Takahashi meets with his Russian Fans in Sochi

The Russian fan club had a meeting with Dai in Sochi and in Moscow at Sheremetyevo. Well, people in that club are not from Russia only but also from Ukraine and other ex-USSR places. In their open page in vkontakte they posted the reports of those meetings and pics. None of fans speak Japanese, they speak some English, and Dai is not that fluent in English too, so the moments that were not clear were translated by his agent Ihara. So, I think the info is mostly correct since the fan club is quite old and very devoted. I translated some moments of these charming fan interactions:

They almost lost their hope to meet him. When they finally saw him going out of the hotel, he headed to the bus for the airport, waved him and got on the bus with his suitcases. They were ready to cry thinking that the fan meeting was over. But at that moment he left he bus and came up to them with "Sorry" for making them wait. They grabbed him but his calm look was saying "Don't worry, I am not going anywhere." That was the most kawai moment for idioticly super happy fans, as they admitted. They started with talking how many fans he has in Russia. Many already left (the meeting took place after the event, just when Dai was going to take a bus to the Sochi airport), many couldn't come to GPF. They gave him some gifts, he signed them books, banners and they took pics.

His impression about Sochi- it's just one big construction site. (Holy true!)

He said that idea of his new costume is his, he feels very comfortable in black. But he doesn't design the costumes, only gave the ideas. He is not planning to change his FP and SP costumes till the end of this season. Maybe one day in the future he will skate EX topless (oh, Was he serious? Can anyone imagine Dai skating topless? .

He likes Russian cuisine, his favourite restaurant in Moscow is "Pushkin" www.cafe-pushkin.ru/en/ . But he seldom goes to restaurants and mostly he likes cooking for himself at home. He is learning some Russian using self-study books (oh... ). He also enjoys walking around Moscow.

His next start is Japanese Nationals. If the federation assigns him, then he will go to 4CC with pleasure because he wants to compete there.

They begged him to come to Cup of Russia next season. On the question which GP he doesn't want to attend, he answered that CoC probably (how understandable　:disapp.

He is not planning to make competitive progs with Kenji, but might make EXs with him in the future.

Text in Russian:
http://vk.com/daisuke_takahashi#/topic-2152302_27952438

let`s talk said:

Maybe one day in the future he will skate EX topless (oh, Was he serious? Can anyone imagine Dai skating topless? .

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Oh, let's talk, it's not a very good idea, I would say, to bring this up in the midnight for his fans who live in Japan. Some of us may end up losing sleep...

No competitive programs with Kenji?!?
Ok fine, as long as he goes back with Pasquale. I can't believe no one asked him that!!!! Although, if he wins Worlds with his current FS, I don't think he'll go back with Pasquale for Olympic season...although I'd gladly be proven wrong.

Topless Ex would be such a guilty pleasure hahaha

LOL! Topless Ex? That would be great

let`s talk said:

On the question which GP he doesn't want to attend, he answered that CoC probably (how understandable　:disapp.

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May I ask why it is so understandable? What is so notoriously bad about CoC that I don't know?

skatinginbc said:

May I ask why it is so understandable? What is so notoriously bad about CoC that I don't know?

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Relations between China and Japan have always been tense, following Japan's refusal to acknowledge their atrocities during WWII (bit biased here, as my grandmother was a comfort woman for a period of time). Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of, and the violence of, student riots, so basically if you are Japanese in China- well, you'd rather not be a Japanese person in China.

Orange Cat said:

Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of, and the violence of, student riots, so basically if you are Japanese in China- well, you'd rather not be a Japanese person in China.

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Thanks for the explanation. I'm happy about the demonstration but sad about the violence. When you said violence, do you mean they threw stones at a Japanese embassy (which is more understandable) or did they randomly attack people that looked like a Japanese (which is scary and totally barbaric in my mind)?

Thanks for the great post, Let's Talk.

Also, thanks for the language lesson:

kawai moment

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Orange Cat said:

Relations between China and Japan have always been tense, following Japan's refusal to acknowledge their atrocities during WWII (bit biased here, as my grandmother was a comfort woman for a period of time). Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of, and the violence of, student riots, so basically if you are Japanese in China- well, you'd rather not be a Japanese person in China.

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Oh dear.. and his last Russia-phobia (before GPF) was due to the Kuril islands dispute ? Where did Dai ever give at least one comment regarding any political issue in this world? None and never. Then I wonder why you assume that he was talking about politics in the first place.

Skatinginbc, his reply has nothing to do with stupid politics stuff. CoC was very unlucky GP for him. First time he was heavily injuried just before CoC, that notorious injury that almost finished his career in 2008. The second CoC took place just recently and you know what happened there. Russia also used to be an unlucky place for him where he didn't skate his best or had a bad luck (both Worlds in Moscow, 2005 and 2011). His Russian demons I believe are gone now after his so-long-waiting GPF win in Sochi. But to figure things out with CoC he simply doesn't have time anymore. Still, it doesn't mean that he for sure won't go to CoC next season. No one can know that for now.

let`s talk said:

Oh dear.. and his last Russia-phobia (before GPF) was due to the Kuril islands dispute ? Where did Dai ever give at least one comment regarding any political issue in this world? None and never. Then I wonder why you assume that he was talking about politics in the first place.

Skatinginbc, his reply has nothing to do with stupid politics stuff. CoC was very unlucky GP for him. First time he was heavily injuried just before CoC, that notorious injury that almost finished his career in 2008. The second CoC took place just recently and you know what happened there. Russia also used to be an unlucky place for him where he didn't skate his best or had a bad luck (both Worlds in Moscow, 2005 and 2011). His Russian demons I believe are gone now after his so-long-waiting GPF win in Sochi. But to figure things out with CoC he simply doesn't have time anymore. Still, it doesn't mean that he for sure won't go to CoC next season. No one can know that for now.

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Ah, I was unaware of his bad history with CoC in 2008, I only started following skating in 2009/2010. However, I do think that some of the comments that posters were making about Dai's unwillingness to go to CoC might have been in part due to the violence. There was a time period earlier this year where it was rather dangerous to be a Japanese person in China because of hostilities and attacks, and there were some fears voiced on certain boards that Japanese skaters might skip CoC or reassign their events due to the incredible anti-Japanese tension in China. So when I made my statement I wasn't trying to imply that Dai was making a political statement, but rather suggesting that one of the reasons for his avoiding CoC might be that he was actually trying to act for his own safety. (He would have been in no danger as a Japanese citizen during the Kuril Islands dispute.)

Orange Cat said:

Ah, I was unaware of his bad history with CoC in 2008, I only started following skating in 2009/2010. However, I do think that some of the comments that posters were making about Dai's unwillingness to go to CoC might have been in part due to the violence. There was a time period earlier this year where it was rather dangerous to be a Japanese person in China because of hostilities and attacks, and there were some fears voiced on certain boards that Japanese skaters might skip CoC or reassign their events due to the incredible anti-Japanese tension in China. So when I made my statement I wasn't trying to imply that Dai was making a political statement, but rather suggesting that one of the reasons for his avoiding CoC might be that he was actually trying to act for his own safety. (He would have been in no danger as a Japanese citizen during the Kuril Islands dispute.)

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Now I haven't been to any GP other than CoC, but I will say CoC is probably a bit disorganized, especially compared to the Japanese competitions which are all very fancy. They don't really try to sell tickets in China and the tickets are given out to people who know nothing about figure skating and get really bored in the middle of it. The area where the CoC arena is for the past two years is quite deserted and not that much fun. I don't know if that's the reason, though. It can also be that he lost to Machida of all people.
But case in point, there was never any danger for a Japanese to be in Shanghai. That's a misconception. There was no demonstration, no vandalizing, and very minimum poster waving here. Shanghai is as indifferent a place politically as it gets. And the millions of Japanese here know that as well.

Let's Talk, thanks so much for taking the time to make a translation of the encounter. It does indeed sound charming. His patience and politeness, and their loyalty, really come through strongly. I'm sure it was as rewarding for him to greet ardent supporters from another country as it was for his fans to get to spend time with him.

I've always found that one of the best aspects of being a skating fan is that one can be devoted to skaters from somewhere else. In the typical team sports over here, it's almost worth your life to root for a team from another city. (People wearing Boston Red Sox baseball caps in New York Yankee territory are on very shaky ground, for example.) But for an American fan to be a Gordeyeva/Grinkov devotee or a Takahashi supporter is entirely natural and welcome.