Yuzuru Hanyu: 2014-15 Season

[annca]

Yuzuru will skate first in SP at GPF. At first I thought he might feel less pressure. But now... I am kind of worried. He will skate first after warm up. Will it be alright? Has he gotten over the trauma of the warm up at CoC?

Im worried for him too.
but from what i saw in his interviews, he sees the pressure in a positive way like a challenge that he'll overcome in time. I just truly hope someone could help him overcome it.
Btw, wasnt he the first to skate also during gpf 2011?

I have better things to do than baking this weekend but I just remembered that I would actually have the perfect cake moulds for the occasion

:agree: its perfect!
thanks for keeping the media links up to date pamina!

 

[Kalina]

I think that his iPod..

I have no idea if that thing he was watching videos on was an iPod or an iPhone or some other brand of smartphone. Definitely looks too big for me to be an iPod touch, anyway, and he was shown backstage listening to music later with the mp3 player he bought in the summer in that music store in Akihabara.
It doesn't change the fact that he has had a phone for at least two years. I believe he used to have a white iPhone.

 

[firal]

About the rice…
He says that rice is the food of life for Japanese people. Oda strongly agrees
He also says that when he goes abroad for competitions he takes uncooked dry rice with him and boils it in hot water
Oda says that bread is delicious but that before competitions he also wants to eat rice.
Hanyu then says that when he is at a foreign competition and there is only bread to eat he starts to cry. This happened to him on his first foreign competition so now he always takes rice with him.
Oda asks him if he takes the cooked rice balls with him and Hanyu replies that he takes it in the natural form. Oda makes a joke saying like on the plant? Hanyu says that’s impossible and that the rice is in a sealed bag (ie. The way people normally buy bags of rice from the shops.)

Hope this helps.

Thank you Channah and everyone else for your help with the rice question! As you can see my Japanese is hit and miss, but hopefully I had understood the rest of the interview correctly. And of course thanks for putting the time in to translate the rest of the interview. I love this interview since I think it gives us a glimpse of how they are off the ice. Having Oda-san interview them definitely adds a personal touch and a few backstage anecdote too. Not just for Hanyu-san but for Mura-san and Murakami-san too.

Even though he does not have social media, I believe he will know that he is very well loved!

 

[Maria Victoria]

Link to the 2014-2015 criteria for Worlds and Four Continents Japanese representatives and translation by rosewood from FSUniverse:

Worlds:
Singles
1) The first skater is the National champion.
2) The second skater will be selected in a comprehensive way from the skaters who meet the criteria below.
a) The skaters who placed second and third in Nationals.
b) The skaters who placed the highest and the second highest of Japanese skaters(except 1) skater) in GP final.
3) The third skater will be selected in a comprehensive way from the skaters who meet the criteria below.
a) The skater who was not selected as the 2) skater even though meeting 2)-b) criteria, and skaters who placed 4th-6th in Nationals.
b) Skaters whose ISU world standings are 3rd highest and higher than 3rd of Japanese skaters as of the end of Nationals.
c) Skaters whose ISU season best scores are 3rd highest and higher than 3rd of Japanese skaters as of the end of Nationals.
*There are possibilities that if skaters who have placed 3rd and higher than 3rd in Worlds before do not meet the criteria above because of the reasons such as injuries in the first half of the season, the skaters can be added to the skaters considered for selection taking the skaters' situations at the time of Worlds into consideration.

*Pairs and ice dancers will be selected based on the international competitiveness, and the criteria for single skaters are not applicable to pairs and ice dancers.
*If the selected teams don't have the Worlds minimum scores, they will be sent to international competitions to get the minimum scores.

4CC:
The skaters will be selected in a comprehensive way from the skaters who meet any of the criteria below as of the end of Nationals.
a) The skaters placed 10th and higher than 10th in Nationals.
b) Skaters whose ISU world standings are 6th highest and higher than 6th of Japanese skaters as of the end of Nationals.
c) Skaters whose ISU world rankings are 6th highest and higher than 6th of Japanese skaters as of the end of Nationals.
d) Skaters whose ISU season best scores are 6th highest and higher than 6th of Japanese skaters as of the end of Nationals.
*Skaters need to participate in Nationals which is the final selection meeting for 4CC.
*If the skaters don't have the Worlds minimum scores as of the end of Nationals which is the final meeting for 4CC, they are out of the selection.
*There are possibilities that if skaters who have placed 6th and higher than 6th in Worlds before do not meet the criteria above because of the reasons such as injuries in the first half of the season, the skaters can be added to the skaters considered for selection taking the skaters' situations at the time of 4CC into consideration.

*Pairs and ice dancers will be selected based on the international competitiveness, and the criteria for single skaters are not applicable to pairs and ice dancers.
*If the selected teams don't have the Worlds minimum scores, they will be sent to international competitions to get the minimum scores.

We'll soon see where Yuzuru slots in there. Fingers crossed!

Thanks to those who posted translations, links, and updates!

 

[msteach3]

I hope he had time to get some professional help on this matter at home. But I honestly believe that he will overcome that fear because he is young and has a positive approach on life in general.

I agree that he really could use the help of a sports psychologist to get over the trauma and his fear. Is this something Japanese athletes utilize as many American athletes do? I have no idea, so am really curious.

 

[channah]

Here is part 2 of the NHK Gala interview with the three male skaters.
7mins 58 secs - to end.

NHK GALA INTERVIEW (Hanyu, Murakami and Mura) (Part 2)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2b...E3%83%AB_sport
O=Oda / Y=Yuzuru Hanyu/ D=Daisuke Murakami / T=Takahito Mura
7mins 58 – end
MC: Today we are going to get some insight into each of the three skaters. We want to see them from different sides. So we have asked all of the skaters the same two questions. “What is your “winning” song? And what is your “winning” food? All of the athletes have written their answers on the boards in front of them. Would you show us your answers please? I think we would like to see all of the answers at the same time. So, all three of you please lift up your answer boards. Can the camera zoom in please so that the audience can see what is written on the boards. So, let’s start with Hanyu. Please, tell us about your song.
Y: The Sketchbook san – it seems a bit strange putting the title san on the end of the name of the band, but anyway… It is the Sketchbook ‘s song “Kaku Sei”. Basically the meaning of the song is “Things don’t end here. / Things can’t end in this way” That’s what the lyrics are about. It is a very powerful song.
O: Would you please sing it for us now?
Y: That’s impossible! How can you even ask me that! You know that is something I can’t do.
O: Would you like me to sing it in your place>
Y: Oh, please do!....I can’t hear your voice…. Your voice isn’t coming out???
MC: When we filmed you before the free program backstage you were kind of dancing singing along to something. Was it that song?
Y: I’m not really sure about when you are talking about? I haven’t seen the footage.
MC: Ahhh of course. It was when you looked really lost in the music.
Y: Before my programs I do listen to various songs. They all tend to be positive forward looking songs with up tempo beats. I choose songs that I really enjoy. Songs that I can really feel deep in my heart and that make me aware of my present condition.
MC: OK. So for your winning food you have written rice. Is it really rice?
Y: Yes. Rice. Rice is the food of life for Japanese people.
O: That is totally right! Rice is delicious.
Y: When I travel abroad it is difficult to cook rice but I always take dry rice grains with me and heat them in boiling water and that’s what I eat. (Murakami is laughing at him but he keeps talking.)
O: I find that when I travel abroad I want to eat rice even more than usual. Bread is of course delicious but….it is rice that we want to eat, isn’t it.
Y: If someone gives me bread to eat before a competition I start to cry. That’s what I experienced in my first competition abroad. Bread was the only option…
O: Do you take rice balls to eat (onigiri)?
Y: No, just in the natural form (meaning a plain bowl of rice).
O: Do you mean like in the plant form?
Y: That would be impossible. I do it properly. It is in regular bags / packs.
MC: Ok. Let’s turn to Murakami. Let’s zoom in on the board in front of him. Here we see his winning song and his winning food.
O: Moves like Jagger
MC: When do you listen to that particular song?
D: I listen to it when I am travelling to the arena when I’m abroad. It’s an up tempo song.
O: Maroon Five?
D: Yes.
O: It’s a good song.
D I feel the rhythm and enjoy the sound of the song as it plays in my head.
MC: Do you know that words?
D: Yes.
Y: What kind of song is it?
T: Oda can you sing it?
MC: Oda will you sing it?
O: (Singing) I got a moves like Jagger dada moves like Jagger ahh ahh ooh ooh ooh
D: Like Jagger
MC: It has turned into the Oda one man show.
O: I apologise for my poor singing voice
MC: You have put down Vanilla Latte as your winning food.
O: Would you say it with your correct pronunciation? “banira ratte” (Japanese pronunciation)
D: “Vanilla Latte”
O: I like your pronunciation of the letter “V”
D: “V”anilla Latte
O: Your pronunciation of “V” is beautiful.
MC: That’s right. You have lived in America since you were a small child. So, now to Mura.
T: Do you know this song? It’s Coldplay’s “A sky full of stars”. It is a really up tempo song but it is really typical of the music of Coldplay and I really like it.
MC: And your winning food also includes rice. It is sushi.
T: Especially at Japanese competitions, I mean competitions held in Japan I usually eat sushi before a competition.
O: I also eat sushi before competitions.
MC: Really?
O: I love sushi. It’s delicious isn’t it?
T: It’s really great!
O: I know that before a competition I should avoid eating raw foods and be extra careful about what I eat but at that time I always just eat sushi anyway.
T: Yes, things like raw oysters that are more risky to eat I usually try to avoid but I too really want to want to eat sushi.
O: Well, it seems like we agree that rice is a great food.
T: Rice it is.
MC: From now the athletes are going to take part in the exhibition gala. We are running out of time but I’d like to ask each of the athletes to speak a little about what they are going to do for us in the gala. Let’s start with Hanyu.
Y: Yes. In the exhibition I’m going to perform to “Hana wa saku”. That song / performance was created really quickly. It was done in about only 3 hours. I haven’t skated it very much but it is a really personal program and I put all of the feeling in my heart into it. So I hope that everyone will first get to know the song and then be able to enjoy my interpretation of it. It is all about looking forward to the future.
MC: What about you Murakam?
D: Well, yesterday I hardly slept. I only got about two hours sleep. But anyway, in this exhibition I am going to perform for you all “Say Something”.
MC: Now, Mura please.
T: I have taken part in several exhibitions with this particular performance now. It’s “Feeling Good”. For the people watching in the arena today I hope you can feel the sexiness of the song.
MC: You sound really confident about that. I would like to that all three of the athletes for speaking with us before then perform in the gala. We are really looking forward to seeing you performances.
All: Thank you very much.
MC: Here on the video we see the three athletes back stage with the NHK characters. This is the footage from the “Domo-kun” camera. They all look very relaxed.

 

[satine]

@channah, the video's been taken down already?

 

[Geo1]

I agree that he really could use the help of a sports psychologist to get over the trauma and his fear. Is this something Japanese athletes utilize as many American athletes do? I have no idea, so am really curious.

I have a pretty good insight into Japanese culture and the Japanese mind. I am Japanese-Canadian raised by a Japanese-born mother and the Canadian-born ethnically Japanese father. I have a number of relatives living in Japan. As a lawyer, I have represented a number of Japanese visitors to Canada who sustained different levels of brain injury and psychological injury as a result of motor vehicle accidents.

I have found that Japanese people with brain injury or psychological injury do everything in their power to hide this fact from others. There is a definite stigma attached to people suffering brain injury or psychological injury in Japan.

One case I had involved a young Japanese woman who had just graduated from university at the time of her injury. She told an interviewer of a prospective employer about her brain injury and he told her that she would never get a legitimate job and that she might as well become a prostitute. She never mentioned her brain injury again. She finally found a job as a clerk in an office and struggled with her duties because of her brain injury. She was constantly berated and ridiculed by her supervisor. She was in constant fear that someone would find out about her brain injury and that she would lose her job.

The diagnosis shown in the Japanese hospital records for this brain injured woman was cranial contusion. And this was a woman who was in a coma for two weeks with a tube in her skull to reduce the swelling of her brain. Interestingly, this is the same diagnosis that was stated for Yuzuru. In my experience Japanese medical records tend to be very conservative in their description of injury.

Therefore, in my opinion, Yuzuru will not seek help for psychological issues, even if such help is available. Such a thought would not even cross Yuzuru's mind. He is a national hero. It would not be fitting for a national hero to require psychological counselling. Stoicism is a virtue in Japanese culture. One is expected to quietly suck it up and carry on. As he said himself in one interview, he is going to climb this wall even if he has to do it with the tips of his fingernails.

I also worry that he is suffering from post-concussion syndrome. Only Yuzuru knows what symptoms he has and I doubt that he is one to complain about them to anyone. It would be typically Japanese to point to physical injuries such as the injuries to the legs as being the main problem and not mention problems stemming from the brain. I hope that I am wrong.

I will feel so much better if Yuzuru skates clean programs fearlessly and with complete confidence at the GPF in Barcelona. Then I will know that everything is all right.

 

[Kalina]

Thank you for your story Geo1, but to be honest in this occasion I see no reason not to believe what was reported regarding the injury.

 

[alia jackson]

I hope Brian and Tracy closely monitor him :

 

[Sorrento]

Here is part 2 of the NHK Gala interview with the three male skaters.

Thank you so much!:thumbsup:

 

[alia jackson]

Macarons' inspired by Yuzuru Hanyu’s new costume

 

[giulia95]

thank you very much for translation channah

 

[giulia95]

It seems Sendai Ice Rink is wormly protecting and defending Yuzu’s training. No news, no crazy media all around.
My wish is that he’ll be able to defeat all his ghosts, to skate strongly in GPF and be proud of himself.


As Geo 1 has just mentioned , Yuzu said “ I WILL START OVER FROM ZERO AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLIMB THAT WALL TO THE TOP WITH THE TIPS OF MY FINGERNAILS…. “

Actually I hope he’s receiving a massive psychological and technical support while climbing that WALL with his fingernails – no doubt he’s doing it!!- and doesn’t have to deal with his coach’s piece of paper in isolation/loneliness.
GOOOOOOO YUZU!!!!!!!!!

 

[leolion11]

It seems Sendai Ice Rink is wormly protecting and defending Yuzu’s training. No news, no crazy media all around.
My wish is that he’ll be able to defeat all his ghosts, to skate strongly in GPF and be proud of himself.


As Geo 1 has just mentioned , Yuzu said “ I WILL START OVER FROM ZERO AND I WOULD LIKE TO CLIMB THAT WALL TO THE TOP WITH THE TIPS OF MY FINGERNAILS…. “

Actually I hope he’s receiving a massive psychological and technical support while climbing that WALL with his fingernails – no doubt he’s doing it!!- and doesn’t have to deal with his coach’s piece of paper in isolation/loneliness.
GOOOOOOO YUZU!!!!!!!!!

Yeah I'm glad that Yuzuru is able to practice at Sendai Ice Rink in peace. Unless Japanese media is actually reporting on his practices at Sendai Ice Rink and I'm not seeing anything because I don't follow Japanese media...

Actually, does anyone else think that what happened at NHK is good for him? I see a lot of people are concerned about his mental state after NHK, but I was thinking that that sort of thing would actually make him more determined to succeed at GPF (like his FS at 2014 worlds), so maybe we shouldn't need to worry too much about him

 

[skatefan22]

I have no idea if that thing he was watching videos on was an iPod or an iPhone or some other brand of smartphone. Definitely looks too big for me to be an iPod touch, anyway, and he was shown backstage listening to music later with the mp3 player he bought in the summer in that music store in Akihabara.
It doesn't change the fact that he has had a phone for at least two years. I believe he used to have a white iPhone.

Thank you, Kalina, for the info. I didn't know that he used to have an iPhone. Do you remember when exactly?

 

[Nemorml]

Cute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOizVh_c2TA

 

[annca]

Happy birthday yuzuru!! :dance: arty:

 

[TuTU9678]

Cute video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOizVh_c2TA

Happy happy birthday Yuzu~! Wish you health, happiness, and success!

 

[Maria Victoria]

Happy coming of age birthday Yuzuru! Thank you for all the joy and beauty you have brought to us skating fans with singular generosity and passion. Thank you for the inspiration you have personally given me with your indomitable spirit in face of the challenges life has hurled at you. Wishing you even more courage and strength as well as wisdom in the years ahead. God bless you always!