Daisuke Takahashi

[Olympia]

Still interested in Japanese skaters? Absolutely! These days, most of my favorite skaters are from Japan. Whatever you folk are doing to train skaters, keep doing it!

Deedee, your translations give us extra insight into their personalities. Keep up the good work!

Don't worry about getting emotional during Worlds. I think a lot of us went through the wringer, as we say here, during that intense week. I don't really understand the judging, so I can't say much about the scoring, but if I saw a great performance, I was so thrilled that I almost didn't care what the score was. As an American fan, you can imagine what distressed me: Alissa's meltdown, the guys' lackluster performances. Between those lows and the high points of Davis/White, the pairs, and Ashley, I was just exhausted by the end, and I could barely tell the difference between sorrow and happiness. Add to that the performance of my favorite lady, Mao, and I was pretty much a wreck. Thank goodness I only follow one sport! I'd be totally wiped out if I had this reaction to something like baseball as well.

[Bluebonnet]

To Bluebonnet,
I can not find your previous post here, but my sincere apologies if I was the one with a bad behavior to you.
It wasnot my intention at all to express my disagreement addressing to certain skaters.

Sorry, I just want to quickly say this:

No, no, Deedee: Hugs (((Deedee)))! I didn't mean you at all. You are the best in my mind ever since your first post here on GS! I do admire Takahashi very much as a person ever since 2010 Olympics. He is and always has been as heroic as a samurai! And I fully understand your frustration because I've been to the same situation like you before. Thanks so much for reading it!

[dorispulaski]

I want to thank you deedee and also kilyca for the wonderful Japanese translations! I am interested in all the Japanese skaters, but particularly in Takahashi & Tran, and in all the Japanese men, especially Dai, whose skating I first saw at Skate America the year he was skating his fabulous Technoswanlake SP.

[Olympia]

Oh, that TechnoSwanLake! Simply sublime. I knew then that Daisuke would be at the top of my list for as long as he chose to keep skating. After his retirement (somewhere around the year 2050, I hope), he will go into my personal hall of fame along with Curry, Browning, Lambiel, Wylie, and Yagudin.

[dorispulaski]

ITA!!

I was so depressed when he had injuries with long recovery times, and I'm so glad he is skating like himself again

[deedee1]

Good morning, everyone!

Thank you for your reply, Bluebonnet.
Glad to know that it was not me, and a nice surprise to get HUGGED by you!!!

There is one more person I would like to thank: fscric.
Thanks million for sending me a PM the other day. Without getting a PM from you, fscric, it probably took me more days to open this forum again.

Re Patrick, I can assure his fans that Patrick and his skating are respected and admired by a lot of skating fans, and by skaters, too in Japan; there is no denying how talented he is. When skating books are to be published, he often appears in these books. Well, he sometimes surprises Japanese fans with his straight forwardness, but we love to know more about him as a skater and as a person. When I have a time I will do translations on these books, too and drop them in his thread for you.

I agree with Olympia, everyone got emotional, a bit too emotional.
I am glad that everyone seems to be slowing down a bit and every threads turning back to be peaceful now.

Being ((hugged)) by Bluebonnet, I have a good feeling today will be a great one for me! See ya everyone!

[carignan]

deedee1, thank you so much. Your great efforts are appreciated from all over the world!! However I don't need translations, I'm happy to read positive comments for Daisuke from people outside Japan who read your translations.

his retirement (somewhere around the year 2050, I hope)

Kenji Miyamoto's blog
http://ameblo.jp/kenjimiyamoto/entry-11214768531.html
It seems Daisuke enjoyed Yakiniku with Kenji after coming back from France.

[let`s talk]

Here is Dai with fans near the hotel in Nice. People who witnessed that said that some staffer from the J-federation had to practically pulled him out to free him from fans. Otherwise he would be there giving signs and pics for all day and night long. Yeah, that's tough to be the true world celebrity. http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/fleur17/album/178681/

[Olympia]

The Elvis of Japan, I hear. (And I don't mean Elvis Stojko.) It couldn't happen to a nicer guy. I have to say, if I were standing near Daisuke, I probably would behave very badly myself. To invent a new word, he is definitely a faint-worthy skater. (He deserves at least a dead faint at his feet, doesn't he?) I don't scream very well, but I'm sure I could manage to lose consciousness in his honor.

[deedee1]

Here is a column by Takeshi, summing up Mens competition at Nice Worlds:

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Sources: Asahi shimbun, Apr 3, 2012
Author: Takeshi Honda, 2-time Worlds medalist, 4th at 2002 SLC Olympic Games, 6-time National champ

Reminder to readers: Japanese is a rather indirect language. In order to make more sense in English, I may add and/or replace some English words in the process of translations. Also, I am no expert in stanslation, please ignore grammatical errors if any. Thanks!
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<<Takeshi's Eye>>

At this point of history of Mens figure skating, it is not surprising at all to see, (and if you ask me, it becomes necessary again) for men not only to go for quad(s), but to land it (them) successfully. In Mens Free Skate that night, I counted over 10 men who successfully landed quad(s) or close to it. Out of these men, 5 went for 3 quads in their programs, SP+FS combined.

Here is a question: 'What's the next stage, then?'
My answer is 'Add something to your quad(s) if you want to win.'

Patrick Chan, who had made this stream for quads <=set the bar> at last year's Worlds in Moscow, landed 3 quads at the recent Worlds in Nice. He included 2 quads in his Free; the first one as solo 4T, and the second in combination 4T+3T. What is the most remarkable about Patrick's quads is 1) he can jump while doing complicated transitions/steps as its entry without destroying the program, and 2) its distance and beautiful flow upon landing to earn huge GOE. He collected almost 30 points, out of his total score 176.70, with his first 2 jumping passes.

Chan made 2 visible jump mistakes later in the program. However, both Yuzuru Hanyu who literally went 'perfect' in jump-wise, or Daisuke Takahashi who almost went clean <scratchy landings here and there, but> with such a brilliant performance could not beat him in the Free. Why? Becasue of the whopping points earned by his 2 high-quality quads.

For Takahashi, one of his targets <=goals to achieve> at this Worlds was to land a quad itself in a competition; something he has been struggling to get it back after knee injury. He did land one in SP, and another in FS. One accomplishment. What's his next accomplishment?

Up until now, Takahashi has to concentrate a lot to land a quad. He pays much attention on his rhythm upon approaching it, as we can see it. With his success in Nice, Daisuke has gained confidence for his qauds. What he needs to do next is to make it more stable, so that he can just go for it 'unconsciously' <=without thinking too much>.
That enables him to work on its quality <e.g. height, distance and/or flow on landing>, and add more transitions/steps as its enrty to earn huge GOE, like Patrick. That is his target for next season.

Summing up Mens competition, I see it this way: Takahashi stands at the starting line in order to catch up with Patrick. He is ready for it. Finally.
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by Takeshi Honda

[deedee1]

Here is a Column by Daisuke himself, recently published in Sankei Express, in case some of you may be interested in what he thought about the Worlds.

Fyi, Sankei Express is a Japanese newspaper, which publishes a serial column by Dai fsince 2010-11 season; not on a regular basis but from time to time.

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Sources: Sankei Express, April 9, 2012 (online)
Author: Daisuke Takahashi
Composition: Naoko Kashiwagi, freelance for SE

Reminder to readers: Japanese is a rather indirect language. In order to make more sense in English, I may add and/or replace some English words in the process of translations. Also, I am no expert in stanslation, please ignore grammatical errors if any. Thanks!
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Nice Worlds: A Competition I wished I could have watched as one of the audience, just like you! <1>

Fisrt of all, I feel relieved of myself now, that I could win the silver medal at the recnet Worlds in Nice. I am also glad I finally landed a 4T in the Free for the first time this season. It's been indeed a long way for me to put a quad in both SP and LP after knee injury; too far away from the reality, I sometimes wondered. So the fact that I could put a quad in two programs and landed them was a good accomplishment to me. Now I see myself finally getting back to the 'point' <or, 'my form' in other word?> where I left in the fall 2008.

I have to admit, however, it was the wrong choice to make to add 3T in the combo in SP. In a fraction of a second, I thought to myself; without hitting a <perfect> 4T-3T in SP I had zero chance to win...While I do not regret my choice to go for a combo, I rather feel mad at myself <becasue I missed that combo>. But I learned my lesson. I take it as one of learning experiences that are necessary for me to go through for the future.

I aimed for the silver medal this time

As some of you know, the World Championships is very important for every federations, because the number of slots for next Worlds are to be determined there. You will see every skater to look more determined, well-trained, well-focused and so tensed up, compared to other competitions.
As one of the those skaters myself going head-to-head on behalf of each federation, I did my best, I went for all I could have done at that time. I did enjoy every minutes of this particular competition; from the first till the end. It's been a while I could feel that way again.

Everyone around me told that Mens competition was so exciting and much livelier overall to watch; sounding a great competition that I wished I could have also watched as one of the audience just like others.(laugh)

The medal I got this time is actually the second silver in my career, after my very first medal at 2007 Tokyo Worlds, you know. But this time's medal does have a whole different meaning to me.
At 2007 Worlds, everything was new to me. I had no experience prior to it; <to skate for the championship in front of home crowd, or to skate with a realistic chance to get on the podium>. So I just went for it, freshly focused on myself only, without hesitating anything, and could win the medal. I felt no other feelings but really happy.

For this time, I planned everything, such as training schedule, by myself to prepare for Nice Worlds and made myself really focused on <what I previously planned to do>. Though the color was silver, I am glad I could win a medal as a result.
I always said in the past that "if I do not aim for the gold and go for it, I will never win it." Of course I still believe so. But considering my position <among all the competitiors> so far this season, the reality also tells me the gold seems too far for me to capture in Nice. So I set my goal to aim for the silver this time, and I did it. It means a lot to me.
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(...continued)

[carignan]

Thank you so much, deedee1!!

And Daisuke held a benefit show with Kenji Miyamoto and some other Kansai-based skaters in Kobe yesterday. They had the same show last year just after the quake in Kobe where pepople have already recovered from a huge quake about 15 years ago. Shizuka Arakawa, Yamato Tamura, Tatsuki Machida, Keiji Tanaka, Shion Kokubun, Satsuki & Kana Muramoto and Nobu!! who shed tears hearing "Welcomback!" from the audience, participated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPMggbGRCjM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQJWjWbG1h4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3suoVORqWA

[deedee1]

Thank you so much, deedee1!!

And Daisuke held a benefit show with Kenji Miyamoto and some other Kansai-based skaters in Kobe yesterday. They had the same show last year just after the quake in Kobe where pepople have already recovered from a huge quake about 15 years ago. Shizuka Arakawa, Yamato Tamura, Tatsuki Machida, Keiji Tanaka, Shion Kokubun, Satsuki & Kana Muramoto and Nobu!! who shed tears hearing "Welcomback!" from the audience, participated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPMggbGRCjM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQJWjWbG1h4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3suoVORqWA

Wow, I was about to post on this benefit show..You shoot me! Thanks a lot carignan!

So glad to know Nobu came back to the ice! Hope he will not go for everything in a rush this time...

I thought Dai would skate to EX The Crisis. Instead, he skated to Roxanne version 26, did not he? Oh, I really envy those who attended the show yesterday...
I am going to donate a small amount of money later today.

[demarinis5]

Thank you deedee1 for the translations and carignan for the video clips. So nice to see Oda on the ice again!

[deedee1]

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Sources: Sankei Express, April 9, 2012 (online)
Author: Daisuke Takahashi
Composition: Naoko Kashiwagi, freelance for SE
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Nice Worlds: A Competition I wished I could have watched as one of the audience, just like you! <2>

When I finished my Free skate, I thought it was my best of the season in performacne-wise. But the marks I got was not <=SB, but only 1point better than at 4cc>; only came into 3rd in the Free and I kind of have bitter feeling a bit about it. I have recognized, once again, the necessity to put 2 quads in my Free, and the importance to up the quality of each of my jumps. I take these things, <which addressed to me by judges this time>, as my homework for next season.

I heard Yuzuru's Free skate was so amaging that impressed a lot of people.
During my warm-up in the backstage <until the final group getting onto the ice>, I normally put earphones to concentrate on myself. But the music I played stopped in the middle of his performance. I happend to catch a big applause! It did give me one more pressure...
Yuzuru is a skater who is good at creating an atmosphere to draw the audience in. He is also a tough competitor. If I am to stay as the same skater as myself now, I do not think I can beat Yuzuru in the future.

Not being too much obsessed with winning

I am often compared to Patrick Chan, who has won the Championship this year, by people. Or, many tend to consider me as his main rival. But for me, I have to compete with other skaters, too; a lot of them, actually, going against head to head besides Patrick.

The current state of my mind-set is, however, I remind myself not to be obsessed too much with 'who's the rival?' and/or only 'winning'. If I let myself aware of winning or wanting it badly, I may rush to perfect myself, in order to get an instant result. Being hasty or impatient, these things do me no favor at this point of my career. So I am trying to balance my mind-set as best as I can: 'Don't forget that your goal is to win', 'Don't ignore your rivals', but more importantly, 'Don't be obsessed with it too much.' I would like to think this way until Sochi season. No rush; taking enough time as needed. Taking one thing at a time and achieving it at a time.
This mind-set has helped me and brought a good result in Nice; winning the silver medal, I believe. When I decided to continue my competitive skating one year ago, I did not have to worry about other things <such as 'Should I retire?' or 'Do people think I should retire?'>. But I never expected or imagined at that time that I could be a skater as I am now, or get such a good result one year after. It took me three full seasons since coming back to competitive skating after knee injury. Now I can see myself standing at its starting-line towards Sochi Olympics finally, just like everbody else.

about our 2nd Charity Ice Show by skaters

On April 10th, 2012 we, the local skaters here, are organizing the 2nd Charity Ice Show in Kobe for the victims of Earthquake/ Tsunami.
It's been a year since then, but there are a lot of people who are still suffering from it and there are many places where remained damaged. I am not one of the those who had to suffer from it. Or, there may not be much I can do by myself for them. But the important thing is we remind ourselves what hit Japan a year ago, and how it damaged its people, cities and others, we share the feelings of these people, and we have 'a sense of unity' among us for them. That is our intention to organize the charity ice show, and I am more than happy if I myself could be of a small help for them.
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Edited to add:
Daisuke Takahashi, Born Mar 16,1986 at Kurashiki, Okayama pref. Japan, Blood type A, Graduate School Kansei University
Records: World junior champion 2002 (first Japanese male skater), World silver medalist 2007 (first Japanese male skater), World champion 2010 (first Japanese skater), Olympic bronze medalist 2010 (highest ranked Japanese male skater), 5-time National champion 2005-07, 2009 &2011, 4cc champion 2008 & 2011, ISU's best total score (as of 2008) 264.41 at 4cc, Out for the whole 2008-09 season due to injury
For this season (2011-12): NHK Trophy gold m., Grand prix final silver m., Nationals gold m., 4cc silver m., Worlds silver m.
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