[2021.02.01] Kikuo Makabe - Ambition: A Dream Betting on Ice Shows

[yuzurujenn]

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/志-アイスショーに賭ける夢-真壁-喜久夫/dp/4403231276

https://www.amazon.co.jp/志～アイスショーに賭ける夢～-真壁喜久夫-ebook/dp/B0BXRLZTZ6

 

 

The unknown world of ice entertainment.

"Why did the famous producer of the ice show 'Fantasy on Ice' step into the world of ice entertainment? What was his ambition?"

Packed with anecdotes, this book explores the glamour and behind-the-scenes of the spectacular show, as well as the secrets of the entertainment business. It also includes interviews with Yuzuru Hanyu, Stéphane Lambiel, and Johnny Weir.

 

 

Table of content:

Preface
Where there is a will, there is a way

 

Chapter One: My encounter with figure skating

Aberdeen, 1995 / Early Life / Starting My Own Business

 

Chapter Two: Moving away from a contract-based business model
Establishment of CIC / Encounter with Philippe Candeloro
The Turin Olympics as a turning point
Champions on Ice / Another turning point

 

Chapter Three: Fantasy on Ice
The new “Fantasy on Ice” / Launching into a new era from Makuhari
Deepening collaboration / The Joy of the 10th Anniversary

 

Chapter Four: Behind the scenes of event production
Deciding priorities on the ground / Trust and professionalism / An Eye for People / "Ambition" is the Starting Point

 

Chapter Five: Exhibitions that strengthen athletes
Ice shows and exhibitions / Medalist on Ice / Dreams on Ice

 

Chapter Six: Stars that make the show shine
Stéphane Lambiel / Johnny Weir / Evgeni Plushenko
Yuzuru Hanyu / Javier Fernández, Cappellini & Lanotte

 

Chapter Seven: Overcoming times of crisis
Entertainment under the pandemic / Holding “Dream on Ice” without an audience

 

Dialogue:

Yuzuru Hanyu x Kikuo Makabe - Believing in the power of figure skating
Ten years with “Fantasy on Ice” / Unforgettable collaborations /

Emotions are Born When Skating, Music, and the Audience Intersect

 

Stéphane Lambiel x Kikuo Makabe - Intuition and generosity — what makes a good producer
Stéphane helped me / Programs that remain in memory / Strong desire as a driving force

 

Johnny Weir x Kikuo Makabe - A vision that creates the magic of a show
Figure skating as art / The ice is where I belong

 

Afterword

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation, inaccuracies exist. Please do not reply in this thread.*

 

 

Preface

Where there is a will, there is a way

 

Spoiler

The lights in the venue go out, and blue laser beams emerge. One by one, skaters appear on the mirror-polished ice. Surrounded by lighting that changes colors in various ways and live music performed on stage, the space instantly transforms into a dream world. This is the beginning of an ice show, a first-class entertainment created by figure skating.

 

I have been involved in the world of figure skating for over thirty years, including the ice show I organize, Fantasy on Ice. As figure skating as a sport has grown significantly, Japanese skaters have become stronger, and they've gained more fans, so too has figure skating as entertainment. Figure skating has the unique characteristic of being both a sport and entertainment, unlike anything else. I was drawn to that charm, and in pursuing it, I've spent the last few years exploring new avenues of its appeal. This book summarizes that entire story: what it means to run an entertainment business, its joys and challenges, and the episodes with the skaters and artists I met along the way.

 

CIC Inc., which began as an event production company, initially operated a contract-based business. We received orders from event organizers or agencies for sports events, promotions, and various other events, and ran the events. The major turning point came when we expanded into producing our own ice shows as organizers. Moving from “running events on commission” to “creating our own content,” and successfully doing both at the same time, is what I believe led to our business success. When we, as a production company, became the organizers of the entertainment business, our intention to create better content could be reflected more clearly and more quickly, and we were able to develop ice shows further. While this is the path we arrived at in our pursuit of the "joy of figure skating," there aren't many examples of a production company hosting an entertainment event. I hope you'll see how we've navigated our way into the entertainment business, and take this as an example of business development leveraging the unique strengths of a production company.

 

In recent years, it has often been said that people’s interests have shifted from “consuming things” to “consuming experiences.” In a world where information is abundant and convenient, people increasingly value sharing the same experience with others and placing value on real-life encounters. Ice shows fall into this category of “experience consumption.” People wait with excitement, looking forward to the performance, and then the day arrives. They gather at the venue and immerse themselves in a special, once-in-a-lifetime experience, created by live skaters and artists. They applaud and cheer, and become captivated by performances that evolve again based on that feedback. What makes ice shows so interesting is that they are not only something you “watch,” but something you “take part in.” Our mission is to maximize the emotional impact of this entertainment. There is no greater joy than witnessing the moment when a carefully conceived idea becomes reality and moves the audience’s heart. I sometimes think there may be no job more enjoyable than this.

 

I want to surprise the audience. I want the audience to dream. And through the platform of ice shows, I want to create opportunities for skaters to grow. With this “will” in mind, I have moved forward over the past thirty years. By tracing the various events that occurred during that time, I hope to show how the world of figure skating as entertainment has changed, and the direction it will head from here.

 

If not for the talented skaters who performed and gave their all, the staff who worked hard to create the dreamlike world, and above all the audience who trusted the value of our ice shows and came to see them, I would not be where I am today. I am deeply grateful to all of you, and I would like to invite you, for a moment, behind the scenes of the dazzling world of the ice show.

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation, inaccuracies exist. Please do not reply in this thread.*

 

 

Chapter One: My Encounter with Figure Skating

 

 

1.1 Aberdeen, 1995

 

Spoiler

There is a scene in the world of figure skating that has become legendary.

 

In 1984, at the Sarajevo Winter Olympics, British ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean performed their “Boléro.” The music by Ravel rises gradually while keeping the same rhythm, and Torvill & Dean skated it with such rich emotion that the world was captivated by the beauty of their dance. This was still the era when a perfect score was 6.0, and for the first time in ice dance history, every judge awarded a perfect artistic score, making it a gold-medal program.

 

I don’t remember the exact circumstances under which I first saw the video, but I clearly remember being completely captivated by that “Boléro.” Since it was ice dance, there were no difficult jumps or powerful lift techniques. I didn’t yet know that, under the rules at the time where skating time was counted from the moment the blade touched the ice, they had begun the program from a pose kneeling on the ice facing each other so they could maximize the time and tell the story more fully. Still, the performance had a magnetism that pulled the viewer in and would not let go.

 

A year later, an event called the World Professional Figure Skating Championships was held in Japan. Professional skaters were invited to perform in a competition-style format. Because I was involved in the event’s operation, I had the chance to see Torvill & Dean skate “Boléro” live, right in front of me. Seeing the world's best skating firsthand completely blew away my vague understanding of what “figure skating is supposed to be.”

 

At the time, I was working at a production company that handled events, and I first got involved with figure skating at the 1983 NHK Trophy. But back then I still hadn’t fully grasped what figure skating really was. Even so, I was inevitably drawn into the performance of the skaters in front of me. That was when I felt: this is entertainment. Though it is a sport that demands harsh discipline and training, it also contains the elements of entertainment that captivate the audience. I think the moment I realized how fascinating the sport was marked my true first encounter with figure skating.

 

Torvill & Dean remained a special presence in the figure skating world. The music of “Boléro” became a legendary piece that later skaters could not perform lightly. Ten years after Sarajevo, they returned to competition as professionals at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics, winning a bronze medal. Then, the following year, in 1995, I learned that they would be leading a tour of ice shows under their own name in their home country, Britain.

 

At that time, the World Championships were scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England in March 1995. I was already planning to attend the event to observe its management, but I discovered that Torvill & Dean’s ice show would be held around the same dates. The show was set in Aberdeen, a city north of Scotland. I desperately wanted to see what their professional ice show would be like, so I extended my stay and went. The purpose of attending the Birmingham World Championships was to gather know-how in event management with an eye toward the Nagano Olympics three years later. But it was around then that a desire began to take root in me: “I want to explore the possibilities of figure skating as entertainment. Someday I want to produce an ice show.”

 

It was my first time seeing a live ice show. My imagination ran wild, wondering what would unfold. This sense of anticipation was part of the show, I thought. I arrived in Aberdeen and headed to the venue. Everyone in the audience was blonde. Of course, not a single Asian. My seat was in the front row. This was back when no promoters in Asia were interested in ice shows.

 

When the show began, Torvill and Dean skated with the same brilliance as ever, and I was able to enjoy smooth, poetic skating. The lighting and overall production were elaborate, giving the show a strong sense of unity. The direction enhanced the skaters’ performance, and the skating supported the direction. It was a mutual feedback loop, and I was deeply moved, thinking, “So this is what an ice show is.”

 

Since I’m the kind of person who believes “if it’s good, act quickly,” I began to think about bringing the show to Japan. I approached the organizers and sat down at the negotiation table, but various conditions could not be agreed upon, and I had to give up at that time. The package, including performance and production fees, totaled over 100 million yen, which left me stunned. There was no way we could pay that amount. At that time, the idea of “showing figure skating as entertainment” had not yet taken root in Japan.

 

Since I tend to act quickly when I think something is good, I began to consider whether we could bring this show to Japan. I approached the organizers and entered negotiations, but various conditions could not be reconciled, and I had to give up at that time. They offered a package that included appearance fees and production costs totaling more than 100 million yen, and I was stunned. It was an amount we could never pay. At that time, Japan did not yet have a foundation that would accept the idea of “showing figure skating as entertainment.”

 

However, this was the starting point for the ice show business I have been involved in for more than twenty years. At the same time, it is one of the reference points I always return to when thinking about figure skating as entertainment from the producer’s perspective. I believe I was able to encounter ice shows at that time because I kept my antenna up and maintained a mindset of going after opportunities.

 

There are many reasons and environmental factors that allowed me to continue the ice show business for so long. But before introducing them, I would like to briefly touch on the history that led me to become a producer. Through that, I hope to convey the “spirit of the times” that nurtured figure skating as an entertainment business.

 

 

 

1.2 Early Life

 

Spoiler

I was born in 1957 in Kita Ward, Tokyo. My father ran a construction business, and shortly after I was born we moved to Itabashi Ward. I vividly remember that workers were paving what is now the Circular Route 7 right in front of our house. It was just before the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, a time when the country was booming. Many craftsmen came and went from our home, and since I was an only child, they often became my playmates.

 

My father was old-fashioned and a craftsman with no connection to academic life, so he likely wanted his son to attend university. He was particularly enthusiastic about education. At my parents’ request, I went to a private school rather than a local public one from elementary school, and I took the entrance exam for junior high school, eventually entering the Tokyo University of Education-affiliated junior high school (University of Tokyo’s affiliated school). As an affiliated school of the education faculty, it offered advanced education at the time, and the class size was small. I spent the six years from junior high through high school in a relaxed, nurturing environment.

 

At that time, TV production was a glamorous profession. Like many others, I also admired the work of television people, so by my third year of high school I had decided that I would apply only to Nihon University College of Art (Nichigei). My first choice was the Department of Broadcasting, but I thought that any department at Nichigei would be fine, so I did not apply to any other universities. Nichigei was considered a prestigious arts university.

 

At that time, Nichigei allowed applicants to apply to up to three departments out of its six. I applied to the Department of Broadcasting, the Department of Film, and the Department of Theater, and I was accepted into the Department of Film. During the entrance interview, I was asked which course I wanted to join. I was afraid that if I said my preference, I might be rejected, so I figured I might as well choose the most prestigious one: the director. So I answered, “The director course.” As a result, I entered the Film Department’s Director Course.

 

In the Film Department, there were courses such as cinematography, sound recording, acting, theory, and screenwriting in addition to the director course. Students from each course formed teams and began production practice from the first year. As a director course student, I naturally took the role of director. In the early years, we shot on 8mm video, but as we advanced, the equipment improved, and we were allowed to use professional 16mm film equipment. Upon graduation, students submitted a film graduation project rather than a thesis.

 

I wasn’t originally a film buff, but making movies was interesting. Making films as a director with many classmates during my student years is, in a way, similar to my current production work, where I’m involved in a director-like role as a producer. The mentality of “if something catches my attention, I’ll go see it myself” and “if I’m interested in someone, I’ll go meet them”—this producer-like attitude may have already been present in me at that time. I even reached out to theater groups outside the university, held auditions like a professional, and selected performers. On the other hand, I was also part of the athletic ski club and spent the winter months deep in the mountains.

 

In my fourth year, I was so absorbed in my graduation project that I hardly did any job hunting. Even around October of my final year, I was still editing the film for my graduation project, so perhaps those around me became worried about my carefree days. “We will give you a faculty recommendation, so go take the hiring exam for Tokyo 12 Channel,” the university told me, and taking the exam for what is now TV Tokyo was the only real job-hunting activity I did. Three students from our department received the faculty recommendation and went to the interview, but unfortunately, all three of us failed. It’s interesting to think that if I had passed and become a TV professional, neither I nor my company as they exist today might have come to be. Many of my university peers went on to work for television program production companies or commercial production companies. That was how booming the industry was, and how much demand there was for people to work in the field.

 

In the end, after graduating without a job offer, I began working as an assistant director at a TV production company introduced to me by the university. As an AD, my first assignment was producing a quiz show on TBS called "Super Dice Q," hosted by Masaru Doi. It was fun at first, but after a few months, I found the mechanical, pre-planned filming boring. Because they recorded a week’s worth of daily programs all at once, everything was predetermined. Once one episode was finished, the performers changed jackets and recorded the next day’s show. That kind of routine progress felt monotonous, and I quickly lost interest. I quit in less than three months.

 

I contacted a lecturer who had helped me at the university, and was introduced to the production company "Staff Tokyo," where a senior from the Film Department was working. The company was led by Shigeru Tsukada, a pioneering broadcast writer. Not only did the company create the structure for TV programs such as "Yoru no Hit Studio" and "Hachiji da yo! Zen'in shūgō," but it also handled event planning, direction, and production. As a newcomer, I became involved in the events that the company was contracted to produce. This was the era when sales promotion events were at their peak.

 

Unlike recorded TV programs with scripts that can be re-shot, events are a one-shot performance with no do-overs. The tension of building something with many stakeholders toward a one-time live show was on another level. The level of seriousness among the people involved was different, and there were many troubles and yellings, but the sense of accomplishment was all the greater. In that work, I felt a sense of fulfillment and interest I had never experienced before.

 

Among these experiences, the one that made me strongly want to continue working in events was my involvement in an event called “Japanese Festivals.” “Japanese Festivals” was a grand event in which traditional festivals from across Japan gathered in one place to compete in splendor. They transported majestic floats and portable shrines from their original regions and recreated the live atmosphere in the square in front of the Meiji Jingu Gaien Art Museum, a scale of event that would be difficult to achieve today. The venue was about the size of five baseball fields.

 

At the event, famous festivals from all over Japan were demonstrated, including Aomori Nebuta, Hirosaki Neputa, and Akita Kanto. The grand finale was the majestic Aomori Nebuta. The faces and bodies of the Nebuta floats were transported in about five 11-ton trucks and assembled on-site by Nebuta artisans ahead of the event. The dancers, called haneto, followed the Nebuta and danced energetically, just as they do in Aomori.

 

Originally, the event was held with the aim of giving Tokyo residents who could not return home during Obon a chance to remember their hometowns. Since the season was different, it was impossible to bring haneto performers from Aomori. To gather people near the venue, the organizers worked with the Folk Performing Arts Culture Federation and hired part-time staff, training them to perform. Even then, people were not enough, so the staff, including us, changed into costumes and joined the parade when the time came. While managing the rapid transition from one stage to the next, we worked flexibly to keep the event running. I felt a strong excitement from the real-time nature of the work.

 

“Japanese Festivals” had its secretariat based at the headquarters of Nippon Broadcasting System, which is part of the Fuji Sankei Group. While I was frequently going in and out of that office, I was approached and invited to join the production company “1002” (Ichimarumaru-ni), which was running the event. Up until then, all the work I had done had been on short-term contracts, so 1002 was the first company I officially joined as a full-time employee. This was in the autumn of 1981.

 

Unexpected accidents happen at every site. The true result of an event is to solve those issues within the allotted time and successfully deliver the show without trouble. For someone who is weak under pressure, this job might be highly stressful. But I thought, “The fact that failure is not allowed makes it interesting.” I was young and inexperienced, so I naturally made many mistakes and often had to apologize in a cold sweat. However, even the most inexperienced person can gradually become a full-fledged professional if trained on the job. The discretion entrusted to me grew, and the number of events I managed with responsibility increased. In those days, no matter when I was called, if it was a client request, I would rush to the site. The client’s word was absolute, and I worked hard to build strong relationships with people. As a result, before I knew it, my sales performance had become top-ranked.

 

Perhaps I had the right temperament and ability for the work. As with any job, there are things that suit a person and things that do not. Beyond that, and true in any field, the growth that follows depends on how many experiences you have had and how much you have been tested. I was nurtured by countless field experiences. Looking back now, life may ultimately depend on how many times you have passed through the fire of experience.

 

 

 

1.3 Starting My Own Business

 

Spoiler

The president of the company 1002 that I joined was Mori Senji, who later became the Executive Director of the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. The company mainly handled work related to classical music. The company was divided into two divisions: one that produced classical music concerts and another that took on any commissioned events. The latter division handled a wide range of projects including figure skating, various sports events, and sales promotion events. I was in charge of that latter division. I stayed with the company for fourteen years, and in the final few years I jumped ahead of my seniors and became a director at the age of 37, overseeing the event division.

 

I remember my first time in charge of a figure skating event was the 5th NHK Trophy in 1983. It was a new project the company had taken on, one where we could apply the experience we had accumulated in sports events. At the time, I wasn't particularly interested in figure skating. But, as I mentioned earlier, I gradually became captivated by it. Although it was not yet a major sport, I was impressed from the start by how passionate its fans were. After that, I continued to handle figure skating competitions and events, including the 1994 World Championships in Makuhari.

 

Toward the end of the 1990s, as President Mori approached his 60th birthday, the question of succession within the company came to the forefront. When he began thinking about who might take over the business, I seemed to be the first person who came to his mind, and he approached me about becoming the next president. I declined, citing concerns that I couldn't handle the classical music division, which was outside my area of expertise, and the prospect of taking on all 25 employees. But a year later, he approached me again. This time he said, “Makabe, why don’t you start your own business and do it on your own?”

 

At that time, the classical music division was achieving stable results, but the event division I was responsible for had revenues that fluctuated greatly depending on the trends and scale of orders. The president, now over sixty, probably thought to reduce the business to a scale he could manage and control more stably.

 

Looking back now, I can understand both the necessity and the difficulty of business succession, and I also feel grateful that he saw leadership potential in me. He must have been thinking about the future. But at the time I was still young, and I couldn’t help interpreting it negatively, thinking, "Is this just about keeping the production company alive?" In truth, it wasn’t a case of me being fired up with lofty ambitions to start my own business. Still, everything comes down to luck and timing. So I steeled myself, decided to take the plunge, and began preparing to establish my own company and go independent.

 

First, I wrote letters to all the employees in my department. I gave them three options: “Move to the new company with Makabe / Quit now / Neither,” and asked them to think about their future. I couldn’t start a business while ignoring the employees’ wishes, so it was important that they chose to come along of their own volition.

 

After considering the employees, the next issue was capital. Naturally, establishing a new company required capital. At the time, a joint-stock company needed a capital of 10 million yen to be established, so I planned to borrow it from a bank. But I couldn’t get the loan, and since our separation from the previous company had been agreed upon, I ended up in a position where I had to ask President Mori to lend me the entire amount, money that ideally should have come from my own funds. Still, within about three months, we ran out of money due to rent and salaries. I went to the bank with my mother and mortgaged my parents' house to get a loan. I then repaid my previous company over the next three years.

 

I managed to secure the capital, but since I was starting the business with employees from the very beginning, I needed a substantial amount of working capital even before the business got off the ground. Every month I had to pay salaries, and I also had to cover the rent for the new office we rented in Ginza, even though it was a rundown building. Just as I was wondering how to handle this working capital, something interesting happened.

 

At that time, I often stopped by an old-fashioned izakaya after work for dinner. There were many company dormitories and employee housing around where I lived, so there were other solo diners who came in for dinner. I got along with one of them and started talking. After drinking together a few times, I must have mentioned, “I started a company, but I have no funds.” After a while, he said, “Shall I lend you a hand?” It turned out he was a banker working for a major bank. He intervened with the branch’s loan department and lent me 20 million yen, unsecured.

 

Of course, being granted an unsecured loan was a special favor. I have no way of knowing what exactly convinced him or what part of the business he believed in, but it truly saved me. In the first few months after starting the company, money was going out constantly for operating expenses, while payments from clients were still far in the future. At first, I was overwhelmed by worry about what would happen, but gradually I got used to the pressure of being the president.

 

Although my independence came about through these circumstances, I feel a deep sense of gratitude toward my former company. President Mori was even the matchmaker for my wife and me, and he also lent me the funds to start the business. He has been a fatherly figure to me both personally and professionally, and I am still deeply grateful. That is why, when I staged the exhibition "Medalist on Ice" in 2006 and decided to feature a full orchestra on stage, I asked my old company to handle the arrangements. Since then, I have continued to rely on them for music-related arrangements up to the present day.

 

In any work, it is because we have received someone’s kindness at the start that we are able to take it on. One of the principles I hold dear in my professional life is to never forget that original debt of gratitude and to carry that spirit with me in everything I do.

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation, inaccuracies exist. Please do not reply in this thread.*

 

 

Chapter Two: Moving away from a contract-based business model

 

 

2.1 Establishment of CIC

 

Spoiler

In April 1999, I established CIC Co., Ltd. Six employees from my previous company chose to come along and work with me, so I suddenly became the president of a company with six employees. The responsibility of paying salaries and keeping the company alive felt heavier than anything I had experienced up to that point.

 

For the first year or two after the company was founded, I focused on working steadily on the projects we had inherited from the previous company. Even back then, I seemed to have a knack for sales, and I had built a wide network of contacts in many different circles. Even after I became president, my work remained primarily sales. I went day and night to ask the clients I had dealt with at the previous company to place orders with us. But just because I had become independent did not mean that those clients would suddenly say, “From now on, we’ll give the work to CIC,” so easily. It wasn’t impossible for them to suspect there were lingering grudges or hidden motives. As a countermeasure, I asked the president of my former company to publicly announce that the business had been transferred to me, and above all, I made sure to work diligently on every project we were entrusted with, because that was essential for securing future business.

 

As the company president, I had to lead the way, handing over the work I had done at my previous company to the new company and solidifying my footing. I was determined that this was the most important thing for the time being, both internally and externally. However, while I devoted a lot of energy to this during the first year or two after starting the business, I was secretly very worried about what direction I should take going forward.

 

Not only in figure skating, but in sports events in general, I realized once again after starting the company just how powerful the content itself can be. The track record and experience we had in managing various sports events were the new company’s greatest assets. However, putting energy into existing work also meant there were fewer opportunities to receive new projects. Indeed, managing contracted events could provide stable performance for the company. But there was no guarantee that those contracts would continue indefinitely, and the market could change to the point where the work might disappear altogether. Since our main field was sports events, I expected the decline would not be extreme, but as the person responsible for the company’s fate, I could not just sit back and do nothing.

 

Would the company find its footing if things continued like this? What would become of the future? This was one of the periods I struggled with the most. Naturally, it was important to steadily handle the work in front of me, but I would say the president’s greatest duty was to think about the company’s future direction with a long-term perspective. Even though I was supported by employees with talent and experience, in that regard the role of president was a lonely one. Still, I couldn’t abandon thinking or stop trying and experimenting.

 

As I continued to think about this, I gradually began to realize that we needed our own business, even as we continued to work on projects entrusted to CIC, including not only figure skating but also soccer, baseball, and other non-sports events. Going forward, we needed to break away from the unstable business model that relied solely on commissioned work and explore opportunities to develop products that we could sell as our own, in other words to develop our own business.

 

So what should we sell? Our company’s irreplaceable strength is the ability to run events flawlessly, so wouldn’t it make sense for our core business to be events as well? And what if we created those events in our strongest field, figure skating? And that's how the idea of hosting our own ice shows emerged.

 

In fact, the concern I had at the time proved accurate. The sales promotion events that we had relied on heavily when we first started the company have sharply declined over the past twenty years, and many other companies that worked in that field have disappeared. If we had continued to depend solely on event commissions, I can only imagine where we would be now.

 

Fortunately for the company, the 2002 World Championships were held in Nagano. Even before starting the company, we had been working with the same team on projects for the Japan Skating Federation, so there was a strong possibility that we would be selected to help run the Nagano World Championships as well. In other words, even if we took some risks in the first half of fiscal 2001, if we could count on the large-scale work of the World Championships in March at the end of the fiscal year, it might support the full-year performance of the newly established company…

 

And so, in the second year after founding the company, as my business plan began to solidify, the figure skater Philippe Candeloro came to mind.

 

 

 

2.2 Encounter with Philippe Candeloro

 

Spoiler

In January 2001, I arrived in Lyon, France. I traveled overland from Japan via Paris to Lyon. Niimura Kaori, who has long been the Japanese-English announcer at competitions and is well-connected with skaters, accompanied me and acted as my interpreter. What I was there for? I went to see an ice show hosted by Philippe Candeloro.

 

Philippe Candeloro is a bronze medalist from the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics and the 1998 Nagano Olympics. In Japan in particular, he left a powerful impression with his acclaimed performance of “D’Artagnan,” skating in the costume of one of the Three Musketeers. With his handsome looks and open, affable personality, he was especially popular with female fans and captivated not only dedicated figure skating followers but also countless viewers who watched the Olympics on television. Even today, he remains one of the figure skating world’s foremost entertainers.

 

The first time I saw Philippe skate was in March 1994, shortly after the Lillehammer Olympics, at the World Championships held in Makuhari, Japan. Having just won a bronze medal, his name recognition was rising rapidly, and his popularity in the arena was striking. That year, he skated to a program set to "The Godfather." In competition skating, athletes perform two programs over two days, a short program and a free skate, but "The Godfather" was conceived as a continuous story across both programs, inspired by the famous film. I was captivated at first sight. With his rich facial expressions, inventive movements, and showmanship that constantly surprised the audience, it was easy to understand why fans were so enthusiastic about him.

 

At the 1998 Nagano Olympics, he won another bronze medal. After leaving a strong impression with his dynamic skating, he retired from competition, but as a professional skater he continued to enjoy great popularity in his native France and around the world. By 2001, he was producing and performing in his own ice show in France. Given that many of his competitive programs already had a strong show-like quality, turning them into an ice show seemed like a natural progression.

 

In fact, even before that, Philippe himself had apparently been pitching the idea of bringing his ice show to Japan to Japanese television networks. Japan, where he had won his medals, held special meaning for him, and he was also well aware of his popularity there, which is why he considered Japan as the next place to stage the show after France. However, when the show actually took place, the only people who came all the way from Japan were Niimura and me. This was less a question of his popularity than of the fact that the culture of staging ice shows had not yet taken firm root in Japan.

 

Perhaps it was clear that I was the only one truly serious about it. Philippe, too, seemed to decide that he would aim to stage a show in Japan together with me. After various negotiations, the two of us reached an agreement to go ahead in July 2001, and the performance dates were set for September, just two months later. If this had been at a time when figure skating was already a popular sport, we would have sought sponsors and co-hosted the event with television networks and other partners. But back then, there was not a single media company willing to join us. Even though the decision to stage the show had been made, everything had to be done entirely at my own risk, and if it failed, all I could do was vaguely imagine how large the losses might become.

 

After all, I had no experience whatsoever as a promoter. I had never set ticket prices, never sold tickets, never carried out publicity to sell tickets, and never handled the process of inviting overseas skaters to perform. Lacking experience across the board, we were thrown into chaos from the start. The work visas were particularly nerve-wracking. We did not even realize until a month and a half before the performance that we would have to handle the visa application ourselves. The first thing we were told was, “In principle, applications from organizers with no prior experience of inviting foreign performers are not approved.” Unless we kept going back to the government offices and somehow got our application accepted, the performance itself was in jeopardy. At the time, documents such as passport copies could only be exchanged by mail, and although we managed to gather everything, deficiencies were repeatedly pointed out and the paperwork was slow to be accepted. No matter how much we pleaded, because this was a public institution, the time required for issuance followed the rules, and in some cases could be delayed depending on the response of the other country. I was constantly worried that the visas would not be issued in time for the performance.

 

With only two months to prepare, it was complete confusion. Because the invitation procedures involved public institutions in multiple countries and allowed no margin for error, they consumed so much time that we were unable to devote sufficient effort to publicity, something I later regretted. Still, despite not knowing the ropes, we tried various approaches, such as offering ticket giveaways to newspapers in exchange for having the event listed in articles. Embarrassingly enough, we even went so far as to cold-call prospective customers to try to sell tickets. This was something I could not possibly ask my employees to do, so I asked my wife instead. We were desperate. She kindly agreed and made countless calls, but not a single ticket was sold that way. Perhaps many of the people we reached were simply prize-hunting enthusiasts. In any case, there were very few people interested in figure skating to begin with, and it was an extremely tough situation.

 

Thus, in September 2001, the "Philippe Candeloro Japan Tour 2001" was held at the Shin-Yokohama Prince Hotel Skate Center (as it was then called). The cast included skaters with Olympic-medalist credentials and popularity, such as Surya Bonaly, Viktor Petrenko, Maya Usova and Evgeny Platov, and Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev. Japanese skaters included Shizuka Arakawa, Fumie Suguri, Yoshie Onda, Yamato Tamura, and Yosuke Takeuchi. Philippe performed with overflowing enthusiasm to entertain the audience, skating programs such as “D’Artagnan” and “Braveheart,” while the other skaters dazzled with everything from elegant skating to comic skits. It was also at this time that the ice acrobats Oleksiy Polishchuk and Vladimir Besedin, whom we continue to invite to this day, came to Japan together with the rest of the cast. Looking back, this show truly marked the beginning of many things.

 

Given the limitations of such a short preparation period, dedicated fans still came out, and attendance was probably around 60 to 70 percent. We knew there would be empty seats, but we did not try to artificially boost attendance to fill them. We wanted everyone involved, on our side, the skaters including Philippe, and Philippe’s agent, to share a clear understanding of where we stood at that moment. As a result, the “Philippe Candeloro Japan Tour” ended with a deficit of roughly 20 million yen. Although I had been prepared for it, a 20-million-yen loss for a company in its third year was extremely painful. And yet, strangely enough, I never once thought, “Let’s give up and withdraw.”

 

Fortunately, just as I had hoped in advance, we were entrusted with the operation of the World Championships held in Nagano in March 2002 at the end of that same fiscal year, and this helped toward offsetting the deficit in our overall annual results. Even so, I still wonder why, despite running at a loss, I never once considered giving up on the business. As a company, we were able to catch our breath at the end of the fiscal year, but as a standalone venture, a money-losing project would normally be very difficult to sustain.

 

Objectively speaking, it was a failure. From the employees’ point of view, the failed project looked like “the president’s hobby,” and even if they did not say so directly, I could clearly sense their worry about whether things would be all right. If I had been thinking normally, I probably would not have considered holding it again. But, contrary to common sense, I made up my mind to do Philippe’s ice show once more in the summer of 2002. I had a strong feeling that “next time it will go better.” The first time, because it was our first time running the event, there were many things we did not understand, and we got bogged down in the invitation procedures, so there were many things we should have done but could not. I believed that if we learned from those initial lessons and put our experience to use, and if we did what needed to be done properly, the second time could be a success.

 

I was also encouraged by the gratitude I received from Noriko Shirota, then head of the figure skating development department at the Japan Skating Federation, who said, "By skating alongside the world's top skaters, young Japanese skaters learned what it means to captivate an audience, and this has certainly led to their growth." I wasn't sure whether a second event would turn a profit, but I thought that if we did what we needed to do, we could fill that venue.

 

The following year, the second ice show featuring Philippe was titled “Philippe Candeloro Fantasy on Ice 2002.” This became the origin of the ice show title that continues to this day. Once preparations began, the advantages of a second attempt were unmistakable.

 

For the invitation process, which had been a major bottleneck during the first event, we prepared detailed documentation about the show and made sure to contact the embassies of each country in advance, since they would be the ones to give final approval. Since many of the skaters were Russian, we frequently called the Japanese Embassy in Russia, pleading for approval as soon as possible.

 

When it came to PR, I had learned that tickets simply would not sell without spending money. So, even though our budget was tight, we decided to spend where we needed to and be creative where we could. We carried out conventional advertising activities, such as transit ads and putting posters up in convenience stores.

 

These steady improvements paid off, and with a longer publicity period, the second show turned a profit. The profit margin did not reach the size of the first year’s deficit, but over the course of two years we were able to recover it, more or less. My sense that results would follow if we did what needed to be done proved to be correct.

 

Because we had more time, we were able to have some say in the content of the second show as the organizer, and the positive response we received gave us confidence. Among the Japanese skaters who appeared in this show were Daisuke Takahashi, who won the World Junior Championships that year, and Mao Asada, whose talent Philippe had long admired and praised. In retrospect, inviting singer-songwriter Maxime Rodriguez to perform alongside the skaters was also groundbreaking. Maxime composed the music for “D’Artagnan,” which Philippe skated to, and he would later be commissioned to compose the opening theme for the new “Fantasy on Ice,” which launched in 2010. The 2002 show featured a lineup of artists with whom he would later develop close ties. This was largely due to the keen eye of the Spanish agent we worked with to organize the show, Sergio Canovas.

 

Looking back, 2001 and 2002 were major turning points for the company. The two self-produced shows, one a failure and the other a success, stood in sharp contrast to each other, and precisely because of that contrast, the lessons learned were especially clear. Regardless of profitability, the most important outcome was that we acquired the know-how of staging ice shows, an intangible asset. Above all, the direction of our in-house production business was finally set.

 

In 2003, under the title "Philippe Candeloro Fantasy on Ice," we staged shows in Sapporo, Osaka, and Shin-Yokohama in the fall. These were our first regional performances, but ticket sales were weak and we once again suffered a major loss. Even so, by the third year our confidence in the ice show business itself had deepened, and we no longer doubted the direction we were pursuing. Furthermore, the success of the memorial ice show "Nagano Olympics 5th Anniversary Exhibition" held at the Nagano Big Hat in the spring of the same year meant that we remained steadfast in both our company's performance and our determination to continue with the ice show business.

 

It was around this time that we began hosting an ice show called "Fantasy on Ice" with Philippe Candeloro. The ice show production business was launched with nothing but the desire to create our own work and build our own business, starting from a place of knowing nothing at all. There were many hardships, but the rewards were even greater, and I feel strongly that we succeeded in creating something from nothing, turning zero into one. We have continued our efforts while cherishing this point of origin, and the connections formed there have since expanded into many projects and many ventures.

 

 

 

2.3 The Turin Olympics as a turning point

 

Spoiler

On February 23, 2006, Shizuka Arakawa won the gold medal at the Turin Olympics. She became the first Asian skater to win gold in figure skating, and the only gold medalist among the Japanese delegation at the Turin Games. The entire nation of Japan erupted in excitement.

 

I witnessed that moment from the stands at Turin's Pallavera Stadium. I saw the instant Arakawa’s magnificent performance ended and her gold medal was confirmed. And because at the time the medal ceremonies were still held in the same venue, I also watched the Japanese flag being raised to the sound of “Kimigayo” (Japanese national anthem). Moments that set one’s heart racing like that do not come often.

 

But inside my chest, alongside the joy and exhilaration of the gold medal, there was also a sense of relief: now the tickets would surely sell. That was because immediately after the Turin Olympics, we were scheduled to hold an ice show in Japan called “Theater on Ice,” featuring Olympic representatives including Shizuka Arakawa. Before the Olympics began, however, ticket sales had been sluggish.

 

The origins of "Theater on Ice" go back about a year earlier. After the 2003 Philippe Candeloro "Fantasy on Ice," we had not hosted an ice show of our own. With hopes of strengthening Japan’s national team, we had launched the exhibition "ALL JAPAN Medalist on Ice" in 2002, and "Dream on Ice" in 2004. But beyond exhibitions, our desire to once again produce a full-fledged ice show had grown strong.

 

What came to mind was the idea of laying ice at Ariake Coliseum, Japan’s sacred ground for tennis. I had used the venue for another event and felt it was an excellent arena, with good visibility and ease of use. I also learned that it had been used for non-tennis events before, but installing ice was a different matter altogether. Setting up an ice show requires a full week: three days to lay the ice, three days for rehearsals and performances, and one day for teardown. When we made inquiries, we were told that one week from late February to early March 2006 was available. When we revealed that it would be a figure skating event, the venue staff were surprised, saying there was no precedent, but after discussions we were able to secure a provisional reservation.

 

In September 2005, with less than six months to go before the Turin Olympics, it was officially decided that "Theater on Ice" would be held in March, exactly one week after the Olympics ended. In addition to professional skaters, we also received quiet approval from the Japan Skating Federation to have Japanese Olympians appear after returning home.

 

The Shin-Yokohama Prince Hotel Skate Center, which had served as the venue for our ice shows up to that point, had a capacity of just under 2,000 seats. Ariake, by contrast, held 9,000, making it a vastly larger venue, and over three days we would have to sell a total of 27,000 tickets. Needless to say, this was the largest number of seats we had ever handled. At that time, we never dreamed that a Japanese skater would win a medal in Turin, and simply promoting the names of overseas professional skaters offered no clear factor that would translate into increased sales. It was a major risk.

 

In fact, just before the Turin Olympics, ticket sales were running at only about 2,000 seats per day. Roughly 20,000 tickets remained unsold overall. Furthermore, the Japanese Olympic Committee had a rule prohibiting the use of participating athletes’ names in advertising during the Games. Under these circumstances, all I could do was hope that the Japanese athletes would perform well. With a prayerful heart, I went to Turin.

 

As I watched Shizuka Arakawa win the gold medal with my own eyes, I became convinced that the tickets would sell. Sure enough, when I returned to Japan, the entire country was swept up in an Ina Bauer craze. Newspapers rushed to feature Arakawa in article after article. Every piece listed her upcoming schedule at the end, and without exception the first line read, “To appear in Theater on Ice one week later.” It was as if we had been given advertising without having to spend a single yen. The roughly 20,000 tickets that had remained unsold were gone in about three days. Centered on the two Turin gold medalists, Shizuka Arakawa and Evgeni Plushenko, and joined by Japanese team members Daisuke Takahashi, Miki Ando, and Takeshi Honda, along with professional skaters such as Viktor Petrenko and Marina Anissina & Gwendal Peizerat, "Theater on Ice" was, thankfully, sold out at every performance.

 

It was the first time we had put on an ice show featuring so many active medalists, and the challenges were unlike anything we’d faced before. Plushenko, who was one of the main highlights alongside Arakawa, was unbelievably self-centered, so much so that it’s hard to imagine now, and he caused us a lot of trouble. Then the gold-medalist pair Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin started saying, “We have to go back to Russia for a state-sponsored awards ceremony, so we need to leave midway through.” Plushenko agreed with them, and suddenly we were facing the crisis of potentially losing two gold-medalist acts before the end of the run. In reality, even if they left right after the final show and headed straight to Narita Airport, they would still have made it to the ceremony in Russia with plenty of time. But they wouldn’t listen. So we came up with a plan: we asked someone from another company, someone they didn’t know, to meet them, pretending to be an airline employee. He told them, “If you leave Ariake by car, you’ll have more than enough time to catch our flight. And if you’re delayed, we’ll hold the plane for you.” But Russians don’t trust people easily. In the end, they skated quickly in the first half of the final performance and left the venue. The production and lighting plans were thrown into chaos. Fortunately, Arakawa was the final act, and the audience left satisfied, happy that they’d seen Shizuka Arakawa with their own eyes. That was our saving grace.

 

When I reflect on the evolution of figure skating as a sport, Arakawa’s gold medal was undeniably a major turning point. "Theater on Ice" was a project for which we had braced ourselves for a loss of nearly 100 million yen during preparations, and which suffered various incidents during its run. Yet when all was said and done, the venue was filled with the heat of the very moment when figure skating leapt forward as a popular sport. Riding that wave may be called good fortune, but perhaps it was a kind of fortune we earned. After all, we had launched "Philippe Candeloro Japan Tour 2001" and continued the business without flinching at losses ever since.

 

 

 

2.4 Champions on Ice

 

Spoiler

In September 2006, we brought in "Champions on Ice."

 

As the name suggests, Champions on Ice is an ice show that gathers star skaters who have placed highly at the Olympics and World Championships. It is a long-established show that had been held mainly in North America since 1969. The first time I saw the show was in 2004. I heard that Philippe (Candeloro) and Japan’s Fumie Suguri would appear on the U.S. tour, so I went to Atlanta to watch the performance. At that time, Michelle Kwan was the biggest star in America and overwhelmingly popular, and the overall level of the show was high. It was the period when competitive figure skating was at its peak of popularity in the United States.

 

The founder and president of "Champions on Ice" was Tom Collins, who himself had been a skater. His son Michael Collins, who was also involved in the ice show business, was close friends with the agent Sergio Canovas, with whom I had worked in bringing foreign skaters to Japan. Through this connection, I met Tom and Michael in Moscow during the World Championships in March 2005, and we discussed the possibility of bringing "Champions on Ice" to Japan. However, nothing concrete had yet been put into action at the time.

 

After the Olympics, Shizuka Arakawa became an instant star as a gold medalist, and "Theater on Ice," held immediately after the Olympics, was a success. Once we had the room to think about what to do next, the plan to bring "Champions on Ice" to Japan began to take shape. Arakawa's invitation to the US-based "Champions on Ice" also provided a boost. In June 2006, I went to America and watched the Minneapolis show in which Arakawa performed. At the same time, I sat down with Tom and Michael Collins to finalize the details. We agreed that this was the moment to do it, and we began preparations with great momentum. The performance date was set for September 2006. We had only three months to prepare, but based on past experience, I felt confident it was possible.

 

The Minneapolis performance featured stars at the peak of their popularity, including Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, and Irina Slutskaya. Among these North American stars, Shizuka Arakawa participated as a gold medalist, but I couldn’t help but notice that her photo wasn’t included in the program booklet sold at the venue. Even as a gold medalist, she was not particularly well-known in North America. Watching her receive applause from the audience during the show, I felt an indescribable joy. America is the home of ice shows. To be able to bring "Champions on Ice," the pinnacle of them, to Japan was a tremendous achievement. In August, as preparations for the Japanese tour were reaching their peak, I traveled to the U.S. once again to watch the Las Vegas show and have final discussions. Large banners of Kwan, Cohen, and Slutskaya hung over the special rink that had been built, but again, Arakawa’s photo was not displayed.

 

In September 2006, the "Champions on Ice" Japan tour kicked off. The shows were held in Sendai and Shizuoka. In Sendai, where Arakawa learned to skate, the tour marked a triumphant return, drawing large crowds eager to catch a glimpse of her skating. Tickets sold out in Shizuoka as well. Among the stars, including all the women’s medalists from the Turin Olympics like Sasha Cohen and Irina Slutskaya, Shizuka Arakawa took the final performance slot, and the show was a huge success, ending on a high note. Since this was an ice show where only accomplished medalists were allowed to perform, each skater had the talent backed by their medals. It was a unique opportunity to showcase their personalities and power in Japan, bringing the atmosphere of North American ice shows to the country.

 

The following year, in June 2007, "Champions on Ice" was held again, with sold-out performances in Niigata and Oita. Later that same year, in September, we brought the show back to Sendai and Shizuoka. However, this is where we ran into the challenges of the second year. Although we tried to make changes to the show content from the previous year, the two performances in Sendai and Shizuoka ultimately ended in the red.

 

At the same time, dark clouds were gathering over the figure skating scene in the U.S. After the September 2007 performances, the original "Champions on Ice" in the U.S. disbanded in early 2008. As I was pondering what to do, the agent involved in the project, Sergio, suggested, “Maybe there's no need to eliminate Champions on Ice in Japan as well.” With that, I decided to return to the basics and chose the Shin-Yokohama Skate Center as the venue, planning to hold "Champions on Ice" again in September 2008. However, with more and more ice shows appearing domestically, attracting an audience became a struggle. Despite the efforts to minimize risk, we unfortunately ended up with a slight deficit.

 

"Champions on Ice" was held for three years, and if we only look at the financial side, it was one win and two losses. However, in the entertainment business, the real value cannot be measured purely in terms of profit. The true reward of those three performances was meeting incredible people. One of the people I met during the 2006 tour was Stéphane Lambiel. While many star skaters delivered powerful performances reminiscent of their competitive days, he captivated the audience with his dancer-like, supple physique and highly artistic skating.  Given how artistic his skating was, I expected him to have the temperament of an artist, but instead, he turned out to be meticulous and principled. I was enchanted by his performance from the first moment, and I grew to admire his character as well. Since then, we've maintained a close and lasting friendship for over a decade. He is someone I can truly call a comrade.

 

During the 2007 tour, I met another close comrade: Johnny Weir. He had always stood out for his unique personality during his competitive years, and as a regular on "Champions on Ice" he gained even more popularity, showcasing an increasingly distinctive presence. I was captivated by the beauty of his spins and the entertainment value of his performances, which kept the audience hooked. He's also a skater who has appeared in my shows ever since.

 

The 2008 tour was an ice show where I was able to realize much of what I had envisioned. I had long wanted to create a live collaboration between music artists and skaters, and this time, I invited violinist Ikuko Kawai and flamenco dancer Antonio Najarro. We built a small stage in the center of the rink and had Stéphane Lambiel perform his iconic piece, Poeta. Poeta, which Stéphane had skated during his competitive career, was choreographed by Najarro, incorporating authentic flamenco movements that left a strong impression. The performance, with both of them synchronized in their movements, was a thrilling collaboration that transcended both skating and dance. At the time, Najarro was a young dancer, but he later went on to lead the prestigious Ballet Nacional de España in Madrid and became one of the leading figures in Spanish dance. He remains one of the people I am still close to today.

 

It's true that from 2006 to 2008, the popularity of figure skating exploded, and other ice shows suddenly proliferated, creating a situation where everyone was competing for popular skaters. Casting was difficult, and changes in the market environment often prevented the show from going as planned. It was a tough time. But it could also be said that this was a time when I learned the true essence and excitement of entertainment, where one encounter leads to another, and unexpected encounters can create fresh performances. This is perhaps the result of maintaining an offensive stance as much as possible, rather than simply playing it safe during these trying times.

 

 

 

2.5 Another turning point

 

Spoiler

After a difficult period filled with both positive and negative factors, another turning point came in 2009. It was the ice show "Ice Jewelry," held in Kanazawa, Hokuriku.

 

With the end of "Champions on Ice," the collaboration with the overseas staff and agents also came to an end. Although I was a bit concerned, since I had relied heavily on them for casting and management, I concluded that if we were to continue holding ice shows in the future, we would need to completely restructure our organization. In particular, we had faced difficulties with public relations and advertising when running our shows as independent, in-house ventures. Therefore, I decided that moving forward, I would partner with media companies like television and newspapers to combine our strengths, share the risks, and complement each other in areas where we lacked expertise. In the entertainment business, publicity and promotion, which raise awareness and attract large audiences, and management, which enhances the quality of the performances themselves, work hand in hand like the two wheels of a car.

 

The opportunity to hold "Ice Jewelry" in Kanazawa came about when Aoyagi Masato, a representative at Sankei Shimbun, which co-hosted "Medalist on Ice," introduced us to the Hokuriku Shimbun in Kanazawa. They were interested in hosting an ice show, so I promptly traveled to Kanazawa. Hokuriku Shimbun is a leading media outlet in the Hokuriku region. As I had hoped, the direction of co-hosting was firmly established, and we began full-scale preparations.

 

For the casting of skaters, I reached out to new agents I had identified through the network built from previous collaborations and began moving forward with contracts. Instead of relying on an agent to handle everything, as we had done before, we decided to negotiate terms directly with each skater and handle the arrangements ourselves. Since getting involved in the ice show business, we had been organizing the events with the same set of people, but with "Ice Jewelry," we took a bold step to reorganize everything and start anew with a completely independent system. I am deeply grateful to everyone who extended their help during this time.

 

And most importantly, something significant happened. The first skater to join the cast of "Ice Jewelry" was Yuzuru Hanyu. In 2009, he made his debut at the World Junior Championships, where he showcased his potential on the world stage. About eight months later, he went on to win the World Junior Championship for the second time, becoming the fourth Japanese male to do so. He had already appeared in exhibitions like "Dream on Ice" and "Medalist on Ice" as a promising young skater, but it was "Ice Jewelry" that marked his first appearance as part of one of our own ice shows. It marked the beginning of a decade-long collaboration, making this show especially meaningful.

 

Thus, the momentum and preparations to finally bring the ice show I had dreamed of to life were in place. The title of the show had already been decided: "Fantasy on Ice."

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation, inaccuracies exist. Please do not reply in this thread.*

 

 

Chapter Three: Fantasy on Ice

 

 

3.1 The new “Fantasy on Ice” 

 

Spoiler

In 2010, we launched the new "Fantasy on Ice."

 

This name carries a deep personal significance. In 2002, we held the first show under this name, and that led to us registering it as a trademark, with the hope of nurturing it into our own brand. Since then, we have continued to develop the ice show business, including exhibitions featuring active skaters and inviting international ice shows, evolving the format over time. Over time, we built a system that allowed us to create everything ourselves, and when we were finally ready to launch a truly new ice show both in name and in substance, there was no other title that could represent it better than the "Fantasy on Ice" we had cherished all along.

 

The opening performance took place in July 2010 at the Toki Messe Niigata Convention Center in Niigata. The performers included Viktor Petrenko, Evgeni Plushenko, Stéphane Lambiel, Johnny Weir, Shizuka Arakawa, Miki Ando, and Yuzuru Hanyu, among others. It felt like the trust we had built with skaters over the years had come to fruition here. The Japanese a cappella group "The Gospellers" performed as the artists. The opening and finale choreography was created by Antonio Najarro. Despite this being a new endeavor in every respect, we received full cooperation from Kyodo Hokuriku and other Niigata stakeholders. We co-produced the show with NST Niigata General Television, with whom we had previously worked on shows like "Champions on Ice." Even though we had once incurred a loss, they continued to evaluate the show positively, saying, "This show is good." We are grateful for this support. Since then, Niigata has become our most popular location for performances.

 

The core concept of "Fantasy on Ice" is to invite various artists each year to collaborate with skaters in live performances. I was always convinced that live music is essential to amplifying the charm of figure skating, something that television alone can’t capture. The speed of the skating, the wind you feel as a skater glides right past you, and the energy that builds up as the skater interacts with the audience. The power of live music from the artists further enhances the power of figure skating, mutually inspiring each other to create a unique and special experience unlike anything else.

 

The pinnacle of this collaboration comes when the skaters perform newly created programs, specifically made for the show, to the songs and music performed by the artists.

 

When skaters perform, they usually skate to pre-recorded music. The music’s tempo and arrangement are often adjusted to fit the needs of the routine, creating a unique soundtrack just for that program. The consistency of the tempo is absolutely crucial for the skaters. Because figure skating is a sport where one stride can cover several meters, even the slightest change in tempo can throw off everything—from the number of steps to the timing of jumps and the length of the footwork.

 

With live music, it's only natural that the tempo and vocal tone will change slightly each time it's performed. Because of this, the collaboration between skating and live performance becomes an even more difficult challenge than most people would imagine. On the flip side, for the audience, it offers the unique opportunity to experience the real-time synergy between two different forms of art, as they work together to create a single performance.

 

The Gospellers, who were invited to the inaugural "Fantasy on Ice" in 2010, appeared in four collaborations. The skaters they performed with were: Plushenko with "Hoshikuzu no Machi," Johnny with "I LOVE YOU, BABY," French ice dance team Nathalie Péchalat & Fabian Bourzat with "Chikai,' and Junko Yaginuma with "1, 2, 3 for 5." It was the first time creating such a collaboration with vocalists and artists, so we didn’t know what to expect. It was likely the same for the artists. At first, Tetsuya Murakami, the leader of the Gospellers, seemed somewhat reserved, but after the show, he expressed his gratitude on stage, saying, "It was an honor to collaborate with such amazing skaters in this wonderful world." It's said that great artists recognize one another's talent, and I was deeply touched to hear him say that.

 

The collaboration was a challenge for the skaters as well. For foreign skaters, it starts with translating the Japanese lyrics and understanding their meaning. The performance time of the songs is often longer than the programs they usually skate to, so they need to be mindful of the music's dynamics and the meaning of the lyrics, adjusting their expression and energy accordingly. Despite the many unknowns, I’m grateful that they engage with it actively and enjoy the process. Junko Yaginuma, who is alumni of the same university as The Gospellers, had long wanted to collaborate with them, and she created a wonderful program for the show. I had heard about their connection for quite some time, so as a producer, I was really happy to see it come to fruition.

 

For the Fukui performance, we invited singer Dima Bilan, who was friends with Plushenko and his wife in Russia. This was our first collaboration with him, and I remember paying him his fee in cash as requested, which left a lasting impression. There was also an accident during the performance when Johnny Weir’s necklace came off and scattered. We had to pause the show temporarily while several people lined up to search for the pieces. The audience was very understanding and watched the situation warmly.

 

Mai Kuraki was the featured artist in 2011. Performances were held in Kanazawa and Fukuoka in June and July, and in Niigata in September. This was just three months after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Since recovery was still in the early stages, there was some uncertainty about whether or not to hold the show. However, we were able to offer Yuzuru Hanyu, who had been affected by the disaster and lost his training rink in Sendai, some practice space between June and July, even if it was just a small form of support. It was also moving to see the international skaters express their concern for Hanyu and try to protect and support him during this time.

 

As if in response to this support, Hanyu landed a triple axel and a quadruple jump during the performance, leaving everyone in awe. He rose from adversity with an indomitable spirit and transformed the kindness and support he received into strength. It was as if we were witnessing firsthand how Hanyu has become a symbol of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. The show was filled with youthful energy, featuring collaborations such as "Anata ga Iru kara" with Mai Kuraki and Shizuka Arakawa, and "Mou Ichido" with Johnny Weir. During the Niigata performance, the Sendai-based band MONKEY MAJIK performed with us.

 

In 2012, a show was held in Fukui in September. That year marked a historic moment as it was the first time Yuzuru Hanyu appeared in a collaboration, performing to "Hana ni Nare" by Fumiya Sashisa. Since then, Hanyu has been part of many collaborations, but this particular program is one that holds the deepest personal significance for me among all of his memorable performances.

 

I was the one who chose "Hana ni Nare" as the collaboration song. I don't remember exactly when or how I first heard it, but it felt almost like a coincidence. I listened to it without any prior knowledge, and right away, it resonated with me. The lyrics, which are meant to encourage and uplift, seemed to speak directly about Hanyu. In March, just six months before this, Hanyu had made his debut at the World Championships in Nice and returned to Japan with a bronze medal. Overcoming the hardships of the Great East Japan Earthquake, he carried the hopes of so many, and I believed that skating to this song would allow him to send a powerful and inspiring message to everyone watching.

 

During the live show, a grand piano was set up on stage, and Sashida performed "Hana ni Nare" as Hanyu skated. I was deeply moved by how Hanyu, still young, vividly embodied the tenderness and delicacy of the music in his performance. It was a chance to once again appreciate the amazing chemistry that collaboration can create. His costume, a mix of light blue and floral patterns, suited him perfectly.

 

What was delightful was that, despite their slight age difference, the two immediately hit it off like brothers at the ice show and continued their friendship for many years. It was incredibly gratifying to see the concept behind "Fantasy on Ice" come to life in its ideal form through the collaboration of "Hana ni Nare." Later, whenever the opportunity arose, Hanyu skated to this program, and it became a symbol of his thoughts on earthquake recovery. Perhaps it was precisely because the right program was created at the right time that a virtuous cycle was set in motion.

 

The following year, in 2013, we invited the singer-songwriter AI. I first learned about AI because Miki Ando was a fan of hers, and it was through her recommendation that I went to see AI’s concert, where I met her for the first time. It's fair to say that the invitation came to fruition a year later, thanks in no small part to Ando.

 

True to her public image, AI was a very lively and open-minded person, and she actively engaged with the skaters. That year, for the first time, Hanyu performed last, skating to AI’s hit song "Story." From the rehearsals, it was clear that both Hanyu and AI were giving it their all, and I couldn't help but feel excited before the performance, knowing it was going to be something special. Hanyu himself had heard the song when he performed at a charity event for earthquake recovery in Kobe, and he had a special attachment to it. Being able to reflect the skater’s own feelings is also one of the interesting aspects of collaboration.

 

Other collaborations included "Mama e" with Miki Ando, "HANABI" with Stéphane Lambiel, and "FOR YOU" with Akiko Suzuki. For Stéphane, this was his first opportunity to collaborate with a Japanese artist. I suggested the song, and after a thorough discussion with AI, Stéphane delivered a performance that exceeded my expectations in quality.

 

That year, we invited Javier Fernández, who had won the bronze medal at the World Championships and became the first Spanish world medalist. Although he was a medalist, he was still a young skater at the time. Over the next few years, however, he became one of the skaters who supported ice shows with his unique individuality, and eventually became an Olympic medalist. Considering this, I once again feel that if you see a skater with your own eyes who shows promise and has the potential to grow, you should actively invite them to perform, even if they have little experience.

 

 

 

3.2 Launching into a new era from Makuhari

 

Spoiler

2014 was a turning point for "Fantasy on Ice." For the first time in four years, the show, which had previously been held in regional cities, would be brought to the Tokyo metropolitan area. The venue was the Makuhari Event Hall in Makuhari New City, Chiba Prefecture. Despite being a large venue, it was designed in such a way that every seat offered a great view of the performance.

 

Makuhari is a place that holds a special meaning for me. In 1994, the World Championships held in Japan took place at the Makuhari Event Hall. It was the competition where Yuka Sato won the gold medal, and also the event where Philippe Candeloro, who took silver, captured the hearts of Japanese audiences. Having been involved in the event operations before becoming independent, the experience from that competition has remained a vivid memory for me.

 

Until then, we had been unable to hold "Fantasy on Ice" in the capital region, which had been a source of regret. There were several reasons for this, but the biggest challenge was that there were few venues of an appropriate size for Fantasy on Ice in the Tokyo area. The National Yoyogi National Gymnasium is used for various other events, and while Saitama Super Arena is great for competitions, it's simply too big for an ice show. When P&G kindly agreed to sponsor the event, it became possible to hold the show in the capital region, and the first venue that came to mind was the Makuhari Event Hall. The idea of "Makuhari" probably came from my long-standing experience with figure skating. Many people in the skating community commented, saying it felt "nostalgic" or "fitting."

 

In February 2014, Yuzuru Hanyu won Japan's first-ever gold medal in men's figure skating at the Sochi Olympics, at just 19 years old. Hanyu, who filled the whole of Japan with joy and pride, was to perform in the ice show right after that, and it really raised the stakes for me. Many spectators, likely seeing an ice show for the first time, were eager to catch a glimpse of him. I wanted to make sure that they would enjoy the best entertainment and leave the event feeling completely satisfied.

 

For the 2014 Makuhari performance, the guest artist was Hiromi Go. I was a huge fan of him myself and had secretly wished for him to perform for a long time. With the first-ever "Fantasy on Ice" being held in the Tokyo area, I was determined to have a national star who was known across all generations, and after persistent negotiations, I was overjoyed when it finally came through.

 

Hiromi Go was the embodiment of what it means to be a star. His overwhelming star power shone brightly through his performance, and his thoughtfulness backstage helped elevate the ice show. The atmosphere in the venue instantly surged with energy during the opening of "2 Oku 4 Sen Man no Hitomi" (240 Million Eyes), a moment that I will never forget. The collaboration songs included "Ienai Yo," "Kono Melody Dake wa," "Hollywood Scandal," "Aishiteru," "Aishu no Casablanca," and "Boku ga Donna ni Kimi o Suki ka, Kimi wa Shiranai." And the grand finale was "GOLD FINGER." These were all hit songs that almost everyone knows, making the selection not only familiar to the audience but also enjoyable. The collaboration with Hanyu to "Ienai yo" reached the peak of excitement.

 

It was no small feat for Go to sing such a large number of songs, each requiring rehearsals and detailed song adjustments for the collaborations. The sound check alone took hours, but I was deeply touched by the professional attitude that Go displayed throughout the entire process, from rehearsals to the actual performance. I will never forget how intently he was rehearsing right up until just a few minutes before the doors opened. The choreography was handled by Pasquale Camerlengo, an Italian choreographer based in the United States.

 

That same year, Brian Orser and Jeffrey Buttle were in charge of choreography for the Toyama and Niigata performances, with Sarah Alainn appearing as the featured artist. Sarah, with her beautiful voice and violin playing, performed "The Final Time Traveler," the theme song from the game "Time Travelers." Apparently, Hanyu had played this game before. This collaboration, born from that connection, created a beautiful moment, with Sarah’s pure voice and the resonance of the strings perfectly complementing Hanyu’s blend of delicacy and strength. He himself was surprised, saying, "I didn’t know vocals and skating could go together so well." This was also the debut stage for Hanyu’s famous program "Chopin’s Ballad No. 1," which would later become one of his iconic Olympic programs. Reflecting on that, it feels quite poignant.

 

The following year, in 2015, the show once again kicked off in Makuhari, with singer Che'Nelle invited as a guest artist. She passionately performed eight songs, including covers of famous tracks like "Believe," which Yuzuru Hanyu skated to, "Baby I Love You" with Miki Ando, and "Missing" with Brian Joubert, making for a truly powerful performance.

 

In terms of the level of challenge for the ice show, the performances in Kanazawa and Kobe that year may have been a significant achievement. Rather than asking a single big artist to collaborate on many pieces, we decided to invite multiple artists to perform on stage. The artists featured included soprano Tomotaka Okamoto, violinist and vocalist Sarah Alainn, and pianist Kotaro Fukuma. By featuring multiple artists, we hoped to create a unique chemistry between the skaters and the artists, creating a more diverse entertainment experience. It is my responsibility to book different artists each year and create shows that offer drastically different impressions, with the goal of letting the audience experience the surprise and excitement of such variety in a single show.

 

Tomotaka Okamoto is a unique artist who can sing in the soprano range despite being male. His powerful voice envelops the space, and when paired with figure skating, it creates an emotional experience that’s even more profound. He is an artist who truly embodies the essence of collaboration, creating performances that are indispensable to me as the organizer. In this show, he selected elegant pieces like the opera aria "Nessun Dorma" with Stéphane Lambiel, as well as "Amazing Grace" and "Boléro" for the finale, creating a series of spectacular collaborations. His duet with Sarah Alainn on "Time to Say Goodbye" was a perfect example of how bringing together multiple artists can elevate the whole show.

 

Pianist Kotaro Fukuma, who splits his time between Europe and Japan, performed "Clair de Lune," "Lullaby," and "Prelude." His music, with its subtle yet dramatic tones, inspired the skaters, and they responded to it beautifully, creating a refined collaboration. During the Kobe performance, when a chunk of ice broke and the show had to be paused while the hole was repaired, Fukuma stepped up on stage and, improvising, played Chopin's "Ballade No. 1." His impromptu piano recital turned the unexpected downtime into a moving experience for everyone, while the staff worked hard to resolve the issue. Needless to say, it was the piece that would later become one of Yuzuru Hanyu’s signature Olympic programs. It was a delightful surprise for everyone.

 

 

 

3.3 Deepening collaboration

 

Spoiler

The 2016 "Fantasy on Ice" was held in the absence of Yuzuru Hanyu. In March 2016, after the World Championships in Boston, he had to cancel all his appearances in ice shows due to ligament damage in his left foot, entering treatment and rehabilitation.

 

It’s an undeniable fact that for many years, not only did Hanyu play the role of the final skater, but he was also the backbone of the entire show. This was a critical moment to test the true value of "Fantasy on Ice," a show that had always been produced with a commitment to delivering a high-quality performance. In the audience, there were many fans eagerly awaiting Hanyu’s return. As the organizer, it was also my responsibility to ensure that the audience enjoyed the show and left with satisfaction.

 

For the Makuhari and Sapporo performances, we invited Tomomi Kahara, Norimasa Fujisawa, and Kotaro Fukuma. Kahara's vibrant singing brought classic hit songs to life, and every collaboration was met with great enthusiasm. The strength of those universally recognized songs was undeniable. Norimasa Fujisawa, known for his style of passionately singing classical music with contemporary arrangements, performed pieces like "Dattanjin No Odori." It’s fascinating how figure skating, a sport, pairs so well with such dramatic music, but especially when skaters with years of experience bring their explosive power and grand drama to the ice, it’s clear that strong music complements the performance perfectly.

 

Additionally, continuing from the previous year, we invited pianist Kotaro Fukuma to perform. I had an idea I really wanted to bring to life with Fukuma. Although Hanyu was unable to appear, I thought it would be wonderful to project his performance of "Ballade No. 1" onto the venue’s screen and have Fukuma provide live accompaniment. Of course, this idea was inspired by the deep impression I had from Fukuma's dramatic improvisation the previous year.

 

At first, Fukuma was hesitant. The music was meant to accompany the performance, and since the piece itself had been edited, if the tempo wasn’t perfectly synchronized, it would be out of sync with Hanyu’s movements. However, since it was a live performance in Fukuma’s style, perfectly matching the tempo was difficult, and he was concerned that doing so could distort Hanyu's intended expression. This situation made me realize Fukuma's artistic dedication to respecting both Hanyu’s art of figure skating and his own art of piano, aiming to deliver them in perfect harmony. But I wasn’t about to back down. I asked again, and eventually, Fukuma agreed. Following Hanyu’s message, a video of his performance from the Grand Prix Final was played in the quiet auditorium, followed by Fukuma’s intense performance, using the same arrangement as Hanyu’s original recording. The audience, watching the video and listening to Fukuma’s piano, applauded. Those who were there likely still remember that intense, special beauty.

 

In the same year’s performances in Kobe and Nagano, the lineup featured Kawabata Kaname, a member of CHEMISTRY who was also pursuing a solo career, the Yoshida Brothers with their tsugaru shamisen, opera singer Suzuki Yoshie, and pianist Kotaro Fukuma. This was the first collaboration between traditional Japanese instruments and figure skating, and the Yoshida Brothers' performance was nothing short of amazing. The Tsugaru shamisen, while a string instrument, has a percussive resonance, and their powerful musical style, which fused with rock music, commanded the vast space. During the opening “RISING,” the skaters and the audience pumped up together as one, instantly raising the energy in a way that was almost exhilarating. Nobunari Oda performed to a live rendition of "STORM," the program he used during the 2010-2011 season, delivering a performance full of passion. Yoshida Brothers' Kenichi Yoshida, having worked in Europe, collaborated with Spanish skater Javier Fernandez on the perfectly fitting song "Barcelona." Kawabata Kaname, known for his expansive vocals, brought out the nuances in his singing, which were beautifully showcased by seasoned skaters like Ilia Kulik, Brian Joubert, and Anna Cappellini & Luca Lanotte with mature, expressive performances.

 

Due to Hanyu’s absence that year, the Sapporo performance ended up in the red. There were many empty seats in the upper sections, and Stéphane Lambiel, concerned, came over to ask, “Are you okay?” I responded casually, “I’m fine, don’t worry about it,” but Stéphane’s kindness really touched my heart, and I still remember it well.

 

In 2017, we had Maki Ohguro, Keizo Nakanishi, and pianist Shinya Kiyozuka perform at the Makuhari show. I didn’t know this at the time, but it turns out that Ohguro has always been a fan of figure skating and had supported Michelle Kwan. With her powerful voice, she elevated the energy in the venue and really helped to get the crowd excited. Keizo Nakanishi also lived up to his reputation as a hit maker, demonstrating great synergy with the skaters.

 

Hanyu made his return to the show after two years, and with the Olympic season approaching, all eyes were on what kind of program he would skate. He closed the show with Chopin’s "Ballade No. 1." With the program that best represents his career, Hanyu displayed a deeper expression, eliciting a roar from the audience as they learned he would be competing in his second Olympic Games. The audience joined in the chorus for the closing "La La La," creating a finale full of unity.

 

Stéphane Lambiel skated to "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" to the beautiful piano played by Kiyozuka. The lyrical quality of Kiyozuka's piano and Stéphane’s skating, which excels at embodying the music, were a perfect match, creating a truly sublime moment. Kiyozuka, beyond his sound checks and rehearsals, was incredibly light on his feet, constantly watching the skaters practice from rinkside. During such times, I often saw him engaging in conversations about music with Hanyu.

 

At the Kobe and Niigata performances, Anri made an appearance. The collaborations included four songs: "CAT'S EYE" for the opening, "Kanashimi ga Tomaranai" with Miki Ando, "Olivia wo Kikinagara" with Shizuka Arakawa, and "SUMMER CANDLES" with Akiko Suzuki. Anri’s expansive voice was beautifully expressed by the female skaters, each bringing their own colorful interpretations, creating an exceptionally vibrant collaboration.

 

It was also memorable that Hanyu, after consulting with Anri’s support guitarist, Takeo Konno, was able to perform a portion of "Parisienne Walkways" with live guitar. This surprise occurred only on the third day of the Niigata performance, but the joy of seeing a collaboration born from an idea at the scene come to fruition is truly special. As a producer, I believe it’s important to maintain the mindset of "anything goes if it’s interesting." Whether or not ideas born on-site can be nurtured and brought to life depends on an optimistic approach that is not bound by feasibility or cost.

 

In 2018, Hanyu achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first male skater in 66 years to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals, and the event was held amid a continuing atmosphere of celebration. After injuring himself during the Grand Prix series and taking a four-month break, Hanyu immediately took on the high-stakes challenge of the Olympics. Many spectators likely worried whether he would be able to recover in time for the ice show, especially since he had missed the World Championships immediately afterward. However, Hanyu overcame those concerns, showcasing the skating of a champion in his own program.

 

Artists who appeared in the first half of the Makuhari and Kanazawa shows included Kawabata Kaname and Douchin Yoshikuni of the twin vocal unit CHEMISTRY, May J., and violinist Miyamoto Emiri. Also this year, Takebe Satoshi, who has long worked on Yumi Matsutoya's concerts and the FNS Music Festival, joined the project as musical director, and it truly felt like having the support of a hundred people. As a music producer, Takebe has extensive experience in shaping the flow of a performance and conveying it to the audience. Furthermore, as a pianist, he also delivers stunning performances. I am confident that his precise guidance, which takes an overarching view of the entire project, will help expand our possibilities even further. Johnny Weir revived "Swan Lake" for the first time in 12 years, accompanied by Miyamoto Emiri, and other outstanding performances were also produced, including a collaboration between Miyamoto and CHEMISTRY.

 

Kawabata had performed solo the previous year, but in 2018, the duo CHEMISTRY was invited to perform together, shortly after resuming their activities as a unit following a multi-year hiatus. The song chosen was a request from Hanyu. Normally, we narrow down the selection from hit songs and present the options to the skaters for them to choose from, so it was highly unusual for a request to come from the skater’s side. I will discuss the details of this process later.

 

Elladj Baldé, a Canadian skater who has been showing impressive talent in recent years, performed "This Is Me," recreating a scene from a musical film with the ensemble skaters. The number was well-received, reminding us of the need to be more creative in integrating the ensemble skaters, who have been with us from the start, into our performances.

 

Former Princess Princess members Kaori Kishitani, Norimasa Fujisawa, and Shinya Kiyozuka appeared at the latter half of the tour in Kobe, Niigata, and Shizuoka. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, who had promised, 'We can’t perform until after the PyeongChang Olympics because we want to focus on my competition, but once we become medalists, we will definitely perform,' showcased their majestic skating to Fujisawa's "You Raise Me Up," exuding the aura of champions. Another memorable collaboration was Johnny Weir's skating to Fujisawa's cover of Misora Hibari's "Kawa no Nagare no Yō ni." It was an unusual choice of Japanese pop song, but Johnny, known for his exceptional taste and intuition, listened carefully to the song and delivered a truly tasteful interpretation, resulting in a memorable number. Oda Nobunari's performance of "Katte ni Shiyagare" as Julie (Sawada Kenji) was a lot of fun, with the audience getting excited as he perfectly embodied Julie’s concert persona.

 

 

 

 

3.4 The Joy of the Tenth Anniversary

 

Spoiler

"Fantasy on Ice" marked its tenth performance in 2019. Each year, we have invited different artists and held performances in various cities across Japan in a tour format, creating amazing shows. This has been possible thanks to the skaters who give their all in every performance, the dedicated staff and venue workers, and, of course, the continued support of our audience. I am deeply grateful. Through presenting the immense charm and potential of figure skating in the form of an ice show, I only hope that we have played some role in its future development.

 

Over these ten years, we’ve come up with various creative ideas to highlight the performances of both the skaters and the artists. Specifically, when it comes to sound and lighting, we’ve worked hard to create a space that rivals that of a major artist concert.

 

The ice show is held in a structure where the audience surrounds the rink on three sides. When using pre-recorded sound, the speakers mounted on the ceiling direct sound from above, filling the entire venue, but for "Fantasy on Ice," we have live performances on stage at the front. Combining the sound from the front and the sound coming from above is extremely difficult. To ensure that there are no inconsistencies in the sound regardless of where the audience is seated, we carefully adjust the sound mix, equipment quality, speaker placement, and volume.

 

The same can be said for lighting. One significant change over the past ten years has been the expanded capabilities of laser lighting. However, what looks good from the front might not work from the side. I always check from different angles to ensure it’s effective. There are many group numbers in the opening and finale, and lighting plays a particularly important role in these. If the spotlight focuses too much on a specific skater, it becomes hard to see the overall picture. On the other hand, if it's too dark and the skaters aren't visible, that's a problem too. With only eight spotlights available, it’s impossible to follow everyone, so as the producer, I often have to make decisions like, "In this scene, focus on this person, and in this scene, brighten it up for the whole group." It’s fascinating how lighting can dramatically enhance the overall flow of the performance. When the budget gets tight, lighting is often the first to be cut, but an ice show with only spotlights would be dull, so I’ve always made it a priority not to skimp here. When planning the overall production, I always keep in mind the advances in lighting technology.

 

Vocalist Toshl made an appearance in the 2019 "Fantasy on Ice." In the Makuhari tour, Toshl was joined by BENI and violinist Mayuko Suenobu, with Satoshi Takebe returning as music director for his second year. The lineup was diverse, including Alina Zagitova making her debut and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva returning for the first time in eight years. Johnny Weir skated to Toshl’s rendition of "Akai Sweet Pea," but he misunderstood the meaning of the Japanese lyrics and arrived in Japan with a white costume. Known for his meticulous attention to expressing the essence of a song, he was concerned about this and, during rehearsal, worked with costume designer Minako Orihara. Together, they decided to add a red sash belt to the white costume, completing the expression and making it perfect for the performance. Stéphane Lambiel skated to "I LOVE YOU," dazzling the audience with his artistic portrayal of the Japanese pop song on the ice. Stéphane, who understood the lyrics of Yutaka Ozaki’s song, really enjoyed skating to "I LOVE YOU," and it seems this program became special for him too.

 

Hanyu performed two pieces: "Masquerade" and "Crystal Memories." "Masquerade" was a program choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne, who also created his signature competitive programs like "SEIMEI," "HOPE & LEGACY," and "The Phantom of the Opera." His passionate skating, combined with Toshl’s soulful voice, created an electrifying collaboration that was one of the most intense and powerful in recent years. Hanyu gave his all every time, leaving everything on the ice and barely enough energy to return backstage, which always left me both nervous and moved. Meanwhile, "Crystal Memories" was choreographed by David Wilson, who previously choreographed the classic exhibition number "NOTTE STELLATA (THE SWAN)." The supple musicality of this piece is vividly expressed in each step, making these two collaborations a clear showcase of Hanyu's expressive range and his progress over the past decade.

 

By inviting different artists each time, we’ve aimed to present an ice show with a unique atmosphere. "Fantasy on Ice" started with this concept, and through ten years of trial and error, experience, and the growth of the skaters, the show has matured and evolved into a highly sophisticated entertainment experience that we can proudly call top-class. As I watch the show from the audience, I can feel that the audience's reactions have improved year by year. This is not only because the show itself has gotten better, but also because the audience has developed a deeper appreciation for the unique joy of ice shows, cultivated a greater understanding of figure skating, and learned to enjoy supporting the skaters.

 

Once again, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone involved, and as I continue brainstorming new ideas, I look forward to delivering entertainment that will surprise and delight our audience. Through continuous change and improvement, I hope to further nurture "Fantasy on Ice" as a brand. This is something I hold deeply in my heart.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation, inaccuracies exist. Please do not reply in this thread.*

 

 

Chapter Four: Behind the scenes of event production

 

 

4.1 Deciding priorities on the ground 

 

Spoiler

This is a story from my younger days, but when walking through the backstage corridor during an event, I would often be called out, like, "Hey, you there, could you prepare XX in the dressing room over there?" Since it was usually something minor, like tissues, and I was a young staff member, I’d respond with "Got it," and start walking again. But then, "Makabe-kun, please bring XX to the other dressing room!" would come up again. This kind of situation happens often to rookies, but what do we learn from this?

 

The key is to ignore the order in which things are asked and instead quickly determine what needs to be done first. Whether the task is big or small, the most important skill in event and entertainment production is "to think on your feet, prioritize, and never panic, no matter what."

 

After all, there are so many people involved. Even behind the scenes of an ice show, unexpected things happen as the performance start time approaches. No matter how close we are to the show’s opening or how sudden the changes are, panicking is the end. We have to calmly assess what’s needed in that moment.

 

If you’re internally panicking, how would it look if you passed on that anxiety to someone else in a rushed tone? For example, let’s say a last-minute change of performers is decided, and you urgently pass the news to the announcer. If you’re panicked, the announcer might mishear or make a mistake. In that case, it’s better to take a moment to write out a new script for the announcer, no matter how long it takes, ensuring it’s clear. On the other hand, the person coming to you might also be anxious, so they may not fully communicate all the necessary information. You need to listen carefully to those remaining 20% of the details that may not be explicitly said. By staying calm in these situations, you can ensure the other person receives the complete and correct information, no matter how tight the situation. It sounds simple, but it’s actually quite difficult.

 

The ability to quickly assess what’s needed and respond flexibly can only be developed on-site. Under the pressure of approaching deadlines, you need to predict what will happen next. In such a tense atmosphere, you have to take a deep breath, calm yourself down, and then quickly and efficiently figure out who to communicate with, how to communicate, and how to move things forward.

 

I believe I learned these subtle nuances from my first experience managing an event that I was personally chosen for. It was an event organized by Kadokawa Shoten for their reader service, which I received after a broadcasting company I had worked with for past events said, "We want Makabe to take charge." The Sunflower, a passenger ship cruising around Tokyo Bay, was chartered for the day-long event, with various sections created on board. This was the heyday of Kadokawa films. President Haruki Kadokawa served as captain, and the crew included Hiroko Yakushimaru, Tomoyo Harada, and Noriko Watanabe, known as the "Kadokawa Three Girls" at the time. Hironobu Nomura also made an appearance and ran various segments, including a concert. This was an innovative project with 500 fans on board, and since it was unprecedented, there was no manual to follow. I was thrilled to be personally chosen and entrusted with the task, but at the same time, it was a time of great pressure for me as the person in charge. It was an incredibly stressful experience, and I learned a lot from each and every incident, while also being extremely focused on avoiding any problems.

 

It’s through these kinds of opportunities that event producers can grow significantly. While small misunderstandings or problems are manageable, sometimes, based on the progress of the event, safety-related issues can arise. When it comes to crisis management, swift and accurate decisions are even more crucial. In those moments, the ability to calmly make the right decision is the most important skill needed in the entertainment industry.

 

 

 

4.2 Trust and Professionalism

 

Spoiler

The ice show production business has grown through ups and downs, facing red and black numbers repeatedly over the years. Along the way, I've gained a wealth of diverse experiences.

 

When the deficit in ticket sales becomes apparent during the preparation phase, the atmosphere behind the scenes inevitably turns gloomy. In recent years, many events are co-hosted by multiple companies, and it is precisely during these times that smooth communication becomes even more crucial. However, in reality, co-hosts can sometimes demand cuts in operating costs despite the event already being underway, due to operational policies and cost sharing issues, creating a negative cycle. I learned a lot from these bitter experiences.

 

Indeed, it is in difficult times that a person’s true nature shows. Naturally, I want to work with those who reached out to help during tough times or who shared in the hardship. Such experiences also help prevent future failures and can serve as a form of mutual security. The relationships that have lasted over time are with those companies and individuals with whom I’ve been able to build such trust.

 

Through "Fantasy on Ice," we've been able to build good relationships with local co-hosts and audiences. Finding venues suitable for ice shows in the Tokyo metropolitan area has always been a challenge. The breakthrough came when we were able to hold "Ice Jewelry" in Kanazawa the year before "Fantasy on Ice" began. Since then, we’ve held shows multiple times in places like Niigata and Kanazawa, where we’ve continued to build collaborative relationships.

 

We don’t create tangible products, so ultimately, sales and business relationships are based on personal trust and character. Many people ask me what the secret to business success is, but the truth is, it’s not something that can be taught or learned easily. Personally, I feel like I’ve just been "lucky," but there must have been something more to it. Ultimately, I believe that good interpersonal relationships are the most important factor. It starts with not turning down any opportunities when someone reaches out, and over time, these interactions often evolve into professional relationships. I think one should always strive to be the kind of person that others think, "This is the person I want to ask."

 

The kind of people I want to work with are those who speak their minds, and those who, when I have a vague idea like "I want it to be like this, but I’m not sure how to put it into action," can take that and, from a professional perspective, say "This is how we can make it happen," while also adding new ideas on top of it. I, too, try to focus on developing ideas based on my expertise, rather than criticizing them prematurely. If we can build a back-and-forth exchange based on each other's areas of expertise, we can improve the production process.

 

In order to create a good atmosphere on set, advance planning is essential. No matter how talented a director may be, they cannot manage the set without a stage manager who can faithfully realize the director's plan. Stage directors, who exercise leadership by keeping everything on set in mind, often have strong personalities, but there is much to learn from their work.

 

The first task of a stage manager is to take the script provided by the director and break it down into a detailed timeline, creating a progress sheet. The schedule meticulously lists every detail, including the movements of the performers, the actions of the backstage crew, and the movement of the equipment, all broken down by time. When I was still an assistant, I was amazed at how detailed these progress sheets were. But just as a large building requires a detailed blueprint, the larger the show, the more crucial an accurate and intricate timeline becomes. This is the basis for advance preparations.

 

We meticulously plan everything we can in advance, while remaining flexible when unexpected events arise. This is a long-standing principle in the sporting events we are involved in.

 

When the show draws near and the skaters and staff arrive at the venue, the key becomes hospitality. By creating a comfortable environment, I want the skaters to perform at their best and feel at ease, while also ensuring that the staff have a conducive working atmosphere. Ultimately, this leads to a more enjoyable experience for the audience as well. By "creating the right space," performers and staff gain new insights and discover the next steps, fostering a sense of improvement and a commitment to excellence.

 

Since around 2015, I've noticed a significant increase in the number of skaters participating in "Fantasy on Ice." The fact that we were receiving fewer rejections to our offers is one sign of this. However, this wasn't just because the ice show itself had grown and gained recognition; I believe it was also because many skaters who had participated in events like the World Championships and the NHK Trophy in Japan returned home with a positive impression of the experience. Japan’s ability to organize competitions is truly high by global standards, and it guarantees an environment where athletes can perform comfortably. Skaters who have personally experienced this level of comfort at these events are more likely to accept offers to participate in ice shows with a sense of reassurance. While factors such as the prestige of the show, the quality of the production, and appearance fees certainly influence their decision to participate, I believe that the ability to perform without stress and showcase their talents in a comfortable setting holds even greater significance. What kind of hotel will they stay in? What kind of meals will be served? What about scheduling? Each of these may seem like simple and trivial details, but since it's a human-centered project, it's important to pay attention to basic needs.

 

What’s needed for this is to empower the staff who are actually working on the ground. The people closest to the scene are the ones who can notice the needs, and if they can address them immediately, the process won’t slow down, and, above all, it makes the work more interesting. When working on contracted jobs, I earn trust by anticipating not only what the client has asked for, but also things they haven’t mentioned or might not even notice.  Similarly, when it comes to organizing, my team ensures they don’t make mistakes in important decision-making. While we move forward based on decisions made on the ground, any matters that require my judgment as the organizer are immediately brought to my attention. From the preparation phase to the actual performance day, the current "Fantasy on Ice" is created by a team who moves autonomously without needing my constant input. 

 

 

 

4.3 An Eye for People

 

Spoiler

The entertainment business is a job that begins and ends with people. That's why having an eye for people is so important. This includes the ability to recognize talent, as well as having a radar for people who possess skills you may not have yourself, and forming connections with trustworthy individuals.

 

In the early days of organizing ice shows, Sergio Canovas, the agent who helped bring in the skaters, was one such person with an eye for talent. He was someone I could speak to frankly. While now we directly communicate with the skaters ourselves, back when we had less experience, he took care of much of the coordination. At the time, we relied heavily on the agent when it came to selecting the skaters and determining the program content. Although our first ice show ended in a deficit, it was thanks to careful preparation that the second show was successful, and a significant part of that success was due to his efforts.

 

Thanks to the connections I made with people like him, I’ve been able to grow the business this far. As for whether I’ve developed the ability to spot talent myself, it’s been a mix of successes and failures. Of course, achieving one major success might be enough in some cases, so it’s not always straightforward. However, what I do have is the ability to build close relationships with those who are known for their sharp eye in their respective fields. This, after all, falls under the category of interpersonal skills.

 

Entrusting someone with an important part of your work means that person holds power in that area. While performers and other stakeholders recognized me as the promoter in Japan, there were certainly times when the agent was seen as the more important figure, since it was the agent who actually reached out to the skaters and handled all the communications up until the contract was signed. I delegated what needed to be delegated and took control when necessary. Because it's all about human relationships, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. I believe it’s about clearly defining roles and creating an environment where everyone can leverage their strengths. In our world, we call this “being well-organized.”

 

What I make sure to do is always sit in the best seats, like front row or rinkside, during every ice show and watch the entire performance. I also make sure the skaters are aware that I’m watching. There’s a mindset that says, as someone behind the scenes, I should stay out of sight, but as long as I want to deliver what I find exciting and the performances I believe in to the audience, it would be dishonest not to witness it myself. It’s a way of showing that I take responsibility for the content. As a result, when skaters fall multiple times during a performance, they'll come up to me later to apologize, saying, "I'm sorry I fell." I believe this also creates a sense of tension, encouraging them to approach each performance with greater care and focus.

 

Moreover, by watching everything with my own eyes, I’ve come to realize how much quicker I can respond if any issues arise on the ice. For instance, if it looks like a skater has been injured, I immediately go backstage to check the situation. For the same reason, whenever time and circumstances allow, I make sure to attend rehearsals and sound checks. In the beginning, I had many discussions with the staff in charge of lighting, sound, and other areas while creating the show, but now we can communicate almost intuitively, and they understand my intentions without me having to explain every detail. Being able to work towards the same goal with reliable skaters, artists, and staff is one of the greatest joys.

 

When dealing with people, I try to be honest. Or rather, I think that's just my personality. I have a strong desire not to do things in a superficial way. As a result, since I don’t lie to anyone, there’s never a discrepancy between what I say to person A and what I say to person B.. There's no need to worry about unnecessary things. If I do things honestly and they don’t work out, then I just accept it and move on.

 

 

In business, there’s naturally competition and conflict, and there have been times when I’ve faced unpleasant situations. There were moments when I almost thought, "If they do this to me, I’ll get back at them." But then I stopped and thought, "No, wait." I realized that if I did that, I’d be lowering myself to their level, so I reflected on it. Since then, even when I’ve been at a disadvantage, I’ve made it a rule not to retaliate. People have often called me a "softie," but even when I lose out, I believe it's my own fault for being deceived. I've had my fair share of frustrating experiences, but the truth is, those who are paying attention will understand. In the end, the other party often reaches out, and things tend to work out. I feel that staying true to my principles, and not getting caught up in short-term issues, has been a driving force behind the success of the business.

 

 

 

 

4.4 "Ambition" is the Starting Point

 

Spoiler

The spirit of pioneering and a mindset focused on craftsmanship are always necessary when taking on new fields. In the future, you can’t compete without content. If you don’t create content that no one else can imitate, you won’t survive. As a production company, the era of "doing sales to secure work" is over, and now it’s about creating your own opportunities.

 

Starting a new business always comes with risks, but "no risk, no reward." If you’re afraid of taking on the initial risk, there’s no chance for success down the line. Of course, it’s not about blindly venturing into unknown areas, but if it’s within the field of figure skating, I’m willing to take on any risk and challenge anything in order to seek new possibilities. I want to create entirely new spaces that emerge when true talent meets true talent. While I certainly have the desire to push "Fantasy on Ice" further, I’m also always thinking about new concepts and ice shows to create.

 

It’s important to assess risks and define boundaries, but if that slows you down, it defeats the purpose. That’s why I believe it’s crucial for me, as the one responsible, to make all the decisions. If day-to-day work involves making "judgments," then when it comes to bigger decisions, there are moments that call for "brave decisions." In those moments, I need to be someone who can make a clear decision without hesitation.

 

After all, the starting point is "ambition." If it benefits the athletes, I’ll do it. If it helps the development of Japanese skating, I’ll do it. If it brings joy to the audience, I’ll do it. It’s that drive to do something "for others" that keeps things going. If my motivation had been purely "to make money," I wouldn’t have made it this far. When you work with a sense of purpose, not personal gain, that passion naturally resonates with those around you.

 

I've always believed in taking on all risks and responsibilities myself. To do that, I needed the drive to keep moving forward. So, what was the internal motivation that kept me going? I think it was probably the desire to "do something no one else has done" and "do something that would surprise people."

 

If you pursue something that no one has ever seen before, something that you can create from scratch, you can deliver something interesting and it makes your job fun. To amaze people, you need to act first and stay ahead of the game. That’s why I always make sure to travel wherever necessary to build connections, both domestically and internationally. Along the way, I’ve often been told, "You’re the first person from Japan to come see this." Being curious, proactive, and willing to go anywhere is an attitude that is also essential for an entrepreneur.

 

That being said, I believe a big part of how I’ve come this far is due to "good luck." I’m grateful to be able to do what I love, thanks to the support and cooperation of so many people.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation, inaccuracies exist. Please do not reply in this thread.*

 

 

Chapter Five: Exhibitions that strengthen athletes

 

 

5.1 Ice shows and exhibitions 

 

Spoiler

I’d like to take a moment to reflect on exhibitions in domestic competitions in Japan. The All-Japan Championships, which determine Japan's top figure skaters, is held every December. It may be hard to imagine now, but in the past, the All-Japan Championships didn't feature exhibitions. Figure skating is a unique sport in that, while athletes compete for podium spots, the day after the competition, they perform in exhibitions where they showcase their skills in more relaxed, non-competitive performances. These exhibitions are not focused on the high difficulty or perfection that characterizes the competitive elements, but instead, they give skaters a chance to express their individuality and connect with the audience. It's also a moment to celebrate the skaters who have faced the intense competition and achieved great results.

 

In the past, many skaters performed exhibition numbers using vocal music, which wasn’t allowed in competition, as well as props and tricks like backflips (which were not permitted in competitive routines). Major competitions like the World Championships usually feature exhibitions alongside the competition in their television broadcasts as well.

 

It’s natural for athletes to grow through competition experience, but I believe there’s also much to discover, absorb, and grow from in the exhibition setting, where there are no strict rules to follow and they perform in front of a live audience. What makes a performance uniquely theirs? What does it mean to connect with the audience through their skating? These are questions that help skaters reflect on their own performance. And I believe that reflection can be applied to improve their competitive skills and overall strength.

 

Having had many opportunities to watch exhibitions and ice shows from an early age, I’ve always thought this way. Eventually, I developed a dream of wanting to contribute to the strengthening of Japanese skaters through exhibitions. This was particularly true during a time when it was often said, “Japanese skaters are technically skilled, but they’re shy and lack expression.” I didn’t believe that was true. I felt that if they were given the chance to learn through trial and error, Japanese skaters had the potential for expressive performances. If you look at the top Japanese skaters thriving on the global stage today, it’s clear that such criticisms at the time were misplaced.

 

The All-Japan Championships, while still a major event to crown the best skater in the country, was much smaller and more intimate in scale in the past. However, the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics marked a turning point, sparking a growing interest in figure skating. By the 2000s, a growing momentum emerged to support and cheer on athletes advancing to the global stage after winning the All-Japan Championships.

 

Around this time, with the cooperation of the Japan Skating Federation, we were able to invite young Japanese skaters perform in the "Philippe Candeloro Fantasy on Ice 2002." The first tour, held the year before, featured senior skaters, but the second one took place in November, during the peak of the season, which made it difficult for senior athletes to participate. However, Daisuke Takahashi, who won the 2002 World Junior Championships and made his senior debut that year, was able to perform. Additionally, Mao Asada, who had won the All Japan Novice A category, was also part of the show. At that time, Mao was in sixth grade, but she performed with great poise among adult skaters. The ice show, with its entertainment-heavy flair typical of Philippe's style, must have appeared fresh to the young skaters as well. Skating with tension in front of an audience was seen as an opportunity for the skaters' development, and this was also appreciated by those around them. I believe that experience was one of the factors that led to the creation of exhibition opportunities.

 

 

 

5.2 Medalist on Ice

 

Spoiler

The idea of holding an exhibition featuring Japan's current athletes first came up in 2002. The 2001-2002 season was an Olympic year, with the Winter Olympics held in Salt Lake City in February and the World Championships in Nagano in March. The Japan Skating Federation approached us about the possibility of holding a send-off exhibition for the Japanese skaters who would be competing. CIC was contracted to manage the All-Japan Championships, so we naturally ended up being involved in managing the send-off exhibition.

 

At the end of January, just before the Olympics, the send-off exhibition titled "GET A CHANCE 2002" was held at the National Yoyogi Stadium. With a capacity of 10,000, around 2,000 spectators attended. There were many family members and people related to the athletes, giving the event an intimate atmosphere.

 

Even so, this small-scale exhibition brought together Japan's top athletes, some of whom were about to compete in the Olympics and World Championships.

 

Takeshi Honda, Yosuke Takeuchi, Yoshie Ond, and Fumie Suguri were among the Japanese skaters who performed at this exhibition as they prepared for the big stage. With the Olympics just around the corner, Honda initially expressed concerns about the possibility of an injury before the Games. However, Honda flawlessly skated his short program to "Don Quixote," and immediately afterward, he placed second in the short program at the Olympics. Although he ultimately finished fourth in the final standings, his performance in Salt Lake City marked a significant milestone, showing that Japanese male skaters could compete on equal footing with the world’s top athletes. Honda carried the positive momentum from his flawless performance at the exhibition into the Olympics, demonstrating that the experience gained in exhibitions can have a positive impact on competitive skaters.

 

Building on this success, the first-ever official exhibition was held at the 2002 All-Japan Championships in December of that year. This marked the birth of what has now become the annual "ALL JAPAN Medalist on Ice."

 

 

The venue was the National Yoyogi Gymnasium, and since the event was hosted by the Japan Skating Federation, an amateur sports organization, we were able to keep costs down. While it may seem modest by today’s standards, we set the atmosphere by dimming the lights and using spotlights, creating a true exhibition feel. The intense lighting and darkened floor may have made it difficult for the less-experienced athletes to perform, but the 2,000 spectators warmly embraced the show. This event marked the first edition of what has since become the annual "Medalist on Ice."

 

 

A memorable year for "Medalist on Ice" was the second edition at the end of 2003. While the All Japan Championships were held in Nagano that year, "Medalist on Ice" was relocated to the New Yokohama Prince Hotel Skate Center. The guest star was Alexei Yagudin, the Olympic gold medalist from Salt Lake City, who had also competed at the World Championships in Nagano. Known for his dramatic performances, Yagudin came to Japan right after announcing his retirement from competitive skating. His popularity boosted ticket sales, but once the curtain rose, the diverse and unique performances by the Japanese skaters brought delightful surprises to the audience, creating a hugely exciting atmosphere.

 

The third edition in December 2004 featured star athletes such as Alexei Yagudin, Marina Anissina & Gwendal Peizerat, and Shen Xue & Zhao Hongbo. This event also showcased the rise of Japanese skaters, with Miki Ando, the two-time consecutive All-Japan Champion, as well as the reigning champion Takeshi Honda, and Mao Asada taking part. The previous season’s World Champion, Shizuka Arakawa, unfortunately had to withdraw from the All-Japan Championships due to an injury, but she was still selected to represent Japan at the World Championships, moving closer to her historic victory at the Turin Olympics. Just before the Turin Olympics, the fourth edition of the event in 2005 was held, with the renowned band DREAMS COME TRUE making an appearance, adding a special touch to the show.

 

I think the style of "Medalist on Ice" truly took shape with the fifth edition in 2006. Following Shizuka Arakawa’s historic victory at the Turin Olympics, figure skating as a whole garnered much more attention. With that in mind, the question became: how could we elevate the exhibition to match the increased prestige and significance of the sport at that time? Several top athletes had long expressed a desire to skate to a full orchestra, which became the inspiration for the event. A full orchestra was brought to Osaka's Namihaya Dome (at the time), with conductor Kim Seikyo leading an unprecedented collaboration between classical music and ice.

 

The final performance was, of course, gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa's Olympic program, "Turandot." And to close the event, fitting for the end of the year, was a moving performance of Beethoven’s "Symphony No. 9," sung by sopranist Tomotaka Okamoto, accompanied by the full Kyoto Symphony Orchestra and a choir of about 100 members.

 

"Medalist on Ice" initially had ups and downs in terms of ticket sales. However, over time, sales steadily increased, and with it, the energy in the venue grew stronger. This trajectory might have mirrored the rising popularity of figure skating in Japan.

 

 

 

5.3 Dreams on Ice

 

Spoiler

"Dreams on Ice," held annually from June to July, is an exhibition featuring active skaters that started in 2004. While "Medalist on Ice" is a send-off event, "Dreams on Ice" celebrates the achievements and hard work of skaters who have competed in events such as the World Championships and World Junior Championships.

 

The first "Dreams on Ice" took place in June 2004. The 2003-2004 season leading up to it was a pivotal one, with Fumie Suguri winning the Grand Prix Final in December, Miki Ando claiming victory at the World Junior Championships in March, and Shizuka Arakawa winning her first World Championships in Dortmund the same month. It became increasingly clear that Japanese skaters could compete and win on the world stage. However, even with these impressive accomplishments, the situation remained that skaters had no platform to showcase their performances and gauge audience reactions outside of competitions.

 

With that in mind, the decision was made to hold an exhibition focused on Japanese skaters during the early summer, when the season was transitioning. We were unsure whether the audience would come to see an exhibition featuring not just top athletes, but also many junior-level skaters during the off-season. Despite these doubts, the event went ahead.

 

The first event, held at the Shin-Yokohama Prince Hotel Skate Center, featured guests Alexei Yagudin, Marina Anisina & Gwendal Peizerat, and Brian Joubert, who won his first European Championship. The invitations were based on the belief that experiencing the performances and personalities of top international skaters at a close distance would serve as role models for younger skaters and have a definite positive impact. These elite skaters, who had reached the pinnacle of their careers, always treated the younger athletes with warmth and encouragement, and thanks to the support of the audience who cheered on these up-and-coming skaters, the event has been held every year since.

 

"Dreams on Ice" features Japanese skaters who have performed exceptionally well and represented Japan in major competitions during the season. Since the figure skating season changes on July 1st, the exhibition is held around that time to honor the athletes who have achieved great results. It includes skaters who have excelled in major events like the Olympics, World Championships, and Grand Prix Final, as well as Junior World Championships and the All-Japan Novice Championships. The youngest skaters can even be elementary school students. For these athletes, the opportunity to watch the world's top skaters perform firsthand is a great source of inspiration.

 

Perhaps it's because they share this passion that top skaters from around the world attend every year. Nathan Chen, a two-time World Champion, made his first appearance in 2017. After being impressed by his performance at the Grand Prix Final the previous year, I contacted his agent and made an official offer to him at the 2017 Four Continents Championships in Gangneung, South Korea, before he even won. Nathan’s debut in a Japanese ice show was at "Dream on Ice," and in 2019, he returned for his third appearance. In fact, it was his agent who reached out to us saying, “Aren’t you inviting Nathan this year?” We're delighted that he's looking forward to skating at "Dreams on Ice," and he's one of the top skaters currently carrying on the exhibition's tradition of serving as a good example for younger skaters.

 

Additionally, we often invite young international skaters who are on the verge of breaking onto the world stage. For example, in 2018, Russian rising star Anna Shcherbakova made her debut at "Dreams on Ice." The following year, skaters like Alena Kostornaia, Alexandra Trusova, and Shcherbakova again were invited. These Russian women, who debuted in the senior ranks in the 2019-2020 season and swiftly claimed spots on the world podium, were introduced to Japanese audiences in the summer before their breakout success.

 

In order to invite promising junior skaters, it is essential to first see them with my own eyes, so I make an effort to attend various competitions both domestically and internationally during the season to observe them closely.

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Machine translation, inaccuracies exist. Please do not reply in this thread.*

 

 

Chapter Six: Stars that Make the Show Shine

 

 

6.1 Stéphane Lambiel 

 

Spoiler

A key figure I consider both a close ally and someone I’m deeply grateful to in continuing "Fantasy on Ice" is Stéphane Lambiel. A two-time World Champion in 2005 and 2006, and silver medalist at the 2006 Turin Olympics, I first met Stéphane shortly after his Olympic success, at "Dreams on Ice" in Japan in July 2006.

 

Even today, Stéphane is known as an "artist on ice." His talent was evident from a young age, creating spectacular moments not only with his jumps but also with his spins and skating. His spins, in particular, are breathtakingly beautiful. Switzerland has produced many skaters skilled in spins, including Denise Biellmann, known for the "Biellmann Spin." Perhaps this is a Swiss tradition? From the moment I saw Stéphane's performance, I clearly felt his mysterious charm, drawing me in, and he was a skater who made me want to see him perform in shows again.

 

My first impression of him was that he was a "serious and earnest man." He was punctual, and there was a certain meticulousness in his actions common to Japanese people. Perhaps the most telling example of this was during his second year at "Champions on Ice."

 

When Stéphane came to Japan for the show, he was unfortunately hit with the misfortune of having his luggage lost. Among the missing items were his skates and costume, leaving him unable to skate. Desperately, he contacted the airline, but it seemed impossible to make it in time for the first day of the show. However, when the curtain rose on opening night, Stéphane came out onto the rink and skated his entire routine as if nothing had happened. When asked how he managed, Stéphane explained that he had the same shoe size as Viktor Petrenko, the 1992 Albertville Olympic gold medalist, so he begged to borrow his skates. He also borrowed a costume from the guest flamenco dancer, Antonio Najarro, and performed the program he had originally planned. Of course, it wasn’t an easy task, but I could truly feel his determination and sense of responsibility toward the show. I think that was when we really started to connect.

 

In the following years, I continued to invite Stéphane to Japan under an exclusive contract. While his career saw changes, including his retirement and then comeback before the Vancouver Olympics, throughout it all, he always held "Fantasy on Ice" in special regard. Every year, he prepares a new program for "Fantasy on Ice," and his desire to liven up the show is evident in every action he takes. His smooth skating remains as beautiful as ever, but it's precisely because of the hard work he puts in behind the scenes. It takes extraordinary effort to stay in perfect condition every year, maintain the quality of his jumps, and deliver such high-level performances. The fact that he doesn’t show off these efforts is part of the humility that makes him uniquely Stéphane.

 

Now, Stéphane is busy as a coach, but over the years, his connections with Japanese skaters have deepened. He has invited Japanese skaters to his own ice show "Ice Legends" in Switzerland, and Japanese skaters also participate in his summer training camps, fostering various exchanges. As his student, Koshiro Shimada, began to make a name for himself on the world stage, I’ve been seeing Stéphane more frequently at competitions. That makes me feel doubly happy, both for the strengthening of Japanese skaters and for Stéphane’s own career development.

 

Stéphane has also frequently shared the stage with his other student, Denis Vasilievs, in "Fantasy on Ice," becoming a familiar figure to Japanese fans. He will also be coaching Japan's rising star, Shoma Uno, making Stéphane Lambiel's importance to the skating world ever greater. I am fully aware of his ability, his deep love for skating, and the immense affection he shows for his students. I sincerely wish for his continued health and success, hoping to further strengthen our collaborative relationship.

 

 

 

6.2 Johnny Weir

 

Spoiler

The 2007 "Champions on Ice" (COI) was the first time I clearly noticed Johnny Weir's charm. At the time, he had won the US Championships three times in a row (2004-2006) and was a particularly popular skater in North America. He had already been performing as one of the cast members of COI, which was originally based in North America, and we invited the entire COI group to Japan.

 

Johnny is another skater who always delivers a performance that never disappoints. He's highly individualistic, preparing elaborate routines that astound audiences. As befits his fashion acumen, the costumes he designs himself are both unique and bold. I sometimes find myself asking, "Are you really going to skate in those costumes?" But he brings together a strong sense of aesthetic, creating performances on the ice that only he could produce. On a global scale, I believe he’s one of the skaters who truly embodies figure skating as entertainment.

 

Johnny placed fifth at the 2006 Turin Olympics and sixth at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, falling short of an Olympic medal. However, his artistic performances transcended the boundaries of competition, and his smiling expression with a flower crown in the Vancouver kiss-and-cry left a lasting impression on many people. After retiring, Johnny became highly sought after, celebrated as a fashion leader and often featured on television programs and at events. His voice is frequently heard as a commentator on figure skating broadcasts in the U.S. However, despite all the attention, Johnny has never let it go to his head or strayed from his path. He's clever, versatile, and excels at many things, but as a skater, he's incredibly sincere, almost naively earnest. No matter how much attention he received from the media, his self-awareness as a skater and his mentality of wanting to "make the audience happy" never wavered. Even with the slightest bit of free time, he would go to the rink to practice, always driven by a passion to surprise the audience with new ideas. I greatly respect that about him.

 

Even with close relationships, I do not compromise on the quality of a skater’s performance. If the performance is not up to standard or lacks proper preparation, I would not hesitate to reduce their appearances from two to one. However, I’ve never felt this way about Johnny. After our long relationship, I believe he understands my approach and philosophy.

 

I was surprised when he told me that he planned to retire as a skater after 2023. I still had a strong desire to see more of his skating. However, I understood that Johnny’s decision to retire came from his commitment to giving 100% in his practice and showing the audience a performance with no compromises. If that was no longer possible, he felt it was time to say goodbye to the ice. While I do feel a sense of sadness, I respect the line he has drawn, and if he ever changes his mind, I would be ready to offer him a place at any time.

 

 

 

6.3 Evgeni Plushenko

 

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

6.4 Yuzuru Hanyu

 

Spoiler