Kazuki Tomono

[KiraraChin]

Guys, great news! Kazuki changed his affiliation to Daiichi Juken Group! That means they have now a closer relationship than before, he will now be representing Daiichi Juken in competitions, rather than Uenoshiba Skating Club. I'm so happy for him, to have the full back of a company at this stage in his career, it's amazing!
Here's the announcement: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240923/k00/00m/050/140000c

Figure skater Kazuki Tomono changed affiliation to ‘Daiichi Juken Group’

It was announced on 24 September that Kazuki Tomono (26), a male figure skater and representative of the 2023 World Championships, will belong to the Daiichi Juken Group.

The Daiichi Juken Group, based in Osaka, signed a partnership agreement with Tomono last season. This time, following an offer from Tomono, an affiliation contract has been signed. The company says: ‘Impressed by Tomono's boldness in taking on any challenge, which is in line with the innovation and spirit of challenge that the Group stands for, and by his expressive, talented and unique skating, the Daiichi Juken Group will support Kazuki Tomono's future athletic activities’.

Tomono says: ‘I have been fortunate enough to be supported in competition as a member of the Daiichi Juken Group. It has been about a year since we signed a partnership agreement. I feel that we have formed a deep bond in a short period of time through various activities centred on competition support, and I will do my utmost to carry the name of Daiichi Juken Group with me to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina (D'Ampezzo). We look forward to your continued support in the future. [Hitoshi Kurasawa].

 

[kwanette]

Guys, great news! Kazuki changed his affiliation to Daiichi Juken Group! That means they have now a closer relationship than before, he will now be representing Daiichi Juken in competitions, rather than Uenoshiba Skating Club. I'm so happy for him, to have the full back of a company at this stage in his career, it's amazing!
Here's the announcement: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240923/k00/00m/050/140000c

Figure skater Kazuki Tomono changed affiliation to ‘Daiichi Juken Group’

It was announced on 24 September that Kazuki Tomono (26), a male figure skater and representative of the 2023 World Championships, will belong to the Daiichi Juken Group.

The Daiichi Juken Group, based in Osaka, signed a partnership agreement with Tomono last season. This time, following an offer from Tomono, an affiliation contract has been signed. The company says: ‘Impressed by Tomono's boldness in taking on any challenge, which is in line with the innovation and spirit of challenge that the Group stands for, and by his expressive, talented and unique skating, the Daiichi Juken Group will support Kazuki Tomono's future athletic activities’.

Tomono says: ‘I have been fortunate enough to be supported in competition as a member of the Daiichi Juken Group. It has been about a year since we signed a partnership agreement. I feel that we have formed a deep bond in a short period of time through various activities centred on competition support, and I will do my utmost to carry the name of Daiichi Juken Group with me to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina (D'Ampezzo). We look forward to your continued support in the future. [Hitoshi Kurasawa].

Twitter X is filled with Kazuki today!!

 

[KiraraChin]

Twitter X is filled with Kazuki today!!

Yes, and fans noticed that 'Tomono-kun' was trending not only on the 'recommended' or 'sports' trends, but on the overall 'Japan' trends

I found an excellent blog post on this news, here's the machine translation:

Congratulations to Kazuki Tomono on signing an affiliation contract with a sponsor.

Today we received happy news.

It was officially announced that Kazuki Tomono has signed an ‘affiliation contract’ with Daiichi Juken Holdings, with whom he had signed a ‘partnership contract’ last season.

Well, this is a happy story.

As a result of Kazuki Tomono's efforts to find sponsors for the 2022-23 season, he has signed advisory and partner contracts with more companies. He was relieved that he would be able to continue his active career, but he was still affiliated with Uenoshiba Skating Club, the club he belonged to in junior high school. It's even more reassuring to now know where he will be affiliated.

Information on the decision to join the club was reported in various media outlets. Kazuki Tomono's choice of the words ‘carrying the name’ shows his determination and makes us feel not only happy but also sober.

We are really happy with this news, as we recall the 2022-23 season when he was struggling to find a sponsor.

This was the season when the contract with the sports club that had been his previous sponsor had ended (I think COVID-19 was a big factor) and he had contacted a number of local companies to ask them if they would be interested in sponsoring him.

It was heartbreaking to see him on video making a direct sales call.

Coach Hiraike even made a statement at the time suggesting that if he didn't find a sponsor, he might retire due to lack of funds.

So at that year's All Japan Championships, the skater I was most nervous watching was Kazuki Tomono. I was rooting for Shoma Uno and other skaters, but I really wanted to see him perform again next season.

I was most nervous before his performance in this competition. Yamamoto has a GPF silver medal, but Tomono needs to get on the podium at All-Japan to be sure of making the World team. And because this could possibly be his last chance. If he misses the Worlds, he might retire at the end of this season without finding a sponsor. 'God, he's a good kid. I really prayed that his efforts would be rewarded.

I can still vividly recall the memory of watching his performance at the venue, praying for him. After he was assigned to compete in the World Championships that year, his sponsors started to increase little by little, and he was finally able to sign an affiliation contract.

In a sport like figure skating, where it takes money to continue competing, the availability of private sponsorship is a matter of life and death, unless the family is extremely wealthy. Many skaters have retired from competition because they could not get enough financial support, even if they were talented and popular.

I have wondered if Akio Sasaki, who I used to like, would have continued to be active more if he had a sponsor who would have signed him up to an affiliation contract...

The main reason for his retirement was the closure of his base rink, and there were other factors such as his health, but I wonder if it would have been different if he had had a big sponsor back then.
(Well, he is now a happy father of two children.)

Many skaters who do not find a sponsor before or after their senior debut end up graduating from university as student skaters, which means that they also graduate from competitions and retire.

No matter how popular a skater is among skating fans, the deciding factor for whether or not they will get sponsors is whether or not they have a chance of being selected for the Olympic team. And even if there is a chance, if there are multiple candidates, sponsors will choose a young skater who is likely to have a long-term career.

In that situation, I think Kazuki Tomono's move was groundbreaking: he chose to continue skating after graduating from university, actively looked for sponsors himself, and gradually gained sponsors by demonstrating his literary and speaking skills. I think he was able to show the younger generation that "there is another path to take."

Of course, this is something that only Kazuki Tomono could achieve, and it's not a path that anyone can easily emulate. But I think he's left a great example of how, in addition to being able to rank among the world's best, if you have "an extra charm" such as outstanding individuality, popularity, and likeability, you can sign a new contract even at the age of 26.

I'm grateful to Daiichi Juken Holdings for signing an affiliation contract with an athlete who is scheduled to retire in two seasons until the Milan Olympic season. Well, some may think that they can support him because it's a limited period of two years, but I'm grateful that they are even providing funds to support athletes in this recession. Figure skating fans can't sleep at night (bitter smile).

I would also like to thank Senshu Koki, HD Flower Holdings, and Colantotte, who supported him during his most difficult times and continue to support him to this day! I also think that non-no, which has been publishing his serial articles for many years, is also a great behind-the-scenes supporter.

There have been attempts in the past by skaters who have run into financial difficulties to turn to crowdfunding, and they have actually been successful. However, from the skater's point of view, support from a company would be the most useful in creating a stable training environment.

Until now, the benchmark for companies to support an athlete has been whether or not they think they can make the Olympic team, but I feel that this is slowly changing.

The minimum requirement is that the skater himself has a certain level of ability. If, on top of that, a skater has the appeal to attract a large number of people and the ability to convey messages, then I think that in the future, a time will come when they can be supported by companies. - I think with hope.

Of course, it's always better to have an Olympic or World Championship medal. It has been said that whether or not you win a medal in a championship competition can greatly affect the pay you receive at domestic and international ice shows. However, the trend in ice shows in Japan has been changing in recent years. I feel we are approaching an era in which the appeal of an individual's performance in a show and their popularity will be given more importance than their track record as an active skater.

The active career of a figure skater is quite short compared to other sports. That's why supporting a popular skater who is likely to become a professional skater and have a long career after retiring from active competition might be a good idea in the long run, right? Television broadcasts are not the only opportunity for advertising these days.

I hope that these changing times will reduce the number of skaters who quit the sport unwillingly.

Meanwhile, Kazuki's latest Mainichi article has been posted, celebrating two years of the series! This time, he talks about his rituals and recent worries:

 

[surimi]

Very well written and informative. If the tides are turning and fan popularity eventually holds more value than medals and age when it comes to shows and sponsorships, all the better, IMO. Hopefully Kazuki getting sponsors and shows despite his stading with JSF will motivate younger skaters to pursue the performance aspect and longevity like him. Anyways, it's not like Kazuki is in any way inferior to the young guns; his medal from 4CC and three top 6 WC finishes speak volumes.

 

[kwanette]

Yes, and fans noticed that 'Tomono-kun' was trending not only on the 'recommended' or 'sports' trends, but on the overall 'Japan' trends

I found an excellent blog post on this news, here's the machine translation:

Congratulations to Kazuki Tomono on signing an affiliation contract with a sponsor.

Today we received happy news.

It was officially announced that Kazuki Tomono has signed an ‘affiliation contract’ with Daiichi Juken Holdings, with whom he had signed a ‘partnership contract’ last season.

Well, this is a happy story.

As a result of Kazuki Tomono's efforts to find sponsors for the 2022-23 season, he has signed advisory and partner contracts with more companies. He was relieved that he would be able to continue his active career, but he was still affiliated with Uenoshiba Skating Club, the club he belonged to in junior high school. It's even more reassuring to now know where he will be affiliated.

Information on the decision to join the club was reported in various media outlets. Kazuki Tomono's choice of the words ‘carrying the name’ shows his determination and makes us feel not only happy but also sober.

We are really happy with this news, as we recall the 2022-23 season when he was struggling to find a sponsor.

This was the season when the contract with the sports club that had been his previous sponsor had ended (I think COVID-19 was a big factor) and he had contacted a number of local companies to ask them if they would be interested in sponsoring him.

It was heartbreaking to see him on video making a direct sales call.

Coach Hiraike even made a statement at the time suggesting that if he didn't find a sponsor, he might retire due to lack of funds.

So at that year's All Japan Championships, the skater I was most nervous watching was Kazuki Tomono. I was rooting for Shoma Uno and other skaters, but I really wanted to see him perform again next season.

I was most nervous before his performance in this competition. Yamamoto has a GPF silver medal, but Tomono needs to get on the podium at All-Japan to be sure of making the World team. And because this could possibly be his last chance. If he misses the Worlds, he might retire at the end of this season without finding a sponsor. 'God, he's a good kid. I really prayed that his efforts would be rewarded.

I can still vividly recall the memory of watching his performance at the venue, praying for him. After he was assigned to compete in the World Championships that year, his sponsors started to increase little by little, and he was finally able to sign an affiliation contract.

In a sport like figure skating, where it takes money to continue competing, the availability of private sponsorship is a matter of life and death, unless the family is extremely wealthy. Many skaters have retired from competition because they could not get enough financial support, even if they were talented and popular.

I have wondered if Akio Sasaki, who I used to like, would have continued to be active more if he had a sponsor who would have signed him up to an affiliation contract...

The main reason for his retirement was the closure of his base rink, and there were other factors such as his health, but I wonder if it would have been different if he had had a big sponsor back then.
(Well, he is now a happy father of two children.)

Many skaters who do not find a sponsor before or after their senior debut end up graduating from university as student skaters, which means that they also graduate from competitions and retire.

No matter how popular a skater is among skating fans, the deciding factor for whether or not they will get sponsors is whether or not they have a chance of being selected for the Olympic team. And even if there is a chance, if there are multiple candidates, sponsors will choose a young skater who is likely to have a long-term career.

In that situation, I think Kazuki Tomono's move was groundbreaking: he chose to continue skating after graduating from university, actively looked for sponsors himself, and gradually gained sponsors by demonstrating his literary and speaking skills. I think he was able to show the younger generation that "there is another path to take."

Of course, this is something that only Kazuki Tomono could achieve, and it's not a path that anyone can easily emulate. But I think he's left a great example of how, in addition to being able to rank among the world's best, if you have "an extra charm" such as outstanding individuality, popularity, and likeability, you can sign a new contract even at the age of 26.

I'm grateful to Daiichi Juken Holdings for signing an affiliation contract with an athlete who is scheduled to retire in two seasons until the Milan Olympic season. Well, some may think that they can support him because it's a limited period of two years, but I'm grateful that they are even providing funds to support athletes in this recession. Figure skating fans can't sleep at night (bitter smile).

I would also like to thank Senshu Koki, HD Flower Holdings, and Colantotte, who supported him during his most difficult times and continue to support him to this day! I also think that non-no, which has been publishing his serial articles for many years, is also a great behind-the-scenes supporter.

There have been attempts in the past by skaters who have run into financial difficulties to turn to crowdfunding, and they have actually been successful. However, from the skater's point of view, support from a company would be the most useful in creating a stable training environment.

Until now, the benchmark for companies to support an athlete has been whether or not they think they can make the Olympic team, but I feel that this is slowly changing.

The minimum requirement is that the skater himself has a certain level of ability. If, on top of that, a skater has the appeal to attract a large number of people and the ability to convey messages, then I think that in the future, a time will come when they can be supported by companies. - I think with hope.

Of course, it's always better to have an Olympic or World Championship medal. It has been said that whether or not you win a medal in a championship competition can greatly affect the pay you receive at domestic and international ice shows. However, the trend in ice shows in Japan has been changing in recent years. I feel we are approaching an era in which the appeal of an individual's performance in a show and their popularity will be given more importance than their track record as an active skater.

The active career of a figure skater is quite short compared to other sports. That's why supporting a popular skater who is likely to become a professional skater and have a long career after retiring from active competition might be a good idea in the long run, right? Television broadcasts are not the only opportunity for advertising these days.

I hope that these changing times will reduce the number of skaters who quit the sport unwillingly.

Meanwhile, Kazuki's latest Mainichi article has been posted, celebrating two years of the series! This time, he talks about his rituals and recent worries:

TY for sharing this..It really touched my heart..making phone calls to ask for support..He never gave up on or off the ice..Another reason to love him.

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

Just a question, does this mean that Kazuki Tomono is now part of the Daiichi Juken Group's staff, as Shoma Uno was part of Toyota's staff, Yuzuru Hanyu with ANA and so on?

 

[KiraraChin]

Just a question, does this mean that Kazuki Tomono is now part of the Daiichi Juken Group's staff, as Shoma Uno was part of Toyota's staff, Yuzuru Hanyu with ANA and so on?

Yes, this is exactly what it means

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

Yes, this is exactly what it means

Wow! What a stability it will bring him! What peace of mind! I'm really happy!

 

[KiraraChin]

TY for sharing this..It really touched my heart..making phone calls to ask for support..He never gave up on or off the ice..Another reason to love him.

I know, right A fan shared this on Twitter:
I looked back at the Tomono-kun feature on NW9 two years ago, on 17 November, the day before the start of the NHK Cup. In between practice sessions at the Naniwa rink, 24-year-old Tomono-kun sits alone on a bench outdoors and makes a phone call.
He said, ‘...no, no, I'm sorry, it's early in the morning...’ and ‘...thank you so much for today. Yes, thank you.’
Even though it's a phone call, he bows his head many times and smiles.


Meanwhile, non-no launched a super fun project of Kazuki introducing Sakai City! It features a 'stamp rally' in which fans can get their maps stamped on locations and get new, exclusive Kazuki trading cards, and there will also be a lottery of Kazuki goods!
Sadly, it's only available to those living in Japan, but we can download the map that is super cute and there is an extended article in which he talks about the locations and LOTS of pictures, including baby Kazuki I hadn't appreciated he wears glasses since he was a young child!


What really blows my mind about this project is that it's in partnership with Sakai City itself, and the stamping involves several locations in the city! It means the staff in these places are also involved! His reach is incredible.

In another piece of news, Kazuki will be part of a new project with Dai-chan, Shizuka and others, it's a paid membership fan-club which will give access to exclusive content about the skaters! I hope to see more details about this project, and I wonder if this is the beginning of the 'company' that Dai-chan wants to create:

【1ページ目】高橋大輔氏らが運営のファンコミュニティが１０月スタート「身近に感じていただければ」 | 東スポWEB

フィギュアスケートのさらなる普及へ、世代を超えたスケーターたちによるコラボが実現だ...

www.tokyo-sports.co.jp

Fan community run by Daisuke Takahashi and others to start in October: ‘We hope people will feel closer to us’

A collaboration of skaters from different generations has been realised to further popularise figure skating.

A total of 10 skaters, including Shizuka Arakawa (women's gold medallist at the 2006 Torino Olympics), Daisuke Takahashi (men's bronze medallist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics), Kazuki Tomono (Daiichi Juken Group), who finished sixth in the men's competition at the 2023 World Championships, and Rena Uezono (LYS), the women's bronze medallist at the 2024 World Junior Championships, have joined forces to create a members-only official fan community ‘F-Ske’ on the fan community platform FANICON. The service starts on 1 October and will not only post and distribute glimpses of the skaters' true faces, but will also gradually include content from ice shows such as Friends on Ice, Hyoen and Kassouya.

Commenting on the new initiative, Arakawa said, ‘I am looking forward to sharing the time with everyone who loves skating, as they will be able to see a variety of things, from the thoughts, ideas and perspectives of each of the participating skaters on skating to their everyday lives. I'm looking forward to sharing that time with you.’ Takahashi commented: ’I'm also looking forward to receiving messages about the kind of content you want to see. I also hope that the content of the skating shop shows I produce will be posted on the website, so that everyone can feel more familiar with skating’.

 

[surimi]

Sorry to whinge here so shortly after the moving blog post, so apologies for the rant. My Japanese friend told me today that JSF wrote on its calendar website they were not going to send skaters to Nepela. I'm sad, taken aback, disappointed and angry at the same time. I was really looking forward to that event, and was so sure Kazuki would be there since everyone else has been assigned. This is beyond unfair. How dare they skip their Nationals #6, when all active skaters before him and after him are going? JSF really did him dirty, and one has to admire Kazuki's strength of spirit to keep going. They don't deserve him.

And now I regret that skaters cannot attend events on their own, the way other federations do it. JSF is really holding its skaters in a cage. Daiichi Juken would possibly gladly fund Kazuki's Challenger assignment as he's fully capable of not only bringing in fans, but also selling merchandize while there. I for one would be very happy to buy a Tomono curry box at least.
I want to see the day when skaters decide their own CS and B event assignments.

 

[kwanette]

I know, right A fan shared this on Twitter:
I looked back at the Tomono-kun feature on NW9 two years ago, on 17 November, the day before the start of the NHK Cup. In between practice sessions at the Naniwa rink, 24-year-old Tomono-kun sits alone on a bench outdoors and makes a phone call.
He said, ‘...no, no, I'm sorry, it's early in the morning...’ and ‘...thank you so much for today. Yes, thank you.’
Even though it's a phone call, he bows his head many times and smiles.


Meanwhile, non-no launched a super fun project of Kazuki introducing Sakai City! It features a 'stamp rally' in which fans can get their maps stamped on locations and get new, exclusive Kazuki trading cards, and there will also be a lottery of Kazuki goods!
Sadly, it's only available to those living in Japan, but we can download the map that is super cute and there is an extended article in which he talks about the locations and LOTS of pictures, including baby Kazuki I hadn't appreciated he wears glasses since he was a young child!


What really blows my mind about this project is that it's in partnership with Sakai City itself, and the stamping involves several locations in the city! It means the staff in these places are also involved! His reach is incredible.

In another piece of news, Kazuki will be part of a new project with Dai-chan, Shizuka and others, it's a paid membership fan-club which will give access to exclusive content about the skaters! I hope to see more details about this project, and I wonder if this is the beginning of the 'company' that Dai-chan wants to create:

【1ページ目】高橋大輔氏らが運営のファンコミュニティが１０月スタート「身近に感じていただければ」 | 東スポWEB

フィギュアスケートのさらなる普及へ、世代を超えたスケーターたちによるコラボが実現だ...

www.tokyo-sports.co.jp

Fan community run by Daisuke Takahashi and others to start in October: ‘We hope people will feel closer to us’

A collaboration of skaters from different generations has been realised to further popularise figure skating.

A total of 10 skaters, including Shizuka Arakawa (women's gold medallist at the 2006 Torino Olympics), Daisuke Takahashi (men's bronze medallist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics), Kazuki Tomono (Daiichi Juken Group), who finished sixth in the men's competition at the 2023 World Championships, and Rena Uezono (LYS), the women's bronze medallist at the 2024 World Junior Championships, have joined forces to create a members-only official fan community ‘F-Ske’ on the fan community platform FANICON. The service starts on 1 October and will not only post and distribute glimpses of the skaters' true faces, but will also gradually include content from ice shows such as Friends on Ice, Hyoen and Kassouya.

Commenting on the new initiative, Arakawa said, ‘I am looking forward to sharing the time with everyone who loves skating, as they will be able to see a variety of things, from the thoughts, ideas and perspectives of each of the participating skaters on skating to their everyday lives. I'm looking forward to sharing that time with you.’ Takahashi commented: ’I'm also looking forward to receiving messages about the kind of content you want to see. I also hope that the content of the skating shop shows I produce will be posted on the website, so that everyone can feel more familiar with skating’.

Awww..sitting alone on the bench..making calls..I read the article in the middle of the night..loved the Baby Kazuki pics..and good news about working w Dai..Dai knows..

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

Sorry to whinge here so shortly after the moving blog post, so apologies for the rant. My Japanese friend told me today that JSF wrote on its calendar website they were not going to send skaters to Nepela. I'm sad, taken aback, disappointed and angry at the same time. I was really looking forward to that event, and was so sure Kazuki would be there since everyone else has been assigned. This is beyond unfair. How dare they skip their Nationals #6, when all active skaters before him and after him are going? JSF really did him dirty, and one has to admire Kazuki's strength of spirit to keep going. They don't deserve him.

And now I regret that skaters cannot attend events on their own, the way other federations do it. JSF is really holding its skaters in a cage. Daiichi Juken would possibly gladly fund Kazuki's Challenger assignment as he's fully capable of not only bringing in fans, but also selling merchandize while there. I for one would be very happy to buy a Tomono curry box at least.
I want to see the day when skaters decide their own CS and B event assignments.

And fans would have been grateful to the Daiichi Juken Group.
I understand that the JSF is in deficit, that they can't afford to send skaters to as many events as they used to, and I can also understand that they may require a validation by themselves to keep son coherence in each skater's calendar and so on, but a flat out prohibition seems counter-productive, at least now that they can't send skaters where they had rather be sent to, in the interest of the JSF itself (because raising any of their skaters' ranking or raising their level at the first important competition is their interest, and that's what a CS trophy or an International B competition can do).

 

[synesthesia]

Guys, great news! Kazuki changed his affiliation to Daiichi Juken Group! That means they have now a closer relationship than before, he will now be representing Daiichi Juken in competitions, rather than Uenoshiba Skating Club. I'm so happy for him, to have the full back of a company at this stage in his career, it's amazing!
Here's the announcement: https://mainichi.jp/articles/20240923/k00/00m/050/140000c

Figure skater Kazuki Tomono changed affiliation to ‘Daiichi Juken Group’

It was announced on 24 September that Kazuki Tomono (26), a male figure skater and representative of the 2023 World Championships, will belong to the Daiichi Juken Group.

The Daiichi Juken Group, based in Osaka, signed a partnership agreement with Tomono last season. This time, following an offer from Tomono, an affiliation contract has been signed. The company says: ‘Impressed by Tomono's boldness in taking on any challenge, which is in line with the innovation and spirit of challenge that the Group stands for, and by his expressive, talented and unique skating, the Daiichi Juken Group will support Kazuki Tomono's future athletic activities’.

Tomono says: ‘I have been fortunate enough to be supported in competition as a member of the Daiichi Juken Group. It has been about a year since we signed a partnership agreement. I feel that we have formed a deep bond in a short period of time through various activities centred on competition support, and I will do my utmost to carry the name of Daiichi Juken Group with me to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina (D'Ampezzo). We look forward to your continued support in the future. [Hitoshi Kurasawa].

This is fantastic news, I’m very happy for Kazuki!

In another piece of news, Kazuki will be part of a new project with Dai-chan, Shizuka and others, it's a paid membership fan-club which will give access to exclusive content about the skaters! I hope to see more details about this project, and I wonder if this is the beginning of the 'company' that Dai-chan wants to create:

I don’t think so. This sounds rather like a way to monetize more fan content like the Hyoen talk events and the Dai/KanaDai documentaries that were exclusively distributed via ePlus, which is fine of course – I’m willing to pay for exclusive content even though it’s pretty expensive (52 € for 3 months or 188 € annually for the premium plan), I just fear it might again not be accessible for international fans. And I wonder, if there will be less and less internationally available content as a result. I hope I’m wrong and will wait for further information.


Membership registration starts on October 1st via the following site:

https://fanicon.net/fancommunities/5906



This is the full list of participating skaters:

Shizuka Arakawa

Daisuke Takahashi

Kana Muramoto

Kazuki Tomono

Takahito Mura

Keiji Tanaka

Yuna Aoki

Kosho Oshima

Yuto Kishina

Rena Uezono

 

[KiraraChin]

Sorry to whinge here so shortly after the moving blog post, so apologies for the rant. My Japanese friend told me today that JSF wrote on its calendar website they were not going to send skaters to Nepela. I'm sad, taken aback, disappointed and angry at the same time. I was really looking forward to that event, and was so sure Kazuki would be there since everyone else has been assigned. This is beyond unfair. How dare they skip their Nationals #6, when all active skaters before him and after him are going? JSF really did him dirty, and one has to admire Kazuki's strength of spirit to keep going. They don't deserve him.

And now I regret that skaters cannot attend events on their own, the way other federations do it. JSF is really holding its skaters in a cage. Daiichi Juken would possibly gladly fund Kazuki's Challenger assignment as he's fully capable of not only bringing in fans, but also selling merchandize while there. I for one would be very happy to buy a Tomono curry box at least.
I want to see the day when skaters decide their own CS and B event assignments.

Absolutely nothing to apologise for, I feel exactly the same. It's absolutely ludicrous that Kazuki is not having an autumn challenger assignment this year. I am really upset, but sadly, not surprised.

In many ways, it has everything to do with the moving blog post: Kazuki is not only too old for JSF, he's also challenging the status quo.

You see, the traditional model, in which the most commercially successful skaters are also the ones with big medals, is highly convenient for JSF. Through their politicking, they can make or break careers, right? They can, to a great extent, control who gets the big medals or not. That means, they can control who gets the money, and because they can control who gets the money, that gives them a great bargaining power over the skaters and their earnings.

If, by contrast, a skater demonstrate there is another way, building business connections through their sheer charisma, without big medals and/or powerful connections, surely that's seen as a threat by the fed. They can't control or fabricate charisma, right? Furthermore, if the fed even go as far as undermining the skater's scores/placements, ensuring they finish in a 'mediocre' 6th place at Nats and removing them from the team altogether, and the skater STILL manages to become more popular than ever, getting more attention in ice shows, selling out fan event tickets and merch, and ultimately landing an affiliation contract, that must be terrifying for the fed. Therefore, they will do anything to shut the skater down and get them out of the way.

The irony, of course, is that while Kazuki is commercially thriving, the JSF is in a deep financial crisis. If JSF had any brains, they would work with Kazuki, not against him. But they're way too narrow-minded for that; they'd rather die in irrelevance than lose control.

I just fear it might again not be accessible for international fans. And I wonder, if there will be less and less internationally available content as a result. I hope I’m wrong and will wait for further information.

That is a great point. We, Kazuki fans, are spoiled because there's always a lot of content, with non-no and Sauna Bros being free and accessible internationally. The Mainichi articles are behind a paywall, but international fans can subscribe. However, it's really frustrating that most of his merch is not accessible internationally. So if the content is behind a paywall AND not available internationally, that will really suck.

I also saw someone making an interesting point - putting content behind a paywall is not a great way to make the sport accessible. So while I understand that skaters are looking for a different way to monetise content, I hope they get the balance right and don't put EVERYTHING behind this paywall. On a positive note, at the very least, it seems they will produce actual content instead of relying on AI (sorry I couldn't resist the dig on that awful Yuma project )

Now, onto positive things - Sakai City Mayor tweeted about Kazuki's project



As well as Sakai City's official PR character, Chief Haniwa Officer (CHO)


Kazuki's sponsor HD holdings, which are based in Sakai City, also tweeted about the project:
Sakai, where Tomono was born and raised, is a wonderful city blessed with history, cultural heritage and nature.
We are very happy that more people will visit Sakai through Tomono and that this will help to revitalise the area.
It is very, very nice to walk around the town where he grew up.
From now on, Sakai will be a pleasant place to take a walk.

It's still insane to me that Kazuki managed to arrange a partnership between local government and a nationwide well-established fashion and lifestyle magazine!

Last but not least, I know there's so much going on that's easy to forget lol but Kazuki is skating tomorrow at the Kinki Championships at 12:47pm Japan time: https://www.jsfresults.com/National...--------01QUAL000100--_StartListwithTimes.pdf

Good luck, Kazuki!

 

[TallyT]

If, by contrast, a skater demonstrate there is another way, building business connections through their sheer charisma, without big medals and/or powerful connections, surely that's seen as a threat by the fed.

Ummm, as a fan of him over there to the left who was crappily treated by JSF pretty much forever, I can confidently say that it's less a case of medals than of politics.

They can't control or fabricate charisma, right?

That doesn't stop all of TPTB trying, because they never learn.

 

[KiraraChin]

Kazuki's skate from today

Does it lack a bit of control? Yes. Of course, there was a mistake on the axel, and apparently he was struggling with the axel during the warm-up, which is a dead giveaway that he was nervous. But, my god, the programme and the overall packaging are magnificent

This fan summed it up really well: https://x.com/achako_18kz19hg/status/1839883792829559265
Tomono-kun was the best
After seeing so many performances at the block competitions since last week, I was reminded once again how good Tomono-kun is. He is sharp, his movements are lean and his ability to draw you into his worldview is amazing.
It's like watching a good film, you feel satisfied after watching it, even though you feel like you've seen it all in a flash. I'm also captivated by it.

Apparently, when he first took off his jacket and revealed his costume, the whole venue went to a state of frenzy and cheered! You can't see it very well with the low-quality stream, but the costume is so intricate, I really like it:


Of course, the judges underscored him to death, but what else is new It's comical at this point... Meanwhile, once again he made it into Japan's top trends

Ummm, as a fan of him over there to the left who was crappily treated by JSF pretty much forever, I can confidently say that it's less a case of medals than of politics.

The way I see it, medals and politics are completely intertwined. Of course, some skaters will win medals regardless, because they're just that good. But, still, the fed can interfere and politick in a way that they don't get the medals they deserve. In Kazuki's case, his 'lack of medals' is a direct result of the way he's been treated and scored throughout his life.

I guess what I was trying to say was, if the fed goes out of their way to undermine a skater's competitive results, and the skater is still popular and commercially successful nonetheless, that's surely seen a threat by the fed, and they will try to do whatever they can to get the skater out of the way.

 

[kwanette]

Kazuki's skate from today

Does it lack a bit of control? Yes. Of course, there was a mistake on the axel, and apparently he was struggling with the axel during the warm-up, which is a dead giveaway that he was nervous. But, my god, the programme and the overall packaging are magnificent

This fan summed it up really well: https://x.com/achako_18kz19hg/status/1839883792829559265
Tomono-kun was the best
After seeing so many performances at the block competitions since last week, I was reminded once again how good Tomono-kun is. He is sharp, his movements are lean and his ability to draw you into his worldview is amazing.
It's like watching a good film, you feel satisfied after watching it, even though you feel like you've seen it all in a flash. I'm also captivated by it.

Apparently, when he first took off his jacket and revealed his costume, the whole venue went to a state of frenzy and cheered! You can't see it very well with the low-quality stream, but the costume is so intricate, I really like it:


Of course, the judges underscored him to death, but what else is new It's comical at this point... Meanwhile, once again he made it into Japan's top trends


The way I see it, medals and politics are completely intertwined. Of course, some skaters will win medals regardless, because they're just that good. But, still, the fed can interfere and politick in a way that they don't get the medals they deserve. In Kazuki's case, his 'lack of medals' is a direct result of the way he's been treated and scored throughout his life.

I guess what I was trying to say was, if the fed goes out of their way to undermine a skater's competitive results, and the skater is still popular and commercially successful nonetheless, that's surely seen a threat by the fed, and they will try to do whatever they can to get the skater out of the way.

What can I say? I loved it!

 

[surimi]

Kazuki's skate from today

Does it lack a bit of control? Yes. Of course, there was a mistake on the axel, and apparently he was struggling with the axel during the warm-up, which is a dead giveaway that he was nervous. But, my god, the programme and the overall packaging are magnificent

Great! Well done, Kazuki! And good luck in the free JSF, are you ashamed now? To keep such a skater at home? In Nebelhorn, this would have landed him in 1st after the SP.

 

[KiraraChin]

Great! Well done, Kazuki! And good luck in the free JSF, are you ashamed now? To keep such a skater at home? In Nebelhorn, this would have landed him in 1st after the SP.

He would have most likely scored 90+ in Nebelhorn...

 

[surimi]

He would have most likely scored 90+ in Nebelhorn...

Seeing the scores Sota got, PCS especially, I wouldn't think so...