[2026] REALIVE - ICE STORY project

[Wintek]

*machine translation, inaccuracies exist*

 

2026.04.11

 

Hochi

Part 1: https://hochi.news/articles/20260412-OHT1T51011.html 

Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20260412050937/https://hochi.news/articles/20260412-OHT1T51011.html

Part 2: https://hochi.news/articles/20260412-OHT1T51012.html?page=1&utm_abtest=G

Archive:

https://web.archive.org/web/20260412051445/https://hochi.news/articles/20260412-OHT1T51012.html?page=1&utm_abtest=G 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: “Right now I’m in a place where things are changing rapidly. I’m also looking forward to it myself.” – “REALIVE” Q&A (First Part)
(April 12, 2026, 6:05 AM)

The solo performance “YUZURU HANYU ‘REALIVE’ an ICE STORY project,” in which professional figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu both performs and serves as executive producer, opened on the 11th at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in his hometown of Miyagi. He captivated a completely full audience of 7,000, with even standing-room-only attendance. After the performance, he announced the holding of the fourth installment of the Ice Story series. Below is the first part of the Q&A.

—A solo performance since “Echoes of Life.” After finishing the first day.

“I was really tired (laughs). I feel like I had prepared a lot, but after all, continuing to skate by myself like this the whole time is something that, for me, is the first time in a season. So I was nervous, and also, as a first attempt this time, as my solo programs, there are quite a few very dense pieces continuing one after another. Also, it was the first time I did the entire second half without leaving the ice at all, and there were various challenges, but I would be happy if something like a new kind of value for myself could be born from that.”

 

Spoiler

—After more than a year between solo performances, could you tell us again about the physical and mental changes?

“There was also some time away from skating, and a period where I had no choice but to be away. Regarding maintenance of my body—places that had been damaged, or places I had overused—I worked on maintenance with the thought of moving even a little in a better direction, in order to continue for a long time from here on.

Through that, once again, things like biomechanics—how I use my body—or things from a kinematics perspective, and the sensations of my own body, the feeling in each individual joint—I examined those one by one, studying them, as I’ve come this far.

On top of that, in things like how I dance, and also including how I jump, I’ve started to be able to do things that are, somehow, little by little, more rational. I’m still very much in a stage of growth, but right now I’m in a place where things are changing rapidly, so I myself am also looking forward to continuing to skate from here on.”

—Part 1 is “REALIVE,” Part 2 is “PREQUEL.” Could you tell us the concept of each?

“‘REALIVE’ is, within what I’ve done so far in Ice Story, taking the programs I have skated and, through this kind of maintenance, through my body that has become new, showing everyone how they have changed, or showing that I am alive here now.

For me, programs are truly ichigo ichie (once-in-a-lifetime encounters). Of course, depending on things like how the jumps turn out, how the spins turn out, how the steps turn out, also the cheers of the audience, the warmth of the venue, even the weather at that time, the atmosphere is completely different. So I really feel that they are things that exist there, alive in that moment.

That’s why, when musicians say ‘live,’ it feels very natural to me, and in that sense as well, thinking of it as live, I created this ‘REALIVE.’

And ‘PREQUEL’, with the idea first in mind that we will do Ice Story 4th, I wanted to create something that could give a sense of anticipation toward the 4th, something that could make people feel excited in some way, so I worked hard to create it.

The protagonist, from a monochrome world, gradually, gradually comes to know the colors of the outside world. Through various encounters and various journeys, they gradually come to know that outside world, and various emotions begin to be born, that’s the kind of story I intended to make.”

—How far have you envisioned the 4th already?

“The concept is already done, and the story is, roughly, at a stage where I can already write it within myself. Of course, since it’s a prequel, I can’t write it without that. So in a sense, when I wrote and created that prequel, the 4th is already almost completed within me.

After that, while discussing various things together with everyone, I want to work hard toward what comes next. Though there’s also tomorrow (laughs).”

—The second part, “PREQUEL,” is about 20 minutes alone. It felt long, but like watching a play.

“Thank you.”

—Who did the choreography?

“With MIKIKO-sensei, it’s more or less like a co-creation. While conveying various concepts to MIKIKO-sensei, and also while listening to the concepts of the choreography that she gave, together with the direction that is formed in her mind, I would have her add choreography like ‘I want to do it this way,’ ‘like that.’

Then for parts where I thought, ‘I want this choreography here, but how should that be done on skates,’ we really took time on each and every part, communicating closely, and worked hard to build it up as a single piece.”

—Why did you choose Miyagi for your first solo performance after the maintenance period, and what are your impressions now after finishing the first day?

“After all, I have a feeling that I want the first start to be in my hometown. For me, this place, Miyagi, is a special place—how should I say it—it is my hometown.

And with this solo performance, people from all over the world are paying attention and gathering, and also through various media they are watching, so in that sense, being able to show my hometown is something that makes me very happy. I wanted to start from here.”

—And after actually finishing the performance in your hometown, what are your thoughts now?

“I want to do my best tomorrow as well. Yes (laughs).”

 

Yuzuru Hanyu: “With a sense of surprise, I wanted to include ‘Otonal’”-- “REALIVE” Q&A (Second Part)
(April 12, 2026, 6:03 AM)

—While creating the original work for Part 2, “PREQUEL,” was it something where what you had thought since childhood overflowed, or how did the worldview come into being? When writing the original, do you put it down in words like a scriptwriter and show it, or how did you create it?

“So, usually with Ice Story, there are basically lines (dialogue), and I write all of those out, and then I write it like, at this line, this kind of scene. But this time, it was all in text, like writing out all of the movements. And as for emotions, rather than being about myself, this is the case for Ice Story in general, but I wrote it while expanding my imagination, like, if this child were to exist, how would they feel, and how would I want them to explore the world. But the feelings at the root are probably the same, and of course the words and scenes that come out are from within myself, so I think they are something that exists within me. But if it were only my own feelings, I feel like it would become something very self-indulgent and small, so I wanted to make it into a story with space where everyone can imagine, and I created it with that in mind.”

 

Spoiler

—“Otonal”, it’s been a while.

“Yes. Thank you very much.”

—Please tell us the intention behind the structure and music selection of Part 1, and if the timing of the 4th has been decided.

“As for the timing of the 4th, I can’t say that yet. (To staff) I can’t say it, right? I can’t say it, right? The timing of the 4th can’t be said yet, but we will do the 4th. This time was for that. For ‘REALIVE,’ from among the programs from ‘GIFT,’ ‘RE_PRAY,’ and ‘Echoes,’ for example, from ‘Echoes,’ the two pieces ‘Mass Destruction’ and ‘Utai,’ from ‘RE_PRAY,’ the two pieces ‘Megalo(vania)’ and ‘Niwatori hebi’ (Gate of Living–Chicken, Snake, Pig), and from ‘GIFT,’ ‘Ano Natsu’ (One Summer’s Day), and although I hadn’t skated ‘Otonal,’ I deliberately used that piece. Since it was a piece I had used but not yet skated, I wanted to skate ‘Otonal’ with a sense of surprise. So from ‘GIFT,’ I chose ‘Otonal’ and ‘Ano Natsu e.’ And then, in a sense, from the origin, ‘PROLOGUE,’ I structured it with ‘SEIMEI.’

Since almost all of them are strong pieces, it was very difficult. Especially this time, for the first time, there was only a little over about one minute between the first and second pieces. I didn’t even take off my skates backstage, changing quickly and going straight out—that kind of new thing as well. So technically as well, I was doing very new things, but everyone’s reactions felt really good, and although it was tough, I felt it was worth working hard.”

—About the crystal-like character that appeared in “PREQUEL,” is that child like an embodiment of hope, or more like a guide to the outside world?

“I wonder. I'm a little unsure how much I should say (laughs). Like I said earlier, there is how I would like it to be seen within myself, but by saying that, it might narrow it, so there is that. But I would be happy if people could see that child as something like each person’s precious person, or precious thing, or a precious encounter.”

—In “PREQUEL,” a white cloth descends. I think there are many ways to interpret it—how should we view that part?

“As the original work, that part has a very strong image of wind. Climbing the stairs, being cut by that wind, but not being swept up into it, instead pushing forward by one’s own will… That’s the feeling. It’s like lines of wind stretched out, and also since there is the element of entering a torii gate, there is a sense of sacredness as well. As one climbs the stairs, it’s like gradually bringing one’s heart into a more sacred place—that kind of feeling, and the direction was created with that.”

—It makes a lot of use of the space.

“Yes, it’s really nerve-wracking. But, how should I say it, it’s something that can only be done in Ice Story, something that can only be done with Ice Story staging, and I myself have also been doing it while really looking forward to it. You can’t practice it until you actually enter the venue, so there are various difficulties, but I would be happy if people could enjoy that sense of scale.”

—How did it come about that you asked Marihiko Hara to compose “PREQUEL,” and how was it skating to it?

“This time, first of all, I had the feeling that I wanted to make the whole thing original. From there, after creating the original work, I thought about who I would want to ask—like, maybe this kind of person, or this kind of person—and while discussing with the direction team and the video team, within the Ice Story team, we picked up several candidates. Among them, I wanted to ask Marihiko Hara, so I made the request. Originally, it wasn’t a plan for all the pieces—since he is really a very busy person, I asked thinking even just one or two pieces would be enough. But he said he wanted to write everything. Not only my parts, but even the video parts, he composed everything. He added color to my story, the story I wrote—adding more and more of that color of sound, making it so that the story can be felt through hearing. So for me as well, skating feels very good, or rather, I myself, in that… how should I say it… I thought it would be a spoiler, so I’ll stop (laughs). As the original author, I’m skating while strongly feeling that story.”

—(Moderator) That’s all the time we have.

“Thank you very much. Please have me again. Thank you very much. It’s windy, so please be careful. There was an earthquake, so please take care.”