[2022] Prologue Official Books

[yuzurujenn]

Website: https://prologue-official.jp/

1. Prologue - Official Guidebook (2022.11.01) 

 

Info: https://web.archive.org/web/20221101032342/https://axelstore.jp/prologue/detail.php?goods_id=3410

 

Product introduction:
All 64 pages of newly taken photos!

 

Message from Yuzuru Hanyu:

"I wanted to create something that would allow you to feel the history of my life and my skating journey, and that's why I planned this ice show. This is the first ice show that I will be doing everything on my own. The title is 'Prologue.' I will do my best with the hope that "from now on, various stories will be woven" and "this ice show will be the 'prologue' of those stories. "

 

 

 

2. Prologue – Collector's edition book (2022.12.02) 

 

Info: https://web.archive.org/web/20221205092745/https://axelstore.jp/prologue/detail.php?goods_id=3475

 

Product introduction:
Yuzuru Hanyu turned professional in July and performed his first solo ice show, "Prologue." This collector's edition book allows you to relive the excitement and passion of the show. It's designed to be enjoyed by those who enjoyed the show at the venue, at live viewings, or on satellite broadcasts, as well as those encountering "Prologue" for the first time!

Packed with exclusive photos, the collector's edition book boasts over 100 pages of gorgeous, full-color photography! Enjoy footage of Yuzuru Hanyu's performances, including his choreographed programs "Someday the Dream Will End" and "Haru yo, Koi," as well as rehearsals. The official guidebook and collector's edition book are designed to complement each other, with elegant binding that ensures long-lasting enjoyment after delivery.

 

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: 2022.11.01 Prologue Official Guidebook

 

WARM-UP ROUTINE  

(pg 32-33)

 

Yuzuru Hanyu has showcased countless amazing performances over the years. What makes these performances possible is his daily practice. This time, we focus on his warm-up routine off the ice before he steps onto the rink. Among the various movements and exercises in his warm-up, each with its own meaning and purpose, we highlight four routines.
 

ROUTINE 01 - He designs his own menu and changes it gradually.

Hanyu says, "I come up with all the different movements and routines myself." "Of course, I reference concepts and theories I’ve studied or been taught. From there, I combine and remove things to make them more suited to skating and to my own needs. The routine changes depending on my condition and the points to watch out for in my jumps, so the menu itself gradually changes over the course of about two weeks. I’ve been building my own warm-up routine since I was about 14. Looking back, there were probably many things that were unnecessary, but I did it in my own way." He also decides his on-ice practice routine. "I originally wanted to do that kind of practice (like SharePractice), but I couldn't play music frequently unless I was alone, so after I came back from Toronto, I started to do this kind of practice."

 

ROUTINE 02 - Assessing the day's condition and focusing on rhythm and imagery.

Before and during warm-up, Hanyu checks his own videos several times. "Basically, I focus on entering the right imagery and confirming my rhythm. The feeling of timing changes depending on the day, so I try to match it to the rhythm of my body when it's at its best." During his isolation exercises where he moves his shoulders intensely while looking at himself in the mirror, he says, "I try to move to the limit of my range of motion. Also, I use this to check my body condition for the day." He also does quick, repetitive movements such as tightening his right arm in a way similar to the take-off motion for jumps, about 10 times in a row. "When I move quickly, my body tends to wobble, so I try to counter that by tightening my body, with the image of activating a switch to ensure I can jump from any position."

 

ROUTINE 03 - Checking the ankle position before putting on the skates.

After finishing his off-ice warm-up, he prepares for on-ice practice by putting on his skates. Just before inserting his feet into the boots, Hanyu rotates and twists his ankles. "My ankles are quite unstable, so I reposition them to make sure they're in the right place before putting the skates on." This practice began around the time of the Beijing Olympics. "I used to do this as part of my care routine, but I decided to start doing it right before I put my skates on too."

After inserting his feet into the boots, he carefully touches his foot on the top of the skates before tying the laces. "I do this to make sure they fit properly. The fit of the boots and the feet is crucial to prevent injuries."

 

ROUTINE 04 - Touching the ice when entering and leaving the rink.

Once everything is ready, he steps onto the ice. The first thing he does is touch the ice. "It's my greeting to the rink. I express the feeling of 'Thank you for allowing me to skate.' And it’s also a way of saying, 'Please be gentle with me, ' so I don’t get hurt. " This is how he begins his ice practice. When he finishes, he always touches the ice again before leaving the rink. This time, it's to say, "Thank you for letting me skate today without injury." Incidentally, after the free skate at the Beijing Olympics, Hanyu placed both hands firmly on the ice as he was leaving the rink. "I had the feeling that the Olympics had come to an end for me and that I wouldn't be skating on that rink again, so I wanted to say, 'Thank you for everything during the Olympics.' It was sad (a way of saying goodbye to the Olympics), but it happened."

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: 2022.11.01 Prologue Official Guidebook

 

The Foundation of Yuzuru Hanyu
Skate Boots and Skate Guards

(pg 34-35)

 

One essential item for professional skater Yuzuru Hanyu is his skate boots. The relationship between a skater and their skate boots is unique, as they are the only companions on the ice. Hanyu shares his care and connection with his skate boots, as well as the skate guard that he has cherished for so long. Through these items related to skating, Hanyu's thoughts and philosophy about the sport come to light.

 

Spoiler

- These are the skate boots you're wearing now, right?
Yes. I just switched them in mid-August, so they’re still new and I haven’t worn them much yet. I had been using the previous pair for three years, so I thought it was about time to give them a rest.

 

- Three years is an incredibly long time, isn't it?
Yes, they’re completely worn out. Especially the right one, it lasted for three years.

 

- So, does that mean you had different boots for each foot?
Yes, that’s right. The left one was for two years, and the right one was for three years.

 

- It sounds like the right one, which is used for landing jumps, lasted longer.
Ah, no, that’s not the case. When I got the new pair of boots, the left one didn’t fit well, but the right one was fine. So, when I replaced both boots with different ones, the left one fit, but then the right one didn’t. I thought, "Hmm, this feels a bit different," but decided to keep the right boot from the old pair. That’s why the right boot lasted three years, and the left one lasted two years.

 

- Inside the skate boots, you’re wearing five-finger socks, right?
Yes. When I was in fifth grade, I tried wearing five-finger socks while skating, and they felt really good.

 

- Is it because you can feel each toe individually?
That’s part of it, yes. When I used to wear large-sized boots, I’d wear really thick socks. For some reason, I tried five-finger socks at that time, and I realized it felt really good to have each toe move independently.

 

- As for the order in which you put on your boots, you put the left one on first during SharePractice, but today you put the right one on first. Do you have a particular preference for the order in which you put on your boots?
After SharePractice, I changed my boots, so now I start with the right one.

 

- What do you mean by that?
The boots I had before, I found that putting the left one on first felt better, so I used to put the left one on first. But there's probably a logic to that. The right boot was softer than the left, since I had worn it for one more year. If I tied the left boot based on the feeling of the right one, the left boot would feel too tight. So, I would leave the left boot a bit firmer and adjust the right one to match the left, which gave me a good balance. But with my current boots, both feel the same. Since I originally used to put the right one on first, I now continue with that order.

 

- When you tie a pair of shoelaces, about two-thirds of the way down, where the eyelets change to hooks, you stretch the laces straight up to your knee, tie it lightly above the knee, and then start tightening the laces, right?
Yes. If I don’t secure them at that point (before the hooks), the laces would shift. Everyone does it this way.

 

- Why do you stretch the laces up to your knee before fastening them?
Ah, this. By stretching the laces like this, I can tell the tightness around the instep of my foot based on the length of the laces at that moment. If the boots feel loose, I can tell if my feet are swollen and causing the looseness, or if I just didn’t tie the laces tightly enough. The length of the laces helps me figure it out.

 

- So, you measure the length of the laces and decide, “Today feels just right,” based on that?
Well, it’s more of a feeling (laughs). Yes, that’s right, it’s something I pay attention to.

 

- You tie your shoelaces very quickly, don’t you?
I think it’s a habit from when I was little and used to play until the very last moment.

 

- After that, you put on skate covers. Do you always wear them?
Yes, I do. But I sometimes wonder if there are some routines where it might be better not to wear them.

 

- Since when and why do you wear skate covers?
I wear skate covers because they make the boots look prettier. They also make my legs look longer (laughs). I started wearing them from the very beginning. For example, in my first "Ultraman Gaia" performance, my costume was blue, and I wore blue skate covers. So, it’s been from the start.

 

- That might be one reason why your boots last so long, right?
Yes, I think that’s part of the reason. They don’t get damaged easily.

 

- How do you take care of your boots? Do you polish them or anything?
In figure skating, we don’t really polish the boots. They can get condensation, so after using them, I always wipe them down carefully. When I get home, I take them out, wipe them, and let the temperature difference settle before storing them again. Since the skate guard is made of plastic, the plastic tends to stick to the blade’s underside, so before stepping onto the ice, I make sure to remove it.

 

- Do you have any particular feelings toward your skate guards?
This one (shown in the photo below) is the one I used during the season of the Great East Japan Earthquake. I was actually wearing it when I was evacuating during the earthquake. It's the one that has faded in colour (shown on the right in the photo). It's gotten old now, and there's almost no texture left (on the part where the skate guard touches the floor). I only use it for important times, like during competitions.

 

- In which competitions have you used this skate guard?
I’ve used this skate guard in almost every competition. I don’t use it outside of competitions, not even in official practices. I treasure them. I'm currently using one with a lighter colour and one with a darker colour, but these are all from the season when the earthquake occurred. When you buy a skate guard, if you specify the colour, you can get two sets (four pieces). In this case, there are four green parts and four purple parts, and they are combined to form two sets (four pieces). Out of these four, the ones I actually used during the earthquake season is this one that have faded in colour, plus another one. However, after the official practice for the free program at the Pyeongchang Olympics, part of it came off and broke. It had already been cracked before it broke. Since I’ve been using it since the earthquake, it can’t be helped."

 

- What about the black and green skate guards you used in SharePractice?
Those are for practice, so I don’t have much attachment to them. However, they originally had glitter on them, and where that glitter came off, I decided to add some gold glitter (laughs).

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: 2022.11.01 Prologue Official Guidebook

 

Long Interview
Yuzuru Hanyu - Prologue

(pg 12-20)

 

"A Show That I Could Complete on My Own Was My Dream."

 

Spoiler

--Your first ice show after turning professional, "Prologue." Could you tell us about the concept of this show?
The main concept is to reflect on my life up until now. It's like a declaration of my determination, to show that, "This is the life I've lived so far, and now I’m taking a step toward the next stage" or "This is how I will work hard from here on out."

 

--Had you been thinking about ice shows like this even before turning professional?
I didn't have a specific title or theme in mind. However, even before I turned professional, it was my dream to do a show that I could do alone. I feel the strong support from the fans who really love my skating, and I wanted to create a place where people could see various genres and a wide range of expressions at once. That’s why I wanted to do it alone.

 

--Speaking of ice shows produced by you, there was also "Continues ~with Wings~" in April 2018. Is the concept of this show different from "Prologue"?

Yes, that's right. "Continues ~with Wings~" was a show where I wanted to express the theme that the people I respect and those from whom I have inherited various things were skating, and their will is flowing within me as well. This time, in "Prologue," I want to focus on myself and show "how my skating has been shaped." And in "Prologue," I will skate alone. I think this will make it a completely different experience from anything I've done before.

 

[I Want You to See Various Expressions]

 

--I’ve never seen a one-man ice show where only one person skates through the entire show.

I don't think there has been a show where only one person skates through the entire thing. But I believe I can skate through completely on my own. Since I'm doing it solo, the visuals and production between the programs are also very focused on 'Yuzuru Hanyu.' So, instead of feeling like 'I'm here to watch an ice show,' I think the audience will feel like 'I'm here to watch a Yuzuru Hanyu show.'"

 

--Does a one-man ice show mean that you'll be performing the whole time?

Haha. Honestly, while I’ve been planning this, I’ve also wondered how long my stamina will hold up. Even though I'm doing it alone, I don’t want to lower the difficulty of the programs. If I'm performing previous programs, I want to ensure the audience doesn't feel like, "Oh, this isn't what I expected." But since it's an ice show, I also had concerns that it wouldn't be engaging enough if there weren’t a certain number of programs.

 

While considering the balance with other factors, I’ll push myself to the limit, incorporating difficult elements as long as I can build the stamina for it. I’m working hard now to make sure that each program will be something worth watching.

 

--I heard that you are creating the show’s structure and setlist all by yourself. What kind of image or thoughts do you have when you create them?

The image is that the show begins with my current self. Then, I reflect on various moments from my skating life in chronological order, and in the end, I return to my current self, showing that I am moving forward from here.

 

I’ve also arranged the programs in a balanced way, including programs that I want the audience to remember, programs that will get them excited, and programs that will move them. As I mentioned earlier, I strongly want to show various expressions, so I’ve made sure to incorporate a variety of things in a balanced manner.

 

--Building the setlist must be fun, right?

It’s fun, but honestly, I’m a bit worried about whether I can really do it all. That being said, the desire to have people watch is strong, so while I’m trying to hold back a bit on my feelings of 'I want to do this, I want to do that,' I’m focusing on making sure the performance quality stays high.

 

And throughout the show, even during the moments when I’m not skating, I hope the audience can revisit past scenes, recall the emotions and reflect on the journey up till now... I’d be happy if you’ll watch it that way.

 

--By "keeping the quality high," it seems like the rink size and other factors would have an impact, right?

Yes, that's right. Compared to a competition rink (which is typically 60 meters by 30 meters), the rink for a typical ice show is quite a bit smaller. So, when performing a competitive program in an ice show, there’s a sense that the contours of the performance change a little, and the skaters might feel like 'this is a bit challenging.'

 

This time, I really wanted to achieve a competition-sized rink, and everyone around me worked really hard to make it happen. We've managed to secure a rink size of 55 meters by 24 meters, which is almost the same as the Ice Rink Sendai (56 meters by 26 meters). With this rink size, I believe we can properly showcase competitive programs as they are, and I also want the audience to pay attention to the production that can only be achieved on a larger rink.

 

--So, we'll truly be able to see "Yuzuru Hanyu as a professional athlete"!

Yes, exactly. I don’t want this to just be an "ice show." If I’m going to perform, I want to do difficult things as well. And rather than just including hard elements in the numbers of the show, I also want to showcase the know-how I’ve developed from competition, and the unique expression of competitive programs that I can only do now.

 

For example, even in competitive programs, I can reduce the number of crossovers or increase the difficulty of the jumps. And now, since we’re no longer bound by the competition rules, I can repeat the same jump multiple times or jumping four or more jumps in a jump combination—anything is possible. I want to incorporate these challenging elements into each program while continuing to push myself to do difficult things.

 

[A New Program for 'Prologue']

 

--Will you be performing any new programs in "Prologue"?

Yes, I will skate to a program that I choreographed entirely myself for the first time.

 

--Oh! What kind of program is it?

I've always really loved this song, and I've had a strong feeling of 'I want to skate to this someday.' There are many songs I want to skate to, and this is one of them. The reason I chose this song this time is because I thought it would be a bit difficult to use in competition. There’s something I’ve always wanted to express, but it’s something that could never be done in a competitive program. So, when I turned professional, I thought it would be the perfect song to skate to, and that’s why I selected it.

 

--What kind of program is it? Please share as much as you possibly can.

It might connect to the theme of "Prologue," but it’s a program that incorporates various things I’ve learned since I started skating, such as basic and more advanced movements. It’s very conceptual, like playing with the ice and exploring my own emotions. But I think it has turned out to be a program that will make people think, "That’s beautiful" as they watch it.

 

Since this is my first time choreographing, in that sense, I do feel nervous about showing it to everyone, and I also have some doubts about whether it turned out well. However, while I don’t have much confidence in myself, I do have a lot of confidence in delivering the program and skating. I would be happy if people thought, "This is a new genre of program."

 

--Have you finished the choreography already?

Yes, I’ve already finished it. However, since I’m choreographing it myself, I think there will be changes in the arrangements from day to day. I will keep working hard to improve it every day as I prepare for the performance.

 

--Was there any particular reason that made you want to try choreographing yourself?

Originally, I’ve always loved performing based on my emotions. I like creating choreography and dancing to the music. Along those lines, I’ve always wanted to express skating as a reflection of my own thoughts and feelings, something that comes from within me, someday.

However, I don’t want it to be something that is just for my own satisfaction. I want it to be something that others can appreciate too, something that will make them think, "That's beautiful" or "There’s meaning behind that." In that sense, I thought I would choreograph it in a way that stays true to my own feelings and the way I want to skate, without being self-indulgent. At the same time, I also realize that creating my own program is very risky. There’s a tendency to skate based on my own preconceived notions, so I am a bit worried about that.

 

But since this is an ice show where I will skate every single program from beginning to end, I think it’s a program I can show as one part of the entire show. On its own, this program might feel "a little different," but within the context of a show where I perform everything myself, I think it will stand out.

 

--How was the experience of choreographing this program? Was it fun, or difficult?

Well... it wasn’t exactly fun (laughs). About 50% of it was fun, but the other 50% was really tough. I had to constantly be aware of whether the movements looked beautiful when viewed from a broader perspective and whether I was able to properly convey the emotions I felt inside.

 

When I actually started choreographing, I realized that the movements that came from within me were very repetitive, and there were times when I thought, 'This is the only movement that comes out.' But from the choreography and steps that emerged, I also realized, 'Ah, because I did this in that program, it's easier for these kinds of movements to come out.'

 

Also, by realizing 'This is the only movement I can do,' I started thinking, 'I should study more.' I started writing down patterns of movements I randomly tried, thinking, 'This could be useful,' and I began incorporating them into my body, trying them out with various songs... By choreographing, I made those kinds of discoveries.

 

--Does that mean the program naturally reflects your inner self?"

Ah, that's true. It’s a program that really brings out my inner self. It may sound like a cliché, but I don't think it's necessary for my feelings to be conveyed 100% when people watch the performance. I think it’s fine for the audience to interpret it in various ways. I hope that something in their memory flashes back, or that they can relate it to their own anxieties and hopes for the future, or simply feel it as it is.

 

[I Want to Show as Much as Possible from That Time]

 

--In addition to your new programs, you will also be skating past programs. What do you think about when you show programs you have skated in the past?

I want to continue doing the programs that people have said they like, and I want to make them even better. That said, if possible, I want to show them exactly as they were back then, when they said they liked them. My face has changed and the way I express myself has become more refined, so I think there might be parts where people think, "This is different from what I saw back then," or "It’s changed." I'm happy that people think of that as growth, but I want to show what I was like at that time as much as possible. Even if I have to leave out parts where I think, "Now I can do this better because I’ve grown," or "I’d like to express it this way now," I have a strong desire to show the "good" that people remember from back then.

 

--Why is that?

I don’t want people to think, "This isn’t it." How should I put it? For example, singers' singing styles change over time, right? It’s important for them to protect their throat to continue singing. However, for people who have been listening to their CDs or records for a long time, they might feel like 'this isn’t the same voice as before.' And if too much arrangement is added to the singing style, people might feel, "I kind of like it, but… it’s just not the same." I don’t want that to happen to me. Also, since it’s my program, I really feel like it shouldn’t just be a cover. If a 27-year-old me performs a program from when I was 15 or 16, and it’s completely different, I think it would only be a cover, not the original. It's something that can only be done with my body, and I know the feeling at the time, so I want to do my best to bring it as close as possible. I really want people to think, 'Yes, this is it!'"

 

--Indeed, it’s incredibly satisfying when you feel, "Yes, this is it!"

I don’t want people to think, 'He has changed.' Also, I think it reflects my commitment to being able to express myself in many different ways.

 

--So, it's about the versatility of expression — being able to perform not only the more difficult and deeper things you can do now, but also being able to express things from a time when you hadn't yet reached that point.

Exactly.

 

["Yuzuru Hanyu is a skater, after all" — I want people to think that]

 

--That's certainly something you can't do in competition. Now that you've transitioned to being a professional, you're involved in ice shows and YouTube streaming, but what else are you thinking about?

I want people to see me while preserving my world within skating. I'm very grateful for the opportunity to take beautiful photos and for people enjoying them, but my core is skating. I want to carefully think about how to express and pursue that moving forward.

 

I myself am also wondering how I should interact with everyone now that I've become a pro, and how I should continue to pursue skating. I’m sure many of you are thinking about what kind of content Yuzuru Hanyu is, or how you should view me moving forward. Amid all that, I want to ensure that people will still think, "Yuzuru Hanyu is a skater, after all," as I continue forward.

 

--When you say "Yuzuru Hanyu is a skater, after all," what exactly does “skating” mean, and what do you want to show in that context?

When I’m skating a program, I’m completely immersed in the world I want to express, the scenery, the emotions, and everything that comes with it. I really hope to be able to bring all of that out fully.  There are quite a few programs where I show the raw, real version of myself, and for those, I want to bare that part of myself completely.

 

On the other hand, a program like "Haru yo, Koi" is also filled with my feelings, but there are also conceptual things like struggles, reaching for spring, and cherishing something, so I want to express those elements as well. I hope that people can feel such expressions not only from skating, but from various other aspects as well.

 

--Is there anything that you want to do or places you want to go as "Yuzuru Hanyu as a person," rather than as a skater?

Well, there are times when I feel really suffocated. It's not like I don't feel difficult moments. Even before I turned professional, during my competitive years, there were times I struggled, felt unrewarded, and blamed myself a lot. Even now, of course, I still have a lot going on. I have some very weak parts within me, but as long as people have high expectations of me, I want to always live as ‘Yuzuru Hanyu’. If people no longer have high expectations of me, I would feel really empty.

 

Recently, I've been thinking a lot about this, but I started skating because I wanted to, and I've enjoyed expressing myself through it. I’ve felt joy when I was able to land jumps, and happy with the results I achieved... and it's from that journey that I’ve come to be the person I am now. Achieving results may seem very self-satisfied, but I really feel the power of all the people who are supporting me in pursuit of that selfish, self-centered dream. That is why I feel strongly that I have a responsibility to give back to those people. And if they continue to have expectations of me, I want to continue to be Yuzuru Hanyu who can fully meet those expectations.

 

I think people might say, "It's okay to quit if it's hard," or "It's okay to be yourself," or "If you're tired of skating, you can take a break and go somewhere." But if I do that, how should I put it, I can't forgive myself. I’ll think, "If you have time for that, you should use it for skating."

 

This might be called "pressure," but I think that it’s because of this pressure that I’m not an empty shell now. It’s what motivates me to keep pushing myself further. I want to live my life respecting the feelings and weight of the support I receive from everyone.

 

--I am at a loss for words.

For example, whether it's singers or actors, those who have consistently been at the top, they don’t change, do they? That's exactly what Mansai Nomura is like, he has remained the same throughout. Maybe when they go home or when they step into the bathroom, there are moments when they break down and cry, or times when they feel like their heart is about to break. But even so, they remain unchanged. I want to be that kind of person.

 

—When did you start thinking this way?

It's been about a year or two. I was really conflicted. There were long periods of time when I didn't feel like, "I love skating!" To be honest, there aren't many times in my life as an athlete when I think, "I really love skating!" There are more difficult times than not. As the moments when I felt like, 'I landed a new jump, and I won, I'm so happy,' gradually disappeared, even if I thought to myself, 'I've really improved my expression,' or 'I've gotten so much better at skating,' those feelings of 'getting better' started to feel like nothing more than self-satisfaction.

 

Yes, there was a time when I couldn’t feel “skating is fun, I love it.” It was before the 2020 National Championships. It was a time when I described it as “feeling like I was falling into the depths of darkness.” It was the darkest period. I really didn’t like skating, and I wondered, “Why am I even doing this?” But at the same time, I thought, “No, everyone has expectations of me, so I have to work hard after all.” There was a lot of inner conflict.

 

In the two years since then, I’ve thought deeply and reflected a lot. What I realise now is that the meaning of my life is almost entirely due to skating. And the reason I am skating is because I want to live up to everyone's expectations.  So, moving forward, I hope I can continue to live with this sense of self-discipline.

 

—I completely understand what you’re saying. But, how can I put it... it feels almost transcendent...

People sometimes think, 'You must be in a lot of pain' or 'You're mentally strong,' but it's actually the opposite. I just don't want to be disliked by everyone. In that sense, I often think, “I’m really weak,” but even if I feel that way, if I can turn those emotions into expression, I want to express them. People sometimes see me as a perfect person, but if they see me that way, it's because they have high expectations of me. That’s why I feel motivated to keep doing my best.

 

 

 

(pg 63)

Spoiler

When I turned professional, I received a message from Mansai Nomura. In it, along with words from Zeami (Motokiyo), he wrote:

“Please continue to pursue the Way of Hanyu and savor the life of the profession: Yuzuru Hanyu”
— by Profession: Mansai Nomura.

 

Even during my amateur days, I’ve always valued being true to myself. I’ve constantly thought about things like:
“What is the vision of skating I aim for?”,
“What kind of person do I ideally want to become?”,
“What kind of words should I speak?”

That’s why the phrase “pursue the Way of Hanyu and savor the life of the Profession: Yuzuru Hanyu” felt so fitting and deeply comfortable to me.

I hope that someday, I can truly become that way.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: Prologue – Collector's edition book (2022.12.02) 

 

Prologue 2022

 

Pg 2

When planning this show, I thought about so many things. About my past, and also about the future that lies ahead. More than anything, I realized once again that I’ve come this far because of all the support and feelings everyone has given me throughout my past. I hope that you'll enjoy this show while overlapping your memories of the Yuzuru Hanyu you’ve known, the Yuzuru Hanyu standing here now, and all the thoughts you carry within you. Thank you very much.

 

 

Pg 37 - Before the VTR showing footage of the Great East Japan Earthquake

Spoiler

From here, some painful footage will be shown. I’m the one who chose to include this footage.

These clips were chosen by me, even though it meant reopening emotional wounds. I went through a lot of pain each day in the process.

Of course, the images that surface in my own mind are different.

At that time, I was at the center of the rink, looking up at the ceiling, trying to find a spot where the lighting wouldn’t fall. While a senior skater protected my head, I kept shouting, “I’m scared, I’m scared,” as everything shook around us.

I really thought the world might end.

Then I woke up and found myself in an evacuation center. When I saw the photo on the newspaper that arrived there, I was stunned.

Fortunately, I didn’t lose anything.
But I know that among the people watching Prologue, there are some who did lose something.

To speak about my memories in front of those people, honestly, it’s painful for me to do.
Even so, I still want to keep doing what I can.

Even if you weren’t shaken, even if you didn’t experience the tsunami, even if nothing was destroyed, even if you felt nothing, even if you were far away, I think each of us carries some memory or scar from “3.11.”

Please take a moment to look back at that wound. And from time to time, warm it gently.

Scars and pain. I believe they’re proof that something happened.

Not everything that was lost can be brought back.
But even so, I hope that together, we can keep facing forward, carrying these pains with us as we move on.

That’s the feeling I put into the VTR and the programs that follow.

 

 

Pg 74 – Q&A Section (Collected from Twitter in advance)

Spoiler

We received about 27,000 questions for the Yokohama show and around 22,000 for the Hachinohe show!

 

Q: Within the story told by "Prologue", what is the main theme you most want people to receive?

 

I wanted to show the path that brought me here, going through so many things. In figure skating, no two performances are ever the same, so in a way, I wanted people to watch this show as a real-time documentary of who Yuzuru Hanyu is. That’s why I tried composing this ice show Prologue myself. If people can see what I’ve experienced in both my past and in the path I’ll walk from here, and how I’ve been able to keep going through all of that, I’d be really happy.

 

Q: Hanyu-kun, you’ve had many turning points so far. At which point did your values as a skater change the most?

 

I don’t think it’s just the big moments. I believe there are all sorts of little turning points too. For example, it might not have been “small” for me, but after the 2019 Grand Prix Final and the Japanese Nationals (placed 2nd about 10 days later), I was physically exhausted, my body wouldn’t move, it was hard, it was frustrating, and I seriously started thinking, “What is figure skating?” At that time, when I skated SEIMEI in Medalist on Ice, I remember thinking, “Ah, this really is figure skating.” So yeah, even small things like that changed my perspective. Even things like seasonal changes or getting hay fever, it’s all the same. Just like with effort, I believe there’s no such thing as something meaningless. Prologue is full of footage that I feel wasn’t meaningless. And if today could be a turning point for anyone in the audience too, that would make me really happy.

 

Q: You’ve started a new chapter as a professional athlete, but... is it still okay to call you “Yuzuru Hanyu the athlete”?

 

Even though I’ve turned pro, I’m still the same person I was when I competed. Today, before SEIMEI, I even did a warm-up just like I would before a real competition. That’s how seriously I approached it, as seriously as I would a match. I even did something like a free skate, then performed Change just five minutes later. I’ve tried to build up my stamina even more than in my competition days, and I believe I’ve gained the ability to express myself in new ways. So in that sense, if people still want to call me an “athlete,” I’d be really happy.

 

Q: When wearing past costumes, do you adjust the size, or just wear them as they are?

 

By the way, what do you think the right answer is? Actually, I haven’t altered them at all (laughs). Even I was surprised. In the Prologue official guidebook, I wore many of my old costumes like Ten to Chi to and White Legend, and they all fit me just as they are. I was honestly shocked (laughs). Back in April 2018 during Continues ~ with Wings ~, I wore Zigeunerweisen and other costumes exactly as they were without changing a thing. Somehow, I think that too is very "Yuzuru Hanyu," and I’d be happy if people felt that as well.

 

Q: As a professional, is there anything you’re particularly careful about?

 

I became a professional around mid-July 2022. Since then, while the content of my training has changed, my mindset hasn’t changed at all. I’m always practicing while challenging myself each day: How well can I perform? How long can I keep doing difficult things? Can I keep pushing myself to new heights? I plan to keep improving more and more, so please look forward to it.

 

Q: What drives you to devote yourself so deeply to figure skating?

 

For example, when you don’t want to do your homework and end up reading manga instead, people often say you’re “running away,” right? When it comes to skating, that idea of “running away” is what I fear the most. Being expected by so many people, that might be a huge pressure. But for me, running away from that is even scarier. That fear becomes the driving force behind my need to skate, to work hard, to become stronger, and to make people feel something happy when they watch me. That might be what fuels me. When I say things like this, people tell me, “You’re so mentally strong,” but I’m honestly... mentally, I’m like tofu (laughs). I’m so fragile that if I hit my head on the corner of a block of tofu, I might actually fall over. That’s how weak I am, so please treat me gently. Even so, your support is what gives me strength. You’ve given me energy directly. tThank you so much for that.

 

Q: Are there any songs you’d like to skate to, or genres you’d like to try?

 

Lately, I’ve skated to a lot of Japanese songs. I feel like that lets the audience connect more with the lyrics and feel a stronger familiarity with the music, so I really enjoy it. I also think it might be one of the new possibilities for figure skating. And of course, I’d love to try some more classical pieces, the standard ones, or even some dance-like styles. But more than anything, what makes me happiest is when people say things like, “I want to see Yuzuru Hanyu skate like this,” or “I’d love to see him skate to this kind of music.” So if there’s a song you want me to skate to, please tweet it with #羽生結弦. Who knows, maybe I’ll skate to it someday.

 

Q: One of your strengths is how you portray different characters depending on the program. How do you build those characters?

 

You often hear actors and actresses say things like, “It doesn’t feel like I’m reading lines.” For me, it really varies depending on the program. For example, in SEIMEI, the moment I strike this pose (demonstrates the opening pose), I still am Yuzuru Hanyu, but I’m also Seimei. And I’m Seimei, but also Yuzuru Hanyu. I perform the program while staying true to myself, as I am. On the other hand, in programs like Haru yo, Koi or Notte Stellata, I do things like imagine “My hand is a wing.” When I move it like this (demonstrates moving his right arm), I think it starts to resemble a wing. That kind of expression is more like a technique than character building. So depending on the piece, I approach it differently.

 

Q: What’s been the hardest part of doing a solo ice show?

 

Definitely stamina! Figure skating is so physically demanding that, honestly, if there were no Kiss & Cry, I’d probably collapse from exhaustion. I wouldn’t be smiling at all. That’s how much energy skating takes. So to skate multiple programs back-to-back, all by myself, requires an incredible amount of stamina. I’ve had to do training I never needed as a competitor, because as a professional, I’m on an even higher stage now, and I need that level of conditioning. This show is something I built while thinking about how to include programs that feel completely different from each other, programs that look and feel unique, with staging and structure that carry the thought, "This is what I want people to receive." So please, enjoy it all the way to the very end!

 

Q: What are your aspirations and long-term prospects for 2023?

 

After turning professional, it felt like I had stepped up to an even higher stage than when I was an amateur. But honestly, until I actually made that transition, I had only this vague, hazy idea of what the professional world would be like.

 

Then, having created and produced my own solo show “Prologue,” from the overall structure, the setlist, to even the music playing now, I’ve come to think of this:
Even if one day I die and there’s no one left to perform my programs, in this era, they’ll still remain as videos, and I believe they’ll also remain in people’s memories while they’re alive. If my performances could go on living in that way, I would be really happy. And from now on, I want to keep doing performances that live on like that.

 

Of course, if someday people start thinking, “I don’t need to see Yuzuru Hanyu anymore,” that would make me a little sad. But even so, if someone happens to see me on TV or on YouTube and thinks, “Ah, Yuzuru Hanyu’s skating really is good. It moves me,” then I want to keep doing performances that can touch people like that. I want to keep working hard so that my skating can be there for someone who needs something to hold on to, someone who’s looking for support. That’s my long-term vision as a professional.

 

Today's (final show day) performance of "SEIMEI" made me think, “This might be the last time I skate SEIMEI with the full six-minute warm-up.” Thinking about that made me put in a lot of effort. I just hope today’s performance will stay in your hearts, even just a little.

 

Thank you so much for all your wonderful questions!

 

 

 

Pg 76 Bangle Request Program

Spoiler

"Let's Go Crazy" (2016-17 season SP)

 

This program became a bit of a talking point because my quadruple loop wasn’t landing cleanly, and I was doing gestures like “just a little more” (laughs). It feels like more than I deserve, but I was incredibly honored and happy when fans of Prince told me, “There’s something about this that reminds us of Prince.” It’s a song that everyone can get excited about together, so I hope you enjoy it.

 

“Hana ni Nare” (2012–13, 2013–14 Season Exhibition)

 

“Hana ni Nare” is a Japanese ballad by Fumiya Sashida. It’s a very gentle song that gives you the feeling of “let’s walk forward, just a little.” With thoughts toward recovery from the earthquake, I wanted to skate it with the meaning of “we’re going to rise again.”  After performing it, I was once again reminded of the feeling that I’m skating together with everyone. Even now, there may be people voicing silent cheers from beneath their masks. During the six-minute warm-up, too, I felt like I could somehow hear voices saying things like “Do your best!” or “Go for it!” I’d be really happy if a world like that could return someday.

 

“Otoñal” (2018–19, 2019–20 Season Short Program)

 

This was my short program during the 2018–19 season and part of 2019–20. The step sequence is quite difficult, and I remember thinking, “Please give me Level 4 or higher!” (laughs) “It’s hard, so I deserve more points!” 

 

“Etude” (2011–12 Season Short Program)

 

On the final day of the Hachinohe performance, I really wanted to skate “Etude” because it’s a program that’s deeply connected to Hachinohe. Right after the earthquake, I created this program at Technol Ice Park in Hachinohe. I believe this was the program made during that time. It was during the power-saving period, so the rink wasn’t open to the public. I clearly remember skating with just a small part of the ceiling opened, under natural sunlight only. This program expresses things like waves, or the sea, and I also skate it with a meaning of requiem. Please, let your thoughts drift. Whatever they may be, truly, truly, whatever is fine. It doesn’t have to be painful. Even just thinking, “That was beautiful,” would make me happy. So, please watch it.

 

 

Pg 79 Youtube Request Program

Spoiler

“Spartacus” (2004–05 Season SP)

 

This was my very first short program. It was edited by Shoichiro Tsuzuki-sensei, and I was allowed to skate it during novice competitions, including in places like Hong Kong. It’s a very memorable program for me too. Back when I was in elementary school, it wasn’t really the kind of program that had a specific story or anything like that, but at the time, I was thoroughly taught the basics of skating by my coach. Also, there are some slightly unusual elements in the program that you wouldn’t really see under the current judging system, but were included back when we were under what was called the “old judging” or “6.0 system.” I hope you can enjoy those parts as well. With the hope that this might remain in your memories, I will skate it.

 

“Hello, I Love You” (2012–13 Season)

 

I went to Toronto, and this was the first program I had choreographed by someone from overseas from start to finish. Originally, I was supposed to wear a T-shirt and, at the end of the performance, draw a heart on my chest and toss the shirt as a present to the audience. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, that part had to be changed. So please just smile and go along with it (laughs). It’s a program I didn’t get many chances to perform, so I’d be happy if you could see the footwork, the choreography that’s very Kurt Browning-like, and a bit of a rock-style side of me through this program.

 

“Mission: Impossible” (2010 Season)

 

This was my short program when I was in junior. I think I was 14? So around my third year of junior high school. It includes really pop and cool-type choreography, the kind that makes you go kyuun~ and also some choreography that makes you think, 'Hmm, that's kind of childish,' which is hard to imagine coming from the Yuzuru Hanyu of today. Since it includes choreography that I wouldn’t usually do nowadays, so I’d be glad if you could watch it while thinking things like, ‘Oh, so Yuzuru Hanyu used to do this kind of thing,’ or ‘He had this kind of choreography,’ or ‘He had this side of him.’ Well then, I’ll do my best.

 

“Somebody to Love” (2011–12 Season EX)

 

Among all my exhibition programs, I think this might be the one I’ve performed the least. It’s a song by Justin Bieber, and it’s a super danceable, “YEAH!!”-type, exciting program, so it might surprise some people. Lately, I’ve been studying a bit of dance on my own, watching YouTube and practicing. I originally did this program during the 2011–12 season, but now, 11 years later, I wanted to show that I can dance with even more sharpness and energy. That’s why I chose it. If you could watch me with eyes that say, “Ah, that kid’s really trying hard,” I’d really appreciate it.

 

“Sing, Sing, Sing” (2007–08 Season SP, EX)

 

This is a program that means a lot to me. It was the first time in figure skating that I really fell in love with a piece of music. I first came to like this song when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I performed it both as a short program and later as an exhibition program. Today, I’d like to perform the step sequence from the short program version. It’s a fun program, so please enjoy it to the fullest.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: Prologue – Collector's edition book (2022.12.02), pg 87-93 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu Interview

 

Spoiler

“I left all of myself on that stage every single day.”

 

"This kind of structure is something that could only be done by myself."

 

— You successfully completed five performances of "Prologue." Thank you for your hard work. Let's jump right in and talk about the program setlist. Firstly, how do you feel now after performing a program like ‘SEIMEI’, a competition-level program, in the setting of an ice show?

 

I felt extremely nervous. Also, since there were fewer places to catch my breath compared to the original program, I had to adjust how I managed my stamina. More than anything, with the desire to "do something difficult" and the desire to "add difficulty precisely because I’m a professional," I increased the number of triple Axels (to three) and aimed for higher levels in my spins. On the other hand, for the step sequence, I reverted a bit to the structure I originally intended. So in that sense, it was a “professional version” of ‘SEIMEI’.

 

Even though the composition had changed, I approached it in full competition mode, and I was really happy when I was able to perform it without mistakes. There were many programs to follow afterwards, so I couldn't afford to lose focus, but I was so happy I felt like doing a fist pump in celebration. There are no scores given, but even so, that sense of tension is something special that only comes out in a space that closely resembles a competition setting. I felt that it was precisely in that special environment that the joy and sense of accomplishment were so special. I want to keep taking on these kinds of challenges going forward.

 

— During the show, five video segments (VTRs) were shown. Each one conveyed so much even upon first viewing, and I also felt that the more I watched, the deeper their meaning became. Did you personally decide the composition, the music used, and the footage for all the videos?

 

I personally selected various footage and created a demo version to begin with, which I then used to make numerous adjustments. For the Yokohama performance, I continued reviewing the footage until the morning of the opening day. From the time I was structuring “Prologue,” I had a clear intention. Between the skating programs, I wanted to show VTRs made up of past program footage and music, with each segment carrying its own meaning.

 

The opening video for 'Romeo & Juliet' was created to evoke the journey that led to the PyeongChang Olympics, starting with the Sochi Olympics. The tension-filled music plays as I enter the venue, warm up, and then head toward PyeongChang Olympics (the next performance, "SEIMEI"). There are several jump scenes on the ice during the video, which express aspects of the actual warm-up that are invisible to the naked eye, such as the images of failure that actually run through my mind and how I correct them to form positive mental images. I think everyone might have thought that once I became a professional, they wouldn’t be able to see my warm-up anymore. But (even before the ice show) I properly do the same warm-up as I do in competitions, so even if I can’t show it live, I wanted them to feel the tension and anticipation unique to the warm-up during the six-minute practice before the PyeongChang Olympic ‘SEIMEI,’ so I structured it this way.

 

"Sasanqua" was also the theme song for NHK's broadcast of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympics, and every time I listened to it, I related back to the difficult time I experienced after my injury before the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. But when I listened to it again while planning “Prologue,” I was deeply moved by the lyrics, which seemed to resonate with my entire skating career. So I used this song and created the video with the image of my present self speaking to the path I’ve walked since I was nine years old, and to the version of myself who, after everything, is now taking on the challenge of the quadruple Axel.”

 

There was a certain image I really wanted to create, but there were quite a few limitations with the footage. Even so, I searched for as much usable material as I could myself and built the final structure in a way that brought my vision to life as concretely as possible.

 

The process of learning to land jumps is really nothing but failure. In order to succeed, you have to keep moving forward while failing over and over again. Normally, when creating a piece of work, I don’t think people often include scenes of failure. But in this VTR, I wanted to show the reality of trying again and again, failing, giving a wry smile, getting injured many times, yet standing back up, only to get hurt again... I feel like a structure like this could only be created by me, myself. The scenes of injury and collision were ones that only I could have chosen. There were fewer successes than failures, and by falling over and over again, I somehow managed to grasp my dream. I wanted to express that, along with the story that continues as I keep challenging myself."

 

In Beijing, I said, "I wasn't rewarded," in Pyeongchang, I said, "I threw away my happiness," and in Sochi, I said, "I feel powerless." But now, I put all my feelings into this work to say, “Thanks to all of you, I feel rewarded. I was able to be a source of strength even a little, and I'm happy.”

 

Because the me then and the me now are the same person

 

– The video for the Great East Japan Earthquake (with background music "Requiem for Heaven and Earth") makes extensive use of footage of the disaster. You have said that it was "footage chosen while painfully digging into the wounds of the heart and suffering every day." Please tell us again about the thoughts behind editing that footage to such a length, even knowing how painful it would be?

 

This video was made to align with the mental imagery I depict in the program "Requiem for Heaven and Earth." In the first half, the earthquake happened, the tsunami came, when dawn broke everything was destroyed, I could do nothing, I couldn’t think of anything, sadness didn’t even well up. It's like you lose all emotion, and you find yourself both happy and sad to be alive.

 

I don't think there is anyone who feels comfortable watching that footage. Still, when I look back on my life, the earthquake is an absolutely necessary part of it. The reason I used news footage and photos from TV and newspapers to portray it is because, at that time, I had no mental space to think about myself or skating. I simply showed what I saw as an ordinary person watching the news. I decided to use those news images with the hope that it might help others connect even a little with their own memories of the disaster.

 

Regarding the disaster, while I have feelings of “I want people to not forget” and “I want it not to fade away,” I also have feelings of “I want to forget” and “I don’t want to remember.” However, the current me is definitely the me who experienced 3.11, and because of that self, I have these feelings, I took these actions, and I have made these efforts. Even if only for a brief moment, I hope everyone can find meaning in it and be able to move forward. With that in mind, I structured the program around the song Requiem of Heaven and Earth, the footage shown this time, then followed by White Legend, and finally Romeo & Juliet, which expresses a strong will to overcome everything.

 

—Before the Requiem of Heaven and Earth video, during the three performances in Hachinohe, you spoke to the audience using a microphone (see page 37). Was that because the footage of the earthquake disaster was going to be shown in the Tohoku region?

 

– Before the VTR of ‘Ten to Chi no Requiem,’ in the three shows in Hachinohe, you spoke with the microphone (see page 37). Was it because, being in Tohoku, you were thinking that many people there were deeply wounded by the earthquake, that you wanted to communicate the meaning of the video before it started?

 

Because it was a performance in Tohoku, I thought there would be people there who were deeply affected by the earthquake, so before the footage began, I wanted to convey the meaning of the video I made. During the first day of the Hachinohe performance, a flood of things I wanted to express came over me suddenly, so I took the microphone and spoke to the audience on the spot. This was only possible because there were staff members I truly trust who could respond quickly to such a sudden request. As I spoke on the first day of the Hachinohe performance, I realized that no matter how far away you lived at the time, even if you didn't feel even the slightest tremor, or even if you only saw it on the news, "3.11" exists inside each and every one of us. Thinking that way, I felt that it doesn't matter whether someone was directly affected or not, or whether someone feels they have done anything or not; this is something everyone needs to face together.

 

As I was making the video and watching the footage play, it was painful to have my emotional wounds dug up again and again, but I feel like I was able to properly face those wounds.

 

– At the end of that video, in the middle of a performance clip of ‘Romeo+Juliet’ from back then, you yourself appeared on the ice, which was quite dramatic. Was that performance your idea?

 

It's not so much that I came up with it myself, but rather it was something I had been imagining. I think many people still have a strong image of my Romeo + Juliet performance from the 2012 World Championships in Nice, and I’m one of those people too. While wanting to stay true to that image, I also wanted to blend it with who I am now and create an even better program. The theme of this program includes ideas like “rising up,” “passion,” and “battle.” So instead of directly transitioning from the disaster footage and White Legend to a more mature version of myself, I wanted to show that the person I was then and the person I am now are one and the same. By including that past within the performance, I hoped to express the strength and vulnerability involved in overcoming and confronting the disaster. That’s why I chose that kind of staging. This kind of production is something that can only happen in my own show, and I’m really grateful to the staff who immediately understood the concept and helped bring it to life.

 

– Just before the step sequence near the end of Romeo + Juliet, you seemed to shout out loud. Why did you decide to actually shout?

 

Actually, during the 2011-12 season, I only shouted in this program twice: at the 2011 All Japan Championships and the 2012 World Championships. At the Japan Championships, I shouted to psych myself up for the final jump. Philippe Candeloro’s shouting (he used to shout before the straight-line step in 'D’Artagnan') looked really cool, and I had the image in my mind that it made the program feel more real, so that’s why I shouted before the step sequence. I also shouted similarly at the Worlds, but it was different from at All-Japan. My body was in tatters, my ankles were hurting, and I was completely exhausted. Still, all the jumps up to that point had gone well, and there was a jump coming which carried a trauma of past mistakes… Before I knew it, I shouted. Even now when I look back at that scene, it gives me chills. I'll never forget the cheers at that time and the strength it gave me.

 

I’m not the same person I was back then, but during the Prologue performance, I had already gone through many programs from SEIMEI up to that point. Because my body was completely worn out, I shouted before the step sequence with a strong will to "keep fighting until the very end," and with the feeling that I was "fighting alongside the me from back then." I feel like that shout is part of the program for "Romeo + Juliet."

 

Now that I've finished everything, I've become able to express myself in so many different ways

 

— For the next pieces, Itsuka Owaru Yume and Haru yo, Koi, there were new elements in the performance. What made you want to use projection mapping?

 

I’ve performed with a bit of projection mapping a few times before, including even during the exhibition at the Beijing Olympics. When performing with mapping, I sometimes change the choreography or the skating locations to match the visuals, and I really like that feeling. Because of that experience, I thought that if the image I have in my mind could be conveyed as visuals to everyone, it would make the worldview of the program even easier to understand. For that reason, I wanted to skate on projection mapping with even deeper content.

 

—Can you tell us how you came to work with MIKIKO-sensei this time?

 

I've always loved MIKIKO's directing, and whenever her works were broadcast on TV, I watched them with great admiration. Around the time I was turning professional, I was offered a chance to perform at Tokyo Dome, and during the discussions, they suggested a few possible directors for the show. MIKIKO-sensei was among those names, and I said, “I definitely want to ask MIKIKO-sensei.” From there, the talks moved forward. Honestly, I never imagined in my dreams that I’d get to work with MIKIKO-sensei, so when I actually met her and asked her to direct, I was a mix of nervousness and excitement the whole time.

 

― The projection mapping in 'Itsuka Owaru Yume' and 'Haru yo, Koi' felt like it visualized the meaning and emotions in the programs. How did you and MIKIKO-sensei go about creating these mapping visuals?

 

First, I explained the theme and story of the program, and in response, MIKIKO-sensei would say things like, 'How about expressing it this way?' We went back and forth like that, expanding on each other’s ideas as the visuals were created. To make the projection visuals, we needed to film the entire rink, so we even tried using a drone. In the end, we bought a tripod that extends up to 7.5 meters and filmed from a height where the camera was nearly touching the ceiling. Then, the projection visuals were added to that filmed footage.

 

― In the actual performance, your movements were perfectly synchronized with the projection mapping visuals. That means you were matching your skating to the pre-created mapping visuals during the live show, right? For instance, ‘Itsuka Owaru Yume’ is said to be a program that shapes various events and mental images related to your skating. So I imagine that, once you began skating, your feelings deepened and you became more immersed in the program. Even so, you still had to match the mapping visuals. How did you balance that?

 

Actually, when the spotlight is on me, I can hardly see the projection mapping at all. So I was skating with the image playing in my mind, almost like I was watching myself from above.

 

For the Yokohama performance, I placed a lot of importance on maintaining an objective perspective, focusing on matching the performance to the mapping and maintaining the quality of the performance itself. I was particularly nervous at the premiere, as the program "A Dream That Will End Someday" was a self-choreographed program with no jumps or spins. I was worried whether people would really think it was good.

 

For the Hachinohe performance, which took place a little while after the two Yokohama performances, I started to place more importance on skating with the projection mapping, giving meaning to it and expressing the program together with the visuals. Rather than just skating along the paths predetermined by the projection mapping, I would intentionally stray from them and reach my hand toward the mapped visuals, vary my speed, sometimes move ahead of the visuals, or fall behind, or let the advancing light seem to skate on its own. I was able to do all kinds of things by then. It felt like the range of expression in figure skating, or rather, "Yuzuru Hanyu," had suddenly expanded dramatically.

 

― What did you feel or discover while working with MIKIKO-sensei?

 

Figure skating is a form of physical expression without words, so I think there are many things that are hard to convey. Working with MIKIKO-sensei made it possible to turn the feelings and images I have into visible visuals, and I was always excited thinking that it might become easier to communicate them. That said, when I finished all of “Prologue,” I never imagined I would be able to express so many different things.

 

I truly believe I was able to do things like this because MIKIKO-sensei tuned in to the various things inside me and created a mapping in a way that only she could. I too would like to think more about expressions that are possible only through mapping, but also, I would like to be able to take more and more diverse approaches to "Hanyu Yuzuru" himself, rather than just adding mapping to him.

 

Another important thing I felt from working with MIKIKO‑sensei is that she is someone who holds a lot of love for the programs. And I also felt that this is truly important. I entrust various feelings and memories to my programs, but having someone understand those and create together is really difficult. There are emotions and scenes that just can’t be conveyed by words alone, and there have been many times when I wondered why they weren’t getting through. But when creating with MIKIKO-sensei, I never felt that at all. The world that MIKIKO-sensei wanted to express and the world held within the program both kept expanding and synergized, with various ideas emerging and being refined. The whole process was a completely new experience for me, and I found it really fun and enjoyable.

 

― Please tell us about the theme and story of "Ituska Owaru Yume."

 

In “Itsuka Owaru Yume,” what I’m showing is the world of someone who has chased their dream but couldn’t fulfill it, and the dream has come to an end. The things that were most precious, the things that were once taken for granted, are now understood to someday disappear. Up until now, I had worn a pure white heart while chasing that dream, but I’ve thrown away that purity and lost all my emotions. No words from anyone reach me, and even if they do, I don’t need them. I’m fine being alone, or rather, I want to be left alone. I’m tired and can’t do anything. But there is a light shining on me, a light pushing me forward, and even though I turn my eyes away from that light, emotions overflow. I’m afraid I can’t respond to that light, and I don’t want to betray it. Yet, I’m happy precisely because that light shines on me, and I know that light is what gives me strength above all else. In the end, I accept that light and entrust it to the ice... That’s the kind of story I’m telling. It’s not always the same story. It changes more and more as I skate it, and with the influence of the mapping, I find myself thinking about many things while performing.

 

― What were you thinking about while skating?

 

I gave up, knowing that no matter how hard I tried, my biggest dream would not be fulfilled because I wasn’t able to achieve it on the stage of my dreams. In a way, I think that meant the dream I had when I first started skating would someday come to an end. No matter how hard you try, there are some things you just can’t reach. No matter how serious you are, how much you risk your life, or how much you put your whole life into it, there are some dreams you simply can’t achieve. Still, I feel really happy that so many people came to see this “Prologue,” applied for tickets, watched the live viewing, or saw it on TV. Every time, this program starts from the part of me that’s in despair, but by the end, I always feel happy. I skate for everyone, and I’ve resolved to keep skating from now on as well. That’s how I’ve always ended my program.

 

― During the projection mapping, there’s a scene where words fall down from where you stand on the ice. Are those words selected by you?

 

These words were ones I shared with MIKIKO-sensei when I explained the story, and she was the one who made them fall down upon me during the projection mapping. Both the selection and arrangement of the words were done by MIKIKO-sensei. When I saw it for the first time, I almost cried myself. It’s one of my favorite expressions. I expressed this scene as if words were simply pouring out of me after I had turned my eyes away from the lights all around me.

 

― When I look at these words, I get the impression that many of them are related to “water.”

 

From the beginning, I had the image of expressing this world with ice as water or a water surface. The original work of "Itsuka Owaru Yume," FINAL FANTASY X, also depicts water very beautifully with the light of souls, creating a very fantastical world. So, I imagined the ice as water and skating on top of it, something that can only be done with projection mapping.

 

― Now that you've performed your first self-choreographed program, "Itsuka Owaru Yume," what does this program mean to you?

 

I was a little worried since it’s a program without jumps or spins, focusing on skating and physical expression, but I think the mapping really helped it develop into a great program. It brought out emotions, movements, expressions, and ways of skating that wouldn’t have come out otherwise, making it something truly different.

 

I also think the connection with the video footage was really good. Before I start skating, "Dreamy Aspiration" plays, and there’s a strong link to that program as well.

 

The program "Dreamy Aspiration" was created with the image of brushing aside the childhood desire to play in the snow or hang out with friends, and instead opening the door to pursue one’s dream with firm resolve, moving forward with unwavering determination. Even when the dream seems on the verge of slipping away, it is carefully picked back up. In the end, the story follows the grown-up self, having lived through such a childhood, now wrapped in a pure white heart, picking up the snow once cast aside and entrusting it to their future self as a fragment of hope, filled with the determination and emotions of that time.

 

"Itsuka Owaru Yume" begins from a place where the heart has been lost to the point that even the pure white heart is cast away. But in the end, it becomes a story of receiving the light of hope from everyone, and catching the fragment of hope that was once thrown in "Dreamy Aspiration." These programs carry many different meanings, so I hope you'll take the time to watch them again.

 

― Through collaboration with projection mapping, “Haru yo, Koi” also seemed to have become a new program.

 

The themes of “Haru yo, Koi” included “gratitude,” “a shining future,” and “tenderness.” While there is a solid story behind it, I also wanted this 'child' to be freer, so I didn't explain too much. Since I have performed “Haru yo, Koi” many times, I discussed with MIKIKO-sensei that precisely because of this, I wanted to cherish the personal images everyone holds of “Haru yo, Koi” and avoid expressing too much through the mapping. And that's what led to the current mapping design.

 

I hope you can feel the changing seasons in your heart, the contrasts between coldness and warmth, and everything in between.

 

The End Is a Sign of the Beginning

 

— At each performance, you showed the Biellmann spin. Could you tell us your thoughts on bringing it back?

 

Since many of my past programs included the Biellmann spin, I had a strong desire to practice it properly and skate those programs in their complete form. When I first started practicing again, I couldn’t spin very well, but as I kept training, I got to a point where it felt like I had even improved compared to the past. It’s a very important spin to me, both for the current me and for the 9-year-old me.

 

— We heard that in Yokohama and Hachinohe, due to how the venue was set up, you had to change which direction was considered the front. At the Hachinohe performance in particular, you didn’t just change the orientation, you also altered the choreography. Why are you able to pay attention to such minute details?

 

Rather than saying I'm paying close attention, it's just that I want everyone to see something good. In competitions, there’s no need to think that much about it, but in shows, I hope that there are moments that feel like a 'highlight' no matter what angle you’re watching from, moments that make people think, 'That’s nice.' In competitions, I often faced toward the judges, but when I think things like, 'If the short side is going to be the front, maybe expressing it more like this would get through better,' or 'Let’s try changing the balance,' or 'I can express things with my back too,' various ideas just naturally come to mind.

 

It’s not only when I’m consciously thinking about it. Sometimes, while I’m doing physical training, images suddenly come to mind, and I can see the audience’s perspective or of myself skating. In a sense, I skate with the feeling that the judges are all around me, in every direction and every angle, and I want my thoughts and skating to reach the entire space.

 

As for the choreography, rather than changing it because I decided to, it changed along with vague images like, 'Maybe it would look better like this,' or 'I want to see it like this.' I let my body move as it wanted to move in relation to the music and program, and used what felt right. It changed in that way. I’m really happy if people notice those kinds of small details.

 

With "Romeo + Juliet," I was glad that the image I had in mind, how my body moved, and how it looked objectively all lined up well. There were also many parts that I changed and polished because I thought, "I wish I'd done it this way," so my movements increased or decreased depending on my emotions each day. With 'Change,' I also tried changing the sense of distance with everyone and the way of enjoying it. I would be happy if you could compare by watching the recordings as well.

 

— The theme of “Prologue” was “looking back on your life.” Now that the performances are over, how do you feel about your life so far?

 

Honestly, if someone other than me had created a show based on this concept, “Prologue” wouldn’t have been structured this way. The jumps shown in the video were mostly failures, and it was filled with struggles. There was “Romeo & Juliet,” where I warmed up while recalling memories of Sochi. Then came the six-minute warm-up before the Pyeongchang Olympics, followed by “SEIMEI,” which had a very detailed and technically demanding structure. After that, I performed “Change” in full.

 

If I hadn’t created those videos myself, I don’t think the earthquake footage in “Requiem for Heaven and Earth” would have been depicted so realistically, and perhaps the ‘Romeo + Juliet’ carrying that sentiment might not have existed either. And then there's “A Dream That Will Someday End” and “Haru yo, Koi.” Within those, “Dreamy Aspiration” and “Sasanqua.” The final piece was “I Am the Strongest.” The clock moves from 11:11 to 11:12, and time advances from “Prologue” into a new story.

 

My life has not been filled with only good things, but also with many failures. Even now, after the Beijing Olympics, I think that for a lot of people, the “Yuzuru Hanyu” in their minds is someone perfect, someone who never despairs, always looks forward, trains efficiently, and always achieving success. I’ve experienced failures that were necessary for success, and also failures that led only to more failure. I’ve made some choices that I’m pretty sure were mistakes. There were also things that happened that I wish never had, things beyond my control. There were times when I wondered if fate was so predetermined that there was no way to resist it.

 

But still, it truly makes me happy that everyone waits for my program, that it reaches so many people, and even if nothing visibly changes, just for that moment it stays in their hearts, or they remember it, or an image comes to mind, or memories and feelings overflow inside them... Moments like that make me truly happy. It makes me feel like I’m not alone, that I’m able to skate this way because of the support and thoughts of so many people, and that makes me so happy.

Looking back on it now, I think it turned out to be a great show. I want to do a show like this again someday, but I wonder if I can make something even better… (laughs). To that extent, I think it became something filled with my life, the life of “Yuzuru Hanyu.”

 

— What were the tears at the end of the final performance?

 

When I realized it was coming to an end, I felt a surge of emotion. But I knew that “Prologue” would connect to “GIFT,” and when I thought, “This is where it begins,” I caught myself about to cry, and then laughed at myself thinking, “What are you crying for?”

 

The end is a sign of a new beginning. Thinking I couldn’t keep crying, I was sharing my determination that “this will continue,” when suddenly my clenched, tense hand was shown on the screen behind me… and I instinctively made a peace sign (laughs). There's no particular deep meaning behind the peace sign (laughs). But thanks to it, I was able to relax again and properly convey my feelings.

 

— Now that “Prologue” is over, what kind of impact has it left on you? What value or meaning will it have for you going forward?

 

First of all, I’m really glad that everyone embraced my solo ice show, and that I was able to live up to that expectation until the very end. It has given me confidence that I can continue to work hard on this path. Thank you so much for all the warm applause and kind words from everyone.

There are many things I reflect on in my life so far, but I have no regrets. There are times in my past that I feel guilty about, but even so, it’s precisely because of those experiences that I have the life I do now, and because of these feelings, I believe I can choose happiness now. Looking back at the past, at my life, there are many moments when I feel like crying. Whether those moments are good or sad, even so, I believe there is nothing left undone now. It’s the same with “Prologue.” I left nothing unfinished, and every day, I gave everything I had in that space. All my current feelings are expressed in “I Am the Strongest,” so I hope you’ll listen to the lyrics, the music, and Ado’s singing and relate them to my feelings.

 

“My dream is everyone’s wish.”
“Everyone’s dream is my happiness.”
“Someday's dream is my heart.”
“I am the strongest.”

"The strongest with you."

 

From here on, I want to move forward, getting stronger and stronger, and keep performing programs that resonate deeply with everyone’s hearts, like a tailor-made prescription that fits perfectly. But, even just having someone think, “That was good,” or “That was impressive,” makes me truly happy. I will keep skating with all my heart and all my strength, without ever changing.