Daisuke Takahashi

[KiraraChin]

OMG the collaboration food looks fantastic! Japanese fans are so lucky

 

[KiraraChin]

Cross-posting from Kazuki's fan fest, the latest non-no magazine IG reel:


DeepL translation of the caption:
The third special video of ＼Daisuke Takahashi and Kazuki Tomono＼!

We present to you the video clips of Daisuke Takahashi and Kazuki Tomono, who appeared in the July/August issue of Non-no, which is now on sale.

They have performed together in ice shows many times before, but this was the first time for them to be together for a photo shoot like this, and they were both very nervous.

Mr. Tomono, in particular, seemed to have some resistance to sitting cross-legged in front of Mr. Takahashi, a senior whom he admires, even when posing, and he even appeared to be afraid during the photo shoot for the cut on the last page.

When asked to try sitting on the floor next, Mr. Tomono unintentionally sat upright. Seeing this, Takahashi-san burst into laughter, and the mood on set was friendly from start to finish .

The two of them looked so cool that I was surprised, but the moment the shutter stopped, they dashed to the monitor () to check the photos. I was healed by such a gap between the two of them, lol.

Since the two are accustomed to being photographed on a regular basis, the shooting part was finished earlier than planned , allowing for plenty of time for the conversation.
They talked about nostalgic memories, days spent at the ice show “Kassouya,” and their envisioned future. It was impressive to see Mr. Takahashi's warm eyes as he gently chimed in on Mr. Tomono's words from beginning to end.

Since they do not usually have a chance to talk in a formal setting, Mr. Tomono took this opportunity to ask Mr. Takahashi some questions he would like to ask him.

They also told us some unexpected episodes from their college days, and recommended ways to enjoy figure skating for those who are going to watch it in the future.

In order to deliver as much of their super-long talk as possible, we have filled the magazine to the brim with their conversation. Please be sure to pick up a copy of this magazine before the #Hyoen 2024 finally opens this weekend!

I will never cease to be amazed at how cool they looked in this photoshoot, how friendly they seem, and I particularly liked the last pose - with Daisuke standing behind and placing his hands on Kazuki's collarbones - Truly Oyabun and his Wakagashira

 

[synesthesia]

Cross-posting from Kazuki's fan fest, the latest non-no magazine IG reel:

[...]

As always, thx for posting this here!

I will never cease to be amazed at how cool they looked in this photoshoot, how friendly they seem, and I particularly liked the last pose - with Daisuke standing behind and placing his hands on Kazuki's collarbones - Truly Oyabun and his Wakagashira

You’re right, the pose does give off that vibe. Now that you mentioned it, I feel it’s particularly strong in the photo they chose for the magazine with both of them wearing a very serious/cool expression like they mean business (my non-no copy finally arrived, yay! )



Btw, the non-no article confirms that Kazuki portrays young Kakeru! Apart from this, no new details about the show were given.

Dai begins the interview by saying that his earliest memory of Kazuki is his performance at the charity show Dai organised after the East Japan Earthquake. He had heard from people around him at the time that Kazuki was an interesting young skater, so he invited him. Kazuki says that they didn't have a chance to talk to each other on that occasion, though. The first conversation took place when Dai complimented Kazuki on tv, telling him that Kazuki's greatest appeal is that he never leaves the audience behind, while he interviewed him after winning junior Nationals in 2016. Kazuki says that these words made him very happy and from then on were his guide to what kind of skater he wanted to become.

I also really liked the section where they talked about what they are currently into outside of skating. Kazuki said that he has been interested in lifestyle and interior design since he started living alone. Dai said that he looks for furniture in antique shops and, of course, talked about his new-found passion for growing plants. Kazuki said now that he’s living on his own he thought about having plants in his apartment upon which Dai-chan recommended a store that buys wilted plants, nurtures them back to health and then re-sells them to new owners (I never knew such a thing existed, but this is so cool! ) Kazuki loved the concept and promised to check it out.

On the interviewer mentioning that Dai and Kazuki are known to be two of the biggest fashion lovers among figure skaters, Kazuki said that he enjoys shopping at second hand stores, but has been buying more and more fashion items lately. Dai, on the other hand, said that he used to buy mostly from the same shop, but is now switching more to second-hand clothes and is also interested in second-hand fashion for women and he asked Kazuki for recommendations. Kazuki recommended a store in Osaka, which Dai said he would check out. The interviewer then suggested they should go shopping together to which Dai-chan replied he’d love to and asked Kazuki to take him next time, while Kazuki was like “OMG, I’d be so nervous!” (paraphrased).

It's a very nice interview that gives the impression that the two of them are on the same wavelength in many respects!

_________________​

The Hyoen merch has been revealed:

https://hyoen.jp/goods.html

No hoodies or clear files this time, unfortunately (unless they’ll release more later). I hope they’ll have some program brochures, post cards and acrylic stands left after the shows to sell online.

__________________________​

We have broadcast dates! Cross-posting from the Japanese shows thread:


The last Hyoen performance on June 11 will be broadcast live on Nitteleplus. A rebroadcast is scheduled for July 27:

氷艶hyoen2024 -十字星のキセキ-【完全版】｜日テレプラス　ドラマ・アニメ・音楽ライブ

フィギュアスケート・歌・芝居が融合したストーリー仕立てのアイスショー「氷艶」が5年ぶりに帰ってきた。第3弾となる今回は宮沢賢治の「銀河鉄道の夜」がモチーフ。

www.nitteleplus.com

https://x.com/nitteleplus/status/1795017104334135526

It was noted that the live broadcast/re-broadcast is scheduled for 4 hours, so it is likely that that day’s aftertalkshow with Dai, Seiji and Kikunojo Onoue will be shown too!

https://x.com/teamkumataka/status/1797545768066421206

__________________________​

A few more pictures from Hyoen rehearsals:

Takuro, Kai and Dai-chan in the recording studio:

Volume 5 of the Takuro x Dai talk:

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1797146126724091941



And there’s yet another interview series – this time with Seiji and Dai:

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1797251824279265359

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1797508521615114418

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1797538712555004039

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1797568920460894662




Seiji turned 41 on June 3rd :

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1797493872668647572

__________________________​

The Hyoen sns accounts posted these photos of part of the cast in extremely... um... gaudy costumes (this is FaoI level! ):

Apart from Kai’s these costumes will very likely only be used for individual scenes, though. The ensemble (plus Koshiro it seems) will probably perform various roles associated with the different stops along the railroad trip. We also know that Kana has at least one other costume, so I’m wondering which scene is depicted with the umbrellas and old lady outfits. The first two pictures look like there’s some sort of galactic carnival going on (?), which could be linked to the clip of Koshiro dancing wildly on a platform in one of the official Hyoen account’s ig stories...


Anyway, I’m intrigued to find out soon. Can’t really predict much since the Hyoen adaptation is evidently straying almost beyond recognition from the source material.

_________________________​

How cute is this fan made Kakeru bookmark?

To promote tourism in Yokohama, a cooperation project has been launched with six hotels in the city, offering Hyoen-inspired cake and cocktail sets between 31 May and 16 June, delivered with exclusive Hyoen merch items:

[...]

Fans are of course already paying visits to these hotels and posting pictures of their yummy looking orders :

This is what the “Galaxy” cocktail looks like :

________________________​

Dai-chan is the author of a new column called “Daisuke Takahashi’s Deep Edge Talk” published as part of the paywalled “Deep Edge” figure skating web feature by various Kyodo News-affiliated publications. You need to be registered with one of these affiliated publications to be able to read it (each publication has different conditions - some may include a number of free articles per month while others charge a fee to be able to read anything at all):

https://x.com/kyodo_DeepEdge/status/1797599321686450406

https://digital.kyodonews.jp/deepedge/

________________________​

He also designed these cute plates that can be bought via Skycourt’s online shop:

https://www.skyc.shop/smartphone/detail.html?id=000000000014

 

[KiraraChin]

Btw, the non-no article confirms that Kazuki portrays young Kakeru! Apart from this, no new details about the show were given.

Dai begins the interview by saying that his earliest memory of Kazuki is his performance at the charity show Dai organised after the East Japan Earthquake. He had heard from people around him at the time that Kazuki was an interesting young skater, so he invited him. Kazuki says that they didn't have a chance to talk to each other on that occasion, though. The first conversation took place when Dai complimented Kazuki on tv, telling him that Kazuki's greatest appeal is that he never leaves the audience behind, while he interviewed him after winning junior Nationals in 2016. Kazuki says that these words made him very happy and from then on were his guide to what kind of skater he wanted to become.

I also really liked the section where they talked about what they are currently into outside of skating. Kazuki said that he has been interested in lifestyle and interior design since he started living alone. Dai said that he looks for furniture in antique shops and, of course, talked about his new-found passion for growing plants. Kazuki said now that he’s living on his own he thought about having plants in his apartment upon which Dai-chan recommended a store that buys wilted plants, nurtures them back to health and then re-sells them to new owners (I never knew such a thing existed, but this is so cool! ) Kazuki loved the concept and promised to check it out.

On the interviewer mentioning that Dai and Kazuki are known to be two of the biggest fashion lovers among figure skaters, Kazuki said that he enjoys shopping at second hand stores, but has been buying more and more fashion items lately. Dai, on the other hand, said that he used to buy mostly from the same shop, but is now switching more to second-hand clothes and is also interested in second-hand fashion for women and he asked Kazuki for recommendations. Kazuki recommended a store in Osaka, which Dai said he would check out. The interviewer then suggested they should go shopping together to which Dai-chan replied he’d love to and asked Kazuki to take him next time, while Kazuki was like “OMG, I’d be so nervous!” (paraphrased).

It's a very nice interview that gives the impression that the two of them are on the same wavelength in many respects!

Thank you so much for sharing this, I wasn't able to buy the magazine so I really appreciate it. I remember the 2016 interview, and how Kazuki grinned from ear to ear after hearing Dan-chan's words It's amazing that they are able to talk now like this, and have so many interests in common too!

 

[synesthesia]

Thank you so much for sharing this, I wasn't able to buy the magazine so I really appreciate it. I remember the 2016 interview, and how Kazuki grinned from ear to ear after hearing Dan-chan's words It's amazing that they are able to talk now like this, and have so many interests in common too!

My pleasure!

A part of the interview (about Hyoen) was published online by non-no yesterday:

https://nonno.hpplus.jp/entertainment/figureskate/135998

________________________​

Finally, Hyoen starts tomorrow! Good luck to all cast and crew - may everyone have fun and stay healthy!





Everyone ready to board the galactic train?

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1798595676751974569



Dai-chan letting us know there were two days left yesterday and the first time we could see that Kakeru's outfit is completed by a pair of protective space goggles :





This inspired some lovely fan art :

https://twitter.com/itoaya7/status/1798724996812128593

https://twitter.com/teamkumataka/status/1798919728603501051

Here's a cool clip of the cast with Dai giving a pep talk before the first runthrough in costume two days ago (according to this fan he told everyone to stay calm and collected just like he did before "Kassouya"):

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1798233303214162390



The cast rehearsing at the Yokohama Arena with Masahiro showing off his skills:

https://twitter.com/eharamasahiro/status/1798864162011095182





Takuro and Dai signed "Kassouya" stickers (as documented in their respective ig stories Dai also signed one each for Kai, Kazuki Kushida and Takuro):

This had several fans speculating that there might be a "Kassouya" related announcement soon...




A Hyoen promo article was published in yesterday's Nikkansports print and web edition:

https://twitter.com/1048055tokyo/status/1798518046040240295

https://twitter.com/marisapho/status/1798589447325499603


Web article:

高橋大輔の挑戦「お互い起こる化学反応に新しいエンターテインメント実感」５年ぶり「氷艶」 - 芸能 : 日刊スポーツ

高橋大輔（38）主演の氷上エンターテインメント「氷艶hyoen2024－十字星のキセキ－」が、8日に横浜アリーナで開幕する。宮沢賢治「銀河鉄道の夜」をモチーフ… - 日刊スポーツ新聞社のニュースサイト、ニッカンスポーツ・コム（nikkansports.com）

www.nikkansports.com

The previously paywalled Dai interview by fujinkoron is now available free of charge:

高橋大輔「シングル引退で一度は離れたアイススケート。32歳で現役復帰、アイスダンス転向。競技生活は引退しても氷上でのパフォーマンスは生涯現役で」 アイスショー『氷艶 hyoen2024-十字星のキセキ-』6月8日～11日、横浜アリーナにて上演｜芸能｜婦人公論.jp

2010年のバンクーバー五輪での銅メダル獲得をはじめ、フィギュアスケート競技で数々の輝かしい成績を残してきた。14年に引退するも、18年、32歳で現役復帰。20年からはアイスダンスに転向し、国際大会において圧倒的...

fujinkoron.jp

Twitter post by RAM, the company that was in charge of the art direction and graphic design for advertising & PR:

https://twitter.com/designartRAM/status/1798613612233425045

Kakeru's costume in its full glory (well, minus the goggles) :

​

 

[synesthesia]

A peek at the production (filmed at dress rehearsal) was just shown on NTV - the action scene with the hooded "villains" looks fun and there is, indeed, some sort of swordfight :

 

[synesthesia]

My twitter timeline is flooded with enthusiastic reports and reviews about Hyoen – it’s impossible to bring them all here. What stands out to me is that the audience seems to be pretty eclectic, consisting of general skating fans, fans of individual skaters (of course mainly Dai fans, but I’ve also seen reports from Koshiro and Kazuki fans), Takuro Ohno fans and fans of the band “Yuzu”, who call themselves Yuzukko/a (btw, the band named themselves after the Yuzu fruit* ). I’ve seen many reviews say that the song selection is very satisfying (21 songs are used) and that they are seamlessly integrated into/the lyrics go very well with the story. Several people said on sns that they came because of Takuro or "Yuzu" and this was the first time they went to an ice show and that they were very impressed by how entertaining the show is.

* It is of note that both members of “Yuzu” are from Yokohama, where Hyoen is held, so I guess many local Yuzukko/a are coming to the shows. The band, that formed in the mid 90s, is very popular nationwide, though. Dai said he has loved them since he was a teen and went to their concerts in the past.


Just as with “Kassouya”, many repos say that everyone has their moment and gets to shine in the show. Many (including Dai fans) seem to feel that Dai’s character, Kakeru, is not even the main protagonist, but that the main focus is on Takuro (Tokio) and everyone is in agreement that Takuro heroically saved the day after he took on the role about a month before the opening of the show. The praises for him and what he achieved in such a short amount of time (especially his skating proficiency) are endless, which is wonderful to see. Dai is praised for his sweet, lighthearted portrayal of Kakeru (particularly in contrast to the dramatic characters he played in past Hyoen productions). He has more spoken dialogue than sung lines, but his a cappella singing performance at the end of the show is consistently praised as outstanding and moved many spectators to tears (I'm looking forward to this so much!). Kazuki and Koshiro and the ensemble are praised for their portrayal of several different characters. Koshiro particularly stands out as a queer character as depicted in the Hyoen promo material with the wig and green fake fur coat. The colourful costumes posted a couple of days ago belong to a scene, which can be interpreted as a galactic pride parade and is set to Yuzu’s song “Niji” (Rainbow). I’ve read a repo that Koshiro sings this number and that the lyrics have been altered to specifically say that “everyone is free to love whoever they like”, which I haven’t seen confirmed anywhere else. I hope it’s true, though! Anyway, the inclusion of a queer character and depiction of a pride parade further cements the importance that is placed on LGBTQ+ themes in several of Dai’s shows!

In this scene Dai-chan also lifts Koshiro:

https://twitter.com/mainichiphoto/status/1799403172043354600

Impressions from the show (there are many costume changes throughout!):

https://twitter.com/oricon/status/1799663384025285011

https://twitter.com/fskating_Life/status/1799423618008719757

https://twitter.com/Sponichi_Photo/status/1799428290400383366

Nikkansports:

https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/photonews/photonews_nsInc_202406080001413-0.html



Mainichi:

https://mainichi.jp/graphs/20240608/mpj/00m/050/127000f/20240608mpj00m050154000p

https://twitter.com/Kenji_Ikaiphoto/status/1799442753237184626

https://twitter.com/mainichiphoto/status/1799419783785672855

https://twitter.com/Kenji_Ikaiphoto/status/1799437005669216424



Photo report on World Figure Skating web:

https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/7727/





From yesterday's aftertalkshow event with Dai, Kazuki and Masahiro:

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1799418598894784736/photo/4

Masahiro on twitter:

https://twitter.com/eharamasahiro/status/1799572588068565203

_________________________
​

The attendance was very good yesterday – not the way it was in 2019 when about 42.000 spectators came to see “The tale of Genji” (so approx. 7000 spectators per show, which is close to maximum capacity in this configuration of the Yokohama Arena), but in the current climate of ice show oversaturation in Japan this is not bad at all (photos were taken shortly before the start of the show):

https://twitter.com/nipponianD/status/1799355146406961333

https://twitter.com/okajunoka/status/1799357091175641230

https://twitter.com/emichinR/status/1799352669406114183





Taka Kozuka and Javi Fernandez came to the first show:






Masahiro held an ig live after the first performance, that was joined by several cast members (I was out all day and missed it ). A screenshot:

https://twitter.com/tsubayuki77/status/1799455611660492821

________________________________​

A note of caution posted on the official Hyoen twitter account:

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1799640518726697212

[Please note.] There have been some posts on social networking sites that there will be live streams of ‘Hyoen 2024’, but this information is completely unrelated to this performance.​

​

The live broadcast of ‘Hyoen 2024’ will only be broadcast on CS Nittele Plus during the final day of the show. There will be no other live broadcasts or live transmissions.​

________________________________​

A few fan/audience voices:



https://twitter.com/guzucchi/status/1799427387941417329

I was overwhelmed by the incredible skills of each and every member of Hyoen, but the best thing was that from the second act onwards, Dai-chan looked like he was having fun, and it really touched my heart to see him skating with such a happy expression on his face...​

https://twitter.com/apurazemi/status/1799669520346513565

The first thing that came to mind when I saw Hyoen 2024 was the classic musical Mamma Mia, made up of ABBA songs.​

​

There is a genre of musicals called catalogue musicals, in which the story is based solely on an artist's numbers, but Hyoen did it as an ice show with Yuzu songs.​

https://twitter.com/__________RUTO/status/1799430251690529005

I was insanely impressed.​

It was my first time seeing a stage or an ice show itself, but it was amazing to see the cast express themselves in a way that only can be done in ice shows.​

The costumes were beautiful and everyone was beautiful .​

Also, I got to see and hear Yuzu perform for the first time live,​

It was a very moving show!​

This one was posted after Masahiro's ig live:


https://twitter.com/purplearashi/status/1799556711839371315

Daisuke was so nervous that he went out of tune at the beginning of his first song, and it was so warm that everyone on the IG Live screen last night knew it. I'm sure he was very depressed about it, but his soulful a cappella performance at the end that shook the Yokohama Arena was more than enough to make me cry that he had repaid the debt.​

In the same vein – this is a report from an English speaking fan, who attended the first show:


https://twitter.com/Chaosice4/status/1799426417538760755

… still thinking about dai singing without music… I had chills I WAS NOT EXPECTING HIS VOICE TO BE THAT GOOD OKAY ​

______________________________​

One more adorable Kakeru fan art :

 

[KiraraChin]

Thank you for the thorough report @synesthesia
I can confirm many Japanese Kazuki stans went/are going to Hyoen, actually one of my Japanese mutuals was upset yesterday because she had to miss Hyoen last minute due to... giving birth

 

[synesthesia]

Thank you for the thorough report @synesthesia
I can confirm many Japanese Kazuki stans went/are going to Hyoen, actually one of my Japanese mutuals was upset yesterday because she had to miss Hyoen last minute due to... giving birth

OMG, congrats to your mutual! Did you hear back from her, if the birth went well and if the baby is healthy?

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

My twitter timeline is flooded with enthusiastic reports and reviews about Hyoen – it’s impossible to bring them all here. What stands out to me is that the audience seems to be pretty eclectic, consisting of general skating fans, fans of individual skaters (of course mainly Dai fans, but I’ve also seen reports from Koshiro and Kazuki fans), Takuro Ohno fans and fans of the band “Yuzu”, who call themselves Yuzukko/a (btw, the band named themselves afer the Yuzu fruit* ). I’ve seen many reviews say that the song selection is very satisfying (21 songs are used) and that they are seamlessly integrated into/the lyrics go very well with the story. Several people said on sns that they came because of Takuro or "Yuzu" and this was the first time they went to an ice show and that they were very impressed by how entertaining the show is.

* It is of note that both members of “Yuzu” are from Yokohama, where Hyoen is held, so I guess many local Yuzukko/a are coming to the shows. The band, that formed in the mid 90s, is very popular nationwide, though. Dai has said he loved them since he was a teen and went to their concerts in the past.


Just as with “Kassouya”, many repos say that everyone has their moment and gets to shine in the show. Many (including most Dai fans) seem to feel that Dai’s character, Kakeru, is not even the main protagonist, but that the main focus is on Takuro (Tokio) and everyone is in agreement that Takuro heroically saved the day after he took on the role about a month before the opening of the show. The praises for him and what he achieved in such a short time (especially his skating proficiency) are endless, which is wonderful to see. Dai is praised for his sweet, lighthearted portrayal of Kakeru (particularly in contrast to the dramatic characters he played in past Hyoen productions). He has more spoken dialogue than sung lines, but his a cappella singing performance at the end of the show is consistently praised as outstanding and moved many spectators to tears (I'm looking forward to this so much!). Kazuki and Koshiro and the ensemble are praised for their portrayal of several different characters. Koshiro particularly stands out as a queer character as depicted in the Hyoen promo material with the wig and green fake fur coat. The colourful costumes posted a coule of days ago belong to a scene, which can be interpreted as a galactic pride parade and is set to Yuzu’s song “Niji” (Rainbow). I’ve read a repo that Koshiro sings this number and that the lyrics have been altered to specifically say that “everyone is free to love whoever they like”, which I haven’t seen confirmed anywhere else. I hope it’s true, though! Anyway, the inclusion of a queer character and depiction of a pride parade further cements the importance that is placed on LGBTQ+ themes in several of Dai’s shows!

In this scene Dai-chan also lifts Koshiro:

https://twitter.com/mainichiphoto/status/1799403172043354600

Impressions from the show (there are many costume changes throughout!):

https://twitter.com/oricon/status/1799663384025285011

https://twitter.com/fskating_Life/status/1799423618008719757

https://twitter.com/Sponichi_Photo/status/1799428290400383366

Nikkansports:

https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/photonews/photonews_nsInc_202406080001413-0.html



Mainichi:

https://mainichi.jp/graphs/20240608/mpj/00m/050/127000f/20240608mpj00m050154000p

https://twitter.com/Kenji_Ikaiphoto/status/1799442753237184626

https://twitter.com/mainichiphoto/status/1799419783785672855

https://twitter.com/Kenji_Ikaiphoto/status/1799437005669216424



Photo report on World Figure Skating web:

https://worldfigureskating-web.jp/news/7727/





From yesterday's aftertalkshow event with Dai, Kazuki and Masahiro:

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1799418598894784736/photo/4

Masahiro on twitter:

https://twitter.com/eharamasahiro/status/1799572588068565203

_________________________
​

The attendance was very good yesterday – not the way it was in 2019 when about 42.000 spectators came to see “The tale of Genji” (so approx. 7000 spectators per show, which is close to maximum capacity in this configuration of the Yokohama Arena), but in the current climate of ice show oversaturation in Japan this is not bad at all (photos were taken shortly before the start of the show):

https://twitter.com/nipponianD/status/1799355146406961333

https://twitter.com/okajunoka/status/1799357091175641230

https://twitter.com/emichinR/status/1799352669406114183





Taka Kozuka and Javi Fernandez came to the first show:






Masahiro held an ig live after the first performance, that was joined by several cast members (I was out all day and missed it ). A screenshot:

https://twitter.com/tsubayuki77/status/1799455611660492821

________________________________​

A note of caution posted on the official Hyoen twitter account:

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1799640518726697212

[Please note.] There have been some posts on social networking sites that there will be live streams of ‘Hyoen 2024’, but this information is completely unrelated to this performance.​

​

The live broadcast of ‘Hyoen 2024’ will only be broadcast on CS Nittele Plus during the final day of the show. There will be no other live broadcasts or live transmissions.​

________________________________​

A few fan/audience voices:



https://twitter.com/guzucchi/status/1799427387941417329

I was overwhelmed by the incredible skills of each and every member of Hyoen, but the best thing was that from the second act onwards, Dai-chan looked like he was having fun, and it really touched my heart to see him skating with such a happy expression on his face...​

https://twitter.com/apurazemi/status/1799669520346513565

The first thing that came to mind when I saw Hyoen 2024 was the classic musical Mamma Mia, made up of ABBA songs.​

​

There is a genre of musicals called catalogue musicals, in which the story is based solely on an artist's numbers, but Hyoen did it as an ice show with Yuzu songs.​

https://twitter.com/__________RUTO/status/1799430251690529005

I was insanely impressed.​

It was my first time seeing a stage or an ice show itself, but it was amazing to see the cast express themselves in a way that only can be done in ice shows.​

The costumes were beautiful and everyone was beautiful .​

Also, I got to see and hear Yuzu perform for the first time live,​

It was a very moving show!​

This one was posted after Masahiro's ig live:


https://twitter.com/purplearashi/status/1799556711839371315

Daisuke was so nervous that he went out of tune at the beginning of his first song, and it was so warm that everyone on the IG Live screen last night knew it. I'm sure he was very depressed about it, but his soulful a cappella performance at the end that shook the Yokohama Arena was more than enough to make me cry that he had repaid the debt.​

In the same vein – this is a report from an English speaking fan, who attended the first show:


https://twitter.com/Chaosice4/status/1799426417538760755

… still thinking about dai singing without music… I had chills I WAS NOT EXPECTING HIS VOICE TO BE THAT GOOD OKAY ​

______________________________​

One more adorable Kakeru fan art :

This lift in the first picture! Daisuke Takahashi didn't choose the smallest skater!

 

[KiraraChin]

OMG, congrats to your mutual! Did you hear back from her, if the birth went well and if the baby is healthy?

Yes, thank you for asking! Everything went well and she gave birth to a healthy baby daughter. She said her daughter is a 'naughty girl' for coming out early and spoiling her plans to watch Hyoen, but I said to her she will be able to watch the Hyoen broadcast together with her daughter, and that's probably what the daughter wanted

 

[deedee1]

Thanks a MILLION for all precious updates to all here! Dont have much time to post here lately, sorry, but I DO ENJOY visiting here whenever I have some free time.

A very detailed, positive report by Mie Noguchi, a famous sport writer who's been following figure skating for years.

She priases a lot not on only Dai, Takuro Ohno, Kana, Kazuki, Koshiro, also on all of actors, dancers AND emsenble skaters from Kassoya, which is very nice! She actually got surpised by how good Kazuki can sing and how versatile Koshiro's skating is!

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/385f1f8488af7204af5561c522c33c6e72ffa7a2

She also wrote about Mao's 'Everlasting33' a couple days ago.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/ce21085ec1570fc21efb5bc9c1491f9a4c1fdf32

 

[KiraraChin]

I posted this on Kazuki's Fan Fest, but wanted to share it here as well - check out the sheer joy from Kazuki and Koshiro get the Dai-chan acrylic stand Kazuki, in particular, as I said on Twitter was literally shaking with excitement when he got the second one, just like a happy puppy




Also, as I mentioned before how many Kazuki stans went to see Hyoen, I wanted to share what I saw from another Japanese mutual:
My Hyoen additional time ended today... Today I was really immersed in the story, the message resonated with me, and I couldn't stop crying. A Dai-chan fan in the seat in front of me called out to me and even gave me a Tomono-kun acrylic stand... I am so grateful for your kindness, and would like to express my gratitude once again.

Shonen Tokikake, Gender Koshiro, Kiiroi Seinen... I have seen the range of these two performers [Kazuki and Koshiro], who also boast expressive abilities in competitions, but it is to Dai-chan's credit that he has overwhelmingly opened up a space for them to shine in a different direction and bring out the raw gems in their singing and acting... The Dai-chan fans I met at the venue were all in agreement that Tomono-kun was the best choice for the show.
They were full of warmth that made me want to be an adult like them... (Apart from the fact that I am old enough to be an adult).
Like in other shows, Dai-chan's fans, who have been supporting him for so many years, understand everything and embrace younger fans, they are just like Dai-chan.

 

[synesthesia]

A very detailed, positive report by Mie Noguchi, a famous sport writer who's been following figure skating for years.

She priases a lot not on only Dai, Takuro Ohno, Kana, Kazuki, Koshiro, also on all of actors, dancers AND emsenble skaters from Kassoya, which is very nice! She actually got surpised by how good Kazuki can sing and how versatile Koshiro's skating is!

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/385f1f8488af7204af5561c522c33c6e72ffa7a2

She also wrote about Mao's 'Everlasting33' a couple days ago.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/ce21085ec1570fc21efb5bc9c1491f9a4c1fdf32

Thanks deedee, will try to fire up the good old vpn and read them when I find the time.

(I feel overwhelmed by the huge amount of Hyoen content right now – I’m not complaining though! )

I posted this on Kazuki's Fan Fest, but wanted to share it here as well - check out the sheer joy from Kazuki and Koshiro get the Dai-chan acrylic stand Kazuki, in particular, as I said on Twitter was literally shaking with excitement when he got the second one, just like a happy puppy


Also, as I mentioned before how many Kazuki stans went to see Hyoen, I wanted to share what I saw from another Japanese mutual:
My Hyoen additional time ended today... Today I was really immersed in the story, the message resonated with me, and I couldn't stop crying. A Dai-chan fan in the seat in front of me called out to me and even gave me a Tomono-kun acrylic stand... I am so grateful for your kindness, and would like to express my gratitude once again.

Shonen Tokikake, Gender Koshiro, Kiiroi Seinen... I have seen the range of these two performers [Kazuki and Koshiro], who also boast expressive abilities in competitions, but it is to Dai-chan's credit that he has overwhelmingly opened up a space for them to shine in a different direction and bring out the raw gems in their singing and acting... The Dai-chan fans I met at the venue were all in agreement that Tomono-kun was the best choice for the show.
They were full of warmth that made me want to be an adult like them... (Apart from the fact that I am old enough to be an adult).
Like in other shows, Dai-chan's fans, who have been supporting him for so many years, understand everything and embrace younger fans, they are just like Dai-chan.

Thank you so much for sharing Kazuki’s ig story and the sweet report from his fan, KiraraChin.

I really hope we’ll get to see more of Kazuki in Dai’s shows, because, yes, he is a gifted, versatile gem, who is perfectly suited to them and who seems to be on the same page as Dai-chan in terms of artistic vision (and in several other ways too, as we learned from their non-no interview). Their shared love of musical theatre was evident in the way they performed with so much passion in Hyoen 2024. Koshiro too, btw – he was brilliant as well! (Just as in his much lauded portrayal of Sanji.) Contrary to what I had read earlier, he did not get to sing on his own, though (there was a bit of a pre-recorded (?) duet with Kazuki). Maybe next time! I can confirm that Kazuki’s voice is really good, though – I didn’t expect it to be this powerful! And he harmonizes very well with Dai-chan.

This is the scene, in which Kazuki’s (I think unnamed ?) character briefly joins/meets Kakeru and Tokio in the afterlife in the second act - he was outstanding here and it is his most significant appearance in the show :

[Video deleted]

(I will take the video down after about 24 hours)

I posted this on Kazuki's Fan Fest, but wanted to share it here as well - check out the sheer joy from Kazuki and Koshiro get the Dai-chan acrylic stand Kazuki, in particular, as I said on Twitter was literally shaking with excitement when he got the second one, just like a happy puppy

This is so endearing.

Shizuka, Kohei, Kiki and Dai-chan played this game too – in their case Kiki was the one to get the prized Kakeru acrylic stand (Dai himself was more excited about the Tokio one ). I’m impressed that Dai actually bought the stands for everyone, so they could do this – you’d think they’d be given them for free! (I can imagine that he insisted on paying for them, though...)

https://x.com/shizuka_a29/status/1799999505024381293

This one features a “cameo” by Kazuki, Kosho and Koshiro:

 

[synesthesia]

After the live broadcast I am still on cloud no. 9 (I actually took a day off from work, so I could watch Hyoen live)! It was such a great ride – if I had to summarize the show in one word, it would be “uplifting”!

I’m in awe of Takuro, he was incredible! I agree that Tokio is the main protagonist, the one we – the audience – relate to and empathise with. Takuro’s acting felt very genuine while he showed a broad range of emotions. From the way he was fully absorbed in his character, I would have never guessed that he wasn’t the original casting choice for Tokio and had only a little more than three weeks to rehearse the part (and learn how to survive on the ice ). Not only is he a gifted actor, he has a beautiful voice too! (Can you tell, I kinda fell in love with him? ) How he managed to take on the heavy responsibility to carry so much of the show after accepting the role on such short notice, I do not know.

Tokio being the central character doesn’t take anything away from Dai-chan, who as Kakeru, is Tokio’s guide in the afterlife, the reassuring, uplifting presence, helping his friend through his emotional turmoil. Dai-chan’s portrayal of Kakeru was natural and heartfelt. In the first act he gets to show quite a range of emotions too – from compassion to despair over Yuki’s death and anger at Tokio. In the second act, as he takes on the role of Tokio’s guide through the galaxy (no, they’re not hitch-hiking ), he is as sweet as sugar. His final a cappella performance was shorter than I thought it would be, but, oh my, it was SO GOOD and powerful. He gets to sing a song by himself in the first act, which, I assume, is the one he went out of tune on, on the first day. Today, however he nailed it and proved that he has worked hard on his singing since his last vocal performance in “Luxe”. His duet with Kazuki is great too and, as I said above, they harmonize so well, that I would love to hear them sing together again one day.

After being reunited with Tokio on the train, Kakeru performs a little “trick”, which differed each show. According to fan reports he did a cartwheel in the first one, a handstand in the second and a double cartwheel in the third performance. Today he tried the handstand again, but kinda fell out of it sideways (nothing too bad, but he lightly injured/scraped his left arm in the process, which was visible during the final bows). During the finale Dai got to rock out with Yūjin Kitagawa from “Yuzu”, which he evidently enjoyed.

Kana-chan, who I didn’t read too many reviews about, was also wonderful. I felt her part was a bit too short due to being subsequently written into a story that is first and foremost about a friendship between two people, but she does have a lovely solo in the second act and a beautiful duet with Dai in the first one, in which they perform a twizzle sequence and the SlLi + RoLi from their PotO FD. She has a bit of spoken dialogue and sings harmony vocals briefly.

As already mentioned, Kazuki and Koshiro got to show their versatility – first as young Kakeru and Tokio and later as characters that meet the adult versions of the two main characters along their journey. In these later scenes they each got to take centre stage. These two also did almost all of the “heavy-lifting” in terms of jump content and they both landed a triple Axel and several other jumps at various points in the show. Being a huge fan of step sequences, I have to mention that they also did a beautiful mirrored one-foot sequence as young Kakeru and Tokio.

As in all past Hyoen productions, Shizuka convincingly portrayed a “villainous” character, who lures Tokio into a shady business deal cheating him out of his money, which is the catalyst for the tragic events that follow.

Marie appears several times in the second act as a charming, wise old woman who explains the symbolism of apples to Tokio and Kakeru (the sharing of apples (as well as self-sacrifice) being a central motif in Kenji Miyazawa’s original novel).

Kai and Eliana are phenomenal singers, who did a lot of the back-up singing and shone in their respective roles as a "space DJ" and “Scorpion queen” (I don’t know how else to describe their characters ).

Masahiro is a multitalented artist – a great singer, dancer and comedian in equal measures. He only got to show a fraction of what he is capable of in the show, but whenever he was part of a scene, he inadvertantly drew the attention to him with his natural charisma.

And last but not least: The ensemble skaters and acrobatic performers did a great job of switching between many different characters and added a lot to each scene and the overall narrative.

_____________________​

The venue was almost full again today (the wide-angle shot showed most of the venue at the beginning and the camera panned across individual sections during the finale).



Notable people, who came to watch the show:

• Movie/TV director Yukihiko Tsutsumi* (he talked about Hyoen in the following podcast: https://voicy.jp/channel/3705/1295161)
• Ayaka Hirahara (who performed in Hyoen 2019 and in Luxe)
• Kazuki Namioka (who also performed in Hyoen 2019 and Luxe)
• Nobuo and Kumiko Sato !!!
• Sumitada Moriguchi
• Satsuki Muramoto (Kana’s sister)
• Javier Fernandez
• Takahiko Kozuka
• Kao Miura**
• Guillaume Cizeron**
• Stephane Lambiel**

* Maybe he’ll direct the next Hyoen edition? After all, this is how Amon Miyamoto got involved in 2019 after he had watched the first edition in 2017. (Then again, I don’t know if Yukihiko Tsutsumi has any experience in directing stage plays?)



** Kao, Gui and Steph came to the last show today!

https://twitter.com/nekodaifuku1/status/1800440935190503611




Fan repos re. Steph:

https://x.com/Wintzer/status/1800469594857156924

We received a live Stephane voice ‘Sooooo good!’ (after the curtain)..!​

https://x.com/eichi0525/status/1800482236153856492

After the show, I asked Stephane what he thought of the show and he was excited, “It was so good. How many times have you seen it?" When I told him it was just today, he said, “It's a waste! I want to see it again and again."​

​

The story was easy to follow and I was amazed at how much work everyone had done for just these four performances! ​

Ayaka Hirahara had a “vocal cameo” in the show as „the voice of the galaxy”, which was played back from tape! She came to watch the 3rd show. Ayaka’s blog entry about Hyoen:

https://ameblo.jp/hirahara-ayaka/entry-12855655225.html

​

About her participation in the past, showing that her bond with her former cast mates is still going strong:

Daisuke Takahashi, Shizuka Arakawa, Kana Muramoto and other skaters who are like a family.​

I felt that I was performing with such wonderful people at that time.​

My heart was filled with happiness and pride.​

____________________​

A fan comment, that imo hits the nail on the head:

https://twitter.com/ciao_workout/status/1800010820681932926

I felt it was the most theatrical ice show I have ever seen. There is a lot of dialogue, but there are no big, sweeping tricks like in past ice shows, but instead the performers' own words and performances are what attracts the audience.​

​

The message is also deep.​

​

Diversification of shows means more options for both viewers and performers (and those who aim to be in them). It's a wonderful thing.​

This is a thorough report worth reading from the perspective of a Takuro Ohno fan, for whom this was their first attendance of an ice show:

https://genkakustage.hatenablog.com/entry/2024/06/10/000355

____________________​

A couple of brief fan reports mainly about Takuro and Dai-chan from yesterday’s aftertalkshow event:


https://twitter.com/1168Ak/status/1800127402133373337

Talk Show.​

Taku-chan loves Dai-chan so much that he looks at him almost exclusively when he's not talking .​

Taku-chan and Koshiro-kun are both really good talkers and Dai-chan is a talker too .​

Thanks to that, we were able to hear all sorts of stories and have fun.​

Taku-chan and Koshiro-kun - Dai-chan was so cute between the tall and long-legged tribe .​

https://twitter.com/ciao_workout/status/1800132694032240743

During the after talk, both Koshiro and Taku-chan showed their sincere respect and love for Dai-chan, and even though it was a talk show, I was the weird one crying.​

Takuro Ohno is a really nice person! A wonderful person! Good talker too!​

Dai-chan is relaxed and talkative, maybe they have the best chemistry after all.​

https://twitter.com/nijichura7/status/1800125143567806473

Ohno-san is very positive and good at giving compliments, and his tension is high and warm.​

They were both using honorifics at first until they became ‘Daichan-Takachan’ and said to each other ‘Let's stop using honorifics! But it took them a week to fix it.​

That's one of the things they're alike about.​

https://twitter.com/purplearashi/status/1800171882081370258

I participated in the after talk. Takuro Ohno was as nice a guy as I expected him to be and it was amazing how well he and Daisuke got along. He spoke very highly of Daisuke as the chairperson, and his words about Daisuke's ‘high character as a person’ made my eyes light up .​

https://twitter.com/cocodoko116/status/1800214943150854234

Takuro-san spoke many words of praise for Daisuke, the chairperson, and when he said, among other things, that he was ‘of a high standard as a person’, I was a little moved to tears .​

https://twitter.com/nijichura7/status/1800140136862392434

Daisuke-san's leadership is described as a natural-born leader, and he's always at the center of everyone, treating everyone equally, and even though he's a great person, he doesn't act all high and mighty, and everyone just loves Dai-chan so much that they naturally turn in the same direction, trying to help him and doing their best.​

https://twitter.com/Yukf_/status/1800139061635792962

According to Takuro, Daisuke is a "natural-born leader," and everyone falls in love with him and wants to do something for him, which makes them feel like they have to work hard, and Daisuke treats everyone equally.​

https://twitter.com/yomoginomimi64/status/1800133624320459258

I was impressed that he no longer seemed to feel the responsibility or pressure of being leader, and that he had grown as a performer.​

​

He never gives off the impression that he is the main character, but everyone understands that the play wouldn't work without him, and they create a work together in a great atmosphere, with everyone growing at the same time. Hyoen is amazing.​

https://twitter.com/luxe_hyoen/status/1800143375389110542/photo/4

Takuro and Dai hugged each other tightly after today’s finale, btw! It was evident that they’ve grown fond of each other over their shared experience.

I think, this fan’s drawing references that hug (it kinda looked like this, except that they wore their white finale costumes – the height difference between them is so endearing ):

_______________________________​

I uploaded Dai-chan’s character visual photoshoot and the extended BTS footage that was shown on tv during today’s intermission :

 

[KiraraChin]

Thank you so much @synesthesia for all the info and detailed report Hyoen was an absolutely amazing show, with an amazing cast! I echo your feelings re: Takuro Ohno - not only super handsome and talented, but able to adapt quickly and make the character his own! Not to mention he seems like a super sweet guy. Where is his fan fest thread

I was going to share this on Kazuki's Fan Fest, but thought it would fit better here:

 

[synesthesia]

Thank you so much @synesthesia for all the info and detailed report Hyoen was an absolutely amazing show, with an amazing cast! I echo your feelings re: Takuro Ohno - not only super handsome and talented, but able to adapt quickly and make the character his own! Not to mention he seems like a super sweet guy. Where is his fan fest thread

I'm tempted to start one. (He can stand upright on skates and glide unassistedly - he's practically a skater, alright?)

_____________________​

Notable people, who came to watch the show:

• Movie/TV director Yukihiko Tsutsumi* (he talked about Hyoen in the following podcast: https://voicy.jp/channel/3705/1295161)
• Ayaka Hirahara (who performed in Hyoen 2019 and in Luxe)
• Kazuki Namioka (who also performed in Hyoen 2019 and Luxe)
• Nobuo and Kumiko Sato !!!
• Sumitada Moriguchi
• Satsuki Muramoto (Kana’s sister)
• Javier Fernandez
• Takahiko Kozuka
• Kao Miura**
• Guillaume Cizeron**
• Stephane Lambiel**

One more to add:

Mystery novelist Soji Shimada also came to the show and it sounds like he invited Kana and Dai to a movie screening?!

https://x.com/user/status/1800658616145555650

It was a wonderful stage.​

​

Kanadai will be at the screening of Rampo's Phantom.​

I'd love to hear what they think of it ​

_____________________​

Kiss & Cry photo report of Hyoen:

表現者・高橋大輔が歌や演技など多彩な才能を発揮！ 「氷艶hyoen 2024 -十字星のキセキ-」リポート | TVガイドWeb

スポーツと日本文化を融合した、ストーリー仕立てのアイスショー「氷艶」。歌舞伎とコラボした第1弾「氷艶 hyoen2017 -破沙羅-」、源氏物語を原作にした第2弾「氷艶 hyoen2019 –月光かりの如く-」に続く、第3弾「氷艶hyoen 2024 -十字星のキセキ-」が6月8日～6月11日に神 […]

www.tvguide.or.jp

Dai and the boys on the last day of the show (from Dai's IG story) :






The cast after the final performance :

It seems like most of the cast went out together after the last show :

https://twitter.com/eharamasahiro/status/1801043171633205727

_________________________​

Kana-chan and Dai-chan went to see Mao's show "Everlasting33" at Tachikawa Stage Garden yesterday (I had a feeling that they would go after Hyoen's conclusion; they went to "Beyond" together as well):




Translation of Yamato's comment:

Thank you for your hard work in Hyoen.​

I would like to see a chairperson's group.
If that comes true, Kana will train them. lol​

I read fan reports that a cast member (I think Yura Matsuda?) went into the audience during a West Side Story number and briefly "danced" with Dai ("spun him around")?

__________________________​

 

[synesthesia]

Dai wrote a long, beautiful Hyoen résumé :

Hyoen 2024​

The Miracle of the Cross​

The show has come to a successful conclusion.​

​

Thank you so much to everyone who saw the play, watched the broadcast and loved Hyoen.​

​

Many things happened before we came here this time.​

There were some hardships, but more than that, I was able to spend every day in a lively and enjoyable way, and I think that's really because of this company.​

​

First of all, I would like to thank @kikunojoonoe3, who took over as director on short notice. He led the company cheerfully and kindly despite the difficult schedule. He has been involved in the company since the first Hyoen.​

I was especially happy to be able to talk with Kikunojo this time.​

I look forward to working with you again in the future!​

​

Also, @seiji_fukushi from Hyoen gave the skaters some guidance on how to perform, although he had to do it on short notice.​

Most of the skaters this time had never performed before, but he gave us detailed guidance while paying attention to everyone, and he always motivated us further. It was really encouraging.​

​

I'd like to thank @takuro.ohno-kun, who decided to take part in the show at the very beginning of the rehearsals! He is a very nice person who is like the sun and makes everyone fall in love with him! He is a person that I can respect the most! I was so happy to be able to play and sing with Taku and I was really moved by his performance.​

I know it must have been really hard for you, but I take my hat off to you for your positive attitude and the way you kept increasing what you could do in skating until the show. Even on land, he was training all the time.​

He practised on the ice as much as he could and practised all the time.​

This goes for all the actors too!​

​

@eharamasahiro is a bundle of talent!​

He was a real mood maker and brought everyone together! Thanks to @eharamasahiro we all got along so well!​

​

@eliana0514 loves skating and really enjoyed it! She gave me a lot of advice, she's always cheerful and passionate! You're seriously the best, Eri!!!​

​

@manmarumarie Popular person! Everyone loves you! You always made me laugh and healed me when I was around you! When I watched Marie, I was always on the verge of tears. I can't tell you how much I cried when I heard her beautiful voice that seemed to envelop everything. I can't listen to it every day anymore - tears!​

​

I'm so happy that @kai_hasegawa_the_soulmatics-kun has been teaching me how to sing, even before the show, even though he's busy. Let's do it! He did his best. I love the gap between his singing instruction and how he is in everyday life! I'm going to miss seeing Marie and Kai interact with each other. lol​

​

It was physically very hard in the last song, Kakeru, but I was able to overcome it by being empowered by Eri's and Kai's wonderful voices! Thank you for letting me skate with your beautiful singing voices.​

​

I really respect @shizuka_a29 as a skater! I'm sure it was a hard one this time too, but you didn't make me feel it at all, in fact, your skating that dominated the whole place was amazing! I'm going to do my best not to be defeated.​

​

@k.a.n.a.m.u.r.a. You're the best! I didn't expect to act with you, it was so new, but this experience will be good for us as Kanadai, and I felt again how great your skating is!​

​

@k0515ki ! I think it was your first time singing or acting, but from the first rehearsal, I was so impressed that I honestly thought this was going to be crazy. You truly are an entertainer at heart! I can't wait to see how much you'll grow and develop! Thank you! I'm fired up once again!​

​

@koshiro.shimada ! You love to express yourself, don't you? It's amazing that one can tell that you're having so much fun! You kept your cool and avoided any accidents, you're really amazing! It was fun dancing with you!​

​

If I write one by one, it will never end. lol​

​

All the ensemble skaters were extremely energetic and lively, and I was happy to be able to skate with them! ! ! thank you​

​

It was difficult for the ensemble cast and everyone to be chosen at the last minute, but the performance was outstanding, and I would like to thank them for supporting the process.​

​

And, after all, Yuzu-san @yujin_kitagawa!​

Thank you for closing this Miracle of the Cross in the best way!​

It was a great time for us to be able to weave the story together with you and your wonderful music.​

It was really inspiring and moving to be able to feel up close the power that can make people so happy!​

Thank you so much!​

​

To be continued .​

Kikunojo's and some of his cast mates' responses under his post :



koshiro.shimada

Thank you so much! I will always love you ​

kikunojoonoe3

Thank you for your hard work, Dai-chan!​

Thank you very much!​

​

No matter how hard it is, you can gain even more happiness. I especially felt that at Hyoen this time!​

It was the best time working while feeling the love of everyone!​

I was also happy to be able to spend such a rich time together like never before!​

Thank you, Dai-chan!​

eliana0514

Love you always and forever.​

manmarumarie

Dai-chan's humanity, passion, talent and love brought the troupe together as one ‼︎ Really, he is a genius ‼︎ A beloved human nature from the bottom up ‼︎ I love youooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ‼︎‼︎‼︎ Love ‼︎‼︎‼︎ Hyoen's, love ​

Kazuki replied in his ig story:

Thank you so much!​

I love it/you!​

- I will follow you!​

_______________________​

From Dai-chan's ig story - he's missing his cast mates :

I'll arrive tomorrow at 8:00am!​

I want to be there!​

​

I miss you. ！！！！​

_______________________


​

Kosho Oshima on twitter (as mentioned previously his dad performed in "Hyoen - Basara" in 2017!):

https://x.com/KoshoOshima/status/1801203527555150277

Thank you very much for Hyoen 2024.​

​

I was a spectator at the first edition of Hyoen.​

After seven years, I was able to perform in this production.​

​

To have been involved in this production​

To be a part of this company.​

And above all, to have met all the people who came to see me and all the people involved in Hyoen.​

​

I am extremely fortunate.​

​

Myself 7 years ago! Don't worry! You'll grow taller!​

Then:

And now:

_______________________​

Happy pride!!!

_______________________​

Today was Dai's first day back as a regular on "Poka Poka" (due to the extensive Hyoen rehearsals he had been on leave for the last three weeks). During the opening talk his fellow regular, Rei-chan, said that she had been at one of the shows:

https://x.com/kerroggs11/status/1801087724390420784

_______________________​

 

[KiraraChin]

Cross-posting from Kazuki's fan fest: non-no released new pictures from the Dai/Kazuki joint photoshoot

 

[synesthesia]

Thank you, @KiraraChin! I wonder how much more they have up their sleeves - it seems like non-no is feeding us bits from the interview and photoshoot for as long as possible! (no complaints from me )

Kana-chan and Dai-chan went to see Mao's show "Everlasting33" at Tachikawa Stage Garden yesterday (I had a feeling that they would go after Hyoen's conclusion; they went to "Beyond" together as well):

It turns out that Kohei, Kosho and Yuto came along too :

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Notable people, who came to watch the show:

• Movie/TV director Yukihiko Tsutsumi* (he talked about Hyoen in the following podcast: https://voicy.jp/channel/3705/1295161)
• Ayaka Hirahara (who performed in Hyoen 2019 and in Luxe)
• Kazuki Namioka (who also performed in Hyoen 2019 and Luxe)
• Nobuo and Kumiko Sato !!!
• Sumitada Moriguchi
• Satsuki Muramoto (Kana’s sister)
• Javier Fernandez
• Takahiko Kozuka
• Kao Miura**
• Guillaume Cizeron**
• Stephane Lambiel**

** Kao, Gui and Steph came to the last show today!

https://twitter.com/nekodaifuku1/status/1800440935190503611

Apologies, I made a mistake! I saw people refer to Kao-chan and assumed they meant Kao Miura, but it was actually Kaori, who came to the last show! Here's a picture of Shizuka in costume with sunshine Kaori (from Shi-chan's ig account):

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A very detailed, positive report by Mie Noguchi, a famous sport writer who's been following figure skating for years.

She priases a lot not on only Dai, Takuro Ohno, Kana, Kazuki, Koshiro, also on all of actors, dancers AND emsenble skaters from Kassoya, which is very nice! She actually got surpised by how good Kazuki can sing and how versatile Koshiro's skating is!

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/385f1f8488af7204af5561c522c33c6e72ffa7a2

I finally got around to read Ms Noguchi's review (it's great that not only Dai, but also Kana was briefly interviewed for the article). Again, thanks for sharing it here!


Here's a machine translation:

The refreshing "Takahashi Daisuke" and the dynamic world of skating born from the fusion with "Yuzu"

Mie Noguchi Sports Writer
June 10 (Mon) 18:09



An explosion of energy. Such words were appropriate for the stage. The ice show "Hyoen 2024 – The Miracle of the Cross", starring Daisuke Takahashi, opened at Yokohama Arena on 8 June. It is the first collaboration in the skating world with top Japanese artist Yuzu. The power of the music to move the heart and the sense of speed of skating have been fused together to create a new sensation.


* * * *


The ice show, which started in 2017, has delivered an advanced stage that combines Japanese culture and skating. This year's show, the fourth in the series, is a contemporary fantasy based on Kenji Miyazawa's Night on the Galactic Railroad, titled "Hyoen 2024 – The Miracle of the Cross". It features 38 skaters, actors and dancers. The skaters have their own lines and songs, while the actors and singers also put on skates and take to the ice.

It is a stage where you don't know what kind of chemical fusion will occur until the performance. "I like to express myself, including through words," Takahashi said before the premiere. "The first time I had lines and songs was in "Hyoen2019 - Like the Moonlight". I was really embarrassed at the start of rehearsals, so it was difficult, but in the end, the play became very fun and I thought, 'I like to express myself, including through words.'"

Takahashi may have felt that he also 'liked' it. The show opens not with a skating performance, but with a dialogue between the main characters Kakeru (Takahashi) and Tokio (Ohno Takuro).

As Takahashi said, "My lines play an important role in the development of the story", so his acting skills as an actor are put to the test. From the very beginning, we saw a new side of Mr Takahashi, and we look forward to seeing how he will evolve through this show.


'I want to feel my inner self and express it well'

The stage suddenly returns to the junior high school days of Kakeru and Tokio. The first song is "HAMO" by Yuzu. Yuzu's song tickles the heart, the lively singing voices of the performers expand the emotion, and the skaters add power. The charm of this new entertainment instantly draws the audience into another world.

The story revolves around three childhood friends, Kakeru (Takahashi), Tokio (Ohno), and Yuki (Muramoto Kana), who have pledged to pursue their dreams together. Yuki falls ill, and Kakeru gives up his dreams to support her, losing his life in a motorcycle accident. Tokio, who is left behind, tries to follow him, but suddenly finds himself on a journey on the Galaxy Express. Kakeru guides Tokio, who is struggling with various conflicts, by asking him, "What is true happiness?" "This time, I'm in the role of a guide. Unlike in "LUXE" and "Like the Moonlight," I'm not going ahead with the feelings of a young man, but rather I'm in the role of conveying what's going on inside me. It's a very different character from my previous roles. In that sense, I want to fully feel what's going on inside me and express it."


"To be able to have feelings for others without expecting anything in return"

Takahashi says that the theme of the play is "self-sacrifice". "I hope that this play will make people think about what they can do for others and take a fresh look at themselves. In the play, there will be various setbacks and obstacles, such as earthquakes and fraud. But I hope to convey the message that we should overcome various things and move forward toward hope."

Takahashi said that after actually getting the script, he thought about what self-sacrifice is.

I thought a lot about what self-sacrifice means. I think self-sacrifice is being able to do something that you are satisfied with. It's not about 'for the sake of others', but about 'I did it because I wanted to do it'. On the other hand, it is not self-sacrifice to say 'I did it for you' and force it on others. In the end, I also felt that 'if you can't value yourself, you can't value others'. Since I became aware of this, I have tried to be considerate of those around me and say, 'This is what I wanted to do', without asking for anything in return."

He added: "The greatest self-sacrifice is that of parents. I am once again impressed by them," says Takahashi.


“Yuzu's lyrics are so easy to get into your heart", says Muramoto.

Dreams, setbacks, the death of others, betrayal, earthquakes, self-sacrifice, hatred and various other scenes unfold, with Kakeru (Takahashi) guiding Tokio's (Ono) wavering heart. Partway through, the performers sing Yuzu songs, interspersed with lines, like in a musical. These are pre-existing songs, but they all beautifully express the psychology of the scenes.

Ms Muramoto says: "All of Yuzu's songs are wonderful, and the lyrics fit the story so perfectly that it's surprising. Yuzu's lyrics just go straight to your heart."

In the scene where he pledges his love to Yuki (Muramoto), who has fallen ill, Takahashi sings a solo rendition of "I Want to Protect You" while the two skate together. The power of the lyrics adds to the natural skating that only two ice dancers can achieve, and the psychological expression expands to something even more profound.

Muramoto said this before the performance: "Usually, skaters can only express themselves using their bodies. But since I participated in 'LUXE', I was inspired by the idea of this kind of collaboration. This time, I have lines and singing, so I'm nervous, but I'll work hard on my voice training and find a new side of myself.


Tomono's passionate singing, Shimada's seductive expression, and a new side

The other skaters also showed a new side through Yuzu's songs. Tomono Kazuki is not only great at lines, but also at singing. I was amazed at his singing ability in "Until My Life Ends". Shimada also immersed himself in his role in a flashy costume, and performed one impressive performance after another, from comical to seductive. We got a glimpse of the range of expressiveness that we don't see in competitions.

In the last scene, the two members of Yuzu appeared. They sang a new song, "Jujisei", which they wrote specifically for this performance. They also performed "Niji" as a surprise. The last song is 'Beautiful', and the lyrics beautifully present the scene of Tokio spreading his wings to a new future.


New entertainment that can only be born here on this day

In this performance, we also felt a new expression from Mr Takahashi. It was a new taste, brought out only by the music of "Yuzu", not the music used in conventional figure skating. Daisuke Takahashi" has a fresh, lively and slightly cute atmosphere. The fresh and light fragrance that contrasts with his usual rich and deep world of expression leaves an aftertaste, and I was surprised at how versatile he is at 38, still able to step into a new realm of expression.

And not only Takahashi, but all the performers were full of energy. It feels like something that has been connected since the production of "Kassouya". All the performers not only devoted themselves to their roles, but also tried to move forward by connecting with and helping each other. The passion to "create new emotions with Takahashi that we haven't seen yet". The soul-stirring vocals of Yuzu collide with this mass of energy, creating an explosion. The fusion that could only have been created here on this day told the story of the birth of a new form of entertainment.

The final performance of "Hyoen" will be broadcast live on NTV Plus on June 11th.