Video 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoPIj5-cj20
T: You're from Okayama, the youngest of 4 sons. 4 siblings, is that common in your generation?
D: It's quite rare.
T: Being the youngest, were you dependent on others?
D: I was the youngest but both my parents were working so I was basically raised by my grandparents until I was in 5th grade. I was using my grandfather's arm as a pillow until then. He spoilt me.
T: Because you were spoilt, do you ever think that you had be more independent?
D: I don't know about that. I do think that I should stop relying on them, but they are always there for me, so I tend to go back to them for help.
T: You started skating because your mother thought you were diffident.
D: I didn't like to go outside, I wasn't social and I was a weakling so she wanted me to start doing some kind of a sport.
T: Look at that picture (1:16). So cute. You look like a girl at a first glance. Your father and brother do martial arts?
D: My father does Karate, and all my brothers do Shorinji Kempo.
T: And you weren't interested in that?
D: No, I wasn't receptive to that at all.
T: Your mother first took you to play ice hockey?
D: My mother is a hairdresser and one of her customers took me to see it but I was put off by the equipments so I refused.
T: And someone was figure skating at the rink then?
D: There was a girl I consider as my "big sister" who wanted to figure skate and she took me to do it and I thought it was so much fun.
T: So you thought, "this, I can do"?
D: I didn't think anything. It was like an instinct.
T: So you continued without being diffident?
D: Well, I was still crying at the beginning. I was having fun everyday but I wasn't aiming to be a skating athlete nor was I looking up to someone as a goal. I was just having fun and went to the rink whenever I had time.
(2:50)
T: You were really blessed with the people around you. Your neighbors made your costumes.
D: Yes, they helped me with costumes until the last minute before competitions and because my parents were busy, they took me to the rink and back. I couldn't do this alone.
T: So your neighborhood uncles and aunties and grandparents must be proud of you with your accomplishments.
D: I had a lot of support from a lot of people to come this far.
T: Your coach still has to tell you that you have to think that "I'm great"?
D: Yes, he tells me to have more confidence in myself but it's difficult for me. If I really felt that way, I have the tendency to become big-headed so I try not to think like that. Instead, I think that I have yet a long way to go.
T: But your coach tells you otherwise.
D: He tells me it's important to have confidence and put my level (of goals?) up.
T: So to have confidence in yourself, to have faith that you can bring yourself up to that desired level? He does have a point.
D: Yes, I think there is some truth in that.
T: But you don't like that?
D: Actually, I like to be the center of attention and I hate to lose. That part of me is coming out more now.
T: I think I can see that in your steps. You look like you're having fun.
D: And the audience enjoys it and that in turn, allows me to have fun.
T: Does your coach, Nikolai Morozov know you well and choose the music based on your character?
D: I think so. I am better at fast moves so I think he chose the music based on my strong points.
T: And you were the first to skate to the hip hop music genre?
D: I've never seen it used in a competitions but I think it's been used at exhibitions.
T: And you came in 1st. That's great. And it really tells how good your coach is too.
D: Yes, I feel like he can see through my personality.
(5:40)
T: Do you have to do your own hair and makeup?
D: Yes, I do my own eyebrows anyway, but for hair, there is nobody there to do it so I use hair gel, wax, spray before performing because hair can get messy in those 5 minutes.
T: I can imagine, with those spins and steps. But you can style it in the way you like so that's good. As for skating boots, you are very particular about them. And the boots and blades are initially separate?
D: Yes, there are preferences of what's suitable for you or not. I used to use different blades with deep curves and it was hard to jump with them. Since I changed to blades with shallower curves and bigger toes(?), my jumps have improved.
T: And you purchase them, (or they are given to you) separately and are attached together for you?
D: I go to a local skating store to get them attached. Boots only last about 3 months. The blades last about a year.
T: Obviously, the blades are attached very firmly to the boots.
D: The heels of these boots are made of plastic and the blades are are attached by long screws that are drilled in.
T: Has there ever been anyone whose blades have come off while skating?
D: There has been. Maybe not during competitions, but there has been cases where the screws have come off or the blades have snapped.
T: And the edges need to be sharpened?
D: Yes, to avoid damages to the blades. Sharpening of the edges are important. 1mm~2mm can feel very different.
T: You research and study this yourself?
D: Yes, and I make the request to have them sharpened that way.
T: The front of the blades are jagged (gizagiza). You need that part to jump. It's a crucial part of figure skating.
(8:10 she says gizagiza about 10 times it's kind of funny)
D: The size of the jagged edge differs depending on the type of blades.
T: It's looks almost like a saw. How heavy is it?
D: I think about 2kg for a pair. These boots are on the lighter side. If they're all leather, then they tend to be heavier.
T: I have a pair of shoes with 1kg weight on each shoe. So if I walk for 15 minutes, I get 30-minutes worth of exercise. When I get home and take them off, my body feels so light that I jump about 2m. You must feel that too.
D: It's surprising how light it feels when I take them off. Especially when I've had them on for a long time.
(9:40)
T: I heard that the lack of rinks to practice is becoming a problem for skaters.
D: Yes, the numbers of rinks are decreasing now. The rink in Okayama where I started skating will be closing down this year so we're petitioning to keep it open, but noone has offered to purchase it yet. Also, I heard that the rink where I used to practice in Osaka for 2 years after another rink I was initially practicing at went bankrupt, will also be closing down. The number of skaters is increasing, but the number of rinks to practice at is decreasing.
T: Are they hard to maintain?
D: Yes, the electricity and maintenance fees are enormous.
Arakawa-san was also saying that the number of rinks to practice in is worrisome.
D: The number of skaters are increasing, but the rinks are decreasing, so the skaters have very limited skating time. For me, I'm able to practice at the Kansai Univ. rink but I feel sorry for the other skaters.
T: You've been with your coach, Utako Nagamitsu, since you were small?
D: I've been with her since I was 2nd year at Junior high school. I even live with her now. She is like a parent to me and has supported me a great deal.
T: You are so lucky in so many ways.
D: I'm here because of luck and the support I've had from many people.
T: The Vancouver Olympics will be in 2 years.
D: Yes, I would like to aim for the gold medal.
T: Everyone, Daisuke Takahashi is aiming for the gold medal. Please give your support to give him strength.
so don't expect to find anything significant in it. I skipped some of the irrelevant or repetitive conversations out. Please feel free to correct for any mistakes because I'm not familiar with all the terms used in figure skating.
With 4 matches WC today, I'm sure I'll have a great time during the breaks. Hope to stay until the last game (Ivory Coast/Japan) at 8am. 
:
