Hanyu set for success in GP series | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Hanyu set for success in GP series

Sandpiper

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
However, his market is very specific He is no John Zimmerman, or some macho image skater like Elvis. For those who like effeminate boys who hold stuffed animals. His popularity is the Asian or Japanese market he does not have the mass appeal of Joubert or Candelero.
And "macho image skaters" are not universally appealing either. I, for one, do not care for Elvis Stojko's style or image (though I do respect him greatly for his technical innovation and his courage through injury).

And for the record, I too wouldn't say Hanyu's on his way to becoming the most popular male skater ever (how do you even measure that?). But saying he can't become as popular as Joubert/Candeloro/Stojko just because he's an "effeminate boy who holds stuffed animals" is kinda demeaning and pretty incorrect.
 

Ophelia

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
However, his market is very specific He is no John Zimmerman, or some macho image skater like Elvis. For those who like effeminate boys who hold stuffed animals. His popularity is the Asian or Japanese market he does not have the mass appeal of Joubert or Candelero.

What a condescending post. Who says Joubert and Candelero have mass appeal? Not everyone likes macho, meaty skaters such as Elvis. Many of the fans in the Yuzuru threads are non-Asians and span the age range, so I would say he is popular across the board. Plus, the Japanese (and Chinese) are the ones who are willing to pay the $$$ to see FS shows, so Yuzuru can actually move money, which is what the ISU cares about at the end of the day.
 

Interspectator

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
There, there, everyone...let's not let this thread become a popularity contest. :no:
There will be plenty of time for that when the season is over. We've barely started.

I'm interested to see how Hanyu will do early-season. He usually has some pretty shaky early performances in the first or second GP events, I hope the fact that he didn't skate in Finlandia has given him time to polish up his programs so that he can perform strongly from the beginning.
 

treeloving

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I did't want to participate in popularity contest debate. But I don't understand why someone think being traditionally masculine is the only one type of masculinity that can have mass appeal and it is a bit difficult for me to understand why several posters are not comfortable with what they considered as feminine man (not anyone in particular but I saw many posts in many treads), this is not 1950s anymore just in case some doesn't notice :p.
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
I don't want to post here but well... the talk about macho and feminine image makes me cringe. :unsure:

First of all, I want to say this is my type. I like lean, tall and manly look. But it DOESN'T mean skaters that I like have to look like that.

As an Asian women, I have to say now and then I cringe at macho stereotype for men. For example, I don't see this as beautiful, but eww!! I mean seriously I couldn't find that type as attractive. I think too much brawn is unnatural :disapp:. If you think a strong man must be macho, then I couldn't disagree with you more. My father was a military man, he was quite thin and I tell you he is not macho at all, he's much stronger than many macho guys (hello don't forget Asian martial arts).

On facebook I have joined 2 groups about FS, people there come from all over the world with huge age-range. And their preferences are vastly different as well. Macho type is not the only type that is appreciated. If anything, I can see that many people have said they prefered the elegance type.

It doesn't mean macho type is not beautiful, it means various people various preferences. ;)I don't think any skater should be fitted to the macho or feminine stereotype to be famous. What they need more is good skills, mentality, confidence and charms.

Secondly, yes good looks is a great asset but it's not the most important asset. If PChiddy looked like this but with 1/10 his current skating skills, I am sure not many casual viewers might even care to consider him a FS star. They might just see him as an average skater with good looks who should have switched to modeling.

Last, as a person who enjoy Yuzuru both on and off ice, I don't think his popularity is important at all. I don't know if Yuzuru will become more popular or less but frankly I don't see that he might be as famous as Yuna, Mao, Kwan, Plushy... Not to mention, Yuzuru already said twice that he wanted to retire after 2018. He might appear less in the public eyes than stars like Mao or Yuna. And Plushy is no doubt, the king of all I don't see anyone surpass him, thanks to his longevity.

Anyways, even if Yuzuru might become more famous, I don't even care much. FS is not a popularity contest, because if it were... we should have switched to other sports in the beginning.:sarcasm:
 

Sandpiper

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
Secondly, yes good looks is a great asset but it's not the most important asset. If PChiddy looked like this but with 1/10 his current skating skills, I am sure not many casual viewers might even care to consider him a FS star. They might just see him as an average skater with good looks who should have switched to modeling.
Thank you for writing this (and the whole post!) You make a very good point: you don't need to find someone attractive to be their fan. For instance, I find Yagudin more attractive than Plushy back when they were competing together, but I've always liked Plushy more. Perhaps this will get me flamed by both sides of the rivalry, but it's true. :p

I don't currently find Yuzuru attractive (more because he looks so young, rather than whether he'd macho or effeminate). But who cares? He's a darn good skater and that's why I like him.
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
However, his market is very specific He is no John Zimmerman, or some macho image skater like Elvis. For those who like effeminate boys who hold stuffed animals. His popularity is the Asian or Japanese market he does not have the mass appeal of Joubert or Candelero.

Exactly where does Joubert have "mass appeal" outside of France, or Zimmerman outside of the US? And obviously with figure skating booming in Asia, it's not the worst market to be popular in. I, for one, know many people here who became huge fans of Hanyu after seeing his Olympics SP.

And yes, Hanyu's style of skating isn't "butch", but given his frame and his skills, that wouldn't suit him at all. And I think he can certainly "exude" masculinity, like his PW short program showed, even with his (comparatively) slight figure.

And FYI, all figure skaters get/hold stuffed animals. Are you seriously saying his mass appeal is compromised by him holding/appreciating the gifts his fans throw out to him?! :unsure:
 

silverfoxes

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Where in the world today do you think John Zimmerman and Elvis Stojko more popular than Yuzuru or Johnny Weir? :confused: I would be shocked if I met anyone - who isn't a longtime figure skating fan - who could pick either of them out of a lineup. Maybe Elvis is more famous in Canada, I dunno.

Believe it or not, some people can appreciate all kinds of skaters along the spectrum. I like Yuzuru (I'm not Asian, btw). I like Johnny, Adam, Daisuke, Brian, Plushy, Javier and plenty of others who run the entire gamut of "masculinity." What I hate to see is someone pretending to be something they are not, simply to appease close-minded people.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
http://ilarge.listal.com/image/2109152/936full-brian-joubert.jpg

I was actually looking for the picture of Brian with a big teddy bear, but couldn't find it.

I also disagree, of course, that Brian only has "mass appeal" in France. Crowds in any country seem to enjoy his skating just fine.

But I don't know why this thread, because of one comment, suddenly has turned into a Brian bashing thread? What has his having - or not having - "mass appeal" to do with Yuzuru?

Also, may I suggest that many posters don't seem to understand that "I don't like skater X" is not the same as "skater X doesn't have mass appeal". I, for example, don't particularly enjoy Johnny Weir's skating - but I would not say that he does not have "mass appeal", as audiences seem to really respond to his performances.
 

Ophelia

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Dec 6, 2013
http://ilarge.listal.com/image/2109152/936full-brian-joubert.jpg
But I don't know why this thread, because of one comment, suddenly has turned into a Brian bashing thread? What has his having - or not having - "mass appeal" to do with Yuzuru?

Also, may I suggest that many posters don't seem to understand that "I don't like skater X" is not the same as "skater X doesn't have mass appeal". I, for example, don't particularly enjoy Johnny Weir's skating - but I would not say that he does not have "mass appeal", as audiences seem to really respond to his performances.

Because the original poster claimed that Hanyu does not have the "mass appeal" of Joubert and Candelero.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Because the original poster claimed that Hanyu does not have the "mass appeal" of Joubert and Candelero.

Yes, I know that part - hence my reference to "because of one comment" - however, whether Brian or Philippe do or do not have mass appeal does not prove whether Yuzuru does or does not have mass appeal. Also, it's faulty reasoning to say: "I don't like Brian (or whoever) - ergo he cannot have mass appeal." (Maybe people are conflating "mass appeal" with "universal appeal"? But if that is the case, then the answer is simple - NO ONE has "universal appeal". Not the most popular person on earth - whoever that may be. :) ))

For the record, my personal view is that skaters of all kinds of styles can - and do - have mass appeal.
 

Sandpiper

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 16, 2014
I think what most people were trying to say was that Yuzuru doesn't need to be a "manly man" (whatever the heck that entails) like Stojko/Candeloro/Joubert to have mass appeal.

Where in the world today do you think John Zimmerman and Elvis Stojko more popular than Yuzuru or Johnny Weir? :confused: I would be shocked if I met anyone - who isn't a longtime figure skating fan - who could pick either of them out of a lineup. Maybe Elvis is more famous in Canada, I dunno.
Elvis is/was quite the figure here. I think some Canadians who aren't die-hard fans would be able to pick him out from a lineup, not that he's particularly hard to pick out. :) I only caught him at the tail end of his career, but I still got the sense that he was a "aging legend." And now, many years later, my mother still managed to find a news report about his participation in Chicago before I did.
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
http://ilarge.listal.com/image/2109152/936full-brian-joubert.jpg
I was actually looking for the picture of Brian with a big teddy bear, but couldn't find it.
I love it, so cute. :love:

I also disagree, of course, that Brian only has "mass appeal" in France. Crowds in any country seem to enjoy his skating just fine.
I think people are just saying you are more famous to people of your own country. For example Kwan is very famous in North America but not as much in Europe.

But I don't know why this thread, because of one comment, suddenly has turned into a Brian bashing thread? What has his having - or not having - "mass appeal" to do with Yuzuru?
Well, I think the point is skaters don't have to be masculine to be considered having mass appeal. I don't like macho type for particular but I love watching Brian.
 
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