I thought they were just trying to be different by having an all male cast. There may not have been as many ladies this year in the show, but it was still amazing from the videos and images. But I can see why it was controversial. How expensive could the tickets be?
The most expensive for Aichi is 28,000 yen so it converts to 180 USD per show, but this one has no issue, it almost always sells out. If anything, fans are getting disgruntled that it's being charged for the first
and second row of the premium seat, since the second row has worse visibility than the first row for the same price. But the second most expensive one is around 160 USD (24,000 yen) and that's the majority of the overall seats, which can be a bit too steep for a non-hardcore fan, especially with the weak yen. Even for skating fans themselves.
For Tokyo, there's a lot of expensive seats with various perks offered: the front row seat, as discussed, is around USD 365 per show (50,000 yen), there's also a VIP package of around USD 850 for 2 shows (130,000 yen). The camera seats which was USD 850 for one show. But, Tokyo does have more variety of seats and ticket prices, so I think overall it was better attended than Aichi.
With travels and lodgings, it adds to quite a lot. And the 24,000 yen tickets range are quite the weak link IMO, but they make up most of the seats after the front row. So that's going to be something to think about going forward.
I think the controversial part about the casting is just it's really one viral tweet / tiktok away from general public misunderstanding and casual outrage on why they decided to invite just men's singles skaters and not invite any women's singles skaters. That would have been another problem entirely. Not that an all-male skating group / show isn't new, there are show groups in Japan that consist of fully male skaters, but not the way it was announced here by The Ice... which clearly targeted the rich hardcore fans by giving them the male skaters they're more invested with personally. And considering that it's better to get people who never watch skating to try watching the show, that possible misunderstanding wouldn't help matters.
It also really must be noted that Shoma has been in a lot of shows this year: Stars on Ice, Prince Ice World (Tokyo, Shiga, Yokohama, Kagoshima), The Ice, Champery, Friends on Ice and OPOI. And Prince Ice World Nagasaki early next year. And add to it there are fans who went to Montreal for Worlds which is a quite expensive trip for them. I think even the most dedicated fan would find it hard to go to all of them and pay for all the tickets, which is normal.
)
He will skate at the Champery ice show L'Apprenti Sorcier on August 8-9.
Still, happy for Japan to get its first team medal. I hope they are well represented. Maybe Sho can send Emma to get his medal!!! 
ah the post-retirement life!
