Mao Asada

[gotoschool]

Here is the latest version of Mao's radio show for 3/23. She is so full of life on her show and has such a gentle and kind voice. She spreads joy and hope like a bright rainbow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0UmUaUA8q0

 

[Sandpiper]

Here is a video of Mao's triple axel in the Worlds SP side by side with Liza's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y15D0Aa3Stg

Interesting. Thank you. Mao's 3A is actually bigger and more airy, but Liza completes less rotation on the ice. I can see arguments in favour of either one. Mao's 3A is undoubtedly very beautiful, but <insert usual COP complaints about rotation vs. GOE and double punishment>. Another interesting thing to note is how much Mao has improved her 3A. She used to use her arms and upper body a lot to generate the rotation, but seeing it here, she actually didn't do so last year.

I am a fan of both these ladies and I thank them both for pushing the sport.

I would love to see Mao come back so we could see two ladies throwing down the 3A. That tech panel (AKA too-much-power-in-two-few-hands) is a problem, but I don't see Mao being lowballed in PCS unless she messes up very badly. Until Liza did 3A, 3Lz, 3T-3T at Worlds (and generated scores mainly through TES), none of the scores this year suggested that the judges were putting anyone at Mao, Yuna, or Carolina's level. Mao doesn't need a 3-3 in the SP to compete--she just needs to go clean. And I hope, with less pressure and new-found confidence after Sochi and Saitama, she can do so.

 

[CarneAsada]

Interesting. Thank you. Mao's 3A is actually bigger and more airy, but Liza completes less rotation on the ice. I can see arguments in favour of either one. Mao's 3A is undoubtedly very beautiful, but <insert usual COP complaints about rotation vs. GOE and double punishment>. Another interesting thing to note is how much Mao has improved her 3A. She used to use her arms and upper body a lot to generate the rotation, but seeing it here, she actually didn't do so last year.

Her exit edge was also incredibly solid. Liza rocked a bit between outside and inside edge on the landing (which Mao also did in the past) but Mao's 3A was marvelously smooth on the landing.

 

[yhmafan]

Here is a video of Mao's triple axel in the Worlds SP side by side with Liza's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y15D0Aa3Stg

Thank you for the video very interesting! and I am always WOW at this video, the height of Mao’s 3A!!
https://youtu.be/FK01mukJJe0

 

[gotoschool]

Thanks for sharing you insightful thoughts Sandpiper and Carne Asada and you are right yhma fan it is evident from the video how high Mao's 3A really is. I think one of the things that makes Mao's triple axel so beautiful is the dynamics of it because she seems to have a delayed rotation, which is a sign of a beautiful jump, but she then accelerates rapidly into really quick symmetrical revolutions. So, there is a highly aesthetic combination of a very high jump with beautiful rapid rotation and picturesque posture. To me her jump has outstanding rotation in terms of the required number of revolutions as well.



Here is a video of Mao with Young Japan Action planting trees and visiting with people in the city of Kesennuma? Is this right? - the area affected by the earthquake in 2011. She is so radiant and beautiful here. It's great to see her interacting and working so well with so many people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eToaHw4T4gc

 

[Franklin99]

Thanks for sharing you insightful thoughts Sandpiper and Carne Asada and you are right yhma fan it is evident from the video how high Mao's 3A really is. I think one of the things that makes Mao's triple axel so beautiful is the dynamics of it because she seems to have a delayed rotation, which is a sign of a beautiful jump, but she then accelerates rapidly into really quick symmetrical revolutions. So, there is a highly aesthetic combination of a very high jump with beautiful rapid rotation and picturesque posture. To me her jump has outstanding rotation in terms of the required number of revolutions as well.



Here is a video of Mao with Young Japan Action planting trees and visiting with people in the city of Kesennuma? Is this right? - the area affected by the earthquake in 2011. She is so radiant and beautiful here. It's great to see her interacting and working so well with so many people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eToaHw4T4gc

What would we Mao fans do without you, gotoschool? Thank you so much for givings us daily/weekly updates on Mao. It's so good to see her starting a new interesting journey after spending most of her young life skating/competing. She can now truly relax, take it slow, and just enjoy life without the hassle of FS.

I hope she continues on this path and not return to FS to deal with dedicating herself with long hours in practice, then put forth record breaking type performances only to be disrespected by horrid judging and Shin Amino's (sp) hatred. Wishing Mao the best in her new life journey.

P.s. Her 3A is actually higher than Liza's in the side by side video.

 

[minze]

What would we Mao fans do without you, gotoschool? Thank you so much for givings us daily/weekly updates on Mao. It's so good to see her starting a new interesting journey after spending most of her young life skating/competing. She can now truly relax, take it slow, and just enjoy life without the hassle of FS.

I hope she continues on this path and not return to FS to deal with dedicating herself with long hours in practice, then put forth record breaking type performances only to be disrespected by horrid judging and Shin Amino's (sp) hatred. Wishing Mao the best in her new life journey.

P.s. Her 3A is actually higher than Liza's in the side by side video.

Yep. And how quickly people forget that she alone kept that jump alive. As a Mao fan I have a love hate relationship with that jump, I often feel it gave Mao more pain than reward, but she loved it.

 

[gotoschool]

What would we Mao fans do without you, gotoschool? Thank you so much for givings us daily/weekly updates on Mao. It's so good to see her starting a new interesting journey after spending most of her young life skating/competing. She can now truly relax, take it slow, and just enjoy life without the hassle of FS.

I hope she continues on this path and not return to FS to deal with dedicating herself with long hours in practice, then put forth record breaking type performances only to be disrespected by horrid judging and Shin Amino's (sp) hatred. Wishing Mao the best in her new life journey.

P.s. Her 3A is actually higher than Liza's in the side by side video.

Thank you but rosewood at fsuniverse is one of my main sources, though I found this video on my own.

 

[gotoschool]

Yep. And how quickly people forget that she alone kept that jump alive. As a Mao fan I have a love hate relationship with that jump, I often feel it gave Mao more pain than reward, but she loved it.

Mao did have hardships with that jump, but overall I think there were more triumphs. I am really glad she loved it because I love her performances with that jump. If Mao had listened to naysayers and bashers like Jack Gallagher and not done the jump in the Sochi LP or at Worlds, those performances would have probably been quickly forgotten and not legendary as they are now. Besides without it, I don't think she would have been able to summon up and give back to the rest of the world nearly as much emotion or commitment to beautiful artistry, power, and athleticism, as she has said herself. Not to mention so many other great performances that would have likely slipped from people's memories without the jump: like 2007 Worlds LP, or Grand Prix Final LP 2007 and the Olympics and Worlds 2010 (with 6 landed in a row), 9 to my eyes if you count the 4CC's, or Liebestraum in 4CC's 2011 and 2012 .

Even the downgrades that so many have thought were suspicious or bogus have caused many people to take her side against the judges, more so than any skater I have ever seen as a kind of heroine fighting against injustice, which I admit has a strong appeal to me and one of the selfish reasons I want her to return. But on the other hand, I don't think it is a burden she should bear any more. Besides, it is just so beautiful when she lands it successfully. And beauty in skating is to me is the essence of Mao.

Here is what Mao said about the triple axel at the Japan Press Club in response to a journalist asking her if she had ever thought of another path to get a medal:

(translation from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS898JcSR2w)

Ever since I was a small child I have admired Midori Ito and I always wanted to be her successor. I wanted to be able to master the axel jump that she did so well. The triple axel is something that very much empowers me. Whenever I try to do it in a performance or competition and it goes well, the sense of accomplishment is wonderful. This is something I have always wanted to able to continue to do is to challenge myself and do the triple axel. The triple axel is the best possible thing that I can offer audiences. It is my show piece or showcase and it is not something I would willingly abandon.

 

[minze]

Mao did have hardships with that jump, but overall I think there were more triumphs. I am really glad she loved it because I love her performances with that jump. If Mao had listened to naysayers and bashers like Jack Gallagher and not done the jump in the Sochi LP or at Worlds, those performances would have probably been quickly forgotten and not legendary as they are now. Besides without it, I don't think she would have been able to summon up and give back to the rest of the world nearly as much emotion or commitment to beautiful artistry, power, and athleticism, as she has said herself. Not to mention so many other great performances that would have likely slipped from people's memories without the jump: like 2007 Worlds LP, or Grand Prix Final LP 2007 and the Olympics and Worlds 2010 (with 6 landed in a row), 9 to my eyes if you count the 4CC's, or Liebestraum in 4CC's 2011 and 2012 .

Even the downgrades that so many have thought were suspicious or bogus have caused many people to take her side against the judges, more so than any skater I have ever seen as a kind of heroine fighting against injustice, which I admit has a strong appeal to me and one of the selfish reasons I want her to return. But on the other hand, I don't think it is a burden she should bear any more. Besides, it is just so beautiful when she lands it successfully. And beauty in skating is to me is the essence of Mao.

Here is what Mao said about the triple axel at the Japan Press Club in response to a journalist asking her if she had ever thought of another path to get a medal:

(translation from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS898JcSR2w)

Ever since I was a small child I have admired Midori Ito and I always wanted to be her successor. I wanted to be able to master the axel jump that she did so well. The triple axel is something that very much empowers me. Whenever I try to do it in a performance or competition and it goes well, the sense of accomplishment is wonderful. This is something I have always wanted to able to continue to do is to challenge myself and do the triple axel. The triple axel is the best possible thing that I can offer audiences. It is my show piece or showcase and it is not something I would willingly abandon.

Jack Gallagher is the worst. Last year he didn't even mentioned Mao's record breaking SP in his horrendous article

 

[gotoschool]

Here is a post from rosewood at fsuniverse of a lot of videos with Mao working with YoungJapan Action. It is great to see Mao giving and receiving so much joy and kindness, and helping in the community.

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...say-figure-skating-is-wonderful.89260/page-23

These videos are about three volunteer groups who were granted the grand Prix prize for Young Japan Action projects: one of them is Kakehashi which was affected by the earthquake and tsunami disaster. Mao joined the other two groups as well. One is a group who supports a depopulated village with most inhabitants being senior citizens through agriculture, while the other group patrols the town by jogging together.

agriculture https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXRbptjCEoc
pat-run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqVpP6OR9M0
guest house https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8s7iEC6LQQ
60 sec commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gjFsFyYo_k
30 sec commercial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvL_a67RJVk
news clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eToaHw4T4gc

 

[Barb]

I was watching videos of the japanese team for WTT and I felt really melancholic not seeing Mao with them .I hope she announce soon her return to competitions or at least news programs.

 

[gotoschool]

I was watching videos of the japanese team for WTT and I felt really melancholic not seeing Mao with them .I hope she announce soon her return to competitions or at least news programs.

It would be wonderful if she returned. I really do miss seeing her skating competitive programs too. I really want her to come out with an album of songs whether she skates or not. I'm surprised at how beautiful her singing voice is.
Here is a link to Mao's radio show for March 30th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZDcJPMOKsk

 

[yhmafan]

Thanks gotoschool for the many links

I was watching videos of the japanese team for WTT and I felt really melancholic not seeing Mao with them .I hope she announce soon her return to competitions or at least news programs.

Same
I just re-watched the almost perfect performance from Mao at 2009 WTT.
she looks shinning. I really like the ending where she expresses her joy
https://youtu.be/gKxgKLUVB1I

 

[Barb]

It would be wonderful if she returned. I really do miss seeing her skating competitive programs too. I really want her to come out with an album of songs whether she skates or not. I'm surprised at how beautiful her singing voice is.
Here is a link to Mao's radio show for March 30th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZDcJPMOKsk

I would buy her album immediatly :yes:

 

[gotoschool]

There is a really fascinating post at the following link which gives an insight into Mao's feelings about skating and the rules of competition. The comments were translated by the poster, rosewood, and came from Mao's radio program on March 30.

http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/ind...say-figure-skating-is-wonderful.89260/page-23 post number 690

It would be great to see Mao have the freedom to skate to the programs she wants.

 

[Abracadabra92]

Ohh no... I can't believe that Mao may retire I think she still has the great potential to compete with young skaters. She is a high-experienced skater and honestly I dreamed to see her at the next Olympic Games in Korea. But in the same time I can understand her decision. Mao dedicated her whole life to figure skating and we all know how it wasn't easy for her. May be i'm such an idiot, but I hope that she will come back anyway.

 

[yhmafan]

He says he wants to perform clean performances, but I think it's pretty obvious that what is essential to him and his pride as an athlete, is that he considers technical difficulty as part of the performance. He probably could have had many clean LPs last season if he took out the 4S and just did a 4T+2T, even though he can land the 4S cleanly in practice all the time. This is the same criticism of why Asada kept going for her 3A when she would two-foot, step out, or fall so many times and mar an otherwise great program. They're athletes and they challenge themselves until they get it right, and get it right consistently in competition, because they consider it a crucial part of their unique performance. Some may call it stubborn, frustrating, foolish, whatever, but personally that never-give-up personality is what draws me to these athletes.

Not that Hanyu is above constructive criticism, but I feel like this is such a huge part of his personality/drive as an athlete, that to not acknowledge that as a fan boggles my mind a bit.

I just quote what I liked from Yuzuru's thread.

 

[gotoschool]

I just quote what I liked from Yuzuru's thread.

Thanks for the posts connecting Mao to Yuzuru. Of all the skaters now competing, Yuzuru reminds me the most of Mao so I agree about the sense they give of totally committing themselves to a technically dazzling performance no matter the risk, not to mention the artistic way they deliver their performances and the depth and heights of emotion they display.

Here is a link to Mao's radio show for April 6th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoimSpV8m5w

 

[Globetrotter]

Thanks for the posts connecting Mao to Yuzuru. Of all the skaters now competing, Yuzuru reminds me the most of Mao so I agree about the sense they give of totally committing themselves to a technically dazzling performance no matter the risk, not to mention the artistic way they deliver their performances and the depth and heights of emotion they display.

Here is a link to Mao's radio show for April 6th. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoimSpV8m5w

We should be glad to have Asada reminding us for so long of the existence of the 3A for ladies. After Ito and Harding went away, it took 8 years when Nedlidina and Nakano landed one each and Mao to come along after 2005 to show us it can be done. She kept the 3A alive singlehandedly until 2014 Worlds. When she decided to sit out the next season and may possibly retire, I thought thats it. Thank goodness Liza Tuks gave us new hope of the 3A being a regular feature. Wonder if Mao will be back and give fans a feast of two ladies hitting the 3A in the same competition.