Shoma Uno: 2014-2024

[Figskater23]

I was thinking about DOMO.
Shoma has skated DOMO for two seasons. (2019-2021)

There were a lot of ups and downs, Covid-19, and Stephane became Shoma’s coach at these seasons.
When he skated this program, he always expressed what he feels, I think.
It’s a special program and I love it.

I could see the NEW DOMO in front.
It was totally different from the OLD DOMO.
I was surprised that he improved a lot and was more mature.
It was so emotional, and I cried.
Audience was overwhelmed by his performance.
(I remember team event of Beijing Olympic. TV reporter said audience forgot to clap because they were fascinated by Shoboe.)
The looong twizzle and the spread eagle made me
That BLACK shirt reminds me of La Vie En Rose RED shirt at MOI 2019.
My friend who is not a figure skating fan said, “Shoma’s shirt is too short.”
I’d like to say, “You are wrong.”

It’s more than one month ago.
When I attended JNATS men’s FP, I saw a young lady standing and holding her small daughter after medal ceremony.
I thought a girl wanted to see winning run.
I saw her holding a yellow banner.
Must be the youngest Shoma fan.
So cute.

I remember seeing a picture of Shoma once at what looked like an airport and he was holding someone’s baby in the picture. It was so sweet the way he was looking down and smiling at the baby.

 

[Dreamer57]

I haven't read back many posts, but has Shoma changed his skating boots or is he still using his very old ones?
I thought that was part of the reasoning behind skipping 4CC.

 

[yuumagical]

I haven't read back many posts, but has Shoma changed his skating boots or is he still using his very old ones?
I thought that was part of the reasoning behind skipping 4CC.

It seems he has changed his boots judging from those who saw him at a recent ice show. I hope they serve him well at Worlds!

 

[rabidline]

It seems he has changed his boots judging from those who saw him at a recent ice show. I hope they serve him well at Worlds!

He has changed his boots. I forgot where I saw the tweet but another fan was able to ask him in person during PIW and he confirmed he is using his new boots for the show (and therefore can't do anything lol).

Speaking of PIW, the February 23 show in Shiga Prefecture is to be streamed at J Sports Live, so we'll know what Shoma will be skating there. It's really rare for a PIW set outside Yokohama to have streams so this is pretty cool to have.

 

[Arriba627]

Exactly 2 years ago today, Sho skated a gorgeous Shoboe in that gorgeous red and black costume at the Olys. Such a great skate that he even allowed himself a little fist pump. Hey who knows? Some day he may even get his team medal!!!!

 

[16Olympics]

Exactly 2 years ago today, Sho skated a gorgeous Shoboe in that gorgeous red and black costume at the Olys. Such a great skate that he even allowed himself a little fist pump. Hey who knows? Some day he may even get his team medal!!!!

He was exceptional in both short programs and it looks like they're getting closer to that medal materializing. Fingers crossed.

 

[rabidline]

It's been exactly 2 years since the 2022 Olympic Team Event ended. At that time, Shoma was the first ever Japanese skater to win Olympic medals in both the individual event and the team event of figure skating. Of course, in the course of the 2022 Olympics, he was joined by Yuma and Kaori in that special group

Here's to hoping the Olympic medals will soon be awarded.

Anyway, TV Asahi aired a behind the scenes look on the GP series this season and there's some cute footage of Shoma from 2022 Cup of China, training with his ball... I think his ball skills improved

 

[jerrymouse333]

 

[Arriba627]

Here he is on Shogun's gaming show. Glad to know he is still alive! Now if we could just get some skating video clips. Please Sho! I can't take the drought!

 

[Arriba627]

I knew today was going to be a good day! I received a wonderful Shogift from a friend--a Shotowel with his silhouette. I love it! I love that his merchandise is of such a nice quality. I think maybe it's too pretty to use! LOL.

 

[demarinis5]

^^^It is lovely Arriba! Frame it and hang it on your wall!

 

[Figskater23]

Do you suppose Shoma would ever produce an ice show?

 

[rabidline]

Do you suppose Shoma would ever produce an ice show?

Hmm. Maybe not now. Maybe someday, after he experiences a lot of different ice shows.

One thing he likes to do is to highlight the strength and quality of different skaters, so I can see him working together with others to secure the funding for the production of a new ice show with a concept that involves many skaters, but I don't think Shoma has it in him to be the lead creative yet. Thankfully he's very good at making sure that the right people worked on the right things, looking back at his career.

 

[rabidline]

Shoma's former coach Mihoko Higuchi had a 3-part interview with JBpress about her students and coaching approach this season, and she talked a bit about Shoma as well in the 3rd part. As we know they still keep in touch and she talked about a talk they had after Shoma won 2022 Japanese Nationals (last season when he still had Gravity SP / Aria FS combo):

元コーチ樋口美穂子が語る宇野昌磨と日本フィギュア「トップの存在は大きい」 フィギュアスケートコーチ・樋口美穂子インタビュー（３）

樋口美穂子が教えた選手として、広く知られている選手と言えば、やはり宇野昌磨になるだろう。昨シーズン、出場するすべての大会で優勝、世界選手権連覇を果たした。はたからは充実一途とも思えた中、樋口は違った。「たしかに世間的には優勝を続けていて、チャンピオンで、というイメージだったかもしれません。でも演技を見て気になっていたので、（2022年の）全日本選手権後、中京のリンクで会ったときに『今、楽しい？』と

jbpress.ismedia.jp

Machine Translation:

Former Figure Skating Coach Mihoko Higuchi talks about Shoma Uno and Japanese figure skating: "The presence of the top is significant."

"Please don't use me as an example."

One of the most widely known athletes Mihoko Higuchi taught is Shoma Uno. Last season, he won every competition he competed in, and won back-to-back World Championships. While it may have seemed from the outside that he was on the verge of greatness, Higuchi was not so sure.

Higuchi was different: "Indeed, the public may have had an image of him as a champion, continuing to win all the championships. But when I saw his performance, I was curious. So when I met him at the rink in Chukyo (University) after the 2022 All-Japan Championships, I asked him, "Are you having fun now?"

She also gave him some advice in the course of their conversation.

Now that the season has arrived, she says, "He told me that his goal was to be 'self-satisfied."

"I thought it was a good idea, but he is an athlete and he doesn't want to lose. I'm sure he must be conflicted. He is at the top of the game, and people expect a lot of him. I don't know if it's fate or something else."

While mentioning the difficulty of staying at the top, Higuchi continued to talk about Uno's position at the top.

At this season's All-Japan Championships, there was a lot of talk about a string of good performances in the last half of the Men's Free skate. In particular, the high-level performances by the final group of six were so good that "I want them all to be representatives for the World Championships," she said. Not only the succession of good performances, but also the atmosphere they created, as they praised each other and their words were conveyed, left a lingering impression.

Higuchi said.

"The presence of the top is very important. Depending on who is at the top, the people at the bottom get tense. Right now, it's Shoma and Sakamoto (Kaori), so I think everyone is good. Sakamoto-san is friendly and friendly to the juniors, and she also talks to Rena-chan (Uezono). Shoma also doesn't take on the role of a senior. He even says, 'Please don't use me as a role model."

In the Free Skate, Uno, the last skater, earnestly watched Sota Yamamoto's performance, and clapped his hands in praise after he finished his run.

"It's been like that for a long time."

Higuchi said, then shared her memories of the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

She said, "In the short program, there was Boyang (Jin) in fourth, Shoma in third, Javier (Fernandez) in second, and Yuzu (Yuzuru Hanyu) in the top spot. In Free Skate, Shoma was the last skater. Many skaters don't watch other skaters' performances until after their own, but that boy was cheering for everyone, and even when Javier was skating just before Shoma, Shoma was cheering for him hard, because he likes Javier."

"One jump (of Javier) was popped, right? Then, Shoma expressed his regret for him, "Haah!" I was worried about Shoma's next skate, so I asked him, "Shoma, are you OK?" He said, "Don't worry. I will do my thing."

Uno finished the competition with a silver medal.

 

[Figskater23]

Hmm. Maybe not now. Maybe someday, after he experiences a lot of different ice shows.

One thing he likes to do is to highlight the strength and quality of different skaters, so I can see him working together with others to secure the funding for the production of a new ice show with a concept that involves many skaters, but I don't think Shoma has it in him to be the lead creative yet. Thankfully he's very good at making sure that the right people worked on the right things, looking back at his career.

I keep picturing him playing the villain in an ice show where the villain does something in the end that could potentially make him redeemable. I envision him dressed in a black suit with his hair jelled/sprayed like it was in some of his loco performances. I thought of this because I remembered how on one of his YouTube videos he said he would rather be the Demon King instead of the hero. It would be cool.

 

[rabidline]

Shoma doing his real job





He looks happy. It's nice to see him finally meet in person the pro gamers who were kind and welcoming when he started doing these videos in 2020 (during the pandemic so they all met online by Zoom or something). Kept especially!

 

[Figskater23]

Shoma doing his real job





He looks happy. It's nice to see him finally meet in person the pro gamers who were kind and welcoming when he started doing these videos in 2020 (during the pandemic so they all met online by Zoom or something). Kept especially!

Awe! I guess when Shoma eventually retires he’ll become a pro gamer and a pro skater.

 

[Figskater23]

Does anyone know when Shoma competed at the regional level before going to nationals? Are his results available from before he was competing on the ISU circuit? Also he was 5 years old when he started right?

 

[rabidline]

Does anyone know when Shoma competed at the regional level before going to nationals? Are his results available from before he was competing on the ISU circuit? Also he was 5 years old when he started right?

You can see his results here at Skating Scores and Rink Results:

Skating Scores: Latest Figure Skating Results, Scores, Rankings & Statistics

The best resource for Figure Skating scores and stats on the web.

skatingscores.com

Shoma last competed at the regional/sectional level before Nationals as a junior in 2013.

He has never competed at the regional/sectional level as a senior.

Yes, he was 5 years old when he started figure skating.

 

[Figskater23]

You can see his results here at Skating Scores and Rink Results:

Skating Scores: Latest Figure Skating Results, Scores, Rankings & Statistics

The best resource for Figure Skating scores and stats on the web.

skatingscores.com

Shoma UNO (宇野昌磨) | RinkResults

Figure skating results for Shoma UNO (宇野昌磨), Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC)Japan (JPN)

www.rinkresults.com

Shoma last competed at the regional/sectional level before Nationals as a junior in 2013.

He has never competed at the regional/sectional level as a senior.

Yes, he was 5 years old when he started figure skating.

Thank you!