Mao Asada | Page 141 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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Dec 29, 2013
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Sam, can you do a jumpAtron on Mao's Lutz during her 2015-16 (comeback) season? So we can see her evolution through Nationals. Thanks in advance.

I've been working on this. I have been editing tons of stuff in my non internet life too lately which is extremely time consuming :laugh:

It isn't the prettiest thing I've done and what bugs me is there is so much beautiful skating that I'm passing over to just focus on the Lutz jumps. For instance right after she botches her 3a in the GPF FS she goes right into a beautiful transition as if nothing wrong had just occurred. Of course I had to throw that in. That is the stuff that I like. I'm probably going to have to do a fan "remix" video to put out at the same time in order to balance my karma out for showing her popped jumps ;)
 

Franklin99

Medalist
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
I've been working on this. I have been editing tons of stuff in my non internet life too lately which is extremely time consuming :laugh:

It isn't the prettiest thing I've done and what bugs me is there is so much beautiful skating that I'm passing over to just focus on the Lutz jumps. For instance right after she botches her 3a in the GPF FS she goes right into a beautiful transition as if nothing wrong had just occurred. Of course I had to throw that in. That is the stuff that I like. I'm probably going to have to do a fan "remix" video to put out at the same time in order to balance my karma out for showing her popped jumps ;)

Thank you Sam-Skwantch for all of your hard work, it's much appreciated.
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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I can't find HD footage from Nationals :furious:
 
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gotoschool

Medalist
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Mar 5, 2014
Here is an article that describes Mao's feelings about her deciding whether to retire or not before Nationals and the reasons why she finally decided to continue. It's in Japanese, but a lot of the meaning can be guessed at through google translate.
http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/11030743/

Some information I think was able to understand from google translate. If anyone knows Japanese, please correct me if I am wrong:

Mao: I want people (fans) to support me with full force. Not meeting these expectations is frustrating. While feeling depressed, there was the option to retire. I am going to give word for word translation: She decided to participate because "you do not hit the road as the last of distinction,"

The article is quite positive towards Mao because it mentions that after her first jumping mistakes, she showed off a performance of the soul and then she smiled for making the world team.

Then, Mao said , "I 've been looking ahead at the Olympics until now, (but) now it is really one game at a time." I think it concludes with Mao thanking Mai for her support.

I read another comment from Mao: I realized the hard work of other skaters while resting one year.

Here are some details that the poster CONK included about the video with Mao and Mai discussing Mao's situation. I have made a very long comment on other forums, but here I just want to mention how amazing it is to me that Mao has the nobility to never once mention her two illnesses at the NHK and the Grand Prix Final as reasons or excuses for the difficulties she had in her performances or for her negative feelings though I think they had to be major factors. I think Mao should not have competed in these events because of these illnesses which seriously affected her performances and weakened her mental resolve. Then, she would have gone into Nationals with two wins (at the Japan Open and the Cup of China) and her feelings would have been far different. But, as Franklin says below, Mao's path has never been an easy one and it is her tragedy and the triumphs as well as her incredible talent and ability to touch people's hearts and souls that makes her so compelling. The uplifting last three minutes of her achingly beautiful LP at Nationals began to show the rainbow after the storm, which I am optimistic will shine brightly in Mao's performances at 4CC's and Worlds.

More information from CONK about the video posted at dailymotion with highlights mentioned by IronLotus. Thanks to IronLotus for your translation.
CONK said After GPF, before Nationals:

- Mao talks about having the thought of skipping Nationals prior to the competition. She thinks by withdrawing, it would be an easier way out. But she also realized that had she WD-ed, she'd probably regret doing that later on. So eventually she went on to the Nationals.

After SP

- Just as described, after the SP performance, Mao contacted Mai out of surprise. They had the deal before that Mai would not go to any of Mao's competitions. But as Mao was asking if Mai would come to Nationals, Mai's first reaction was: perhaps this is the last competition for Mao.


For FS

- The cheering from the audiences probably gave Mao a lot of power. Although the 1st 2 jumping passes were not so successful, she managed the Lz and was able to make it through with the rest of the program, and gave the best performance she could. So after FS, it comes naturally to Mao that 'she will be able to continue.'
 
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Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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This was a strange video for me to make. I'm plagued with OCD and just showing jumps would kill me. I did my best to show just the jumps but as the music began to drift off into space I decided to throw in a few things like her spiral and some in between skating that sort of tried to tie the events together.

I was extremely conflicted about if I should have let the StSeq and the ending into the video. It fit the music so well and I just left it as raw as possible because I think it shows a very deep emotional moment. When Mao finishes the camera zooms in on her face so much that I almost felt uncomfortable about it. She seems disappointed at first and almost a little heartbroken. Then she flashes into a quick acceptance of the moment and begins to put on a smile. Then as she acknowledges the crowd she again looks a little sad as if she is letting people down. I truly think the crowd gets the best of her and lifts her spirits. It's a very interesting look into the mind of someone. I was just so struck by how well the music fit such an interesting moment and it was just a happy accident. I apologize if anyone finds my video distasteful but to me it is amazing to see such a full spectrum of emotion in such a brief moment that kind of mirrors the season she had with the Lutz jump. I mean....those steps she executed up to the spin and final pose in contrast to the emotion she shows afterward are just such a powerful contrast.

Always fun to take on a project like this and find little things I never saw before. Mao not knowing which camera to waive to at the end of Nationals FS. Priceless

Anyway here you go. Mao Asada Lutzamatron 2015
https://youtu.be/eCkHbrOyUO4
Available up to 720p HD
 

Franklin99

Medalist
Joined
Nov 11, 2013
This was a strange video for me to make. I'm plagued with OCD and just showing jumps would kill me. I did my best to show just the jumps but as the music began to drift off into space I decided to throw in a few things like her spiral and some in between skating that sort of tried to tie the events together.

I was extremely conflicted about if I should have let the StSeq and the ending into the video. It fit the music so well and I just left it as raw as possible because I think it shows a very deep emotional moment. When Mao finishes the camera zooms in on her face so much that I almost felt uncomfortable about it. She seems disappointed at first and almost a little heartbroken. Then she flashes into a quick acceptance of the moment and begins to put on a smile. Then as she acknowledges the crowd she again looks a little sad as if she is letting people down. I truly think the crowd gets the best of her and lifts her spirits. It's a very interesting look into the mind of someone. I was just so struck by how well the music fit such an interesting moment and it was just a happy accident. I apologize if anyone finds my video distasteful but to me it is amazing to see such a full spectrum of emotion in such a brief moment that kind of mirrors the season she had with the Lutz jump. I mean....those steps she executed up to the spin and final pose in contrast to the emotion she shows afterward are just such a powerful contrast.

Always fun to take on a project like this and find little things I never saw before. Mao not knowing which camera to waive to at the end of Nationals FS. Priceless

Anyway here you go. Mao Asada Lutzamatron 2015
https://youtu.be/eCkHbrOyUO4
Available up to 720p HD

Beautiful, heartbreaking, heartwarming, soulful. You've done it once again Sam-Skwantch. Mao's journey was/is never an easy one, but there's always a beautiful rainbow at the end of the journey/season.

P.s. I totally read Lutzamatron as Liebesträume. :laugh2:
 

Li'Kitsu

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Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Thank you very much Sam, your video is so beautiful! :love: All the non-jump moments fit in very well too :)
 

largeman

choice beef
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Mar 15, 2014
I am shocked to learn that Mao thought about retirement before the nationals. It just seems so uncharacteristic of her. gotoschool I understand your views on this (posted over at fsuniverse), still I cannot wrap my head around the notion that Mao would get so frustrated/discouraged/fed-up as to consider ending her competitive career after two disappointing outings.

I mean, before announcing the decision to come back, she had gone through such a great deal of soul searching, had spoken to and received advice from veterans, and had reached the conclusion that "skating is essential." After coming back to competition, she's found her 3A to be in excellent shape and her lutz edge to finally come together. And the fans and the crowd embraced her with excitement and appreciation every time she stepped onto the ice. Were the setbacks at NHK and GPF so utterly crushing that she would almost lose her famous fighting spirit (especially if the dismal performances were in large part caused by illness)?

Of course, we won't know her exact state of mind, and I know it is not constructive to speculate and hypothesize obsessively :) I'll just be happy and content that she "came to her senses" and decided to continue fighting, one competition at a time. :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:
 
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dia

Rinkside
Joined
May 4, 2014
I am shocked to learn that Mao thought about retirement before the nationals. It just seems so uncharacteristic of her. gotoschool I understand your views on this (posted over at fsuniverse), still I cannot wrap my head around the notion that Mao would get so frustrated/discouraged/fed-up as to consider ending her competitive career after two disappointing outings.

I mean, before announcing the decision to come back, she had gone through such a great deal of soul searching, had spoken to and received advice from veterans, and had reached the conclusion that "skating is essential." After coming back to competition, she's found her 3A to be in excellent shape and her lutz edge to finally come together. And the fans and the crowd embraced her with excitement and appreciation every time she stepped onto the ice. Were the setbacks at NHK and GPF so utterly crushing that she would almost lose her famous fighting spirit (especially if the dismal performances were in large part caused by illness)?

Of course, we won't know her exact state of mind, and I know it is not constructive to speculate and hypothesize obsessively :) I'll just be happy and content that she "came to her senses" and decided to continue fighting, one competition at a time. :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

Mao said in this video posted two days ago (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3ku4p3_0105-%E7%9C%9F%E5%A4%AE-%E8%88%9E%E5%AF%BE%E8%AB%87_sport ) that she was rather disappointed she could not answer the expectations of her fans/ supporters/coaching team or of other people around her. Mai insisted that she must have been devastated by her placement at GPF but Mao denied it. It wasn't about her placement per se but about the others' expectations she couldn't fulfill. Mao said that she has been thinking about her FS at nationals as the last performance of her career. She mentioned those 10 seconds before her FS - when she had the feeling the audience was praying for her- as a unique experience that encourages her to continue skating.

Sorry I am too lazy to translate everything (but I'm not native speaker of either Japanese or English)
 
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Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
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Thank you dia!!!

I really was unaware of some of the conflicting thoughts within Mao. It certainly explains a little why at the end of her FS at Nationals I was picking up those extra "feels" vibe going on. I hope Mao finds a way to free herself of the burden of fan expectations. I think there are others like me who just enjoy her on ice presence regardless of the score.
 

MaoRussianFan

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
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bebece

Rinkside
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
wow with all this news about mao thinking of retire-ring before the national gave me goosebumps n scare
i thing as a fan i have been taking her competitiveness as granted
i already imagining her in Olympic n in countless performing in the next two season

it makes me thing that the worst case scenario had mao gave the retirement a go
gave me flasback to the last season when machida out of nowhere suddenly announce his retirement at the end of national.
had mao gone that route, wow i thing i would be a complete mesh, crying ugly in front of computer maybe even shouting nonsense no no no
imagine the reaction people at the stadium especially the one that held the "go mao" banner, n the other player or the JSF, well that i wanna see

i know that some of u, well one of you like to talk bout sacrificing goat in mao name,
well i would gladly join you in the ritual hehehehehe
 

yhmafan

Medalist
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Thank you, Sam for making the video that is high quality and beautiful editing.

At this point, I can’t think of anything even if I have been doubting she would go to next Olympic.
I’m simply glad that she decided to continue her competitive career even more.

By the way I am looking forward to her Morioka EX performance this weekend. She will skate Jupiter with her new costume and probably collaborate with Libera. :agree:
 
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gotoschool

Medalist
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Besides Mao's illnesses which is one main reason she has faced challenges this season, I just thought that another reason Mao is probably having difficulties is because she is disappointed because of "Others expectations she couldn't fulfill." and because she says, "she was rather disappointed she could not answer the expectations of her fans/ supporters/coaching team or of other people around her." I wish Mao would skate for herself and let go of playing the role of Atlas bearing the expectations of the world and all of Japan as a burden upon her shoulders. As a huge fan, I wish she would realize that she has flooded my expectations to overflowing with emotion and tears with so many of her performances including several from this year. As a matter of fact, I love her skating even more now that she has faced difficulties because I truly feel her depth of expression and sympathy for the real human being who has so many fascinating qualities that make her more than just a legendary champion. Now Mao, after giving so many wonderful moments to so many, please go out on the ice and fulfill your own expectations. Those are the only ones over which you have any control. Set yourself free like you did in the Sochi LP.

Thanks for the translation dia
 
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