[2026.07.01] anan

[yuzurujenn]

Info: https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/anan-No-2502-Special-羽生結弦-anan編集部/dp/4838758200

https://ananweb.jp/magazine/99365

https://ananweb.jp/categories/covers/100240

 

SPECIAL COVER Yuzuru Hanyu

Yuzuru Hanyu The blue legend , beyond the legend.
 [Special Supplement] Yuzuru Hanyu Special Card

 

 

 

[Wintek]

*Machine translation from Japanese to English, inaccuracies exist*

 

2026.07.01

 

Anan No. 2502, Special Edition

Available on Amazon Japan, printed and digital (Kindle): https://t.co/Gpo4yEep5i 

• Yuzuru Hanyu on the cover.
• 18 photos in colour: garden and traditional Japanese room.
• 6 Black & White photos.
• Printed version includes special cards.

Yuzuru Hanyu

The Azure Legend—Beyond Legend.

The young legend of figure skating appears in an exclusive anan photo shoot for the first time in about eleven years!

Where does the creative drive behind ICE STORY, the ice show for which he serves as Executive Producer, come from? Looking back now, what was really going through his mind during his competitive years—seen with a clarity that only time has made possible? And what kind of landscape lies ahead as he continues to forge new paths as a professional skater?

Through a long interview of more than 8,000 words and a "70 Questions, 100 Answers" feature, we explore where Yuzuru Hanyu stands today, a man who declares without hesitation:"My peak is still ahead of me."

Spoiler

---

It was December 2015 when Yuzuru Hanyu first appeared on the cover of anan in an exclusive photo shoot, radiating a freshness that left a striking impression. Since then, both during his competitive career and after turning professional, he has graced our covers many times with his beautiful presence on the ice. Then, one day this April—just a few days after a performance of ICE STORY, the ice show for which he serves as Executive Producer—we met him in Sendai for another photo shoot. We are pleased to bring you that precious long interview in full.

 

—This is your first exclusive photo shoot for our magazine in about eleven years. Looking back, how do you feel you've changed internally between then and now?

(Picking up that issue.)

So it really was eleven years ago...! I'd like to think I've grown into an adult, at least appearance-wise. But looking closely... maybe I actually haven't changed all that much. Though I'm definitely thinner now. I think after this I kept leaning out through training. So in that sense, I think I'm more honed now, more refined. Back then, the Olympics were still two years away, and that was exactly when my mind was burning fiercely. Everything I was doing was with the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics in mind. I remember constantly working backwards, thinking, 'What are the things I need to get done while I still have time...?' Whether it was building my body or improving my skating, I was experimenting and trying different approaches. I would have been twenty-one then, that was around the time I encountered SEIMEI. So, yeah... that was when I was burning the fiercest.

—One of the keywords in that issue was also "passion."

That's right. I even say in the interview that 'There's nothing I'm afraid of,' don't I?" (laughs) Now it's the opposite. Now I'm surrounded by things I'm afraid of. These days I'm involved in producing my own shows as well, and... I feel responsibility in so many different ways. I don't think I experienced responsibility as something this heavy when I was an amateur. Of course, as an athlete I had expectations placed on me, and I certainly felt the responsibility that came with that. But compared to now, it doesn't even come close. I'm right in the middle of truly feeling what the weight of responsibility means. And wondering if this... is what becoming an adult is.

—Was there a particular event that changed your mindset?

Hmm… It wasn't like a switch that suddenly clicked. It was more gradual. Even during the four years after PyeongChang, leading toward the 2022 Beijing Olympics, I think I had already begun carrying things that went beyond simply whether I won or lost as an individual. So in that sense, around the time of PyeongChang, I may have still been mentally light enough to focus entirely on myself. But if I had to point to the biggest turning point, it would be after turning professional, when I held GIFT at Tokyo Dome. It was the performance that opened up the new genre that continues today as ICE STORY. As Executive Producer, I create the original concept myself, work together with the production team on the direction, and then the work we've created is only completed when I personally skate every part of it from beginning to end. And on top of that, we built a rink inside Tokyo Dome—a huge baseball stadium—and I was skating there completely alone… At the same time, so many people devote their time to creating a show. But no matter how hard everyone works, depending on my performance, everything they've created could end up being perceived as something entirely different. That pressure is unimaginably immense. In that sense, ICE STORY taught me what responsibility is. It also became something that gave me the opportunity to become an adult. So now, when I look back on my competitive years, I think, 'Back then, all I had to think about was whether I won or lost. What an unburdened position I was in...' (laughs)

—An unburdened position...! Even so, winning two consecutive Olympic gold medals must have brought a different kind of pressure, didn't it?

Of course. Especially because even before I ever competed in the Olympics, I had already decided that I wanted to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals. So for me, it was a test of whether I could maintain my concentration over a very long period of time. Because that also meant I had to keep winning throughout those four years. And in figure skating, four years is an incredibly long time in terms of an athlete's career. Most skaters have, at best, three chances to compete in the Olympics. And judging from what we generally understand now about competitive level and an athlete's peak, you're lucky if you get two Olympics during the period when you're truly at your best. If that's the case, then to become a two-time consecutive champion, you can't miss even once. If you finish with silver or below even a single time, then it isn't a consecutive championship.

—So when you won gold at Sochi in 2014 and then again at PyeongChang in 2018, were you already thinking about becoming a two-time consecutive Olympic champion before your very first Olympics?

Yes. (He answers without hesitation.) When I was little, my dream was simply 'I want an Olympic gold medal.' But as I got older, that gradually became a more concrete goal: 'I want to win a gold medal at nineteen.' And 'winning a gold medal at nineteen' meant 'I want to become a two-time consecutive Olympic champion!' Because if I hadn't won in Sochi, then I couldn't have become a consecutive champion in PyeongChang. So I had already decided in my heart that I absolutely had to win in Sochi. If I hadn't been able to win in PyeongChang, then I think I would have gone to Beijing to try for my second gold medal. But to do that, I would have had to thoroughly build a program incorporating extremely difficult elements like the quadruple Axel… It would have been a much, much harder path.

—For athletes all over the world, winning even one Olympic gold medal is an extraordinary dream. Yet for you, winning two almost sounds less like the ultimate goal and more like a milestone in life.

I suppose that's because I believed that without it, I wouldn't be able to do what I wanted to do. I'd always had a dream that someday I wanted to express what I wanted to express beyond the framework of amateur competition. And because I experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake when I was fifteen, I also wanted to become someone who could engage in charitable activities, things like fundraising and providing support. But to make those things possible, I first had to build achievements significant enough to move people and draw their attention. And the achievement I concluded I needed, was becoming a two-time consecutive Olympic champion.

"Winning two consecutive Olympic gold medals was the starting point of my life."

"I want people to live." That is the central theme of every show.

—Looking back now, do you still feel that winning two consecutive Olympic gold medals was an absolute prerequisite for your life?

Yes. And I feel that winning my second gold medal was the true starting point of my life. If I hadn't begun my artistic activities already having two Olympic gold medals, I don't think this many people would have lent me their strength or come to see my work. ...But once I turned professional and was given a place where I could express myself, I discovered another wall. Although both athletes and artists move people's hearts, how they do it is completely different.

—What do you mean by that?

For example, when you're watching sports, seeing someone compete with everything they've got is incredibly moving, isn't it? But the athlete isn't striving because they want to move someone's heart. They're simply throwing themselves into it with everything they have in order to win. I think that being able to move people's hearts through that wholeheartedness is a privilege unique to athletes. Even though skating itself is a continuous thread between the two, as an artist I realized that unless the core of what I want to convey—and the way it's presented—are firmly established, I can't move people's hearts. For someone like me, who spent so many years as a competitive skater, that realization came as quite a shock. And if I were injured during a competition, the event would simply go on without me. But now, if I get injured… the venue we've reserved, the efforts of everyone who traveled all this way to come, all of it… would come to nothing. That responsibility rests on my shoulders. And carrying that responsibility while delivering something truly substantial, that is what is required of me as a professional skater performing solo shows.

—Even under that much pressure, what is the message you want to deliver from the ice?

At the foundation of every work is the wish: "I hope you'll keep living." It's not an order like, "Live." Rather, after watching one of my shows, I hope people leave feeling, "I'm glad I stayed alive." "I'll keep living tomorrow too." If my work can make someone feel that way, then that's enough.

—At the root of that wish for people to "keep living," is there, after all, your experience of the earthquake when you were a teenager?

Yes. When the earthquake happened, I was living in an evacuation shelter myself, and I kept thinking, "Is my life just going to end like this...?" That fear stayed with me. But it wasn't only the earthquake. There have been many painful things throughout my life afterward as well. And I know it sounds like a cliché, but… to be honest, there were times when thoughts like "Maybe I just want to disappear from this world..." would arise [1]. In my case, I simply happen to have opportunities like this to look back on those experiences and put them into words in front of other people. But I think these are probably the kinds of vague thoughts that everyone carries with them in their everyday lives. Of course, I don't have the answer to those feelings. And I have no intention of lecturing someone by saying, "You mustn't disappear." But I think people gradually recover because they can find little joys, thinking, "I'll get through this because I have this to look forward to." Or, "Maybe while I'm watching this, I can feel happy." If I myself could become something that moves even just a little bit of a heart that's grown tired like that… that would make me happy.

—The newest chapter of ICE STORY, Prequel: Before the WHITE, performed this spring, suggested themes such as the journey from despair toward rebirth. At the same time, what stood out was how it left room for each audience member to interpret it in their own way.

This time, making use of contemporary dance, it became about twenty-five minutes of skating, and I think it was quite a challenging piece. I don't present a fixed story because I believe a work needs to leave room for each person to interpret it in their own way. Including the live viewings, tens of thousands of people watch these performances. Among them are people who may not have visual information, or auditory information available to them. So while I want everyone to interpret it through their own sensibilities, I'm always searching for a balance where they can still catch a glimpse of what I'm trying to convey.

—Is there anything specific you do to achieve that?

In the end, it comes down to one thing: I don't create it by myself! (laughs) If I only made it from my own perspective, it would become self-indulgent. That's why discussions with people around me—Director MIKIKO-sensei, GEEK PICTURES, everyone involved in the production—are absolutely essential.

—When did MIKIKO-sensei become involved in creating your shows?

There was a piece called Itsuka Owaru Yume ("A Dream That Will Someday End") in my first solo show, Prologue, and I asked her to direct that. Then, beginning with GIFT the following year, in 2023, we started working together in earnest. Since then, she's not only directed the productions, but we've also worked together on choreography. Especially with this spring's Prequel: Before the WHITE, it wasn't really a division of labor anymore. It became much more like running a three-legged race together… almost a co-creation. Compared to the days of GIFT, I think we're creating things now through much more candid communication. There are ways of presenting movement—ways of moving—that I, as a figure skater, simply don't understand, so I rely on Sensei for those. On the other hand, she doesn't know figure skating, so those parts are where my opinions come in. But recently we've even started saying, "Precisely because we don't know, maybe we can come up with ideas that have never existed before." So we've begun stepping into each other's fields as well, exchanging opinions across those boundaries.

—So you're kindred spirits when it comes to the passion for opening up something new.

Maybe so. I'm not someone who's satisfied just continuing to do what I already can.

I always have a strong curiosity that asks, "Maybe I can do something like this, too." Sensei has also gradually come to understand the techniques of figure skating these days. (laughs) So now she'll say things like, "What if we tried this?" and even make suggestions about my skating itself.

—Those accumulated experiences then become the strength to create something even better next time.

Exactly. No matter how famous you become, if you don't remain fresh, you'll eventually fade away. That's how I think. That's why both the direction of the productions and my own physical abilities have to keep reaching for something even higher.

...Having said that, the experience and ability of MIKIKO-sensei and everyone at GEEK are truly extraordinary. And then it's up to me alone to bring to life what those professionals have created through my performance… When I think about it, the responsibility really is enormous. (laughs)

 

"I could never be satisfied with people saying, 'You were better back then.'"

—I'd also like to ask about the first part of the latest chapter, REALIVE. Skating continuously for about forty-five minutes in a medley of past programs—including works from your competitive career—that's quite a challenge, isn't it?

Yes, it was really tough! (laughs) Including the quick costume changes, it's forty-five minutes. The venue is an arena, and the rink is very large, so if I want what I'm expressing to reach the seats farthest away, I have to make every movement much bigger. That's genuinely exhausting. If I skated normally, after about four minutes my legs would already be shaking. But now I'm thinking about how to pace myself while also figuring out how people can enjoy the performance for as long and as deeply as possible. To achieve that, there's really nothing for it except to train my body and practice. I skate at full speed from one end of the rink to the other so I can get right up close to the audience. Speaking of speed, the costumes flowing in the wind actually turned out to be another challenge. (laughs)

—The flowing drapery of the costumes certainly gave them a wonderfully dreamlike quality.

Thank you. Actually, the fabric can't quite keep up with the speed of my spins, so it catches the air, which makes skating very difficult. But making it look beautiful without letting the audience feel that difficulty, that, too, is part of the technique.

—I had no idea... And the title REALIVE also carries the meaning of breathing life into your past works once again. At the same time, nowadays we can replay and revisit all kinds of content without sharing the same place or moment. In that kind of era, what value do you see in live performance?

That's true. When it comes to music, there are recorded tracks, and I also listen over and over again to the music I love. But recordings are permanent, unchanging data. My skating, on the other hand, is never the same even once. Even if it's the same program, it becomes something completely different depending on the condition of the ice or the condition of my body. Thinking about it that way, REALIVE was something that was only possible now, at thirty years old, after properly taking time to maintain my body, in order to show movements that only this body, as it is now, can perform. I wanted to bring all of those programs back to life through the body I have today. That's the kind of living-creature-like feeling I have toward my own works.

—The audience gave tremendous cheers for many of the nostalgic programs. While fans were undoubtedly remembering the Yuzuru Hanyu of the past, they were also passionately responding to the Yuzuru Hanyu standing before them now. What's the secret to remaining someone who continues to captivate people that way?

Am I really the very best version for everyone now...? Who knows? (laughs) I also have artists I love, so I understand the feeling of thinking,"I love the recordings from that period!" Which era of "Yuzuru Hanyu" someone likes is probably connected to where they themselves were in life at that time. So I really think it's different for every person. But even understanding that… I have to keep working so that people will say, "Right now is the best." The memories everyone has of "those days" are, in the end, simply added value for the person I am today. If people say, "You were better back then," I could never be satisfied with that.

—So does that mean your past self is also your rival?

Exactly! Memories become idealized over time. So my past self is an idealized Yuzuru Hanyu. And defeating him… is an extraordinarily difficult thing to do.

—That's true. The more we replay videos of our favorite artists in our minds, the more their appeal seems to grow.

Exactly, right? Compared with that endlessly replayed and idealized version of Yuzuru Hanyu that exists in people's minds, convincing them that the person standing here now is better, that's far more difficult than simply comparing myself to the past. So not losing to the version of myself that lives in everyone's memories… that's a challenge that's truly worth taking on.

 

"My peak is still ahead of me. I'll continue evolving beyond common sense."

—How do you yourself feel about the thirty-year-old you who continues to challenge your past self?

I want to say this as many times as it takes. (laughs) Right now is when I'm at my peak.

...Though maybe I'll be saying exactly the same thing ten years from now. The reason is that figure skating is still a sport that's in the middle of being explored. Only after coming this far do I finally feel like I'm beginning to understand my own body. I've also started studying ballet and dance—things I never did during my competitive career—and right now I'm constantly discovering, "Wow... I can't move like that at all!" So, as I am now… all I can see is room to grow.

—People generally believe that figure skaters reach their peak when they're young. Perhaps you'll end up rewriting that conventional wisdom as well.

Generally speaking, people say the peak is around twenty-three or twenty-four. But I don't have that kind of fixed idea at all. This season I spent a long period maintaining my body, and there was also a long stretch when I wasn't on the ice. But while trying all kinds of different training methods, I keep making discoveries like, "If I incorporate this, I'll become even stronger."

—You've spent your career accomplishing feats no one had ever achieved before, overturning conventional wisdom in figure skating. Will that journey continue?

Since ICE STORY will continue… as long as I keep skating, I want to keep reaching places no one has ever reached before. But showing something truly good always comes first. I never want it to become something that's merely showing off technique. And there's another principle I have. I want to continue expressing everything through my own physical body. Precisely because we live in an age where technologies like AI are advancing, I want to treasure expression that comes from a living human body.

—One line from the narration particularly stood out: "Has Yuzuru Hanyu already given everything he has? The answer is both yes and no." What thoughts gave rise to that answer?

That line came from imagining, "If I asked AI about my current situation based on everything that's happened in my life up until now, what kind of answer would it give?" I also thought it would be fun if it answered in a way like, "Both yes and no." (laughs)

—But when it asked, "Do you still wish for what comes next?" your answer was a powerful "Yes."

Yes. I still want what's ahead. As long as there are people who continue to hope for me… I want to keep skating.

—We've heard that, driven by that passion, you're still on the ice five days a week.

That's true… though for a skater, five days is actually not very much. If it were up to me, I'd like to be on the ice seven days a week. But that's a trade-off with injury. And I also need time for production work. So right now, five days is the absolute limit. During my competitive career, I thought my job was simply to focus on myself. Now it's choreography… production… maintenance… There are definitely more things to do now than there were when I was competing! (laughs)

—Looking toward the future, have you ever thought about producing other skaters or performers?

No, I haven't. I'm doing everything I can just making the most of myself as the material [素材 ] I have to work with. I simply don't have that kind of room to spare. I want to continue being a material that's worth devoting that much care and effort to.

—This issue is themed around "Love and Destiny." How would you predict the second half of your own year? And do you believe in destiny?

It's already the second half of the year… During the latter half of this year I'll be beginning work on the fourth chapter of ICE STORY. And I'll work hard to make it something that exceeds everyone's expectations. To do that, I want to keep dedicating myself to building my body every single day. Because I think everything is built from the accumulation of this very moment. That's why drawing destiny toward yourself is also the accumulation of every single day. Being able to receive an encounter or an opportunity with gratitude, thinking, "Maybe this is destiny," is only possible because of that daily accumulation. Everyone reading this is surely working hard every day in one way or another, whether at work, in their studies, or elsewhere. If you steadily continue building those efforts day by day, then when an opportunity finally comes, you'll be able to believe in yourself with conviction and say, "This is destiny!" As for me… I'll do everything I can today, and wait for destiny to arrive.

—At first glance you seem like the ultimate perfectionist, yet today you also came across as someone enjoying life in his thirties with a certain lightness.

No, no. I've always been a perfectionist, so for a long time I felt that "I have to be a perfect version of myself." But recently, because I'm involved in everything—from the original concept all the way to the expression on the ice—I've realized I can't keep insisting on that all the time. (laughs) As that happened, little by little I began to think, "Maybe an imperfect version of myself is okay too." [2] I've gradually become able to accept myself just as I am. And now… I feel like I can stand here with confidence and say, "The person I am now is Yuzuru Hanyu."

"If I myself could become something that moves even just a little bit of a tired heart... that would make me happy."

Notes

[1]「『もうこの世から消えたいな…』という思いが浮かぶことも正直ありました。」The subject is the thought (思い) arising (浮かぶ). He's describing the appearance of a state of mind rather than declaring an enduring wish or identity. Key to the expression is what follows as he universalizes the experience.

[2] 「不完全な自分もアリなのかも」Literally, "Maybe an imperfect me is also acceptable." There's tentativeness in the way this is said: かも ("maybe"), だんだんと ("little by little"), アリ ("it's okay/it's a valid possibility"). The tone describes an ongoing process rather than a completed transformation.

“A wish for continuation rather than completion—forever updating what has ‘never been done before.’”

 

[Q&A]

Expression

Spoiler

Q1 How long do you spend on planning a show?
Including childhood thoughts and experiences, so… about 31 years and a few months.

Q2 When do ideas come to you?
During car rides to the rink. I get ideas there, then think them through again on the ice.

Q3 How do you record ideas?
Mostly in my iPhone notes. If I don’t have time, voice memos.

Q4 Digital or analog?
Actually, I’m more of an analog person when it comes to ideas. I like scribbling things on paper all at once.

Q5 Do you consult anyone?
The basic concept is something I think through alone, but after that I discuss it with the staff.

Q6 Are you influenced by other live shows or performances?
I can’t go in person much, but I watch Blu-rays and get influenced that way.

Q7 What performance moved you?
RADWIMPS’ Zettai Enmei Tour! I still love it so much I’ll headbang along while watching.

Q8 What do you care about in your merchandise?
Design that anyone—young or old—can use, and durability. I want them to be things people use for a long time.

Q9 Who would you like to collaborate with?
No specific person, but I’d like to actively collaborate with various musicians.

Q10 A production you want to try someday?
I have ideas, but it’s a secret. I’m thinking of something that goes beyond figure skating conventions!

Q11 Non-negotiable in costumes?
Not just how cool they look, but how well they match the music and the program.

Q12 A fan comment that makes you happiest?
There are many… but it’s a secret. (laughs)

Body

Spoiler

Q13 Most important part of physical conditioning?
Ankles. The human body basically stands on the ankles, so they’re number one.

Q14 Daily routine?
Self-care for my ankles. I use shockwave therapy, high-frequency devices, all sorts of treatment machines.

Q15 Skincare secret?
I never even used lotion before, but I started using face masks because of dryness.

Q16 Diet habits?
My stomach is a bit weak, so I stick to easy-to-digest foods. I also take amino acid supplements when nutrition is unbalanced.

Q17 Sleep habits?
I use a custom mattress and pillow made based on measurements of my body to improve sleep quality.

Q18 Ideal sleep duration?
8 hours. But I often end up sleeping less because I’m thinking about choreography or jumps…

Q19 Sleepwear?
I have several identical black tracksuits and basically always wear those.

Q20 How do you cheer yourself up?
Games!

Q21 How do you reset when feeling down?
Listen to music and dance! Sometimes I listen to metal and headbang while skating. (laughs)

Q22 What do you say to yourself in a crisis?
“Worst case, I won’t die!”

Q23 Bath or shower?
Bath person. And I’m the type who doesn’t want to skip baths.

Q24 Recent health item you love?
Supplements. I just keep taking them.

Q25 Care routine started in my 30s?
Face masks. I use affordable ones you can buy at drugstores.

Q26 Cold prevention on the ice?
I don’t really feel cold, but keeping my body’s meridians balanced is important.

Q27 Secret to not catching a cold?
I want to know that too! (laughs)

Q28 Secret to unchanged beauty?
Exercise. Figure skating is great for beauty! (laughs)

Daily life

Spoiler

Q29 Favorite food recently?
Gyoza.

Q30 Do you eat 3 meals a day?
Actually, it's two. Since my day-night cycle is flipped, I mostly eat at night and in the morning.

Q31 Morning routine?
Stretch first, eat, brush teeth, then stretch again.

Q32 Night routine?
I often fall asleep while watching Niconico Douga. I watch fishing videos, game playthroughs, and cooking videos.

Q33 Most relaxing place at home?
My room.

Q34 Rice or bread for breakfast?
Both! I decide depending on the day.

Q35 Best companion for rice or bread?
Protein! I drink it while eating rice. Doesn’t really match though. (laughs)

Q36 Favorite drink?
Dr Pepper. Very guilty pleasure!

Q37 Do you cook?
No.

Q38 Best dish you can make?
Cooking frozen gyoza. …Can that even be called a specialty? (laughs)

Q39 Must-have in fridge/freezer?
Frozen gyoza.

Q40 What do you prioritize in your casual wear? 

 Ease of movement. I don't care about the look; as long as it's comfortable, that's fine.

Q41 Best recent purchase?
Hmm… hard… honestly, maybe a shockwave therapy device.

Q42 Recommended place in Sendai?
Akiu Onsen. It’s a great place.

Q43 Recommended Sendai food?
Zunda mochi. (Zunda) Shakes are good too, but I prefer the actual mochi.

Q44 Hair preference?
It should match the program. But I like longer bangs, I want to hide my eyes. (laughs)

Personal favorites

Spoiler

Q45 Recent favorite game?
Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Q46 Top 3 games of your life?
FF9, Estpolis Denki, Heisei Shin Onigashima. Also Persona 3… (continues)

Q47 BGM during REALIVE?
Motoki Omori’s Kaiga. It matched the mood of Act 2, feeling like I myself become a painting.

Q48 Favorite artists?
BUMP OF CHICKEN, RADWIMPS, Kenshi Yonezu. (instant answer)

Q49 Favorite music genre?
Mostly Japanese music, but I listen to everything.

Q50 Current earphones?
Hmm… let me think… Bang & Olufsen “Beoplay Eleven Natural Aluminium.”

Q51 Key point when choosing earphones?
Rock needs strong highs and lows, vocals need mids, depends on the music.

Q52 Favorite skater?
Kurt Browning.

Q53 Your “oshi”?
BUMP OF CHICKEN and the earphone brand Shure.

Q54 New hobby?
Collecting fully wireless earphones.

Q55 Recent interesting book?
I haven’t been able to read much lately…

Q56 Hobby you want to start?
Body conditioning. I want to master stretching.

Q57 What are you curious about now?
My own body. I still want to understand it so much more.

Heart

Spoiler

Q58 Chance of returning to competition?
100%… 0%. Absolutely not.

Q59 Do you need time alone?
If I’m with someone I’m comfortable with, I don’t necessarily need to be alone.

Q60 Do you want to be alone sometimes?
Before ice shows, I usually focus alone.

Q61 One word for fans?
People I want to reach.

Q62 Message to fans now?
I’ll do my best!!!

Q63 Your “talisman”?
Actual shrine omamori. I have many.

Q64 What are you thinking right now?
I need to do my best so this becomes a good photo!

Q65 Message to your 10-years-younger self
(soft voice) “Hang in there…!”

Q66 Message to your 10-years-older self
“I’m desperate right now. I’ll keep doing my best to reach you.”

Q67 What is “Yuzuru Hanyu” to you?
Myself. I was able to think that once I accepted my imperfect self.

Q68 If you were reborn, what would you be?
Hmm… hard. I’d like to be human, but I’m not sure I’d want to do skating again. (laughs)

Q69 Would you want to be Yuzuru Hanyu again?
I won’t know until the moment I complete my life.

Q70 Message to readers of the same generation
Let’s enjoy this moment together, we’re at that perfect age where youth and experience meet!

Spoiler

Photography: Takemiya Buki [矢吹健巳] (W)
Stylist: Masaaki Ida [井田正明]
Hair & Makeup: Kana Sakurai [櫻井華奈 ] (HITOME)
Interview and Text: Chigusa Osawa [大澤千種]

Profile
Yuzuru Hanyu
Yuzuru Hanyu was born on December 7, 1994, in Miyagi Prefecture. He began figure skating in his hometown of Sendai at the age of four. During his competitive career, he won the Grand Prix Final four times in a row and gold medals at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics. After turning professional, he has been producing and performing in his own ice show series, "ICE STORY."

 

 

 

[yuzurujenn]

*Translated by bilingual JessgunHo @ Mizjammer*

 

 

Yuzuru Hanyu Interview

 

With a freshness that left a lasting impression, Yuzuru Hanyu graced the cover of AnAn for the very first time in our December 2015 issue, photographed exclusively for the magazine. Since then, both during his competitive career and after turning professional, he has continued to captivate us with his breathtaking presence and expressions on the ice. Then, on a day this April, just a few days after the performance of his self-produced ice show, ICE STORY, we met him in Sendai for another exclusive photo shoot. Along with those special photos, we're pleased to bring you an in-depth, exclusive interview.

 

Spoiler

--For this magazine, this is your first original photo feature in about eleven years. How has your inner self changed from then to now?

(Taking the old issue in his hands) 11 years ago…?! I guess I do look more grown-up now, but when I look closely… maybe I haven’t changed that much. Though I am slimmer now than I was back then. After that, I think training really started to sharpen me up. In that sense, I’d say I’m more honed and refined now. Back then, if I remember right, the Olympics were still two years away, and my mind was just burning nonstop. I was working backward from the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, thinking, “What do I need to do while I still can?” and going through a lot of trial and error with both my body and my skating. At 21, that was around the time I encountered the program “SEIMEI,” too. So yeah, that was probably when the fire in me was burning the hottest.

--One of the big keywords in that old feature was “passion,” too.

That’s right. I even said in the interview that I wasn’t afraid of anything. *laughs* Now it’s the complete opposite. There are things I’m afraid of everywhere. These days, I’m involved in producing my own shows, and I feel the weight of so many different responsibilities. Back when I was an amateur athlete, I don’t think I felt “responsibility” as heavily as I do now. Of course, as an athlete, there were people’s expectations to live up to, and I did feel a responsibility that came with that. But it’s nothing compared to what I feel now. I’m in the middle of really feeling the weight of it and wondering if maybe becoming an adult means carrying that much more responsibility.

--Was there anything that triggered that change in mindset?

Hmm… I don’t think it was like a switch suddenly flipped. It happened gradually. Even in the four years after PyeongChang, as I headed toward the 2022 Beijing Olympics, I think I had already started carrying something beyond just my own wins and losses. In that sense, during PyeongChang, I may have still been mentally lighter, able to focus only on myself. But if I had to name the biggest turning point, it would be *GIFT,* the ice show I held at Tokyo Dome after turning professional in 2023. It was the performance that opened up this new genre called ICE STORY, which has continued to evolve since then. As the executive producer, I came up with the concept myself, worked with the production team on the staging and direction, and then completed the whole piece by skating everything we had created with my own body. And on top of that, we built a rink inside Tokyo Dome, this huge baseball stadium, and I skated there completely alone… At the same time, so many people gave their time to help create that show. But no matter how hard everyone worked on it, depending on my performance, the whole thing could end up looking completely different. That responsibility is enormous. In that sense, ICE STORY taught me what responsibility really means, and it also became something that gave me the chance to grow up. So now, when I look back on my competitive days, I think, “Back then, all I had to worry about was whether I won or lost. What a light position that was…” *laughs*

--You described it as “light,” but surely winning gold medals at two Olympics in a row came with a different kind of pressure, didn’t it?

Of course it did. Especially because, even before I competed at the Olympics, I had already been thinking, “I want to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals.” So that tested my ability to stay focused over a very long period of time. It also meant I had to keep winning throughout those four years. And in figure skating, four years is an incredibly long time in an athlete’s career. A figure skater usually only gets, at most, three chances to compete at the Olympics. And when you think about ability and peak timing by today’s standards, you only get to go at your absolute best maybe twice at most. So if you want to win two in a row, you can’t miss even once. The moment you end up with silver or anything lower, it’s no longer “back-to-back titles.”

 

--So in reality, you went on to win gold at both Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018, making it two Olympic titles in a row. Does that mean you were already thinking about winning back-to-back before your first Olympics?

Yes. Definitely. My childhood dream of “I want an Olympic gold medal” gradually became a more concrete goal as I got older: “I want to win the gold medal when I’m 19.” And winning gold at 19 meant, “I want to win two Olympics in a row.” If I didn’t win in Sochi, I wouldn’t be able to win back-to-back in PyeongChang. So I had made up my mind that I absolutely had to win Sochi. If I hadn’t won in PyeongChang, then I think I would have gone to Beijing aiming for my second gold. But to do that, I would have had to build a program packed with even harder elements, like the quad Axel, and refine it down to the last detail… So I’m sure that would have been an even harder path.

 

--Winning even one gold medal is a huge dream for athletes all over the world. But for you, it almost feels as though winning two gold medals was your goal, or even just one milestone in your life.

 

I think that’s because I believed I wouldn’t be able to do what I truly wanted to do without it. I had always dreamed that someday, I would go beyond the framework of amateur competition and express my own thoughts and feelings. Also, having experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake when I was 16, I wanted to become someone who could do charitable work, like making donations and offering support. But to make that kind of thing a reality, I needed to be someone who could move people and attract attention. I needed to build the kind of achievements that would make people listen. And the “achievement” I had in mind was winning two Olympic titles in a row.

“I want people to keep living. That is the biggest theme of the show.”

--Looking back now, do you feel that winning back-to-back Olympic titles really was an absolute condition for your life?

Yes. And I feel that the moment I won my second gold medal was when my life truly began in earnest. Realistically, if I hadn’t started my artistic career with two Olympic gold medals behind me, I don’t think this many people would have lent me their strength or come to watch me perform. But once I turned professional and was given a place where I could express myself, I became aware of a different kind of wall. The goal is still the same, to move people’s hearts. But the way you make that happen is completely different as an athlete and as an artist.

 

--What do you mean by that?

For example, when you watch sports, you get incredibly moved by the sight of athletes fighting with everything they have, right? But the players themselves aren’t working hard because they’re trying to move someone. They’re simply throwing themselves into it because they want to win. I think being able to move people’s hearts through that kind of all-out effort is a privilege that athletes have. With skating, there is still a natural connection between what I did before and what I do now. But after turning professional, I realized that as an artist, unless the core of what I want to convey and the way it is presented are both firmly in place, I can’t move people’s hearts. For someone like me, who spent so many years competing, that was a shocking realization. And in competition, even if I withdrew because of injury, the event itself would still go on. But now, if I get injured, the venue we secured, the effort of everyone who came all the way to see the show, everything could be for nothing…!
Carrying that responsibility, and still delivering something with real depth, is what I believe is necessary for a skater who performs solo shows as a professional.

 

--With all that responsibility on your shoulders, what message do you want to send from the ice?

At the heart of every work I create is the wish that people will keep living. It’s not like I’m ordering anyone to “Live!” But after watching my show, I hope people can feel, “I’m glad I’m alive,” or, “I think I can keep going again tomorrow.” That’s the kind of work I want to create.

 

--Does the root of that wish, “I want people to keep living,” come from your experience of the earthquake when you were in your teens?

 

Yes, I think so. During the earthquake, I was in an evacuation shelter, and I kept carrying this fear inside me, wondering, “Is my life just going to end here…?” But it wasn’t only the earthquake. There have been many painful things in my life since then, too. I know this may sound clichéd, but honestly, there were times when the thought crossed my mind: “Maybe I just want to disappear from this world…” In my case, I simply have opportunities like this to look back and put those feelings into words in front of people. But I think these are things everyone feels vaguely in their everyday lives, in one way or another. Of course, I don’t have an answer to that. And I’m not trying to lecture anyone by saying, “You mustn’t disappear.” But I do think people begin to recover little by little through small joys, like “I’ll get through this because I have that to look forward to,” or “Maybe I feel happy when I’m watching this.” So if I myself can become something that moves even a tired heart, even just a little, I would be happy.

--The latest chapter of “ICE STORY,” “Prequel…Before the WHITE,” which you presented this spring, was striking. It offered glimpses of the feelings you wanted to convey, such as the path from despair toward rebirth, while still leaving room for each viewer to interpret it in their own way.

This time, I used contemporary dance and combined it with 25 minutes of skating, so I think it was quite a challenging piece. I choose not to present one fixed story because I believe a work needs to leave room for each person to interpret it in their own way. Including the live viewing, tens of thousands of people watched it. And among them, there may be people who cannot receive the visual information or the sound in the same way. So while I want each person to interpret it through their own sensitivity, I also want them to feel at least a piece of what I was trying to express. I’m always searching for that balance.

 

--Is there anything specific you do to make that happen?

It all comes down to not making it alone! *laughs* If I create something only from my own perspective, it can easily become self-indulgent. So discussions with the people around me are absolutely essential, like MIKIKO-sensei, who handles the direction, and GEEK PICTURES, who work on the production.

--When did MIKIKO-sensei first become involved in the production?

It started with my 2022 solo show, *Prologue*. There was a program in it called “Itsuka Owaru Yume”, and I asked her to direct that piece. Then, with *GIFT* in 2023, we began working together in a more full-scale way, and it has continued ever since. Of course, she handles the direction, but she also helps me think through the choreography. Especially for this spring’s *Prequel…Before the WHITE*, it didn’t really feel like we were dividing up the work. It felt more like the two of us were creating it together, almost as co-creators. Compared with the time of *GIFT*, I think we’re making things now while communicating much more closely. As a figure skater, there are ways of presenting things and certain movements that I don’t know, so I rely on her for that. On the other hand, she doesn’t know figure skating, so that part comes from my perspective. But recently, we’ve started saying to each other, “Maybe precisely because we don’t know, we can come up with ideas that have never existed before.” So now we’re both stepping into each other’s fields more and exchanging opinions in a much more active way.

--So in that sense, you’re kindred spirits when it comes to the passion for opening up something new.

Maybe so. I’m not the type to just keep doing what I already know I can do. I have a strong curiosity for exploring things, like, “Maybe this is possible too.” And recently, MIKIKO-sensei has gradually started to understand figure skating techniques as well. *laughs* So now she even gives me suggestions about the skating, like, “What if you tried it this way?”

 

--So all those experiences you’ve built up become the strength to create something even better next time.

 

Yes, exactly. No matter how famous you are, I believe that if you don’t keep things feeling fresh, you’ll fade away. That’s why the direction of the show has to keep reaching higher, and so does my own physical ability. …Still, the experience and skill that MIKIKO-sensei and everyone at GEEK have is incredible. And then I have to take what those professionals created and present it through my performance alone… so every time, I really feel the weight of that responsibility. *laughs*

“I can never be satisfied with, ‘He was better back then.’”

--Please tell us about the first part of the latest chapter, *REALIVE*. You skate through a medley of your past programs, including your competitive-era works, for about 45 minutes straight. That sounds like a real challenge.

Yes, it was extremely hard! Including the quick costume changes, it runs for 45 minutes. And because the venue is an arena and the rink is so big, I have to make my movements bigger, or they won’t reach all the way to the farthest corners. That alone is incredibly tiring. If I just tried to do it without preparation, my legs would be shaking after four minutes. But now I think about how to pace myself, and how I can make the audience enjoy it for as long as possible. To do that, there’s really no choice but to build up my body and practice. I also skate from one end to the other at speed so I can get right up close to the audience. And speaking of speed, even the costumes fluttering in the wind have actually become a challenge. *laughs*

--The flowing drape of the fabric really did make all those dreamlike costumes feel so captivating.

Thank you. The fabric actually can’t keep up with the speed of my rotations, so it catches air resistance, which makes it really hard to skate in. But skating beautifully without letting the audience feel that difficulty is also part of the technique.

 

--That sounds like so much work… And the title *REALIVE* also carries the idea of breathing “life” back into past works. At the same time, we now live in an age where people can replay and revisit all kinds of content without sharing the same time or place. In that context, how do you think about the value of a live performance?

It’s true. With music, there are recorded tracks, and I listen to the music I love over and over again, too. But that is data that stays the same forever. My skating, on the other hand, is never the same twice. Even if I skate the same program, it becomes something completely different depending on the condition of the ice and the state of my body that day. When I think about it that way, *REALIVE* was necessary because I wanted to show the movements I can only do now, at 31, after taking proper time to maintain my body. I wanted to bring all the programs I’ve performed until now back to life through the body I have today. That’s how I feel about my own works, almost like they’re living beings.

 

--The audience cheered so loudly for the nostalgic programs, too. Fans may be remembering the Yuzuru Hanyu of the past, but they’re still completely captivated by the Yuzuru Hanyu standing in front of them now. What’s the secret to continuing to hold people’s attention like that?

Am I really the best version of myself to everyone right now…? I’m not so sure about that. *laughs* I have artists I love too, so I understand the feeling of, “I really like their sound from back then!” And I think which era of “Yuzuru Hanyu” someone loves is tied to the timing of their own life. So it probably really is different for everyone. But while understanding that, I still have to keep working hard so people can say, “He’s at his best right now.” The memories everyone has of “back then” are, in the end, an added value to who I am now. I could never be satisfied with people saying, “He was better back then.”

--So does that mean your past self is also your rival?

Yes, I think so. Memories tend to become more beautiful over time, so my past self becomes an “idealized Yuzuru Hanyu.” Beating that is incredibly difficult. That’s true. When you keep replaying videos of your favorite artist in your head, their appeal only grows stronger. Exactly, right? And compared to that idealized Yuzuru Hanyu, replayed again and again in people’s minds, getting them to feel that the me standing here now is good is far harder than simply being compared to the past. That’s why trying not to lose to the version of myself in everyone’s memories is such a worthwhile challenge.

“My peak is still ahead. I’ll keep evolving beyond common sense.”

--How do you feel now, at 31, as you continue to challenge your past self?

I know I keep saying this, but… *laughs* right now, I’m in my prime. …Though maybe ten years from now, I’ll still be saying the same thing. Because figure skating is still a sport with so much left to explore. Even for me, when it comes to how I use my body, I feel like I’ve only finally started to understand it after everything I’ve done up to this point. I’ve also been challenging myself with ballet and dance, things I didn’t really do during my competitive years, and I keep discovering things like, “Wow, I can’t move like that at all!” So right now, I feel like I still have nothing but room to grow.

--Since you were young, you’ve continued to achieve unprecedented feats and overturn what people thought was possible in figure skating. Does that journey still continue from here?

ICE STORY will keep going, too, so as long as I’m skating, I want to keep pushing into territory no one has reached before. But my top priority is to show people something good. I never want it to become something where I’m just showing off technique. And one more policy I have is to keep expressing things through my own body. Precisely because we live in an age where AI and other technologies keep evolving, I want to keep valuing expression through the human body.

 

--In the show’s narration, the line “Has Yuzuru Hanyu given everything he has? The answer is both yes and no” left a strong impression. What kind of feeling gave rise to those words?

That part came from imagining what AI might say if I asked it about my current state, based on everything I’ve lived through so far. I thought maybe it would answer something like, “Yes and no.” There was a bit of playfulness in it, too. *laughs* But when asked, “Do you still want to continue?” the answer was a powerful “Yes!” Yes. I still want to continue. As long as people have expectations for me, I want to keep skating.

 

--With that same passion, I hear you still make sure to get on the ice five days a week.

Yes… but honestly, five days is not much for a skater. Ideally, I’d want to be on the ice seven days a week. But that comes with the risk of injury, and I also need time for production work, so right now, five days is the absolute limit. When I was competing, I thought my job was to focus on myself. But now there’s choreography, production, maintenance… I definitely have more to do now than I did in my competitive days. *laughs*

 

--I’d also like to ask about what comes next. Have you ever thought about producing someone other than yourself in the future?

Not really. I’m already doing everything I can just to make the most of myself as a material, so I don’t have that kind of room. And I mean that in the sense that I want to keep being a good material, one worth putting that much care into.

 

--I’m looking forward to it! This issue has a fortune-telling feature called “Love and Destiny.” How would you read your own fortune for the second half of 2026? And do you believe in “destiny”?

The second half of the year already…? In the latter half of this year, I’ll be working on the fourth installment of ICE STORY, so I’ll do my best to make it something that goes beyond everyone’s expectations. And for that, I want to keep working on my body every single day. Because I believe everything is built from the accumulation of each moment we live now. In that sense, attracting destiny is also the result of what we build up day by day. When an encounter or a chance comes your way, being able to receive it with gratitude and think, “Maybe this is destiny,” is also possible because of those daily efforts. I’m sure everyone reading this has something they work hard at every day, whether it’s their job, their studies, or something else. If you keep building that effort steadily, day after day, then when a chance finally comes, I think you’ll be able to believe in yourself with confidence and act, thinking, “This is my destiny!” So I want to do everything I can today, too, and be ready to meet whatever destiny comes my way.

--You might seem like a total perfectionist, but it felt refreshing to see you looking healthy and enjoying who you are in your thirties.

Oh, no, no. I’ve always been a perfectionist, so I’ve always had this feeling that I had to be the perfect version of myself. But recently, now that I’m involved in everything from the original concept to the expression on the ice, I can’t keep saying that all the time. *laughs* And as that’s happened, I’ve gradually started to think, “Maybe it’s okay for me to be imperfect, too.” I feel like I’ve become able to accept myself as I am. Now, I feel like I can say with confidence, “This is Yuzuru Hanyu as I am today.”

 

 

 

70 Q&A
 

Spoiler

On His Expression

Q1. How much time do you spend developing the concept for a show?
Since it includes my memories and experiences from childhood too, I guess you could say thirty-one years and a few months.

Q2. When do ideas come to you?
When I’m in the car on the way to the rink. Then I take the ideas that came to me there and think them through again on the ice.

Q3. How do you record your ideas?
I probably use the Notes app on my iPhone a lot. When I don’t have time, I use voice memos too.

Q4. Are you more digital or analog?
Actually, I’m the type who gets more ideas when I go analog. I like to just pour everything out onto paper.

Q5. Do you consult anyone?
I come up with the original idea for a show by myself, but after that, I discuss it with the staff.

Q6. Are you influenced by other live shows or performances?
I don’t get to go to venues very often, but I watch things on Blu-ray and get inspiration from them.

Q7. What entertainment has moved you?
RADWIMPS’ “Zettai Enmei Tour”! I love it so much that even now, I still watch it while nodding my head along.

Q8. What do you care about when it comes to your own merchandise?
Designs that anyone can use, regardless of age or gender, and durability. I want them to be things people can love and use for a long time.

Q9. What kind of people would you like to collaborate with?
There isn’t one specific person, but I’d like to actively collaborate with all kinds of musicians.

Q10. Is there any kind of staging you’d like to try someday?
I have ideas, but they’re a secret. I’m thinking of staging that goes beyond the common sense of figure skating!

Q11. What is one thing you won’t compromise on with costumes?
Not just whether they look cool, but how closely they fit the music and the program.

Q12. What words from fans make you happy?
There are a lot, but… that’s a secret. *laughs*

 

About His Body

Q13. What do you focus on when building your body?
My ankles. The whole human body rests on the ankles, so that’s the most important part for me.

Q14. What is your daily routine?
Self-care for my ankles. I have all kinds of treatment devices, like shockwave and highfrequency machines.

Q15. What’s your secret to good skin?
Until now, I never even used lotion, but I started using face masks to prevent dryness.

Q16. What do you pay attention to in your diet?
My stomach is a bit weak, so I eat things that are easy to digest. When my nutrition feels unbalanced, I take amino acid supplements too!

Q17. What do you care about when it comes to sleep?
I use a custom mattress and pillow measured to fit my body, to improve the quality of my sleep.

Q18. What’s your ideal amount of sleep?
Eight hours. But when I start thinking about show concepts or jumps, I tend to lose sleep…

Q19. What do you wear to sleep?
I have several of the same black tracksuit, and I just keep wearing those.

Q20. How do you cheer yourself up?
Games!

Q21. How do you reset when you’re feeling down?
I listen to music and dance! Sometimes I listen to metal and skate while headbanging. *laughs*

Q22. What do you tell yourself when you’re in a pinch?
“It’s not gonna kill me.”

Q23. Bath person or shower person?
Bath person. And I’m also the type who doesn’t want to “skip bath time.”

Q24. What health item are you into lately?
Supplements. I just keep taking them.

Q25. What care routine did you start in your thirties?
Face masks. I use easy ones you can buy at the drugstore.

Q26. How do you deal with the cold on the ice?
I don’t really feel cold much, but I think it’s important to keep my meridians balanced.

Q27. What’s your secret to not catching colds?
I’d like to know that too! *laughs*

Q28. What’s the secret to your timeless beauty?
Exercise. For beauty, I recommend figure skating! *laughs*

 

About His Daily Life

Q29. What food are you into lately?
Gyoza.

Q30. Do you eat three meals a day?
No, usually two. My days and nights are kind of flipped, so I mostly eat at night and in the morning.

Q31. What’s your morning routine?
First I stretch, then I eat, brush my teeth, and stretch again.

Q32. What’s your night routine?
I fall asleep while watching Niconico videos. I watch fishing videos, game streams, and cooking videos.

Q33. Where do you feel most relaxed at home?
My room.

Q34. Rice or bread for breakfast?
I like both! I decide based on how I feel that day.

Q35. What’s your favorite thing to have with rice or bread?
Protein! I drink it while eating white rice. It doesn’t go together, though. *laughs*

Q36. Favorite drink?
Dr Pepper. The super guilty kind!

Q37. Do you cook?
I don’t.

Q38. What’s your best dish?
Pan-fried frozen gyoza. Though I’m not sure if that really counts as my best dish…?

Q39. What’s always in your fridge or freezer?
Frozen gyoza.

Q40. What do you care about with everyday clothes?
That they’re easy to move in. I don’t care about how they look. As long as they’re comfortable, that’s fine.

Q41. What’s something you bought recently that you’re glad you got?
Hmm, that’s hard… Something I genuinely found useful was an ultrasound therapy device.

Q42. Any recommended spots in Sendai?
Akiu Onsen. It’s a really nice place.

Q43. Any food recommendations in Sendai?
Zunda mochi. The shake is good too, but I’m more of a mochi person.

Q44. What do you care about with your hairstyle?
That it suits the program. But I do like longer bangs. I want to hide my eyes. *laughs*

 

About Things He Loves

Q45. What game have you been into lately?
Metaphor: ReFantazio.

Q46. What are your top three games of all time?
Final Fantasy IX, Lufia, and Heisei Shin Onigashima. Also Persona 3, and… (trailing off)

Q47. What was your personal BGM during the “REALIVE” period?
Motoki Ohmori’s “Kaiga.” I chose it to match the mood of the second half, with the feeling that I myself was becoming a painting.

Q48. Who are your favorite artists?
BUMP OF CHICKEN, RADWIMPS, Kenshi Yonezu. (Instant answer)

Q49. What music genre do you like?
I listen to all kinds of music, mostly Japanese music.

Q50. What earbuds are you using now?
Hmm, that’s hard… but! Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay Eleven Natural Aluminium.

Q51. What’s the key to choosing earbuds?
For rock, I like stronger highs and lows. For vocals, I choose ones that bring out the midrange. It depends on the song.

Q52. Who is your favorite skater?
Kurt Browning.

Q53. What are your lifelong favorites?
My lifelong favorites are BUMP OF CHICKEN and the earphone company Shure.

Q54. Do you have any recent hobbies?
Collecting true wireless earbuds.

Q55. What book did you find interesting recently?
I haven’t really been able to read much lately…

Q56. What hobby would you like to start from now on?
Body conditioning. I want to master stretching.

Q57. What are you interested in right now?
My own body. There’s still so much more I want to understand about it!

 

About His Heart

Q58. Straight up, what are the chances you’ll return to competition?
One hundred percent zero. Absolutely, absolutely never!

Q59. Do you need time alone?
If the person I’m with feels easy to be around, then maybe I don’t need to be alone… I think?

Q60. Are there times when you want to be alone?
Before an ice show, I’m often alone so I can focus.

Q61. If you had to describe your fans in one sentence?
The people I want to reach.

Q62. What do you want to tell your fans right now?
I’ll do my best!!!

Q63. What is your personal good-luck charm?
Actual shrine charms. I have a lot of them.

Q64. What are you thinking at this very moment?
I’ve got to do my best on this shoot so the photos turn out great!

Q65. Say one thing to yourself ten years ago.
(In a warm voice) “Hang in there…!”

Q66. Say one thing to yourself ten years from now.
“Right now, I’m giving it everything I’ve got. I’ll keep doing my best in the present so I can reach you.”

Q67. What does “Yuzuru Hanyu” mean to you?
Myself. Once I became able to accept even the imperfect parts of myself, I could think of him that way.

Q68. If you were reborn, what would you want to be?
Hmm, that’s hard. I’d like to be human, but if you ask whether I’d want to skate again… I’m not so sure. *laughs*

Q69. Would you want to be Yuzuru Hanyu again?
I don’t think I’ll know that until the moment I’ve lived my life to the very end.

Q70. Please give a message to readers of your generation.
We’re at a point in life where we have both youth and experience. Let’s enjoy this prime time together!