Mao Asada | Page 213 | Golden Skate

Mao Asada

Mao will receive a TV Asahi "Big Sports Special Achievement Award"

https://twitter.com/oro1_/status/932863603635494913

ビッグスポーツ特別功労賞
浅田　真央
フィギュアスケート
バンクーバー五輪　銀メダル（2010年）
世界選手権　3度の金メダル（2008年・2010年・2014年）
グランプリファイナル 4度の金メダル（2005年・2008年・2012年・2013年）
2017年4月に現役引退
Click to expand...
 
The following article indicates that even in retirement Mao is still one of the most beloved athletes by children in Japan.

My favorite sports player" Survey result
Public interest foundation corporation Sasakawa Sports Foundation announced the findings on children's and youth's favorite athletes on November 21.

Mao was ranked as the second favorite athlete for children from 4 to 11 years old along with Fukuhara Ai in table tennis.

it's wonderful to know that Mao's exceptional expressive power, transcendent artistry and refined athletic elegance that challenged the most difficult elements will continue to be a big inspiration for the next generation, especially since Mao has said that one of her goals was to inspire children.

https://youtu.be/LQD0k4IgDA4?t=347 On July 4, 2013, 8 1/2 months before her incredible Sochi LP, Mao said, "My unchanging objective has been to become a skater who can give small children a dream."

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20171122-00010002-tennisnet-spo

Nishikiro Kei ranked first overall and Yuzuru Hanyu did very well among young people aged 12-21.
 
Thanks to chapis for posting this high quality video of Carmen which led me to a lot of other great performances by Mao from 2010 and earlier in beautiful 1080 resolution. And thanks to chapis for posting this marvelous and very recent photo of Mao from her instagram!! https://instagram.com/p/Bb80TqSA6Nt/

I know some have been posted before but there are a lot all in one place and the previous posts are hard to find anyway.

2005 Carmen JN 2005
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8839BW5awA8&feature=

2006 Nationals Czardas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQOgsYBXVPg

2004 Over the Rainbow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zkiOMFu6JY

2010 Diamond Ice (Caprice and Masquerade Waltz Step Sequence): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kqO6lYrvXk

2007- Fantasia for Violin for Orchestra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNZC2tZjx1o

2010- Tango with interviews and training https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE1ovBna6o8

2010 Liebestraum Nationals with interview and warm up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY2XYxLawYw

2010 Worlds Bells of Moscow https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUUYRb2mAns
 
Mao has a new book called My Figure Skating Life coming out on December 15th. Here is the beautiful cover. Mao will have an autograph signing for the book on December 13th just after she returns from the Honolulu Marathon on December 10th.

https://postimg.org/image/mlibyskmp/

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4403231268/ref=pe_492632_159100282_TE_item


And here are some more beautiful photos posted along with it from 2011: https://postimg.org/image/icdlwtca9/

https://postimg.org/image/gkkn25t01/

Information was taken from this site: https://ameblo.jp/white-mimi/

Thanks to the poster cohkaix, for the following information. Mao's exhibition by Takashimaya will also move to Osaka on December 13th. Here is the associated DVD Smile Forever with programs selected by Mao I believe.

http://www.takashimaya.co.jp/store/special/event/asada.html

Furthermore, cohkaix posted this new photo of Mao in a stylish plaid outfit with the designer, Tomoko Yasuno's IG on instagram : https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb8l_XTlIu9/


Mao is also doing choreography for her sister Mai's program near Christmas time.
 
yume said:
Interesting.
Click to expand...

Here are some more details from part of a translated article using google translate.
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/article?a=20171125-00000006-sasahi-spo

At the event the older sister Mai mentioned Mao's guidance. Mao is in charge of the choreography at the ice show "Christmas on Ice 2017" (December 15, Shin Yokohama Skate Center) in which Mai appears. It is said that this is the first time for Mao to teach choreography.
　She seems to have received guidance about 6 times already, Mai said, "I'm choreographed for the first time, so I am doing my best to perform a good program," she said with a smile. Mao also laughed, "The guidance to Mai has become really serious (laugh), but it was fun."

　Regarding the theme of the choreography,

"What is the theme ... I do not know (laugh), I have a dreamy Christmas with a dazzling glittering spirit, and the rest is pretty" (Mao)


Mao did do a lot of her own choreography for The New Jupiter in January 2016 with Lori Nichol and I really loved the new version, though I liked the first version a whole lot too.
 
gotoschool said:
Here are some more details from part of a translated article using google translate.
https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/article?a=20171125-00000006-sasahi-spo

At the event the older sister Mai mentioned Mao's guidance. Mao is in charge of the choreography at the ice show "Christmas on Ice 2017" (December 15, Shin Yokohama Skate Center) in which Mai appears. It is said that this is the first time for Mao to teach choreography.
　She seems to have received guidance about 6 times already, Mai said, "I'm choreographed for the first time, so I am doing my best to perform a good program," she said with a smile. Mao also laughed, "The guidance to Mai has become really serious (laugh), but it was fun."

　Regarding the theme of the choreography,

"What is the theme ... I do not know (laugh), I have a dreamy Christmas with a dazzling glittering spirit, and the rest is pretty" (Mao)


Mao did do a lot of her own choreography for The New Jupiter in January 2016 with Lori Nichol and I really loved the new version, though I liked the first version a whole lot too.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Can't wait to see that program.
Jupiter is my favorite EX from Mao. And the new version is really great. Good to know that she work on the choregraphy. Maybe in few years she will do some choreos for active skaters.
 
Very moving article. Thanks for sharing. I remember when she withdrew because her Mom was very ill and then we heard the sad news of her passing.
 
Here is a video clip and fairly long interview with Mao and Mai after participating in the "Sumisei Vitality Action Presents Premium" Body "Friday RUN". At this event, the two ran 6.5 km around Hibiya Park and the Imperial Palace. They talk about the Honolulu Marathon. Also evidently, Mai revealed that she was working on choreography with Mao and that Mao was powering up while practicing every day during the weekday in preparation for next year.

In reference to Mao's retirement, Mao said something like "Heavy things have gone out of my body, goodbye to 2017. (18 years) I will start with a new feeling" with a smile.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-i2dpaLzLA

Here is a screeshot of Mao's most recent post of beautiful festive artwork on instagram showing a joyous mood of expectation for the Holiday season and fresh starts for the upcoming year.

https://ibb.co/g9jKLG

Mao also used running or jogging as a way to build up her stamina in preparation for her return to competition in 2015 which was hampered by injury, illness and in my opinion underscoring which put extra pressure on her to try more difficult elements in an injured state with less training because of the injuries and illnesses. However, I think a part of Mao probably also wanted to challenge the elements like the triple axel no matter what. Now in retirement, Mao is preparing for her professional career by again returning to running to build stamina. Mao mentioned in an article that she had learned that running works different muscles than are involved with jumping and that she had learned to run in such a way so as not to hurt her knee. This is at least kind of how I remember her comment.

Even though I cheered for Mao to win, I think for me the hardest part about following Mao's skating is that I really just want to watch her performances without getting involved in the idea of competitions and assigning empirical points for what to me are spiritual expressions of athletic art like paintings, music or great literature. Instead, I prefer to decide for myself which I like best and experience it without external judgement. However, it has been more difficult to see Mao perform outside of competitions and it has become even harder in recent years.

But, I think life experiences and the system that judged her so harshly also helped create her great expressive range and power, since fine art so often rises out of conflict between the real and the imagined ideal. Inevitably, great art of any kind often has the ability to challenge someone's assumptions about the legitimacy of a system and its judgments and opinions by showing an ideal vision of the world never imagined before. I think Mao's ability to do this in her performances along with the inspiration of their transcendent beauty are two of her greatest legacies, and she did it by showing this in her performances instead of telling people what to think. Now that it appears Mao will begin her professional career next season since she is powering up in practice, I hope I will be able to see Mao's performances and that they aren't hidden away like buried treasures.
 
nolangoh said:
I immediately think of her Liebestraume program at 2012 4CC and the ending where she looked up into the sky...oh no...:sad21: gotta do it later. Thanks for sharing!
Click to expand...

2011 All Japan Nationals, is this the one you were thinking about? (which she didn't have much time to practice for after the death of her mother, but still won with very touching performance of the Lieberstrame FS)

I'm also trying to remember the origin of the translated piece...perhaps it was originally an article in Japanese? (can't really remember but the title is familiar). Anyway, there's one place that I remember differently from the translation: about taking one year off from competition. When Kyoko Mama was quite ill, she did suggest Mao to take one year off from skating, in case anything would happen. But at that time Mao refused to do so, and the reason was that Mao thought her skating skill would deteriorate if she'd take time off and stay away from skating. Otherwise, the other time she'd really be thinking about taking time off (even quite skating) was after WC 2012.
 
There is a documentary being aired about Mao's Rach II Sochi LP on NHK channel on the following dates and times with the first airing tomorrow. Hopefully it will be posted on youtube:

https://www.nhk.or.jp/docudocu/program/3444/1453078/index.html

Another story's fate branch point "Mao Asada Legendary Sochi Olympics"
December 5, 2017 (Tue) 3:00 pm (60 minutes)
December 11, 2017 (Monday) 0:00 pm (60 minutes)

Evidently, Evgenia Plushenko will be in the documentary because it says Russian national players such as Emperor Plushenko testify to the unknown episode of acting miracles in Japan. I know Evgenia Plushenko like Daisuke have said they would like to do exhibitions with Mao in retirement.

http://music-book.jp/video/news/news/167789

Here is another article which indicates that Adelina Sotnikova and Tatiana Tarasova will also appear to honor Mao's legendary performance in the documentary. I have to say that for me it is the most impressive and inspirational performance I have ever seen and it is what led me to this forum to voice how much it transcended the blatantly deflated scores.
 
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