[2018.12.14] Quadruple Axel 2019: Special Issue for the Start of the Exciting Season

[yuzurujenn]

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/フィギュアスケート男子ファンブック-Quadruple-Axel-2019-熱戦のシーズンイン特集号-ebook/dp/B07LBN9DYR/

 

Men’s Singles Special Magazine, Reissue Vol. 2!

The figure skating scene has entered a new four-year cycle leading up to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

In this book, we shine a spotlight on Japanese male skaters—from top athletes competing on the world stage to promising junior skaters. Through exclusive interviews, dialogues, and in-depth coverage reports, we explore the appeal of these skaters!

 

CONTENTS
[Exclusive Long Interview]

Daisuke Takahashi — “Everything Was for This Day”

 

[Coach Interview]

Utako Nagamitsu — “The Long and Winding Road”

 

[Designer Interview]

Minako Orihara & Taketoshi Hara — “Creating Unprecedented Costumes”

 

[In-Depth Report]

Yuzuru Hanyu — “The Absolute Champion, Unbreakable Spirit”
Shoma Uno — “The Power to Believe in Oneself”

 

[Exclusive Interviews]

Keiji Tanaka — “To Surpass Myself”
Kazuki Tomono — “With Pride, Moving Further Forward”
Sota Yamamoto — “Now, the Curtain Rises Again”
Hiroaki Sato — “A Challenge Toward Maturity”
Ryuju Hino — “A Fresh Start to the Season”
Yu Nakamura — “Continuing to Chase an Idol’s Back”
Jun Suzuki — “Valuing Each and Every Step”

 

[Junior Men’s Interviews]

Tatsuya Tsuboi — “Where Effort Becomes Talent”
Shun Sato — “Armed With a New Big Skill”
Koshiro Shimada — “The Resolve to Stand at the Top”
Mitsuki Sumoto — “Turning Adversity Into Strength”

 

[Junior Men’s Dialogues]

Yuto Kishina × Sena Miyake — “Takasaki Boys: Good Friends, Good Rivals”
Yuma Kagiyama × Kao Miura — “From Kanagawa to the World, Together”

 

[Want to Know More! Japan’s Elite Men]

Koshi Yamada / Taichiro Yamakuma / Taichi Honda / Tsunenari Karakawa / Kento Kobayashi / Eiji Kamata / Yoji Nakano

 

[In-Depth Analysis]

Takahiko Kozuka — “Prospects for Men’s Singles”

 

[Special Gallery]

Tatsuki Machida — “Double Bill”

 

[Special Feature]

“The Behind-the-Scenes Professionals Supporting Ice Shows”
Kikuo Makabe

 

[New Series]

“The Power of Choreographers Who Refine Individuality” #01 Yuka Sato

 

[Event Report]

Rinkai Sports Center Renovation Commemorative Event
J SPORTS “Kenji’s Room” Recording Set Report

 

[Competition Reports]

All Japan Junior Championships / All Japan Novice Championships

[Regular Feature]

2018/2019 Season Men’s Singles Skater Guide

[yuzurujenn]

* Machine translation. Inaccuracies exist*

 

Source: Quadruple Axel 2019: Special Issue for the Start of the Exciting Season, pg 38-41

 

[Special Feature]

Kikuo Makabe: “Supporting Ice Shows - The Professionals Behind-the-Scenes ”

 

Kikuo Makabe, President and CEO, CIC Co., Ltd. Kikuo Makabe has produced numerous ice shows, including "Fantasy on Ice" and "Dream on Ice." How are these dream stages that captivate so many spectators created? We spoke with him about his passionate dedication to ice shows and their origins.

 

Spoiler

The world of figure skating is currently experiencing what could be called its golden age. At the Pyeongchang Olympics held in South Korea this past February, Yuzuru Hanyu won the gold medal and Shoma Uno won the silver medal, achieving a one-two finish for Japan. In the women's competition, Satoko Miyahara placed 4th and Kaori Sakamoto placed 6th. At the World Championships in March, Uno placed 2nd in the men's competition, while Wakaba Higuchi placed 2nd and Miyahara 3rd in the women's competition, all reaching the podium.

 

In figure skating, the season typically concludes after the World Championships. Then, during the off-season from spring to summer, numerous ice shows are held. Immersed in the world of ice shows, I constantly think about and experiment with what kind of content and structure would please the audience, and how to surprise and move them.

 

This year, starting with our involvement in "Continues with Wings," a homecoming performance produced by Yuzuru Hanyu himself after winning his second consecutive Olympic title, we also helped plan and produce "Fantasy on Ice," which brought together skaters who had excelled at the Olympics and World Championships, and "Dream on Ice," a showcase featuring the Japan Skating Federation’s top amateur skaters.

 

In particular, "Fantasy on Ice" was held in five locations: Makuhari, Kanazawa, Kobe, Niigata, and Shizuoka. Each venue hosted three days of performances, with one show per day, for a total of 15 performances. The fact that all of these shows drew large audiences can be seen as evidence that we are now in an era where Japanese skaters are active and successful on the world stage, and that figure skating culture is steadily taking root in Japan.

 

The performers included Yuzuru Hanyu, as well as Nobunari Oda and Miki Ando. From overseas came Javier Fernández, Evgeni Plushenko, and the ice dance team of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. In addition, Satoko Miyahara, Kaori Sakamoto, Evgenia Medvedeva, Carolina Kostner, and the pair Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot also appeared in selected performances, bringing together both current and former top skaters in one lineup.

 

The highlight of "Fantasy on Ice" is the "collaboration," where skaters perform alongside singers and artists. In the past, we have welcomed leading performers such as the male vocal group The Gospellers and singer-songwriter Mai Kuraki. This year, for the Makuhari and Kanazawa shows, we were joined by the male duo CHEMISTRY, singer May J., and acclaimed violinist Emiri Miyamoto. For the Kobe, Niigata, and Shizuoka performances, we were joined by singer-songwriter Kaori Kishitani, singer Norimasa Fujisawa, and pianist Shinya Kiyozuka.

 

In recent years, we have also had Hanyu participate in these "collaborations," and we very much hoped he would do so again this year. Until now, in order to ensure the audience’s enjoyment, we had selected well-known songs and hit tracks and proposed them to Hanyu, asking things like, "How about this piece?" or "Could you choose from these two songs?" Hanyu had always agreed and performed them, so we made a similar request this time as well. However, this time it was Hanyu who made a suggestion himself. To the best of my recollection, it was the first time he had ever expressed his own preference for a piece of music.

 

For the Makuhari and Kanazawa performances, the song suggested by Hanyu was "Wings of Words," the opening theme from the anime "Mobile Suit Gundam SEED DESTINY." This song was released in 2005, when Hanyu was around 11 years old, so he may have listened to it often and had a strong emotional connection to it. The fact that the title includes "Wings" is also symbolic.

 

For the Kobe, Niigata, and Shizuoka performances as well, Hanyu had a clear idea in mind. We had proposed a classical piano piece, but Hanyu selected "Haru yo, Koi" ("Spring, Come") from the album by Kiyozuka, who was already confirmed as a collaborator, and told us, "I want to skate to this piece." Furthermore, because the original track was only 1 minute and 16 seconds long, Hanyu requested that it be arranged to a length of around three minutes. We then asked Kiyozuka to work on the arrangement, and he created several extended versions. From those, Hanyu selected the version that audiences ultimately saw.

 

Actually, this collaboration also presented its own set of challenges. Yuzuru Hanyu, who is based in Toronto, had been practicing in advance using recordings made by Kiyozuka. However, during rehearsals, Hanyu’s skating and Kiyozuka’s live performance simply would not match. The reason was clear: Hanyu, with his exceptional sense of musicality, had listened to the music repeatedly and practiced until he became one with it. As a result, the tempo of the recorded version had become ingrained in his body. He is a skater with a high level of professionalism, who approaches not only his competition programs but also ice shows with the utmost seriousness.

 

On the other hand, Kiyozuka is the type of musician who performs with emotion in the moment. That is precisely one of his strengths, but it also means that a live performance will not unfold exactly the same as a recording. Even so, both are top professionals in their respective fields. As the number of rehearsals increased, they gradually began to find synchronization with each other.

 

What I still remember vividly is the final performance in Shizuoka. Hanyu seemed to have found his rhythm in the performance on the second day. During practice on the third day, he carefully went over his final adjustments, saying, "Yesterday’s performance was good." Then came the final show. The two were in perfect harmony, as if divinely aligned. The ending landed flawlessly, and what can truly be called the ultimate collaboration was achieved. At the moment of his finish, Hanyu turned his gaze toward Kiyozuka and mouthed the words, "Thank you." It was a moment that once again allowed us to feel the excitement that can only be experienced through live performance.

 

In other performances as well, it would be my great honor if audiences were able to fully experience the true appeal of ice shows, where the energies of skaters and artists intertwine. The tension and interplay of energy that arises in live performance creates an otherworldly space, which is then conveyed to both performers and audience alike. With the addition of sound and lighting, this produces an atmosphere unique to ice shows, which is different from competitive events where the appeal lies in the seriousness of the competition. And with each performance, from the first to the second, and from the second to the third, the show becomes increasingly refined and compelling.

 

Tracing the history of "Fantasy on Ice" leads back to the "Philippe Candeloro Japan Tour" (held in 2001), which featured Philippe Candeloro, the bronze medalist in the men’s event at both the 1994 Lillehammer and 1998 Nagano Olympics, as the main cast member. At that time, the participation of Japanese skaters was still limited, and the cast consisted mainly of international skaters such as Viktor Petrenko, the men’s gold medalist at the 1992 Albertville Olympics, and Surya Bonaly, who competed in three consecutive Olympic Games (Albertville, Lillehammer, and Nagano). The show adopted its current name in 2002 and was successfully held again the following year, but due to circumstances on the organizer’s side, it could not be held in 2004 and had to be put on hold for some time.

 

Following that, Noriko Shirota (currently the director of the ANA Skating Club), who was then at the forefront of strengthening the Japan Skating Federation, proposed, "I want to start an ice show centered around Japanese skaters. I want to create a venue where they can unveil new programs in front of an audience and use that to strengthen the athletes." This led to the launch of "Dreams on Ice" in 2004. At that time, when ice shows were still rare, most skaters spent their days practicing quietly on empty rinks. The lack of opportunities to perform in front of large audiences was also a factor that caused them to feel intimidated at international competitions, and there was an intention to overcome such mental weaknesses through participation in ice shows. Ice shows also provide skaters with a valuable opportunity to step onto a glamorous stage and gain experience.

 

In 2006, right after the Turin Olympics, we produced "Theater on Ice," featuring Shizuka Arakawa and Evgeni Plushenko. From 2006 to 2008, we also staged "Champions on Ice," with Arakawa as the main cast member, and in 2009 we held "Ice Jewelry" in collaboration with the Hokkoku Shimbun. Following the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, the popularity of figure skating grew even further, and from that year we were able to revive "Fantasy on Ice." With appearances from Arakawa and Yuzuru Hanyu, who was then beginning his ascent toward the world’s top ranks, we have continued the show up to the present.

 

Our commitment to the quality of the show, as well as to the skaters and their performances, has not changed from the past to the present. We invite not only Olympic and World Championship medalists, but also skaters who perform creative elements such as acrobatics and aerial work. Skaters like Scott Moir, who helped create a positive team atmosphere this year, as well as Stéphane Lambiel and Johnny Weir, who kindly cooperate with us despite their busy schedules, are invaluable to us. For single skaters, we also ask them to include at least three jumps in order to create contrast and structure. Competitive events, where scores and rankings are at stake, are serious contests, but that does not mean that in shows one can simply skate without intent.

 

While we incurred a 20 million yen deficit during our "2001 Japan Tour" and experienced less-than-strong attendance at regional performances, thanks to the current popularity of figure skating in Japan, the operation of our ice shows can now generally be said to be going smoothly. However, I have never forgotten my origins. It was the ice show I saw in Aberdeen, in northeastern Scotland, when I stopped by during a trip to Birmingham, England, to observe the 1995 World Championships. The show featured Jane Torvill and Christopher Dean.

 

At the 1984 Sarajevo Olympics in ice dance, they used only Maurice Ravel’s famous “Boléro.” Their dramatic performance, set to its repetitive rhythm and melody, captivated the audience, and under the judging system at the time, they received perfect artistic marks of 6.0 from all nine judges, the first time in Olympic history this had ever been achieved. They went on to win the gold medal, truly becoming legends.

 

Seeing their “Boléro” live, I realized for the first time that figure skating has value as entertainment. After retiring once, they returned to amateur competition and went on to win the bronze medal at the Lillehammer Olympics. Upon returning to the professional world, they showcased a performance resembling ballroom dance, featuring fast, highly synchronized steps, original choreography, performances showing no sign of decline, and elaborate staging. Witnessing such an artistic show in the UK strengthened my desire to create ice shows in Japan.

 

This year, "Medalist on Ice" will be held again after the All Japan Championships at the end of December. This show originally began two years ago as a send-off exhibition for athletes being sent to international competitions such as the World Championships, as there was no exhibition at the All Japan Championships. While I also wanted to create a space different from the exhibition held after competitions, I responded to requests from several top skaters, and in 2006 we became the first in Japan to incorporate a full orchestra.

 

Starting with a collaboration with the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, and continuing with the show year after year, I feel that the "harmony" created by the full orchestra and the skaters is becoming increasingly interesting. On the other hand, since this show is an extension of the experience of the tough competition of the All-Japan Championships, my desire to create an atmosphere that maintains that sense of tension and make it the most spectacular and number-one exhibition in Japan remains unchanged. With high aspirations, I want to make the show a better space for everyone, including the skaters and the audience. I believe that this is my responsibility to make it a show worthy of having top skaters who are active on the world stage perform.

 

 

(Caption: Ice show programs he viewed in Europe and North America. He was deeply moved by the staging that brought out the skaters’ appeal and the creatively designed production structures, which became the catalyst for him to begin producing original ice shows in Japan.)

 

 

 

Profile:

Born in Tokyo. After graduating from university, he worked at a broadcasting station and an event production company, before establishing CIC Co., Ltd. in 1999. He has been involved in the planning and management of various sports events, primarily figure skating, but also baseball, soccer, rugby, and table tennis.