Mao Asada

Plumededragon · May 19, 2015

aerosuffly said:
I am so happy with this news. It really makes my day.

I am very glad that what driven her to comeback is not a gold medal at 2018 Olympic, but the "enjoyment" of skating the best program. That is when she shines the most. With all support from the fans, I am sure she is mentally stronger now. If she can regain her form and "enjoy" her skate, I think a medal will come automatically.

Mao-chan, take your time, we will wait for the most enjoyable skate from you!

I also hope the pressure on her won't be too intense. Many people will expect a lot from the returns of legends like Plushenko and her. Even if Plushenko has different goals (he wants 2018, while Mao doesn't see so far, she wants to enjoy herself first), Mao remains one of the best figure skaters ever.
At least, she can count on the support of many people, and not just from her fans and Team Japan. :yes:

gotoschool · May 19, 2015

it's great that people are anticipating the return of Mighty Fighter Mao to competition again. I hope she meets her goals so we can see her in competition soon.

I think it may be good if Mao doesn't skate in the Grand Prix. She has had a history of back pain and the fatigue of having to skate in the Grand Prix and qualifying for Nationals may cause her to get injured. I remember watching the Nationals 2013 freeskate and it seemed obvious to me that Mao was in pain because she looked so stiff, especially in her jumps and the way she landed her jumps which she usually does so gracefully, but which seemed to jar her quite a bit during that performance. I also know that she had to take several weeks off from training after this performance in order to let her back heal. I have also heard several posters write that the close placement of the Grand Prix Final with Nationals probably exhausted her which probably contributed to the repetitive stress injury from doing the Biellmann, an injury I also heard she suffered from in the 2013 Worlds LP (and for quite some time before that). She still gave a fantastic performance. You would never know she suffered though, since she is so stoic about pain and determined not to use excuses for any mistakes she makes, which is yet another reason besides her incredibly beautiful skating, why she is my favorite skater.

I was a little unclear. Do any you know if Mao would be a special athlete if she was invited to and participated in 2 Grand Prix events which would enable her to get a bye to regionals and skip secitionals? Either way, considering she needs to at the very least qualify in regionals (even with the Grand Prix if I am right?), I agree with others that it may be a good thing for her to skip the Grand Prix events though it will be sad not to see her develop her programs through the season. It would be worse if something like Nationals in 2013 injures her back again.

Sandpiper · May 19, 2015

gotoschool said:
I was a little unclear. Do any you know if Mao would be a special athlete if she was invited to and participated in 2 Grand Prix events which would enable her to get a bye to regionals and skip secitionals? Either way, considering she needs to at the very least qualify in regionals (even with the Grand Prix if I am right?), I agree with others that it may be a good thing for her to skip the Grand Prix events though it will be sad not to see her develop her programs through the season. It would be worse if something like Nationals in 2013 injures her back again.

IIRC, has her team already said she will be skipping the GP? I guess it would make sense, to start off at low-pressure events, not rushing and risking injury. Though I selfishly want to see her on the GP... I will support whatever Mao herself wants to do. (If she's happy to do sectionals/regionals, great! However, if she wants to participate in GPs, she should be able to as well.)

gotoschool · May 19, 2015

Sandpiper said:
IIRC, has her team already said she will be skipping the GP? I guess it would make sense, to start off at low-pressure events, not rushing and risking injury. Though I selfishly want to see her on the GP... I will support whatever Mao herself wants to do. (If she's happy to do sectionals/regionals, great! However, if she wants to participate in GPs, she should be able to as well.)

Here is what rosewood posted at fsuniverse:

Mao's manager showed negative prospect about her participation in GPS events
(my rough translation)
On 18th figure skater Mao Asada(24) announced her comeback. GPS events start from the end of December. Assignments are to be announced on June 15th. Asada has a spot for a GPS event based on her results in the past. JSF plan to ask her whether she'll participate in the event before long. That said, her manager showed negative prospect about her participation. "No (realistic) possibility," she said based on the fact that she just started training.

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...say-figure-skating-is-wonderful.89260/page-27

Plumededragon · May 19, 2015

gotoschool said:
Here is what rosewood posted at fsuniverse:

Mao's manager showed negative prospect about her participation in GPS events
(my rough translation)
On 18th figure skater Mao Asada(24) announced her comeback. GPS events start from the end of December. Assignments are to be announced on June 15th. Asada has a spot for a GPS event based on her results in the past. JSF plan to ask her whether she'll participate in the event before long. That said, her manager showed negative prospect about her participation. "No (realistic) possibility," she said based on the fact that she just started training.

Oh, ok. I had hoped she'd do GP, but if she prefers to take time training, preparing her programs and such, then it's for the best. I prefer seeing her not rushing into competitions than going to the GP without feeling ready. :yes:

gotoschool · May 19, 2015

Plumededragon said:
Oh, ok. I had hoped she'd do GP, but if she prefers to take time training, preparing her programs and such, then it's for the best. I prefer seeing her not rushing into competitions than going to the GP without feeling ready. :yes:

As was reported on the Mao Plans a Comeback thread Mao will have to qualify for Nationals in at least regionals and without the Grand Prix definitely sectionals and regionals so she would have to skate a lot of performance in rapid succession if she skated in the Grand Prix especially with Nationals so close to the Grand Prix final.

Sandpiper · May 19, 2015

gotoschool said:
As was reported on the Mao Plans a Comeback thread Mao will have to qualify for Nationals in at least regionals and without the Grand Prix definitely sectionals and regionals so she would have to skate a lot of performance in rapid succession if she skated in the Grand Prix especially with Nationals so close to the Grand Prix final.

This is the part I don't understand/agree with. Why force Mao to do sectionals/regionals? Isn't there some process by which she could get a bye, especially since she was only out one year?

If Mao herself doesn't want to do GPs yet, I support her decision... but I'd hate for her to be stuck in sectionals/regionals no matter what she wants.

gotoschool · May 19, 2015

Sandpiper said:
This is the part I don't understand/agree with. Why force Mao to do sectionals/regionals? Isn't there some process by which she could get a bye, especially since she was only out one year?

If Mao herself doesn't want to do GPs yet, I support her decision... but I'd hate for her to be stuck in sectionals/regionals no matter what she wants.

I understand what you are saying. It is kind of like a star pitcher and MVP being sent down to the Minor Leagues and having to prove themselves all over again because they sat out a season or were on the injured reserve. But, I think it might be good for Mao to work out the kinks in her performances in competitions with less scrutiny where she can feel more comfortable. I agree though she shouldn't have to given the fact that she was a world champion and set a world record the last season she skated.

Sam-Skwantch · May 19, 2015

gotoschool said:
I understand what you are saying. It is kind of like a star pitcher and MVP being sent down to the Minor Leagues and having to prove themselves all over again because they sat out a season or were on the injured reserve. But, I think it might be good for Mao to work out the kinks in her performances in competitions with less scrutiny where she can feel more comfortable. I agree though she shouldn't have to given the fact that she was a world champion and set a world record the last season she skated.

On the positive side...think of the experience for some of the other skaters lower in the rankings getting a chance to get their butts whooped by Mao

. I have a few friends who compete here in America and have gone up against skaters far less known than Mao and it was fun for them just to be in the same competition with well known skaters.

minze · May 19, 2015

Sam-Skwantch said:
On the positive side...think of the experience for some of the other skaters lower in the rankings getting a chance to get their butts whooped by Mao . I have a few friends who compete here in America and have gone up against skaters far less known than Mao and it was fun for them just to be in the same competition with well known skaters.

And the attention they will get from media and fans will be exciting for them

Sandpiper · May 19, 2015

gotoschool said:
I understand what you are saying. It is kind of like a star pitcher and MVP being sent down to the Minor Leagues and having to prove themselves all over again because they sat out a season or were on the injured reserve. But, I think it might be good for Mao to work out the kinks in her performances in competitions with less scrutiny where she can feel more comfortable. I agree though she shouldn't have to given the fact that she was a world champion and set a world record the last season she skated.

I do think it would be good for her to work out the kinks in her programs in a low-pressure setting. I just want it done at her own discretion. If Mao thinks she's ready for GPs, then I trust her. If she thinks not, she can do sectionals/regionals. Or she can do Senior B's (which would probably prepare her for international competition better than sectionals/regionals).

But this...

Sam-Skwantch said:
On the positive side...think of the experience for some of the other skaters lower in the rankings getting a chance to get their butts whooped by Mao . I have a few friends who compete here in America and have gone up against skaters far less known than Mao and it was fun for them just to be in the same competition with well known skaters.

...is a good point. It would be amazing for those skaters. :yes: (Though if it were me, I'd probably be so excited that I end up forgetting my program. :laugh:

)

yhmafan · May 20, 2015

I love the video, which was posted by gotoschool on Mao’s comeback thread. so appreciated

https://youtu.be/JOLhBM4mVlQ

One more thing. It might be a kind of pointless to compare a figure skater who is not a real ballet dancer to the real ballerinas but this video still can be the proof and shows how beautiful Mao’s positioning and transitions of the representation on the ice are that as graceful and very smooth to the eyes as a few of the reasons, how ballerina-like she herself is, not to mention her postures, blessing flexibility on her spins and spirals in contrast to powerful jumps in the end. along with the first video, well done stuffs in that sense.
https://youtu.be/bl3b79dXPMo

As the last, I am not sure this music actually fits her skating but the “Legend of Ashitaka” from Princess Mononoke OST is one of my lovelove theme songs by Studio Ghibli. nyahah~ :dance:
https://youtu.be/UM1EKsMXGiA

Princess Mononoke - Official Trailer

Sam-Skwantch · May 20, 2015

Sandpiper said:
It would be amazing for those skaters. :yes: (Though if it were me, I'd probably be so excited that I end up forgetting my program. )

Oh, I'm quite sure there are others out there who would do the same exact thing. Then again there may be some who thrive on opportunities like this and maybe even though it's a against all odds.....someone rises to the occasion and makes a name for themselves and gets attention they may have never had a chance to get otherwise. I'm not saying to beat Mao or anything but just to make a name for themselves. Maybe get a chance at something they would not have if they hadn't skated so well in an event that gets a little extra attention that often goes overlooked. I know I'm a bit of an eternal optimist but with people like Mao.....I just tend to think a lot of good things happen all around them

amazingMao · May 21, 2015

Asada says taking year off was right decision

aa456 · May 22, 2015

random request: could someone tell me which version of Scheherazade Mao used for her SP? as in, who is the artist who composed that version? I always forget! :drama:

thanks!

daphenaxa · May 22, 2015

the composer is Rimsky-Korsakov. But do you mean the interpret or something?

aa456 · May 22, 2015

daphenaxa said:
the composer is Rimsky-Korsakov. But do you mean the interpret or something?[/QUOTE

yea that's what i meant. she didn't use the standard Rimsky-Korsakov version so i was wondering who did the arrangement for the version she used. I used to know but can't remember his name anymore

daphenaxa · May 22, 2015

Esquivel I think

ok i am sorry i have to post this https://youtu.be/gYl7b-exTLU

aa456 · May 22, 2015

daphenaxa said:
Esquivel I think

ok i am sorry i have to post this https://youtu.be/gYl7b-exTLU

Thank you!

yhmafan · May 23, 2015

Some pictures of the moments Mao’s beautiful positions. :love:

①　②　③　④　⑤　⑥　⑦　⑧　⑨　⑩

Mao Asada

More options

Plumededragon

gotoschool

Sandpiper

gotoschool

Plumededragon

gotoschool

Sandpiper

gotoschool

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”

minze

Sandpiper

yhmafan

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”

amazingMao

aa456

daphenaxa

aa456

daphenaxa

aa456

yhmafan

Similar threads

Connect with us