Daisuke Takahashi

[redwing]

I've been a long time fan of figure skating and Daisuke along with Brian are my favorite male figure skaters. I'm glad to see Daisuke win today over Chan. Although the Chan fans will say this was a cheese event and really doesn't mean anything, I hope Daisuke will take this will and train even harder so there will be no doubt next season even with the questionable judging.

[christinaskater]

I was gobsmacked by Dai's performance! Simply phenomenal!

Only Michelle Kwan, Daisuke Takahashi , Akiko Suzuki have this euphoric effect to viewers!

[christinaskater]

The best!

[evangeline]

Daisuke is now officially the new world record holder for the men's SP! http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/phsmsp.htm

He also has the highest total score of the season among the men: http://www.isuresults.com/isujsstat/...12/sbtsmto.htm

[Olympia]

WTT FS in HD: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CyvmnXkmqA

Thank you so much! I had watched it in the lower definition version and was conscious of the distortion, and I thought it was good enough for me to enjoy. But now with this HD video, I can really see how he connects to the music, and it's even more thrilling to watch this. I also love how excited the announcers get. We're always told over here that the Japanese value restraint, but at a moment like this when the announcers are almost bellowing with amazement and happiness, it's delightful to realize how much this performance means to Japanese skate fans. And to Daisuke fans around the world!

[dorispulaski]

Yes, that was lovely.

I am hoping that D&W's and V&M's FDs at least were broadcast on Asahi TV and that a hidef video of them will someday surface.

[sorcerer]

A very interesting read.

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2...takahashi-fan/

[Olympia]

A very interesting read.

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2...takahashi-fan/

What a delightful article, full of personality (both Dai's and his fans'), and so beautifully written. Daisuke's aunties...where do I join up? Or am I already an honorary member? I love that they got themselves all the way to Nice to see Worlds. That's some journey, even for a dedicated fan.

[skatinginbc]

Now, this is the part I don't get. Why do those aunties hide their love for Daisuke from their husbands? Is that some cultural thing I fail to get?

[deedee1]

Now, this is the part I don't get. Why do those aunties hide their love for Daisuke from their husbands? Is that some cultural thing I fail to get?

Yes, bc, I would say it's a cultural thing in Japan.

My husband knows I am a huge Dai fan for years. He knows that I always am a Dai fan, regardless of his results. So, when Dai has good performances and I am happy, and he says he is also happy because I am happy. We are just open to each other, unlike the average couples in Japan, who have been married happily over 20 years.

But on the way back home Friday night when Dai won WTT Mens event, my husband spoke less and less in the train, and hardly spoke to me by the time we arrived at home. I did not undestand at first, but eventually realized that he was actually jealous of Daisuke!
So, I can understand those aunties' situation, wanting to try to hide their love for Dai.

[Srin Odessa]

Now, this is the part I don't get. Why do those aunties hide their love for Daisuke from their husbands? Is that some cultural thing I fail to get?

It's probably more about them being married woman than being Japanese. For one woman in the article, the hubby is the one footing the bill for her to see figure skating when she really just want to see Daisuke.

It also raise a point of what Daisuke will do after he retires. He'll most likely be a show skater but coaching is also possible for him.

[demarinis5]

Very cute article. Auntie love, I like that!

Olympia I know I can count on you to give our Auntie Love to Dai next season.

[let`s talk]

A very interesting read.

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2...takahashi-fan/

Oooh! What a silly funny article! Now I have to be old and Japanese to join that club! Well, I am of course happy for all those anties but in fact it has nothing to do with Dai or any other skater. It has everything to do with J- employment culture. The audience on Thursday and Friday in Yoyogi was different than on Saturday and Sunday. On Th&Fr there were very few young people and many obasans. There were no line in men's facilities. I didn't see any kids and school kids. On Sat&Sun men had to wait to use the bathroom too, kids were noisying around. Middle class were shopping for FS-books and souvenirs. And, there were a lot of young couple, for whom attendance of a FS event was a romantic date . Some couples were with little suitcases, probably came from other prefectures. Here normally people don't call in sick, like in my home country for example , when in fact they are going to a fanclub meeting. What I am saying is younger fans of Dai simply don't have time to stalk him at train stations.

WTT FS in HD: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CyvmnXkmqA

Here is SP in HD too, skating start at 1:28
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkZYKvE63hA

Btw, Dai is going to China in May for a show and it's gonna be his first show not in Japan after some time. Before that he will have a bunch of shows in Japan over the golden week.

[deedee1]

:
Yes, bc, I would say it's a cultural thing in Japan.

My husband knows I am a huge Dai fan for years. He knows that I always am a Dai fan, regardless of his results. So, when Dai has good performances and I am happy, and he says he is also happy because I am happy. We are just open to each other, unlike the average couples in Japan, who have been married happily over 20 years.

But on the way back home Friday night when Dai won WTT Mens event, my husband spoke less and less in the train, and hardly spoke to me by the time we arrived at home. I did not undestand at first, but eventually realized that he was actually jealous of Daisuke!
So, I can understand those aunties' situation, wanting to try to hide their love for Dai.

edited to add:

What I wanted to tell with the above is, in our society, particularly decades ago when it was just natural for women to become housewives and seldom had to work, people would tend to feel OK for men to prefer younger women, and would feel not so OK for women to perfer younger men...

For instance, a celebrity is dating with a girl, say, 20 years younger, people would say with envies, "Wow, what a lucky guy he is!" Then a female celebrity is going to marry a boy, 12 years younger, people would say with embarrassments, "Oh, that young?"

Well, a lot of things have changed since then, of course! "How lucky she is!", one of my friedns said when she learned that Madonna dating with A-Rod yeas ago. But for older people, they might still take it unappopriate.

For that matter, and as let's talk mentioned below (about spending their husband's income to chase Daisuke around the world), these aunties would want to hide their love for young Dai from their husbands.

Oh, and fyi, there aren't only aunties for Dai over here; but many other women who would claim themselves Dai's mommies and big sisters.
Dai and Nobu attract many fans who are older, due to their personalities; motherly love, do you say in English? As let's talk says, Dai also has so many young fans, too, but they just can not afford tickets to every competitions Dai enters, air fares, hotels overseas and time.
For Taka and Yuzuru, I would say, they have more fans who are probably in their teens and twenties.

[Skater Boy]

Dai looks like he is showing what we all knew he had. This may motivate him now to win Oly gold. Some thought he might retire but I think he will go to sochi now. If he decides and i am assuming he willin 2013 you don't see too many quit one year away. Too bad there is only one OGM; I'd love Dai and Chanto get gold for their body of works- though that's not how it works. Heck we can take back Evan's gold lol.