Hanyu and Mao in TOP3 sports heroes

[Lambari]

As some here already know, Japan divides their time periods in eras according to the emperor in reign. Today the Heisei period just ended and Reiwa began.

TV Asahi did a survey with around 180.000 people to name their 'heroes' across different fields during Heisei.

Sports:
1. Yuzuru Hanyu
2. Ichiro Suzuki (baseball player)
3. Mao Asada
----
16. Shizuka Arakawa
----
20. Daisuke Takahashi

Total of votes:

1. SMAP (entertainment)
2. Yuzuru Hanyu
3. Hayao Miyazaki (culture, Studio Ghibli director)

cut, full program

Japanese TV stations, newspapers and sports organizations are always doing variations of these surveys, Yuzuru and Mao always come out near the top so this is no new thing. Just wanted to post this one because holy sample size (!!)

I'm sure a lot of japanese skating babies will come out of their recognition!

 

[satine]

Wonderful to see two figure skaters rank in the top three!

Also, congratulations to my boy Kohei Uchimura who ranked #6

 

[frida80]

Hayao Miyazaki is 3rd. That is truly surprising.

 

[TallyT]

Hayao Miyazaki is 3rd. That is truly surprising.

I was rather stunned by that as well - Miyazaki definitely is way more famous internationally, no way around that - but then I guess we really don't see through Japanese eyes. This being a definitive and reflective moment in their history, it isn't just Yuzu's skating and brilliant double OGM champion status, it's his character, his humanitarian work, his symbolism for the 2011 tragedy (and suffering in general, which explains why they just had to traumatise us and bring COC 2014 back to memory...) and rising above it. At another time, Miyazaki and Hisaichi and the tennis player whose name I can't recall may be higher up, but at this historic moment.... yeah, they do love their skaters. And their Skater.

Congrats also to Mao, so well deserved!

 

[giulia95]

I'm soooo happy for my beloved Mao, she deserves it!
Yuzu gambatte!!!:yay:

 

[ankifeather]

I was rather stunned by that as well - Miyazaki definitely is way more famous internationally, no way around that - but then I guess we really don't see through Japanese eyes. This being a definitive and reflective moment in their history, it isn't just Yuzu's skating and brilliant double OGM champion status, it's his character, his humanitarian work, his symbolism for the 2011 tragedy (and suffering in general, which explains why they just had to traumatise us and bring COC 2014 back to memory...) and rising above it. At another time, Miyazaki and Hisaichi and the tennis player whose name I can't recall may be higher up, but at this historic moment.... yeah, they do love their skaters. And their Skater.

Congrats also to Mao, so well deserved!

Well it is a vote on who the Japanese love more for the Heisei period, than who's more internationally famous....I mean Miyazaki is much more famous internationally than SMAP even. And Mao retired and SMAP disbanded a while ago already, so I don't think timing played much impact.

It should be noted that the voting for the overall rank was done real time during a TV broadcast on last day of Heisei. People watching TV were only given 30 seconds to vote on the spot. In other words, when given only seconds to consider who is your 'hero', more people thought of Yuzuru than Miyazaki, so it is very reflective of his public support :agree:

And Mao ranking so high even though she has retired for a while also shows her deep place in Japanese people hearts. :luv17:

 

[yume]

That shows how much figure skating is popular in Japan.
Glad to see Mao in top 3. She is still by far the most popular ladies skater despite being from a country where there is competition (There are an olympic champion, other world champions, worlds/olympic medalists. Even if Mao is the most decorated of all of them), and a comeback which was not satisfying. I bet she still have more brand contracts than any other active lady.
The biggest surprise is to see Naomi Osaka higher than king Kohei.
I notice that most of athletes in top 10 are active or were recently. They have the advantage to be fresh in the memories. Otherwise, Midori Ito could have been in that list since she is the first Japanese skater male or female to win worlds and medals at olympics. She was even the olympic cauldron lighter at Nagano olympics. But all her achievements happened in first years of Heisei era, so people forgot.

 

[Lambari]

Well it is a vote on who the Japanese love more for the Heisei period, than who's more internationally famous....I mean Miyazaki is much more famous internationally than SMAP even. And Mao retired and SMAP disbanded a while ago already, so I don't think timing played much impact.

It should be noted that the voting for the overall rank was done real time during a TV broadcast on last day of Heisei. People watching TV were only given 30 seconds to vote on the spot. In other words, when given only seconds to consider who is your 'hero', more people thought of Yuzuru than Miyazaki, so it is very reflective of his public support :agree:

And Mao ranking so high even though she has retired for a while also shows her deep place in Japanese people hearts. :luv17:

I didn't know about that, thanks! Even though Mao is retired she appears regularly on TV, mostly about her endorsement deals, ice shows or other public appearances. Sometimes she shows up to participate in a few TV shows when they have FS segments.

For example here's her in march at a talk show about Heisei commenting features about different skaters (there's some minutes about Midori here and baby Shoma!). Same show but reacting to a baby Yuzuru feature (he was 1st at something, I guess about sports moments during Heisei, since that seems to be the theme.

Commenting Sochi free skate a few days ago. Another one , About food (?) Retired or not, Mao is cherished as much as ever.

Mao and Yuzuru are entities by themselves but it seems that baseball overall is a more popular sport than figure skating there, and probably accessibility plays a part. It's quite expensive to watch competitions and ice shows, probably even more to have your child doing skating. But skating probably captures the public imagination like no other because of the art aspect involved.
I wouldn't say that FS is a completely niche sport. I mean, in what other country they would have 30min segments on TV discussing skating protocols? The media also shows skaters from all over the world at the news. There's a ton of features on Alina and her dog, about Nathan, Eteri documentaries etc. But I was surprised that Yuzuru ranked higher than Ichiro, which is a baseball legend, in this larger survey. Ichiro retired just days ago and it was big news there. But they usually share number 1 places for favourite athlete surveys all the time.

I think even more years down the road their feats will still be part of the public consciousness. Their symbolism is even bigger than the sport itself.

Here's compilations of people reacting to Pyeongchang.

 

[Roast Toast]

I think Mao's tour has really helped to keep her in people's hearts. It seems like an exceptionally accessible and affordable way to watch great skating live. Still, it's incredible that she is still so relevant and beloved a few years after retirement.

 

[Lambari]

Actually Shizuka (16th) and Daisuke (20th) were also featured in the TOP20! Sorry for not realizing earlier.