Figure Skating is so huge in JAPAN | Golden Skate

Figure Skating is so huge in JAPAN

christinaskater

Medalist
Joined
Mar 21, 2005
Huge, i was there and it is big

Mao is like the biggest superstar now
and Shizuka is now a legend of sorts....amazing


Miki is also superstar in status

So is Yu-Na

Fumie, Yukari are also fairly popular

Caroline, Mirai, Kimmie are also huge

They are like iconic in status

They are somewhat like Sailormoon now in status...huge

Daisuke and Nobunari are also big
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
Glad to hear that the sport is doing well in some parts of the world, even though it is sinking in the US
 

kandidy

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
But when I saw the skater scoop on TV, it is like a soap opera story.
Sometimes make me annoyed those television news.
 

sorcerer

Final Flight
Joined
May 1, 2007
Glad to hear that the sport is doing well in some parts of the world, even though it is sinking in the US
USA has just as much star skaters PLUS such advantage in the next generation like Zhang or Nagasu. Japan envies that.
What might lack in the US, I think, might be some "rivalry in tight tension", though I'm not confident about this imagination of mine.
(Formula-1 showed a peak in popularity when Prost and Senna was in such a dramatic rivalry.)

Here, Miki and Mao were sort of brought up together on the same training rink, are good friends, but they ARE very conscious of each other.
And of course Yu-Na, our lovely neighbor, has joined in this mutual consciousness for some time already.
Men's rivalry in figure skating may not work as much as ladies', promotion-wise.

I think Caro and Mirai will show some thrilling rivalry on the senior scene next season.
And my prediction is that Mirai will take the lead.

But when I saw the skater scoop on TV, it is like a soap opera story.
Sometimes make me annoyed those television news.
Yeah? Oh, maybe a bit so, but where paticulary was annoying?
Perhaps it's that "using the same fluff clip over and over again"?
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
USA has just as much star skaters PLUS such advantage in the next generation like Zhang or Nagasu. Japan envies that.
What might lack in the US, I think, might be some "rivalry in tight tension", though I'm not confident about this imagination of mine.
(Formula-1 showed a peak in popularity when Prost and Senna was in such a dramatic rivalry.)
...

While the US has a lot of "star skaters", it doesn't have the people watching skating on TV or buying tickets to event that Japan seems to have. Unfortunately, the US doesn't go to well for "friendly rivalries" -- maybe, they are insufficiently dramatic (especially when compared to Tonya/Nancy).
 

visaliakid

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Country
United-States
Everything goes in cycles. Skating was huge starting with Harding's planned " knee whack on Kerrigan" heard round the world and throughout the 1990's until after the 2003 Worlds in Washington, D.C.

The big difference in these two periods of popularity was that the U.S. period was born of controversy, and the current period in Japan, out of Arakawa's Olympic triumph.
 

sillylionlove

Medalist
Joined
Oct 27, 2006
It was amazing to see the size of the Japanese contingent and the Japanese media that was at Skate America!!
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
yeah, it's a ntional craze. It drove Mao to LA to get a break from the media and the crowds. I feel kinda sorry for those kids who at a lower level. The copetition must be enormos!
 

sorcerer

Final Flight
Joined
May 1, 2007
...and the current period in Japan, out of Arakawa's Olympic triumph.
Yes, Shizuka's gold in Olympics shifted the gear for another big boost, but this craze was started in '05 by the media, expecting "Mikitty" to do the quad in Torino.

Miki was a cute idol in Japan already in the latter half of 2004, like appearing in two popular variety shows, though once each; she shined strong having won both the JGPF and the Junior Worlds. She even got to win the Nationals '04 and '05 straight in a row.

It was not till the "Who goes to the Olympics" thing started in '05 that folks knew well about Arakawa. I bet that till the pre-Olympic media hype started, most of those who knew Mikitty didn't even know that Shizuka was senior champ in '04.

I imagine Vancouver '10 will start another hype in '09, both in USA and Japan. The popularity in the US will rebounce alright. (If not, then that'll be a big problem.)
 
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