2018-19 Japanese Ladies' figure skating

Wakaba did quite well considering she was coming back not fully healed. I think the JSF didn’t assign her to any other competitions to let her fully heal for the next season. I hope Wakaba for all the best!

yume said:

Wakaba will be fine. If she had totally bombed her two programs i would be worried. But she did well considering she stills injured.

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yes it is true, she can be proud, I may be worried too much. Satoko has returned well after a year of fighting his injury, so Wakaba can also come back strong. She still has a lot of things to show us in the future, as I said in her fan wire, I loved her SP so we see she took pleasure it's programs that when they are perfectly weathered him well.

sakurano said:

yes it is true, she can be proud, I may be worried too much. Satoko has returned well after a year of fighting his injury, so Wakaba can also come back strong. She still has a lot of things to show us in the future, as I said in her fan wire, I loved her SP so we see she took pleasure it's programs that when they are perfectly weathered him well.

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Japan is looking good Rika, Miyahara, Kaori, Wakaba and Hongo, Marin, Miahara et al They have great depth. And are not relying upon prepubescent youngsters like Russia or skaters more vulnerable to body changes. I mean look at Russia Lipnskaya, Radionova, Sotnikova, Evgenia, Pogo, Tsurskaya and now Alina.

Skater Boy said:

And are not relying upon prepubescent youngsters like Russia

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Having depth in the junior ranks is a bad thing? Japan has to poach from the senior ranks just to round out a Junior Worlds team. I am rather worried about the post-Olympic state of Japan's ladies.

Skater Boy said:

Japan is looking good Rika, Miyahara, Kaori, Wakaba and Hongo, Marin, Miahara et al They have great depth. And are not relying upon prepubescent youngsters like Russia or skaters more vulnerable to body changes. I mean look at Russia Lipnskaya, Radionova, Sotnikova, Evgenia, Pogo, Tsurskaya and now Alina.

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liza, alina and zhenya have had better international results than most of the japanese seniors. the other names you mentioned have not been relevant for at least one season now unfortunately so there's really no point in comparing them against current japanese seniors.

on an unrelated note i'm so happy kaori won nationals she's one of my favourites of all time and definitely my favourite japanese girl. I think she always looks so floaty and light across the ice it's so pretty to watch

Ayaka Hosoda was featured on a morning news program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YUrHkVLIiQ

Some highlights:

Start: "Really, I was just simply happy. That's all I can say, but, it felt like 'I really did it!'" "It's a feeling of complete satisfaction!"

2:00: "You have secured a finish of at least 11th place. That's a new personal best, isn't it?" "Really!? I'm happy! But all I really wanted to was to land the triple axel, so I'm happier with that than with the result. I made everyone wait a long time for this!"

2:27: Asked about being the subject of attention at age 23: "When I finished I first felt satisfaction. I did notice the fans, but first I looked towards the coach. After I got a look at her reaction, I started to understand the nature of the situation."

2:50: She was born in 1995 in Osaka, and started skating from the third grade.

3:10: Some backstage scenes with Satoko Miyahara and Rika Kihira.

Satoko: Free went well?

Ayaka: No miss.

Satoko: No miss. (high five)

Ayaka: I've never gotten this many presents from fans. How do you take them all home?

Satoko: Tie it like this...

Ayaka: You're really used to this!

(Rika shows up)

Rika: It sounds like you tried your best!

Ayaka: (holding bags) I feel like I've become Santa Claus!

3:55: Rika: Are you going to retire? Are you undecided?

Ayaka: I don't know what to do. Are you sad? (Rika nods, big hug)

4:10 Footage from Ayaka's "retirement" two years ago

4:25: Ayaka (from August practice in Switxerland!): "Rika-chan said 'let's practice the triple axel together!' And I said yes on a lark."

5:10: Her relation with her teammates: "I guess they think of me as a little strange elder sister!"

5:25: Talks about her role as the elder member as kind of a go-between the coaches and skaters.

Apparently, her name for Satoko is "Satopea"...

They finish talking about her participation in next month's event, but that things afterwards are still undecided.

Ayaka Hosoda is such a delight. On a selfish level, I hope she continues so we can see her in international competition, but I'm glad she's satisfied with the work she's done.

sakurano said:

I saw that some performances of these nationals, it is a surprising results but Kaori deserved its victory, Rika K fought well and Satoko was splendid , despite the errors, a pity that Mai and Wakaba missed the podium finally especially for Mai who misses it but I'm happy to see her again in two months for 4CC. It's surprising that the JFS is asking Yuna S to take the place JW I hope she's fine with her programs are great, unfortunately they had to sacrifice Nana which is a shame.
Rika H has made a good comeback now that she has to change coach I hope to see her more often, as well as Marin.
Congratulations to AYAKA who made us a nice surprise with her magnificent 3 A hoping to see her in future competitions.

The one I'm worried about most is for the future of Wakaba I know she did not recover from her injury but it's going to be twice that she misses the podium, she who was so promising he a few years ago, I'm afraid of not seeing her again, I hope I'm wrong and it's not the end of her career, but congratulations for taking the 5th place she did a very beautiful court and I love his smile.

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Wakaba was dealing with that foot problem all season. If that heals ok then she will be fine. Wakaba is a year younger than Kaori and probably the most all around talented of the Japanese. Like all Japanese she will need to get her triple axel going to go against Rika.

In the Japanese men thread, Interspectator got that good idea of asking some questions, to have thoughts about Japanese men after the first half of the season.
I think it's not bad to do it for ladies too. Not only for the first half of the season, but for the entire 2018 year (since we are at the end of the year).
So let's go for 2018 best-off:
1) Your favorite lady in 2018 (I know, i start with the most difficult)
Rika Kihira
2) Your favorite program of the year
Wakabond
3) Your favorite performance
Wakababy's free at worlds
4) Your favorite costume
Yuhana Yokoi's 2nd simba costume.
5) The biggest surprise
Kaori winning nats
6) The most sad moment/event
Wakaba getting injured
7) The happiest moment/event
Wakababy medaling at worlds.
8) The most promising junior
Tomoe Kawabata
9) The most promising senior
Rika Kihira
10) Your wish for 2019
Wakababy healing well and making a strong comeback.

Thanks @yume

Here's my Best of 2018
So let's go for 2018 best-off:
1) Your favorite lady in 2018 (I know, i start with the most difficult)
Mai Mihara (going with my heart)
2) Your favorite program of the year
Song for a Sparrow (Satoko Miyahara)
3) Your favorite performance
Wakababy's free at worlds --I agree!
4) Your favorite costume
Miyu Honda's FS dress Stunning and Original. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCtZxi9DjZg
5) The biggest surprise
Mako's Debut Silver
6) The most sad moment/event
Mai being ROBBED by the judges and causing me to wear the tin hat of conspiracy on her behalf.
7) The happiest moment/event
Wakababy medaling at worlds.--Agree!
8) The most promising junior
Yuhana Yokoi (sentimental fave)
9) The most promising senior
Rika Kihira --Absolutely!
10) Your wish for 2019
For Mai to get the scores she deserves (and to continue to be healthy)

I can't believe that Kaori isn't in my mentions so...
Best Kiss and Cry moments: All of them Kaori

Wakaba’s free at Worlds isn’t just my highlight of the year — it’s one of the single best skates of all time for me. (And is a great recruitment vehicle for new fans, incidentally. I’ve shown it to people who don’t know much about figure skating and Wakaba is a fantastic gateway drug.)

Metis said:

Wakaba’s free at Worlds isn’t just my highlight of the year — it’s one of the single best skates of all time for me. (And is a great recruitment vehicle for new fans, incidentally. I’ve shown it to people who don’t know much about figure skating and Wakaba is a fantastic gateway drug.)

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Rika K has been that gateway for me and my friends

Metis said:

Wakaba’s free at Worlds isn’t just my highlight of the year — it’s one of the single best skates of all time for me. (And is a great recruitment vehicle for new fans, incidentally. I’ve shown it to people who don’t know much about figure skating and Wakaba is a fantastic gateway drug.)

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I fully support Kaetlyn being World Champion and her winning overall, but Wakaba getting only 145 for Skyfall should have been a war crime. She should have won the free skate with 150+ points and how dare you judges!

This looks fun.

1) Your favorite lady in 2018 (I know, i start with the most difficult)
Kaori Sakamoto
2) Your favorite program of the year
Song for the little sparrow
3) Your favorite performance
Skyfall at Worlds
4) Your favorite costume
Rika's Beautiful Storm
5) The biggest surprise
Kaori winning nats (for sure)
6) The most sad moment/event
Mai getting fourth
7) The happiest moment/event
2nd and 3rd place at Worlds
8) The most promising junior
Tomoe Kawabata
9) The most promising senior
Rika Kihira
10) Your wish for 2019
Podium placements for all Japanese girls

So let's go for 2018 best-off:

1) Your favorite lady in 2018 (I know, i start with the most difficult)
Kaori Sakamoto.

Before Nationals, right after GPF, I can't shake a feeling that even though she didn't podium, I thought Kaori really did accomplish her goal which is to be Mature/Adult-like. She really did end 2018 in a much different place than when she started the year. Also I can't believe she made me like a Satie program... with English lyrics. When I started liking that program, I knew I've fallen hard.

2) Your favorite program of the year
SP: Energia // From My First Moment
FS: Invierno Porteno
EX: Oblivion // Bella Donna Twist

There are plenty of great programs as well last season but I just really like the these new programs. All hail post-Olympic season.

3) Your favorite performance
Wakaba's Skyfall at Worlds.

4) Your favorite costume
Mai's The Mission 2.0.

5) The biggest surprise
Mako medaling at SC for her Senior GP debut. It edged out Rika winning GPF by a hair because I thought Rika always had the potential and tech content consistency to immediately throw down at senior level, less so Mako. A ridiculous solid addition to an already solid field of Japanese ladies.

6) The most sad moment/event
Marin at Nationals... Hopefully it will all pay off in the future.

7) The happiest moment/event
Kaori going from dabbing to yelling in two seconds (followed by her coaches yelling) as her scores are announced and she realized she won Nationals. I lost count of how much I rewind this moment every day since it happened- not that there aren't greater or happier achievements, but the unfiltered surprise and joy.. you just don't see that often anymore. Sonoko and Mitsuko losing their cool together and all of them scrambling at each other really adds to it.

8) The most promising junior
Tomoe Kawabata, and if she continues, Wakana Naganawa.

9) The most promising senior
Rika Kihira, and Mako Yamashita as well. Gotta go with the youngest ones. Weirdly I feel the same about Wakaba? It's weird to call her most promising, but I really haven't seen her much this season. Every time I watched her programs it just reminded me of how boundless and dynamic her skating energy is, still so much potential.

10) Your wish for 2019
All the girls being injury-free, having a fruitful season with at least one satisfying competition for each.

1) Your favorite lady in 2018:
Rika Kihira

2) Your favorite program of the year
Beautiful Storm

3) Your favorite performance

Rika Kihira NHK freeskate

4) Your favorite costume
Nana Araki's Long program costume

5) The biggest surprise
Ayaka Hosada doing 2 triple axels in Nationals LP

6) The most sad moment/event
Rika not winning and Mai not getting third place at Nationals

7) The happiest moment/event
Rika winning the Grand Prix Final

8) The most promising junior
Yuhana Yokoi- nice height and distance on jumps and good speed. Looks like she can survive growth spurt well.

9) The most promising senior
Rika Kihira

10) Your wish for 2019

Clean performances for all Japanese women at 4CC's and worlds.

At next year's nationals, I wish overall judgement and PCS would be consistent with the Grand Prix Final, where component scores were consistent with the fastest recorded speed of skaters as well as the complexity of transitions and intricacy and quickness of blade work at this year's Nationals LP, instead of there being major deviations and even contradictions from these stats for certain skaters like this year's Nationals, which were decisive in the results. I also hope tech calls will be made in accordance with what visual evidence indicates instead of providing an advantage to the same skaters who received a big boost in PCS, while others were deflated or marked very strictly.

2018 Best-Off:

1) Your favorite lady in 2018
Wakaba Higuchi and Rika Kihira

2) Your favorite program of the year
Of the year, it's definitely Wakaba's James Bond FS. Of the season, it's probably Rika's FS but Kaori's FS is also a strong contender.

3) Your favorite performance
Toss up between Wakaba's Worlds FS, Satoko's Olympic performances and Kaori's 2018 Nationals FS.

4) Your favorite costume
This is really hard because I feel like Japanese ladies have the best costumes. (Korean ladies too).

5) The biggest surprise
Ayaka Hosoda landing three 3A across two programs and Kaori winning Nationals over both Rika and Satoko.

6) The most sad moment/event
Definitely Wakaba's derailed 2018-2019 season with the injury

7) The happiest moment/event
Wakaba silver worlds medalist.

8) The most promising junior
I agree on Tomoe Kawabata. Her jumps!

9) The most promising senior
Rika Kihira (as the only one remotely ready to battle tech with Alina and the upcoming Russian Junior wonders)

10) Your wish for 2019
Wakaba's comeback and a Japanese lady winning Worlds.

I'm going to make my best moments 2018

1) your favorite woman in 2018: hard to choose between Satoko and Rika K

2) favorite program of the year :
the james bond of Wakaba was a magic program but there is also his SP Gypsy Dance which is one of his best program

3) Preferred performance 2018:
That of Wakaba during the worlds I cried with her, there is also the NHK of Rika where I shouted, the recovery of Kaori during the GP Helsinki and the performance of Satoko during the national of last year, she really wanted this trophy and this place of the Olympics after the delivery of his injury.

4)favorite costume 2018:

Satoko and her black dress at THE Ice for her Sayuri program what a shame she did not use it; Wakaba's Energia costume was pretty, but she still has beautiful costumes, Rika's costume for her FS of this year is also very pretty, as well as that of kung fu panda SP, there is also the Kaori red on Amélie .


5) the biggest surprise:

Kaori earning her first National title

6) The saddest moment:

Wakaba's wound I know she wanted to show new things and her wound completely spoiled that.

7) The happiest moment:

Rika K winning in confidence she was able to show us her beautiful 3A during her Grand Prix and won all competitions in which she participated (Challengers, Regional GP NHK, GP IDF and GPF)

8) the most promising junior

I must say that I have not followed the juniors since my favorites are held in the seniors, so I do not know who is the next star to follow, I really like Nana, Yuhana

9) the most promising senior:
Rika K without hesitation she keeps her promises and I think we're not finished talking about her.

10 ) Your wish for 2019:

May Wakaba get back into shape and prove to me that I'm wrong to worry about his future, and I wish his team was better at the jump strategy level.

1) Your favorite woman in 2018: Satoko Miyahara

2) Favorite program of the year:

SP—Satoko, Memoirs of a Geisha
FS—Rika K, Beautiful Storm

3) Preferred performance 2018:
Wakaba, Worlds FS
Satoko, both Oly performances

4)Favorite costume 2018:
Satoko’s SP dress at US Classic and Skate America (bring it back :dev2

5) The biggest surprise:
Mako’s silver at Skate Canada

6) The saddest moment:
The look on Satoko’s face in the KnC at GPF

7) The happiest moment:
Kaori winning her first National title :luv17:

8) The most promising junior
Tomoe Kawabata

9) The most promising senior:
Rika Kihira

10 ) Your wish for 2019:
For Mai to start getting on podiums, for Waka to heal, and for Marin to rise

1) Your favorite lady in 2018
Rika Kihira (that's impossible to choose)
2) Your favorite program of the year
Beautiful Storm (that's impossible to choose)
3) Your favorite performance
Kaori's The Piano at Skate America (that's impossible to choose)
4) Your favorite costume
Satoko's perfect FS costume from the beginning of the season
5) The biggest surprise
How bad Satoko's FS costume got
6) The most sad moment/event
Marin's start of the season when she was flopping everywhere, that was hard to watch
7) The happiest moment/event
Kaori's comeback at Finland
8) The most promising junior
Tomoe
9) The most promising senior
Rika Kihira
10) Your wish for 2019
A healthy team Japan, no injuries please!