Look I have an issue I've been thinking about ever since TSL's David Wilson interview on Youtube. He spoke how Yuna was always into the music and how Jeff Buttle was not in his early career days and how David criticized his performances because his moves were not in tune with the music. I just keep wondering- what if... it could be one of the reasons that David's programs were not a huge success with Yuzu choreowise. Sure Yuzu was young and learing but still... And moreover- what if that was the reason for Yuzu to look for a different choreographer to find his "skating sound"? I have to say that his collaboration with ShaeLynn is very fruitful. And even though I've been pretty sceptical about them working on Seimei first- the result turned to be just totally amazing. I wish that he works with a new choreographer too but I just worry (anxiously anxious to say the least) that it could be a... mistake to switch to another specialist. What you think?
I'm not trying to bash anyone, please don't get me wrong.
A person's impression of a program depends on the execution quality of the performance. If the execution quality is poor, then most people will think the program is bad too. If the execution quality is good, then most people will think the program is good.
The main problems of NDP and RJ2 is that he never really executed those two programs exceptionally well because the technical content was really difficult for him at the time. Another problem is that Wilson's programs were too mature for Yuzuru at that time.
I don't think either PW or Chopin is better than his previous SPs. He is technically better now, so he can execute more difficult tech with better quality and that improves the overall impression. But the programs themselves are not better. If he skates to his old SPs now, the difference in audience's response will only depend on the difference of their taste.
Also, I think it's harder to choregraph a good LP than a good SP because there are more tecnical elements and it's twice as long. I actually don't think either NDP or RJ2 is worse than any of his LPs before RJ1.
Another problem is that he has iconic LPs, but no iconic SPs. I mean iconic program as the program is owned by him and can't be performed by any other skater. All of his SPs can be performed by many skaters, with some variations in the choreography (less difficult or more difficult) and intepretation because the styles of the programs are not something only Yuzuru can pull off. (PW is somewhat iconic due to him winning the Olympics with that program. But when he first broke the WR with PW in 2012, it didn't get that kind of buzz. That program itself is not a program that can't be performed by other skaters. The style of the program, rock star style, is not a style that only Yuzuru can pull off.) But RJ1 and SEIMEI can't be performed by other skaters because Yuzuru has the same character as the characters portrayed in the program. You (most likely) won't find another skater that shares more resemblance to Romeo and Seimei than Yuzuru. People will associate Romeo and Seimei with Yuzuru. Unless he gets another iconic LP, his future LPs may be seen as a let down because they will be compared with RJ1 and SEIMEI. But his future SPs won't get this comparison.
If he tries another choreographer, then it's better to try a new SP choreographer than a new LP choreographer. He can execute SP with good quality most of the time. So his SPs are usually well received. (I don't think any of his SPs is poorly received.) But it's much harder for him to execute the LP with good quality. It also took him quite some time to get to know and work with Shae-Lynn. So working with a new LP choreographer means starting the whole process all over again. At least POTO is better than all of his non-RJ1 and non-SEIMEI LPs. So working with Shae-Lynn means we won't get an LP worse than POTO. Working with a new LP choreographer means we could see something much worse.