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3 hours ago, KatjaThera said:
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Sadly, I don't think it's even just the disaster and I can't even begin to imagine the trauma of the disaster itself. (visiting some disaster related places in Sendai was a shock, even while having always felt somehow... close to it, as I watched it unfold on TV and already had a deep interest in Japan, and it hurt a lot to see Japan be hit that hard then. But none of that can compare to actually having been there. I have been slightly traumatized by the earthquake I experienced in Japan in June and that was nothing compared to this, so I try to imagine multiplying my trauma many times and maybe that might just approach the feelings Yuzu and everyone affected then probably have...) It's also the pressure and responsibility that came with being "the star of Sendai's hope" - that he openly struggled with at first and then embraced, but even after embracing it, I can't imagine how hard it must have been to take everything he did and analyze it through that filter. Where every victory was for Sendai/Tohoku and every failure was a disappointment not just for him, but he probably perceived it as letting everyone else down as well. Then deciding to leave Sendai, to improve and get better and be able to win - his goal still being to win more, for Sendai. Working so hard to get that Olympic Gold in Sochi, only to still doubt himself and his victory's importance to the recovery efforts, after winning. Facing the people more affected than him with a heavy heart, only to be healed by them, some (the video where he meets the teachers who folded and shared onigiri when he was in the evacuation center, after he wins in Sochi is a video that never fails to make me cry; we often see Yuzu bringing comfort to people, we don't see nearly as often people comforting him). But I think that only made it more important to him to do even better and get a second Gold, one he could really be fully proud of, for them. Going nearly crazy intense over the next four years, despite injuries and illness and risking his health and well-being to achieve it.

 

And throughout it all, dealing with so much hate, people accusing him of having invented his own trauma, fans of other skaters doing everything they can to discredit him, his own federation appearing to not try very hard to support at times, judges always holding him to a higher standard than everyone else and having to always be a paragon whenever he sets foot out the door, because everyone expects him to be perfect. Perfect on the ice, but also perfect off the ice. Always polite, always well-behaved, always calm, always the bigger man. And despite that, still getting tabloid coverage, people either trying to dig up stories, or just invent them altogether, when they can't dig up anything. To always be watched, to probably rarely being able to just be himself, at least in public.

 

And all this at just 24 years old. I can't begin to imagine all his pain, his possible loneliness and his strength to keep going and doing his best despite it all. I could never be as hard-working and ambitious as he is (the part with "I work 3 times harder than everyone else" also makes me tear up; the way he says it also hints at how hard that is, that it's not just pretty words, but that it is really hard to do, but he knows it's necessary; not enough people point this out to aspiring athletes, or, indeed, people trying to achieve any big dream, IMO), but I cannot help but admire the incredible person that he is. I actually don't understand how anyone can not admire him...

 

I’m crying again now 😭agree with everything you say katja . I remind myself that Yuzuru is also a joyous person - other skaters and coaches comment on this - and it’s lovely when we see it too, in his skating, or in his interactions with Nobu for example - Continues with Wings was so lovely because of this sense of joy (and gratitude of course, it’s Yuzu!). I couldn’t wish him happiness any harder than I do, that’s true of all of us I think.

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6 hours ago, Pammi said:

Just some thoughts on the sad bit of the Hokkaido video 

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Going back to the video in Hokkaido, I can’t get over how Yuzuru’s tears still come so immediately when someone raises the issue of him having had painful times, and Mami-sensei says she thinks he still has them now, and he agrees, with tears in his eyes, and the brave face he then fights to put on for everyone. Will he always suffer this hurt? Will it always be so close to the surface for him?  I have never experienced a traumatic disaster, I can’t even imagine how it feels, especially to the young, sensitive person as Yuzu was, and still is.

I felt heartbroken watching that ... but then I so admire that Yuzuru shows this to us, to his people, to those he is supporting who have also suffered - he’s so real, and true. He has such Genuineness, despite the mask of fame that he wears.

 

 

The disaster will always be a part of Yuzu, but I don't think it's his own trauma that hurts him, so much as all the hurt he witnessed by the people of Sendai, Myagi Prefecture, and the region. He was already a local hero, featured on Sendai TV regularly, all through his childhood. They cheered for him and welcomed him home at the Sendai airport when he brought medals back. Many also helped him financially, so he could continue to train after the disaster damaged his home rink. He will never stop meaning it when he says he owes it all to the help and support the people gave him. He's talking about THOSE people. People he loved. And he had to watch them suffering, losing loved ones, and so many of them are still displaced after the disaster. 

 

Then he felt like he abandoned them when he went away to train and left them all behind to suffer more. And every one of those people called HIM a hero for bringing gold home to them to be proud of, for making them smile and remember hope and beauty again. But he doesn't see it that way. He has always felt embarrassment when they call him a hero and guilt that he escaped the misery they couldn't escape. If you already have a mountain that high to climb in your soul, and then you pile on all the haters, unfair judging, repeated injuries, and his own extreme pressure on himself to win, feeling that he owes it to all the people counting on him... it's a wonder he doesn't simply float away on a river of tears. 

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1 hour ago, kaeryth said:

Dramatic and unruly baby:mushroom7:

 

 

 

Omg. I can see it...

 

Yuzuru: *Gets injured* ugh! Why me?! *lements*

 

Coach: *snaps at him for the over dramatics"

 

Yuzuru: *acting totally scandalized* what are you mad at ME for?

 

🤣

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1 hour ago, Pammi said:

I’m crying again now 😭agree with everything you say katja . I remind myself that Yuzuru is also a joyous person - other skaters and coaches comment on this - and it’s lovely when we see it too, in his skating, or in his interactions with Nobu for example - Continues with Wings was so lovely because of this sense of joy (and gratitude of course, it’s Yuzu!). I couldn’t wish him happiness any harder than I do, that’s true of all of us I think.

 

And then people wonder why his fans and locals are extra protective of him... he's damn well earned  it.

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6 hours ago, AkaneYamashina said:

The actual performance starts at 14:49 

:tumblr_inline_n18qr5lPWB1qid2nw:

 

The conductor and spiritual core of the little local orchestra, Matsushita-san, died in the earthquake.

 

There is a clip taken two weeks before the earthquake. Following the last practice shortly before the earthquake, Matsushita-san said, "Let's do our best (again) next week." Those were his last words to the orchestra.

 

The singer told the members of the orchestra that "Haru Yo Koi" was made 24 years ago and it's about hoping to see someone who one has not seen for a long time and will never see again, but in (hearing) this song, it would be good to see that person (again).

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On 8/23/2019 at 1:20 AM, ralucutzagy said:

This is from today's news but I wonder when was he in Sapporo? 

His 4S is a thing of beauty, really ... 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, AkaneYamashina said:

The actual performance starts at 14:49 

:tumblr_inline_n18qr5lPWB1qid2nw:

 

Yuzuru Hanyu is such a truly inspiring, selfless, caring, sensitive, humble, unassuming and peerless human being...

 

There is no one else like him.

 

I'm an old guy who's been through a lot in life, I've never been a fan of anyone or anything before Yuzu and I don't cry easily, but I had tears.

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