[2025.02.02] Sports Hochi - "2025 will be deeper and broader" - 5 days exclusive interview

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.02

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250201-OHT1T51219.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250202085015/https://hochi.news/articles/20250201-OHT1T51219.html?page=1

Info: 

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: "2025 will be deeper and broader" - Exclusive interview published for five days from February 3rd

 

Professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30) gave an exclusive interview to Sports Hochi by February 1st, where he shared his aspirations for 2025, expressing the words "deeper and broader."

 

The third installment of his ice story series, Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR, for which he serves as both performer and executive producer, will conclude with performances in Chiba (July 7 and 9 at Lala Arena Tokyo Bay).

 

The tour began with a performance in Saitama (Saitama Super Arena) in December last year, where he said, "It was a performance where I felt like I was able to show what I've worked hard for," and at the Hiroshima performance (Hiroshima Green Arena) in January this year, he said, "I felt like I wanted to put in a bit more effort."

 

Always striving for the best performance, he gives it his all in the two and a half hour one-man show. Even after turning professional, he continues to evolve as an athlete, seeking to deepen and broaden his journey. Starting from February 3rd, Sports Hochi will feature a series of exclusive photos and interviews with him over five consecutive days. (Takagi Megumi)

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.03

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250202-OHT1T51210.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250202221003/https://hochi.news/articles/20250202-OHT1T51210.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu touched on philosophical books and Dazai Osamu, spun a story over three sleepless nights... Exclusive interview 1

 

First part of the exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). He is both a performer and executive producer of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR,", which will conclude its run in Chiba (on the 7th and 9th at Lalaport Tokyo Bay Arena). Like in his previous two ice story performances, he also wrote the script for this one. The work, which touches on the philosophy of life as its theme, was completed after three sleepless nights of writing. In the preparation phase, Hanyu engaged with philosophy books as well as novels, including works by Osamu Dazai. (Interview and composition by Megumi Takagi)

 

Spoiler

Hanyu also wrote the script for the two-and-a-half-hour ice show, which he skates solo. This time, he completed it after three days of staying up all night.

 

"During that time, I was practicing for two days (laughs). On the first day, I practiced, then came back and stayed up all night. After another practice, I stayed awake and kept writing. 'Oh, it's morning already.' Then I thought, 'Ah, it's the third day, time to practice.'"

 

Showing his incredible concentration, which has often amazed audiences in the past, Hanyu produced a well-crafted script.

 

"I felt that I had to write when the thoughts came to me, and I was simply worried about the deadline (laughs). But nothing was coming to me. I had pretty much the outline in mind, but figuring out the setting was the hardest part."

 

He incorporated philosophical concepts like "What is life?" and "What is 'I'?" into this ice story.

 

"It took me nearly two months to decide what I wanted to convey and select the programs that would make up that story. From there, the setting was roughly decided, the outline was decided, and the type of story I wanted to write was decided...'I have to write it,' I thought, and while I wrote bits and pieces, I wasn't satisfied with what I had done. So, I ended up discarding everything and started over from scratch."

 

Hanyu always writes by hand. He scribbles on paper. In the preparation stage, he read not only philosophy books like The Disaster of Birth but also novels. One of these novels was Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human.

 

"I thought I should read Dazai. I hadn't really been exposed to novels like that up until now. The only book I had read properly was The Kojiki (The Record of Ancient Matters)."

 

The mention of The Kojiki is intriguing. He read it back in junior high school.

 

"There was a time for reading, and during that period, my mother handed me The Kojiki to read (laughs). I didn’t really have many opportunities to engage with novels or written text, and I wasn’t particularly good at it. So this time, I listened to the audio on Audible and read No Longer Human."

 

He followed the narration with his eyes, while also absorbing the text. He also spun stories in his past shows GIFT and RE_PRAY. During that process, he was told that his story was "like that of Osamu Dazai".

 

"This time, I really wanted to write it like a novel, I wanted to write a proper story. There were people who said that my writing style was somewhat similar, so I thought I had to study properly."

 

Once he made that decision, Hanyu was determined to learn everything he can.

 

"The way the words are used, and the story itself. I don't think there are many people who read 'No Longer Human' and go, 'I get it!' But it’s certainly valuable as an educational work of culture—to peer into human darkness and desires, to understand the very roots of them. I think it's worth having that kind of knowledge and worldview in your head."

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.04

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250203-OHT1T51204.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250204063831/https://hochi.news/articles/20250203-OHT1T51204.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: 'What to do about the 6-minute practice' and the Piano Collection... Exclusive Interview 2

 

This is the second exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). One of the highlights of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR," which will conclude with a performance in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay), is the "Piano Collection." We asked him about the background to the creation of this nearly 10-minute feature-length work of five piano pieces, and his particular attention to detail. (Interview and composition by Takagi Megumi)

 

Spoiler

In the first half of the ice story, "Piano Collection" has become one of the highlights. After performing a nearly 10-minute long medley of five piano pieces, he transitions directly into his short program from the Pyeongchang Olympics, Chopin's "Ballade No. 1." How did the idea for "Piano Collection" come about?

 

"First of all, there was the issue of what to do about the six-minute practice."

 

After turning professional, Hanyu has been incorporating the 6-minute practice into his solo shows. This innovative approach is based on his desire to "create a competitive atmosphere."

 

"This time, the premise was that I wanted to write it as a story, so I had the idea of scraping the 6-minute practice part. However, when I thought about the performance content up to that point, I realized that I needed to create something that could properly build up to it (Ballade), and if I could create something that could be properly organized as a program, I thought that would kill two birds with one stone."

 

The structure moves from the piano medley to the gold medal-winning performance. A breathtaking sense of tension enveloped the venue.

 

"Some people have said they liked seeing the official practice sessions, and I think the serious, stoic attitude of working towards a single goal is a form of expression in itself. When I thought about embodying that in the character Nova, I initially wanted to make the piano pieces incredibly stoic, turning them all into etudes (practice pieces). I had a strong image of ending with 'Ballade No. 1' after a series of etudes. That's the idea that started it all."

 

The five pieces that follow — Brahms, Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin, and Chopin again — were carefully selected.

 

"It was very difficult. I thought about arranging the pieces chronologically. For instance, showing the evolution from Bach to Chopin, and how they would eventually lead to Chopin, or conversely, I could start with Chopin, go back to the past, and then come back to Chopin again. I also considered making all the chords the same. I thought about many possibilities, but I realized that I wouldn't get anywhere by thinking on my own, so I consulted with (pianist) Kiyozuka (Shinya)."

 

The selection was then finalized with the help of Kiyozuka, a man he trusts, who suggested potential pieces.

 

"I said, 'I have this image, but what should I do?' From the start, I told him that I wanted to line up several pieces that were each just under a minute long. We discussed, 'If we line them up this way, it would form this kind of collection. What do you think?' But I also didn’t want to do too much editing. However, there were parts where I felt editing was necessary. It was really a trial-and-error process, and I was determined to include Baroque music. That's how it turned out."

 

Jeffrey Battle choreographed the five fascinating pieces. Which of the pieces is the toughest to skate to?

 

"They’re all tough!"

 

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.05

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250204-OHT1T51148.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250204212212/https://hochi.news/articles/20250204-OHT1T51148.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: "Ballade No. 1" is the "sound of destiny" - the second half of the performance is a determined effort... Exclusive interview 3

 

This is the third exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). The final performance of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" will be in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay), where he will perform "Ballade No. 1," his short program from the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. He is executing the same high-difficulty routine as back then, layering it with the 'Sound of Destiny.' (Interview and composition by Takagi Megumi)

 

Spoiler

After performing a 10-minute "Piano Collection," composed of five pieces of music, Yuzuru Hanyu skates his short program (SP) "Ballade No. 1" from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. As he had said, "It's all tough!" the routine includes not only jumps like the quadruples and triple axels, but also parts expressed with spins and steps, making the physical demand extraordinarily high.

 

"My feet were strained in the previous piece, 'Mass Dis'[Note 1]. Also, the costume change from 'Mass Dis' is quite difficult. While frantically changing into the 'Ballade 1' costume, I quickly put on my shoes and head out to the ice. I was panting and thinking, "I need to concentrate," when Brahms started. I recently made a mistake on the triple loop (the first jump)...I think I made a mistake once and it became a trauma. I couldn't get the loop right, so I was feeling anxious about the loop in the (next) Bach part. And after that comes the toe loop."

 

Scarlatti plays as soon as Hanyu landed the quadruple toe loop.

 

"That toe loop is extremely nerve-wracking. The following (triple) axel is also nerve-wracking, and it's tiring. It's like doing anaerobic exercise the whole time. It felt like I was getting ready, then doing anaerobic exercise again, then catching my breath and doing anaerobic exercise again, and so on and so forth."

 

Then comes "Ballade No. 1," a high-difficulty routine starting with a quadruple Salchow and featuring two jumps in the second half: a triple axel and a quadruple-triple toe loop combination.

 

"Well, it’s tough. At first, I thought I could do it just fine. I thought it would work (laughs). But it turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Initially, I thought maybe I could just use the structure from the 2020 Four Continents Championship [Note 2], not the one from PyeongChang. I thought that was the final form, so I figured that would be fine. But when it came to 'the Sound of Destiny,' if I was told to 'play the sound of your own destiny,' I realized that it had to be the PyeongChang version."

 

This Ice Story has "sound" as one of its key themes. Right before taking his starting position for "Ballade No. 1," a narration is played: "Now, please play the 'sound' of your word 'destiny'."

 

"The destiny I have reached is of course "SEIMEI" (from my free program at the PyeongChang Olympics), but I think I was able to win because I was able to perform "Bara 1" without any mistakes there. There was a ritual (the piano collection) to get to that point, and I wanted to show that I had followed the path of destiny to reach it. It’s difficult, but I’m determined to stick with the two jumps in the second half."

 

He performs this after skating for over 30 minutes since the start of the show, on a smaller rink compared to a competition, in a dimly lit show venue.

 

"The trajectory has changed quite a bit, and I’ve had to change the choreography. The sharper the curve, the harder it was on my legs. I was experimenting with different things, and I did feel it was tough. But, I managed to do it once without any mistakes (at the Saitama performance), so I’m going to do my best."

 

 

Notes:

1. 'Mass Destruction' - A track from the role-playing game Persona 3.
2. After the Pyeongchang Olympics, the rule that multiplied the base points of all jumps in the second half of a performance by 1.1 was revised, limiting it to the last one in the short program and the last three in the free program. After the revision, the composition of the Four Continents Championships was a quadruple salchow, a quadruple-triple toe loop combo, and a triple axel in the second half. Hanyu achieved a world-record score of 111.82 points in that competition.

 

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.06

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250205-OHT1T51134.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250206073446/https://hochi.news/articles/20250205-OHT1T51134.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: "Because I want to get better" Training research and dance basics... Exclusive interview 4

 

This is the fourth exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). Since turning professional in July 2022, he has been taking on the unprecedented challenge of performing a two-and-a-half-hour ice show all by himself. The final performance of the "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR" will be in Chiba (7th and 9th, Lala Arena Tokyo Bay). While interacting with his body and researching training methods, he is focusing on building a body that balances endurance and explosive power. He has started gym training and also taking dance lessons. With an endless desire to improve, he is on the path to evolution. (Interview and composition by Takagi Megumi)

 

Spoiler

Training to build up the stamina needed to skate for two and a half hours while also mastering the explosive movements unique to figure skating is hard work.

 

"Explosive movements need to be practiced specifically for explosiveness, and for slow-twitch muscles [Note 1], it depends on how much practice I can do in full runs. I always feel like I have to think of them separately and train for them individually. For high-difficulty jumps, I approach them with techniques suited to their difficulty. Then, there's the stamina needed to skate for over two hours, as well as the grip strength required to tie my skate laces."

 

He changes costumes for each program and takes off his shoes each time. The laces of his skates need to be tied very tightly. Including encores, there are 15 songs in total. There are many moments, other than skating, that drain his physical energy.

 

"I’ve been pulling continuously for so long. Like in “Utai” (the third performance), if I keep stretching my hands all the time (in choreography), I lose arm muscles. Of course, jumping also requires grip strength. So, I guess my grip strength is getting stronger as I go along. I have been lifting barbells recently. I do deadlifts and high cleans."

 

While interacting with his body and conducting further research, he has also started new machine-based training.

 

"That’s really to make sure I can maintain high output no matter how tired I am and also to make sure I can use my body effectively."

 

His physical condition is better than during his competitive days. He says he is currently at his leanest, and this is intentional. "For what purpose?" He immediately answered.

 

"I just want to get better. As I continue training to improve, I naturally get leaner. I feel like any excess has been eliminated. It’s close to the balance I had during the Helsinki World Championships in 2017. I’ve gained muscle mass since then, so I’m about 1.5 kg heavier, but I think the fat balance is the same as it was back then. I think it's ideal for myself."

 

He turned 30 in December last year. His physical strength and technique are evolving. "I’m amazed at how much more I can still do." He feels the possibilities for his future. His desire to improve knows no bounds. After completing "RE_PRAY" last April, he started taking dance lessons, which he had taught himself until then.

 

"I took a little lesson with MIKIKO (the choreographer). MIKIKO originally works in hip hop, and also jazz, or rather contemporary, so it's a variety of genres. When it comes to hip hop in particular, I've always said that I really don't have a solid foundation. I told her, 'I want to work on the basics.' She sent me a lot of videos and I worked on it."

 

Hanyu, who has the ability to effortlessly control his body in everything from classical music to intense pop tunes, gives himself a harsh self-evaluation which also reflects the potential for his growth.

 

"No, I realized I can’t do this much. There were really simple things that I couldn’t do at all. I practiced those simple things for about three months, and I wonder if I’ve gotten a little better, but I still feel like I have a long way to go."

 

 

[Note 1] Slow-twitch muscles are related to endurance, and fast-twitch muscles are related to explosiveness.

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

2025.02.07

 

Source: https://hochi.news/articles/20250206-OHT1T51158.html?page=1

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20250207061300/https://hochi.news/articles/20250206-OHT1T51158.html?page=1

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: From "full marathon" to "ekiden", increasing output to 2.5 hours... Final part of exclusive interview

 

This is the final installment of an exclusive interview with professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu (30). He is both a performer and executive producer of "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 3rd "Echoes of Life" TOUR," which will kick off its Chiba performance at Lala Arena Tokyo Bay on the 7th. The two-and-a-half-hour solo show will reach its final series with some changes only possible with a tour. The pace distribution will change from a "marathon" to an "ekiden". He will pour his soul into every performance, keep his output high from the start, and fulfill his "expression" beyond his limits. (Interview and composition by Takagi Megumi)

 

Spoiler

In the January performance in Hiroshima, he left an impression by using his body more expansively. What happened after the Saitama performance in December?

 

"After Saitama, I received criticism from (director) MIKIKO-sensei."

 

He shared this with a laugh.

 

"She told me, 'You had more power in "First Pulse" (the first piece), didn't you?' and I said, 'Ah, yes, that's right.' There were also some things like, 'Let's fix this here, let's fix that there.' I just said 'yes.' When I watched the video, I definitely agreed with her. The hardest part for me was recovering from the fatigue of the Saitama performance. After that, focusing and practicing the full run-through was also difficult because of time constraints. But I’ve been doing training to expand my own physical range of motion and mobility."

 

A two-and-a-half-hour solo performance, connecting each piece with full energy.

 

"I’m doing it with the momentum of an 800-meter sprint or a full marathon (laughs). In "RE_PRAY" (from the previous Ice Story), I felt like I was doing it with the breathing and exhaustion of a full marathon, but this time it's probably closer to a relay race (ekiden). Fans have said, 'It's like an ekiden,' which left an impression on me. For example, they said, 'The section of Ballade No. 1 is like a hill, right?' Each program can cover for each other even if one of them falters, so it's like a relay race. That made sense to me."

 

While the Saitama performance was more of a full marathon type, the pacing was changed for the Hiroshima performance.

 

"In Saitama, I kept a steady pace throughout, not varying much, but still consciously putting in effort where necessary. That was something I learned from RE_PRAY, and it was a success because of the practice I had done. In Hiroshima, I increased my output significantly, including for the new program. As a result, there were parts that didn’t go well, but I believe the expressive quality improved tremendously."

 

There was something to be gained from the two shows in Hiroshima, where the performances were performed with full power from the very start.

 

"I had never used my body in such a full range of motion before, like in “Poem” (“Eclipse/blue”) and "GATE OF STEINER. From start to finish, I was able to skate while immersing myself emotionally, which was a successful experience for me."

 

Through the cycle of questioning and reproduction, the tour will reach its final performance in Chiba.

 

"Right now, I’m trying out new knowledge and training methods. I've made some big updates between Saitama and Hiroshima. I’m still in the process, and my body is changing as I go. Like with RE_PRAY and GIFT, there were times when I sacrificed expression for the more intense parts, like Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso or Dark Messenger or Ballade No. 1. I want to continue training my body so that I can give my all without sacrificing expression."