Kazuki Tomono

[KiraraChin]

Your translation is correct :agree:
My interpretation, though, was more like Tomono-kun being really impressed, not as a senpai (to praise his kohai) but as a skater (to praise one of his rivals)

Yes, I see what you mean, Tsurara! But I still think Kazuki was being supportive, not with the words per se, but by praising Yuma publicly (and he started following Yuma as well). I would imagine it made Yuma very happy

THANK YOU FOR THE TRANSLATION, TSURARA! :luv17:
This first article with the three of them seems quite different from the more recent one. I loved the description of Kazuki as 'chibi' and 'the king of steps' - he hasn't changed a thing, it seems!
Also, I had no idea he had the same routine as both SP and FS in the early days!

 

[Tsurara]

Yes, I see what you mean, Tsurara! But I still think Kazuki was being supportive, not with the words per se, but by praising Yuma publicly (and he started following Yuma as well). I would imagine it made Yuma very happy

THANK YOU FOR THE TRANSLATION, TSURARA! :luv17:
This first article with the three of them seems quite different from the more recent one. I loved the description of Kazuki as 'chibi' and 'the king of steps' - he hasn't changed a thing, it seems!
Also, I had no idea he had the same routine as both SP and FS in the early days!

You know what I really love about sharing my translations here in this thread? It's to hear your thoughts! Sometimes you point out what I didn't notice or think of otherwise. You all rock!

Actually Shu-kun said Prince of steps 'Prince of ~/～王子(~ouji)' was a thing before (different from Prince of Tennis), like Prince of Handkerchief (a baseball player who always carried a handkerchief), Prince of Shyness (a shy golf player), and so on, and media enjoyed making up new Prince of Something out of young athletes and people were kinda mocking the phrase.
Btw, just a warning, 'chibi' can be quite rude and please avoid using it in normal conversations unless you're talking about chibi-chara anime. (They're close enough to laugh it out.)

More is coming!

 

[Tsurara]

【Ice Skating】KanSpo×Atom Collaboration Project: Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-Season Part 1~
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24279

2/2 of Part 1


―Your childhood memories?
H: Those 3 combos at JGP series. I did 3-jump combo twice.
T: Ahhh!
H: Shu-kun and I were together at this JGP round, we were about the same level and in decent rivalry then. But I did this 3 combo twice in Free and got zero point. (Only one 3-jump combo is allowed in Free due to the ISU rule.) {Prior to 2016, an entire combo with REP was invalidated.}
N: I was the next skater after Taichi. You know how sensei usually stays with the skater together to wait for the score after a performance? But then, (Hamada) sensei returned before Taichi's score was announced.
H: You can still find a video on Youtube to see her disappearing from the screen while I was still performing. [laugh]
N: That was just so funny. [laugh]
H: Shu-kun was with Takeshi (Honda) sensei (then).
T: Ah.
N: It was when we weren't in the same team yet. {Shu switched from Team Nagamitsu to Team Hamada in 2016.}
H: It was quite funny that (Hamada sensei) got pissed off and left...
N: That was so funny.
T: Shu-kun had a good result?
N: It wasn't bad.

T: Childhood memory... Speaking of JGP, I remember that selection {JSF's test skate for JGP} that I tried out in my first year. I was talking with Shu-kun, and... were there 14 spots or so back then?
N: Yeah.
T: So, everyone could participate in JGP back then, right? Just simple math and everyone could. Shu-kun said something like "I'm sure everyone can enter, yeah, no worry!" And I was like, "Oh okay, then I can enter too! No hustle," and I failed (the test skate). [laugh] Worse yet, (I failed) 2 more years in a row. [laugh]
N: Wait a min, that sounds like it was my fault. [laugh]
T: I've got loads of memories of struggling for 2 more years... Now let's see, my memory with Taichi...
H: Kazuki, you were late with doubles, weren't you.
T: Hmm?
H: Didn't it take you long to jump a double?
T: Did it?
H: It took you long (time) untill you managed a double axel.
T: Yeah, it did. I was like 2nd year in Novice and...
H: Nobeyama camp (JSF summer camp for novice skaters 'to discover promising young athletes')... As a general rule of thumb, male skaters meet up in Nobeyama camp and become friends since we're little, but Kazuki had never been to Nobeyama camp.
T: Because I never joined one...
H: Because you didn't have 'kyu(級)' {skating level grade}.
T: Right. Watanabe Junya-kun (Kwansei Gakuin Univ) was training at the same rink as I was, and I was secretly (admiring him and others who could join the camp) like, it's awesome that they all get to join Nobeyama.
H: Basically, it is sort of customary for us to make friends at Nobeyama camp, but Kazuki...
T: I got no friends. [laugh]
H: I didn't make that many though.
T: Normal young skaters in Novice, so...
H: So, you couldn't do jumps, you only danced.
T: You suddenly got better (at skating skills) and I was wondering like, wasn't he about the same (level) as me before? (how did he get better all of a sudden?) What's more, I think I had beaten you in my 2nd Novice B year...
H: Right.
T: As soon as I moved up to Novice A and in my first year, you suddenly got darn so good. But we weren't together (entering the same competitions) in that year, were we?
H: Because you're one year older by skating age.
T: Taichi was in Novice B then, but he got so much better and I was like "What!?" Then the next year (when Taichi moved up to Novice A) I was simply like, "Honda Taichi-kun... I can't beat him, I can't..."
H: I improved dramatically after I switched to Team Hamada.
T: So, my childhood memory with Taichi was that I was surprised by his sudden improvement. With Shu-kun, we were out of childhood already. [laugh] It's still recent.
N: We weren't little when we got to know each other anyways.
T: Exactly. Even with Taichi, we weren't so little either by the time we started talking a lot. It was after we moved up to Juniors. So, my memories are mostly from Junior years. With either of them. Well, I've never been to Nobeyama in the first place anyways! {jokingly}

Photo
▲Candid photo taken during shooting for the top photo

―What is Nobeyama camp like?
T: (It's for) promising Novice skaters... well, at that time, most boys were allowed to join though...
H: Now it's difficult to pass the preliminary, but anyways, young skaters gather in summer, and lately they even invite special guest teachers from abroad...
H: You know, basically there aren't too many male figure skaters.
T: As long as you have 'kyu' (grades) (you could join).
H: It's not like anyone can join, but it's generally seen as common practice for male skaters.
T: You could go with 4 kyu and higher for Novice B, or 5+ for Novice A.
H: At that time, getting required 'kyu' was easier for boys than girls, too.
T: That's right.
H: Like, 6 kyu for girls and 5 kyu for boys (required to attend the camp for Novice A).
T: But I was 'hetakuso' (so I couldn't).
N: Wait, I had 4 kyu only.
H: You used to be able to join with 4 kyu. In Shu-kun's days, you could even join it for 5 years.
T: Yeah, that's right. And I was 'hetakuso' and didn't have 'kyu'.
H: You're one of the very few who hadn't been to Nobeyama, Kazuki.
T: I heard Daichi-kun (Miyata) hadn't been either.
N: Really.
H: Nor Sei-kun (Sei Kawahara) and some others.
N: Is that so?
T: But as for Sei-kun...
H: He started skating in Novice age.
N: Like when he was in 6th grade, right?
T: It would be godly if he could join Nobeyama (when he started late).

This is the end of Part 1!

【Project run and structured? by 宮西美紅 and 名倉幸, Photo by 川田翼】
(not sure how to read their names, but just for the sake of credit, copied their kanji names.)

Photo of Shu Nakamura
◇中村優（なかむら・しゅう）
Born on September 6, 1996. {He's 21 by skating age.}
From Hokkaido. 4th year in Kansai Univ. (as of 2018 summer)

Photo of Kazuki Tomono
◇友野一希（ともの・かずき）
Born on May 15, 1998. {He's 20 by skating age.}
From Osaka. 2nd year in Doshisha Univ. (as of 2018 summer)

Photo of Taichi Honda
◇本田太一（ほんだ・たいち）
Born on August 2, 1998. {He's 19 by skating age.}
From Kyoto. 2nd year in Kansai Univ. (as of 2018 summer)

I'll work on Part 2 by Doshisha Atom on my next day-off.
http://doshisha-atom.net/web/result.php?no=2163

---
ETA
To avoid confusion, I corrected some and now adding more notes.
- 'hetakuso' means 'terrible (like s***) at something' but I couldn't come up with a good translation for it except for bad words.
- Nobeyama camp takes place in summer, only for several days, and only once a year, and JSF's selection for JGP takes place only once a year too, but for some reason, they count them by years in Japanese and say, '~years' instead of '~times'. So when they say 'you used to be able to attend the camp for 5 years', they mean 'you used to be able to attend the camp for 5 times'. It doesn't mean their camp last for a whole season. When Tomono-kun said "I failed 2 more years", he meant he failed 3 times in a row.
- The highest 'kyu' is 8, and they all have 7 kyu (maybe 8... not sure) now, I believe. (boo I lied and corrected.)
- They're talking in Kansai dialect and using slang. Trying to translate them accurately would mean quite a few no-good words, and I avoided doing so because of the forum guideline, and some wording may not fit well... but hope I managed to get them across to you anyways.

 

[KiraraChin]

You know what I really love about sharing my translations here in this thread? It's to hear your thoughts! Sometimes you point out what I didn't notice or think of otherwise. You all rock!

Actually Shu-kun said Prince of steps 'Prince of ~/～王子(~ouji)' was a thing before (different from Prince of Tennis), like Prince of Handkerchief (a baseball player who always carried a handkerchief), Prince of Shyness (a shy golf player), and so on, and media enjoyed making up new Prince of Something out of young athletes and people were kinda mocking the phrase.
Btw, just a warning, 'chibi' can be quite rude and please avoid using it in normal conversations unless you're talking about chibi-chara anime. (They're close enough to laugh it out.)

More is coming!

and we love reading your translations, Tsurara! :luv17:
Thanks for the heads up re: 'prince' and 'chibi'!
Chibi means 'small' right? I had no idea it could be rude!
In any case, the description of Kazuki as being small, a crowd pleaser and the 'prince of steps' seems accurate to me even these days! I'm glad he managed to improve his levels and jumps a little bit, though

【Ice Skating】KanSpo×Atom Collaboration Project: Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-Season Part 1~
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24279

2/2 of Part 1

THANK YOU SO MUCH for this, honestly. So many things about Kazuki that I didn't know!
So he never got to attend the Nobeyama camp and failed to get JGP spots even when there were plenty of them... and now he's one of Japan's main men at senior level. It makes me admire him even more, his development has been incredible.

Also, even without attending the Nobeyama camp he managed to forge some great friendships with fellow skaters. That's also an impressive achievement! He is so amazing

 

[Tsurara]

Chibi means 'small' right? I had no idea it could be rude!

Chibi can mean 'small' or 'short' when used as an adjective, but it's not a common usage in daily life. When used as a noun to describe a person (the most common usage), it can be insulting. Ever watched FMA? Of course it's a hyperbolic case and it's anime, but you get the idea

And I agree, these articles by Atom and Kanspo are filled with gems. It's a shame I'm not fully confident about some of their lines.

I was watching this video↓ earlier today where Wayne McGregor talked about Chroma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zswDHita_c
Freedom from White? Reducing elements to the purest form? Zen-like space? So, is it like, skating freely on the white and zen-like ice rink?
Zen is actually the last word I'd connect to Tomono-kun (sorry, Tomono-kun! :dev3, but it sounds like a real contemporary art and interesting. I wonder how Phillip Mills interprets this concept into a figure skating performance. And I can't yet imagine how the costume will be like at all :scratch3:

 

[KiraraChin]

Chibi can mean 'small' or 'short' when used as an adjective, but it's not a common usage in daily life. When used as a noun to describe a person (the most common usage), it can be insulting. Ever watched FMA? Of course it's a hyperbolic case and it's anime, but you get the idea

Oh, I've seen FMA! Thanks, Tsurara, I see what you mean now

I was watching this video↓ earlier today where Wayne McGregor talked about Chroma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zswDHita_c
Freedom from White? Reducing elements to the purest form? Zen-like space? So, is it like, skating freely on the white and zen-like ice rink?
Zen is actually the last word I'd connect to Tomono-kun (sorry, Tomono-kun! :dev3, but it sounds like a real contemporary art and interesting. I wonder how Phillip Mills interprets this concept into a figure skating performance. And I can't yet imagine how the costume will be like at all :scratch3:

This video is fascinating! I like how they use words like 'colour' and 'temperature' to talk about dance. I think it's probably unrealistic to expect Kazuki's SP to be as sophisticated as the original piece, but I'm also very curious to see how/if they adapt the concept!

In other news, Kazuki has a new picture on his university's figure skating club page: http://dfsc.sakura.ne.jp/dfsc/club_buin.html
His hair is looking... interesting... in the pic. I wonder what AQFS will think of it

 

[surimi]

^ huh, looks like.. brown highlights? Kazuki's face looks thinnish to me in that photo, I hope he's eating properly
Thanks for the translation, Tsurara! I already know 'kyuu' because that's how language exam levels are graded as well, but 'heta(erm)' was new for me. Is it very bad that I end up remembering the impolite words first? It sounds like a very fitting description for my speaking level actually, but I don't suppose it's a word I should use for it in my class? (not that there's any other student, and sensei is a guy, but the word sounds like a bit too much still?)

@ Kirara - sorry, just realized I'd forgotten to reply to your PM question about Kazuki and him moving to special - no, it's nothing that's been confirmed, unfortunately. Just some rumors I've seen on the internet among the Japanese fans. But it would be cool if they were correct! Does anyone have any info on the likelihood of Kazuki getting his Special status back after the June meeting?

 

[Tsurara]

In other news, Kazuki has a new picture on his university's figure skating club page: http://dfsc.sakura.ne.jp/dfsc/club_buin.html
His hair is looking... interesting... in the pic. I wonder what AQFS will think of it

>所持級：　７級
Thanks for confirming that Tomono-kun has 7 kyu now!

I already know 'kyuu' because that's how language exam levels are graded as well, but 'heta(erm)' was new for me. Is it very bad that I end up remembering the impolite words first? It sounds like a very fitting description for my speaking level actually, but I don't suppose it's a word I should use for it in my class? (not that there's any other student, and sensei is a guy, but the word sounds like a bit too much still?)

kyuu :agree:

I think 'hetakuso' is perfectly fine to use and not impolite especially when you're referring to yourself, but I have no idea what your teacher would say. A lot of Japanese learners here use it as a matter of fact. The 'kuso' part originally means s*** as you probably know, but it doesn't sound as bad as its English equivalent anyways and I don't really mind spelling it out either. I'd say 'hetakuso' already wore out as a curse word more than decades ago.
(...It's just that I got my English translation auto-censored the other day :scard8

 

[Tsurara]

https://www.facebook.com/223287831052524/posts/2165084816872806

 

[KiraraChin]

^ huh, looks like.. brown highlights? Kazuki's face looks thinnish to me in that photo, I hope he's eating properly
Thanks for the translation, Tsurara! I already know 'kyuu' because that's how language exam levels are graded as well, but 'heta(erm)' was new for me. Is it very bad that I end up remembering the impolite words first? It sounds like a very fitting description for my speaking level actually, but I don't suppose it's a word I should use for it in my class? (not that there's any other student, and sensei is a guy, but the word sounds like a bit too much still?)

@ Kirara - sorry, just realized I'd forgotten to reply to your PM question about Kazuki and him moving to special - no, it's nothing that's been confirmed, unfortunately. Just some rumors I've seen on the internet among the Japanese fans. But it would be cool if they were correct! Does anyone have any info on the likelihood of Kazuki getting his Special status back after the June meeting?

Hahaha don't worry, Surimi! I think that pic is just a mixture of odd hair (sorry, Kazuki!), bad angle and bad lighting. If you look at it, none of his club mates got a good photo! I blame whoever took those pictures, I'm sure those kids are much better-looking in real life

Thanks for replying about the rumours! Russian rumours tend to be true, I hope Japanese rumours are the same

>所持級：　７級
Thanks for confirming that Tomono-kun has 7 kyu now!

Ohhhh is that good? How many kyu are there?

https://www.facebook.com/223287831052524/posts/2165084816872806

OMG that's so sweet!!! Thanks for sharing, Tsurara! :luv17:
Also, his English is so good!

 

[surimi]

Thanks for replying about the rumours! Russian rumours tend to be true, I hope Japanese rumours are the same

And yup, if Kazuki wrote the message himself, then he's very good indeed!

I think 'hetakuso' is perfectly fine to use and not impolite especially when you're referring to yourself, but I have no idea what your teacher would say. A lot of Japanese learners here use it as a matter of fact. The 'kuso' part originally means s*** as you probably know, but it doesn't sound as bad as its English equivalent anyways and I don't really mind spelling it out either. I'd say 'hetakuso' already wore out as a curse word more than decades ago.
(...It's just that I got my English translation auto-censored the other day :scard8

Thanks for clarifying that! The English equivalent is pretty strong so I was afraid the Japanese word was bad as well (the dictionary definitely gave me that impression), but from what you say, it sounds safe to use sporadically. We've just done kenjougo, so 'hetakuso' to refer to my own skills should fit in nicely, lol. Thanks for a new word, Kazuki.

 

[Tsurara]

Today is the day to adore and protect Tomono-kun and photos and videos everywhere on SNS!

Ohhhh is that good? How many kyu are there?

To be honest, I had always thought the highest was 7, but I had just found out that there's 8 kyu too (because of the above translation and I corrected it).
7 kyu is the requirement to enter Japan Nats (which is why I assume all the three have 7 at least) and apparently having 8 kyu does nothing special whatsoever, just an honor thing.
(Now I think about it, I do remember reading a bit about Kozuka-kun passing a test for 8 kyu after his retirement but I didn't think much about it then.)

The English equivalent is pretty strong so I was afraid the Japanese word was bad as well (the dictionary definitely gave me that impression), but from what you say, it sounds safe to use sporadically. We've just done kenjougo, so 'hetakuso' to refer to my own skills should fit in nicely, lol. Thanks for a new word, Kazuki.

I guess I watch too many American movies and dramas, I tend to think those bad words aren't big deal any more. :dumb:

 

[KiraraChin]

And yup, if Kazuki wrote the message himself, then he's very good indeed!

He might have had a bit help from someone or used an online tool to check for mistakes, but I'm pretty sure he wrote the message himself. It has his 'voice' if that makes sense? The same style of his replies to Wayne McGregor and his interview with John Wilson Blades

Today is the day to adore and protect Tomono-kun and photos and videos everywhere on SNS!

ooohhh thanks, Tsurara! I have posted my homage: https://twitter.com/KiraraChin/status/1133793228107526145
Also, I came across this fan art, but not sure if I understand? It is eating the otter? :shocked:
https://twitter.com/nozomi500k4/status/1133764683998027783

To be honest, I had always thought the highest was 7, but I had just found out that there's 8 kyu too (because of the above translation and I corrected it).
7 kyu is the requirement to enter Japan Nats (which is why I assume all the three have 7 at least) and apparently having 8 kyu does nothing special whatsoever, just an honor thing.
(Now I think about it, I do remember reading a bit about Kozuka-kun passing a test for 8 kyu after his retirement but I didn't think much about it then.)

Thanks, Tsurara! Nice to know that Kazuki has one of the highest kyu! :agree:

 

[Tsurara]

Also, I came across this fan art, but not sure if I understand? It is eating the otter? :shocked:
https://twitter.com/nozomi500k4/status/1133764683998027783

Ha ha, I think it's an otter *cough* eating meat, not the other way round. It was 29th yesterday, and in Japanese, 2 = ni, 9 = ku, and 29 = niku (meat). Many grocery stores and some yakiniku restaurants in Japan call 29th 'Meat day' every month and sell meat relatively cheaper.

Btw, just for the sake of WorldOtterDay and its true purpose, let me tell you one serious story. My home prefecture's official symbol animal is 'otter'. Japanese government (Ministry of Environment) officially claims that Japanese original river otter is extinct, but our local government and people tend to believe that it isn't but a few still live in our pref.

 

[Tsurara]

Atom x Kanspo Collaboration Project
Figure Skating Danshi Special Session
Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-season~ Part 2
http://doshisha-atom.net/web/result.php?no=2163

Photo
From left, Shu Nakamura(Kansai Univ), Kazuki Tomono(Sports 2nd {Faculty and year because this article is done by Doshisha Atom}), Taichi Honda(Kansai Univ)

――What are the things you find enviable about each other?
H: ... 5th place in World?
N: 5th in World is really enviable. [laugh]
H: Seriously. [laugh]
N: Seriously envious. [laugh]
T: Maybe... umm... to the skaters in my generation, well, I guess I did inspire them. [laugh] (I think so) myself, too. [laugh]
All: [laugh]
T: Well, but you know how I failed (the selection) for JGP...
N: But it's like, you're there now because of that (experience).
T: Maybe...
N: Anyways, it was good.
T: But that time, even for me, it was... {didn't finish the sentence}
H: Enviable things... how should I put it, maybe 'Ikemen', Kazuki? I'm envious that Tomono-kun is 'Ikemen'.
T: I loled. Let's start with Shu-kun's good things... I mean, enviable things.
H: He's got this masculine 'iroke' {sexual charm} that neither I nor Kazuki has.
T: Ah, I know what you mean, 'iroke'!
H: Like 'iroke' ... {Not sure what he's trying to say here from the available context, he may be trying to come up with another term or another enviable thing, or he may have said that for totally different reason.}
T: His 'amai' {handsome, mellow, sweet, tender, lady-killing...etc} face. [laugh]
All: [laugh]
N: Whose point of view is it from!? [laugh]
T: Since he has lost his 'charai'-ness lately, ...
H: Not funny. {for Osakan sence of humor}
T: Nope. [laugh]
N: Well, it means I grew up too. [laugh]
T: Okay, 5th in World for me, now, Taichi. What's envious about Taichi...? His communication skills.
H: That's as a person (instead of a skater). [laugh] But, that's true.
T: And your extremely high skills as a person, for everything. You're good at studying, sports, and I'm amazed at how you interact with adults.
H: That...[laugh] Well, you're right. [laugh]
T: I am, ain't I? [laugh] Well, he's really amazing! There was a time when I tried to copy Taichi for everything including skating and all.
H: Kazuki's been like that {copy-cat} since forever. Whenever he finds someone, no matter same age or senpai, to look up to and admire, he copies them right away. And he even tried to copy my attitudes (to build relationships)...
T: Yup, his ability for communication. I wanted to copy his communication skills and ...
H: He copies other people's hairstyles too.
T: [laughs hard]
N: You copy fashion (clothes) too. [laugh]
T: Yup.
H: When he sees a fashionable senpai, he starts buying the same brand of clothes that senpai wears, and no others for a while. He does that often.
T: I'm a copy-cat. Though I don't do it for skating. [laugh]
H: You copy others' jumps too, don't you?
T: Yeah. I guess I do copy jumps too. Indeed I do! [laugh] I do try to copy a lot, but from Taichi, so I once tried to copy his skills, like how to make friends and such for a while.
H: But it didn't work?
T: It didn't work. I thought I'd only get hated for it. [laugh] That skill is Taichi's original, I just recently realized that only Taichi could make it work and I gave up trying. [laugh]

Photo during the talking session

――What do you mean, how to make friends?
T: Well, his interpersonal relationships with others? He's really skilled in it. How should I put it? He can just blend in so easily, and I always thought, "sugee!" But just as expected, I couldn't do the same. [laugh]
H: Is this really something I could have a smug face {be flattered/proud} about?
T: It's a compliment!
H: Okay, then.
N: To me, Taichi is strong in the clutch.
H: Ohhhh. {pleased voice} [laugh]
T: That's some serious one. [laugh] I too was like that before, well, I still am now. {I think 'that' refers to the following episode} But anyways, he said he was hiding his nervousness. [laugh] (Don't remember but maybe it was) when I just moved up from Novice to Junior, I was working hard with off-ice warm-up. Then I saw Taichi (doing nothing) and I asked, "Oh? No warm-ups?" (Taichi was) lying down on a bench chair, saying "I'm just fine~ (without warm-up)" [laugh]
H: I used to chat with friends before my performance, trying to bluff and fake I wasn't nervous at all, but that was because I was just too nervous and I was trying to unwind myself. I revealed that to Kazuki, then later I found out that he had spread it out pretty much.
T: Yeah, yeah! I recently heard from Taichi (about being so nervous) as if he were some born-to-be-nervous character or something, so....
N: Well, you say you get nervous, but...(you don't seem to)
H: Really I do.
T: You're very honest lately.
H: I guess I'm quite good at controlling the tension.
T: So, I asked him, weren't you pretending you're asleep without doing any warm-ups before?
H: I actually did work out for warm-up.
T: I kinda guessed you did, but anyways, so I asked him about it (his pretending to be sleeping), and he goes, "I was camouflaging that I was nervous."
All: [laugh]
H: I don't like being called clutch.
T: But you can actually...
H: I mean, I'm pleased to hear that, but you can't (don't want to) say you're a clutch performer, can you?
N: Ahhh~.
T: That's true.
H: Once you say that, you know? [laugh]
T: You can never fail. [laugh]
H: You can never fail. [laugh]
T: Well, from my point of view, he comes through really strong in crucial competitions... Of course all the top level skaters who get designated have it, but his clutchness is outstanding among them, I think.

Photo
The session went along in a peaceful atmosphere.


――Aren't you all strong in the clutch?
All: [agrees]
H: All the skaters are.
T: (All) come through in the clutch, I think.
H: Not weak, at least. Even those who are said to be weak are also clutch performers compared to the general standards.
T: It's the nature of the sport.
H: Everyone somehow manages performing to the last at (the dreadful) Japan Nats.
T: It's the competition that makes you nervous the most in the whole world.
N: But I didn't get nervous at the last one at all.
T: You're lying~~!
N: Wasn't nervous at all in Short.
T: That must be a lie~. As for me, the moment I did this (striking a pose to begin his performance), I was like 'I'm done for it'. [laugh]
All: [laugh]
H: Japan Nats is terrifying.
T: Yes, it's the last one I'd enjoy.
H: Japan Nats is the only competition where you get betrayed by your practice*. [laugh]
Note: Japanese saying, "practice don't betray you". More explanation here on Sota's fan thread.
T: Yup. [laugh]
N: I got betrayed~. Spectacularly betrayed.
H: Even when you can nail it in other competitions...
T: You actually betray yourself, but you can't help it (at Nats).
H: Everyone says, Nats always betrays you.
T: It's really about whether you can win yourself or not.
N: You stop making no mistakes as soon as Nats is over.
T: [laugh] For sure.
N: I really want it(Nats) to back off {stop betraying us}.
T: I want it to back off. [laugh]
N: Not here (in this competition)!
T: There're many skaters who always win (do great) at Nats. [laugh]
H: Several of them spring to mind.
T: Not gonna say who. [laugh]
N: Of course not... [laugh]
T: Well, that's how dreadful Japan Nats is, it's speaking for itself.

Photo
They say Japan National Championships is a special competition.

――How is Japan Nats different from other competitions?
H: First of all, the number of audience.
T: The number of audience is one thing, but also, you know, every skater there is Japanese and...
H: We all know what each of us has spent/invested to win there.
T: Your own nervousness, and also people's attention...
H: Male skaters are all too good friends. At other competitions, we chat with each other a lot. But at Nats, they all stop talking and it's kinda frightening.
T: Yes, you feel the tension in the air.
H: At other competitions, we all chat before performance and do some exercises (off-ice warm-up) together.
T: We start getting tensed up around at West (Western Japan Championship). [laugh]
H: And on the day of Nats in the locker room, nobody talks... it's appalling.
T: It is.
N: (Everyone) pretty much shut themselves (into their own world).

――You three don't talk either?
T: Not before performance.
H: Not before performance. Really we don't. [laugh]
N: Everyone does their own warm-up alone, individually.
T: Yes. And then, you come back to the locker after your performance, with a sigh, and then talk only a little bit, put on your shoes, and that's about it. Always. You don't talk even then.
H: Perhaps it's no good that we are habitually all too good friends.
T: But I think it's good that we are switching on and off solidly.
N: I like it.
T: I think it's perfectly fine.

Credit: [企画・構成:宮西美紅(KanSpo Editorial), 名倉幸 Photo:川田翼]
The end of Part 2


Next, Part 3, on my next day off or on coming weekend if I get to do it.
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24951

 

[KiraraChin]

Ha ha, I think it's an otter *cough* eating meat, not the other way round. It was 29th yesterday, and in Japanese, 2 = ni, 9 = ku, and 29 = niku (meat). Many grocery stores and some yakiniku restaurants in Japan call 29th 'Meat day' every month and sell meat relatively cheaper.

Btw, just for the sake of WorldOtterDay and its true purpose, let me tell you one serious story. My home prefecture's official symbol animal is 'otter'. Japanese government (Ministry of Environment) officially claims that Japanese original river otter is extinct, but our local government and people tend to believe that it isn't but a few still live in our pref.

Ahahaha OK, the fan art makes a lot more sense now Thank you, Tsurara!
I hope there are still some Japanese river otter in your prefecture, and maybe you'll be able to see it!
Otters are sooo cute

Atom x Kanspo Collaboration Project
Figure Skating Danshi Special Session
Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-season~ Part 2
http://doshisha-atom.net/web/result.php?no=2163

OMG THANK YOU!!!! :luv17: :luv17: :luv17: :luv17: :luv17: :luv17:

This part of the interview made me laugh a lot. So, Kazuki is a copycat and a gossip?
He should give himself some credit, though... I'm sure Taichi is amazing, but Kazuki seems to get on with people pretty well, too!

 

[KiraraChin]

I forgot to share this earlier, but Capricorn uploaded some content from SOI 2017, when Kazuki performed 'We are the Champions'!
Here's a wonderful picture: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7GVhrpT2l/
The EX itself, sadly without sound so it doesn't get blocked: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7IHCKJSlE/ but you can see it with sound here
Finally, a post-performance interview! I don't understand what he says, but it's nice to see his smile :luv17:https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7KBM5AqEG/

I really liked this EX! Also, I had never seen him wearing yellow before!

 

[Tsurara]

This part of the interview made me laugh a lot. So, Kazuki is a copycat and a gossip?
He should give himself some credit, though... I'm sure Taichi is amazing, but Kazuki seems to get on with people pretty well, too!

Ha ha, but he's got this big title of "5th in Worlds", so that was enough for this session for him. That said, I'd love to see how Taichi interacts with others and what exactly Tomono-kun's copied attitude was like. Maybe it's something that Honda family got. (Maybe not Marin, but their sister and actress, Miyu probably has the same/similar talent too.)

I forgot to share this earlier, but Capricorn uploaded some content from SOI 2017, when Kazuki performed 'We are the Champions'!
Here's a wonderful picture: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7GVhrpT2l/
The EX itself, sadly without sound so it doesn't get blocked: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7IHCKJSlE/ but you can see it with sound here
Finally, a post-performance interview! I don't understand what he says, but it's nice to see his smile :luv17:https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7KBM5AqEG/

I really liked this EX! Also, I had never seen him wearing yellow before!

That insta post actually has the script in the comment.
>•ジュニアだけどチャンピオンなんだぞっていうところを見せれて、よかったと思います。
> I'm glad that I was able to show that I'm a champion, though just junior. (instead of senior).
>•この一年間、トップで戦っていきたいっていう意識の中で練習してきたので、自分の力を全部ぶつけられるように、世界中に「日本のジュニアはこんなにも強いんだぞ」っていうところを見せれるように頑張りたいと思います。
>Throughout this year, I've trained/practiced with a clear sense of wanting to fight in the top field. So, I want to bring out all my power/strength, to show that 'Japanese junior skaters are strong like this' to the whole world.

 

[Tsurara]

Atom x Kanspo Collaboration Project
Figure Skating Danshi Special Session
Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-season~ Part 3
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24951

1/2 of Part 3

―What are your favorite programs of each other's?
H: Definitely, this year's free for Shu-kun.
T: Yes, this year's one.
H: Absolutely so.
T: For real.
H: I kinda liked Shu-kun's "Sing Sing Sing" too, though. [laugh]
All: [laugh hard]
N: I didn't like it much. [laugh]
H: Shu-kun looked the most embarrassed of all {including the audience}.
N: That was nothing but embarrassing.
H: How about my short in Turkey (2012-13 season)?
N: For Taichi's (program), I liked this one. *mimics* I don't know what the music was, though.
H: What was that one? I forgot.
N: What was this one of yours, Kazuki? *mimics*
H: Sabre Dance, and Beethoven, and...
T: No, this one is from Burn, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5.
N: Okay, then Burn Beethoven, for me (to pick for his). {laugh}
T: Only those in the know know (the program).
H: My favorite of my own is La Mancha, though.
T: Your last year's free, right? I like your Gladiator too.
H: Wait, I love it. Actually I may consider using one next year.
T: Yeah. Gladiator. Taichi's.
H: I'm afraid Shu-kun doesn't know that (I performed it before).
N: I don't.
T: I like all your short programs (by Honda).
H: I often pick interesting ones for short.
T: I like your Mambo, and Cotton-eyed Joe too. Oh! And that one you touch {the ice?}, I love that one!
H: That's the short I did in my 1st Junior year.
N: When Taichi was still chubby and cute. {laugh}
T: But you were incredibly good at that time, weren't you. He was so good.
N: I sometimes watch old performances. I was great at 3T-3T.
T: So great!!

―Tell us about your private relationships?
T: Recently... it was during the season, so, nothing much. But we go out to eat after competitions and... well, actually, we're together almost all the time.
H: Lately, {we're together} at night.
T: In private, all of us skaters are playing a game together and on chat.
H: While talking on the phone.
T: Almost all the male skaters are. Like, most top skaters at Nats level are. [laugh] Not exactly all of them, but all of those who like games.
N: Most of them from Hokkaido to Kyushu {all over Japan}.
T: Recently we enjoyed playing a shooting game while chatting. {we often do} Playing a trend game together, making groups. [laugh]
H: Vainglory was a trend too.
T: And also, Tsumtsum, Clash of Clans, etc.
All: Ah~.
T: As for ClaCla (Clash of Clans), we went too serious. [laugh]
H: We got scolded, didn't we?
T: We did.
H: We were told, 'Please attack (the other players)'. [laugh]
All: [laugh]
T: We're having fun now. On chat, too.
H: (We're doing) only Koya(Koyakodo/Knives Out).
T: Not so much lately. We had some competitions. Well, we did play together after competitions, but I think we will play a lot more from now on as we'll have more days off.

―Where do you go out?
T: Like, we hold a bowling match and such.
H: We do anything (for fun) seriously. We did a lot of darts too.
T: And, with Shu-kun, going to Onsen.
H: We often go to Onsen.
T: Yeah, yeah. Onsen and Yakiniku. A lot of times, we kinda want to have a talk. Once it's the off-season, everyone starts deep talks.
H: We get along too much.

―What kind of talk?
T: We often talk about quite serious stuff, don't we?
H: We start out with small talks that don't matter much. [laugh] Once the topic is on skating, then nobody can stop.
T: Yup, everyone starts talking seriously.
N: They fricking start telling stories. [laugh]
H: And rage. Then goes, let's call it a day.
T: When we're in Onsen, we all start {talking?} seriously.
H: When was it that we went to Onsen the last time? Before In-Colle? Or Kokutai(National Athletic Meet)? Was it a few days before Kokutai, that we went to Onsen together and stayed in for like 2 hours.
T: Yeah, yeah, like about for 2 hours straight, we were talking about skating. Well, with some stupid stuff in between too, but mostly about skating.
N: Male skaters fool around, but we're pretty earnest.
T: Maybe female skaters don't talk about skating as much as we do when they hang around for fun. Male skaters get along too well that we want to share, and we all feel that we need to unite to do better. Girls too get along well, but it seems like they are individual skaters and each of them keep their own feelings inside to do their best.
H: We advise to each other.
T: Men do, to the point that they might appear to be idiots. [laugh] Like, giving critical advise, it makes you wonder why you even say that far {almost like extending a helping hand} for each other.
H: We teach each other too.

―Technical stuff too?
T: Yes, we do.
H: There was a time when a lot of us started suceeding in 3A. Then we were sending videos to one another.
T: Yeah, yeah. Like, how about this (3A)? [laugh]
H: We're close.
T: Yeah. Well, the better friends we are, the more frustrated we get too. I think we're great friends and rivals to inspire and help develop each other. I really think this is precisely true.
H: I like it a lot.
T: I think we respect each other well, probably.

―Is that true for all and everywhere?
T: We are particularly cohesive in Kansai. I can't speak for the situation in Kanto area, but I think they all talk seriously in Onsen no matter where (in Japan). I think it's all the same all over Japan. [laugh]
H: Especially so in Kansai, I think.

To be continued...

 

[KiraraChin]

That insta post actually has the script in the comment.
>•ジュニアだけどチャンピオンなんだぞっていうところを見せれて、よかったと思います。
> I'm glad that I was able to show that I'm a champion, though just junior. (instead of senior).
>•この一年間、トップで戦っていきたいっていう意識の中で練習してきたので、自分の力を全部ぶつけられるように、世界中に「日本のジュニアはこんなにも強いんだぞ」っていうところを見せれるように頑張りたいと思います。
>Throughout this year, I've trained/practiced with a clear sense of wanting to fight in the top field. So, I want to bring out all my power/strength, to show that 'Japanese junior skaters are strong like this' to the whole world.

Awwww, what a cute interview. Thanks for the translation, Tsurara!
BTW, I found this tweet from someone saying they went to a concert of SUGITETSU, the composers of 'The Policeman's dog fate', which Kazuki skated as an EX that season 2016/2017. Apparently (please correct me if I'm wrong, Tsurara), they projected Kazuki's image on the screen and everyone laughed! I love that people still remember that EX fondly. Here's a link for those who haven't seen it! https://youtu.be/Tnyr3Grwm5M

Atom x Kanspo Collaboration Project
Figure Skating Danshi Special Session
Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-season~ Part 3
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24951

1/2 of Part 3

THANK YOU!!!! :luv17::luv17::luv17:
It's so nice to know the skaters hang out together and help each other. They have a real sense of camaraderie, that is one of the things I admire most in Team Japan.
Also, interesting they said the boys share their feelings more than the girls. I wonder if that's true or if it's just what the girls made them think