Daisuke Takahashi

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

ioanap said:
I know. That just shows how unprofessional some of the commentators out there are, and the fact that they don't have the slightest idea of what they're saying. :no:

It was terrible indeed. It was like one of the commentators had a personal antipathy towards Daisuke because as they were talking about how Yuzuru's gold would be a first for Japan, this particular commentator felt the need to add the fact that Daisuke had "barely managed to get on the lowest position of the podium in 2010". I found this very disrespectful to the point of offensive, but I was aware they were mostly talking from their personal point of views rather than an objective and professional opinion as it should have been. In the end I'm sure Daisuke's skating itself made more impact on the viewers rather than what a couple of unprofessional commentators had to say.

I wouldn't expect anything less from Kurt Browning, he is always providing insightful, professional comments and I'm sure he knows better than everyone else the things Daisuke had to go through to deliver those programs.

That certainly was extremely unprofessional of the commentator to make such negative remarks. I'm glad that you were able to brush it off as being a "personal point of view" but as a professional on live TV this commentator was not really doing his/her job. They are supposed to keep personal opinions to themselves and do what they are paid to do.

As for Kurt Browning he always does a great job with his commentary, no matter who the skater is, and I think he's a big fan of Daisuke's which doesn't surprise me because they are both so artistic. Knowing that you are a big Daisuke fan (and our resident Daisuke historian) I wish you had been able to watch the CBC broadcast instead of the one you were subjected to. As disappointed as I was when Daisuke received his scores I found that the CBC commentators combined glowing remarks gave me a bit of comfort.

Sandpiper · Jun 23, 2014

Blah, if Dai didn't deserve his PCS, who the heck did? At least his mistakes didn't ruin his program, like for so many others. Granted, the entire men's field is ridiculously overscored these days... but for, say, 2012 Worlds, Dai was actually the underscored one. It's like the judges finally woke up in Sochi and realized what a wonderful artist he was... and decided to reward him since he wasn't going to get on the podium and threaten their favourites anymore.

Olympic bronze is nothing to sneeze at. I can't believe people would consider the "lowest rung of the podium" as anything less than a phenomenal achievement, especially when it's a first for Japan. Also, Dai was the first man from Japan to win a World title. I think Yuzu couldn't have happened without Dai and Takeshi Honda paving the way.

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

Sandpiper said:
Blah, if Dai didn't deserve his PCS, who the heck did? At least his mistakes didn't ruin his program, like for so many others. Granted, the entire men's field is ridiculously overscored these days... but for, say, 2012 Worlds, Dai was actually the underscored one. It's like the judges finally woke up in Sochi and realized what a wonderful artist he was... and decided to reward him since he wasn't going to get on the podium and threaten their favourites anymore.

Olympic bronze is nothing to sneeze at. I can't believe people would consider the "lowest rung of the podium" as anything less than a phenomenal achievement, especially when it's a first for Japan. Also, Dai was the first man from Japan to win a World title. I think Yuzu couldn't have happened without Dai and Takeshi Honda paving the way.

I agree with all you said Sandpiper. Not to mention that just BEING in the Olympics is a huge accomplishment. A friend of a friend of mine made the Summer Olympics but was unable to compete due to an injury but he was still able to attend with the rest of the team. We all thought just making the team was outstanding never mind making the podium like Daisuke did in Vancouver. To the rest of the normal world it is impressive to just be an Olympian, medal or no medal, period.

ioanna · Jun 23, 2014

cdngirl said:
Knowing that you are a big Daisuke fan (and our resident Daisuke historian) I wish you had been able to watch the CBC broadcast instead of the one you were subjected to.

I always giggle at the Daisuke historian part :biggrin:

I'm just a fan like everybody else. I probably have good memory :laugh:

After watching the nationals I was very anxious when Dai skated in Sochi and afraid he would fall and injure himself even more. Jeremy Abbott's unfortunate fall also fueled my fear. Needless to say, the commentators berating his achievements didn't help. I was disappointed to know Eurosport didn't get the rights to broadcast the Olympics. Unlike the national television, our Eurosport commentators are very professional. I watched Wolds over at Eurosport and they were praising Dai even in his absence. They actually said he was the most important absentee of the competition along with Patrick Chan, and they always pointed out his achievements, especially because the championship was hosted by Japan.

Sandpiper said:
Olympic bronze is nothing to sneeze at. I can't believe people would consider the "lowest rung of the podium" as anything less than a phenomenal achievement, especially when it's a first for Japan.

And this is only an example of how OBM are sometimes underrated. The commentators lost any kind of relevance as soon as they made that remark and that is why I didn't even bother listening to them after that. My only concern was the way they misled the general public but I hope the programs spoke for themselves.

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

ioanap said:
I always giggle at the Daisuke historian part I'm just a fan like everybody else. I probably have good memory

After watching the nationals I was very anxious when Dai skated in Sochi and afraid he would fall and injure himself even more. Jeremy Abbott's unfortunate fall also fueled my fear. Needless to say, the commentators berating his achievements didn't help. I was disappointed to know Eurosport didn't get the rights to broadcast the Olympics. Unlike the national television, our Eurosport commentators are very professional. I watched Wolds over at Eurosport and they were praising Dai even in his absence. They actually said he was the most important absentee of the competition along with Patrick Chan, and they always pointed out his achievements, especially because the championship was hosted by Japan.

And this is only an example of how OBM are sometimes underrated. The commentators lost any kind of relevance as soon as they made that remark and that is why I didn't even bother listening to them after that. My only concern was the way they misled the general public but I hope the programs spoke for themselves.

And I love referring to you as our resident Daisuke historian. Don't underestimate your knowledge as it's very extensive and much appreciated by many of us!

I wasn't worried about Daisuke falling in the SP but now that you mentioned Jeremy Abbott I must say I found his recovery ultra impressive. What a champion to continue the rest of the program so elegantly when we all know he must have been in extreme pain. I was worried about Daisuke falling in the FS when most of the skaters were dropping like flies.

It's great to hear that Eurosport mentioned Daisuke's absence during the Worlds.

YesWay · Jun 23, 2014

Sandpiper said:
Also, Dai was the first man from Japan to win a World title. I think Yuzu couldn't have happened without Dai and Takeshi Honda paving the way.

I fully agree with that.

I see Hanyu (and Machida) as part of Takahashi's legacy. I think it is a testament to his success, that they have reached the levels they have, and can now carry the torch for Japan.

Sandpiper · Jun 23, 2014

I'm was thrilled when Dai remained in the medal hunt after the SP. Didn't watch the LP until later, but I assumed he bombed it since it dropped him down to sixth place behind Machida. Was surprised to find out he stayed on his feet and skated beautifully while everyone else were playing Zamboni. And got my regular dose of "COP is stooopid!" (I've since calmed down and understand the placements more, but still).

There was just way too much drama in the men's field in Sochi. Plushy's withdrawal

, Jeremy's crazy fall :eek:

, Hanyu's world record SP :thumbsup:, and then the whole gold medal anathema during the LP... :disapp: In retrospect, I'm glad Dai delivered two beautiful performances and gave us some calm in the middle of the storm.

ioanna · Jun 23, 2014

YesWay said:
I fully agree with that.

I see Hanyu (and Machida) as part of Takahashi's legacy. I think it is a testament to his success, that they have reached the levels they have, and can now carry the torch for Japan.

Which makes the way this athlete - who apparently did not have the mentality of a competitor - succeeded even more impressive. His team spent years trying to knock some confidence into him, and he is still nowhere near a confident person. Yet here he is, remembered as a road opener for skaters like Yuzuru, whose great achievements are now securing Japan's position in the men's field.

I actually found the entry order in the LP quite symbolic as Yuzuru was skating his LP right after Dai's Beatles program, which was like a musical number summing up his life / career. If I'm not mistaken, Dai originally wanted to skate to The Long And Winding Road and it was Lori Nichol's idea to do a medley. That particular song's lyrics are the message he was trying to send throughout his skating, along with his love for the fans as he made a heart shape with his hands at some point in the program. In the end, all the songs that were used in the medley had a certain message to them, but the lyrics to The Long And Winding Road and In My Life are particularly things he wished to express.

I have to add the fact that I was thrilled when Nagamitsu sensei mentioned Dai's fans from "all over the world" in that letter, so he would realize there are a lot of people outside of his country appreciating what he's done.

cdngirl · Jun 23, 2014

Sandpiper said:
I'm was thrilled when Dai remained in the medal hunt after the SP. Didn't watch the LP until later, but I assumed he bombed it since it dropped him down to sixth place behind Machida. Was surprised to find out he stayed on his feet and skated beautifully while everyone else were playing Zamboni. And got my regular dose of "COP is stooopid!" (I've since calmed down and understand the placements more, but still).

There was just way too much drama in the men's field in Sochi. Plushy's withdrawal , Jeremy's crazy fall , Hanyu's world record SP :thumbsup:, and then the whole gold medal anathema during the LP... :disapp: In retrospect, I'm glad Dai delivered two beautiful performances and gave us some calm in the middle of the storm.

Sandpiper, this is exactly how I felt as I watched the Men's FS. Most of the skaters looked like they were skating for their lives, tense, exhausted and as if they couldn't wait for the music to end. This made me feel stressed and anxious as I watched them. I felt so calm as I watched Daisuke's performance and it brought tears to my eyes simply because he was so elegant and beautiful to watch that evening. I will never forget his smile throughout and the one in his final pose. My thought at the end of his FS was "now that's how it's done".

ayarose · Jun 24, 2014

yatta, last page!

As a long time skating fan on TV, I've seen a lot of skaters skate their best and worst.I have a lot of skating memories: Gordeeva/Grinkov, there was the early days of SOI, my crying over Tara winning over Michelle, crushing on Ilia's Romeo, Plushy & Alexei, watching Mao & Miki on Gakkou e Ikou BUT so far my favorite has been me crying over Dai-chan's SP & LP. In all his performances he never failed to transport me into his world but that took the cake. My eyes were filled with tears at the end of his SP and on the first few notes of his LP. It was so heartfelt and knowing the hardship he went through to get to Sochi moved me.

Yuzu's skating (who I also love) makes me feel proud like an older sister but Daisuke's skating stirs my art loving soul.

ioanna · Jun 24, 2014

New video of Dai talking about Akiko (and bringing back Shae-Lynn's mambo at the end :laugh:

)
http://youtu.be/Jv_YW4TsxLE

mikaboo · Jun 24, 2014

^ We posted about the same program :laugh:

But yours is from youtube so I will leave this as it is

Akiko was a guest on a NHK talk show today and Daisuke made a video appearance. (from around 28:20)
He said that they first met when they were middle school students at a tournament and he was impressed by her dance. They gradually became close friends as they went to the same tournaments together. Asked what he knew about her that that was surprising, he said that Akiko is actually quite scary and she ignores him when she's in a bad mood. She has a soft and gentle appearance, but has a strong and firm character, and seems to strictly draw a line between what she agrees and disagrees with. She loves skating and that has never changed.
Message to Akiko: Hey, you seem to be very busy these days. I'm worried about your health. Take some time to rest and take care of yourself.
Then does the mambo move at the end.
(For the record, Akiko doesn't remember ignoring him)

ioanna · Jun 24, 2014

mikaboo said:
Akiko was a guest on a NHK talk show today and Daisuke made a video appearance. (from around 28:20)
He said that they first met when they were middle school students at a tournament and he was impressed by her dance. They gradually became close friends as they went to the same tournaments together. Asked what he knew about her that that was surprising, he said that Akiko is actually quite scary and she ignores him when she's in a bad mood. She has a soft and gentle appearance, but has a strong and firm character, and seems to strictly draw a line between what she agrees and disagrees with. She loves skating and that has never changed.
Message to Akiko: Hey, you seem to be very busy these days. I'm worried about your health. Take some time to rest and take care of yourself.
Then does the mambo move at the end.
(For the record, Akiko doesn't remember ignoring him)

Thank you for the translation mikaboo!

ioanna · Jun 24, 2014

cdngirl · Jun 24, 2014

ayarose said:
yatta, last page!

As a long time skating fan on TV, I've seen a lot of skaters skate their best and worst.I have a lot of skating memories: Gordeeva/Grinkov, there was the early days of SOI, my crying over Tara winning over Michelle, crushing on Ilia's Romeo, Plushy & Alexei, watching Mao & Miki on Gakkou e Ikou BUT so far my favorite has been me crying over Dai-chan's SP & LP. In all his performances he never failed to transport me into his world but that took the cake. My eyes were filled with tears at the end of his SP and on the first few notes of his LP. It was so heartfelt and knowing the hardship he went through to get to Sochi moved me.

Yuzu's skating (who I also love) makes me feel proud like an older sister but Daisuke's skating stirs my art loving soul.

Ayarose, I love Ilia and Alexei too. I'm so impressed that out of all the incredible skaters you listed it was Daisuke's performance that moved you the most.

Ioanap, thanks again for coming through with the latest video.

Mikaboo, thanks for the translation. I loved the mambo at the end.

mikaboo · Jun 24, 2014

Thanks for the photo updates ioanap. He looks especially happy in the last few photos probably after a few glasses of beer or something stronger.

I loved the mambo at the end too, cdngirl. The MCs seemed puzzled. :laugh:

Reading your posts from yesterday made me go back to watching his Olympic performances from different countries.
SP
LP
I found that the Canadian, American, and Australian TV commentators were much more informative than the Japanese commentators which is probably why oversea broadcasts are popular amongst FS fans in Japan.
Anyway, watching them about 3 times over again, I think he should be very proud of himself for skating like that despite the injury. It was on one of the comments on niconico douga that he had a knee joint aspiration (not sure if this is the correct term for it but he got fluid from his knee joint removed by a needle) done 3 days before the SP. I feel really bad for the number of severe injuries he's had at the worst timing. Even I can't help but think, "what if" and I can only imagine how the thought must haunt him.
I'm also loving the music he used for his SP despite the controversy. The ghost composer is very talented.

ioanna · Jun 24, 2014

mikaboo said:
I'm also loving the music he used for his SP despite the controversy. The ghost composer is very talented.

About the SP, I have to mention the reason why he chose to skate on Sonatina For Violin. While the LP is like a biography of his life and a message of appreciation towards his fans, Sonatina gave him a feeling of hope, of overcoming obstacles and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. The song itself was dedicated to a young violinist with an artificial arm, Miku Okubo. I think seeing Miku play the violin with an artificial hand reminded Dai of himself in Vancouver, skating with an injured knee and winning the bronze. Unfortunately, a new injury occurred again right before Sochi, which makes this story even more emotional.

Miku Okubo herself wrote a letter to Dai apologizing for the scandal even though she had nothing to do with it, and encouraged him to do his best at the Olympics.

Interspectator · Jun 24, 2014

-Watching the latest video of Daiskue, he just makes you want to give him ANYTHING to make him happy. He's so endearing.
He's the best figure skater in my mind.

ioanna · Jun 24, 2014

^ Sometimes it does feel like he's gone through many more unhappy times in his life rather than happier ones.

Meoima · Jun 24, 2014

ioanap said:
Miku Okubo herself wrote a letter to Dai apologizing for the scandal even though she had nothing to do with it, and encouraged him to do his best at the Olympics.

I don't get why they revealed that scandal right before Olympics. Seriously, why couldn't they wait for just a month?
The violinist herself has no fault over that incident. She is such a great soul. I blame the ones who were behind the fraud. Poor Dai. :bang:

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