Kazuki Tomono

I'm getting hopelessly lost in the ramen talk, but thanks for the translations, Tsurara, and to everyone for the news!
I wouldn't worry about the competition withdrawal - IMO it's still very early for regular competitions and I imagine that skaters who did spring eents and shows, still don't have their programs quite ready, no? I'm actually surprised there are June competitions, I thought the summer ones in August were the first! One always learns. (Is that an actual skating competiton anyway? It sounds like a university thing?)

KiraraChin said:

So interesting to know that Kazuki wants to do jazz! That's probably not a very easy type of music to skate!

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Yeah, really. I wonder which piece he had in mind when he said 'jazz'. I'd love to see him perform to some funky hard-bops or afro-cubans with hot rythms.
That said, Freaks is somewhat jazzy with horns (kinda? , and it's hip and 'oshare'!
Chroma is another extremely 'oshare' one imo, so I guess he's happy with them!
(To think about it, he had Daft Punk for 'oshare', New Cinema Paradise for deep and somber?, and Riverdance to show the best in him last season! He had all he wished to have!)

KiraraChin said:

BTW, Kazuki announced he WD from the skating competition tomorrow
https://twitter.com/naniwatomono/status/1139365878015782912

I'm trying to to read too much into it. Hopefully this is just him and his team being extra cautious...
I know he loves small competitions, but there's no reason to push it in the off-season, right?

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Yeah, I saw his IG story too. It said "身体のコンディションが優れないため、棄権します (Withdrawing because my physical condition isn't good)" I hope it's nothing serious and he gets well very soon!

surimi said:

I'm getting hopelessly lost in the ramen talk, but thanks for the translations, Tsurara, and to everyone for the news!
I wouldn't worry about the competition withdrawal - IMO it's still very early for regular competitions and I imagine that skaters who did spring eents and shows, still don't have their programs quite ready, no? I'm actually surprised there are June competitions, I thought the summer ones in August were the first! One always learns. (Is that an actual skating competiton anyway? It sounds like a university thing?)

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Yeah, it's just a university annual event, a joint game with 3 other universities and it'll be in Yokohama, far from Osaka.
And sorry about the ramen talk

surimi said:

I'm getting hopelessly lost in the ramen talk, but thanks for the translations, Tsurara, and to everyone for the news!
I wouldn't worry about the competition withdrawal - IMO it's still very early for regular competitions and I imagine that skaters who did spring eents and shows, still don't have their programs quite ready, no? I'm actually surprised there are June competitions, I thought the summer ones in August were the first! One always learns. (Is that an actual skating competiton anyway? It sounds like a university thing?)

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I completely agree with this, June is such an awkward time for a skater to be competing! Most skaters already lost form from the previous season, and have not yet gained form for the next season. It's better for our boy to rest!

Tsurara said:

Yeah, really. I wonder which piece he had in mind when he said 'jazz'. I'd love to see him perform to some funky hard-bops or afro-cubans with hot rythms.
That said, Freaks is somewhat jazzy with horns (kinda? , and it's hip and 'oshare'!
Chroma is another extremely 'oshare' one imo, so I guess he's happy with them!
(To think about it, he had Daft Punk for 'oshare', New Cinema Paradise for deep and somber?, and Riverdance to show the best in him last season! He had all he wished to have!)

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Oh wow, Africa/Cuban music would be very interesting! Though FS judges are so conservative, not sure if they would like it
I see what you mean about 'Freaks' and the horns, although I wouldn't consider it to be jazzy. I'm now really curious about what kind of jazz exactly Kazuki had in mind! It seems that he really likes to challenge himself on the music/interpretation front, in addition to the technical elements

Tsurara said:

Yeah, I saw his IG story too. It said "身体のコンディションが優れないため、棄権します (Withdrawing because my physical condition isn't good)" I hope it's nothing serious and he gets well very soon!

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I know it sounds completely stupid, but I honestly wonder whether the reason why his physical condition isn't good is because he's been eating too much ramen
Thinking about it, he posted three massive bowls in the space of a week (and this is only the ones we know). One of them was the 'jiro ramen' Tsurara said is extremely fatty! My physical condition would definitely be very poor if I ate that much ramen in such a short space of time

Tsurara said:

Yeah, it's just a university annual event, a joint game with 3 other universities and it'll be in Yokohama, far from Osaka.
And sorry about the ramen talk

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Please don't apologise for the ramen talk, Tsurara! This is Kazuki's Fan fest, he would be very happy to see us talking about ramen so seriously

It seems he didn't compete at the university event but his presence was felt somehow! He choreographed a programme for a fellow skater from Doshisha university (his kouhai at the FS club): https://twitter.com/Mrs___piggy/status/1139711727593910277
She won class D! I would love to see this programme

KiraraChin said:

Oh wow, Africa/Cuban music would be very interesting! Though FS judges are so conservative, not sure if they would like it
I see what you mean about 'Freaks' and the horns, although I wouldn't consider it to be jazzy. I'm now really curious about what kind of jazz exactly Kazuki had in mind! It seems that he really likes to challenge himself on the music/interpretation front, in addition to the technical elements

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Ha ha, I should have said 'funky' instead of 'jazzy'. Well, actually, when I first saw people started tweeting Tomono-kun performing to funky horn music, the first thing that came to mind for me was Blackbird Special and Mingus' Moanin' for some reason and I can't get them off my mind. (I'm just a sucker for that kind of music.)

Anyways, judges loved 'Caravan', so they should not mind some funky jazz They generally love latin music too, don't they? Or only Tango?

KiraraChin said:

I know it sounds completely stupid, but I honestly wonder whether the reason why his physical condition isn't good is because he's been eating too much ramen
Thinking about it, he posted three massive bowls in the space of a week (and this is only the ones we know). One of them was the 'jiro ramen' Tsurara said is extremely fatty! My physical condition would definitely be very poor if I ate that much ramen in such a short space of time

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:rofl2: Jiro-style ramen is indeed massive and unhealthy, that's true! But... ha ha ha, no way!
I think it's just the season change, it gets easier to get cold or something. Or it's his body just needing some rest after all the packed up schedules he had. I sincerely hope so.

KiraraChin said:

It seems he didn't compete at the university event but his presence was felt somehow! He choreographed a programme for a fellow skater from Doshisha university (his kouhai at the FS club): https://twitter.com/Mrs___piggy/status/1139711727593910277
She won class D! I would love to see this programme

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Wow! Me too!

Atom (Doshisha Univ sports) x Kanspo (Kansai Univ Sports) Collaboration Project

Figure Skating Men* Special Crosstalk Second Series

Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~ On-Season Part 2
Shu Nakamura x Taichi Honda x Kazuki Tomono

【KanSpo only part】
In the second half of the series, we had the three answering to the questions we received from you. Thanks to all of you for sending us your questions. We apologize for not being able to have all the questions answered due to time constraints. Find out how the three Kinki Danshi responded to the questions from you...?

—Now, please answer the questions from your fans. Please tell us your personal best record in 50 meters (sprint).
Nakamura(N): I don't know. I do remember I had it at 6 seconds something though. {Most likely from high school gym classes.}
Tomono(T): Sugee(amazing)! Serious? (Mine's) 7.0!
All: [laugh]
Honda(H): (Mine's) 6.2. Not official one, though.
T: 6.2, that's 'yabai'*, isn't it? But, (now I think about it) baseball players run fast (like that).
{Note: 'Yabai' can mean various things but here he means 'freaking good' or 'badarse'.}
—Do skaters run fast (in general)?
All: Umm...
T: For example, like, Satton (Satoko Miyahara, Kansai Univ) {isn't}.
N: She's in a class of her own. On a whole different plane.
H: Extremely slow. [laugh]
T: There are quite a few skaters who run fast.
H: Many male skaters run fast.
T: Many Kinki men are pretty fast runners. Many love sports. Quite a few played many different sports. I didn't play as many though... because I'm small. [laugh]

―There is a question asking your sleep duration.
N: I think I probably sleep like 12 to 13 hours a day in total. [laugh]
All: [laugh]
H: Shu-kun, you sleep too much. [laugh]
T: Indeed. [laugh]
―Do you sleep long hours at night too?
N: Say, about 9 hours.
T: You do sleep a lot~.
N: I go to bed at around 11 pm, or 12 at latest, and wake up at 8.
T: I too sleep quite a lot sometimes, though.
H: (My sleep duration is) rather short lately. Like 6 hours.
T: I end my skating practice late, and in the mornings, I sometimes have practice too, some days I have first class, so about 6 hours. 8 hours at longest. But I sleep as much as I want on my day off. That said, I take a lot of naps. I go to school, come back, and take a long nap. Since my practice starts late. So I have to take naps, or I have a pretty hard time practicing.
{Note: Practice here means training on ice}

―Honda-san, it feels like, you reply back no matter when we contact you... [laugh]
H: Seriously? [laugh] But I do recall I've replied back after midnight. [laugh]
T: But you're not as fast as I am, are you?
H: Kazuki (replies) so fast. [laugh]
―Does he? [laugh]
T: I'm sure that I'm the fastest. [laugh] I mark as read at once. [laugh]
All: [laugh]
N: I'm the slowest. [laugh]
―Yes, you are. [laugh]
N: I'm sorry. [laugh]
All: [laugh]

【Both Kandai Sports & Doshisha Atom】
―Now, tell us about a surprising/unexpected side of your coaches.
T: Surprising side of my coach...
N: Hamada sensei (Mie Hamada) is kawaii(cute).
H: Yes, she is kawaii. [laugh]
T: I got no way of telling that~. [laugh] {as he's never coached by her}
N: She's usually scary. But when I had no mistakes in SP at Nats, she was waiting for me like this. *spreads both arms wide open* I went straight to her to hug her. [laugh] It was so pleasing. [laugh]
H: Hamada sensei is totally kawaii, isn't she. [laugh]
N: Yamato sensei (Yamato Tamura) is... well, nothing (surprising) much.
H: No, not Yamato sensei.
N: Nothing really surprising from him.
―What's he like?
N/H: Organized.
H: (Yamato sensei is) organized, (Nakamura is also) organized, (and Honda is also) organized. 3 of us are all well-organized.
All: [laugh]
H: That may be why we get along. [laugh]
N: Maybe. [laugh]
T: Am I cluttered~? [laugh]
All: [laugh]
N: From my pov (yes). [laugh] These two (Nakamura and Honda) are really, like, clean/neat freaks.
H: I'd refuse to be called a clean freak.
N: I stopped denying it nowadays. [laugh]
H: Kazuki is definitely not (organized). [laugh]
T: Nandeyanen*! [laugh]{Note: A famous Osaka tsukkomi phrase, meaning, "why is that?" or "what do you say that for?"}
All: [laugh]
―What level of neatness do you mean, like you can't stand it when it gets even a bit dirty?
N: Umm.
H: We're usually together at an ice rink, so (we judge it for example by) belongings in the locker room.
T: Oops, I'm 'yabai' *whispers*
{Note: Here he means he's in trouble or he's doomed by 'yabai'}
H: Me, Shu-kun, and Yamato sensei have our own fixed set-ups and rules (where to put what and how) for our belongings. We have our own absolute set ways, to put certain things in a certain way and where, the edge case have to be placed where, in which direction, and such. Yamato sensei definitely has everything in perfect order.
T: You too, Shu-kun?
N: I never toss clothes randomly into a bag. I fold them neatly first. When I get sweaty, I have to use another bag for laundry. [laugh]
H: Yeah, we carry such a bag (for laundry). [laugh] I don't want to put my laundry into the same bag.
T: 'Yabai'. {Note: He's saying this because he's totally opposite.}
N: That level of neat.
T: I'm always surprised when I share a room with Taichi. Like, how can you tidy-up everything so neatly?! [laugh]
All: [laugh]
H: When I share a room with him, like for Kokutai, I'm always getting totally annoyed. [laugh]
T: I'm like, 'Bahn! Bahn!' (sound of throwing his belongings) but Taichi is like 'Kiraaan!' (onomatopoeia of everything tidy and glittering clean) [laugh] It's really amazing. It's like we have a totally different environment (in the same room) split with a line in the middle. [laugh] It's just amazing. [laugh]
All: [laugh]
T: I'm actually not that cluttered, I do tidy up when I have to. [laugh] I'm normal, yes I'm normal. I'm normal with everything and every way. [laugh]
N/H: ....(silent stare)
T: Wait, (you are the ones who are) not normal, definitely. [laugh]
N/H: You, dirty slob.
T: I'm not dirty!
H: Okay, next. Rafae (Coach Rafael Arutyunyan) is, umm... Well, first of all, I don't know what kind of image he gives to people in general.
T: No doubt.
H: What kind of image do you have?
N: Like, an evil 'oyaji' {daddy, uncle, or an old man, but adding a bit familiar feeling}.
T: A hot man. [laugh] {hot-blooded or passionate, can't tell what he meant by hot from the available context.}
H: Well, I personally have an impression that he is mostly staring at his students at the rinkside without instructing anything during the actual competitions. Like when Nathan (Nathan Chen, USA) is performing. But usually, he spends a lot of time for lessons. A very long time he spends, teaching from young kids to older ones. He's such an earnest coach, and the whole team, as Team Rafael, has a very consistent method of teaching for many years. We have 4 coaches, and when you ask them something, each of them gives you exactly the same answer, no matter who you ask, like even their students, they'd give you the same answer too. His team is like that, like, should I say, thoroughgoing coherence. Feels like it's the outcome of what Team Rafael has piled up for decades. Also, he loves Japan.
―He does?
H: Oh he totally loves Japan. He even visits Japan in summer, like for THE ICE and such (ice show).
T: Oh yeah, (I saw) he was there!
H: What did he say he liked (for food)? Maybe he said, Shirako.
N: Gee, he eats that with that (evil) face? [laugh] {you know, he's just kidding but it's what it is lol}
All: [laugh]
H: He prefers that kind (sea food) to meat. He apparently loves sushi.
N: Really so?
T: That's surprising. Uh, really nothing from me (for my coach). [laugh] I've been trying to think, but anything surprising to you are probably nothing special for me. [laugh] He's like, everyone would agree in a chorus, he's who he looks to be like. Well, he's got such an ikemen face, and I think he gives an impression of being really cool at competitions. How should I put it?
H: IMO, he's very good at motivating Kazuki.
T: Ah.
H: You don't really talk right before your performance, but as Taijin sensei (Coach Taijin Hiraike) gives you just one word, your movement changes (for the better) right away.
T: Ah, it happens. Really, these 'one word's are something I truly cherish myself. (I keep it in mind) when I practice too. He used to teach me a lot before, but now I plan and manage my own training myself. His mental support, rather than technical aspects, is really terrific. Well, as expected, our relationship for long years means quite a lot to me. I can really rely on him at competitions. Having him with me or not makes a big difference. Especially at a big competition. I guess, it's this feeling that he's really watching over me. He's handsome ('otoko-mae') too. He is in fact totally handsome. [laugh] He's such a handsome man (masculine attractive personality) and I think he's just the way as he appears to be. [laugh] He is like an asset with a tremendous impact, in many ways. [laugh] He's got some (silly) cute side, and he does like fooling around, but at competitions he stays really calm and cool, says nothing, and watches over me, believing in me. I feel that he trusts me a lot. [laugh]

To be continued

Tsurara said:

Anyways, judges loved 'Caravan', so they should not mind some funky jazz

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I think judges just love Nathan...

Tsurara said:

Atom (Doshisha Univ sports) x Kanspo (Kansai Univ Sports) Collaboration Project

Figure Skating Men* Special Crosstalk Second Series

Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~ On-Season Part 2
Shu Nakamura x Taichi Honda x Kazuki Tomono

KanSpo: http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=40788
Doshisha Atom: http://doshisha-atom.net/web/result.php?no=2468
​

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OMG Thank you so much for this!!!
I really liked this part of the interview.
So we learned from these interviews Kazuki's a copycat, gossip and now we know he's a dirty slob, too
Poor Kazuki, I'm sure he's not that bad!
I REALLY liked the bit he talks about Taijin-sensei. I always had the impression Taijin-sensei takes good care of Kazuki and it's great to have confirmation of that :luv17:
Also interesting to know Kazuki has now autonomy in his training, but I guess it's probably natural as a skater matures.

BTW, today the Quadruple Axel magazine with Kazuki's interview was released! If anyone has any info at all (pic, or quote, etc), please do share!
I thought of buying a copy myself but it's quite expensive for me and also I can't read Japanese...

So, GP assignments should be out later today... Praying for Kazuki to get two assignments
https://imgur.com/XOEnWye

I’ve been away and haven’t been keeping up much but I need to drop by to celebrate Kazuki officially getting two GP assignments!!

See Kirara, I told you he'd get two! ^ ^ Congrats to Kazuki! Is anyone going? I'll keep my hopes up for a European challenger or possibly some spring event.

Hi dears, still not totally healthy yet but I am getting there

I had to drop by today since it is such a relief to see our sunshine boy getting his deserved 2 GPs, YAAAAY but oh boy, the field is getting crazy and it is going to be hard in every event. Wish him the best of luck this season

I am happy to see him with Koshiro and Shoma in his events and would wish him to get a challenger with Yuzu since he is not sharing a GP with him this season

BTW, I saw his story about the WD from the competition (didn't know he was even going to compete at anything) and hopefully, it was nothing serious

Also I was so surprised to know that choreographer Kazuki already made his debut

Finally, sorry again for my absence, will surely have a lot to back read, thanks to all your informative posts :luv17: :thumbsup: and now I can't wait to see him debuting new programs in DOI at the end of the month

YAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSS Kazuki got two assignments!!!!!!!

I'm so happy, both fields are very tough but who knows? I thought he had no chance of medalling at Rostelecom last year and I was wrong

Also, last year he was with both him senpais Shoma and Yuzu, and this year he gets to be a senpai to Koshiro! Our boy is growing up...

PS- Welcome back AQFS, hope you feel 100% soon!

Great to see he got two! Well deserved...

surimi said:

Is anyone going?

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Man, I would LOVE to go to Rostelecom, since my two faves will be there (Kazuki and Zhenya).
Realistically, it's probably too far and expensive for me...

Came across this hilarious picture of Kazuki with Sota Yamamoto and Taichiro Yamakuma: https://twitter.com/main120312031/status/1142389259027931136
Does anyone know when it was taken! They look super young here (Kazuki especially, but what's new )

Also, Kazuki retweeted this: https://twitter.com/TO_ZAWAKUN/status/1142395664329924608
Seems it was an event from Tokai on Air, a famous Japanese YouTube channel. From what I could see, they're from the Kansai area and they do a lot of funny 'challenge' videos. I wonder if Kazuki was there!

Kazuki retweeted a music video that was shot at Doshisha university! https://twitter.com/naniwatomono/status/1143093093043851264
'I'm there every day', he said. It's a nice campus!

He's alive and eating ramen!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzMdTT_n2k1/

BTW I won't be able to update this thread much during DOI, counting on you guys!

Anxiously waiting on fan reports from DOI! (2am my time so we'll see if I can stay awake till the end )
Hoping for the debut his new SP or FS.
Also hope he's feeling better and enjoys himself.
Good Luck!

Thank you so much, Tsurara for all your hard work and time spent translating interviews! Much appreciated!

Hoping to hear reports from DOI, but sadly unable to contribute anything meaningful.
Yes, joining the 'thank you' chorus for Tsurara who invests her time and effort into translating stuff for us foreigners! Folks who prevent people like her from publishing stuff that's in the freakin' kanji for the popularity of the sport, should feel thoroughly ashamed of themselves, and I hope karma finds them.
Hope you become less isogashii soon, Tsurara, and can return to us.
@ Kirara, enjoy your vacay!
I'll lurk around in the meantime.

Kazuki performed his Moulin Rouge FS! :hap85:
First reports say he wore his 2016-17 SP costume in the opening number.
Still waiting on fan reports of his FS performance but judging from this pic he may have performed his FS in the same costume.
https://twitter.com/SportsHochi/status/1144571668481732608

He looks :dev2:

Thanks, @tsuyoboogie for the info about DOI :thumbsup:

Although the costume is old (can't wait for the new one he will get for it) but that HAIR!!!! I guess I now understand why he kept growing his hair and doing crazy things with it in the past months, lol and I wonder if he will actually keep this look for the whole season and how he will change it with the SP?? But anyway, I hope this hair did help him create the image and atmosphere he wants for this program.

And this is a closer look on the hair (heart glasses is a bonus ) from timkoleto IGS

https://twitter.com/utsusemi_06/status/1144599278414774277

Also some translations about the performance and what he said in his recorded message before it

https://twitter.com/tsubakindy/status/1144567281998954498
https://twitter.com/figureskatingm1/status/1144584363461373953