[2018.04.17] TV Guide Web - "Continues ~with Wings~" Full Report

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation*

 

 

Source: https://www.tvguide.or.jp/feature/feature-332008/

Archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20210121181958/https://www.tvguide.or.jp/feature/feature-332008/

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu holds event "Continues ~with Wings~" to express his gratitude to his fans! Full report and interview published

 

Yuzuru Hanyu, who won the gold medal at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and became the first man in 66 years to win two consecutive gold medals in figure skating, held a triumphant return event, "Continues ~with Wings~," to express his gratitude to his fans over three days from April 13th to 15th. Here is a report on the first day!

 

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After a video retrospective of Yuzuru Hanyu’s career played, the crowd erupted into thunderous applause as Hanyu appeared on the ice. Fans had been eagerly awaiting this moment. The skaters participating in this show were all invited based on the “connections” that had influenced Hanyu throughout his journey.

 

As Hanyu welcomed them onto the rink, a special show began.

 

Among the performers were Johnny Weir, who inspired Hanyu with his beautiful spins; Takahito Mura, a big-brother figure who gave him advice on jumps; Jeffrey Buttle, who choreographed Hanyu’s short programs such as “Parisienne Walkways” for the Sochi Winter Olympics and “Ballade No. 1” for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics; and Evgeni Plushenko, a legendary skater Hanyu had admired since childhood. These world-class skaters captivated the audience with their stunning performances.

 

Hanyu himself shared his joy, smiling as he said, “Seeing Nijinsky, performed by Plushenko-sama, my god, I was overwhelmed with emotion.”

 

In a talk segment filled with Hanyu’s candid expressions, he also answered questions from children. When a 5-year-old girl asked, “What is your most treasured item?” he answered with a bit of embarrassment, "My treasure is... a Winnie the Pooh tissue case."

 

And near the end of the show, there was a surprise! When Yuzuru Hanyu appeared on the ice wearing the costume from his 2010–11 season program “Zigeunerweisen,” the crowd erupted in thunderous applause and delighted screams.

 

“I haven’t skated since the Olympic exhibition. As a result, my ankle is actually in better condition than it was before the Olympics. When it comes to steps and spins, there’s no issue at all. I can perform without any pain,” he reported on his current condition, sharing his decision to skate again in front of his fans.

 

He presented a medley of programs that trace his roots: “From Russia with Love” from his novice days, “Zigeunerweisen” from his first year as a senior, and “Ballade No. 1,” which he performed over the course of three seasons.

 

Laughing, he said, “I never imagined I’d skate Ballade No. 1 in this costume (from Zigeunerweisen)! I promise you, this will absolutely never happen again, so burn it into your memory!”

 

With a performance that showed no signs of his time away from competition—graceful, passionate, and moving—he swept the audience into a wave of emotion.

 

After the show ended, Hanyu also gave a group interview with the press. We’ll be bringing you the full details of that exchange!

 

— This was your first show produced by yourself. Now that it’s over, how do you feel?
“Although there were parts that focused more on talk segments, every skater who performed in the show is truly great in their own right. I’m just so happy that they agreed to be part of a show I produced. Some even performed programs that are very meaningful to me, so I felt again that it’s a show full of highlights. As both a participant and a spectator, I think it was something really special and captivating.”

 

— We heard you came up with the title of the show. Can you tell us the meaning behind it?
“The subtitle ‘with Wings’ includes the character for ‘feather’ from my name, Hanyu. I chose that because I wanted the show to reflect what’s been passed down to me—what I carry forward. By watching both my own skating and the performances of the skaters who joined me today, I hoped the audience might feel, even just a little, that ‘these emotions and styles are shared with Hanyu.’ That’s why I gave it this title. The word ‘Continues’ holds a strong meaning of ‘legacy’—something being passed on.”

 

— Competing at the PyeongChang Olympics was a serious battle. In contrast, performing in this kind of show must feel different. How did it feel to skate in front of everyone today?
“Many fans congratulated me, and I was able to skate with deep gratitude in my heart. After the Olympics, I spent every day working on the show’s content. Being on the production side, I really thought about how many stories and feelings—gratitude, celebration—could be packed into one show. So in that sense too, I’m glad I was able to complete the show as something I envisioned and planned. I hope that even a little of what I wanted to convey came across to the audience.”

 

— What made you decide to actually skate in the show today?
“Before the PyeongChang Olympics, there were several parts of my step sequences that caused pain. But after my rest period, when I returned to the ice and tested those same steps, the pain was gone. I also tried spins, including flying spins, and felt no pain. Also, by performing pieces from my early skating days, I wanted the audience to see, ‘Oh, he admired these kinds of skaters back then,’ or ‘These elements were passed down to him.’ That’s why I decided to skate.”

 

— Can you share why you chose the specific programs you performed today? Did anything during the performances make you feel that you’ve grown? And how might this connect to program selection for next season?
“I chose to revisit older programs as a way of showing appreciation to the coaches who have taught me so much. But I made a conscious effort not to update them too much into a ‘modern’ style. Of course, my step work, crossovers, and expressions have changed since then, and I do think I’ve grown technically. But I didn’t want to overly showcase that growth. So I watched old videos many times and tried hard to match them. Performing with the image of my younger self in mind helped broaden my range of expression. I now feel that the themes and worlds I want to convey through my performances will have a big impact on my future skating.”

 

— You mentioned your ankle during the show. How is it doing now?
“I rested for almost four weeks, including the Olympic period. As a result, my condition is better than it was before the Olympics. Regarding steps and spins, I’m at a point where I can perform without any pain. So now I’m back on the ice doing step work, spins, and strength training as part of rehab.”

 

— When did you start rehab?
“After about three weeks of rest… you can do the math. Sorry! (laughs)”

 

— (laughs) So that would be around the end of March?
“Yeah, that’s about right. Late March.”

 

— In your mind, when do you think you’ll be able to resume jumping? What’s your current outlook as you prepare for next season?
“Right after the Olympics, I was using words like ‘fulfilled’ and ‘happy’ a lot, and I said I didn’t know what would come next. But now, I actually feel quite motivated to compete again. As for jumps like the loop, lutz, and flip which rely heavily on my right foot, I’m not even doing the takeoff motions right now. I’ve completely decided not to attempt them yet.”

 

— Since you can’t do right-foot takeoff jumps yet, how about others like the salchow, toe loop, or your signature axel?
“As for landings, I’ve been doing spins and there haven’t been any problems so far, so I’ve started easing back into it. But I still haven’t attempted any big jumps. I’m taking it step-by-step within the scope of rehab—building up the muscle strength needed to handle landings and quad jumps.”

 

— Should we assume your return to competition will start with the Grand Prix series?
“That’s the current plan. But like I mentioned, I haven’t attempted the loop, flip, or lutz at all, so I don’t know how my body will respond or whether there will be pain. I’ll have to reconsider depending on that. Still, right now, I want to participate in as many competitions as possible and showcase my performances. That feeling grew even stronger after seeing how incredible the skaters in this show were. It made me feel that I, as someone who’s still growing, need to work even harder.”

 

— Producing this show must have given you some insights. What kind of program image do you have in mind for next season?
“I haven’t chosen music or anything yet, but since I’ve firmly decided I’ll compete, I know I need to get started soon. In the past, my motivation for competing centered around creating programs that would help me win. But moving forward, I want to be more honest with myself—choose music I truly want to skate to and create programs I really want people to see.”

 

— Finally, what would you like to say to your fans who continue to support you?
“I believe that the one thing I can best express myself through is skating. So, the most important thing is to recover quickly and show everyone I’m back on the ice, skating healthily. I want to give people a sense of relief. Even at next week’s parade in Sendai, I hope I can turn the negative image of my injury into something more positive.”

 

Smiling, Hanyu added, “I want to show my fans I’m doing well and express my gratitude.”

His positive outlook toward next season only raises anticipation for what’s to come.

 

 

"Continues ~with Wings~" Performance on Friday, April 13

① Opening ~ Yuzuru Hanyu History VTR
② Yuzuru Hanyu’s Opening Greeting
③ All Skaters – “Heroes”
④ Johnny Weir – “Ave Maria”
⑤ Takahito Mura – The Phantom of the Opera
⑥ Jeffrey Buttle – “For Forever”
⑦ Daily Talk Segment
⑧ Minoru Sano – “Heart of Budapest”
    Minoru Sano’s Figure Skating Technique Lecture with Yuzuru Hanyu
⑨ Yuko Kawaguchi & Alexander Smirnov – “Manfred”
⑩ Shae-Lynn Bourne – “BOMBOM”
⑪ Evgeni Plushenko – Tribute to Nijinsky
⑫ Q&A Session with Children
⑬ Commentary on PyeongChang Olympic Performance (Short Program)
    + Twitter Q&A Segment
⑭ Message Video Segment (VTR)
⑮ Takahito Mura – Beauty and the Beast
⑯ Yuko Kawaguchi & Alexander Smirnov – “Bubble Dance”
⑰ Jeffrey Buttle – “Better To Be Loved”
⑱ Johnny Weir – Beyoncé Gala
⑲ Evgeni Plushenko – “Tango Amore”
⑳ Yuzuru Hanyu – From Russia with Love, Zigeunerweisen, Ballade No. 1
㉑ Finale (All Skaters) – “Time to Say Goodbye”
㉒ Grand Finale (All Skaters) – “Creatures of the Night”
㉓ Yuzuru Hanyu’s Closing Remarks

 

[Program Information]
"Continues with Wings: Yuzuru Hanyu – A Triumphant Return and a Performance of Gratitude"
<All Three Days of the Event Broadcast Together>

TV Asahi Channel 2 – News, Information, Sports
Broadcast Dates:

Thursday, May 10

Friday, May 11

Sunday, May 13
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Note: Broadcast dates and times are subject to change.

 

What is “KISS & CRY”?

The “KISS & CRY” series features Japanese figure skaters, showcasing their “fighting spirit” and “artistic performances” through over 50 pages of stunning photo spreads. From the tips of their toes to the expressions on their faces, the book captures their full charm and presence. It also includes TV broadcast schedules for related programs. A must-have visual book for figure skating fans—whether you’re cheering from in front of the TV or supporting them at the venue.