[2022] Prologue

[yuzurujenn]

Compilation of articles & interviews relating to Prologue 2022.

 

-Yokohama (Nov 4-5)

-Hachinohe (Dec 2-3, 5)

 

Info: 

https://prologue-official.jp/ 

https://x.com/jp_prologue 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

 

2022.11.04

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51220.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221104121435/https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51220.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu, who won consecutive gold medals in men's figure skating at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and turned professional in July, kicked off his first solo ice show, "Prologue," on the 4th at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu's first solo ice show "Prologue" opens, skating almost non-stop for the full 90 minutes

 

Spoiler

The one-man show, which reached a full house of 7,900 people, started with a "six-minute practice" just like a competition. He performed alone for about 90 minutes with almost no breaks. He successfully completed a quadruple Salchow and a toe loop. He performed a spectacular skating performance with eight pieces, including two requested songs.

 

　After the premiere, Hanyu said, "I want to do my best with what I can do now and continue to push the limits of figure skating. I hope that this will be the story of my life from now on."

 

▼ Program 1: "SEIMEI"

▼ Program 2: "CHANGE"

▼ Request Corner: "Let's Go Crazy"

▼ Pick-up Corner: "Spartacus"

▼ Program 3: "Romeo + Juliet"

▼ Program 4: "The Dream That Will End One Day"

▼ Program 5: "Spring, Come"

▼ Encore: "Parisienne Walkways"

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51222.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221104121214/https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51222.html?page=1

 

Yuzuru Hanyu's thoughts on his first solo ice show "Prologue": "I hope to share this with everyone and move on to the next step"

 

Spoiler

Yuzuru Hanyu, who won consecutive men's figure skating gold medals at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and turned professional in July, kicked off his first solo ice show, "Prologue," on the 4th at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama.

 

　The one-man show, which was a first for him and was delivered to a full house of 7,900 people, started with a "six-minute practice" just like in a competition. He performed eight spectacular numbers, including two requested songs.

 

▼ Program 1: "SEIMEI"

▼ Program 2: "CHANGE"

▼ Request Corner: "Let's Go Crazy"

▼ Pick-up Corner: "Spartacus"

▼ Program 3: "Romeo + Juliet"

▼ Program 4: "The Dream That Will End One Day"

▼ Program 5: "Spring, Come"

▼ Encore: "Parisienne Walkways"

 

▽ Below are the main questions and answers

 

 

― The direction and structure were also your own. What were your thoughts and intentions behind it?

"After the press conference announcing my transition to a professional in July, everything, including the venue, started. Given the limited time, I relied on a large number of staff members, and they responded to my requests as we created this show together. I’m truly grateful for that. Regarding this Prologue, for me, it's a prologue to the story that is about to begin. It might sound a bit abstract, but I wanted to express that from now on, with a renewed determination in my heart, I will take one step at a time toward my goals and dreams. It’s about reflecting on the things I’ve experienced and the strength I’ve received from all of you, and sharing that once again with everyone, with the hope that it will lead to the next step. This is the intention behind the creation and structure of the show."

 

― Did you come up with the concept for the first 6-minute practice performance yourself?

"Honestly, when I was thinking about where to place the different acts, what order they should be in, and what to include, I thought about starting with the press conference and then looking back at the past, including the Pyeongchang Olympics. After that, I wanted to reflect on my whole life up to now, with a look at my final performance in Beijing and how I arrived at this point. For the opening, I decided to perform my signature piece, SEIMEI, from the Pyeongchang Olympics. The 6-minute practice and the fact that I was doing it with all the lights on—something you would never see in an ice show—was something I came up with. To be honest, I was uncertain about how the audience would respond and how well I could focus during the 6-minute practice, especially since this wasn’t a competition setting. I was really unsure about it. But, I haven’t heard any feedback from the audience yet. However, reflecting on the first day after completing the Prologue, I saw that everyone had really fulfilling expressions and reactions. So, in that sense, I think it was, in a way, a success."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51227.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221104124535/https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51227.html?page=1

 

Yuzuru Hanyu's solo ice show "Prologue" takes the first step to the next stage "leading to the new stage of Yuzuru Hanyu"

 

Spoiler

― The emotions during your performance, I imagine, were completely different from those in a competition. How was that for you?

"When I performed SEIMEI, I was completely reminded of the PyeongChang Olympics. In terms of the composition, it was actually about 4 minutes 7 seconds long, and the number of jumps was slightly reduced. I tried doing things like three triple axels, which is something I could only do as a professional. I was extremely nervous. In a competition, the judges are right in front of you, but when the audience is there, it honestly felt like I was being tested, and I also felt like I had to test myself. I was skating with that feeling. I think I was able to do it with a good level of tension."

 

― What kind of story do you think will unfold from here?

"As a professional, the goals I have in mind aren’t as clear or concrete. This is, in a sense, something I’ve never experienced before in my life. Up until now, I’ve lived with the goal of winning an Olympic gold medal ever since I was 4 years old. So right now, it feels a bit like I’m floating. However, by working hard every day to make this Prologue successful, by concentrating on each jump and each performance, those efforts will probably accumulate and eventually lead to a new stage for Yuzuru Hanyu. Through that accumulation, I think I'll be able to build a new foundation for myself. I want to do the best I can now and push the boundaries of figure skating. I hope that this will become part of my story going forward."

 

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51232.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20230627215330/https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51232.html?page=1

Yuzuru Hanyu's first choreography, "A Dream That Will End Someday," "I wanted to express something like a dilemma inside my heart"

 

Spoiler

― When was the first time you came up with a choreography yourself?

"It's a program I did after Romeo and Juliet, called 'A Dream That Will End Someday (A Fleeting Dream)."

 

― What was the concept?

"When I was doing some cool-down movements, it just clicked perfectly with this piece. At that moment, I remembered people had said, 'Oh, I’d love to see cool-down movements.' So, I thought, 'Alright, let’s turn this into a program.' After that, with the title 'A Dream That Will One Day End,' I tried to express a lot of feelings through the music. Also, I’m a huge fan of Final Fantasy X, which is from my generation, and I really love it. As I worked on the choreography, I thought about a lot of things. Originally, my dream was to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. After that, I set a new dream of doing a quadruple axel, and I've been pursuing that dream ever since. In a way, as an amateur, I wasn’t able to achieve those goals at the competitive level, nor was I able to become the first person to successfully land an ISU-certified quadruple axel. In that sense, it might be seen as a dream that’s ended. So, 'A Dream That Will One Day End' expresses that feeling—of having a dream that others expect from you but being unable to achieve it. Even though I want to keep going, I also feel exhausted and don't want to anymore. The more support I receive from everyone, the more my own feelings get neglected and start to break down. I didn’t want to hear anything, but still, I wanted to meet everyone’s expectations. It was a representation of the internal dilemma in my heart."

 

[yuzurujenn]

2022.11.05

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51202.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20221122110850/https://hochi.news/articles/20221104-OHT1T51202.html?page=1

 

"Towards a 'New Yuzuru Hanyu' – 'Surpassing Limits' in the 90-minute, non-stop 8-programs Prologue."

 

Yuzuru Hanyu (27), who won consecutive gold medals in men's figure skating at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics and turned professional in July, produced and performed in his first solo ice show, "Prologue," which premiered on the 4th at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama. This first ice show as a professional was an unprecedented solo performance, starting with a "6-minute warm-up" reminiscent of a competition. He performed eight programs, including two request songs, captivating the 7,900 spectators in the full arena. The show will continue on the 5th at the same venue, and will be held at Flat Hachinohe in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, on December 2, 3, and 5.

 

Spoiler

The sole performer was Hanyu himself. He skated for approximately 90 minutes without any breaks. "I wanted everyone to experience Yuzuru Hanyu in real-time," he said. The eight programs, including two request songs, were essential pieces in telling the story of "Hanyu the Skater."

 

The atmosphere felt just like a competition. When Hanyu appeared on the ice in a jersey, an announcement was made: "We will now begin the 6-minute warm-up." He was introduced as "Number 1, Yuzuru Hanyu," and took his starting position for his signature piece, "SEIMEI." He successfully executed a challenging composition, including a quadruple Salchow, quadruple toe loop, and three triple Axels. The crowd responded with a standing ovation, and Hanyu's expression softened.

 

Hanyu’s talent as a producer shone through. The show opened with footage from his July press conference announcing his switch to professional skating. "There was a press conference, then I returned to the past, the Pyeongchang Olympics, reflecting on my life. Eventually, I wanted to make it all connect to the exhibition in Beijing, leading to where I am now," he explained. Throughout the program, videos traced his life journey, and the structure of the show was carefully thought out.

 

The intervals between performances were 5 to 8 minutes. This is an extremely unusual solo performance, and the physical demands were high. Hanyu has been practicing even more rigorously than during his competitive days. "I want to do everything I can right now and push the boundaries of figure skating. I want that to be part of the story moving forward," he shared. The Prologue marked the beginning of this new chapter of his career, unfolding with strength and beauty. (Takagi Megumi)

 

 

Interview with Yuzuru Hanyu

 

--The concept of "A Dream That Will End Someday," the first program you choreographed yourself:

"When I skated to this music, the cooldown movement just clicked perfectly. At that moment, I remembered that everyone had said they wanted to see a cooldown. So, I thought, 'Let’s turn this into a program.' I’m a huge fan of Final Fantasy X, and that’s also the source of the music. Originally, my dream was to achieve back-to-back Olympic gold medals. Then, I set my sights on the quadruple Axel. In terms of competition, I wasn’t able to achieve it, and I wasn’t able to be the first to land a quadruple Axel in an ISU-sanctioned event. In that sense, it’s a dream that may have ended. There were things I wanted to do, but couldn’t, even though everyone had high expectations for me. I still wanted to try, but at the same time, I was tired and didn’t want to do it anymore. The more support I received, the more I neglected my own feelings, and my heart began to break. But still, I wanted to respond to everyone’s expectations. It was a dilemma in my heart that I tried to express."

 

--The Physical Demands of the Show:

"First, strengthening my physical endurance was really tough. I had to go through the entire program five times before making it here. I tend to give everything I have into each program, so the thought of skating again after one performance seemed impossible. But somehow, I managed to build up my stamina for this show."

 

--What’s Next for Your Story?

"The goals I have now as a professional are not very clear yet. This is the first time in my life that I’ve felt this way. From when I was four years old, I always lived with the goal of winning an Olympic gold medal. So right now, it feels like I’m in a kind of limbo. But, the effort I put into making this 'Prologue' successful, and focusing on each jump and each performance today, is adding up. It’s leading to a new stage for Yuzuru Hanyu, and as that adds up, I think I will be able to build a new foundation for myself."