yuzurujenn

[yuzurujenn]

2024.05.11 Quardruple Axel May Issue: Exclusive interview with Yuzuru Hanyu

March 11th. When I walked into the hotel room in Sendai City, Yuzuru Hanyu greeted me with a gentle expression. The ice performance "Yuzuru Hanyu Notte Stellata 2024" held in the disaster-stricken area from March 8th to 10th, which he himself served as the chairman, has just ended. He should have been exhausted, but he didn't look like that. He just glanced at the tote bag in the reporter's hand and said, "That's a (souvenir) from the National Middle School Skating Competition, right? I miss it~", That was all it took to thoughtfully lighten the mood at the scene. He was interviewed by us for about an hour including filming time.

——Thank you very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to be interviewed today!

Hanyu: Thank you! Are you nervous? In fact, there is no need to be nervous at all. I haven't changed at all (from past to present)!

--Thanks. Then, I'm counting on you.

Hanyu: Please take care of me.

——It has been two and a half years since Yuzuru Hanyu started working as a professional skater. You have deeply thought and pursued both performance and figure skating itself, and you have even tried to work as an overall performance choreographer. In the process, you seemed to have increased the level of difficulty. Specifically, it means mental, technical, and physical endurance. In previous ice shows, besides the opening and finale, skaters mostly performed one program in the first half and another in the second half, a total of two programs. Under such circumstances, Yuzuru Hanyu had to complete an ice show alone. I think it is quite difficult for one person to perform nearly 10 programs. First of all, I would like to ask you to tell me why you decided to do a "solo performance" when you turned professional.

Hanyu: At "Yuzuru Hanyu notte stellata 2024" I skated three programs. In fact, just skating these three programs made me exhausted (laughs). As for me, even now, I have always treated figure skating as a sport. When it comes to why I chose solo skating over this, the first reason is that when I changed from competitive skater to professional skater, the voices from those who "still want to see Yuzuru Hanyu's figure skating" gave me a strong impact. Well, if that was the case, I started thinking, "For those who want to watch me skate, can I create an environment where they can watch me skate all the time?" This was the initial idea. And hence "Prologue" was born.

At the time of "Prologue", the MC session was very long, and the number of programs was obviously less than now. It wasn't easy physically at the time, but compared to now, I was able to skate through the whole show with plenty of room to spare. Through "Prologue", I also captured the feeling of "being able to perform continuously by myself." Of course, I don’t think I’ve fully presented myself yet. In fact, it cannot be said that all the programs were performed perfectly. In the previous "RE_PRAY" ice show, I was not able to perform all the programs perfectly. I thought that it would be really difficult to complete the entire performance alone, and it would definitely be physically demanding, but while I practiced for the solo ice performance, I gradually grasped the idea that "I can definitely do it alone."

——From the first "Prologue" to "GIFT" and "RE_PRAY", I feel that you are challenging more difficult programs every time you perform. Not just the physical strength, the fact that you can't just cancel a solo ice show because you're not feeling well, under such heavy pressure, your performances continue to exceed the audience's expectations. Isn't the daily practice quite a burden?

Hanyu: Maybe this is something that should be taken for granted after becoming a professional skater, but to be honest, the training I have accumulated now is incomparable to what I was able to do when I was a competitive skater. Looking back on the competitive days, it was enough to practice up to three programs (short program, free skate and performance skate) in a season. Because the number of programs is limited, it can improve concentration during practice. However, since I became a professional skater, if I hold a solo ice show, I would have to skate more than 10 programs. For a program to be comparable to traditional free skating, even without footwork and rotation, practicing seven jumps is undoubtedly necessary. In addition, if you want to skate many programs, not just jumping, you must also perform corresponding exercises for different programs.

On this basis, is it enough to just complete a certain amount of practice? Not really. Although as long as the amount is accumulated enough, the endurance will indeed keep up. However, these alone cannot maintain and improve physical fitness. Figure skating requires instantaneous movements. In order to consistently perform at my best, in addition to increasing the amount of physical training, training to improve my conditioning and fitness is also essential. Therefore, the current training can be said to be extremely hard (laughs).

——During the "RE_PRAY" performance in Yokohama on February 19th, you mentioned "about 6 hours of physical training a day." The amount of training is quite huge, right?

Hanyu: Yes, at that time, I felt quite upset because I was not able to perform well in the Saga performances. Since then, I have been studying better training methods and have been fighting with myself for more than a month. (Editor's note: As a result of hard training, in the final performance on February 19th, which was open to the media, "The Messenger of Destruction", which was as difficult as a free skate, was completed for the first time without any mistakes.)

After that, I immediately had to prepare for "notte stellata". Since there were three performances to be performed, it is necessary to practice accordingly. Especially this time, there are two new songs. Although the new program was arranged by someone in December last year, it was not possible to practice well (because he had to adjust for "RE_PRAY"). So, the first thing to do is to recollect the choreographic movements. Of these two new programs, the choreography for the second half of "Carmina Burana" started after the Yokohama performance of "RE_PRAY", but then it was decided to have additional stop for “RE_PRAY", so I have to keep practice for that too.

In this sense, although it is very hard, I am always thinking about how to continue to evolve during the process. For example, I mentioned about "learning" before. I can refer to the training methods and skills honed by top players in other competitive sports, or I can refer to paid course videos and study relevant papers. Although most of the contents are in English media, I can still learn and absorb various knowledge from them, and at the same time think about whether I can apply it to my own training, and thus formulate a training plan that suits my own situation.

——Performing more than a dozen programs in two and a half hours by yourself is something you have never experienced in the competitive era. In competitions, you just need to focus on the short program or free skate each day to bring your form to its peak. Now, in solo ice performances, the method of giving full attention to all programs must be carried out throughout the show. During the two-and-a-half-hour performance, in order to achieve the best condition in each program and repeatedly exert concentration and explosive power, has your "internal clock" changed compared to the competitive days?

Hanyu: Ah, right? (laughs) This is an interesting question. I don't have the impression of "just doing a long-distance race (a two-and-a-half-hour solo performance)" in my mind. Yeah, maybe it’s like the different feelings that a marathon and Ekiden (long-distance relay race) give to people. A marathon is run by one runner. During the 42.195km, there are ups and downs, and there are also times when the wind is going against the direction. We need to explore a strategy that can reasonably distribute the rhythm. In contrast, in Ekiden, multiple runners complete their respective sections, and all members relay the baton till the finish line. Among them, there are runners who are good at running long distances, and there are also runners who excel at running short distances at a fast pace. In this process, everyone devotes their effort to the parts that they are responsible for, and everyone's efforts are brought together as a team to complete the run.

Although my performances are like a marathon, I run alone all the time, but in fact, each program is like an Ekiden interval. Therefore, there are longer programs like free skating and shorter programs. Moreover, I always work hard to be able to perform all the repertoire at my best. So even though I ran the entire distance like a marathon, in fact, each part has its own Yuzuru Hanyu who is responsible for it. Each Yuzuru Hanyu is trying his best to skate each program. Only when they come together that a complete "solo performance" can be achieved. I imagine it would be similar to the feeling of running Ekiden alone. Because of this, each show’s approach to skating, the techniques used, and the pace are completely different. I had to practice them all one by one. In a formal performance, as long as the music starts playing, no matter how deprived of oxygen the body is and how hard it is, it must be completed. This is because it is not just about me, but the staff around me are also working hard to create with great care and dedication. So I have to persist in completing it. Although there were times when I couldn’t help shouting “I’m so exhausted” or “I really want to go back” (laughs).

To get back to the subject, I did not deliberately distribute (or preserve) the rhythm (physically), but trained in order to continue to exert my full strength for different programs.

—— Hanyu-san seems to be able to squeeze out his endurance from the limit, even when you feel physical pain and when you keep pushing yourself. Do you have the power to push the limits?

Hanyu: The support from the audience makes me very happy. I think there must be an invisible force, just like what everyone calls super energy in critical situations. However, I know firsthand that even this power has its limits. In my opinion, when the limiter is turned off, it is possible to awaken the extra 20% potential. However, since my competitive days, I have always been skating in a way that utilizes the extra 20% from the beginning. In this way, the remaining power has already been exhausted, if the energy is exhausted midway, the body will feel like it is stagnant. So it is important to recover when you're taking off your skates and changing clothes between programs, but it is actually very difficult to do that. The process of untying and re-tying skate laces also requires a lot of grip. In fact, the way you tie your skates can affect your condition and even bring the risk of injury, so concentration cannot be interrupted in this stage. Under such circumstances, my brain is still running at full speed, thinking about "Now, how can this body recover as soon as possible?" and "How to adjust the body's state and rhythm before performing the next program?". I was trying my best to overcome these difficulties. If there is nothing you can do physically, you can only rely on mental power to make your body move.

In this way, rehearsals become crucial. For "RE_PRAY", there is a free skate program ("Messenger of Destruction") at the end of the first half, but during rehearsals, I will skate "Messenger of Destruction" twice in a row after skating all other programs in the first half. Or sometimes I skate "Messenger of Destruction" three times in a row and then do the whole rehearsal. There are also cases where the original 30-minute break between the first and second half is reduced to 15 minutes and then the skating resumes immediately. Sometimes, after skating the Rondo step sequences three times, I will perform some additional performances. A formal show is definitely more physically demanding than a rehearsal, so I have to persevere until the end no matter what. In terms of research, I review scientific studies on the energy efficiency of muscles, the oxygen absorption of cells, and the oxygen transport of red blood cells, and train on this basis.

——Sounds like an impressive training session. In addition, in terms of performance content, after changing careers, you performed many jumping elements and programs that went beyond the rules of the game and broke the rules framework. Looking back at the competitive era, have you ever struggled with performances bound by rules?

Hanyu: I myself use the word "rules" in "RE_PRAY", but if you think about my experience in competitive sports, there is no doubt that I was bound by something like scoring. For example, in a certain melody, "Rather than jumping, I would like to do something that fits better for the performance", or "Although I actually want to perform like this, but in order to score, I can only do jumping here", psychological dilemma similar to this have indeed existed before. In this way, "If I want to complete this jump, I must ensure such a long skating assist", which means that I must have a corresponding distance. Or, to be honest, in order to get points, while thinking about matching the notes of the song, I have to think about "This step must be performed" or "This rotation must be included in the combination" situation. When considering the program, you’re always bound by the score.

Of course, arranging programs with the goal of obtaining scores is actually the fun of the competition. However, after I won the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, I began to feel that it was a bit lonely to think about making programs just for scoring. GOE has been adjusted, and I gradually feel that there is a ceiling-like existence in PCS. During that time, I had to think, "Well, what should I do to get points?" However, no matter how much effort I put into performance, and no matter how deeply I thought about the music, I was still unable to improve the PCS. It could be said that it had reached a point where nothing could be done. In this way, I could only improve the basic score of jumping, because I have to work hard to master new techniques (having to reduce the practice time in other aspects) and it is impossible to pay attention to and study in depth in all aspects. The most difficult part of figure skating is how to coordinate jumping and performance. On top of this, because of the constraints of scores, to be honest, I have repeatedly hit the wall for this.

——About "RE_PRAY" just now. After turning into a professional skater, the constraints of scoring disappeared. But on the other hand, the disappearance of scoring can also be said to have remove evaluation-related restrictions in a sense. The price of obtaining "free expression" is the loss of " judgment standards". Do you also have to face such a difficulty?

Hanyu: Thank you very much for your thoughtful interpretation of "RE_PRAY". To be honest, I was so happy that I couldn’t help but chuckle. After all, without scores, the so-called results, we cannot determine the right answer and the wrong answer. I am deeply aware of this difficulty. However, as a performer, it seems to me that the process of trying to find the right answer is actually similar to philosophy.

"RE_PRAY" slightly uses the Trolley Dilemma as a theme, but the answer to this question cannot be deduced by anyone. It can only be considered by each person as a pragmatism (practical, pragmatic concept) and find the answer that is suitable for them, the so-called correct answer. So I think this is similar to philosophy. In my mind, "I want to express it this way", "I want to add sounds for this kind of expression, and I want to convey this kind of world" are the correct answers. But for other people, they may feel that "It's not like that." When this remains in the world one day in the future, some people may think, "So this is how Hanyu Yuzuru (his performance, the world) feels." There may also be people who are deeply shocked. When I think about this, although it is difficult (performing without evaluation standards), maybe it is just out of the feelings of the athlete, but I still feel that pursuing it is meaningful. This is because I sincerely feel that if we always keep thinking and learning and deepening, we will definitely have the joy of continuous evolution. In fact, we can’t just talk about “fun” and “enjoyment”, after all, this is a job full of hardship. However, I feel that there must be correct answers and ways of thinking that I cannot discover on my own.

——How did the game-based concept for "RE_PRAY" come about?

Hanyu: Speaking of "RE_PRAY", when I was thinking about my future plans for skating, I thought that I had finally laid the foundation of "GIFT", the ICE STORY, at the Tokyo Dome, so I wilfully told the staff (lead by MIKIKO, the chief editor) "I want to continue ICE STORY", and that's where the creation started. I have been worrying about how to make ICE STORY 2nd, and I kept thinking "What is the most interesting part if it is presented as figure skating?" In terms of expression techniques, I thought, would it be more fresh and more interesting if I could start with things that I have the most contact with and that no one else has personally experienced? After thinking about it this way, I thought that I could use games and the like as the basis for the ice performance.

——The effects projected on the screen, the YES or NO option and the date of archive selection would change in each show, which has also become a topic of conversation among fans and everyone has made various comments and interpretations about them. Is there any special purpose behind it?

Hanyu: For these aspects, we just want to maximize the point of "creating stories as professionals". For figure skating, every moment of performance can become a work in itself. In addition, the reaction of the audience and the atmosphere at the event also create a sense of "live" at a certain moment. Therefore, as professionals, we are producing this ice show with the aim of striving for excellence to the end.

——In the video of "RE_PRAY", there is a scene where Yuzuru Hanyu uses a game controller to control the characters on the screen. That game character is also Yuzuru Hanyu. This design in which you control the game character Yuzuru Hanyu and move forward by choosing between YES and NO can also be said to be a unique worldview of yourself from an objective perspective. Hanyu also made many choices during his competitive days, such as deciding to go to Toronto, deciding to challenge 4A, and deciding to become a professional skater. When you are making these decisions, do you feel as if you are controlling the game character Yuzuru Hanyu?

Hanyu: That’s great, if you explain it this way. Thank you. Indeed, I also feel that I am the kind of person who is better at looking at things objectively. Whether in the process of skating or in the process of being interviewed like this, I seem to always be able to view myself objectively and observe myself from an overhead perspective, or I can say that I have good self-control. This personality may have penetrated unconsciously (during the creation of "RE_PRAY"). In fact, I also think that my own life experience has been injected into "RE_PRAY".

When I talk to you like this, I will also say "very interesting" and "not bad". When I organize the language, I do use unique wording in many places. Even so, I still feel that the expansion of the range of thinking and the richness of the set of options are very important. The story of "RE_PRAY" can be interpreted in various ways. In a sense, for the fans who have fought along with me, this is "Yuzuru Hanyu's story", but for viewers who are watching it for the first time, they may just watch it as an ICE STORY, right? For media people who conduct interviews and reports, they may think, "Because Yuzuru Hanyu used such language, that's probably what he thought?" Various programs also exist on the basis of many different interpretations. Integrating these into a complete work is what ICE STORY wants to pursue. Therefore, there is nothing happier for me than being able to take questions from people like you who understand this ice show.

——Having talked about this, I can also understand that for you, whether you are training and practicing as an athlete, or participating in the overall performance choreography, you need to consider themes and concepts, including polishing the details, all of which have a great impact on the body, brain, and spirit. All levels will bring a huge burden. Despite this, I can't help but look forward to Hanyu Yuzuru moving towards higher goals. When you held a press conference on turning professional in July 2022, you once said frankly, "The existence of Yuzuru Hanyu has always been a heavy burden for me." This sentence impressed me deeply. Has the burden that this existence placed on you changed since you became a professional skater?

Hanyu: (Laughs) It’s still very heavy. As expected, the fact that it feels like a heavy burden has not changed since the competitive days. For me, the fear of "Whether I can meet everyone's expectations?" and the uneasiness of "Whether what I am doing is actually responding to everyone's expectations?”, I have never stopped thinking like this to this day. But in my opinion, when such thoughts disappear and I no longer regard these as a burden, it probably means that I have reached my limit. I can still see the ideal image that can live up to everyone's expectations, and I want to make it my goal. In other words, in my opinion, my potential (moving his hand upwards) can probably reach this level. Because of this, I feel uneasy or have the feeling "This is the best I can do”. I may live up to everyone’s expectations only to this extent. It is very difficult to continue to evolve and finally realize your ideal, but I accept the state of mind of constant pursuit of this as the driving force.

——How do you spend every day keeping in mind the distance between you and your ideal?

Hanyu: To be honest, I do feel that I have always insisted on pursuing my ideal goal. But specifically speaking, the distance (to the ideal) is not a definite interval. Sometimes it is closer and sometimes it becomes further. It seems to me that this kind of thing happens all the time. At this point, this is true regardless in professional or competitive era.

For example, the "SEIMEI" I skated at the 2015 NHK Cup (which set a world record at the time) was almost close to the ideal, and I scored 322 points (total with the short program score). Regarding this, I thought, "It's close to the ideal, what should I do next?” In a sense, I have reached a state where I can be satisfied. At that time, facing the upcoming GPF, I kept thinking, "Can I score more than 320 points in the next competition?" and "What should I pursue next?" However, at the same time, my physical condition became not good, and I have a bit of a cold and at this time my ideal is far away from me again. But in the end, I scored 330 points in the GPF (Editor's note: Both the short and free broke the world record at the time, and scored an otherworldly 330.43 points, achieving three consecutive GPF championship titles). It can be said that I have fully realized my ideal, but that time I was completely burned out, and it was difficult for my body (state) to recover and my feet started to hurt. In this way, I have to put the ideal back in its place…

It is precisely because of that during the seasons around 2019 and 2020, although I had the ideal I had been chasing, there were times when I felt that another ideal was good and changed direction. I think the situation of being closer and further away from my ideal, or simply starting to pursue other ideals, has not changed even now.

——In the press interview after the "RE_PRAY" Yokohama, you said that you were “completely blank” when talking about future ideas. In fact, what are your next plans?

Hanyu: At the moment I really don't have any idea about the future. In fact, it is through this that I realize once again that I am in a creative field. Precisely because I have nothing, I have to create it, and it is precisely because I have to create, even though I will surely encounter difficulties, I still find pleasure and enjoy it. When it comes to what I am pursuing now, roughly speaking, I think it is "good work”. Although I can't be specific yet, what is the "good work" that I am pursuing? I think it should be something that I create from ‘nothing’, which is probably what everyone expects. However, I do benefit from the support of people around me, as in the case of "RE_PRAY", there are a lot of people who are really working on it. In this sense, I have had a lot of difficulties in the process of creation, whether it is the extensive training I have conducted in order to present a better performance, or the many difficulties I experienced during the actual performance, but I feel that the ice show created by the "Professional Group" is indeed the highest-level work. At the same time, I always adhere to the sense of responsibility that "I must perform at my peak" while creating ICE STORY.

——Thank you very much for taking up your precious time for an interview today!

Hanyu: You are so kind. I should be the one to say thank you!

[Postscript to the interview]

Wearing a black sportswear, Hanyu welcomed me into the hotel room. Within the allocated one hour, Hanyu spent 40 minutes carefully answering my questions one by one. Occasionally, there were times where he responded to my questions and said, "That's good," or "I'm happy you asked." The power of Hanyu’s words, the passionate tone of his voice when talking, and the words he weaves which are completely different from Hanyu on ice, are also full of charm.

At the end of the interview, we asked him to write down his future resolutions on colour paper. "Um…what should I write?" Yuzuru Hanyu looked at the paper with a serious expression and fell into silence for a long time. After a while, "I can say what I want to say, but what about writing it in words?" He said this while writing the words "Change the world!" When I asked him about the meaning of "world" here, he replied, "I want to change not only the field that I am currently fighting in, but also the world itself in everyone's eyes”, reveals such a grand theme to us.

During the filming process, he kept changing his poses at the photographer's request. While chatting with us from time to time, he has a smile on his face, but as long as he faces the camera, he can put on the required expression in a split second. This made us realize the strengths of Hanyu-san as an expressive person, who has been in the spotlight of the camera tens of thousands of times.

While waiting for the camera to be set, I asked him: "In your competitive days, you once said, "What I like most is when there is a barrier in front of me." Now that you are a professional skater, do you still like to encounter barriers?" Hanyu listened, compared himself to an "ant" and gave this answer.

"In the competitive era, there were scores and results, so when I looked back, I would find that the barriers were right there in front of me. Now it seems more like I have to find the barriers on my own. It's because I think, "I want to be more like this. "Or "I want to become stronger", so I have to build a barrier for myself, and then overcome this barrier. For example, there is a huge step here, and I am a little ant. After all, steps are just steps, not walls. However, if I think "I want to move to another level", like an ant, I have to treat this step as a wall and climb it over myself. I look for obstacles and climb over them in order to evolve, but what I want to say has not changed (I like it when there is a wall to overcome).

The interview was conducted on March 11th. It ended just after 14:30. When we put away the filming equipment and moved the tables and chairs back to their original positions, the same 14:46 as on "that day" arrived. Hanyu looked at the sea through the window and silently prayed. Although he himself was a victim of the disaster, he did his best in the ice show held to deliver the "light of hope" to the disaster-stricken areas. The back view of Yuzuru Hanyu at this time is that of an ordinary 29-year-old young man without the armour of the "Absolute Champion". For a while, Yuzuru Hanyu remained facing the window. After, you can see him raising his hand to wipe the corners of his eyes from time to time.

Source: https://weibo.com/1746783312/OdMLMnmye?pagetype=profilefeed Info: https://x.com/AxelQuadruple/status/1785923918215446592

#hanyu yuzuru #yuzuru hanyu #羽生結弦 #figure skating #translation #re pray #interview #notte stellata 2024

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[2024.04.01] CITIZEN China <Quadruple Axel featuring #羽生結弦>

New watch collaboration

CITIZEN: You've always challenged the Quad Axel, can you share with us the importance about the core spirit of the quad axel and its meaning?

I believe that everyone has his or her own goals in life. It is the source of our motivation and keeps us working hard. No matter where you are, what your profession is, or what difficulties that you face, as long as you have a dream, and persist in your faith, every moment can be a new beginning. CITIZEN: Figure skating is a sport that can reflect "beauty". Please share with us your understanding of "beauty".

In my opinion, if you want to show beauty in figure skating, you need to integrate the techniques, such as the Axel jump, with the expression of inner emotions for it to become a perfect performance. This collaboration watch fully reflects my pursuit of beauty in performance. I hope everyone can personally try and feel the beauty and charm contained within the watch. CITIZEN: What is the most important turning point in your career as an athlete?

Turning professional is undoubtedly an important turning point to me, but this is only a beginning, not the end. I want to keep evolving and skating in the irreversible flow of time. For me, every second is an important turning point. CITIZEN: What do you hope the audience will gain from your figure skating performance?

As an athlete, I hope to create a unique art form through the integration of athletic skills and physical fitness such as jumps and spins, with stories and artistic expression through music. I hope the audience will feel deeply moved and happy by my figure skating performances, and I will be very happy if they can gain the courage to face daily challenges. I will continue to work hard to make the audience want to watch my performance again.

#hanyu yuzuru #yuzuru hanyu #羽生結弦 #translation #figure skating

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Yuzu Archives

Videos (2004-2023): https://mega.nz/folder/3oZVFCqB#5ts7uyBQ9D0cHy9Uos8D9w Ice Story: https://mega.nz/folder/VD91HBxJ#5nRCeE8vfPSO5ZJUi36PEQ

Online streaming: https://space.bilibili.com/1748764575 Interviews (2024): https://planethanyu.com/topic/1937-2024-compilation-of-interview-articles-with-yuzu

Follow Yuzu's official accounts: https://twitter.com/YUZURUofficial_/ www.youtube.com/@hanyuyuzuru2624 https://www.instagram.com/yuzuruofficial_/

#hanyu yuzuru #yuzuru hanyu #羽生結弦

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[2024.04.08 - 2024.05.07] Part 1: The story of the birth of GG pattern which symbolizes Gucci

Hello everyone. My name is Yuzuru Hanyu, and I have just been appointed as a Gucci brand ambassador. I would like to talk about the GG pattern, which is still widely used in clothing, handbags, and even accessories, and continues to be loved as Gucci's iconic symbol.

The roots of the now legendary GG pattern lie in the story of the brand's birth. In the late 1960s, Gucci's sons set the initials of their father, Guccio Gucci, onto a jacquard diamante canvas with a series of signature diamond patterns in honor of their father's legacy.

The GG pattern was thus born and has since been developed into many variations and come to adorn every aspect of Gucci's creations. Combining the power of an icon with Gucci's roots in craftsmanship, the sophisticated design and quality of the GG pattern create a timeless value.

Info: https://x.com/gucci_jp/status/1775855840698020010

(machine translation)

#hanyu yuzuru #yuzuru hanyu #羽生結弦 #gucci #translation

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[2024.04.25] S-style May issue - featuring the Miyagi performance of "Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2nd "RE_PRAY" TOUR"

Approximately 5,800 fans gathered on the first day of the additional performance in Miyagi, which was held on April 7th, 2024. We will deliver footage of this performance, which was only allowed to be covered by media connected to Miyagi, along with new photo shots.

Photo: Kiyoshi Sakamoto Text: S-Style Editorial Department

After turning professional, Yuzuru Hanyu has been able to perform solo figure skating performances in an unprecedented form called ‘ICE SOTRY’. Following the first series “GIFT”, the work “RE_PRAY” is based on the theme of games that he loves. The world of games that can be played over and over again, and a life that we can only live once. It is a work that expresses both worlds while also filled with prayers for the people living today.

Held in Saitama, Saga and Yokohama, Miyagi was suddenly decided as an additional performance. Many fans came from all over Japan and around the world to see Mr. Hanyu’s event in his hometown.

After skating 9 programs, before the encore, he addressed the fans in the venue and said, “I’m sure there are some people who can only come today, I want them to see me do my best with all my heart and soul, so I gave it my all”. He joked, “I’m suffering from hay fever. Why don’t you change your nose with me (laughs)?”, stirring up excitement in the audience, before adding, “If you have a flag, please wave it. I also want to cherish the banners that you all showed me. Thank you so much for all the handmade goods that you all made,” he said, expressing gratitude for the fans who have supported him over the years. After the performance, which lasted about two and a half hours including the encore, he spoke to the media about his work and feelings for the local area.

Yuzuru Hanyu Q&A full text released

After the performance, local media gathered for an interview. We will publish the full text.

--Thank you for your hard work.

Hanyu: Thank you.

--How did you feel after skating on the first day of your special solo performance in Sendai?

Hanyu: I’d say it’s a bit like a competition, it gave me a lot of confidence to see that the hard work I put in produced good results. After all, I always think that in order to say to myself, “I did my best”, there has to be a result, otherwise it is just an “intention”. I feel like today I can finally say that I worked really hard, rather than just feeling tired all the time. However, it’s only the first day, so yes, I’m going to recover and train well tomorrow, and I’m going to do my best to stay focused for the day after tomorrow (the final performance).

--Is that hard work referring to the second half of Part 1? From the flow of the 6-minutes rehearsal, I think that “The Messenger of Ruin” had a wonderful performance that surpassed even Yokohama. What do you think?

Hanyu: Well, (in a whisper), “Alright! Yes!” I said that in the backstage for a while (laughs). But really, the reason why I am able to do my best and practice every day even more than competition is because I want to somehow show everyone a good performance, and I want to show something better every time. It makes me want to get better and perform in a way that makes people feel impressed, and I’m really happy that people have that kind of expectation for me and that they support me in that way.

-The second part is filled with prayers, and the other day there was a big earthquake in Taiwan. I believe that 13 years ago, when this city was suffering, Taiwan was a great source of strength. I wondered if the thoughts you put into Part 2 could reach Taiwan and provide a little boost. Mr. Hanyu, what kind of thoughts did you put into it?

-Hanyu: First of all, when I saw the news about Taiwan, it really hurt my heart. I’m sure there are many people who were affected by the disaster and are still suffering. I don’t know what to say to those people. However, as I am doing this and performing in this special place, this may just be selfish thinking, or self-satisfied, but I hope that even just a little prayer could reach them. In addition, various disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake and the Noto earthquake, have occurred or are occurring both in Japan and around the world, in fact, even in places like New York, there are days when I feel a little scared. I skated with the hope that it would cleanse the Earth of some kind of distortion of whatever you call it, even a little bit.

--The day after tomorrow, this ICE STORY “RE_PRAY” will come to an end. How would you like it to end?

Hanyu: I will skate with all my heart and soul again. It’s a very special performance for me because it’s in my hometown, and I think this “RE_PRAY” is also different for those who have come to experience it while getting a feel for my hometown. Including all circumstances, I would like to do my best to turn everything into strength, so that everyone can watch “RE_PRAY” that is unique to this Sendai performance.

--For today’s performance, I think in the first part, “The Messenger of Ruin” got the audience excited because of no mistakes, but even in “RE_PRAY”, it feels like it’s one of the few times you made no mistakes in that part.

Hanyu: It was probably the best performance so far. I think I was able to land all the jumps with almost no flaws anywhere. To be honest, I feel glad that I worked hard now.

--I think you said, “Because it’s Miyagi, you want to show better performance”. In that respect, what does the success of “Messenger of Ruin” means to you?

Hanyu: After all, in the first part of the story, the characters in the story feel pain and suffering that they can’t fight back against. And following that scenario, I was just swallowed up by the pain. In a sense, it’s my experience of the earthquake, or something like that, where you really can’t do anything about it on your own. As I look back on it now, I think that this story was born from my own experiences. That’s why I not only wanted to express my strong desire to fight against that pain in my hometown, but also to stand up to it and overcome that wall. It is precisely because of that the prayer theme in the second part was possible, I felt like the prayers would reach me too. Really, I put my all into it, and I think I was able to perform it.

--There was talk that this additional performance was decided on short notice, but was it Mr. Hanyu’s underlying desire to allow everyone to see him at his peak as a professional athlete in his hometown? Could you please tell us more?

Hanyu: I’m still not quite at my peak. However, as a professional, while exploring and creating a new form of skating called “ICE STORY”, I had a strong desire to skate in my hometown. Well, I’ve heard that people from all over the world actually came, and this time we even had people coming from Taiwan. The fact that people from all over the world came to my hometown, I felt like I couldn’t be happier if my show was the reason for that, so I really wanted to do it in Sendai and Miyagi.

--The whole show was so amazing that I don’t even know how to describe it, but after seeing something this amazing, I couldn’t help but wonder what would Mr. Hanyu’s next professional ambitions be.

Hanyu: “Hey, what are you going to do?” (laughs). I’m at a loss too. However, as long as everyone has expectations for me, I want to study harder, work harder, and show something good, and I believe that I am still in the process of evolving. So, I will continue to work hard, turn various experiences into strength, and also turn your support into strength as I move forward.

--What were the things you were conscious of, or find important specifically because it was in your hometown Miyagi?

Hanyu: This may be a bit dark, but in Part 2 there is a program called “Requiem for Heaven and Earth”. The music was written and performed by a composer named Yasunobu Matsuo as a requiem for the earthquake disaster. I wonder what it really means to be able to perform that song at this venue. Hmm, there are so many different feelings that I can’t quite express in words. However, I hope that my prayers would reach both in the heavens and on the earth. In fact, 13 years have passed since then, and some people may think it’s inevitable and have moved forward, and I have actually met them and heard their stories. But, after all, I know that there are also people still living with various conflicts, feeling inconvenienced with what they went through. Today I skated, while thinking that I would like to offer prayers in whatever way I can for all the various people.

--What about returning to competition?

Hanyu: (sounds like a cover-up) Not really (laughs). To be honest, yes, I’ve been practicing far more than I did for the Olympics. Looking back now, I feel like I could have practiced more for the Olympics. But I think it’s because of this solo performance that I’m able to work hard and practice like this, and I think I’m working hard because I want to become even stronger. I can proudly say that I am definitely better than ever.

--There is still the final performance on the 9th (note: the interview took place on the 7th), but Mr. Hanyu himself has talked about new influences and areas where you felt you have grown, things you have discovered, and what you have learned from the programs. Is there anything that left the most impression on you?

Hanyu: Well, um... the first program of Part 1 and the first program of Part 2, “Itsuka Owaru Yume”, are almost the same in structure and choreography. And the songs are the same, just the arrangement is slightly different. The costumes have changed and the lighting has changed, so I also skated with a different feeling. But after watching the first part, when you watched the same program again, I was thinking, “I wonder how everyone will feel. I’m sure it will feel different”, so I chose this composition because I wanted to convey that feeling, or rather, I wanted people to feel in that way. In that sense, the meaning of this program, apart from the feelings I want to convey, I also realised it is important to consider how others may feel depending on their backgrounds and experiences. Through “RE_PRAY”, I’ve come to cherish this aspect as part of its evolution.

--Thank you very much.

Hanyu: Thank you very much.

(warm applause from reporters)

(machine translation) Source: https://www.fujisan.co.jp/product/1281681333/new/ Info: https://twitter.com/s_style/status/1782703665415110694

#羽生結弦 #yuzuru hanyu #hanyu yuzuru #figure skating #re pray #miyagi #interview #translation

[yuzurujenn]

[2024.05.01] GQ Japan x Yuzuru Hanyu - JUNE ISSUE

Yuzuru Hanyu’s Challenge

After winning two consecutive Olympic gold medals, Yuzuru Hanyu, who turned professional in 2022, is taking on a new form of expression: an ice show that the produced entirely on his own. The extraordinary figure skater danced in front of the cameras, dressed in items designed by Gucci’s new creative director, Sabato de Sarno.

Photographs by Taro Mizutani Styled by Tetsuro Nagase Hair styled by TAKU VOW-VOW FOR CUTTERS Makeup by COCO SEKIKAWA OFFICE Words by Kosuke Kawakami

The unique path that Yuzuru Hanyu walks After entering the studio and exchanging a few words with photographer Taro Mizutani, Yuzuru Hanyu operated his smartphone as if convinced of something. A gentle piano piece played from the speakers. It was ‘aqua’, a piece composed for his daughter by Ryuichi Sakamoto, who passed away last year. Moving his body flexibly, as if surrendering to the music, the studio had transformed into a beautiful, dignified and tense space that no one could step into.

“When I saw the lighting directly above me, I thought it looked like the sun, like light from heaven. Mr. Mizutani also said, ‘I want you to look up. I want you to look up and think about something’. I thought it feels like a prayer, so I chose ‘aqua’ because it fits the image".

As a figure skater, he was won all sorts of accolades, including two consecutive Olympic titles, two World Championships, and four consecutive Grand Prix Final titles. He has also received the People’s Honor Award. In 2022, he became a professional skater in order to ‘pursue the ideal of Yuzuru Hanyu’. Since then, he has held numerous self-produced ice shows and solo performances at Tokyo Dome, Saitama Super Arena, and other venues.

“Even though I turned professional, I don’t think my fundamentals have changed. The world I’ve always wanted to express, the artistic nature of figure skating and the athletic aspect of it has not changed. During competitions, there are always rules and there are times when I had to perform in a certain way. But in the world of shows, I have to satisfy the audience in 360-degree, I have to use my brain to create the videos that will be played at the venue and I have to think about the words that I want to convey. I am expanding and deepening my thoughts to areas that I have not considered before.”

Just as a musician plays music and an artist uses a paintbrush, Hanyu uses his body to express himself.

“What’s fun about it is that when everyone watches it, I get to see a lot of different opinions, people think about it in different ways and each person interprets it in their own way. What I'm doing, I believe that what I am creating is a ‘path’. The values, background, past, future, and so on become the path, and along the way, one may notice something or feel something. I want the audience to see it and share it. I’m really happy when people say that they enjoyed the journey and are glad that they walked the path. That makes me happy and that’s why I feel like I can continue on this path”.

When asked if he thinks it’s more fun now that he can express and create freely than in the competitive days when he was bound by rules and forced to compete, Hanyu thought for a while and then denied it.

“I don’t think it’s good enough just to feel fun. Ever since my competitive days, I’ve always believed that competitions aren’t about having fun, and I’ve never wavered from that philosophy of mine. There are some people who say you can only perform well if you enjoy it, and I understand why people think that’s the right answer. But for me, if I have fun, I feel like I’m not being serious enough. There is a certain kind of performance that comes out because of the tension, and that is what allows me to train hard every day. Even in the creative field, when it comes to creating something, it is not good just to have fun. Of course, it’s possible because there’s also fun in it, and I’m able to create because someone sees it and enjoys it, which brings me joy and happiness. But if I continue to only feel fun, I may end up with just empty words and a false worldview with no depth.

Hanyu says that he feels he lacks ‘vocabulary’ as an artist.

“Vocabulary is also necessary for physical expression. If I want to show a scene just by moving my hands a little, I need to know the techniques to do so. I have to learn how to move my hands in such a way that it looks beautiful, and engrave it in my body. Let my nerves learn it, let my brain study it, and eventually I will be able to do it. It’s not like I can dance like a professional dancer or ballerina, but I’ve been figure skating for more than 20 years. Because of this, I have the potential to create new expressions by learning their techniques. I believe that if I study hard and able to do it on the ice, I will become a unique presence”.

There is no goal, no rivals to compete with. Yet, without hesitation, he continues on his own path.

“Being on the ice is like my ‘native language’ (laughs), so if I move away from it, I am no longer Yuzuru Hanyu. The knowledge, experience and soul I’ve cultivated since I was four years old are there, a place where I can express myself from the bottom of my heart. Of course, I’ll probably start to decline as I age, but if I continue to use the language of figure skating for another 30 years, there may be a form of expression that can only be created at that particular time and age. I believe there is such a possibility, and I think I must continue to strive for that possibility”.

Yuzuru Hanyu, as the one and only Yuzuru Hanyu, continues to move forward focusing on expression on the ice.

GQ Japan - June 2024 issue, released on 2024.05.01 (auto-translation with some editing)

More: 1 https://twitter.com/GQJAPAN/status/1782938296944857402 2 https://twitter.com/GQJAPAN/status/1785448080340337135 3 https://twitter.com/GQJAPAN/status/1783692480782704746

Full article published online on 8th May 2024: https://www.gqjapan.jp/article/20240508-yuzuru-hanyu-cover-story

#hanyu yuzuru #yuzuru hanyu #羽生結弦 #figure skating #gucci #gq japan #interview #translation

[yuzurujenn]

[2024.02.29] Yuzuru Hanyu, World Figure Skating magazine 100th issue - March

Now, as a famous figure skater, what range does he aim for as a performer? A long interview with Yuzuru Hanyu who just finished his "RE_PRAY" Saga performance!

Yuzuru Hanyu, a figure skater who has won two consecutive Olympic Games championships and achieved a Super Grand Slam has achieved many great achievements. In July 2022, Hanyu held a press conference to express his decision to retire from competition and enter his professional career. Since then, he has successively held solo performances in which he skated the entire show, the first Tokyo Dome performance in the history of figure skating, a performance full of requiem and prayer, and his first tour, showing the world his versatile and active figure. The figure skating performance that Hanyu puts his soul into is opening up a new dimension of figure skating with specifications that far exceed expectations. Yuzuru Hanyu, who continues to challenge himself as an athlete, once again talked about his sincere thoughts on figure skating.

[My mission as a figure skater]

Q: On the occasion of the 100th issue of "World Figure Skating" magazine, we are very honoured to invite Yuzuru Hanyu for an interview. This magazine was founded in December 1999, and Hanyu probably started his figure skating journey at the same time.

Hanyu: I started skating around 1999. I started skating when I was 4 years old, around the summer of 1999. Wow~I miss it so much! I have the first issue of this series of magazine. The cover at that time was Michelle Kwan, and the back cover was Yagudin. I miss that Piano costume (of Yagudin's) very much. And (after turning the page) wow ~ Plushenko! I loved figure skating at that time. Oh, and Timothy (Goebel).

Q: That was when you first started skating. What did you like about the skaters of that era?

Hanyu: The players at that time had very distinct personalities. Although I like figure skating very much, when I was a child, I only watched the athletes (performances) that I really liked and was interested in, so at that time I only watched Plushenko, Yagudin, Honda (Takeshi), and occasionally Timothy. In a sense, I just look at the figure skaters that I like. The top players of that generation all have their own unique personalities that make them shine. Although they all have their own unique characteristics, they have different styles, different ways of expression, and extremely outstanding personalities. In this sense, I still like that era very much. That is also the generation I admire most.

Q: I see. Hanyu: I first started getting into figure skating, not because I had a figure skater that I admired and thought, “I want to be like that,” but because I just wanted to follow my sister and do the same thing as her, so from a certain point of view, my initial contact was not with figure skating. But when I watched the Olympics, those athletes made me think for the first time, "I want to be like that." Although their personalities are very strong, they are not offensive and they are really skating in their own pure way.

Q: What started out as a pure dream has led you to revolutionize the sport of figure skating.

Hanyu: No, no, no.

Q: In the meantime, you continue to be at the forefront of figure skating. First of all, please allow me to ask you about the "notte stellata" performance held in March. It can be said that Hanyu has been a symbol of revival after the Great East Japan Earthquake, but this year, due to the Noto Peninsula earthquake that occurred at the beginning of the year, I think this performance will become even more meaningful.

Hanyu: Please allow me to express my condolences to the victims. Although I have lived for 29 years, in recent days, I have once again realized that Japan is a place that frequently encounter disasters. There are many natural disasters in Japan. In addition to earthquakes, there are also many natural disasters such as heavy rains. This is probably the fate of living in Japan. However, this also made me feel again that injecting prayers for various natural disasters into my figure skating and skating with full prayers is probably my mission in this era.

Q: Hanyu’s love for his hometown, Tohoku, really runs through most of your figure skating career.

Hanyu: I think many people living in Japan have personally experienced the tremors of the Great East Japan Earthquake, but I myself did not witness the tsunami. I have also thought about what position I should stand in relation to this disaster. Even so, I continued to figure skate. When I was sixteen or seventeen years old, especially during the season after the Great East Japan Earthquake, I attracted everyone's attention. Since then, I have been conveying a lot of information including my experience in the disaster. In this process, Yuzuru Hanyu and the Great East Japan Earthquake gradually became inseparable. So, both in my competitive life and in my current professional activities, I feel like I have to keep that earthquake in my mind. The experience of that earthquake is central to my life experience. For example, when I won a gold medal or achieved good results, the first thing that came to my mind was the smiles of people in my hometown. I know that I have contributed my own strength to my hometown. Therefore, including "notte stellata", I want to continue to do various activities through skating (to continue to contribute).

[Why "ICE STORY"]

Q: Since turning professional, you held your first solo ice performance "Prologue" from November to December 2022, and then held the Tokyo Dome performance "GIFT" in February 2023, and will hold the "RE_PRAY" tour as the second part of ICE STORY from the autumn of 2023. Can you tell us why you want to present figure skating in the form of a story?

Hanyu: When I was skating as a kid, I wanted to tell stories in the show. And I also like to create and imagine stories. Everything originates from this. If a program can present a story, will everyone see any difference in the various elements presented in the program? This has always been the core of what I want to express. How to describe this - during the competitive period, I will get an objective result after the game. But there are exceptions, such as the 2014 Cup of China. It was because of that collision that the "Phantom of the Opera" was created at that time, and it was also because of that the “Phantom of the Opera” in the Grand Prix Finals was created. The story that I felt through the program became completely different. The story of the program itself has not changed much, but from the viewer's perspective, with the superposition of various factors, the program looks and feels completely different. This is what I felt inside when skating this program. I've created a lot of programs so far, but if I packed them all into one big story now, I think it would look completely different. During the competitive period, I would get results, reported by various media and other additional circumstances, but this time I want to tell a bigger story so that everyone can see different ways of life and gain different insights through the programs. This is my original intention of creating ICE STORY.

Q: Is this affected by the transition from a competitive player to a professional player?

Hanyu: As I transitioned from a competitive skater to a professional skater, the position of figure skating in my heart has also changed a lot. During my competitive days, I started out thinking about winning for myself. My motivation also comes from the fact that if I can skate well, people around me will be happy about it. I think it may be this sense of accomplishment and the joy of receiving praise that keeps me motivated and engaged in figure skating to this day. Later, due to experiences such as earthquakes, I no longer only wanted to win for myself, but also began to want to win for other people. Now that I have left the competitive scene and become a professional skater, winning or losing itself no longer exists. I think in my mind, figure skating has become "wanting to do something for others." I hope my figure skating can become a part of everyone's life. On the basis of presenting figure skating like this, I hope to convey certain information to everyone more concretely in the story.

Q: So, is this a story about Yuzuru Hanyu?

Hanyu: No, no, no, there are all kinds of lives, and we exist in all kinds of life. If we want to write, each of our lives can be written into a story. Everyone will be moved by various stories, and also feel sad and painful for them. Under such circumstances, I have distilled and presented a large part of figure skating like this. I think "Yuzuru Hanyu's story" exists in each of you to some extent. So, from everyone’s perspective, the perception of my show will also change. But I actually do not just want to present my own story, because everyone has their own story in their life. I want to be a small piece in everyone's life story. I often think so.

[Study body language to present new expressions]

Q: In order to present new expressions, you are currently expanding your expression methods through new body language such as dance, imaging technology, and writing scripts in your own words. Do you think your figure skating has undergone a qualitative change as a result?

Hanyu: I originally thought that by creating an ice performance with the specifications of "GIFT", I had already expressed everything I wanted to express, but I had to create "RE_PRAY" immediately. I really tried my best to do what I could. Everything that I know was used. (Laughs) That’s why I have to learn more.

For myself, I want to create more words, show more areas of dance, and broaden the range of my movements. And I think in order for professionals in every field to think that I'm doing a good job at this, I have to keep working hard.

I am currently struggling with my lack of knowledge when it comes to technique in dance and performance. I think I hit the wall more often than people think. In terms of expressing and presenting through words, I am not a liberal arts major, and my major in university was not written language. When it comes to dance, I have not always studied ballet or hip-hop. Everything I try is my own style, but I want to work hard for it and stand on the stage as a professional.

As a professional figure skater, I have the performance skills, mentality and expertise that I have developed over the past 25 years. I wanted to apply these and connect them to discourse and dance. At present, I am in a state of exploration. I have explored a lot, but I cannot integrate these explorations into words. My brain is about to explode. I am currently in a state of being exposed to all kinds of new things and trying to absorb them.

Q: We are deeply impressed by your production integration capabilities in "RE_PRAY" stage art. The "save data is damaged" at the end of the first half is really shocking, and how the story is unfolded from there. This kind of narrative ability really seems to be from the hands of a professional screenwriter.

Hanyu: You're welcome, that part is very dark, right? (laughs)

Q: If you receive an invitation to make a movie, would you be interested?

Hanyu: No, I don’t think so. I don’t think so at all (laughs). For me, everything I do is for figure skating. I want to learn various things for figure skating, and I think it will help deepen my figure skating. Whether it is writing scripts or creating and organising, I need to master more expression skills and learn more things.

Q: I think coming up with ideas is also a challenge. "RE_PRAY" is based on the theme of the game world, isn’t it?

Hanyu: It was after the end of "GIFT", or during the "Fantasy on Ice" ice show to be precise, that I started thinking about the next ice show. During the planning process, the staff learned that a certain venue can be rented during a certain period, so we have to start creating new ice shows quickly. I really wanted to continue using the story format, so I had to start writing (laughs).

When I was very worried about "what should I do?", I suddenly realized that my origin is games. Therefore, when I started writing the story, I had already decided to use the music of the 8 BIT series, and the characters would be pixellated villains, and using pixellated style to build a worldview of the game world.

Not everyone is familiar with games, so I thought a lot about how to convey the worldview that I wanted to express to the audience. At the same time, I had complete trust in MIKIKO-sensei, and I believed she would find a way. MIKIKO-sensei also said to me, "You can go as far into your creation as you want," so I was able to make a breakthrough and write this story.

Of course, as the production director, I completed almost all of the performance arrangements and stories myself, but I also have complete trust in the production team, and they really devoted themselves to the production of this ice show. I first created what I wanted to do, but I couldn't just think about my own self-satisfaction. In order to let everyone feel and understand the story, I worked with the staff together to create the ice show. This is how it felt like. To be honest, I didn’t feel that whatever I chose to do would definitely go well. I just felt that because everyone worked together, we were able to create a good work.

Q: There are new discoveries every time you perform. Hanyu-senshu's expressions seemed to be different between the Saitama performance and the Saga performance.

Hanyu: Really? I just threw myself into it regardless. But I feel like I have more energy now than when I was in competition. But still, my physical strength reached its limit at the end of the first half, and at that time I thought, "What am I doing? I'm so stupid…" (laughing)

[The unforgettable scenes]

Q: With the launch of new programs, your previous programs have also been re-interpreted and integrated into the ice performance story. During this process, I think you have also reviewed your competitive career. So what scene is etched in your mind when you look back now?

Hanyu: The first one should be the 2004 All-Japan Novice (Novice B = Champion). I was very impressed with my first All-Japan Novice win. First of all, this is my first time to participate in an All-Japan competition. Although there were training camps to discover new athletes and regional competitions before this, and I also had the opportunity to meet and get to know many different athletes, I was still new to the All-Japan competition. The number of people coming to watch and the number of referees were also different from before. To me, my performance was perfect under the circumstances and I ended up winning the event and scoring more than I thought I would. The buzz of excitement at that moment, the cheers of "Oh~" from the audience, and the feeling when I jumped 2A beautifully, it was really… I think that was my greatest success experience. It is no exaggeration to say that that success made me love figure skating even more. Then I got a little too confident because of that victory and got carried away. (Laughs) But then the ice rink was damaged in the earthquake, which pained me very much. After that, it was a dark time that I didn’t want to think about…

After that, the most important thing for me was Nice (2012 World Championships in Nice = 3rd place). When I did the free skate in Nice, it was the first time I had the opportunity to really feel like I was being supported. Before that, all I had been thinking was, "After all, I'm the one skating on the rink." In the past, I have always believed that the key to winning a game lies in whether I work hard and whether I can display my true strength on the rink. But in Nice, I felt for the first time the power of everyone’s support for me and the power of the staff who supported me. This power was reflected in my figure skating. I realized that the support and assistance I received was not something I could take for granted. So that was a very important moment for me. Q: Sorry to interrupt you, but this competition in Nice is also the first time you have appeared on the cover of our magazine.

Hanyu: (Holding the 53rd issue in his hand) Ah~ I was so young back then. Nice is the origin after all. That was really the kind of figure skating that could only be shown at that time. I can no longer reproduce "RoJu" exactly as it was at that time, but this is also the fun part of figure skating.

Q: What about after Nice?

Hanyu: Hmm… Actually, it’s not the Olympics period that is deeply etched in my mind. The most impressive thing after this was the Helsinki World Championships (2017 Helsinki World Championships = Champion). Even now, when I watch the scenes, hear the cheers, and recall my state of mind at that time, as well as the completion of the program at that time, I am still very excited and have tears in my eyes. It was a really difficult season for me. The short program didn't go very well, and I had some jumps that I never succeeded in. Contrary to the cheers in the venue at that time, there was a complete quiet space in my heart… I felt that such a special feeling has surpassed figure skating and has become a very special space and time in my life. I now feel that the World Championships in Helsinki are more important to me than the Olympic Games.

Q: Was that the moment when you felt connected to everything?

Hanyu: Yeah, yeah. That's what I need most… The space I want to stay in most, the most joyful moment in my life, is that moment. I want to cherish moments like that, that’s what I’m thinking now.

[I still want to get better]

Q: Having enjoyed your current professional activities, I am reminded of some of the words you said in interviews many years ago during your competition days that connect to the present. So what is this unwavering core of yours?

Hanyu: That would be, I still want to get better. The root of my desire to be better, to be stronger, and to continue to challenge myself is that I want to be praised, and I want everyone to think that I'm doing a good job.

In addition, in my own words now, I hope it can be an opportunity for everyone to have some sort of emotion. There are many factors involved in this, and these factors become more numerous as we age. So it’s impossible to make a simple generalization, but what is always consistent to me is my determination to get better. I want to become better, stronger and more capable to present to everyone the things I want to express and create. This has never changed.

Q: Previously, Hanyu-senshu mentioned in an interview that Mr. Nomura Mansai has always been at his peak. Mr. Hanyu, you yourself too, despite the passage of time, you have always kept the audience looking forward to it. I think that in order to achieve this, you have also undergone many changes in your heart, right?

Hanyu: Indeed. The kyogen that Mr. Mansai engages in is a bit difficult to describe for people who love traditional arts. I think in their eyes it belongs to the genre of folk art. In the field of kabuki, there are also kabuki based on game themes, and Mr. Mansai also uses various techniques to try to launch modern kyogen and Noh dramas that are completely different from the past. Some viewers are looking forward to this. For those who value tradition, or those who simply want to see a Noh play at a Noh theatre, this performance may seem a bit offbeat.

But in a sense, from my perspective, this alternative is the charm of "Nomura Mansai". The modern Nomura Mansai has such a unique quality. He not only appears in TV series, but also has a multi-field acting career. In my opinion, maintaining such style all the time is the unique charm of Mr. Mansai.

I believe that for the figure skating world, "Yuzuru Hanyu" must also be a very different existence. But precisely because of this uniqueness, those viewers who have always followed figure skating competitions and like the Yuzuru Hanyu in the past will think, "Ah, figure skating can still be expressed in this way." Maybe some people may also think, "No, I still hope he skates more traditionally." Everyone has various opinions and ideas.

But at the end of the day, I feel like figure skating alone cannot fully express everything I want to express to everyone. Mr. Mansai was born into a family where Kyogen was passed down from generation to generation, but he loved rock music and even formed a band, which was later reflected in his Kyogen. So for me, I want to express myself through figure skating, but figure skating alone is not enough.

In other words, the so-called form is still figure skating, but now with imaging technology, various technologies, stage settings, etc. can be completely separated from the ice. This is especially obvious in "RE_PRAY". Extend various expressions in silence. Some people may say, is this still figure skating? but I feel that integrating everything I want to express into figure skating is a natural and suitable way for me at the moment.

So, I think this is probably the "Yuzuru Hanyu" in everyone's mind. Although my inner thoughts have changed and what I want to express has also changed, the reason why people feel that "it's still Yuzuru Hanyu" is because what I want to pursue has not changed from the competitive days.

As a person, what I present from my soul is always the same and has never changed. Therefore, although my thoughts continue to change, in everyone's eyes I remained the same. I place what I want to express on figure skating. Now, I am learning various things and getting in touch with things in various fields. I want to continue to improve myself. This is because I feel that figure skating alone is no longer enough to meet my needs for expression in figure skating. However, it is still difficult for me to describe in detail what is needed.

Q: We all enjoy watching Hanyu’s performances. Hanyu: I’m very happy that everyone likes to watch it. It’s not easy to perform though.

Q: Through various channels such as your YouTube channel, TV broadcasts, live viewing, and online broadcasts, your performances will be widely disseminated to various places.

Hanyu: Got it. As a Japanese, Tohoku and Sendai person, I think there is a unique rhythm cultivated by the culture of this land and water in my heart. This should also be reflected in my figure skating performances. I will continue to hone myself so that everyone can feel the charm of my performance when it is translated into English language or taken as a photo. At the same time, I cherish and am full of pride for figure skating as a stage for my expression.

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Editor’s Note: Yuzuru Hanyu’s words are full of spirit to constantly expand figure skating and update the concept of figure skating. Every detail in the interview reflects his deep affection for figure skating. Carrying the fate of the chosen one, he moves forward tenaciously, peacefully, and firmly. —There is no doubt that he will continue to promote the development and deepening of figure skating.

(End of full text· Interview/WFS Editorial Department)

Auto-translation with some editing, credits to: https://weibo.com/5437806211/OaN8SCn0A

Info: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/6196/ BTS: https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/6632/2/

#羽生結弦 #yuzuru hanyu #hanyu yuzuru #figure skating #translation #interview

[yuzurujenn]

[2024.03.11] Yuzuru Hanyu sends a message to victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Noto Peninsula Earthquake

(Before the interview, while arranging the camera and lighting, I asked Hanyu, "the three days ice shows just finished you look a little tired." Hanyu replied, "Although there is a reason for this, but as expected all sorts of thoughts come to my mind on this day.")

How do you feel about the day of 3.11?

It remains the same every year. I will feel pain and recall the experience of that day. Although many things have changed, there are still things that remain unchanged, and emotions that have not changed actually exist. How to say, every emotion is actually very complicated.

Do you still remember the situation at the time of the disaster?

Yes. I have never forgotten, nor have I ever thought about forgetting. No matter what I do, these memories come back over and over again. I think they will not fade away and will always exist in my mind.

Was it during practice when the earthquake occurred, right on the ice?

Yes, it was on the ice. There had been several earthquakes before that (*a magnitude 7.3 earthquake occurred off the coast of Sanriku on March 9), so I thought that would be the end of it. At that time, it happened to be the holiday period after school exams, so I practiced during the normal business hours of the ice rink. When the initial shock started, I tried to reassure the guests on the ice that “it’s okay” and provide guidance. I have to say that I am actually somewhat used to earthquakes.

You went back to your home?

I walked back, but my home was not in a habitable condition at all (note: it was later judged to be in a completely destroyed state). Although I went to a shelter, it was closed and I couldn't stay overnight. So, I walked for about thirty to forty minutes to another shelter.

Have you ever felt the fear of having your daily life disrupted?

Rather than the fear of daily life being destroyed, it is better to say that there is no sense of reality at first, and that daily life is destroyed before I realize it. I spent four days in the elementary school gymnasium that was used as a refuge centre at the time. “Was this reality?” To be honest, I felt that I couldn't tell the difference at the time. In the blink of an eye, my life, surrounding environment, and the time I had experienced were all changed. So easily destroyed. So, in the short term, my feelings were closer to the feeling of "what happened" than to fear.

Do you remember when it started to feel real?

Everyone was thinking about the disaster-stricken areas, support was becoming closer and closer to people, and I was also allowed to perform at charity ice shows, so it gradually became more and more realistic. It's almost like a feeling that came to me. Whenever I saw videos on the news or photos in newspapers, no matter how I looked at them, they just looked like CG. I myself am not one of those people who actually lost someone close to me. The numbers were so big and so far removed from me that, to be honest, it didn't seem real to me.

You won a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, and when you were told that you didn't smile at a press conference, you said, ``It's difficult to talk about the earthquake.'' Do you still remember what you felt at that time?

Honestly, if you ask me if things have changed since then, there are some things that haven't changed. Of course, I'll donate money, or if I feel like I can help even a little, I'll do my best to help. However, in reality, even if we provide support, nothing will directly change; for example, in the case of a major disaster like this, even if one person aspires to do something and does something, it will not really change anything. So, if you ask me if the hearts of all people in that area will improve after all, I know that it is honestly difficult to do that. In that sense, there are some things that have not changed since then. However, what has changed over time is that through the ice shows and actually visiting disaster-stricken areas and seeing the smiles on the faces of many people, I have come to realize that I have worked hard, and seen the results of my efforts, the feelings I want to convey, the way I skate, and so on, I was able to feel that there was meaning.  

You were also called the star of the disaster area. For a teenager, though, it feels like a burden.

I would say it was a heavy burden. When I was 16 years old, I would say it was heavy. After all, at that time, I was constantly asked about the earthquake, and even if I had achieved results in a competition, for example, I would be asked, “Well, do you have any message for the people in the disaster area?” No matter what I did, I was always asked about the disaster, and at that time I felt the weight of it all. The earthquake happened at the age of 16, at a time when it was easy for me to feel many different things, and I was told many things by many people, and I personally felt that it was very difficult. It's not like I became famous because of that, but as I achieved the results, I was asked about the earthquake in various places, and I couldn't help but associate Yuzuru Hanyu with the earthquake. To be honest, there were times when I wondered why I had to say something like this. However, because of that, I started to connect my skating, and my life itself, with the disaster, and I have come to think that it is one of the missions of my skating.

There are also people who feel afraid and confused about speaking out about the earthquake disaster.

Yes. The same is true today. No matter how hard we try, it is difficult to make everyone empathize. As an individual from the disaster-stricken area, I can be considered one of the victims. However, I did not suffer damage from the tsunami, nor did I lose any relatives at the time. Under such circumstances, I cannot face those who directly suffered the death of relatives and friends, and were displaced. The same is true today. Even if I want to simply convey that reconstruction is progressing, in fact, there are still uninhabitable and abandoned areas around the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant, so I cannot make a blanket statement. However, I feel that I have always chosen my words in the midst of this conflict and contradiction to convey what I want to say.

You still struggle with the choice of words. This has not changed.

Yes. Fundamentally speaking, it’s not like I can get close to everyone's heart. Although I don't want to give up...how should I put it? Really, no matter how hard I try, no matter how much I want to be there for you, in the end it is still just my own one-sided feelings, and I can feel that there is still something like a boundary. In that sense, rather than words, I think it’s better to focus on figure skating. Compared to language, physical expressions such as figure skating that are not bound by language can allow people to see different things based on their own values ​​and allow people to think more.

Continuing from last year, the ice show "notte stellata" will be held in Miyagi Prefecture in March this year. You had a desire to do it around the time of March 11th.

This show itself was not planned by me, but I actually visited the disaster-stricken areas and told the people around me that even before I turned professional, I wanted to be able to support the disaster-stricken areas. However, there was someone who made it a reality, and in fact, it is still happening today. That’s why that person took into consideration what I had always thought and put it together to make this work. Thank you for making the show a reality. So, I'm skating with the mindset that I want to give my best performance here.

When you were a competitor, the World Championships were coming up, and you said that it was difficult to provide direct support. By becoming a professional, you can reach that goal.

To be honest, I don't think that my feelings for the disaster area or the time I spent thinking about that time has changed much. However, I think that my ability to actually take action has changed. I think I have changed in terms of being able to actually take action, rather than just thinking directly about the disaster and practice on my own without taking any action. However, year after year, I had painful feelings and various memories, but I never actually expressed them in front of people or delivered anything, so I think things have changed a lot since I became a professional.

A comment published on the 10th anniversary of the earthquake said, ``I think I am the person who has been supported the most by these words, so I am the person who knows the meaning and power of these words the best.'' So let me say this, “Please do your best.” What are the words that you want to convey now?

I want to continue to support them. It's no different from what I said at that time, but I myself received a lot of support, and in the course of various activities like this, I received support from many people, and there were people in the disaster-stricken areas who supported the activities themselves, so I really want to continue to support the people in the disaster-stricken areas for a long time. More than that, I would like to express my gratitude and support to the people who are supporting the disaster-stricken areas.

Do you feel that you are entrusting that feeling to the ice show you held until yesterday and the solo tour performances since last November?

With 'notte stellata', yes, basically. To be honest, I'm a little bit detached from solo performances, but no matter what I say, when I’m saying something or skating, I think that the earthquake disasters are something that inevitably comes with me, so I'm sure there are many words that come to mind in the story of ``RE_PRAY'' (a solo ice show performance). However, with regards to the earthquake disaster and 3.11, I am entrusting all my feelings to 'notte stellata', such as wanting to do something directly, supporting, and cheering people up.

You put your thoughts into the songs you skated this time: “Notte Stellata,” “Carmina Burana,” and “Danny Boy.”

In the first place, people's emotions are different depending on their values, and when it comes to the earthquake disaster, each person has a different sense of distance in how they deal with it. So, in my opinion, there is no general rule that says how I want people to think about the earthquake. So, to be honest, I don’t think I should tell you everything what I want you to think about Danny Boy, notte stellata and Carmina Burana. However, after seeing each of the performances, each with its own themes, after watching the performances in this time’s notte stellata, I want the audience to feel a sense of hope, and I would like to express my wish that, even if it's just for a moment, the people who were suffering in the disaster area, those who are currently suffering, and those who are actually suffering in Ishikawa right now, can have a moment of happiness. I've continued skating with the hope that those people will be able to forget reality and have some kind of happy moment, even just for a moment.

Having seen not only the Great East Japan Earthquake but also various disasters such as torrential rain disasters, what are your common thoughts?

Regardless of the severity or scope of the disaster, I think people’s grief is the same. During the Great East Japan Earthquake, we always unconsciously pay attention to some quantitative things, such as the number of casualties, areas and scope in need of rescue. We tend to think that we feel pain because it caused so much damage, because it was such a tragic disaster, but even a disaster like a landslide is very difficult for the victims. Therefore, behind the number, whether it is "1", "1000" or "10000", there is also pain and hardship behind it, which will not change depending on the size of the number. I wish I could convey that.

Yuzuru Hanyu and the earthquake disaster are inseparable. How do you want to face it?

Honestly, the way we deal with the earthquake, the way we interact with it, and the way we think about it changes every day depending on the situation at the time, and in fact, people who are thinking about various things after the Noto earthquake in 2024, including myself, may change their way of thinking when they think about 3.11 again. I think that the way in which those vivid memories are revived is different for each of us, so I can't generalize what it will be like five years from now, but as I go about my daily life and skate again, I realize that I must never waste that experience, and because I have felt that experience closely, I am sure that there are feelings and a mission that I can convey. I think that's why I want to be involved in the process, searching for ways that only I can provide support.

You have been fighting for more than one and half year since you changed to professional. How do you feel about your own evolution?

Especially when it comes to "RE_PRAY", what I want to express, what I want to show, including the world view I want to convey, I was not able do it alone. Everyone in the team is serious about showing these things. These real professionals have poured their souls into their creations. From this perspective, I feel that I am far behind. In short, this solo tour performances make me feel this way. After all, the concept itself is completely different from an ice show, the approach itself is completely different, and the way of creating it itself is completely different, so in that sense, I have to evolve myself. I must have the figure skating skills to match it, and I must have the depth of thought to match it. And more importantly, since I call myself a professional, I always think that I have to skate at the highest level in the world as a professional and a figure skating expert.

At the press conference in July 2022, you said that you didn't have any feelings of sadness about leaving the arena. Do you still feel the same way now?

To be honest, my true feeling is that there's not much point in returning to competition. What I have been doing now is something that is really unimaginable in competitive skating. I don't have any unfinished business in competitive skating, I've already won two Olympic titles, and in my opinion, I've already gone through all the stages and steps that I should have gone through. That's why I don’t see myself returning.

I would like to see Yuzuru Hanyu continue to reach new heights as a professional, and continue to master his expressive ability.

To be honest, professional figure skaters tend to pay a lot of attention to things like expression, but figure skating is a sport after all, so it is important to have a high level of difficulty, and to challenge the limit of one's physical strength, and sublimate the situation as an expression again. In order to present this, it is necessary to hone my skills and strengthen my physical ability even more. I think that this is a new genre of entertainment that we are creating. So, of course, I want people to pay attention to the expressive aspects, but in order to do that, I always ask myself how much strength and how much skill I have to put into it. Furthermore, while I certainly want to evolve in terms of expression, I want to evolve while always asking myself how much more skill and physical strength I need in order to evolve my expression.

(machine translation with some editing)

Source: https://twitter.com/kyodo_DeepEdge/status/1777560764976660827

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