Mao Asada

[nolangoh]

Hi everyone, I am watching this performance again and I would like to know the names of the commentators. Do you know who they are?

https://youtu.be/PZDP-qtB6-o

 

[gotoschool]

I just wanted to share a personal experience. I sent my mom the link to Mao's Madame Butterfly at Worlds performance and she said, "I saw Mao Asada's routine and it was the best ice skating routine I've ever seen!!! It was absolutely beautiful!!!" We are from the United States. All the people that I have showed Mao's performances to this year have all liked her performances the best: Madame Butterfly at Japan Open, Worlds and even Nationals and her SP at Cup of China and Grand Prix Final.

 

[hamaguri]

I just wanted to share a personal experience. I sent my mom the link to Mao's Madame Butterfly at Worlds performance and she said, "I saw Mao Asada's routine and it was the best ice skating routine I've ever seen!!! It was absolutely beautiful!!!" We are from the United States. All the people that I have showed Mao's performances too this year have all liked her performances the best: Madame Butterfly at Japan Open, Worlds and even Nationals and her SP at Cup of China and Grand Prix Final.

I'm glad to hear that. I was surprised and depressed to see that her FS was not listed in the icenetwork poll with the annual best program. If her performances this season left many to people's hearts, it's wonderful.

 

[honghe]

I love her SP more than Madame Butterfly but both are great programs, I think.

 

[Arriba627]

I just wanted to share a personal experience. I sent my mom the link to Mao's Madame Butterfly at Worlds performance and she said, "I saw Mao Asada's routine and it was the best ice skating routine I've ever seen!!! It was absolutely beautiful!!!" We are from the United States. All the people that I have showed Mao's performances too this year have all liked her performances the best: Madame Butterfly at Japan Open, Worlds and even Nationals and her SP at Cup of China and Grand Prix Final.

For me, she was one of the highlights of Worlds. Her LP brings me to tears. I was so happy the audience was so appreciative. It's probably too much to hope for, but I hope she comes to Skate America!

 

[gotoschool]

Here are links to a wonderful documentary about Mao that aired earlier this week.

part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv1QWgrsfOM

part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px0q0OALSnI

part 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cY5bmd4gLCE

 

[gotoschool]

I'm glad to hear that. I was surprised and depressed to see that her FS was not listed in the icenetwork poll with the annual best program. If her performances this season left many to people's hearts, it's wonderful.

Judges use empirical statistics, here are some that refute their decision. Some claim that this is meaningless but in my opinion the views of hundreds of thousands of viewers which is the fuel that keeps the sport going is very important, especially since the general public are more likely to express their real opinions without giving in to the selective favoritism and disfavor from a handful of judges and a few members of a suspect tech crew. An English search shows that Mao's most watched video of Madame Butterfly has about 210,000 more views on youtube than any other performance in the women's competition, yet it finished in 7th place in the freeskate? And Mao's program has 10 times more views than others skaters who scored significantly higher than her in the LP. I have turned against the scoring system because of its injustice and this kind of unprecedented and extraordinary contradiction between public reaction and the judges fallacious evaluation acts as cement to harden my cynicism towards the scoring, not to mention the consummate artistic and athletic quality of Mao's performance and the great depth of emotion that Mao's Madame Butterfly evoked within me: chills and tears which no other skater did.

 

[yhmafan]

Probably many of you have already read the article though I post it here because it was touching.


And I’ll remember the lavender butterflies in Mao Asada’s emotional, exquisite free skate – her arms in the air, the subtlety, the openness, the aura, the complete abandonment to the music – and the bitter disappointment of not seeing all of those translated into her Components score. Is it as if, after an year off the competitive arena, the judges in Boston decided to treat Mao once again like a beginner (or maybe like a retiree…?); and this is wrong for all the reasons in the world.


Mao Asada: there’s no one like her, really.
And I’m not talking about her dyeing and curling her hair, or putting on a red lipstick for her playful, coquettish short program to “Bei Mir Bistu Shen”. I’m talking about Mao Asada as a gift for the skating world and the skating fans altogether, about her coming back to the competitive arena because she missed “the sense of fulfillment and joy” she used to have after her best skates in competition. Us too, Mao. Us too. And the truth is I love this young lady to the moon and back, and my emotions during her performances are second to none. The triple Axel not quite round, the struggle to hold the Loop – well, these are all details. The quality of her skating is what sets her apart, the music flowing through her arms, her fingertips, as if music itself found in Mao its best interpreter. Simply put, there are some people born to be figure skaters – and Mao Asada is clearly one of them. I’d love to see that reflected in her Components scores.


Mao Asada: too bad the Program Components Scores couldn’t keep up with such a glorious performance.
A carousel of emotions, that was to me Mao’s free skate in Boston, in the 9th Worlds of her career. That performance, that subtle, yet powerful performance, with Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” embracing Mao beautifully, taking her under its (musical) wings, was by far the most touching, heartwarming moment of this edition of the World Championships – one that will stay in my mind for many years to come. “Thank you, Mao. Just like in Sochi!”, a teary Tatiana Tarasova said at the end of the routine, as I was literally crying in front of a computer screen, a little after 4 a.m. What is there to cry about, you ask? Well, everything: her magic, aura, her dissolving into the music; but, above all, the pure joy of her comeback – and skate like that, the gratitude of having her in the competitive arena for as long as she decides to; following Worlds, Mao expressed her wish to compete towards 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang.

And now the backside: in spite of being one of the biggest moments of the ladies’ free skate, the Program Components Scores failed to express that – and Mao Asada remained, from the judges’ point of view, in the range of 8-s (8.54 for Skating Skills; 8.39 for Transition/Linking Footwork; 8.79 for Performance/Execution; 8.64 for Choreography/Composition; and 8.96 for Interpretation). With these scores in mind, rewatch Mao’s free skate – the performance will speak for itself. Blame it on Mao’s year off, on her being treated as a beginner (or like a retiree), on the so-called “corridor” of scores (she was not in the final group, but in the one before that) – but the truth is the Components Scores didn’t do justice to a magnificent skate, and that clearly takes away from an event otherwise impeccably put together.
…and then rewind to the end of her skate in Boston – her beautiful, relieved smile, her arms and knees on the ice while catching her breath, with everyone in the arena on their feet. She’s done it again: felt the “fulfillment and joy” after a good skate in competition. And for a lady winning almost everything that is out there, this might be the biggest reward of all.

 

[Arriba627]

I've said it before but will say it again, her LP at Worlds moved me to tears. I still can't believe that I can now say that I saw Mao perform live. This was such a highlight for me. She was ethereal. Please please U.S., invite her to Skate America, and Mao, please agree to come!

 

[surimi]

I still can't believe that I can now say that I saw Mao perform live.

Lucky you! :luv17: I dream of maybe being able to say the same one day...

 

[tzazu]

Hope to see her again in Worlds this year. Last year I saw her in FGP, no her best performance, but didn't matter me. :luv17:

 

[Plumededragon]

I hope I'll get to see her live one day. I'm crossing fingers for Mao to go to either TEB or qualify for GPF. I'll be in Marseille, so I want to see her badly with my other fav, Yuzu, Satoko and Gabriella/Guillaume.

 

[YesWay]

Yes, if you get a chance to see her in person, please grab it with both hands!

It is a precious and magical experience to be there watching her skate - or even just watching her practice. (eg. I saw her avert a collision during practice at the last GPF - but not by shouting a warning as most skaters would do. Instead, she clapped to let the other skater know where she was. And somehow that just seemed so much more dignified... and so very Mao)

And if you should be lucky enough to meet her off-ice as well... that is an experience you will never forget! There is an aura that surrounds her, you can actually feel it. And one look into those clear pure eyes, from that close... you will be hypnotised *_*

 

[YesWay]

Here are links to a wonderful documentary about Mao that aired earlier this week.

Sadly, that youtube account was closed not long after your post and I was unable to see the videos :-/

 

[honghe]

Sadly, that youtube account was closed not long after your post and I was unable to see the videos :-/

I was able to see the videos but I don't know Japanese so I couldn't figure out what they were talking about :sad4:

 

[yhmafan]

Here are some more photos from the world and the ice show

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ch-fgkYWUAAheOi.jpg
https://66.media.tumblr.com/2068c4ba5f8efce7c250e33fd830d479/tumblr_o77ckiLzzP1vucczao1_500.png
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CidIsPkUYAAhxYE.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cg0EVnxWkAEcEmm.jpg
http://www.swissinfo.ch/image/42149...-schreckling-20160422-222010--dsc1988-jpg.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cho5-FMVAAAp80A.jpg (She still keeps that height wow)
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ch52wowU4AA42CY.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cgz989dUkAEYcwH.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ChztoL-UgAA8pBw.jpg

 

[largeman]

I was able to see the videos but I don't know Japanese so I couldn't figure out what they were talking about :sad4:

Me either but I still watched them all the way through. Can't get enough.

Part 1 had a frontal shot of Mao's 3Lz at Nationals (+0.80 GOE) and it was so gorgeous. I wish I had downloaded the video before it was banned!

 

[hamaguri]

Thanks guys for sharing your precious experiences with Mao!:hap85:

Elvis Stojko
"pleasure sharing the same ice with her"
https://twitter.com/Therealestojko/status/730411902866698244

 

[gotoschool]

Me either but I still watched them all the way through. Can't get enough.

Part 1 had a frontal shot of Mao's 3Lz at Nationals (+0.80 GOE) and it was so gorgeous. I wish I had downloaded the video before it was banned!

Mao's 3Lz at Nationals was really beautiful, but it did not get +.8 GOE, Satoko's did. Mao's only got +.4 GOE. The low valuation for such a beautiful jump is really unjust in my opinion.

http://www.jsfresults.com/National/2015-2016/fs_j/nationalsenior/data0205.pdf

 

[gravy]

I've said it before but will say it again, her LP at Worlds moved me to tears. I still can't believe that I can now say that I saw Mao perform live. This was such a highlight for me. She was ethereal. Please please U.S., invite her to Skate America, and Mao, please agree to come!

It's quite the experience, isn't it? I'll never forget the first time I saw her at the 2008 Worlds in Gothenberg.

If she manages to get Skate America; I'll definitely be there in October.