Kazuki Tomono | Page 111 | Golden Skate

Kazuki Tomono

Kazuki got two GP assignments this upcoming season: Cup of China (5-7 November) and Rostelecom Cup (26-28 November)

As usual, extremely competitive fields 😵

Some positive points:

- He won't need to travel too far to attend Cup of China, which is normally a nicely organised event and the judging tends to be better than average. The Chinese fed have already shown they can organise safe events in the pandemic.
- Rostelecom is almost like a second home for him 🥰 He normally gets a lot of support from the Russian public, and good PCS from the Russian judges. Also, he will be there with his senpais Yuzuru and Keiji! That should be a fun event for him.
 
Not too easy fields for Kazuki, but well, which event isn't hard? I mean, the field at Skate Canada is impressive too... Anyway, Kazuki is good at medaling on GP circuit, so I have faith in him! :pray:
 
An interview with Kazuki in Quadruple Axel (June 23, 2021) sold by Amazon Japan and Amazon USA. Both sellers offer digital download.
Translation of Excerpts from the interview: T=Kazuki Tomono; S=Kaori Sakamoto

--When you were juniors what did you think about each other?
T: Kao-chan skated very well from the get-go. It's weird but even though she was such a great skater, I felt close.
S: Ahaha [laughter]. In our junior days, what impressed me most was that his programs had unique choreography. He was already trying quads in competition.
T: Even though I couldn’t rotate enough [laughter].
S: It’s not like that. He tried, and that's what was great about him. Back then quads were not something we girls had to try either, so I simply watched him in awe.
T: It was in Latvia (JGP Latvia) that we went to an international event together for the first time, wasn’t it?
S: Yeah, yeah, it was in Latvia and you said, “I got a leg cramp doing the opening quad.” [laughter]
T: That was my worst competition in my life.
S: I just had to cheer him on. Around that time I started feeling that he was the skater who I wanted to root for.
--As you grew up together, has the impression of each other as a skater changed?
T: I always recognized her as an amazing skater. When I went to the Junior Worlds (Taipei in 2017) together, I finally felt like I finally caught up with her. Nah, I didn’t really catch up with her, but I was happy.
S: Whenever I go to NTC (National Training Center), Kazuki is always there. He does run-thru all the time. So much so that I get worried he may have shortness of breath.
T: No, Kao-chan is the one who practices like crazy [laughter].
S: Kazuki practices a routine with music more times than me. Besides, when he practices at NTC he doesn’t always have his coach with him, right?
T: Yeah, I tend to practice by myself.
S: I am really amazed to see him practicing on his own. I heard that he also works out a lot off the ice, and I felt like he was staking his life on skating.
T: No, no, Kao-chan is more committed! Kao-chan works harder than me [laughter].
S: Not really!
T: You were giving it your all when you did pull-ups. Besides, Kao-chan always runs outside around the rink!
S: Hahaha [laughter]
T: When Kao-chan was not doing well at practice, I happened to see outside and I saw her jogging. I asked her, “What are you doing?” and she said, “I’ve been running,” and I thought “Wow!”
--Sakamoto senshu, do you know a side of him we've never seen.
S: Currently Kanku (Ice Arena) is designated as NTT and he sees other skaters like Yuma (Kagiyama)-kun jump quads right and left, and probably feeling competitive, he pressures himself to jump quads. When good skaters are around, he keeps up with them. He makes extra effort when it comes to practice. He is just amazing.
T: I usually practice on my own, so it is difficult to see clearly how my technical level stacks up against others. When I watch Yuma-kun and Shoma-kun practice, I realize that I am not thorough enough. When it comes to jumps particularly, I believe I will definitely improve if I aim for the great jumps everybody else is going for. I am pushing myself hard to jump as many times as I can.

-- to be cont'd -
 
Thanks, rRainbow! I've read that there will be a (paid) stream, so hopefully we'll get some videos :pray:
Since Yuma is participating, Kazuki will have to be at his absolute best in order to have a chance to get this year's Gensan Summer Cup's first place beef prize 🥩🍖
I wonder if he encouraged Yuma to participate in order to have this extra challenge from the get-go, considering what he said in the interview with Kaori that he gets motivated when he's around other quadsters. A couple of years ago, when Sota also participated in the Gensan Summer Cup, Kazuki got extra motivated and did really well ☺️
 
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I am hoping for photos at least :) The copyright holders are likely to go after the videos. The Japanese channels made a disappointing U-turn in the last few years. A few years back, there were so many Nationals videos and interviews on YT. These days, when it comes to Nats, I always find deleted links and no other ones (been updating Keiji's fanfest video table recently, so I know). They're really shooting themselves in the foot by not promoting their skaters like this.
Good luck to Kazuki at Gensan, I'll be cheering for him!
 
Part 2

--Such a situation seems to inspire Sakamoto senshu as well.
T: Kao-chan also jumps like crazy with us guys.
S: When I see boys jump I feel like I can jump as well. It makes me want to try. When that happens, I sometimes give it a try.
--You go for the 4T and 3A?
S: I’m working on the 4T. I’m too scared of the 3A. No matter how hard I try, I still get cold feet.
T: I bet you can do it.
S: No, I’m really scared. I wonder how they fight their fears, and I’d much prefer to jump quads.
T: Trying a quad is incredible in and of itself
--Are you also training other types of jump?
S: I’m working on the 4Loop, and I sometimes rotate well enough. But a loop jump requires a quick rotation of the right foot for the take off, so if you jump too many times you may injure your foot.
T: I know what you mean. The loop jump tends to abuse the right foot big time. But Kao-chan’s 4Loop is coming along nicely. Anyhow, you jump the 2A with such great speed. Still, you are so scared of the 3A?
S: Yup! It’s as scary as a roller coaster ride. Nope, compared to a 3A, a roller coaster ride is not scary at all.
T: When you are on, your training goes very well. I have a feeling you can do it soon.
S: I cannot imagine myself landing the 3A. I can try quads with all my strength, though.
--I’ve also heard from male skaters that quads are easier to jump than the 3A. You’ve just talked about jumps, but now I would like to ask you what you find impressive about each other’s skating.
T: I think people associate Sakamoto senshu with jumps, but I have the impression that Kao-chan is expressive. I first thought her SP this season “Bach a la Jazz” was a difficult one, but with each practice she got better and better, and towards the end she brought her artistic presentation to perfection and it was super cool. Am I praising her too much? Am I gonna get into trouble? [laughter]
S: Sounds too good to be true [laughter].
T: Besides, during the senior camp we did compulsory figure drills, and Kao-chan had a little trouble with the lessons.
S: I’m not good at it.
T: Yet, after about two months I saw her do it and she was very good. So I said to her, “You’ve got really better!” and she told me that she practiced a lot, and I was very much impressed.
S: Hehehe [laughter], I worked so hard.
T: I like Kao-chan’s skating. It has an impact and a strong presence, as it was built through repeated practice. When it comes to expressing emotions, she also makes it her own with a lot of effort and brings out a quality program. I think Kao-chan’s strong point is no matter what music is given to her, she tackles it and brings the program to completion. Now, tell me positive things about me!
S: Ahaha [laughter]. Kazuki practices crossover and other basic skating skills on his own for about one hour even when no other senshu is around. No one else can practice basic skating skills for so long at a time, and I am not good at it either. So, it is great that he practices that way.
T: Actually, I enjoy doing it [laughter].
S: That’s why he glides incredibly fast. Apart from that, he can skate to various genres of music. And on top of that he absolutely brings the program to the level where people feel “Ah, this is Kazuki’s music.” His power is amazing. Particularly, when I listen to “Moulin Rouge” it reminds me of Kazuki.
T: I’m glad to hear that.
S: He can also do well with slow paced music such as “New Cinema Paradise” and I don’t know the title of the music [showing him dance moves]] but what is it?
T: “The Hardest Button to Button.”
S: Yeah, yeah, he gave a distinctive aura with that one. Also, “An American in Paris” is good.
T: That music gave me a chance to become a mature skater. It was a good program and I like it too. My favorite program by Kao-chan is this season’s “Matrix.” Just between you and me, last season I was thinking, “Come on, you can pack more punch.”
S: Ahaha [laughter].

- to be cont'd -
 
Thanks for the translation! The 4lo sounds crazy difficult o_o Both Kaori and Kazuki can do a lot of music, I agree!
Btw if Kazuki says 'Kao-chan', he's speaking of Kaori, and if he said 'Kao-kun', he'd be speaking of Miura, right?
 
Part 3

--Is there anything you two think you can do absolutely better than the other?
T: [shaking his head vigorously] Nada! If I had to give an answer, I can land quads and 3A... . Aside from that, I can entertain the audience with my comical expressions, perhaps?
S: He is really great at it!
T: Playful performance is my strength.
S: What I think is, ummm, probably jump distance. What can I say? Sorry [laughter]!
T: That’s okay. I admit I suck real bad at triples. Tell you what. Kao-chan’s performance indicator in competition is weird.
S: At Kinki, West Japan, and also at the Nationals, I wanted to figure out where I would place if I were a male skater [laughter].
T: Hey, that’s the measure you use, but there you go!
S: However, at the West Japan sectionals I paid too much attention to it (competing against men) and I made some mistakes, so overthinking is not good. I’d better take it easy.
T: It’s Kao-chan whom I’ve been competing against! At each competition I was like, “She beat me again.” [laughter]
S: You said that at Kokutai too.
T: The moment I popped a quad I thought, “Well, I lost to her.” [laughter] Actually, seeing Kao-chan compete at that level motivates me. She has been so invincible this season. She is good at not only jumps but also at spins.
S: When it comes to spins, Kazuki is faster.
T: No, Kao-chan’s layback spin is awesome. It’s super fast and your back flexibility is insane. When Mai-chan and I together watched you practice, I said, “Kao-chan’s layback spin is stunning. That’s so sick,” and Mai-chan, too, said “Kao-chan’s layback spin is incredible!”
--Sakamoto senshu’s layback spin is the highlight of the program. Speaking of programs, I would like to know if you have decided on your programs, since next season will be very important for both of you.
T: I don’t know about Kao-chan’s programs.
S: Actually, not yet clear at the moment. The schedule for choreography sessions is not set yet, either. To be honest, I feel rushed now.
--Are you planning to get a new SP or LP?
S: I’m going to get new programs for both the short and the free. Usually in April and May I get choreographed for each program, but now it’s mid May already but I don’t know what music to skate to.
--Is Benoit Richaud sensei selecting the music for you?
S: Before the World Team Trophy, Benoit sensei told me that he found the music for my short, and he sent me the music after the competition. It was a movie soundtrack but the movie is not well known and I didn’t get the title of the music.
T: Because next year is the Olympic season, you may want to use straightforward tactics with a warhorse, but you also want to express your uniqueness. It’s hard to find the right balance, isn’t it. That’s why I am having a hard time deciding on a short.
S: What are you going to do for your short?
T: Not decided yet. I want to use “New Cinema Paradise” which I skated to in the 2018-19 season once again. I am talking to Hiraike sensei about it.
S: Your LP music is fun, so it may be a good idea to use a different type of music piece?
T: I guess so.
--I understand Tomono senshu’s free is “La La Land.” Is it Misha Ge sensei’s idea?
T: No, it was my first time suggesting the music. When the movie “La La Land” came out, it just hit me, “Ah, this is the music for me!” [laughter] And I was determined to use it but it was already used by many skaters. Taichiro (Yamakuma)’s program was very good, and Han Yan and Marin (Honda) skated to it. Therefore, I was thinking of using it for the Olympic season’s program. Then, I talked to Misha about it and he told me that I was a perfect fit for the music, and we decided on it right away. I gave my input to the music editing for the first time. “La La Land” is a little sad story in the end, but I wanted to put my own positive spin on it and liven up the ending, so I discussed it with Misha and got the music edited. Later Misha said, “You’ve got yourself ‘La La Land’ for Kazuki” and it turned out to be the one I’m completely satisfied with.

- to be cont'd to the last -
 
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surimi said:
Btw if Kazuki says 'Kao-chan', he's speaking of Kaori, and if he said 'Kao-kun', he'd be speaking of Miura, right?
Click to expand...
Yes, he addresses Kaori as Kao-chan. Here's one of the passages of this interview I previously left out.
T: I call her "Kao-chan" because everybody addresses her as "Kao-chan."
S: Boys usually do that.
一希 僕はみんなが「かおちゃん」って 呼んでいるから「かおちゃん」。
花織 男子はだいたいそうだよね。

When he says "Kao-kun" he refers to Kao Miura, as "kun" is informal and mostly used for males.
 
Thank you so much, rRainbow! Really interesting insight about Kazuki's music choices. Even if they are not my fave, it's important that he's skating to the music he wants in the Olympic season, and even getting involved in the music editing!
 
The Last Part:

--I see yours is the happy ending version of “La La Land.”
T: That’s right. Since the music flows smoothly, I want to skate to it in a breezy manner. The music is edited to be jazzy.
--I cannot wait to see your completed program. What is Sakamoto-senshu’s LP going to look like?
S: So far, many of my LP music pieces have been movie soundtracks such as “Amélie”, “Piano Lesson” and “Matrix.” The beauty of these selections is that they are well known tracks but rarely used in figure skating. Having said that, I very much want to go in the opposite direction and use a warhorse next season. I’m talking with my coaches and collecting my thoughts.
--I’m looking forward to your new music. You two have been choreographed by foreign choreographers. How do you feel about it?
S: Benoit sensei instructs me from A to Z.
T: He has a clear choreography concept.
S: He can visualize the complete form he desires, so whenever my move goes off the track even a little bit, he catches and corrects it, like my fingers should be held together instead of spread apart, and adjustments are made in millimeters.
T: Misha is like that. He has a solid worldview of the program. In that situation, I want to learn his choreography but at the same time I also want to make it my own, which is pretty difficult to do, though.
S: Yeah, I know what you mean.
K: That’s why I want to challenge myself with “New Cinema Paradise” again. In the season the program debuts, no matter how hard I try I cannot completely make it my own. As the seasons go by, I become able to show my individuality. But I don’t like it when I am told that my program is Misha style, because I want to make it my own. The choreographer has his own completion image of a program, but I think I should do more than just learning and completing his choreography.
S: I’m also trying very hard to show my uniqueness. At the time I did “Amélie” (2017-18), though, I and Mai-chan were among the few choreographed by Benoit sensei, so people often told me that my programs were very unique.
T: It’s tough to display your originality, isn’t it.
S: But Benoit sensei’s choreography changed the concept of artistic presentation in figure skating quite a lot.
T: Amazing. His style has become standard. Incredible for sure.
S: Ironically, these days it is hard to be distinctive, so I’m thinking that if I can get the program that I want to do, I may be able to show a little different side of me.
--I’m looking forward to your new programs. What are your goals next season?
S: Podium finish at the Olympics.
T: That’s so cool. I also want to go to the Olympics, but in addition to that, I also want to make next season the best season ever in my life.

- The End -
 
Thank you again, rRainbow! This interview is so interesting, I loved what Kazuki said about trying to make the programmes his own. I am now looking forward to seeing a new version of New Cinema Paradiso!
 
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DOI broadcast from yesterday's morning show, Kazuki's La La Land at 46min: https://vk.com/video-19978335_456240807
I had seen fans on Twitter saying he looks more mature in La La Land, and after watching it, I see what they mean... up to the very final bit when he becomes an energetic kid again 😆

Yesterday afternoon and today he performed New Cinema Paradiso, here's the StSq from yesterday's show: https://twitter.com/KazukiGIFs/status/1413811410425942022 I must say, I wanted a new programme for him, although I can't help but being blown away by his speed and flow compared to a few seasons ago! His SS improved so much 🤯
 
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