Kazuki Tomono

[KiraraChin]

Normally I try not to get too worked up about the scoring because that would have taken the joy out of the sport for me a long time ago, but for Kazuki's PCS to be just over a point ahead of Mikhail's (as great as he was here and certainly deserved the win) is a crime. I would even say that several guys should have been ahead of Mikhail in PCS. Oh well...

Unless Kazuki is called up as a substitute, it's now on to next season with hopefully two strong programs. I'd love to see him bring back Halston and work with Shae-Lynn on a new SP!

Yeah I mean... the scoring is ridiculous, but this time I can't really argue with the placements. It'd have been great to get a medal, and that loop was sooooo costly in that sense, but oh well. At least he won a slightly better SB and some precious standing points and, barring a tragedy, his two GP spots are secure for next season

I'm glad to see the end of the season and, hopefully, the last of the Butterfly programme in a competition. I'm really looking forward to Kassouya I hope he gets to have a little break to re-charge and focus on his Olympic programmes. The fact that he is not doing Hyoen this year is a relief in that sense.

I don't know if you guys remember, but in the 2020-21 season he was A MESS. But then he really got it together for the Olympic season (2021-22 season). So, who knows? Hopefully the same thing will happen now, and he will be able to finish his career on a high.

At least we can always count on Daiichi Juken to be supportive:

 

[kwanette]

Kazuki..top Japanese boy here..and he is in the Gala!

 

[Figskater23]

Yeah I mean... the scoring is ridiculous, but this time I can't really argue with the placements. It'd have been great to get a medal, and that loop was sooooo costly in that sense, but oh well. At least he won a slightly better SB and some precious standing points and, barring a tragedy, his two GP spots are secure for next season

I'm glad to see the end of the season and, hopefully, the last of the Butterfly programme in a competition. I'm really looking forward to Kassouya I hope he gets to have a little break to re-charge and focus on his Olympic programmes. The fact that he is not doing Hyoen this year is a relief in that sense.

I don't know if you guys remember, but in the 2020-21 season he was A MESS. But then he really got it together for the Olympic season (2021-22 season). So, who knows? Hopefully the same thing will happen now, and he will be able to finish his career on a high.

At least we can always count on Daiichi Juken to be supportive:

I wonder if the costumes will be the same again this year for Kassouya? He looked so handsome in all black with a masquerade mask and gloves hands with his hair sprayed (or if it was gel).

 

[synesthesia]

I wonder if the costumes will be the same again this year for Kassouya?

As it's reportedly the same show as last year (with a couple of reworked sections) and Kassouya is about keeping the costs down, I'd say that's most likely. (Btw. there is a thread in the ice show subforum, if you want to keep up with news about the show. )

I don't know if you guys remember, but in the 2020-21 season he was A MESS. But then he really got it together for the Olympic season (2021-22 season). So, who knows? Hopefully the same thing will happen now, and he will be able to finish his career on a high.

This, and the fact that Kazuki has also been able to perform well in other instances when it counted, gives me hope that he can somehow pull it off next season (and yes, it might be beneficial that he doesn't seem to do too many ice shows this off-season).

 

[rabidline]

Kazuki along with Piper/Paul and Deanna/Max are out of the Gala- they're all sick.

 

[KiraraChin]

Kazuki along with Piper/Paul and Deanna/Max are out of the Gala- they're all sick.

Yes, several skaters have come down with gastroenteritis - I read that Mone Chiba was feeling really unwell during the women's FS because of it, poor thing. It's truly unfortunate for the skaters and especially for Kazuki who usually really enjoys performing at the gala.

Mainichi gallery of pictures, from yesterday and today:




Interview from today (paid article): Kazuki Tomono to Milan, the place where it all began: ‘There would be drama if I could go there’ 4 continents. (I think he's implying he might surpass the expectations, like he did in 2018)

リンクサイド：友野一希　始まりの地ミラノへ「行けたらドラマあるな」　4大陸 | 毎日新聞

韓国・ソウルで開催されているフィギュアスケートの4大陸選手権男子で、合計242・08点で日本勢最上位の4位に入った友野一希選手（第一住建グループ）が23日、フリーから一夜明けて取材に応じた。けがなどもあり、苦しいシーズンとなった今季の総括や、オリンピックシーズンへの決意などを語った。友野選手の主な

mainichi.jp

 

[KiraraChin]

Some more pics from yesterday. I saw a fan saying they were there at the arena and a heard a Korean man shout: 'Thank you for coming to Four Continents, Tomono-san'

 

[rabidline]

Interview from today (paid article): Kazuki Tomono to Milan, the place where it all began: ‘There would be drama if I could go there’ 4 continents. (I think he's implying he might surpass the expectations, like he did in 2018)

リンクサイド：友野一希　始まりの地ミラノへ「行けたらドラマあるな」　4大陸 | 毎日新聞

韓国・ソウルで開催されているフィギュアスケートの4大陸選手権男子で、合計242・08点で日本勢最上位の4位に入った友野一希選手（第一住建グループ）が23日、フリーから一夜明けて取材に応じた。けがなどもあり、苦しいシーズンとなった今季の総括や、オリンピックシーズンへの決意などを語った。友野選手の主な

mainichi.jp

Honestly, as I'm watching this season, I don't think it's impossible for Kazuki to go to Milan. It's a long shot, but if he really has cleansed all his bad luck and injuries this season, and really lock in from the start in the next season.....

I just think he's a lot more reliable as a skater than his younger rivals, but it's just the results hampering him from giving himself a reason to meet the criteria given. I have a feeling JSF is having that same realization on reliability as well right now.

 

[KiraraChin]

Honestly, as I'm watching this season, I don't think it's impossible for Kazuki to go to Milan. It's a long shot, but if he really has cleansed all his bad luck and injuries this season, and really lock in from the start in the next season.....

I just think he's a lot more reliable as a skater than his younger rivals, but it's just the results hampering him from giving himself a reason to meet the criteria given. I have a feeling JSF is having that same realization on reliability as well right now.

Yeah I'm thinking the same thing. If Tatsuya can make the Worlds team, anything is possible - no shade to Tatsuya who's a really good skater, but realistically he's not up there in terms of BV compared to the others.

Figure skating is a sport in which things can change fast, things can change a lot from one season to the other. Hell, the landscape can really change even from the beginning to the end of the season, especially in a context like the current Japanese Men who are so talented, but also incredibly chaotic lol Who've have thought, during the GP series, that Kazuki would be in all the headlines as the top-ranked Japanese man at 4CC when Kao Miura was on the team.

I think if Kazuki manages to lock in as he did in the previous two Olympic seasons, he has a chance

 

[Figskater23]

As it's reportedly the same show as last year (with a couple of reworked sections) and Kassouya is about keeping the costs down, I'd say that's most likely. (Btw. there is a thread in the ice show subforum, if you want to keep up with news about the show. )




This, and the fact that Kazuki has also been able to perform well in other instances when it counted, gives me hope that he can somehow pull it off next season (and yes, it might be beneficial that he doesn't seem to do too many ice shows this off-season).

I look forward to seeing more photos and videos of him in that costume. I think that’s my favorite one that he wears.

 

[Figskater23]

Yes, several skaters have come down with gastroenteritis - I read that Mone Chiba was feeling really unwell during the women's FS because of it, poor thing. It's truly unfortunate for the skaters and especially for Kazuki who usually really enjoys performing at the gala.

Mainichi gallery of pictures, from yesterday and today:




Interview from today (paid article): Kazuki Tomono to Milan, the place where it all began: ‘There would be drama if I could go there’ 4 continents. (I think he's implying he might surpass the expectations, like he did in 2018)

リンクサイド：友野一希　始まりの地ミラノへ「行けたらドラマあるな」　4大陸 | 毎日新聞

韓国・ソウルで開催されているフィギュアスケートの4大陸選手権男子で、合計242・08点で日本勢最上位の4位に入った友野一希選手（第一住建グループ）が23日、フリーから一夜明けて取材に応じた。けがなどもあり、苦しいシーズンとなった今季の総括や、オリンピックシーズンへの決意などを語った。友野選手の主な

mainichi.jp

How could they have gotten gastroenteritis? From nerves or from eating something that didn’t agree with them? That too bad.

 

[KiraraChin]

How could they have gotten gastroenteritis? From nerves or from eating something that didn’t agree with them? That too bad.

Gastroenteritis (also known as stomach flu) is highly contagious and can be passed from person to person, through their breath or shaking hands, touching the same surfaces etc. Several other skaters in the Canadian delegation also had it so it was definitely going around
Kazuki said he spent the night after the free skate in the bathroom lol but felt better the next morning, and he was seen at the airport this morning talking lively to other boys that were also going to Kansai (Tatsuya, Sumitada and Masaya). So hopefully he's in the clear now

Meanwhile, he just posted on IG:
Four Continents Championships
Thank you for all your support!
We will do our best for next season!



Some pictures from the free skate. I gotta say, whilst I'm not a fan of the programme for him, the pics coming out of it are very cute

 

[kwanette]

I am glad that Kazuki is feeling better..I am sorry that he had to miss the Gala and the banquet. I had the Noro Virus on Jan 1st..Horrible!

 

[surimi]

Late to the party, but congrats to Kazuki on his placement! That should bump him up the WS very nicely.
That's a shame about the gala, I was going to look up his gala program, and now I see there's no need to. I'm so behind in watching stuff...
I agree about his high chances next season. For WC, definitely (which would make me very happy), and perhaps also for the OG.

 

[KiraraChin]

Kazuki's Mainichi column is being updated today!


Check out this beautiful illustration based on Kazuki's character on Hyoen

 

[synesthesia]

World Figure Skating published part 1 of a three-part interview with Kazuki today :

INTERVIEW 友野一希①「自分への理解度が上がった」 - WFS-Web ワールド・フィギュアスケートWeb

年末の全日本選手権で5位となり、四大陸選手権に出場を果たした友野一希選手（第一住建グループ）。新たにローリー・ニコル、シェイリーン・ボーン・トゥロック振付のプログラムを手にして臨んだ今シーズンは、グランプリシリーズの前に […]

worldfigureskating-web.jp

[WFS-Web] INTERVIEW Kazuki Tomono (1) ‘My understanding of myself has improved’.​

​

We will bring you a long interview with Kazuki TOMONO for three days in a row. In today's first installment, we asked him about his thoughts after the Four Continents Championships, what he thought of the season and what he has gained from it, and his honest feelings.​

 

[rabidline]

World Figure Skating published part 1 of a three-part interview with Kazuki today :

INTERVIEW 友野一希①「自分への理解度が上がった」 - WFS-Web ワールド・フィギュアスケートWeb

年末の全日本選手権で5位となり、四大陸選手権に出場を果たした友野一希選手（第一住建グループ）。新たにローリー・ニコル、シェイリーン・ボーン・トゥロック振付のプログラムを手にして臨んだ今シーズンは、グランプリシリーズの前に […]

worldfigureskating-web.jp

[WFS-Web] INTERVIEW Kazuki Tomono (1) ‘My understanding of myself has improved’.​

​

We will bring you a long interview with Kazuki TOMONO for three days in a row. In today's first installment, we asked him about his thoughts after the Four Continents Championships, what he thought of the season and what he has gained from it, and his honest feelings.​

It's really everything I want to hear from Kazuki right now, and it really strengthen my feelings that he's in a very good spot to win that Olympic ticket.

 

[Figskater23]

World Figure Skating published part 1 of a three-part interview with Kazuki today :

INTERVIEW 友野一希①「自分への理解度が上がった」 - WFS-Web ワールド・フィギュアスケートWeb

年末の全日本選手権で5位となり、四大陸選手権に出場を果たした友野一希選手（第一住建グループ）。新たにローリー・ニコル、シェイリーン・ボーン・トゥロック振付のプログラムを手にして臨んだ今シーズンは、グランプリシリーズの前に […]

worldfigureskating-web.jp

[WFS-Web] INTERVIEW Kazuki Tomono (1) ‘My understanding of myself has improved’.​

​

We will bring you a long interview with Kazuki TOMONO for three days in a row. In today's first installment, we asked him about his thoughts after the Four Continents Championships, what he thought of the season and what he has gained from it, and his honest feelings.​

I enjoyed reading it. It’s so sad that interviewers don’t usually interview him or other Japanese skaters because of the language barrier. That shouldn’t stop a great talk from happening. There are ways around it. Kazuki may be a normal guy like all the other skaters, but he has a lot to say I’m sure and everyone should be able to hear his words.

 

[rabidline]

I enjoyed reading it. It’s so sad that interviewers don’t usually interview him or other Japanese skaters because of the language barrier. That shouldn’t stop a great talk from happening. There are ways around it. Kazuki may be a normal guy like all the other skaters, but he has a lot to say I’m sure and everyone should be able to hear his words.

There are some positives though. I think English interviewers (at least in FS) and then English translators can end up "sterilizing" the interview too much because of difference in culture and also personal bias, such as making things sound positive and optimistic when they're actually more neutral and realistic. Reading the original interviews in Japanese, even through machine translation, get you a better sense of mood and vibe of where the skater is, and I personally like when a skater caught the international fandom off guard with their good results because they weren't updated of the latest interviews

Personally at least I have been really enjoying Kazuki's and Wakaba's newest interviews. Whatever happens at Worlds and next season, they both have gained the necessary experience this year and has the perspective to take the things that happened as lessons and strength to move forward.

 

[KiraraChin]

World Figure Skating published part 1 of a three-part interview with Kazuki today :

INTERVIEW 友野一希①「自分への理解度が上がった」 - WFS-Web ワールド・フィギュアスケートWeb

年末の全日本選手権で5位となり、四大陸選手権に出場を果たした友野一希選手（第一住建グループ）。新たにローリー・ニコル、シェイリーン・ボーン・トゥロック振付のプログラムを手にして臨んだ今シーズンは、グランプリシリーズの前に […]

worldfigureskating-web.jp

[WFS-Web] INTERVIEW Kazuki Tomono (1) ‘My understanding of myself has improved’.​

​

We will bring you a long interview with Kazuki TOMONO for three days in a row. In today's first installment, we asked him about his thoughts after the Four Continents Championships, what he thought of the season and what he has gained from it, and his honest feelings.​

Thank you for sharing! I also really enjoyed the interview. I was touched when he said he felt relieved once he got the 4CC assignment and was invited to Medalist on Ice Looking back, this season has really been a mess for him in terms of pacing and preparation, and I really admire him for being able to look at it with a positive attitude. Not to mention he managed to somehow keep afloat in terms of results! He's really amazing.

Also yesterday, his latest Mainichi column was published - continue the series about his most memorable exhibitions, this time he spoke about Daft Punk!



Today, he visited Daiichi Juken's new cafe, a super posh place called Natural Table