Mao Asada plans comeback

[mary01]

There's musicality and there's hearing music. It's not a hit on Mao at fifteen because its true. Mao hit the accents and skated with the frolic of a child ingenue- but it's not the same with Satoko. Satoko is naturally more attuned to to her body because of the precedent. Somehow I can't imagine that a young Mao could ever convey feeling in Miss Saigon the way Satoko has, and there's nothing wrong with that. I don't think Yamada focused much on Mao's artistry because she had the 3A and the triple-triples. However, Satoko's generation would have been schooled a little bit more on the artistic side because the precedent (a mature Mao skating to more lyrical pieces like Clair de Lune, Kim and Carolina) were trying to be more well rounded to gain points, and also because they were growing up. Mao was skating to the music and hitting her choreography (esp in Carmen and the Nutcracker) without much awareness of her lines and lyricism. Satoko is.

There's no shame in saying Mao wasn't graceful when she was younger. She wasn't. Instead she was sprightly and full of energy. For the first season she looked like she was just happy to be there. But that just means Mao has matured GREATLY over the years as she transitioned into the skater we know today. Obviously, I respect your opinion, and I am such a Mao fan. However, it doesn't do her legacy, or any other Japanese figure skater (like Shizuka or Akiko whose artistry were much more obvious and organic than Mao) to belittle the younger skaters' strengths.

Besides, Mao didn't impress me on artistry at 15-16. She was going to be the second coming of Midori Ito. Those jumps. Her full musical potential didn't kick in till Tarasova took over with Ladies in Lavender.

I was in no way trying to belittle Satoko with my comment, I simply have not been as impressed and moved with her skating as others on the board. Her achievement last year at worlds were on the other hand kind of amazing and unexpected, maybe she will grow on me more with time but right now she is the kind of skater i like to see but don't necessary love to see, that's just my preference. No one said Satoko wasn't artistic or musical i just didn't think she was THAT artistic.

 

[Sai Bon]

More semi-speculation in the Japanese media about Mao:

She might go head-to-head for a battle of the triple axels in October at the Japan Open:

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/05/20/kiji/K20150520010378790.html

Apparently under JSF rules, you are exempt from entering regionals if it's a week before or after an ISU comp. So Mao may make the Japan Open her first competition of the season and enter the Kansai regionals instead of Chubu, which would give her a little more time to prepare. If Elizaveta T accepts an invite to the Japan Open, it could be the battle of the Triple Axels!

...and she might reuse her Sochi season LP, because Lori N is too busy to spend the required time with Mao to choreograph a new LP:

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/winter/20150520-OHT1T50226.html

 

[mary01]

More semi-speculation in the Japanese media about Mao:

She might go head-to-head for a battle of the triple axels in October at the Japan Open:

http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/news/2015/05/20/kiji/K20150520010378790.html

Apparently under JSF rules, you are exempt from entering regionals if it's a week before or after an ISU comp. So Mao may make the Japan Open her first competition of the season and enter the Kansai regionals instead of Chubu, which would give her a little more time to prepare. If Elizaveta T accepts an invite to the Japan Open, it could be the battle of the Triple Axels!

...and she might reuse her Sochi season LP, because Lori N is too busy to spend the required time with Mao to choreograph a new LP:

http://www.hochi.co.jp/sports/winter/20150520-OHT1T50226.html

If lori is busy Mao should just use another choreographer, it's not like Lori is the only one in the world that knows how to make good programs, sometimes I wonder why Mao is soo attached to Lori, I can sort of understand her relationship to tat but never quite understood why she so insist on Lori.
I for one want to see tat do one of her upcoming programs and wish she would let a new choreographer do the other one!

 

[CarneAsada]

...and she might reuse her Sochi season LP, because Lori N is too busy to spend the required time with Mao to choreograph a new LP:

Ugh. I grew to enjoy it in the latter half of the season, but please, no...

 

[hurrah]

The article says that the insider pointed the possibility of re-using 'previous programs', so it might be other LP programs that Mao has done in the past. Actually, I'd love to see Mao performing Bells of Moscow. Of course, the program would have to be polished up a good bit to fit CoP requirements now.

 

[Interspectator]

One fun reaction to Mao's comeback is Wakaba Higuchi...http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2qenkq_少女スケーターたちの今-樋口新葉-青木祐奈-本田真凜_sport
She said she called her dad right away and said 'Taihen Da!' (Basically Oh noooo!) She said she had mixed feelings about Mao's return.

 

[Sai Bon]

One fun reaction to Mao's comeback is Wakaba Higuchi...http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2qenkq_少女スケーターたちの今-樋口新葉-青木祐奈-本田真凜_sport
She said she called her dad right away and said 'Taihen Da!' (Basically Oh noooo!) She said she had mixed feelings about Mao's return.

Thanks for the link!

 

[fruitbasket]

Mao's salchow is actually not tiny at all. Someone came out with measurements of skaters' different jumps in another thread, and as I recall, she has the biggest salchow jump out of all the ladies. Compared to her other jumps, Mao's salchow is the 2nd biggest jump of her's after the axel (<--- her axel being the biggest jump done by any lady, including any of the jumps done by Kostner, Eliza, etc.). And incidentally, on average, all of her jumps compare favorably in size to other ladies' jumps. So this myth that any of Mao's jumps are tiny is just a myth which close inspection has revealed to be untrue.

I also recall that in terms of lutzes, Eliza's lutz was the biggest amongst the ladies, and was the second largest jump after Mao's axel.

mao does not have good salchow jump nor liz lutz. biggest jump??/ where did you get the infor??

 

[amazingMao]

mao does not have good salchow jump nor liz lutz. biggest jump??/ where did you get the infor??

Please check daphenaxa post from 16th page of this thread, comparison of jumps with other skaters.

 

[Crystallize]

mao does not have good salchow jump nor liz lutz. biggest jump??/ where did you get the infor??

Are you saying that Liza's lutz isn't good? The nerve of some people.

Like the poster above said, check the 16th page. The info is all there.

 

[Crystallize]

One fun reaction to Mao's comeback is Wakaba Higuchi...http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2qenkq_少女スケーターたちの今-樋口新葉-青木祐奈-本田真凜_sport
She said she called her dad right away and said 'Taihen Da!' (Basically Oh noooo!) She said she had mixed feelings about Mao's return.

That's cute. She's quite a promising skater though. I don't think she has to worry too much.

 

[cohkaix]

The article says that the insider pointed the possibility of re-using 'previous programs', so it might be other LP programs that Mao has done in the past. Actually, I'd love to see Mao performing Bells of Moscow. Of course, the program would have to be polished up a good bit to fit CoP requirements now.

I think other news has also reported the possibility of reviving previous EX as SP. In that case, Jupiter would be a good choice (such as it is by Lori, and she's attempted 3-3 with the Ex). As for the reviving of LP, I wonder if there's any possibility for us to see those LP 'in rumor' but had never been realized in competitions (I'm thinking about 'Madame butterfly' as it was said to have been choreographed)

 

[Skater Boy]

That's cute. She's quite a promising skater though. I don't think she has to worry too much.

How is that cute? Sounds like she is being real I mean great for Mao fans but it means it will be tougher for her to make the Japanese national team. let's get real. People say they are thrilled about the competition and happy for Mao but the "truth" is someone's gain is usually at the cost of someone else. I never thought about it until that Canadian pairs team pointed it out in 1994 at the winter Olympics.

 

[Interspectator]

How is that cute? Sounds like she is being real I mean great for Mao fans but it means it will be tougher for her to make the Japanese national team. let's get real. People say they are thrilled about the competition and happy for Mao but the "truth" is someone's gain is usually at the cost of someone else. I never thought about it until that Canadian pairs team pointed it out in 1994 at the winter Olympics.

Did you watch the video? She's cute.

 

[skira1717]

According to Nobuo-sensei, Mao is doing clean triple axels (no popping) and triple-triples already
Dailymotion

 

[Crystallize]

How is that cute? Sounds like she is being real I mean great for Mao fans but it means it will be tougher for her to make the Japanese national team. let's get real. People say they are thrilled about the competition and happy for Mao but the "truth" is someone's gain is usually at the cost of someone else. I never thought about it until that Canadian pairs team pointed it out in 1994 at the winter Olympics.

I don't think she was all that serious about being worried of Mao's impending return. And all you do is go on and on about Mao's fans. Plenty of people who aren't her fans are happy to have her back. Get over it. This could be good competition and motivation for the younger skaters.

I cannot believe that you're suggesting a skater should sit out so another skater can get the spot. This is a sport! Arguments such as yours are what make it a joke. "Like, yeah, let those more experienced skaters sit out so the others can have a chance to win." Lmao. What kind of logic..... I'd think a win would be a lot sweeter if it were against a tough field rather than a weak one. But maybe that's just me.

 

[Franklin99]

I don't think she was all that serious about being worried of Mao's impending return. And all you do is go on and on about Mao's fans. Plenty of people who aren't her fans are happy to have her back. Get over it. This could be good competition and motivation for the younger skaters.

I cannot believe that you're suggesting a skater should sit out so another skater can get the spot. This is a sport! Arguments such as yours are what make it a joke. "Like, yeah, let those more experienced skaters sit out so the others can have a chance to win." Lmao. What kind of logic..... I'd think a win would be a lot sweeter if it were against a tough field rather than a weak one. But maybe that's just me.

 

[amazingMao]

According to Nobuo-sensei, Mao is doing clean triple axels (no popping) and triple-triples already
Dailymotion

I hope she is also doing triple flip-triple toe combination jump as it has more chance to get ratified in competition than triple flip-triple loop combination jump

 

[Tutto]

Mishin reaction to Mao's comeback:

http://tass.ru/sport/1983373

'To come back after a long break it is a real feat for Asada. I am glad it is happening as now the situation in ladies figure skating on the world scene will become even more interesting. Today at our morning practice when I told Liza of Mao’s return, she replied: ‘Now let’s have a battle of triple axels’ [a loose translation here - hard to translate a word for word] .
I am sure that my skater will not lose in this regard. Mao’s 3A is an illusion. No matter how hard she tried she's never done a clean 3A'

One can always count on Papa Mishin to make some unorthodox comment but he really went a bit too far this time. An illusion, never done cleanly?!

 

[daphenaxa]

Mishin reaction to Mao's comeback:

http://tass.ru/sport/1983373

'To come back after a long break it is a real feat for Asada. I am glad it is happening as now the situation in ladies figure skating on the world scene will become even more interesting. Today at our morning practice when I told Liza of Mao’s return, she replied: ‘Now let’s have a battle of triple axels’ [a loose translation here - hard to translate a word for word] .
I am sure that my skater will not lose in this regard. Mao’s 3A is an illusion. No matter how hard she tried she's never done a clean 3A'

One can always count on Papa Mishin to make some unorthodox comment but he really went a bit too far this time. An illusion, never done cleanly?!

lol aw -_- now THAT is a mean, uncalled for and untrue comment. Liza is a class act and a great skater, she doesn't need Mishin to talk about Mao like that. I am disapointed in him!