Kanako Murakami: your honest opinion?

[prettykeys]

Kanako Murakami's weaknesses:
- the kick on the flip ; edging on the Lutz
- her youth (more on this later)

Kanako Murakami's strengths:
- she is unafraid to try different things, which is laudable and refreshing
- a huge reserve of energy. I have never seen her run out of steam; even when she has jumps late into her programs they are still high and she's still zipping around

I will leave the underrotation calls to the experts and veteran skating fans.

I didn't really like her last year or the year before (her senior debut), but I like her this year, especially her SP.

The Long Program is a big departure for her artistically and it remains to be seen if she can pull it off. She is required to be serious, seductive, and a bit deadly with this program, when she naturally has a less severe attitude and a rather innocent aura.

And this is what detracts from the execution of the LP, in my opinion. I think the choreography is very well-done and she is able to pull off all the moves, but the personality and presentation isn't fully there (probably because she is too young for the theme) and so it looks a bit to me like she is skating without hearing the music, which is a shame. I recall her getting flak for her super-saccharin SP two seasons ago, but it was undeniable how well it suited her natural personality. On the other hand, whenever she does Latin-music programs, I can't help but think she looks like a little girl trying on her mom's dresses and heels playing dress-up. She is very talented, but nothing about her is rare or particularly stand-out, as far as I can see. For now.

[volk]

And this is what detracts from the execution of the LP, in my opinion. I think the choreography is very well-done and she is able to pull off all the moves, but the personality and presentation isn't fully there (probably because she is too young for the theme) and so it looks a bit to me like she is skating without hearing the music, which is a shame. I recall her getting flak for her super-saccharin SP two seasons ago, but it was undeniable how well it suited her natural personality. On the other hand, whenever she does Latin-music programs, I can't help but think she looks like a little girl trying on her mom's dresses and heels playing dress-up. She is very talented, but nothing about her is rare or particularly stand-out, as far as I can see. For now.

Her LP music is very challenging for a skater at this age. Few young skaters can pull it off. That's why it affects her 2nd mark.

[mars007]

I LOVE Kanako. Huge fan since 2008 or 2009. I think her SP highlights the expression other ladies are missing. Reminds me of Mao's technical and Yukina Ota or FumIe's artistic. For her to not medal indicates something very wrong upstairs...Aside from Yun.a...she may be my favorite.

[drivingmissdaisy]

I find her jump entrances too visually disruptive for me to get into her skating. Her bent leg, hunched over preparation for her triples is worse than any skater I can think of.