2023-24 Japanese Men's Figure Skating

[rabidline]

Cool for JO to go with the 2022 JNats podium guys

I'm not shocked at Shoma not being at JO. He already said since Worlds 2023 ended that he will start his next season later, and I think in one of his members-only ojigaming stream in May, he already mentioned that he will start competing at the GP series.

 

[KiraraChin]

Kazuki Tomono and Nobunari Oda competed yesterday at the All Osaka II Championships (free skate-only). Results and protocols can be seen here: https://www.jsfresults.com/non_resp...e_top.htm,local/2023-2024/fs/27/537/index.htm

Kazuki won with a score of 147.40, and Nobu was second with 140.78.

Nobu landed a 4T!!! Amazing. Kazuki struggled with his quads but landed the two 3As in the second half of the programme. I think both of them did really well, especially considering it's still early in the season and they've both been really busy with One Piece on Ice.

After the event, Nobu confirmed he is aiming for nationals, and his next competition is Kinki regionals in early October. Kazuki is not expected to compete at Kinki as he is a seeded skater this year, and he will be doing Japan Open instead.

Here are some pictures of the two of them at yesterday's competition: https://mainichi.jp/graphs/20230826/mpj/00m/050/194000f/20230826mpj00m050176000p

Here's the very cute podium!

 

[Sai Bon]

Wow, Nobu looks amazing!

 

[yesterday]

Rio NAKATA (JPN) | Junior Men Winner | Bangkok 2023 | #JGPFigure

To license ISU footage: https://bit.ly/3M7bcaFVisit https://isu.org/JuniorGrandPrix for more information on the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating.Bangk...

www.youtube.com

so nice!
love how the two accents are mixing when he speaks

 

[KiraraChin]

Another look at the All Osaka II podium!

 

[KiraraChin]

Japanese Men's singles loses a great talent, but it's for a good cause:

 

[KiraraChin]

Following Sumitada's footsteps, it seems that Lucas will also be leaving Men singles next season in order to focus exclusively on Pairs:

 

[Weathergal]

It's exciting to see more pairs forming in Japan!

 

[Sai Bon]

Following Sumitada's footsteps, it seems that Lucas will also be leaving Men singles next season in order to focus exclusively on Pairs:

Wow, I wasn't expecting that. But good for Lucas Tsuyoshi! The more the merrier I say!!!

 

[KiraraChin]

Japanese Men hold 5 out of the top 7 highest scores of the Challenger series so far, and that's without Shoma and with Sota having a much lower score than his usual in his challenger (but he was back to his normal scoring range at regionals). We knew that before, but Japanese Nationals will be an absolute bloodbath

 

[RatedPG]

Japanese Men hold 5 out of the top 7 highest scores of the Challenger series so far, and that's without Shoma and with Sota having a much lower score than his usual in his challenger (but he was back to his normal scoring range at regionals). We knew that before, but Japanese Nationals will be an absolute bloodbath

The Japanese Men are certainly amazing! Interesting that they have slots 3-7 right now.

 

[KiraraChin]

The Japanese Men are certainly amazing! Interesting that they have slots 3-7 right now.

Yes, this is an amazing result considering that their top man (Shoma) didn't compete, and their other top man (Yuma) was not yet in full force at Lombardia. If you take into account the score Yuma got at regionals, he'd have the top spot!

 

[RatedPG]

Yes, this is an amazing result considering that their top man (Shoma) didn't compete, and their other top man (Yuma) was not yet in full force at Lombardia. If you take into account the score Yuma got at regionals, he'd have the top spot!

I watched Yuma’s performance at Regionals and was blown away. He is my fave.

 

[KiraraChin]

I watched Yuma’s performance at Regionals and was blown away. He is my fave.

Yuma is not my fave but I can't deny his scoring potential. However, neither him nor Shoma can afford to relax too much, as the other guys are super good too. Such a deep field.

 

[Flying Feijoa]

Just saw video of Nobu's FP at Kinki. Might he be the oldest person ever to still be landing quads?

It's getting less frequent now, but I love watching competitive singles skaters older than me. Makes me feel like I still have some untapped skating potential Thanks uncles and aunties!

 

[Sai Bon]

Sorry if already posted elsewhere, but Kazuki Tomono has a sponsor! Hooray!!!

第一住建グループ フィギュアスケーター 友野一希選手とパートナー契約を締結 | 【第一住建グループ】

www.d-group.co.jp

Daiichi Juken Group, a construction/real estate company.

 

[KiraraChin]

Sorry if already posted elsewhere, but Kazuki Tomono has a sponsor! Hooray!!!

第一住建グループ フィギュアスケーター 友野一希選手とパートナー契約を締結 | 【第一住建グループ】

www.d-group.co.jp

Daiichi Juken Group, a construction/real estate company.

Thank you for posting this here, I'm really happy! I fully believe that being able to train without financial worries is one of the reasons his skating has become more stable He also launched a whole range of merchandise products, so fans are also able to support him directly. Sadly they don't allow international purchases/delivery

 

[Sai Bon]

Thank you for posting this here, I'm really happy! I fully believe that being able to train without financial worries is one of the reasons his skating has become more stable He also launched a whole range of merchandise products, so fans are also able to support him directly. Sadly they don't allow international purchases/delivery

KiaraChin, I thought you already knew! It just happened to pop up in my Facebook feed. I'm delighted too. I enjoy Kazuki's skating and even his Non-No articles about baths and saunas (I have zero interest in fashion!). He's a late bloomer and such a nice guy (he has such a cute friendship with Sota and Koshiro!). He more than deserves the sponsorship.

 

[KiraraChin]

KiaraChin, I thought you already knew! It just happened to pop up in my Facebook feed. I'm delighted too. I enjoy Kazuki's skating and even his Non-No articles about baths and saunas (I have zero interest in fashion!). He's a late bloomer and such a nice guy (he has such a cute friendship with Sota and Koshiro!). He more than deserves the sponsorship.

Haha I knew, I just didn't think to post it on the main Japanese Men thread. I'm really glad you enjoy his skating and his articles, like you I'm not really a fashion or sauna person but I'm learning so much from him!
I've always thought he would be at his peak as a mature skater in the 2022-26 quad and it seems so far I was right

 

[figureskatingandrainbows]

With one GP event remaining, we have our first Japanese qualifier to the Final in Kao Miura, who skated two fantastic programs at the GP Espoo to take home the gold medal! Hot on his heels was Shun Sato, laying down a PB free skate and combined score to take the silver. He'll almost certainly be first alternate for the Final. There are two spots up for grabs at NHK, which will hopefully be taken by Shoma Uno and Yuma Kagiyama. Interestingly, while his friends and countrymen were skating today, Yuma held an open practice. He is going back to his old 2-quad SP layout, and did two clean runthroughs in front of the media and his new coach Carolina Kostner. With a little over six points separating his score from France with that of Shoma Uno's Cup of China performance, the title at NHK could be quite contentious. In fact, most of the Japanese men are performing in the same ballpark this season:

Shoma Uno: 279.98 (CoC)
Kao Miura: 274.56 (GPFin)
Shun Sato: 273.34 (GPFin)
Yuma Kagiyama: 273.14 (GPdeFr)
Kazuki Tomono: 265.78 (Nebelhorn)
Sota Yamamoto has a lower combined score, but has put out SP and FS scores that when combined will absolutely put him in contention with the men. Japanese Nationals should be a very exciting event!