2021-22 Japanese Men's Figure Skating | Page 5 | Golden Skate

2021-22 Japanese Men's Figure Skating

lynnidolz

Spectator
Joined
Mar 4, 2019
How do u know it is because from falling from 4A?In the official statement from Japanese media he did not mention that
 

surimi

Onward and forward, Sota!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Aww, I am so sad to hear that 😭 I suspect it's because he wanted to land the 4A so likely has been practicing that jump a lot?

If they pick a sub, I half-hope and half don't that it will be Sota, but they'll probably use the results of the NHK test event, so I guess it will go to whoever did best there. Hey organizers, please let us know in advance who gets the spot (if anyone). My only reason for trying to go to Warsaw Cup is Sota, so if he doesn't go due to NHK, I won't go either.

Now, I wish Yuzuru a successful recovery. May he slay at the Olympics to make up for this misfortune. 🍀 🍀 🍀
 

cohkaix

FS data keeper
Medalist
Joined
Mar 9, 2013
If they pick a sub, I half-hope and half don't that it will be Sota, but they'll probably use the results of the NHK test event, so I guess it will go to whoever did best there. Hey organizers, please let us know in advance who gets the spot (if anyone). My only reason for trying to go to Warsaw Cup is Sota, so if he doesn't go due to NHK, I won't go either.

Using the results of the NHK test event would be a fair choice.
 

surimi

Onward and forward, Sota!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
I am now positive he'll WD from Warsaw. So, another year of waiting for me to see Sota skate in person... Lucky Japanese fans!
I hope he uses the opportunity well, and will be able to add some points. 🤞
I think Sota will be extra nervous now, because he's subbing for Yuzuru and he'll want to be a worthy sub as he admires Yuzuru s lot. Sending positive vibes to them both. 🍀
 

Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
Presuming this means no GPF for Yuzuru so Nathan should have an easy victory--and makes the first time he and Yuzuru go head to head is in Beijiing.
 

figureskatingandrainbows

As Kao Miura once said, スケートって難しい
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 8, 2020
Country
Olympic
Presuming this means no GPF for Yuzuru so Nathan should have an easy victory--and makes the first time he and Yuzuru go head to head is in Beijiing.
Ooh, spicy! The media is going to have a field day!

With that being said, the GPF will still be really interesting in the battle for silver and bronze. Vincent and Yuma put out really similar huge scores in the FS at their first events, and Shoma has similar potential. Not to mention the mini country battles... Shoma v. Yuma, Nathan v. Vincent... it's going to be a time, even without Yuzu.
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Japanese Men scores after the first round of GPs:

Yuma Kagiyama: 278.02
Shoma Uno: 270.68
Shun Sato: 247.05
Kazuki Tomono: 245.11
Sota Yamamoto: 225.74
Keiji Tanaka: 222.20

So at this point the Olympic team is set, but the battle to be the first alternate/assigned to 4CC could be interesting. Shun and Kazuki are in close contention at the moment, however we know Keiji always get it together at Nationals, and who knows? Sota could be a dark horse...
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Updated top Japanese Men's SB scores following NHK Trophy:

Shoma Uno: 290.15
Yuma Kagiyama: 278.02
Shun Sato: 247.05
Kazuki Tomono: 245.11
Sota Yamamoto: 238.90
Kao Miura: 232.89
Keiji Tanaka: 222.20
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
I hope Yuzuru is okay. I just want him healthy; would love to see his programs. But he is a fighter and seems to thrive on the Olympics. But Japan has such a great group of men even without Hanyu.
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Updated top Japanese Men's SB scores following Warsaw Cup and IdF:

Shoma Uno: 290.15 (NHK Trophy)
Yuma Kagiyama: 286.41 (IdF)
Shun Sato: 264.99 (IdF)
Sota Yamamoto: 247.65 (Warsaw Cup)
Kazuki Tomono: 245.11(GP D'Italia)
Kao Miura: 232.89 (NHK Trophy)
Koshiro Shimada: 228.77 (Warsaw Cup)
Keiji Tanaka: 222.20 (Skate Canada)

Kazuki and Keiji have yet another opportunity to improve their SBs before Nationals, at next week's Rostelecom Cup.
 
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KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Updated top Japanese Men's SB scores following Rostelecom Cup:

Shoma Uno: 290.15 (NHK Trophy)
Yuma Kagiyama: 286.41 (IdF)
Shun Sato: 264.99 (IdF)
Kazuki Tomono: 264.19 (Rostelecom Cup)
Sota Yamamoto: 247.65 (Warsaw Cup)
Kao Miura: 232.89 (NHK Trophy)
Keiji Tanaka: 229.75 (Rostelecom Cup)
Koshiro Shimada: 228.77 (Warsaw Cup)

Shoma and Yuma have advanced to the Grand Prix Final, while Shun is one of the alternates.
 

surimi

Onward and forward, Sota!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Interesting how the boys are leveled now, with big gaps between the groups. Shoma and Kagiyama far in the front, then Shun and Kazuki tied. I hope Kazuki keeps up his fantastic rise at Nationals and beyond, as I've long been into his musicality and expression (just mourning he didn't keep last year's SP or one of his more upbeat SPs), and now great jumps are there as well. ^ ^ Then there's Sota, currently stuck in the middle alone, but I am happy even for that, considering he isn't going for quad combos so likely currently cannot expect more than 250-something if clean. And then there are talented boys hot on his heels, Koshiro especially - the Warsaw FS was a little tragedy for him, but his SP shows the boys will be tied if clean. And then there's Miura coming up with his quads and speed, which the judges reward nicely so he will be challenging the former two soon. I feel sorry for Keiji; it looks like he's the weakest link there at the moment, and younger ones like Tatsuya and Sena are coming. I hope Keiji can regroup for Nationals as I like the direction in which he's been heading recently, when he's finally left classical music behind and does what he portrays best.
The list makes me hope JSF will be generous with spot alotting for February and March events. The boys outside the top 3 deserve a lot of international competitive experience to learn to battle nerves and deliver.
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Great analysis @surimi !

As I wrote in Keiji's Fan Fest, I expect him to do a lot better at Nationals, reaching a score at least closer to Sota's SB. Struggling in early season is kinda the norm for him, he tends to peak at Nats and beyond 😉

Shun and Kazuki's battle for 4th place/first alternate should be interesting. I'd say Shun has the upper hand due to higher BV and also JSF has been supporting him a bit, in line with their 'new generation' agenda. However, he does more quads than Kazuki, and more difficult ones too, and unlike Kazuki he's been close to top shape since the beginning of the season. So the challenge will be for him to keep this form and/or avoid injury.

As for the other guys, I'm hoping that Sota can do well at Nats too and get more international opportunities this season. Kao, Koshiro and the other guys (Lucas, Sena), I don't think they're quite ready to shine in the senior circuit yet, but they are super talented and will be really interesting to watch them in the next quad.

Of course, we still have one and only Yuzuru Hanyu to look forward to 🤩 he's on the entries list for Nats, really hope his recovery is going well so we can see him skate there 🙏
 

KiraraChin

Medalist
Joined
May 5, 2018
Someone could finish eighth at Nats and still be a ridiculously talented skater. The depth in the Japanese men this year is insane.
Yup, and if Kazuki had been given his rightful victory at Rostelecom, that would have meant three different Japanese guys winning 4 out of 6 GPs. Even without this, we had four Japanese guys on the podium, in 5 out of 6 GPs. And that's without Yuzuru Hanyu! 🤯
 

surimi

Onward and forward, Sota!
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 12, 2013
Kao, Koshiro and the other guys (Lucas, Sena), I don't think they're quite ready to shine in the senior circuit yet, but they are super talented and will be really interesting to watch them in the next quad.

I would actually single Koshiro out of this group :) He's not very consistent, but when he delivers two clean skates, the score will be massive I think. He gets very good PCS, and his programs are well-received this year, and rightly so. I would say he's the biggest threat to the men above him, out of the ones you listed. :)
 
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