performances, he even performed an open axel, hydroblading, and a layback Ina Bauer. Depending on the show, he also showed the gesture of watering the flowers and extending his hand in sync with the lyrics at the part, "Come on, let's hold hands."

 

　The reason these are beautiful is because of the foundations that have been polished over and over again. In the spring of 2012, he crossed the ocean and reexamined the foundations under coaches Brian Orser and Tracy Wilson. At a press conference after achieving consecutive Olympic victories, Hanyu said the following.

 

"True artistry is built upon a foundation of correct technique and thoroughly refined basics. If that is lacking, it’s not art."

 

　Let's get back to Echoes. He performed "I am the Strongest" after performing 15 songs. By then, lactic acid must have been building up in his muscles. Although he likely replenished amino acids and glucose with drinks between performances, there’s no guarantee they had been fully absorbed. He could have even been on the verge of depleting his muscle and liver glycogen stores—yet he still put on a breathtaking finale performance.

 

　In Prologue, "I Am the Strongest" was a more subtle performance, with only light footwork and small head movements to match the beat. In RE_PRAY, he delivered skating synchronized to the music, and in Echoes, he went beyond the realm of a lap song.

 

　As he skates, exhausting all his strength, you can feel his thoughts that "I am the strongest because of all my fans." Hanyu's "I am the strongest," which can be considered an extension of his program, has a unique and captivating appeal.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.05.14

 

Source: https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/344429

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250514003534/https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/344429

 

Note: The interview mentioned here was published on Mar 7th - https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/articles/-/336351

 

Yuzuru Hanyu - The 'consideration' that surprised me during the interview... With a wry smile: 'I'm already tired, definitely tired.'

 

[Behind the scenes of the interview, on-site notes]
"Shall I move this desk?" Even though he must have been exhausted, he showed concern for others as if it were the most natural thing. It was a moment that once again made me realize just how amazing Yuzuru Hanyu (30), the professional skater who achieved back-to-back Olympic gold medals in men’s figure skating, truly is.

 

Spoiler

The reporter was able to arrange an exclusive interview with Hanyu on February 10th, the day after the final performance of the solo show "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR," which Hanyu produced and conducted.

 

Just the day before, on the 9th, he had wrapped up seven performances across three locations nationwide, with the final show held at Lalaport Arena Tokyo Bay in Chiba. During some small talk before the interview at a private location, he gave a wry smile and said, "I'm already tired, definitely tired."

Yet when the interview was about to begin, he adjusted the position of the desk and sofa so the cameraman could take better photos. Hanyu himself moved around proactively, helping us find the best setup.

 

I began covering figure skating in the fall of 2021. While I didn’t have many chances to see Hanyu during his competitive days, I was struck by how considerate he was not just in his performances, but also in the way he interacted with the press during interviews.

 

"Begin with a bow, end with a bow." Whether that phrase is exactly accurate or not, his spirit truly felt like something out of "Bushido" (the way of the samurai).

 

In March, at "Yuzuru Hanyu notte stellata" (Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Miyagi), he skated alongside many top skaters, infusing his performance with heartfelt emotions for those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Even after turning professional, his determination to push himself forward remains unchanged.

 

He hasn't yet revealed any plans for his next "ice story." Still, we will surely see something beyond our imagination. "I always set goals just beyond my limits." When I heard this statement of conviction during our one-on-one interview, my hope turned into certainty.

 

 

 

Source: https://voicy.jp/channel/1847/6710407

 

Radio conversation about the article above

 

Spoiler

The spirit of Bushido lives in Yuzuru Hanyu. As if it were the most natural thing, he says, 'Shall I move this table?'

So, something that caught my eye today. It’s not really a piece of news or anything, but from time to time, we publish this column called “Behind-the-scenes, Field Notes,” where the reporters write about things that didn’t make it into the main paper. In this case, the reporter who usually covers Yuzuru Hanyu, Nakanishi, wrote something. Basically, even though Hanyu had just done interviews with many media outlets and must’ve been exhausted, he still showed thoughtfulness toward the reporter, saying things like “Shall I move this table?” or “I’m tired, but I’m fine.” How should I put it… he just never shows his fatigue on the surface.

—He took time to respond to each of them.

Exactly, he responded to them. Really. Such a wonderful example of a mature adult. That’s what the article says.

—I see.

It’s really impressive, isn’t it? Despite being so busy and such a top athlete. Honestly, it’s pretty common for people to let success go to their heads, especially in the entertainment industry. There are those who start to misunderstand their place, but Hanyu remains humble. He stays focused on his sport first and foremost, and he treats the media properly as well. You could call it divine-level hospitality.

—That’s wonderful.

He’s really flawless. 

—And that “Shall I move this table?” line you said at the beginning is one example of how thoughtful he is.

Exactly. I don’t know exactly what or how he moved it, though.

—But he’s the kind of person who takes the initiative to act himself.

Normally, that’s something staff would do. But he probably noticed the reporter struggling a bit and adjusted it himself. So yeah, I hope Hanyu fans read the article and get a sense of how considerate he is.

—There are people who get full of themselves once they make it to the top, and then there are people who are like this when they reach the top.
He truly values his fans, and he also respects the media who helped lift him up. He’s really amazing in that way. You could say the same about Ohtani too.

—Right.

He handles interviews properly too.

—And his way of speaking hasn’t changed at all.

The ones at the top really are different. Yeah, they really are.

—Yes. Please give the article a read. Thank you.
 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2025.05.14

 

Source: https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/130930

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250515044626/https://www.ninomiyasports.com/archives/130930

 

Is this a message from Nova?

 

"Yuzuru Hanyu Echoes of Life - All Programs & Behind the Scenes Special" was broadcast on CS TV Asahi Channel 2 on the 5th. Many people probably looked back on the performances on the program.

 

Spoiler

　Echoes of Life is a story about Hanyu's character, VGH-257 Nova, who is alone in the world, asking himself questions such as "Who am I?", "What is life?" and "What is my role?", and how he grows in the process of searching for answers while struggling. It is also a story that gives the audience an insight.

 

　This behind-the-scenes SP may have once again made some people captivated by Hanyu's performance, while also causing them to think about themselves.

 

Before Echoes of Life opened, I wrote the following on this site:

"I work in the so-called mass media. And I felt frustrated with myself for being part of it. I felt a sense of emptiness about being part of the media. I asked myself, 'What can someone like me even do?' After some self-questioning, I came to a tentative answer: maybe what I can do is to continue being part of the media. And that’s where I’ve landed for now."
 

At that time, I felt a strong aversion to my own profession, thinking, “I’m part of the mass media too…” Even though it wasn’t my own article, it left me feeling empty. Job postings stuck to the walls of the local yakitori shop or taped to the sliding doors of convenience stores started catching my eye more than usual.

 

Some time has passed since Echoes of Life ended, and I watched the behind-the-scenes special. Once again, I questioned myself. The result:

Back then, my answer was only "tentative"—but not anymore. As long as I still have the strength, as long as my environment allows it, and as long as I can manage financially—even just the bare minimum—I will remain part of the media. If I ever do leave this profession, I think I might want to become a member of Hanyu’s fan club. But I’ll save that as a future joy to look forward to.

 

On the morning of the 14th, I visited a nearby shrine during my walk. There is a tanzaku (paper strip) called "Words of Life" that is published monthly by the Tokyo Metropolitan Shinto Shrine Association. The words written on it change every month.

 

The Words of Life for May of Reiwa 7 (2025) was: "Heaven gave birth to my talents—there must be a purpose for them." This is a poem by Li Bai, a poet from the prosperous Tang Dynasty. It seems to mean that “Heaven brought me into existence, so surely I have a purpose”. In other words, every person has a role or mission to fulfill.

 

Was it mere coincidence that I encountered this poem? Or… could it have been a message from Nova-kun?