[2025.02] THE BOOK "Echoes of Life"

[yuzurujenn]

Pre-order period: 2025/02/09 - 2025/04/07

Shipment from late May to early June

 

Info: https://axelstore.net/series/echoesoflife_officialgoods/detail.php?goods_id=136

https://web.archive.org/web/20250319024638/https://axelstore.net/series/echoesoflife_officialgoods/detail.php?goods_id=136

 

Product details
The "Echoes of Life" tour took place over a total of seven performances in Saitama, Hiroshima, and Chiba. This is a record of the "journey of life" that explores the grandiose yet intricate worldview through numerous photographs and words. Along with a highlights structure, the book carefully traces the work through commentary, discussions, and interviews from various perspectives, including direction, music, and video. It also includes special content that delves into the various mysteries surrounding the main character, Nova. This is a book that allows you to enjoy the true "Echoes of Life" that you could not have known at the venue or from the video.

 

Contents:
- Photos of all performances
- Executive producer and performer: Hanyu Yuzuru Interview
- Direction: MIKIKO Interview https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309405174925811384382
- Music: Hanyu Yuzuru x Kiyozuka Shinya Discussion https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309405174507181834385
- Video director: Tamukai Jun Interview https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309405175382243934594
- Special content "Nova"

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source:

https://weibo.com/6473801248/Pv7WuAhed

https://weibo.com/6473801248/Pv822gXjX

https://weibo.com/6473801248/Pv83N1yjl

https://weibo.com/6473801248/Pv9Vigqmn

 

 

Executive producer and performer: Hanyu Yuzuru Interview

 

Spoiler

[Writing the Original Story]

 

— Echoes began with the story being written first, correct?

This time, right from the start, I had a very, very strong desire to create a story not about Hanyu, but about a new character named Nova. I wanted to build ICE STORY around that. And since I was going to do it, I wanted to go all in and see it through completely. So I thought through the setting in great detail, like what kind of sounds should surround someone like Nova? These were things I had to consider when choosing music. Of course, there are a lot of elements in the setting that aren’t actually shown in the final work, but having all of that detail helped me get closer to Nova emotionally while creating the story. It allowed me to think deeply: What kind of child is Nova? What is the guide (the narrator) thinking? What did Itsuna (VGH-127) leave behind…?

 

— In your mind, what kind of child is Nova?

That child... When I was writing the story, I intentionally designed his personality so that it could appear different depending on who’s watching and from what perspective. To me, he’s very lonely. Even though he hates fighting, he’s unexpectedly good at it. He always says he really doesn’t want to fight, and yet he fights so coolly. I think that’s because he understands the mission and meaning behind his existence, and has the strength to accept it. It might sound strange coming from me—the person playing him—but in Goliath, when he has to fight his own shadow, his emotions shift every time. Sometimes during the fight he’s thinking, “I have to destroy every shadow or the world will end,” but other times, even though he’s filled with negative feelings like “I really don’t want to do this,” his body is so used to fighting that he ends up doing it anyway, almost out of resignation.

In the storybook, there isn’t much description of Nova’s personality. It’s only in the visual representation that you see subtle things, like a change in his expression when he touches a flower. But in the written story itself, there’s no description of those expressions. I intentionally wrote it that way so that the viewer’s own emotions could be reflected onto Nova.

 

[My Philosophy of Figure Skating = The Piano]

 

— The Piano Collection in the first act was absolutely spectacular!

This time, when I thought, “If I’m going to make philosophy the theme, then what is my philosophy of figure skating?” What came to mind, as expected, was the piano. I felt that expressing classical piano to its fullest is the foundation of my figure skating. From the beginning, I had been thinking about creating an approximately 8-minute-long continuous piano-only performance.

At one point, I even considered that since I’d be consistently highlighting the piano, maybe I didn’t need to include “Ballade no. 1” after all. But as I began developing the story, laying out each thematic element one by one, I realized: “This part absolutely has to be 'Ballade no. 1’.” Moreover, it had to be the version that was skated at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, with the second half progressing layer by layer with intensity. Anything less just wouldn’t be acceptable to me. At first, I thought this program might be a little easier. After all, in “Dark Messenger” from RE_PRAY, I landed three quads as cleanly as in a free skate, including two in the second half. But this time, the cancellation of the six-minute warm-up and the fact that the Piano Collection didn’t serve as a warm-up the way I had hoped for had a major impact on me. The Piano Collection was originally designed to serve the role of the six-minute warm-up. But in the end, it turned into a segment that had to be prepared in darkness and skated under intense pressure, where absolutely no mistakes or missed notes were allowed, all while gradually draining my physical energy.

 

— Why did the Piano Collection turn into such a physically and mentally demanding segment?

Because if I’m going to perform in sync with the music, then something half-baked, like just going through the motions, obviously wouldn’t cut it. And since this part is labeled as “Philosophy,” I absolutely couldn’t go easy on it. Plus, with the incredible music that Kiyozuka created for me, if I wanted my performance to resonate with his piano, I had no choice but to give it everything I had. Looking back on it now, that’s how I feel.

 

— In your conversation with Kiyozuka, the discussion about the order of the fourth and fifth pieces in the Piano Collection was really interesting.

The fourth piece is Chopin’s Étude Op. 25, No. 12 in C minor, often called “Ocean.” It’s in C minor and is the final piece in the set of 12 études—so it gives a sense of closure. C minor, in particular, carries a feeling of “the end.” But in the Piano Collection, there’s a fifth piece that comes after it. That fifth piece is Chopin’s Étude Op. 10, No. 4 in C-sharp minor, known as “Torrent.” Being in C-sharp minor, it feels more like “a beginning from here.” So Kiyozuka and I debated this for quite a while. In the end, I decided it would be cooler to use the fourth piece (Op. 25-12 in C minor) for the spin section and the fifth piece (Op. 10-4 in C-sharp minor) for the step sequence. That arrangement just had more impact. Plus, Ballade No. 1 would follow after that anyway. So we ultimately settled on the order: 25-12, then 10-4.

 

— Indeed, the C minor piece has a sense of ending. 

Yes, exactly! That “DUN—” at the end of the fourth piece makes you feel like, “Ah… it’s like a god really just ascended.” Even if you don’t understand music at all, somehow you still get caught up in that emotional pull. I find it really fascinating that music can give people such similar impressions from certain frequencies. Long before humans had language or writing, music was used in rituals, wasn’t it? So maybe from ancient times, even for animals, certain frequencies carried deep meaning.

At that moment, I thought, “Wait, isn’t this exactly what philosophy is?” Just like how there’s philosophy expressed through language, or how people’s emotional responses to watching a spin can become their own kind of philosophy, there’s also a kind of philosophy that comes from how we feel when we hear C minor. These different philosophies came together and intertwined to form the Piano Collection. That’s the mindset I had while creating it.

 

[Poetry and Improvisation]

 

— I heard you wrote quite a lot of poetry?

Yes, I really did write a lot. I actually created two versions—one was "Awake (Stepping onto a New Path)," which was used in Part 1, and the other was "When Fate Whispers Softly," which was used in Part 2. The “Awake” version was written alphabetically, from A to Z. I originally intended to use both versions in the 'Poem' program, but in the end, the version used in the second half was "When Fate Whispers Softly."

I wrote 30 stanzas of that one in a single go. I remember I based them on four themes: “past,” “future,” “present,” and “myself,” and wrote many lines for each theme. Then MIKIKO-sensei and her team selected and arranged the stanzas for the final performance. As for the “Awake” version that wasn’t used, there were still gaps between the pieces in the Piano Collection that needed to be filled, so I suggested trying out the unused lines there.

 

— The 'Poem' performance was so dreamy and beautiful... Was all of that improvised?

The sections like “In this moment, time stops” and “This moment is a fleeting light” were choreographed to sync with ELEVENPLAY’s movements. Everything else was improvised. The synchronized parts were choreographed by MIKIKO-sensei.

What’s interesting is how different people interpret language and how words evoke different feelings and inspire different movements in each of us. I think that really reflects the multifaceted, diverse nature of human beings. The four dancers in this performance all have completely different backgrounds and specialties in dance, so that’s probably why such distinct movements emerged from each of them.

 

— Can improvisation be done so quickly?

At first, I found it really difficult. Without training to connect movement with language, it’s hard to do, and you easily fall into repeating the same motions. But I pushed myself to squeeze something out, no matter what! When I was practicing 'Poem' off-ice, I realized something. My movements tend to rely heavily on my legs.

We would form a circle—me and the four ELEVENPLAY dancers. One person would step into the center and perform, while the others watched and then responded, expanding on it through their own movement. We took turns, passing inspiration around like a chain of creativity. The other dancers could stay in place or express themselves just with their upper bodies, but I noticed I was always using my legs more than anything else.

For example, in Mass Destruction during the “ooh yeah da-dada-dada, dada-dada” or “baby baby” sections, I always match the rhythm with my legs, right? Even when I’m just practicing on the floor, I naturally throw in counters or rockers and end up doing a little cluster movement (laughs). That’s definitely because I’m a figure skater! It’s part of who I am, and I think that’s one of my distinctive traits. It’s something I’ve developed through years of training and expressing myself on the ice, and it naturally comes out even when I dance.

 

— And that’s what makes it so interesting, right?

Exactly! So I don’t want to lose that uniqueness. But if I only rely on what I already know, my upper body movements end up looking half-hearted. To break out of that, I try to let go of myself and step into someone else’s shoes. I watch different kinds of performances and think about what angles or qualities I like, then quietly absorb them. But I can’t just copy them directly. I have to internalize the essence, and from there, I let my body and heart do the rest. It’s a continuous process of trial and error.

That’s how the 'Poem' performance came to be. Even I watch some of those movements now and think, “Why did I do that move back then?” Every single time, the movements are different and can’t be replicated.

[What Is “Choreography,” What Is “Improvisation”]

 

— Hanyu-san, as the overall director of your productions, you have to think about the meaning behind the placement of each program, manage the entire flow of the show, and at the same time, each piece carries deep personal emotions for you. When you're actually performing, what kinds of thoughts are running through your mind?

Honestly… I'm just giving it everything I’ve got. That’s all. But what I find really interesting about figure skating is that it has music, choreographed movements, and such rich performance design. So no matter what emotions I’m feeling while skating, I can always convey some level of feeling through those elements. That's why sometimes I rely on that. Especially with Ballade no. 1, I’m sure everyone holds different memories of it in their hearts, so I just trust in those memories and focus on skating it cleanly and beautifully.

 

— Especially for Ballade no. 1?

Yes, when I’m performing Ballade no. 1 or the Piano Collection, there’s really no room to think about anything else. Take Tenchi, for example, the heaven and earth is really a state of “nothingness,” a sense that all things are impermanent. I don’t think about anything when I skate it. SEIMEI is the same. I’m not fighting against anything when I perform it.

And yet, people always seem to see something in it, don’t they? I think that’s really fascinating. That’s what choreography is, and it shows just how powerful choreography can be. And beyond just the choreography, there’s also stage design, the emotions of the performer... it all comes together.

 

— What about the “choreography” in something like GATE OF STEINER?

There wasn’t any.

 

— That’s true, there really wasn’t any. When I was watching the finale performance, just seeing you skate so fast—just that alone moved me deeply. But at the same time, I had this vague sense that there weren’t really any choreographed movements. And if that program truly didn’t have any “choreography,” then it means that even something without choreography can still move people. That really made me start wondering… what is choreography, anyway?

But I still think choreography is necessary. I mean, I don’t think it’s okay for everything to be improvised. There are definitely moments that must be set, like, “This move needs to convey this meaning,” or “This moment has to be fixed.” Those are essential. In a way, it’s like the concept of kata (forms) in classical ballet—how a certain pose or movement carries a specific meaning. And this doesn’t just apply to classical ballet. It’s the same in Noh theater. In fact, across many forms of physical expression, “forms” exist. And only when you’ve mastered those forms can you break them. That’s where improvisation can begin.

In GATE OF STEINER, there was almost no choreography. But even so, there were still unspoken rules like, “At this point, this movement needs to happen.” As for the finale performance, from the start I had already decided: I was going to skate it all out, give everything I had, and just keep pushing forward with everything in me. GATE OF STEINER is a story of traveling through time and different world lines, and then finally, gently pushing open a door. It represents this message to everyone who has always been pushing me forward from behind: “This last time, let me be the one to push you forward.” And then I move into the next phase. That’s something I had in mind from the very beginning of the program’s design. But you know, that story (Steins;Gate) rarely ends in a happy ending. The character is constantly tossed around by fate. It’s a piece that, even though it ends with faith in the future that fate has laid out… what comes after that remains unknown. Maybe it didn’t end in happiness. Maybe it ended with giving up. But just for the finale performance, I wanted to run with everything I had, reach out as hard as I could, and express a burning will to go on, to keep moving forward. That’s not really something you can convey through choreography.

'Poem' is like that too. If we had set choreography for it, it would’ve ended up feeling more like a musical arrangement—structured, arranged, and too neat. The raw emotions wouldn’t be able to flow naturally anymore. Of course, it’s also possible to build emotion on top of choreography, but if we’d choreographed 'Poem', it would’ve come across as “just a dance routine.” And I think that’s the key difference between improvisation and choreography.

 

[Destiny and Will: A Flawless Finale and the Power of Preparedness]

—The final show was flawless, and the entire performance was absolutely stunning!

Ah well, that was really thanks to everyone… There were several jumps where, honestly, from the moment I took off to the instant I landed on one foot, I kind of zoned out. But somehow, I still landed them. It felt a bit like the last Lutz in the free skate at PyeongChang.

 

—Wait, you zoned out but still landed the jumps?!

Well, technically speaking, it’s because all the training I’ve done over the years has been deeply ingrained in both my body and my mind, so my body just executed the movements automatically. There’s no doubt about that. But how can I explain it... I really felt like everyone’s strength was flowing into me in that moment. The staff had seen how hard I was training in the venue, and everyone had this strong, shared feeling of, “Let’s do this together!” I think that sense of unity is what made the performance come together the way it did. I felt like everyone shared the same vision, working toward the same goal. And I was in this space free of distractions, completely focused. It reminded me a lot of the 2017 World Championships in Helsinki. Back then, I was in a tough spot after the short program. I placed fifth, which felt almost hopeless. From that point on, everyone around me knew exactly how far I had to push myself to win. The atmosphere in the arena was filled with this collective energy of “You’ve got to land it!” That season, the Hope & Legacy program struggled to gain recognition, and I couldn’t perform it well for a long time. Similarly, Echoes of Life this time around hadn’t reached a perfect state either, because I kept struggling with Ballade no. 1. So in that sense, it really did feel a bit like Helsinki. No matter how focused I am, I can’t create that kind of atmosphere by myself. But because this was a tour, and because we all went through so much together over the course of the season, there was this incredible sense of cohesion during the final show.

Honestly, I think it was nothing short of a miracle.

 

—The theme of Echoes of Life, though described as philosophical, actually touches on many fundamental questions—such as “life,” “what it means to be alive,” “time,” and “who am I.”

As the core of an introduction to philosophy, what I ultimately think of is “life.” To expand on the idea of “life,” you need to understand the “present” and the “timeline.” And in order to understand the “timeline,” you first have to understand the “self.” So I structured the content almost like a course, arranging it in a systematic way. The Room Guide offers prompts to encourage philosophical thinking step by step, and in the end, asks the audience: “What is the answer to your life?”

 

—Then what is the meaning of life for Nova?

That’s something I’ll leave to everyone’s imagination. To be honest, I’ve already decided how it ends in my own mind. The production team probably knows, too. But I think… it’s better if I don’t say it out loud.

 

[The Existence of People Who Watch with Pure Interest and Enjoy It]

—After RE_PRAY, you mentioned that you had become able to rely on your fans. Now that a year has passed, looking at the atmosphere at your shows and within the Hanyu community, it feels like that environment has evolved into something even more open...

I know what you mean, that kind of warm feeling. For example, this time in Echoes of Life, I used classical music. The people who have always supported me probably felt something like, “As expected, Hanyu skating to classical music is just the best. This kind of traditional figure skating program really is wonderful.” And beyond that, because it’s ICE STORY, the stage design and artistic elements also allow people who work in the arts or love art, and those who genuinely love music, to experience it and think, “This really is great.” Not only that, even people drawn in from the areas I personally love like games and anime can enjoy it too. There are people who have been here since long ago, and new people joining in, and there is no hatred in this place. Everyone watches out of pure interest, and I think because it’s a gathering place filled with quality works, everyone is able to find joy in it. In the end, I really think that’s the most important thing.

Back when I was competing, because there were wins and losses, I think the people who fought alongside me probably felt regret too or hoped for me to win if I felt frustration. But that part doesn’t exist anymore. At the same time, though, we can still share in the feeling of “I know you wanted to deliver a perfect performance.” Newcomers in the audience can simply think, “That was beautiful—” I hope this can create a kind of positive cycle.

 

—Recently, you've been giving your all in performances like ICE STORY, and at other times you’re busy creating programs or doing all kinds of livestreams on YouTube. You seem to be working hard on many things. Though your schedule looks very full, it also seems like you’re enjoying this kind of life. How do you feel about your current days?

I do feel very fulfilled. I’m surrounded by amazing people. No matter what ideas I bring up, they always respond; no matter what I try to do, they help turn it into something really good. I trust them that much. So right now, I feel like I’m being really greedy, in a good way, chasing after things I want to do, things I want to challenge myself with, things I want to improve. That’s how it feels.

To be honest, for example, at the Hiroshima performance, in terms of expression, I thought it was very good. I felt it was a great show. But in terms of the jumps, there were parts I regretted. Like we talked about earlier with choreography. Even though there were things I regretted, I think my performance still managed to come across well, and that’s thanks to the strength of the production design. Challenging myself to that level definitely involves risk, but because there are people I can rely on and entrust things to, I feel safe trying. Right now, I’m surrounded by people I can call my teammates, or maybe it’s better to say I’ve been fortunate to meet people I can share ideas with, people who help expand my thinking. So I feel like, no matter what I do, it’ll be okay.

 

[yuzurujenn]

 *machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309405174925811384382

 

 

Direction: MIKIKO Interview

 

Spoiler

Directing a Stage Performance Based on an Original Work

 

——This is already the third time ICE STORY has been produced. Compared to the previous two installments, were there any major differences in terms of production design?

The biggest challenge this time was that we were working with an original source material and had to adapt it into a live-action performance. When people read a manga or novel first and then watch a live-action adaptation, the difficulty lies in having to go beyond what each person imagined in their own mind. Personally, that aspect really stumped me at the beginning. As for Hanyu’s performances on the ice, we could reference his past works, so I felt a bit more at ease there. But the video segments—that part really felt tricky and had to be approached with great care. The footage needed to have a near-futuristic style, but exactly what kind of near-future? Should it lean toward a 2.5D anime aesthetic, or take on more of a fantasy tone? That all depended on the video director. Since the themes included things like a desolate world and war, I wanted to soften those elements through visuals so the audience could ease into the story more comfortably. And since everything had to be done using CGI, we needed someone with deep CG knowledge and refined aesthetic sensibilities. With all of that in mind, we brought in director Jun Tamukai, whose style is very modern and who has a great sense of working in 3D space. I believed he could rise to the challenge.

 

——What was the most difficult aspect of the production design this time?

Honestly, just about every part could be considered a struggle, but the biggest challenge was figuring out which parts of the original story to cut and how to do that while staying true to the narrative while still making the story clear and engaging. That took a lot of thought. First, I read the original work over and over. Then, to ensure the audience would be able to understand the story even on their first viewing, the whole team contributed their impressions and questions. Everyone involved in the production shared their perspectives, saying things like “I didn’t quite get this part,” or “What about this scene?” Through this process, we refined the script together. From there, we collectively considered which moments were best conveyed through visuals alone, and which needed to be explained through narration. It was a collaborative effort across the whole team.

 

——How did Nova’s visual design come to life?

It was developed through discussions among director Tamukai, producer Mamoru Inagaki, stylist Tsuyoshi Takahashi who designed Nova’s costume, hair and makeup artist Ryoji Inagaki, Hanyu, and myself. Together, we had conversations along the lines of “maybe something like this,” “this direction feels right,” and gradually shaped Nova’s look step by step. Initially, I think Hanyu wanted to tone down his own identity as “Yuzuru Hanyu” in the portrayal. But considering how to let him embody Nova in the most natural and authentic way, we eventually arrived at the visual presentation you see now.

 

——This time, the performance was almost entirely carried by Hanyu alone. Was there anything you paid special attention to in that regard?

Since there are two distinct characters appearing in this production, we aimed to keep the video structure as simple as possible so the audience could easily understand each character’s role. During the alternating sequence of video and live performance—video, skating, video, skating—there are moments where the Nova in the video wears black, while the Nova who appears on the ice wears a different costume. That might cause viewers to wonder, “Wait, who is the one on the ice right now?” To prevent that kind of confusion and to make the costume changes feel more natural, we came up with a setting where Nova passes through a white door to transform. We created a scene that visually represents a game-like costume change, helping the audience interpret Nova’s appearance on the ice as part of a transformation process. As for the guide character, we did consider whether it could be played by someone else or perhaps even designed as a mascot-like character using CG. But Hanyu had very specific thoughts about the guide’s personality and presence, and he felt strongly that it would be best if all the roles in ICE STORY were performed by himself. So in the end, we chose to respect his vision and worked on ways to ensure that even first-time viewers wouldn’t feel confused by the structure or character presentation.

 

Philosophy Expressed Through Piano Collection and Poem

 

——The stage design showing the Piano Collection skating over the sheet music was absolutely stunning!

I think from the very beginning, Hanyu already had the concept of the Piano Collection in mind. When I first heard his idea, an image immediately came to my mind of him gliding across the musical staff, surrounded by falling notes drifting all around. But in reality, bringing this to life was much more difficult than I had imagined. Because our concept was to have him glide over a handwritten-style score, we asked professionals to transcribe the sheet music by hand based on the pieces played by Kiyozuka. Then we separated the staff lines and the notes, releasing them sequentially in sync with the music. However, this task could only be completed by someone who can both read and write music notation and understands music deeply. Asking the video production team alone to do this was very challenging. Moreover, no matter how well the timing was controlled, if the visuals weren’t interesting enough, it wouldn’t work. To balance these elements, we kept researching and refining. Since we wanted even people very knowledgeable about music to not find faults when watching, we made multiple revisions. However, the audience is there to watch Hanyu’s performance, so instead of focusing solely on whether the score was perfectly accurate, we placed more importance on whether it was fun to watch together with Hanyu’s performance. Moving in that direction, sometimes we designed the scrolling screen to look like piano keys, and other times the notes would scatter down like raindrops, constantly expanding our creative ideas. Generally, projections are cast onto screens of specific shapes, perfectly controlling the images within those boundaries. But we deliberately broke that concept, trying to let the sheet music overflow beyond the screen and fill the entire venue.

 

——The 'Poem' in the latter half was also quite impressive.

We designed the first and second halves so that the Piano Collection and the Poem would echo each other. At first, for the Poem section, Hanyu only wrote the word “poetry,” which left me a bit puzzled, wondering, “What exactly does he want to do here?” (laughs), so I put it aside for a while. After some time, I asked him, “What exactly do you want to do with the poetry part?” He said he wanted to use a certain training method from ELEVENPLAY to create the work. This training goes like this: I would recite a poem aloud, and the dancers would use their bodies to “voice” the poem through movements that reflect its meaning, rhythm, intonation, or emotional fluctuations. Four dancers face each other and practice repeatedly, and eventually, even without my reciting, the four dancers have the poem flowing synchronously in their minds, enabling them to coordinate perfectly in silence. Hanyu had also done this kind of training, and this time he wanted to incorporate it into the performance. Essentially, it is a practice of harmonizing the spirit through improvisational movement. To present it as a work, we first needed to experiment with various approaches. After deciding on this, Hanyu immediately wrote a large number of foundational poems and handed them to me. He really wrote so many that we found it difficult to decide which ones to select. Like the Piano Collection, the Poem scene was something Hanyu already had a vivid image of in his mind before creating the original work. To make this scene leave a strong impression in the performance, I felt it was best to have it appear somewhat transcendent. Therefore, we carefully chose poems that highlight Hanyu’s unique linguistic style. During the creative process, we had to stay close to the story, ensure that the numerous poems, large-scale projections, and ELEVENPLAY’s dance did not clash with each other, and at the same time let the poems expressing Nova’s inner emotions linger in the audience’s ears. This was truly a headache for us, but also a luxurious creative experience. I feel the background music flowing in the poetry scene acted like seasoning, providing excellent enhancement.

 

—Did he really write that many poems?

He really did! I half-jokingly said to him, “Isn’t it about time to submit the poems?” and he suddenly handed over a whole bunch (laughs). I think there were about 20 to 30 poems that didn’t even get used in the performance. Some are in the style of combining words and phrases like “Awake: Stepping onto a whole new path,” covering from A to Z, and others are themed poems like those in the second half. He wrote many of both kinds.

 

—So there are two forms of poetry?

Yes, but initially we didn’t plan to use the “Awake: Stepping onto a whole new path” type at all. Before the Saitama performance, we originally planned to present just music during the 30-second intervals between each piece of the Piano Collection. But while doing lighting and video simulations, we felt those 30-second gaps needed more meaningful stage design to fill them. I was racking my brain about what to use, and then I told Hanyu about this dilemma. He said, “Here, words and music are interconnected. These words come from the many books in Nova’s Room, and those words become the music of the five pieces—that’s the concept.” So we finally agreed, “Ah! This is the moment for those poems to appear!” When choosing the poems, we made sure they corresponded to the five pieces individually and also echoed the Poem scenes in the second part.

 

—So that’s how the structure works!

Regarding those five pieces, Hanyu also sent us detailed explanations about the music and the composers. He said, “I don’t think these explanations need to be included in the performance, but I’m sending them to you anyway.” After reading them, we learned a lot. The Piano Collection and Poem scenes involved very complex work, from calculating the scrolling screen to all the other details. The staff and I kept refining it like doing “a thousand trainings” (a baseball metaphor for repetitive practice). Thanks to this, we finally managed to present a quite captivating scene.

 

—At the end of the performance, Nova seems to walk through an orange panel and disappear somewhere. Where is he going?

For the ending, I want to leave the interpretation up to each audience member. One great thing about this story is the positive feeling of “Come on, let’s go, let’s start…” Although the path ahead is unseen and scary, there’s a strong and bright image of facing forward and moving bravely onward. From the very beginning of designing the art concept, I wanted the ending to be a silhouette walking toward a tunnel or an endless road. After many reviews, that image was finally realized on stage.

 

[What Takes Time and Effort]

 

—Did you discover anything new this time?

When Hanyu was practicing the rap part of "Mass Destruction," Emmy, the choreographer, pointed out, “If the intensity is too strong, it won’t feel like hip-hop. Maybe you could consciously practice how to relax.” Of course, giving it his all is one of Yuzuru Hanyu’s great strengths, but we told him that to dance coolly even without that full intensity, he needed to consciously practice relaxing his body. That was a completely new kind of training for him (laughs).

 

—This must have been his first time doing that kind of training (laughs).

Exactly! After being reminded, Hanyu earnestly and diligently practiced not to use excessive force when dancing. But later, we found that when he wore his skates and danced on ice, if he didn’t put in enough effort, it looked like he was slacking off. We realized that dancing on ice is completely different from dancing on a floor. So then we told him, “Maybe there’s a way to look composed and relaxed without using too much strength. If you can develop that, it would be amazing.” It sounds simple, but I imagine it’s really difficult to achieve. Still, he understood the necessity and, through continuous practice, ultimately reached that professional level.

 

—That’s a unique suggestion only you as a teacher could have made.

Since Hanyu was putting his life on the line, we couldn’t be careless or slack off, and excuses were out of the question. That was the unspoken consensus from the start. ICE STORY itself is like a form of training or ascetic practice. Even though I feel like I’ve overcome countless challenges and created many things, I keep discovering there are even higher mountains to climb. Using all the wisdom and experience accumulated so far to challenge new fields strengthens us, and I’ve also learned from Hanyu the importance of continuously challenging oneself. This show really requires more preparation time than any other performance, but I think we shouldn’t forget the value of investing such enormous time and effort into the work. These days, it’s hard to find staff who will stick with us and give it their all at this level. Everyone is truly going all out—and most importantly, everyone is enjoying the process.

 

— This is a place where everyone works together to create an outstanding work...

We’re always filled with tension. Everyone is driven by the mindset of “We can’t lose to Hanyu. Let’s overcome this challenge together!” Hanyu never forcefully emphasized, “I’m giving it my all,” but everyone just felt it. We all firmly believe that Hanyu will turn this into an amazing production. Because of that, we want to respond to him, and even surpass him. We hope that everyone who experiences this work, including the audience, can share in seeing the most beautiful scenery together.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: https://weibo.com/ttarticle/p/show?id=2309405174507181834385

 

 

Music: Hanyu Yuzuru x Kiyozuka Shinya Discussion

 

Spoiler

[The Sensitivity Emanating from the Music Selection]

 

— The Piano Collection was simply amazing!

Hanyu: Regarding the Piano Collection, from the very beginning I wanted to make this part a philosophical chapter. We discussed whether that would mean skating to classical music in the context of figure skating. Then the two of us really put our heads together and thought hard about how to select the music.

Kiyozuka: So basically, the goal was to express the essence of figure skating, that very abstract and artistic quality, without relying on a storyline, right? But honestly, when I first heard the concept, I thought to myself, “Does that mean you're going to be on the ice the whole time?!” At first I felt like I couldn’t even understand what he was saying anymore...

Hanyu: What I said back then was basically, “Yes, stay on the ice the whole time” (laughs).

Kiyozuka: I understood what he meant literally, but it just didn’t feel like something a real human could actually do. I was honestly thinking, “Did I misunderstand something here?” (laughs)

Hanyu: What I was aiming for wasn’t something emotional or story-driven, but rather a straightforward connection between piano and skating. I told him from the start, “Yeah, it really has to be piano music.”

Kiyozuka: That's right. We didn’t just want this to resonate with fans and the general audience. Our goal was for even those well-versed in classical music to find the program convincing. So we had some really intense discussions about the music choices. In a way, this whole concept brought back memories of when we were still competing—as if we were back in our days as performers and competitors.

 

— How were these five pieces of music chosen?

Kiyozuka: At first, we listed out a lot of pieces.

Hanyu: How many were there? Must have been more than a dozen, right?

Kiyozuka: Since we weren’t sure which piece would ultimately be the most fitting, we included some slower, more gentle ones as well. For example, Rachmaninoff’s Prelude. As for Brahms, we eventually used 118-3 (Six Pieces for Piano, Op. 118: No. 3 in G minor, Ballade: Allegro energico), but the preceding piece—118-2 (No. 2 in A major, Intermezzo)—which is very famous and beautiful, was also on the list. When I saw the selections Yuzu-chan ended up making, I instantly understood: “Ah, so this is the direction we’re going in.”

 

— How did you feel when you saw the pieces Hanyu selected?

Kiyozuka: Many of the pieces Yuzu-chan chose this time were in C minor, which made me think of fate and destiny. C minor is a key often used by composers to express turning points in life, like Beethoven’s Fate Symphony, and it usually conveys a heavier, more serious tone. It matched our theme perfectly, and I was honestly amazed at Yuzu-chan’s keen sensitivity in choosing that key.

Hanyu: To be honest, I had no technical knowledge of that. I chose the pieces purely based on feeling. The imagery in my mind and the ideas I wanted to express naturally led me to these works. And as it turns out, there’s even a narration that says,, “Play the sound of your fate,” so in the end, the selections really were quite fitting.

Kiyozuka: The five pieces we chose span over a century, from Bach to Brahms. We agonized over how to order them, like, should it be chronological, or something else? After much thought, we decided to end with a Chopin piece, to mirror Ballade no. 1. I recommended Op. 25 No. 12 in C minor (Ocean), since it's the final piece in Chopin’s set of 24 Études. But in the end, Yuzu-chan chose Op. 10 No. 4 in C-sharp minor (Torrent) to close. When I finally saw the actual performance, I realized it was the best choice. If we had connected it with Op. 25 No. 12 (Ocean), it would have felt too heavy. And if that piece had ended the set, it would’ve felt too complete, making Ballade no. 1 seem unnecessary. Yuzu-chan seemed to see right through that, and in that moment, his sensibility amazed me once again.

Hanyu: We thought about it together for a long time. I even considered whether it might be better to choose earlier-period pieces to better connect with Chopin, or maybe to not include Chopin at all. But in the end, these five pieces felt like the most perfect match in my heart, so I went with them. I was really worried about switching the order of the fourth and fifth pieces, wondering if that might feel awkward to classical music professionals, or if it might come across as disrespectful. I asked Kiyo-chan repeatedly if it would be okay, and when he assured me it was fine, I fully trusted him and made the final decision. That’s how this chapter, including Ballade no. 1, came together.

 

Experiencing Each Other’s Technical Extremes

 

— What adjustments did you make when performing the five piano pieces in Echoes, Kiyozuka-san?

Kiyozuka: After hearing the overall concept and flow of Echoes, I felt it truly reflected the poetic, literary, and philosophical qualities that Yuzu-chan often shows when he speaks. It was wonderful. But for this particular section, rather than aiming to move people with emotion, it felt more like a restrained, almost inorganic expression, as if it were showcasing Yuzu-chan’s technical precision, like a cog in the machinery of figure skating itself. So instead of adding indulgent, personal touches, I decided to present the classical pieces in their pure, orthodox form. That’s exactly what piano competitions are about: faithfully interpreting the composer’s intent, not overemphasizing personal flair. So I thought, “Wow, this is basically a piano competition!” (laughs) I paid special attention to playing in a very academic and classical style. Thinking back, this may have been the first time we’ve really tackled something in this style together.

Hanyu: Normally, it’s good to play with emotion. But for this Piano Collection, I asked Kiyo-chan to set aside some of the expressive instincts he had honed as a professional. I knew that “letting go” like that was a tough ask in itself. When you’re playing, it’s natural to want to pour your emotions into it, and I have that urge too. In the end, Kiyo-chan recorded about three different versions of each piece and sent them to me. The versions I chose were the ones with the least emotional interpretation.

Kiyozuka: Yuzu-chan definitely picked the versions that were closer to the orthodox style.

 

— What did you think when you saw Echoes of Life?

Kiyozuka: To be blunt, I'm just in awe. Even though I had played the music and had a general idea of what the performance might be like, when I actually saw it... what was happening in front of my eyes felt almost unreal. I mean, he just stayed on the ice the whole time and never left it! Right?

Hanyu: (bursts out laughing)

Kiyozuka: Even though I had a general idea of what was coming, seeing the sheer force and raw authenticity he brought to the performance still felt unbelievable. Of course, I’m sure the audience was deeply moved too, but I had been listening and watching from the earliest planning stages. And yet, what unfolded before me instantly brought back memories of Yuzu-chan at a certain moment, and I suddenly realized, “So this is what you’ve been trying to do all along…” That realization brought me to the verge of tears. I’m sure Yuzu-chan knew he was about to face an enormous challenge, but when he spoke to me, he never showed it. He spoke with courage, calmly and sincerely. Honestly, I think he must have been really scared too.

Hanyu: I just kept thinking, as long as I have Shinya Kiyozuka’s piano with me, I’ll be okay. Really.

Kiyozuka: I'm really happy to hear that, of course. But truthfully, I was overwhelmed with all the emotions and intentions Yuzu-chan had poured into it. So many feelings welled up in me. And honestly, I was completely blown away by him. That he had this side to him, the ability to conceive and perform such a philosophically rich story, hit me like a revelation. Or maybe it was more like I was suddenly reminded, "Ah, that’s right, he is someone with such immense technical power." He threw that truth right in front of me, clearly and strongly.

Hanyu: It’s exactly what I told Kiyo-chan when I asked him to play! I know Kiyo-chan’s pieces have been used in TV dramas, collaborations with pop music, and many other places, but here what I wanted was to show everyone, “This is Shinya Kiyozuka, and this is how incredibly he plays." I think both I and the audience feel that “Shinya Kiyozuka is really good at playing classical music—”

Kiyozuka: Yuzu-chan told me before that he absolutely had to show how he’s grown since transitioning from athlete to professional. And I was thinking, “Wow, Yuzuru Hanyu really never lets up.” I admired that and told him so. Then he goes, “So Kiyo-chan, you have to do the same too~” And I thought, “Oh no, here we go again!” (laughs)

Hanyu: I said, “Yuzuru Hanyu will go all out in training and execute every technique with full intensity, so I hope Kiyozuka will also perform with the same strong energy. I'm counting on you.” Even though it was a really busy time for him with his own concert tour, he still practiced so hard.

Kiyozuka: Oh man, you’re not kidding. Even though I was super busy, I practiced every night until the early hours of the morning. But looking back, I’m genuinely grateful. Having a friend like Yuzuru Hanyu by my side, someone who never lets me slack off, that means the world to me. During that time, I practiced intensely and, as a result, I regained a lot of my technique. My coordination between mind and fingers improved so much.

 

 

Memories of Meeting, and Where We Are Now

 

— You first collaborated on “Haru yo, Koi” at Fantasy on Ice in June 2018, correct?

Hanyu: You played Haru yo, Koi really fast back then! I remember thinking, “Wait a second, Kiyozuka-san, this piece is supposed to be 2 minutes and 50 seconds, why did it end in 2 minutes and 30? That’s way too fast, slow down!” But then for the final show, you stretched it by about 30 seconds. (laughs)

Kiyozuka: I just wanted to savor the piece a little more toward the end! (laughs)

Hanyu: I was thinking, “For the last spin, how many turns should I make?!” (laughs)

Kiyozuka: One thing that really surprised me when we were working on Haru yo, Koi was the music arrangement process. I had assumed that I’d be the one making about 90% of the decisions regarding how the music would be cut and pieced together, but I was completely wrong. He said to me, “I want the sound here to feel like you just turned around and discovered a whole new world.” I was like, “Wait... am I talking to a musician or a producer right now?” That really stunned me at first. And what’s more, his ideas were incredibly precise.

Hanyu: Even though Haru yo, Koi wasn’t a piece composed entirely from scratch for me, it was the first time a song had been newly arranged specifically for me. So I had a particularly strong attachment to it, and all sorts of ideas like “I want it to be like this here” or “I want that part to be like that” just came pouring out. It was through this kind of back-and-forth exchange that the two of us gradually became close…

Kiyozuka: Exactly. The friendship between me and Yuzu-chan was built through our collaboration and shared sense of artistry.  We’re not the kind of friends who have to tiptoe around each other or say polite things just for the sake of it. I really like that about our relationship.

 

The Short Program "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" (2021–2022 Season)

 

— The arrangement and performance of “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso” for the 2021–2022 short program were also done by Kiyozuka-san, correct?

Hanyu: From the very beginning, I had my heart set on expressing Rondo through piano. At that point, I had already mentally prepared myself that it was going to be my final piece, my last program as a competitive skater. So I only wanted Kiyozuka to play it.

Kiyozuka: That makes me so happy... At that time, Yuzu-chan had a kind of seriousness and self-discipline that was very different from now. It was a state that appeared gentle and calm on the outside, but inside, his passion was fiercely burning.

Hanyu: It was like I was in a rush to die.

Kiyozuka: Yeah, I think Yuzu-chan really was in that mental state back then… That intense discipline he had, just being near him made me feel like I could be swept up in it too. It gave me this feeling of awe, like I was in the presence of something sacred. I can still feel that sense even now. I wanted to reflect that feeling in Rondo. He told me from the start that it was probably going to be his last short program of his competitive career. Even though the piece originally had some brighter parts, I ended up removing all of them.

Hanyu: You really did remove them all.

Kiyozuka: Lately, I feel that since turning professional, Yuzu-chan has begun taking on roles as a creator and director, expressing his entire worldview through his own words. This version of Yuzu-chan brings not only me, but also the audience and fans, closer to his heart.

Hanyu: Yeah, I think it’s only recently. Through RE_PRAY, I started to truly feel how precious it is to be supported and the warmth of being in a live setting, and I think my heart has gradually opened up. Because all this time, I’ve been fighting and always felt I couldn’t rely on that kind of warmth. I always thought that if I did, I wouldn’t be able to create good work. But now, including this side of myself, I’ve become able to rely on Kiyo-chan more.

Kiyozuka: Yuzu-chan shares his ideas with me and sometimes he’ll even sends videos of his practice sessions, saying, “It’s not finished yet, but this is kind of the feeling I’m going for.” I just want to take this chance to brag to all the fans a little~

Hanyu: (big laugh)

Kiyozuka: I’m the only one who’s seen those videos, hehe! You know… I’ve been watching him work so hard all this time, and although it sounds a bit strange to say, when I go to watch the performances and see the audience cheering and crying around me, I think, “You have no idea how hard this guy had to work to get here.” His effort, his determination, and how gentle and considerate he is to the staff even before stepping onto the battlefield — that figure looks truly noble. It’s a feeling more sacred than loneliness; it’s nobility. Like a lone swan quietly floating on a still lake. It looks so sacred, yet you can’t help but worry if it’s cold or lonely. As someone who has witnessed his growth, I wonder how much fear and resolve he carried standing there… So when I see the audience beside me crying and cheering for him, my feelings are all mixed up inside.

Hanyu: You probably see it that way because I’ve been sending you videos of myself training alone, even late at night. But I do feel that I’m changing bit by bit. The biggest change is that I’m starting to learn how to rely on the people around me. I’m realizing more and more that I can’t create truly great things on my own. It’s precisely because I call myself a professional figure skater that I’ve come to understand more than ever that without the help of other professionals, I can’t create something truly professional. So, I’ll be bothering you again in the future, please take care of me!

Kiyozuka: Right after this interview, I’ll go straight to practice! (laughs)

Indeed, in recent years, from the expression he has at the end of his performances and what he says to his fans, I feel that he has become a warmer Yuzu-chan, which gives me a sense of comfort. Also, watching his performance this time, I noticed his hand movements have become especially elegant. Although he has always paid great attention to his hands, now his hands move in harmony with the rest of his body. He fully controls every detail of his body for expression and has perfect command over his body in his performance. People used to say he was someone who could “perfectly synchronize with music.” But thinking about it now, being in sync with music is still moving to “match” the music. Now, though, it doesn’t feel like he’s matching anything. Rather, the grace just flows naturally from within him. It’s no longer “choreography” or “musicality," but it’s gradually becoming Yuzuru Hanyu’s own form of expression. That touches me deeply. Lately, I’ve been moved by him more than ever before…

Hanyu: Thank you. So, how would you rate my “musical interpretation” this time?

Kiyozuka: 25,000 points.

Hanyu: That’s too much! The full score is only 10! (laughs)

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/Pv8HZsLbD

 

 

Commentary on Piano Collection

 

Spoiler

The battle against hatred has been won. However, Nova falls into confusion, thinking:

"The power of my 'voice' is the power of regeneration... It was never meant to be used for fighting or destruction..."

 

It is this conflicted state of mind that Nova expresses through the Piano Collection.

 

The structure of the Piano Collection begins with handwritten words such as "Awake" and "Setting off on a new path", followed by a short piano piece of approximately one minute.

 

Yuzuru Hanyu explains:

"Words like 'Awake' are my way of embedding into Nova the philosophy I want him to carry—written down alphabetically. For example, after Nova takes in the words 'Awake – Setting off on a new path', the music that emerges from that moment is the first piece by Brahms. Those words are the language of the ‘Room’. The core image here is that countless great figures and diverse characters have freely written and discarded thoughts over and over again, scattering words throughout every corner of the Room. The sheet music, too, feels like freshly written words that instantly turn into music—so the handwriting is intentionally messy and spontaneous in appearance."

 

The sheet music projected onto the ice flows along with the music itself. To make Hanyu appear as though he were a flowing musical note weaving through the score, the visual team created ice projections based on recordings of his performances. For example, when Nova skates diagonally across the rink, the score also spreads out diagonally.

 

Before each of the five pieces in the Piano Collection, a short sequence of notes or a chord is played. Since Nova remains continuously on the ice, he has no way of knowing how much time is left before the next piece begins, so this design was introduced as a timing cue. At first, Hanyu composed the note sequences himself, based on the key and tonality of each piece. But he soon thought, “This is something better left to a professional,” and immediately reached out to Shinya Kiyozuka.

 

Kiyozuka said:

“Thanks to Yuzu-chan composing the music in his own way, I immediately understood what he wanted. If it’s Chopin, then it has to stay in Chopin’s style. If it’s Bach from the Baroque period, then it has to sound like Bach. In other words, the music had to preserve the integrity of the world he was creating. I told him I’d do my best to record it with the highest sound quality possible within our setup, and then I asked, ‘When do you need it?’ He said, ‘Tonight. I have a full run-through rehearsal tonight, so I need it by then!’ I was shocked that he was still working on things like this right before his first full rehearsal. Even though Yuzu isn’t a musician by profession, he finally got involved in the music! I was truly impressed by his outstanding production skills and his ability to direct everything so precisely.”

 

In the Piano Collection, Nova also performs single and double jumps.

 

“For example, even a single Axel can leave a completely different impression depending on whether it’s a standard Axel, a delayed rotation, or a jump with an arm raised. In this part, I wanted to show people that even a single jump can be so expressive. As a professional skater, I now have the ability to convey that kind of richness in expression.”

 

Additionally, across the six jumps in Piano, Nova performs everything from a single to a quadruple jump—each with a different number of rotations.

 

“As for the spins, I didn’t do them to get any level or grade. I simply changed feet. But I wanted to show that even a basic Y-position spin can be beautiful in its own right, and that even a simple sit spin can be accompanied by such expressive arm movements. That’s why I intentionally chose basic positions to make that point clear.”

 

The flowing musical scores and notes projected on the large screen during this scene are also beautiful, but at times, the scrolling screen descends to just three meters above the ice.

 

“Three meters, that’s about the height I can reach when I do a jump with my arm raised. Especially during the triple Axel in the third piece, and the triple loop in the second, I had to jump toward a screen that had dropped particularly low. My body instinctively reacted defensively. I didn’t expect it to be so difficult, but I practiced a lot to get used to it.”

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/PvsJoccV2

 

 

Commentary on Mass Destruction

 

Spoiler

The scene where a diary is placed on a park bench is the most expanded part compared to the original work. Video producer Jun Tamukai said:
“In the original, Nova simply feels, after reading the diary, ‘Ah, so there once was such a warm world.’ But in the video, this is expanded to Nova personally experiencing a positive and warm world. Up until now, Nova has only encountered inorganic things like dead trees, sand, and buildings. The diary written by humans contains a kind of warmth of humanity that Nova has not yet experienced. To represent this diary, full of the breath of life, as a gateway to a positive atmosphere, I created imagery that resembles butterflies fluttering about.”

 

Immersed in the park and diary world, Nova gradually begins to hear the lingering voices of hatred in this world. Nova fights back using the battle track “Mass Destruction” as a weapon. At this point, Nova doesn’t yet realize that they themselves are a “mass destruction weapon,” making this music choice highly symbolic. The gesture of pointing a handgun to one’s own head in the performance comes from the game Persona 3—the origin of the song “Mass Destruction”—where players summon their Persona by placing a gun-shaped summoner to their head and pulling the trigger.

 

To present a hardcore hiphop style, the hiphop parts were choreographed by Emmy from ELEVENPLAY, while the rest was choreographed by Yuzuru himself and overseen overall by MIKIKO, resulting in “Mass Destruction.” After RE_PRAY, Yuzuru began receiving foundational dance training from MIKIKO and continued steady basic practice during the off-season. However, he said that when he tried to perform hiphop moves on the ice, he realized it was totally different from performing on a floor.

 

"I thought about how to perform moves on the ice surface that can normally be done on a non-slippery floor. But in figure skating, to avoid slipping, you basically have to shift your weight onto your toes. However, once your weight is on your toes, if your balance shifts even slightly, the moves can start to look a bit light and unstable. I wanted to hold steady poses, but I often lost my balance and fell because my footing wasn’t stable. It was a constant series of challenges one after another. So I tried various approaches, like in some parts it’s easier to stay balanced by keep skating, while in other parts you need to stop completely to execute the move. And in parts where you have to stop completely, it’s not just about using your toes; in some spots you have to rely entirely on strength to hold steady, especially when your heels are about to slip. ‘Mass Destruction’ is really, really hard to skate!"

 

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: https://weibo.com/6473801248/PvtaouThM

 

 

Commentary on Ballade no. 1

 

Spoiler

From the end of the Piano Collection to the beginning of Ballade no. 1, exactly three minutes pass. The concept of the “timeline” mentioned by the Guide is expressed on stage by ELEVENPLAY. This part of the performance is designed to create an atmosphere that cannot be conveyed by visuals alone and to show the inner changes of Nova from the Guide’s perspective.

 

“There are no fixed movements in those three minutes. What happens depends entirely on the situation at the time. So, in my mind, the image is that everything is happening in the palm of a god called the ice rink. Although there is a line saying, ‘But I still want to believe in fate,’ even if fate seems predetermined, as if played with by a god’s palm, I want to decide it for myself. That’s why the following piece, Ballade no. 1, must be the PyeongChang version. Not the rearranged version made later to fit rule changes, but definitely the high-difficulty version from the PyeongChang period, including the 3A and 4T-3T jumps in the latter half.”

 

For Nova, those three minutes serve as preparation time for Ballade no. 1. However, unlike the six-minute warm-up under bright white lights during competitions, the lighting here, though intentionally set this way by Hanyu, is very dim, making it nearly impossible to see the boundaries of the rink. On top of that, there are only three minutes, and fatigue from earlier segments has already built up. The size of the rink also varies depending on the venue, which presents another challenge.

 

Despite this, Hanyu, portraying Nova, even attempted the 4T-3S combination here. Since the season of “Ten to Chi to,” Hanyu has held the belief that “as long as I can land the 4T-3S, the solo 4S jump is basically no problem.” Originally, the jump was supposed to be practiced in the same spot where the 4S would be performed during the actual program. However, thinking, “If the 4S during the real performance were to get caught in the groove left by the 4T during practice, that’d be a disaster,” he decided to attempt the jump from the completely opposite side instead.

 

Although the image of Ballade no. 1 from the PyeongChang Olympics still lingers in Hanyu's body, he said: “This time, I want to start by letting go of that image. Because even skating Ballade on a standard-sized rink has become difficult. That’s because, without realizing it, I’ve become better at skating and my glide has improved (laughs). If I skate it the same way as before, I’ll definitely crash into the wall during the jumps. So I tried various things like slowing down, changing my entry paths, and shifting my position away from the center, but still couldn’t make it work. The rink in Chiba has a shorter long side now, and the rink proportions have changed, so no matter what I tried, it didn’t work out. In the end, I decided to overhaul everything. Except for the 3A, I changed all the entry paths, and even some of the choreography.”

 

After finishing Ballade, Nova remained on the ice and began drawing lines. “In RE_PRAY, I thought the section in MEGALOVANIA where there was only the sound of skating without any music was really cool, so this time I thought maybe I could draw lines, and from there, develop it into Goliath. In fact, when we created the video version of Goliath, it was choreographed to follow a fixed path. But in the end, I decided not to branch into Goliath from here, and instead thought it might be nice to turn it into a symbol. That’s how that design came about.”

 

Under Nova’s feet, ice shavings fluttered as he drew lines in the dim light, creating a beautiful scene. However, drawing lines in such low lighting was extremely difficult because he could barely see. “Each time, I would look for a mark on the set in the venue and mentally use it as a reference for where I needed to move from and to. I always did it with great care.”

 

[Wintek]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*
Be mindful that these are a machine translation from a Chinese fan translation available on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.
It is a translation of a translation, language nuances from the original Japanese source cannot be identified.

 

Source: https://weibo.com/ttarticle/x/m/show#/id=2309405175382243934594&_wb_client_=1 

 

Video Director: Jun Tamukai Inerview

Spoiler

— You were in charge of many of the visual elements in Echoes of Life. How did the process unfold?

Right from the start, we spent a significant amount of time interpreting the original story. Even though the original narrative had a very solid worldview, there was still a lot of room for interpretation when it came to visualizing it. So we began by thinking about how to turn that story into imagery.

At the time, although the length of the video segments was already set, it hadn't been decided which lines of narration should be kept and which could be omitted. So our first step was to look at the story as a whole and figure out: What do we want to communicate within this limited time? What can be left out? Which parts should be visualized? Which should not? That was how we approached the initial planning.

We mostly skipped the usual storyboarding process and instead made a simple CG animation — essentially a visual preview. This preview showed the general movement of the characters, how the camera would move, and how Mr. Hanyu would act. We used that as the foundation for the shoot.

—  Where did you get the idea for the desolate world, room, and guide?

Looking at the storyline as a whole, the world has been left devastated by a past war. We wanted that setting to leave a strong impression on the audience, so establishing the worldbuilding was particularly important.

The desolate world was born from imagining what that would look like after reading the original story. As for the “guide” character — they're something like a god, a symbol of knowledge, an omniscient being far beyond human. So during filming, we aimed to give the impression of something inhuman and emotionless.

In my mind, the ROOM this guide exists in is filled with books — a physical embodiment of accumulated knowledge. To create a space that clearly felt different from the ordinary world, we designed the ROOM with no walls, so the space feels infinite.

— In the second half of the performance, the barren world brightens. We also see Nova’s image shift, appearing above and below in a mirror image.

What Mr. Hanyu seemed to want to express was something akin to quantum theory — the idea that a single state can be multiple things at once, and that multiple worlds might exist simultaneously. I think what he’s trying to say about all these possible worlds isn’t “this one is better” or “I don’t like that one,” but rather, that he wants to accept all of them.

So we used split reflections, flowers of shifting varieties, and a constantly changing church backdrop to express this emotion of embracing every possible version of the world.

— How did you shoot and produce the mirrored NOVA imagery?

We used a 3D scanning method called volumetric capture. Normal 3D scanning can only capture a single still frame — a single pose — but volumetric capture can scan a full performance, lasting tens of seconds, in 3D. So Mr. Hanyu became a 3D object, as digital data.[1]

From there, we could move the camera however we liked. While considering different filming approaches, I realized that if we captured him this way and created an inverted version of the 3D data, we could create that mirror effect.

In the real world, you can’t place a camera below the floor, but in this setup, the space between the upper and lower worlds is completely empty, which meant we could seamlessly transition between them by moving the camera "through" the ground. The result was that the camera pierces through the floor into a mirrored world and then begins rotating, making it impossible to tell which image is real and which is a reflection. I had imagined this scene in my head, but the actual result was even more interesting than I expected.

— What was the most challenging scene to shoot?

Definitely the giant tower. Filming someone endlessly climbing a spiral staircase is extremely difficult. To do that, you’d need the art team to build a staircase that stretches way up — which just isn’t realistic, especially since the studio ceiling isn’t high enough.

We racked our brains and eventually found a small piece of gym equipment online — kind of like a mini rotating elevator or escalator for climbing stairs. It looked like it might work. But the equipment had handrails and steps, so we dismantled all of that and kept only the core structure for the shoot.

— When adapting an existing story into video, what did you focus on?

The original story had room for interpretation. I don't think I fully grasped Mr. Hanyu’s intended meaning when he created it, but precisely because there was that openness, I felt free to try different methods of visual expression.

I didn’t aim to fully represent Mr. Hanyu’s intent, nor did I expect the audience to completely understand everything. On the contrary, I think the video should also leave room for interpretation. Mr. Hanyu has his meaning, I have mine, and I hope the audience can also find their own interpretations from different perspectives. I wanted to keep that kind of openness — that blank space.

— How did you feel when you saw the performance live?

I had spent months working on the visuals, so I was very nervous — wondering if the audience would accept them. But seeing everyone watching so attentively, I felt the visuals had managed to fulfill their role of helping the audience understand the world of the story.

Oh, and by the way — up until the encore, everyone was quietly watching so seriously… and then suddenly during the encore they all burst into cheers and joy! That gave me quite the shock (laughs).

— After working together for several months, what’s your impression of Mr. Hanyu?

Of course, he’s an athlete — but more than that, I think he’s truly a master of entertainment. From the story he created, I could tell he’s been influenced by many kinds of works and has blended in all sorts of elements. He’s also genuinely interested in video production and has tried various things himself. We even had discussions about those details.

One moment he’d be talking with me about camera angles, and the next he’d turn to MIKIKO-sensei to discuss choreography. He seems to have deep interest — or rather, great expertise — in all the elements that make up a performance.

He’s gone through his time as an athlete — and of course, he still is an athlete — but the impression he left on me is that he’s really an outstanding performer (entertainer).
 

[1] In other words, the mirrored Nova we see in the video is a 3D digital rendering of Yuzuru based on volumetric data. A virtual Yuzuru sor of speak. This video show how volumetric capture technology works.

 

[Koncechia]

I'm so grateful for this translation! My Book arrived two days ago, and the idea of understanding the text has resounded in my mind since then. every single word from  Yuzu is a precious jewel to treasure with love. Thank you so much indeed!!

[Babylabenny]

thank you for this wonderful gift, it is truly precious, I hope to be able to read everything as soon as possible. Arigato