Skaters on Team Japan | Page 23 | Golden Skate

Skaters on Team Japan

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
^the only thing I'd like to criticize Sota is that his skating has little connection to the music IMO and his axel is not very excellent, not really good flow even when he landed it. Still he's will turn 15 this January 10th so there's nothing to complain about his axel yet.
Very good ice coverage I'd say. He has flow but that flow is not lyrical IMO. I don't know but I have the feeling he'a not very musical, maybe saying this is too harsh, or I have to say he's not very expressive to be exactly. I feel like he's very shy and introverted, his face is like this 1_1 all the time in his skate.
Other than that I think he's excellent for his age.
 
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HanDomi

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Regarding hates etc

I think Yuzuru received a lot of hate when he first beaten Takahashi for national title doesn't ? Japanese people are giving a lot of love to their skaters and as everywhere once someone beats your biggest love he is becoming your enemy ;)
Everything is great and you are loved as long as you will not make this step to top of the top, and then you find out how many fans you have, and how many haters :biggrin:
 

bebece

Rinkside
Joined
Jun 14, 2014
from what i read from mao forum
in japan site 2ch all skater especially the famous or known one, all of them have an anti thread beside their fan thread
so all negative comment probably came from there
 

Perdita

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
^the only thing I'd like to criticize Sota is that his skating has little connection to the music IMO and his axel is not very excellent, not really good flow even when he landed it. Very good ice coverage I'd say, but his movements look very empty. He has flow but that flow is not lyrical IMO. I don't know but I have the feeling he'a not very musical, or I have to say he's not very expressive. I don't have the feeling he's actually feeling the music or just skate according to the music. I feel like he's very shy and introverted, even more than Shoma.
Other than that I think he's excellent for his age.
But I'd like to watch Roman from Canada more, he's more musical and more fluid IMO, even though without good jumps.

I understand your point. I'm perhaps not expecting much musicality at his age. He seems to like emotional and dramatic music like Yuzu does, so perhaps he likes to express (he's good at appealing to judges with eye contact indeed), but maybe just doesn't have enough technique to, or he's too focused on elements.
About axel, well, Yuzuru was nailing 3A when he was 14 and Plushenko when he was 12, but maybe we just should put them aside :biggrin: Regarding Shoma, Sota still has about 2 years to improve his 3A. But, anyway, there's no future telling in figure skating ;)

If I am to criticize one thing about Sota, can't he get better costume...? (I suppose they are tribute to Yuzuru style but...)
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
If I am to criticize one thing about Sota, can't he get better costume...? (I suppose they are tribute to Yuzuru style but...)
i think it was tribute to Weir, lol. I wonder why Japanese young skaters look up to Johnny Weir so much in term of..costumes. :bang: Johnny has great flow on the ice and it's good to look up to his style but... Why costume?? Lol
 

jace93

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
i think it was tribute to Weir, lol. I wonder why Japanese young skaters look up to Johnny Weir so much in term of..costumes. :bang: Johnny has great flow on the ice and it's good to look up to his style but... Why costume?? Lol

...No, I think Perdita is right, Sota like lots and lots of young skaters truly looks up to Yuzu, and I think as Yuzu got inspired for his costumes by jhonny, this younglings are being inspired by Hanyu...
 

Meoima

Match Penalty
Joined
Feb 13, 2014
...No, I think Perdita is right, Sota like lots and lots of young skaters truly looks up to Yuzu, and I think as Yuzu got inspired for his costumes by jhonny, this younglings are being inspired by Hanyu...
Omg does that mean in the future I will see more young talented skaters from Japan with BOBSkirts??? :cry:
 

Rissa

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Omg does that mean in the future I will see more young talented skaters from Japan with BOBSkirts??? :cry:

Yes, please! I feel like the only person in the universe who loved the boobskirt. :rock:

About why that style is so appealing to japanese skaters: I think it's a cultural thing. Japan with its visual kei, love for androgyny, Harajuku and so on is no stranger to stylistic extravaganza.
 

Interspectator

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Yes, please! I feel like the only person in the universe who loved the boobskirt. :rock:

About why that style is so appealing to japanese skaters: I think it's a cultural thing. Japan with its visual kei, love for androgyny, Harajuku and so on is no stranger to stylistic extravaganza.

I suppose I could bear with it as long as there are some who don't wear boobskirts. I like variety in the costumes.
We have Shoma going for the Daisuke look, Sota going for the Hanyu look. Maybe a up and coming novice will choose an American guy as his hero and wear a suit and tie. :)
 

firal

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 22, 2014
Both Sota and Wakaba are 14 now right? I thought they looked very cute together being paired up in the gala, the only non-awkward pairing during the whole thing...:laugh2: It made me nostalgic for the older Team Japan, where everyone seems to fit well together. Could it be they are just shy or they don't know each other that well?

I just realized that Sota is 3 years younger than Shoma, who is 3 years younger than Hanyu!
 

Interspectator

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
The veterans on Team Japan were so lovable, and we had years to grow to love them.
This sudden surge of youngsters is a bit unsettling, but I hope we will get to know them well and that they each find a good place in the team dynamics.
 

thoakun

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 7, 2014
Thanks matmuh for sharing the interview. Japanese youngsters are indeed amazing. Satoko and Wakaba are so young but they already have a specific vision of the type of skater they want to be. I'm not surprised that Satoko is called a rink rat. She has been working extremely hard since she was a kid and she reminds me of Mao in terms of good work ethics. I believe the current crop of Japanese skaters will go places with their humbleness, determination and discipline.
 
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Maria Victoria

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
I think this is the proper thread to post this as he has been a 10-time Japanese national champion: (Belated) Happy Birthday to Nobuo Sato sensei who turned 73 last January 3. He represented Japan in both the 1960 and 1964 Winter Olympics, where he placed 14th and eighth, respectively. His best finish at Worlds was fourth in 1965. He is married to Kumiko Okawa, herself a two-time national champion (1966-67) and Olympian (1964 and 1968) Their daughter is Yuka Sato, the 1994 World Champion. Together, Mr. and Mrs. Sato have coached many Japanese FS champions of recent vintage, including Mao Asada and Takahiko Kozuka.

In a 2012 ceremony in his honor, Mr. Sato was quoted thus:

"It has been 60 years since I put on skating boots for my first.
In our generation, Japanese skaters couldn’t get more than 10th place at their most, how many times they tried.
After became a coach, I couldn’t make my student break through that wall.
When I was disappointed as my student failed his/her jump, the famous (foreign) coach
often said to me “You still have next chance! Next chance!”
While doing this and that, I have experienced the world championships more than 30 times.
Through(Beyond) that era, now Japan’s figure skating has entered in such a great era.

We owe what we are to you.
I will go on teaching my students as long as my physical strength lasts.
So please support Japan’s figure skating as ever."



Here is a link to an English translation of an old (2012) but lovely interview of the Satos with shots of them in their competitive skating days. An excerpt:

K: However, we can’t quit our job because we might become weak-headed.
  So, I live my own way. I never try to do what I hate to do.
N: You can do so, because Nobuo sensei is there?
K: Yes!
S: Envy you. And Nobuo sensei can’t live without Kumi-chan.
N: Absolutely! Firstly, I can't have any supper.
S: You must be just a couple of lovebirds.


:love:
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Thanks a lot, Maria Victoria. Happy belated birthday to Nobuo sensei! :hb:

I was wondering where to put this one, then this thread would be most appropriate I thought, considering all his devotion and contribution, both as a coach and choreographer, to Japanese skaters in the last 10 years; Shizuka, Daisuke, Miki, The Reeds, Nobu, Fumie, Dice Murakami. :yes:

Nikolai Morozov & his lovely daughter AnnaBelle, skating to Silent Night & Santa Clause Is Coming to Town at Christmas on Ice in Yokohama, Dec 21-24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYeHuyYv5ZA

First time for me to see Nikolai actually skates a program in front of audience, but such lovely and great unison throughout :love:; sbs 1A and dance lifts, especially at 4:35! What a performer she already is at age 13. Amazing also that she can become a single skater and ice dancer: either way, she does have a great future as a skater. :)
 

matmuh

what are levels anyway
Record Breaker
Joined
May 2, 2014
Thanks a lot, Maria Victoria. Happy belated birthday to Nobuo sensei! :hb:

I was wondering where to put this one, then this thread would be most appropriate I thought, considering all his devotion and contribution, both as a coach and choreographer, to Japanese skaters in the last 10 years; Shizuka, Daisuke, Miki, The Reeds, Nobu, Fumie, Dice Murakami. :yes:

Nikolai Morozov & his lovely daughter AnnaBelle, skating to Silent Night & Santa Clause Is Coming to Town at Christmas on Ice in Yokohama, Dec 21-24: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYeHuyYv5ZA

First time for me to see Nikolai actually skates a program in front of audience, but such lovely and great unison throughout :love:; sbs 1A and dance lifts, especially at 4:35! What a performer she already is at age 13. Amazing also that she can become a single skater and ice dancer: either way, she does have a great future as a skater. :)

wow she looks gorgeous , is she competing? if she does, seems most likely ice dance. thanks for sharing!
 
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