Daisuke Takahashi | Page 77 | Golden Skate

Daisuke Takahashi

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avatar credit: @miyan5605
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Because Japanese people speak very fast, so Da-i-su-ke will turn to Dai-su-ke. It's pretty much simple.
If you talk with Japanese people and call him "Da-i-su-ke", they would think you speak so slow. :)

Yes, the four syllables of Daisuke are short -- so I agree that the correct pronunciation is a subtle difference from three syllables. (What I would say is that the difference is subtle, but real. YMMV.)

As I said above, what especially bugs me is that some people (I do not mean you, Meoima) believe that "Dice-K" (which I do not mind as a Westernized nickname) is the true pronunciation. :no:

The problem is, when pronouncing the "u" in Daisuke or Tatsuki, the Eurosport commentators always put the stress there. So it becomes DaiSUke (or rather, DaiSUki) and TatSUki... I guess, technically, the u is very short rather than silent. But if you move the stress to the first syllable, the u naturally becomes near-silent.

Daisuke is a very common name. I expect the new generations of Japanese skaters to continue giving Simon and Chris headaches. :laugh:...

BTW, another thing that my mother and I have discussed many times is that all syllables in Japanese technically are pronounced with equal stress.

But I do not disagree that the "u" in Daisuke is near-silent.
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
But I do not disagree that the "u" in Daisuke is near-silent.
Because "su" is a word/character in Japanese so when you pronounce "su", it's not "s-u" but "su" as a whole. Frankly Daisuke's name is the easiest to pronounce yet they still botched his name, no wonder Yuzuru Hanyu has so many variations.

We should all say thank you to Mao's mother for naming her so easy. :laugh:
 

Pamigena

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
After two semesters of phonetics have been forced upon me once, I thought I kinda knew what to watch out for when saying a word... so I just sat here for like the past 10 minutes and did nothing else but say Dais-ke, Dai-suke, Tats-ki, Tats-uki and who knows what other variations of these names, trying to figure out if I could hear or feel a difference... it's official, I've lost my mind :laugh: (it's really never dull around here)

and please, don't spread the word about silent vowels in Japanese names, because there have already been enough weird versions of Yuzuru Hanyu :laugh:
 

cdngirl

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
I thought I'd post these older videos to show the British commentators love of Daisuke. Even when he makes minor errors they still manage to compliment him and seem as disappointed as we are. You will see this in their commentary for the 2013 Worlds. They are outraged during the 2012 Worlds medal ceremony yet still polite enough to apologize to the Canadians (for their remarks about Patrick Chan).

2013 Worlds (thanks to uploader frida340): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YECpCNF8g9o

2012 Worlds (thanks to uploader lighthair7): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20vDvaL30vo
 

cdngirl

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Dai at the 2006 Olympics, where the Eurosport commentators thought he deserved bronze: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NDz9B0VcHk

They didn't realize his triple lutz was invalidated. I'm still not sure why his lutz was invalidated myself. Nobody understood what was going on with COP back then. :laugh:

Thank you Sandpiper! I had never seen this before so I really appreciate it. Do you know if they covered the 2010 Olympics?
 

ioanna

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
I'm having a free evening so I've collected here some of the most memorable moments of Dai's career (British ESP moments included)
I'll call it a tribute to this talented skater all of us on this thread have had the pleasure of watching.

2002 Junior World Championship - 15 year old Daisuke becomes the first Japanese young man to win the Junior Worlds
SP | LP | EX
In the EX video you can spot a very young Miki Ando and Yukari Nakano standing behind him.

2003 Trophée Lalique - Daisuke performs a self-choreographed EX program, Desert Rose by Sting

2004 World Championship - Daisuke's first Worlds appearance, exactly 10 years ago. This is a LP choreographed by Tatiana Tarasova, who is standing next to coach Utako Nagamitsu in this video. He performed a 4T-3T combination and placed 11th overall.

2005 World Championship - Daisuke performs a spectacular SP (again, choreographed by Tatiana Tarasova) with a 4T-3T combination, starting to show his step sequence talent. He performed most of his program with a leg cramp. Despite his efforts he was only 7th after the SP and placed 15th overall. As a consequence, Japan only got 1 spot for the 2006 Olympics in Turin. Unfortunately Takeshi Honda had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury and Daisuke was left to get more than 1 spot on his own.

2005 Skate America - Daisuke wins his first gold medal at a GP contest and performs a self-choreographed program in the EX, Secret Garden. He was later the first Japanese man to medal at the GPF (bronze).

2005 Japanese National Championship - crucial to determine the only male skater to represent the country at the Olympics. Veteran skater Takeshi Honda only managed to finish 5th (much like what happened to Daisuke at the 2013 Nationals) and eventually retired soon after. Due to an unfortunate computer error, Nobunari Oda was almost sent to the Olympics, while Daisuke was the real winner of the competition. This is the LP, where Daisuke immediately starts crying as he sees he did not beat Nobunari.

2006 Winter Olympics in Turin - A visibly anxious Daisuke performs his LP after placing 5th in the SP. Quoting the British ESP commentators:
"Can this guy become the first man ever from Japan to win an Olympic medal? He's got a real chance if he can skate virtually clean. He's just a teenager, just 19 years of age. (...) Could he create history for his country?"
"I think so, Mr. Takahashi! Absolutely sold out. (...) Buttle scored 154 in his free so anything more than that and he's got the medal and I think he deserves it."
"The second half of the program was stunning. (...) It's gonna be touch and go but I think he may well have done enough."
As everyone well knows, he was only 9th after the LP and 8th overall.

2007 World Championship - Daisuke becomes the first Japanese man to win a Worlds silver medal. He placed 3rd after the SP and 1st after the LP. 2006-2007 was a very successful season for Daisuke, as he medalled at every ISU competition he attended (2 gold medals and 3 silver medals). In addition to that he won his 2nd gold at the Universiade, after the one in 2005.
SP | LP | EX

2008 Four Continents Championship - Daisuke wins his first 4CC setting a new world record in the SP and overall - 264 points - winning over Jeffrey Buttle's silver with about 30 more points. His SP, popularly known as the Cyberswan was considered to be the signature SP of the season. Daisuke took hip hop lessons in New York in order to prepare for this program. The 2007-2008 season was probably Daisuke's technical peak as he performed two quads in the LP. He was a heavy favorite heading into the World Championship, but he placed 3rd after the SP and only 6th after the LP as a consequence of the Zayak rule violation. Boot problems, as well as tensions with coach Nikolai Morozov were two of the reasons he didn't win this World Championship.
SP | LP | EX

Some of the best comments from both ESPN and British ESP on the Cyberswan
"This crowd... it's just... it's not an average figure skating audience." (ESPN)
"Well this is not an average figure skating program. This is the season's signature short program as far as I'm concerned. (...) Very difficult to compete with that kind of energy." (ESPN)
"Triple flip, triple toeloop, walk in the park." (British ESP)
"Firm interpretation, powerful. Brilliant dancing." (British ESP)
"I can't believe it, I just can't believe it. I tell you what, he's a skating Justin Timberlake, isn't he? His nonchalance in going into the jumps (...) it's funky, it's exciting, it's more than Michael Jackson out there on the ice and that music works so well but it makes it his own, its unique style, the crowd clapping along roaring with him (...) The two step sequences were to die for, just amazing." (British ESP)
"The thing I love about this guy is that he doesn't waste any time setting the jumps up, does he." (British ESP)
"They were really into that, and I was too. It's the first time for me this afternoon that the hairs of the back of my neck start to stand up as he's dancing." (British ESP)
"Take that!" (British ESP)
"I love that stop and pumping the music." (British ESP)

2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver - Daisuke becomes the first Japanese man to get an Olympic medal after missing the entire 2008-2009 season due to serious knee injury. All top 3 skaters scored over 90 points after the SP, but Daisuke fell on his quad in the LP. Despite the fall, the rest of the program was both clean and beautifully interpreted.
SP | LP | EX

2010 World Championship - Daisuke is the first Japanese man to (finally) become World Champion. Winning both SP and LP, attempting a quad flip in the LP, he beat Patrick Chan by 10 points.
SP | LP

As the videos are from a Spanish television, I'm going to translate / adapt the commentaries (not a native Spanish speaker so feel free to correct)
"If he doesn't take up this opportunity, it's going to be a real pity. Because he has a chance to win."
"Ole! Look at the program he just did. He did so good. Fantastic. This is probably the best season of his career and he can take something big here. This is where he has the biggest chance of winning." (SP)
"If I'm not mistaken, if he manages to win the gold, he's going to be the first Japanese man to do that." (LP)
"What an extraordinary program Daisuke Takahashi has performed. He's going to be the new World Champion. He was already runner-up at the Tokyo World Championship in 2007, Takeshi Honda also won 2 bronze medals in 2002 and 2003 but he's going to get out of here as the first Japanese man to win the gold. Magnificent Takahashi. Magnificent." (LP)
"There you have it, he has just become World Champion." (LP)

2011 World Championship - after winning his second 4CC that year and wanting to retire after Worlds, Daisuke's blade screws got loose in the middle of his LP and he dropped to the 5th position after finishing 3rd in the SP. The incident made him decide to continue his career till Sochi.

2012 World Championship - adding a quad in his SP starting with the 2011-2012 season, he won another silver in this controversial Worlds, also creating another premiere for Japan alongside Yuzuru Hanyu; a double on the podium.
Quoting the British ESP
"This is spine tingling."
"A genius. Not just to those people, but to everyone who follows the sport. Magnificent to see him in such good form again. (...) Is he gonna win this time? It's gonna need something special, extra special from Patrick Chan or even Brezina to overtake him. It looks like he's got the lead. I've said before, it was one of the great skates of all time and I think it was from Hanyu and then there was another there, from another Japanese."
"Absolutely brilliant, as good as I've seen him, clean as a whistle. And I tell you what, let's see if the judges can perform well now, let's get some good scores on that second mark."
"He's such an exciting character (...) we wouldn't pretend to know him but you know just watching him around the place (...) a very special individual."
"Patrick Chan wins by 7 points. Difficult to comprehend. Takahashi 2nd, Hanyu 3rd (...) I have to say I feel slightly deflated and a few other emotions going through my body but I just don't understand."
"What a real shame, that's ruined one of the best World Championships ever in the men's event."
"Takahashi surely deserved the gold. But it wasn't to be."

2012 World Team Trophy - Daisuke beats Patrick Chan with 2 clean programs, helping Japan win gold.
SP | LP

2012 Grand Prix Final - Daisuke becomes the first Japanese man to win the GPF.
SP | LP

Quoting British ESP:
"It is of course the incredible Daisuke Takahashi and if you haven't seen this it's just to die for. A rock n' roll medley. You're gonna love it."
"Oh yes. Triple axel right in front of the judges."
"Oh come on Mr. Takahashi! Absolutely brilliant! Loved it! Well he couldn't have sold that program any more."
"It's not arrogant but it's nearly there, it's not quite Elvis Presley but it's nearly there, it's his own style."
"You can't take your eyes off him can you."

2012 Japanese National Championship - Daisuke skates his last almost clean LP with 2 quads, scoring 192 points.

2013 NHK Trophy - after disappointing results at the 4CC and Worlds that year, Daisuke comes back landing 2 clean quads at the NHK Trophy.
SP | LP

Quoting British ESP
"A huge moment for the crowd. This is the man they've come to see. This is the focal point of the whole competition. Can he get back to his best? He has talent to burn, talent to wipe the face of the others here."
"How would you deny them. The technical mark shoots up to over 50. Wonderful performer (...) and look at the adoring faces on the crowd."
"Nerves of steel that was. To come out last and nail a quadruple toe with the quality we saw there takes special character and special preparation."
"He was the man who started it all. First Japanese male skater to medal at the Winter Olympics. bronze medal in Vancouver. It could be gold in Sochi. It's gonna be top of the power here, he's an extraordinary individual."
"The crowd are applauding the reviews just in case the judges have second thoughts."
"Just adored. A national icon, and didn't he perform."
"He was breathtaking in the short program, could not put a foot wrong. So much composure, so much experience, this is his last season of competitive skating. They love him here. A brilliant choice of music, a Beatles medley. For the one and only Daisooki Takahashi of Japan."
"Well I really hope you can sense just what's going on in the stadium. It is so good to see this guy back to this sort of form. They love him and rightly so. Daisooki Takahashi is back to his best and he's gonna get better yet."
"He is a dancer on ice, isn't he. You take the jumps away and I can still watch him skate all day. Sublime interpretation."
"His last season in competitive skating. What a beautiful set up for Sochi this will be."

These last few quotes are extremely bittersweet looking back now as it all unfortunately went down after this. I'm going to add the commentaries of Yuzuru's SP at the GPF because Daisuke is mentioned.
"Well look at the response and you can hear it too. The crowd here, it's just impossible to tell you how disappointed they were when they heard that Takahashi wasn't skating. He is the king of figure skating. The best ever they had in Japan. The charismatic figure. He's the king, this guy is the prince."
"How long is it gonna take to get those flowers off the ice. We could be here for some time. And he's helping, which is good to see. (...) Some of these flowers would've been bought with Takahashi in mind so he's taking up a load extra."
 

cdngirl

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Ioanap, I can't thank you enough for your latest post and videos. You are quite the Daisuke Takahashi historian and your knowledge is much appreciated. The videos will take me quite some time to view and I just wish Daisuke, himself, could read your post to remind him of how the world views his talent. I also smiled as you referred to him as "Daisooki" when quoting the Brits so thank you for that, too.
 

ioanna

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
You are quite the Daisuke Takahashi historian and your knowledge is much appreciated.
Haha :biggrin: Well I guess that's what happens when you're (too much) of a Team Japan fan. Of all skaters I've always found myself preferring them.
 

cdngirl

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 17, 2014
Haha :biggrin: Well I guess that's what happens when you're (too much) of a Team Japan fan. Of all skaters I've always found myself preferring them.

Well I am very grateful that you're a Daisuke historian! I agree about Team Japan. What's not to love when they are all talented and seem like humble, lovely people. It makes it so easy to get behind them, cheer them on and want them all to succeed.
 

Maria Victoria

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
I'm having a free evening so I've collected here some of the most memorable moments of Dai's career (British ESP moments included)
I'll call it a tribute to this talented skater all of us on this thread have had the pleasure of watching.
...

Wow ionap what a list! I echo cdngirl's appreciation and thanks. Like you, I also wish there will also be a "Best of Daisuke" video compilation with best commentaries, and that that video will be continuously updated.

Thank you also to those who posted guides to Japanese pronunciation. You really learn new things from this forum. :)
 

cdngirl

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 17, 2014

Wow, ioanap. I am going to run out of ways to thank you. You never disappoint! I love all of the photos but the 2nd one, in particular, is my favourite with his hair messed up... and he STILL looks amazing.
 

Maria Victoria

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Hi ionap! You may have inavdertently linked the same picture (Daisuke's arrival in Japan) to different tags. I want to see that picture of him and Mao. I'm guessing you like seeing them together in the same way I like seeing Yuzuru and Kanako together. ;)

Thank you also again for all the lovely links. Always looking forward to seeing those posts of yours.
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007

ioanna

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
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