Thank you kindly, AQFS! Not only to you but the same goes for everyone else too!
Quick translation (it probably contains errors and mistakes, and I'll fix them later if any) while I waited for my angel Satoko's SP at Bavarian Open (and now a few others)
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At first, I meant to do some short summary, and then I went "meh, I have enough time" and switched to a bit more detailed one.
“Seyanen”, meaning “Absolutely! (That’s right)” in Osaka dialect, is a Kansai local tv show with some comedians. The title of this segment is “Kazuki Tomono, from Kansai to the World!”
1
Starts with an introduction with his basic profile as one of the most remarkable (in growth/booming) skater of the new generation, with some emphasis that he’s from Sakai (Osaka) and a Doshisha univ student.
Tomono: I was born and brought up in Sakai. (smiles) So, yeah, I’m “Sakai’kko (Sakai native)”.
The show explains how he usually appears to be a normal 20 yrs old university student but once he puts on his skates, he has got the face of a top skater representing Japan.
At 7:30 AM in front of his home rink in Namba, Osaka.
2
Tomono: Whenever I don’t have class at first period, I always come here around this time for practice. Little kids start their practice as early as 6, so mine’s not that early, I think.
It explains how limited figure skating lessons are here because not many rinks are available for serious lessons, so they have to use the rink before their business hours. On this day too, Tomono practiced so hard for about an hour until he was about getting out of his breath.
At 9:15 am, ends practice
Once he got off the rink, he changed completely.. *a big yawn*
Tomono: Tired. Sleepy~!
At 11:00 am
But without any rests, he headed straight to the station to travel to Doshisha university in Kyoto and it takes an hour and a half by train from Namba, Osaka to KyoTanabe, Kyoto.
Tomono studies various sports-related subjects, including training methods, psychology, and even nutrition science too.
Tomono: Because it’s about sports which I really like, it’s quite fun for me and studying them doesn’t bother me that much. I have always been skating while going to school, so I find it valuable/important to spend time as a normal university student, not just as the skater, Kazuki Tomono. I really enjoy it as well.
On this day too, he went to the univ cafeteria with his friends for lunch.
Tomono: It’s “Seyanen” (probably explaining why a camera is with him)
Friend: “Seyanen”? OMG!
Tomono: No big deal.
Friend: Seriously?
Q: What’s your impression of Tomono-kun?
Friend: He’s really Osaka-ish.
Tomono: See? (I knew you'd say that)
3
Friend: (Osaka-ish because) he’s a bit hasty.
Tomono: Eh?
Friend: He eats so fast.
Tomono: That (eating fast) has nothing to do with it (being Osaka-ish), does it?
Friend: (But) you eat freaking fast.
(The friend is in Ice Hockey team, another one plays soccer)
Tomono says he enjoys talking to friends outside figure skating. What they often talk about is
Friend: Muscle-related topics, and NBA.
Tomono: I’m not really interested in that though.
Q: Then what sports do you like?
Tomono: Baseball. I really love Hanshin Tigers (Osaka’s pro team) since I was little.
Q: So, you go watch their games?
Tomono: They aren’t winning recently, so, no, I haven’t really been watching them much.
Off to the class
At 8:00 pm, after classes, he comes back to the rink in Namba. Now, after their business hours, he practices for 2 hours. Tomono started skating at age of 4. He enjoyed skating, child play for fun extended and he improved drastically. In 2017, his first challenge in his Senior year, he placed 4th in nationals (1. Shoma 2. Keiji 3. Mura) and lost the ticket to PyeongChang Olympic and Worlds. However, a big opportunity came his way. Yuzuru Hanyu’s injury and Takahito Mura’s withdrawal for the Worlds. As 2nd alt, Tomono was offered the ticket to the World.
Tomono: I had to grab it and bring a success. I kinda knew that my life as a skater in the future would be determined by this. I challenged it with a motivator to appeal to the world.
With luck on his side, he won 3rd place on free, 5th in total to step into the limelight.
4
Moreover, he won 3rd place in Russian round of the Grand Prix Series too. But, he says,
Tomono: Both the Canadian competition and the Russian one, I was with either Hanyu or Uno and two of them were just too amazing. They are really the world’s top skaters and I got keenly reminded of the level difference. People often say, when does the third man (for Japan’s top 3) appear? And I do want to take the third man’s position myself. (Eventually) not just the third, but want to be the first. I’m practicing with that much passion.
So, in order for Kazuki Tomono to win in Japan and in the world, what’s his weapon?
Tomono: This is actually the phrase Daisuke Takahashi gave me, but, "人を置いてけぼりにしない演技 /Performances that do not leave audience behind (or performances that audience don’t get lost)”. That’s my biggest weapon, I think. First and foremost, I’m enjoying myself skating, and I guess that power to convey my emotions to my audience is my forte.
At Medalist on Ice, Exhibition in 2016
Tomono says he wants to move his audience, to entertain them. One of his performances at an exhibition was like this. He first appeared as a police officer. As the music started, for some reason he took off his cap. On top of his head, he had something like ears!? Then the music gradually changed into..
“The Police Dog” (or "Doggy Cop", a well-known children’s song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzD59YsLqXA(Someone made its English version)
How enjoyable he performs, grabbing his audience’s hearts!
5
Tomono: Lately there are also people of my age who cheer and support me, but particularly, people of my mother’s age, like (may I call them) Osaka’s obachan(aunties)? (laugh) Those pretty ladies in Osaka. I want to gain them as my ally! (laugh)
(‘Osaka’s obachan’, a famous stereotype, is known as a group of very adorable and supportive aunties.)
)
