Kanako Murakami: your honest opinion? | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Kanako Murakami: your honest opinion?

volk

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 24, 2007
Just watched her LP on Skate Canada. Kanako no longer looks juniorish. Her spins are stronger too. But the judges are too harsh with her marks, so she can't afford making any mistakes.
 

Selene

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
I like her presentation, but her jumping technique is very flawed (mule kick, flutz, etc.) It will hold her back, as she will always be prone to underrotating her jumps.
 

bigsisjiejie

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
I like her presentation, but her jumping technique is very flawed (mule kick, flutz, etc.) It will hold her back, as she will always be prone to underrotating her jumps.

Hasn't this poor technique on toe jumps been a problem with other Yamada-trained skaters? Maybe she needs a touch of Arutunian.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Unfortunately, Kanako has a mule-kick flutz and she badly underrotates her jumps. As long as she doesn't correct these faults, she won't achieve as much as her higher-rated peers. She is pretty and charming, but that doesn't make up for the technical flaws.
 

Pepe Nero

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 11, 2011
I thought she should have won Skate Canada with aplomb. I was shocked when the scores showed up on the screen. I thought she would be easily over 120 in the FS. The judges were over-tough on her, imo.

Overall, I was super impressed with Murakami's new programs. Starting the SP with a step sequence was brilliant. Maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention, but I can't recall any major skater doing that in the IJS era. I also loved that she saved all her combos for the second half of the program in the LP -- gutsy!

I think she's a serious gold medal contender this year at worlds and next year at the Olympics -- if she can keep up the level evinced this past weekend at Skate Canada.
 
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volk

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 24, 2007
Overall, I was super impressed with Murakami's new programs. Starting the SP with a step sequence was brilliant. Maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention, but I can't recall any major skater doing that in the IJS era. I also loved that she saved all her combos for the second half of the program in the LP -- gutsy!

It is refreshing to see a skater do something different. Generally skaters just get jumps out of the way and leave the rest of the program for the choreography.
 

prettykeys

Medalist
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Kanako Murakami's weaknesses:
- the kick on the flip :disapp: :slink:; edging on the Lutz
- her youth (more on this later)

Kanako Murakami's strengths:
- she is unafraid to try different things, which is laudable and refreshing
- a huge reserve of energy. I have never seen her run out of steam; even when she has jumps late into her programs they are still high and she's still zipping around

I will leave the underrotation calls to the experts and veteran skating fans.

I didn't really like her last year or the year before (her senior debut), but I like her this year, especially her SP.

The Long Program is a big departure for her artistically and it remains to be seen if she can pull it off. She is required to be serious, seductive, and a bit deadly with this program, when she naturally has a less severe attitude and a rather innocent aura.
And this is what detracts from the execution of the LP, in my opinion. I think the choreography is very well-done and she is able to pull off all the moves, but the personality and presentation isn't fully there (probably because she is too young for the theme) and so it looks a bit to me like she is skating without hearing the music, which is a shame. I recall her getting flak for her super-saccharin SP two seasons ago, but it was undeniable how well it suited her natural personality. On the other hand, whenever she does Latin-music programs, I can't help but think she looks like a little girl trying on her mom's dresses and heels playing dress-up. She is very talented, but nothing about her is rare or particularly stand-out, as far as I can see. For now.
 

volk

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 24, 2007
And this is what detracts from the execution of the LP, in my opinion. I think the choreography is very well-done and she is able to pull off all the moves, but the personality and presentation isn't fully there (probably because she is too young for the theme) and so it looks a bit to me like she is skating without hearing the music, which is a shame. I recall her getting flak for her super-saccharin SP two seasons ago, but it was undeniable how well it suited her natural personality. On the other hand, whenever she does Latin-music programs, I can't help but think she looks like a little girl trying on her mom's dresses and heels playing dress-up. She is very talented, but nothing about her is rare or particularly stand-out, as far as I can see. For now.

Her LP music is very challenging for a skater at this age. Few young skaters can pull it off. That's why it affects her 2nd mark.
 

mars007

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
I LOVE Kanako. Huge fan since 2008 or 2009. I think her SP highlights the expression other ladies are missing. Reminds me of Mao's technical and Yukina Ota or FumIe's artistic. For her to not medal indicates something very wrong upstairs...Aside from Yun.a...she may be my favorite.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
I find her jump entrances too visually disruptive for me to get into her skating. Her bent leg, hunched over preparation for her triples is worse than any skater I can think of.
 
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