Oooooohhhh I hadn't checked the profiles of the other skaters! I've seen him in Shoma's, Keiji's and Sota's - anyone else?
Sorry, that was a bit too much of my exaggeration out of hype! Takahashi, Kaori, Satoko, Wakaba...and where else!? ha ha, sorry, but not too many!
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Okay, as for the translation, it was way longer than I first thought for the limited time I have on my working days, so just the first half for today. (As always, please feel free to correct them!!!)
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ーーLooking back at this season, how has it been so far?
Tomono: At the beginning of the season, some things were quite off (not clicking). (But) every time I competed, things have gradually gotten better and my score went up. I hope it keeps going like this at this rate toward Nats.
ーーWhat exactly did you feel were off?
Tomono: Jumps and such in particular. But the completion level of my performance itself wasn't good (it was rough and in a barely finished state) after all. As I competed more and practiced more, it's now rapidly getting closer to its completion (into a polished work). I hope I can step up to the next stage, to keep this up at this rate, and to deliver a better performance at Nats.
*I hate this word, 完成度/kansei-do, lit. the level of completion/perfection, but many people use it as a common term. It refers to how finished-form or polished something is.
ーーWhat did the two GPS experience do to you?
Tomono: First of all, compared to the last season, I got more stable, or more like, I got to see a lot of improvements in those competitions. I didn't podium this time, but, to be honest, I got lucky last year. When I looked solely into the content of my performance, I felt that I improved a lot more than last year. Both mentally and technically I could feel my own growth a lot.
ーーEvaluate your own PCS going higher
Tomono: Once I decided to do what (and/or how) I wanted to, my performance started clicking for me, or like, it all started coming together as my own performance. I had been thinking too much that I had to get it done somehow, and I wasn't really present, instead I was as though manipulated by the choreography alone.
Now, it feels like I've been absorbing the choreo as my own. That, I believe, you can see from my later scores too. I've been checking every detail on video and been fixing them one by one. And as the season passes toward the end, all those are bearing fruits, and every game I compete, the score is going up, I think.
ーーWhat are the highlights of your programs, and what do you specially pay attention to?
Tomono: SP is a pretty uinique program. The music is distinct, and the choreo is memorable/impressive, so that's the biggest highlight, I think. In terms of jumps, it's worthy to note that I'm having 2 quads in it.
As for FS, the music has great drive, a sense of speed, and it's dynamic and explicit, so that's what I want people to see. This year, I particularly worked on the steps, and that showed up as points. I want you to check out those steps. Both in SP and FS, steps are particularly what I'd like to show you all.
ーーAny particular reasons that you picked those pieces?
Tomono: The choreographers brought me some and I picked them, that's all. [laugh]
ーーYour SP is indeed very unique, though.
Tomono: Not many people would use it, and at first I wasn't too sure about it either. But I got an amazing choreography for it and I find it really suits me so well.
ーーYour strong points?
Tomono: Expressiveness, or my selling power for it, steps included, in terms of attracting people (engaging an audience), I'm relatively more confident with it than others. I want to bring my strong points forward.
ーーWhat does Nationals mean to you?
Tomono: To me, it's like, it dictates the whole year or that sort... Well, yes, everything is determined at Nats. Be it Worlds or other competitions, you have to do Nats to get picked for Team Japan. And it's the competition where you have to bring out all the best efforts you've had in the year. I'm sure it's the same for everyone else, it's the most important competition. It's a truly significant one for myself.
ーーWhat are you aiming for at Nats?
Tomono: I've been aiming for the podium for several years. I've placed 4th, just one step short of making it. This time around, making it to the podium will be the key for me, to be picked for the team and everything. Placing within 3rd place, the podium, is what I aim for.
ーーPotential-wise (how confident are you)?
Tomono: Whoever did it, wins. So, like Yuzuru Hanyu, and Shoma Uno... well, to be honest, the actual gap is too big unless you have something special of your own...
Whether competing for the third or second, it all comes down to the level of the completion/perfection (finishedness) and that matters. Whoever does his best performance will get it. So, if you can deliver the best possible performance, the result will follow, I believe.
ーーYour changes in mind between after Kinki and Western Sectionals
Tomono: Since Skate America, or before Western Sectionals, I kinda shook it (negatives) off in a good way. I got really positive toward competitions, I learned that being depressed didn't help. I struggled last season too, so that... It's of course important to look back at the negative parts too, but instead of reviewing them, I started to focus on how to improve them as my priority.
In order to improve them, I had to focus on how to improve them. Trying to figure out what kind of mentality and what kind of training/practice I needed, and then by actually working on them, the negative images I had faded away.
And also, most importantly, I realized that I shouldn't be too concerned about results. When I was too worried about my result in a competition, I couldn't deliver my own performance well. I've felt so the last few years and kind of like, I finally managed to shake that (trying to get results) off. By focusing on doing my own performance and trying to do what/how I want to do to perform, I've managed to overcome a little bit. Of course, I still have to deal with my anxious thoughts and sometimes I feel down too, but I'm now aware of what I need mentally in a competition.
To be continued
But then, many hard-core fs fans are rich and the cost may not be a big deal for them.
At least, I would read this forum, maybe not right before competitions, but sometimes it's nice to look at what your fans are saying about you 
Gamba!
