Although fun, there is no point in speculating on which girls will make the Olympics. There are 5 or 6 with a legitimate chance. It will just come down to who is in good form and handles the pressure at Nationals. Of course judging bias could be a factor, so doing well in the Grand Prix season is important to get on their good side as much as you can. However, because of the judging bias, it would be hard to see Kaori not making it. Unless she totally falls apart, which is unlikely, you would need a healthy, good Rika, and an on fire Wakaba, Rino, and or Mana, all hitting multiple 3As to knock Kaori off the podium, maybe.
2021-22 Japanese Women's Figure Skating
- Thread starter cohkaix
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Thank you very much, nobody troubled to share it on YT and honestly don't know why, it's a great program and Satoko did a good job.
Looking through protocols I was sure Satoko made a lot of major mistakes, but no, she didn't. So can anybody explain me her marks for jumps? I understand -5 for a fall, but she got also from four judges -5 for the combination 3F-2T-2Lo what is a bit strange... The same is with -3 for 2A+3T and -2 for 3Lo. I mean everybody knows she's not a jumper but what measure Japanese judges have to judge her like that? Is it a sort of a game among them to discourage Satoko from competing?
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- Feb 3, 2021
Rino is a beautiful skater. Really enjoyed her. So good to see Mana doing well. Always been a fan of her skating. Wakaba not really into her style or music but she looks like she is really regaining her form. Happy for her. Kaori I love her . That fall lol. She is always smiling at herself!! Got to love her personality. Really missing seeing the Japanese women. Such big expansive and explosive skaters. Gorgeous to watch. I wish them all good luck for this season. 
❤
❤She was given a (!) and a 'q' on the 3F, and also a '<' on the 2Lo, so they gave her the GOE deductions associated with those.
She had a problem on the landing on the +3T.
I enjoy Mana's skating but I'm not quite sure if she's ready for senior international skating yet. The JSF should try to send her last year for more international competition. Only one skate Canada is too little. And also the short program. She's not able to catch the speed of Winter yet. It's a lot messier compared to the FS which she has used for a second seasons. I think Rino almost guarantee a spot for Olympics because JSF really need to invest a consistent and reliable female skater for the new cycle. I haven't seen Rika. I think Rika might very likely to get a spot if nothing major happen but I heard she hadn't fully recovered and the FS is really... I think Kaori/Wakaba might fight for the last one. Satoko is less likely I'm afraid. Man, there will be a lot of tears in Japan National again ToT
JSF will go with top 3 from Nats almost certainly, as they usually do. It will be decided on the ice for the most part, although Im sure the scoring will favor some, which can make a difference if close. But none of the women have accomplished enough to get special treatment, unless someone dominates the Grand Prix season, which doesn't seem likely against the Russians.
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- Mar 22, 2018
My favorite programs from this competition
1- Mana Kawabe: I couldn't take my eyes off her, she was incredible, wt* with those low PCS ridiculous, she skates with so much power and speed that you forget it's a competition and her skating skills are magnificient
2- Wakaba Higuchi: that 3A its just amazing! So happy to see her enjoying her program as it should be, she looks strong, deserved a better score on PCS
3- Rino Matsuike: the way she moves, the edges she has, the effortless jumps, the spins, what a skater, I hope she lands the triple axel clean soon coz everything else is fantastic
4- Kaori Sakamoto: wut?
I didn't count Satoko and Mai coz there are no videos of them but their programs must be better than Kaori's for sure
1- Mana Kawabe: I couldn't take my eyes off her, she was incredible, wt* with those low PCS ridiculous, she skates with so much power and speed that you forget it's a competition and her skating skills are magnificient
2- Wakaba Higuchi: that 3A its just amazing! So happy to see her enjoying her program as it should be, she looks strong, deserved a better score on PCS
3- Rino Matsuike: the way she moves, the edges she has, the effortless jumps, the spins, what a skater, I hope she lands the triple axel clean soon coz everything else is fantastic
4- Kaori Sakamoto: wut?
I didn't count Satoko and Mai coz there are no videos of them but their programs must be better than Kaori's for sure
So, finally commenting on the PCS, now that I watched all the programs.
Kaori Sakamoto: This program is an utter joke. Only the steps make some lick of sense. She deserves MUCH better, and I hope she goes back to Piano or Amelie. I don't think she even understands what she's supposed to be doing, and Richaud would do well to change his process and actually take his skater's input before giving them something like this. And maybe don't cram the step sequences and two spins after all the jumps are done in a blatant attempt to score backloading bonuses and improving consistency, if you want to go all high concept artiste~~~~~~~~~.
Satoko Miyahara: So I don't even think this is a great program, but you can already see how much more purpose the jump layout has, and how much more attention Satoko pays to each position and movement compared to Kaori. Which isn't even a knock against Kaori because she's actually done that before with a program that isn't crap. But because the choreographer actually cared, the impression is much better. I appreciate the steps a lot here, because she really explodes at times, instead of giving the careful, precise, practiced Miyahara she does best, but the choreography of it could still be better and dampens that impression. And comparing it to Kwan's E Lucevan le Stelle, it becomes obvious that section has so many unnecessary moves. Don't think she really managed to show here just how far beyond her SS are to the rest of the field, but that's okay, she will. And I do think this, when she's on, will take the top slot of the Japanese ladies LPs.
Rino Matsuike: Amazing skater, with good skating skills, nice spins... jumps are nice enough, with good landing positions and so much flow. Actually, I thought the woman crooning in the background and her moving to the cadence of the music so well made it somewhat of a hypnotizing performance. She really completes a lot of her moves, like that arm movement in that slide she did. Good skater. Program made no sense (though some nice moments), but she performed the heck out of it.
Mana Kawabe: I didn't get the program, although it picks up a bit with the chanting. She has nice skating skills and jumps, but I think she can use a bit more work with the performance aspects (definitely not bad by any means, just could work a bit more). Something very energetic, engaging, and natural about her at times that I really appreciate.
Wakaba Higuchi: This seems like such an outdated program for her. I don't need this "Olympic moment" "victorious music" nonsense. This isn't the early 00s when Yagudin did Man in the Iron Mask (and he's cancelled anyway) or late 80s where I don't even have a snarky comment to make (except about Brian Orser's shirt in the 1988 technical program)(also, never watch his 1987 LP), because no one cares about the late 80s, the 90s are really where it's at for skating, anyway... speaking of late 80s, though. Wakaba should steal Midori's 1988 programs. They are perfect for her strength, the energy, the joy, her footwork in the SP would be amazing. They even had transitions, and are probably two of the very few programs from the 80s that don't make me want to drown myself (Katarina Witt had some too)(Lu Chen was a baby still though).
Kaori Sakamoto: This program is an utter joke. Only the steps make some lick of sense. She deserves MUCH better, and I hope she goes back to Piano or Amelie. I don't think she even understands what she's supposed to be doing, and Richaud would do well to change his process and actually take his skater's input before giving them something like this. And maybe don't cram the step sequences and two spins after all the jumps are done in a blatant attempt to score backloading bonuses and improving consistency, if you want to go all high concept artiste~~~~~~~~~.
Satoko Miyahara: So I don't even think this is a great program, but you can already see how much more purpose the jump layout has, and how much more attention Satoko pays to each position and movement compared to Kaori. Which isn't even a knock against Kaori because she's actually done that before with a program that isn't crap. But because the choreographer actually cared, the impression is much better. I appreciate the steps a lot here, because she really explodes at times, instead of giving the careful, precise, practiced Miyahara she does best, but the choreography of it could still be better and dampens that impression. And comparing it to Kwan's E Lucevan le Stelle, it becomes obvious that section has so many unnecessary moves. Don't think she really managed to show here just how far beyond her SS are to the rest of the field, but that's okay, she will. And I do think this, when she's on, will take the top slot of the Japanese ladies LPs.
Rino Matsuike: Amazing skater, with good skating skills, nice spins... jumps are nice enough, with good landing positions and so much flow. Actually, I thought the woman crooning in the background and her moving to the cadence of the music so well made it somewhat of a hypnotizing performance. She really completes a lot of her moves, like that arm movement in that slide she did. Good skater. Program made no sense (though some nice moments), but she performed the heck out of it.
Mana Kawabe: I didn't get the program, although it picks up a bit with the chanting. She has nice skating skills and jumps, but I think she can use a bit more work with the performance aspects (definitely not bad by any means, just could work a bit more). Something very energetic, engaging, and natural about her at times that I really appreciate.
Wakaba Higuchi: This seems like such an outdated program for her. I don't need this "Olympic moment" "victorious music" nonsense. This isn't the early 00s when Yagudin did Man in the Iron Mask (and he's cancelled anyway) or late 80s where I don't even have a snarky comment to make (except about Brian Orser's shirt in the 1988 technical program)(also, never watch his 1987 LP), because no one cares about the late 80s, the 90s are really where it's at for skating, anyway... speaking of late 80s, though. Wakaba should steal Midori's 1988 programs. They are perfect for her strength, the energy, the joy, her footwork in the SP would be amazing. They even had transitions, and are probably two of the very few programs from the 80s that don't make me want to drown myself (Katarina Witt had some too)(Lu Chen was a baby still though).
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Does anyone know how Rika is doing? She is the biggest wildcard right now. To me, the dream Olympic team for Japan would be Rika 100% healthy with 3As and quads, Wakaba with 3A and consistency, and Rino with 3A. Each one of those are reasonable, although all 3 are not likely. But if that did work out, they would really push the Russians and crush the Americans and Koreans. Gotta keep my fingers crossed. Lol
We'll know at Asian Open, if she doesn't withdraw.
If Satoko takes the top spot for the Japanese ladies, then the Olympics will be a disaster. Satoko is a beautiful skater, but she jumps like she is in the 1990's. That won't work anymore.
I meant she has the best long program of the Japan ladies...
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- Jan 25, 2013
Dave is nuts.. that’s not tea, that just a freaking fact boo. Rika should be on the Olympic team - heads, shoulders, hand down.
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- Jan 25, 2013
Satoko is artistically one of the best but her technical is currently terrible and not Olympics worthy.
Satoko needs the Kostner treatment from the judges, unfortunately Kaori is getting it, at least at home.
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- Jan 25, 2013
Dream Olympic team? Are we talking about who is getting that Olympic pewter?
Also I am SO freaking disappointed with y’all counting out Liza after she won a damn World silver.
Place some real money against Liza -let’s see.
I said Dream Team for Japan.
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- Jan 19, 2021
Can someone explain to me what's going on in Japan? Yesterday was the Japan open, where they just did long programs? And it was a competition, but only with Japanese skaters? But todat there's Carnival on Ice? Is that just like a show for short programs?
Either way, though the jumps werent there, I loved Mana's SP step sequence so much I went back and watched it twice. Thats how you skate to winter!
Either way, though the jumps werent there, I loved Mana's SP step sequence so much I went back and watched it twice. Thats how you skate to winter!
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