Mao Asada

[gotoschool]

Here are some great photos from Mao's Madame Butterfly performance that were easy to save. Mao's pose with her arm and hand reaching out to touch an absent loved one in the first photo reminds me of Michelangelo's painting entitled Creation of Adam located on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
I believe this shows how Mao, as she does in her Sochi LP, has such a classic and for me an almost holy sense in her devotion to an artistic purpose that embraces her own culture but also crosses over to include Western archetypes, which makes her appeal universal. I know it has been said before that she has an almost monk like devotion to perfecting her performances. This is why numerical quantification of her performances often seems to be a degradation of the spiritual inspiration they give me. But, she also likes to have fun and be a fighter. As these photos show, she displays a great range of emotion from deep melancholy and hopefulness to great joy.


http://www.sankei.com/photo/images/news/151003/sty1510030018-p5.jpg Mao's pose
http://allart.biz/up/photos/album/M_N/Michelangelo/michelangelo_1_creation_of_adam.jpg Creation of Adam

http://41.media.tumblr.com/0e6e0d2553eddc5fbc0b5b0e41f5ef67/tumblr_nvnjboEBmI1s3blyqo1_r1_1280.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/09f72029a6cbf0e8f46b71f98d75623a/tumblr_nvmw3p4KJO1s3blyqo5_1280.jpg
http://40.media.tumblr.com/38d7563fa98bace1d346fac6d8880fae/tumblr_nvo5u1zxe21rmbfdco1_1280.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/0e6e0d2553eddc5fbc0b5b0e41f5ef67/tumblr_nvnjboEBmI1s3blyqo1_r1_1280.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/f6e5f34a4888cdcab5e0ff14722ca890/tumblr_nvnasbXhpF1qaqq3jo1_1280.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/84a8ecd1fbb7b02d46364ac9a6cca732/tumblr_nvnmax2w8S1s3blyqo6_r1_1280.jpg
http://41.media.tumblr.com/42743ce0e7893881c9dca42a193d9043/tumblr_nvnmax2w8S1s3blyqo3_1280.jpg
http://pacifiquepacificador.tumblr.com/
http://dotanba-muscle.tumblr.com/page/6
http://40.media.tumblr.com/d938dab790fa9437cf38a09b1d336956/tumblr_nvnmf5ItIN1s3blyqo1_1280.jpg
http://jto.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/sp-mao-b-20151005.jpg
http://40.media.tumblr.com/c150d6e763d8322b7ef276ccd97e0fc6/tumblr_nvnmax2w8S1s3blyqo4_1280.jpg
http://40.media.tumblr.com/8a4010c324f287d265714f4ef46e1e68/tumblr_nvnmax2w8S1s3blyqo2_r1_1280.jpg
http://36.media.tumblr.com/8f627399a0583d621bdda3603729453f/tumblr_nvo4alKgz81rmbfdco1_1280.jpg
http://mainichi.jp/graph/2015/10/03/Asada/image/003.jpg
http://mainichi.jp/graph/2015/10/03/Asada/002.html
http://mainichi.jp/graph/2015/10/03/Asada/001.html
http://mainichi.jp/graph/2015/10/03/Asada/004.html
http://mainichi.jp/graph/2015/10/03/Asada/006.html
http://mainichi.jp/graph/2015/10/03/Asada/007.html
http://mainichi.jp/graph/2015/10/03/Asada/008.html

 

[gotoschool]

I didn't see this article posted above which is in English. So, I am positing it here. It is Mao and Coach Sato talking about her skating. Thanks to shar for posting.
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002471233

 

[solar]

I didn't see this article posted above which is in English. So, I am positing it here. It is Mao and Coach Sato talking about her skating. Thanks to shar for posting.
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002471233

Thank you for providing so many pictures and articles of Mao! I'm happy that her performance went well

 

[yhmafan]

Thank you for the many links and @inskate for the great job.


Here are some nice pictures, Mao Shoma and Kanako. TJ at JO (Mao Dice Satoko and Shoma).

Very well done, the artistic gif of her Madame Butterfly.

 

[gotoschool]

Your welcome pri_mids. Here is an excerpt from an interview Mao gave talking about how Mao thought of herself as Shoma Uno's mother:
I posted the link above.
http://pacifiquepacificador.tumblr.com/

tinyantelopes:

MC: You said you feel like his mom.
Mao: Yes! I remember it well, when Shoma came to the rink for the first time and we played together. Then I saw he was torn between ice hockey and figure skating, but he chose skating. And in no time, I found myself competing together with him, and seeing him do well in interviews. Really, I’ve known him since he was in kindergarten! I really feel like his mom.

Translation credit: @safina518 on Twitter

 

[gotoschool]

Thanks to bluelutz for this translation of Mao's comments after her performance in the Japan Open.
originally posted at: http://www.goldenskate.com/forum/showthread.php?55686-Japan-Open-2015&p=1240862#post1240862

Here is the link: Mao's interview is at the end after Ashley, Gracie and Liza

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n82adNgiaM&feature=youtu.be

Mao: Before JO, so many reporters/journalists kept asking me how I felt about my comeback.
Nobu: You didn't like it, did you? Sorry for that.
Mao: I understood it was because of my absence from the competition for one year.
However, since I tried so hard to think like this was exactly the same thing I had been doing for a long time.
it frustrated me a bit.
Nobu: So you felt a little agitated by the media attention as your comeback, haha.
Mao: giggling
Nobu: Right after you landed 3A, you seemed to be very excited,
but soon you went back to the serious state.
Mao: I had to keep going, do the next thing.
Nobu: That 3A was a beauty!
Mao: I feel a little sad because all the older skaters, of the team Japan, have retired,
who did this competitions together, and this time I am the oldest.
Nobu: How was it as the leader of Japanese team?
Mao: Mmmmm, (not sure I was) the leader? Just the oldest.
Nobu: So how was it as the oldest?
Mao: It was nice as I did not let other members down, haha.

 

[yhmafan]

Your welcome pri_mids. Here is an excerpt from an interview Mao gave talking about how Mao thought of herself as Shoma Uno's mother:
I posted the link above.
http://pacifiquepacificador.tumblr.com/

tinyantelopes:

MC: You said you feel like his mom.
Mao: Yes! I remember it well, when Shoma came to the rink for the first time and we played together. Then I saw he was torn between ice hockey and figure skating, but he chose skating. And in no time, I found myself competing together with him, and seeing him do well in interviews. Really, I’ve known him since he was in kindergarten! I really feel like his mom.

Translation credit: @safina518 on Twitter

I recall that Mao said about Shoma was like a little brother to her.

She said that when she was 13 y/o that “Anoko mone Mao no Ototo (that boy is also a little brother to me)”
The sound of her voice was sooo lovely there , I can’t help but I can repeat that her voice over and over haha yes it's recorded.

 

[gotoschool]

I recall that Mao said about Shoma was like a little brother to her.

She said that when she was 13 y/o that “Anoko mone Mao no Ototo (that boy is also a little brother to me)”
The sound of her voice was sooo lovely there , I can’t help but I can repeat that her voice over and over haha yes it's recorded.

Thanks for the pictures yhma fan. They are really adorable. I remember how cute it was when Mao shoved a stuffed animal in Shoma's face at the Japan Open to kid around with him.

I just found this 1080p quality video of Mao's Madame Butterfly. It's amazing how many views Mao's performance has already and how many different videos there are of it, even after several have been deleted. I don't like to jinx Mao by saying how it could become even greater as she said she wants it to be, so I will wish her the best in her quest to perfect it even more and just adore the performance she has done already. But, 7 triples with all 6 different kinds is quite an achievement and the artistry and emotion is worth so much more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n8odc0iymo

 

[yhmafan]

Thanks for the pictures yhma fan. They are really adorable. I remember how cute it was when Mao shoved a stuffed animal in Shoma's face at the Japan Open to kid around with him.

I just found this 1080p quality video of Mao's Madame Butterfly. It's amazing how many views Mao's performance has already and how many different videos there are of it, even after several have been deleted. I don't like to jinx Mao by saying how it could become even greater as she said she wants it to be, so I will wish her the best in her quest to perfect it even more and just adore the performance she has done already. But, 7 triples with all 6 different kinds is quite an achievement and the artistry and emotion is worth so much more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n8odc0iymo

Exactly

Mao is such a ballerina even when she was 15 years old.

 

[samm22]

Thanks for the pictures yhma fan. They are really adorable. I remember how cute it was when Mao shoved a stuffed animal in Shoma's face at the Japan Open to kid around with him.

I just found this 1080p quality video of Mao's Madame Butterfly. It's amazing how many views Mao's performance has already and how many different videos there are of it, even after several have been deleted. I don't like to jinx Mao by saying how it could become even greater as she said she wants it to be, so I will wish her the best in her quest to perfect it even more and just adore the performance she has done already. But, 7 triples with all 6 different kinds is quite an achievement and the artistry and emotion is worth so much more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n8odc0iymo

Thank you for the beautiful video!!

Just to clarify, Mao's next competition is COC right? Or is she doing smaller comps in Japan/senior B's? If COC is her next competition , she'll have had time to rest and keep working on the lutz edge as well as the triple-triple(s). I'm excited to see how she and her programs develop through the season!

 

[gotoschool]

Thank you for the beautiful video!!

Just to clarify, Mao's next competition is COC right? Or is she doing smaller comps in Japan/senior B's? If COC is her next competition , she'll have had time to rest and keep working on the lutz edge as well as the triple-triple(s). I'm excited to see how she and her programs develop through the season!

Your welcome samm22. Yes as I understand it, Mao's first competition is Cup of China, then NHK trophy. I can't wait to see her perform again too.

 

[cohkaix]

Thanks for the pictures yhma fan. They are really adorable. I remember how cute it was when Mao shoved a stuffed animal in Shoma's face at the Japan Open to kid around with him.

I just found this 1080p quality video of Mao's Madame Butterfly. It's amazing how many views Mao's performance has already and how many different videos there are of it, even after several have been deleted. I don't like to jinx Mao by saying how it could become even greater as she said she wants it to be, so I will wish her the best in her quest to perfect it even more and just adore the performance she has done already. But, 7 triples with all 6 different kinds is quite an achievement and the artistry and emotion is worth so much more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n8odc0iymo

Thanks for the high quality video without comments. Interestingly, for the 1st person who left the message below the video, it mentions that, after getting off the ice, Coach Sato was asking something about the loop jump (possibly the missed one), and Mao answered: (I) was planning for a 3-3 in the 2nd half. Originally I thought she might be voiding the 3-2-2 and hence giving up on the loop. But I also read from twitter that Mao was thinking about attempting 3-3 in the 2nd half and this confirms that. So that's another indication that she must feel quite comfortable with her own condition to challenge a 3-3 so late in the program.

 

[begin]

Thanks for the high quality video without comments. Interestingly, for the 1st person who left the message below the video, it mentions that, after getting off the ice, Coach Sato was asking something about the loop jump (possibly the missed one), and Mao answered: (I) was planning for a 3-3 in the 2nd half. Originally I thought she might be voiding the 3-2-2 and hence giving up on the loop. But I also read from twitter that Mao was thinking about attempting 3-3 in the 2nd half and this confirms that. So that's another indication that she must feel quite comfortable with her own condition to challenge a 3-3 so late in the program.

Thank you for the info! Super excited to see what she's got this season

 

[Violet Bliss]

I've expressed at various time the last couple of years how impressed I was with Mao's determination in achieving her technical goals despite her considerable earlier success and the painful journey, and that I had faith in her accomplishing her goals. It's therefore very gratifying to see her excellent performance at JO, a grand announcement that she is back.

She's one of the four World Champions at JO 2015 interviewed in this article:

World champions talk new season, new programs
Asada, Chan, Tuktamisheva, Fernández provide self-analysis, state goals

Surrounded by more than 16,000 fans chanting "Welcome back!" Mao Asada led off her post-event interview by exclaiming, "I am back!"

Indeed. Her first performance after more than 500 days away from competition -- featuring a successful triple axel, six other well-done triple jumps and Level 4 spins and step sequence -- was a clear demonstration of her competition readiness.

Asada said the time she spent away from the sport was necessary for her mental health.

"During the break, I seldom thought about skating," Asada said. "Gradually, in my head, only the good memories about competitions remained, and therefore I could come back and skate with joy. I really think I am in a very good mental condition today."

This season, in an effort to showcase her maturity and strength, Asada will skate to Madame Butterfly for her free skate.

"Madame Butterfly is a very sad story of a lady who keeps waiting for the man she loves. However, mentally she is a very tough Japanese lady, a role that I wanted to play," Asada said. "I think today I was not only able to execute the jumps but also interpret and skate the way I wanted to. I hope I can reflect my learning today and perform a better Madame Butterfly in coming competitions."

 

[Imagine]

Mao is at a point in her career where her technical ability and artistry are virtually unmatched...with the small exception that Elizaveta can also do the triple axel. I can imagine that she has the scoring potential now to break some records.

Hypothetically, if Mao wins the next two World Championships and the 2018 Olympics, does she become the greatest of all time?

 

[hurrah]

Mao is at a point in her career where her technical ability and artistry are virtually unmatched...with the small exception that Elizaveta can also do the triple axel. I can imagine that she has the scoring potential now to break some records.

Hypothetically, if Mao wins the next two World Championships and the 2018 Olympics, does she become the greatest of all time?

If Mao can successfully put together a 4-triple short program and a 7-8 triple free program with no edge calls and no under-rotations in a competition, say maybe 3 times before she retires, and also win the next two Worlds and Olympics, I think she would have to be seen as the greatest of all time.

I think the above scenario is within the realm of possibility, but it really all depends on whether her body will be able to cope without an injury.

 

[KansaiPJ]

I did a brief review of the Japan Open & Carnival on Ice 2015. I talk a bit about Mao and Shoma. Check it out if you have time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA9wKjmYW_c

 

[Sam L]

If Mao can successfully put together a 4-triple short program and a 7-8 triple free program with no edge calls and no under-rotations in a competition, say maybe 3 times before she retires, and also win the next two Worlds and Olympics, I think she would have to be seen as the greatest of all time.

I think the above scenario is within the realm of possibility, but it really all depends on whether her body will be able to cope without an injury.

She is Greatest in my book already. The Ultimate Ballerina.

 

[gotoschool]

She is Greatest in my book already. The Ultimate Ballerina.

I totally agree with this. In my book, Mao is already the best. No other skater has moved me or impressed me so much. Mao has the resilience to rise up from disappointment as a Ballerina Phoenix again and again to deliver magnificent performances full of transcendence. And her artistry, emotion and the aesthetics of her tech excellence is worth so much more to me than any score. Her urs alleged and ratified are often barely or totally invisible to me in real time or contradict my line of sight. Besides, Mao's impact on me comes from the beautiful whole that overshadows any tiny moles. It is great to see Mao is getting such wonderful height and distance on her jumps and a better edge on her lutz and I hope she can continue to improve and that she can do an unprecedented 4 triple SP and 8 triple LP along with a 3F / 3L and a 3F / 3T combo and a triple axel in her SP and LP. But what really draws me to her skating is that Mao performs as one who is wise because she seeks and often finds a spiritual prize that can't be quantified.

 

[hurrah]

Well, I obviously already find Mao to be the greatest ever. I was thinking in terms of convincing everyone who knows anything about figure skating to recognize that Mao is the greatest ever.