Kyodo Deep Edge has interviews with Kenji Miyamoto that focuses mostly on his work with Shoma, from the programs Kenji made during Shoma's competitive career (Oboe, Aria, Timelapse) and Kenji working with Shoma and Marin as Shoma learns ice dancing for Ice Brave. Alas, it is fully under paywall
Part 1 (focusing on Shoma's competitive career):
https://deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp/feature/miyamoto-interview1/
Part 2 (focusing on Shoma's ice dancing for Ice Brave):
https://deepedgeplus.kyodonews.jp/feature/miyamoto-interview2/
Kenji of course is an ice dancer himself back in the day, so it makes perfect sense that Shoma is learning from him and having the ice dance program choreographed by him as well.
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Toyota Times released a full recap of the July 18 live interview and commentary Shoma did for ICE BRAVE (and the announcement for ICE BRAVE 2) here, Google Translate works well:
https://toyotatimes.jp/toyotatimes_live/363.html
Shoma Uno Gives a Live Commentary on Himself: His Thoughts on His First Produced Show “Ice Brave” and Upcoming “Ice Brave 2”
On July 18,
Toyota Times Sports featured Shoma Uno live in the studio, fresh off the successful run of his first self-produced ice show,
Ice Brave. He reflected on four particularly memorable programs through video highlights, offering personal insights into the behind-the-scenes stories and artistic intentions. In his unique and candid style, Uno spoke passionately about the show, his fellow skaters, and his fans.
Details about
Ice Brave 2, set to premiere in November, were also unveiled during the broadcast. Anticipation is building as fans wonder: How will Shoma Uno move Shoma Uno this time?
“I’ve Never Pushed My Body This Hard”
Hosted by Kyosuke Morita, who also moderated Uno’s retirement press conference and the
Ice Brave announcement, the studio segment saw Uno relaxed but reflective. After wrapping up nine performances across Aichi, Fukuoka, and Niigata from June to July, he looked back frankly: “I was completely exhausted.”
Uno: “When the audience is there and cheering loudly, I end up giving more than 100%. Even when I feel like I can't move another step, the excitement of the crowd drives me to push through again and again. I’ve never used this much physical energy before. In competitions, I train to finish at about 80% of my capacity so I don’t burn out. But for this show, I was fine with burning out as long as I could make that moment special. I did go overboard sometimes, but it was honestly a lot of fun.”
Breaking Through Nerves with Fans’ Cheers and Applause
Just before the opening night (at 10:06), Uno had said in an interview, “I’m too overwhelmed to even feel emotional.” What helped him overcome the anxiety was the fans’ overwhelming support.
Uno: “There were so many thoughts—how would everything we built come together? But when we heard the crowd's loud cheer before it began, we all felt a sense of relief. It really hit us that people were looking forward to it, and that moment united us. It wasn’t about 'Can we do this or not?' anymore—it became, 'We want to entertain everyone.' That shift in mindset was huge.”
Lessons from Creating a Show
Producing an entire ice show was a new experience, something he never faced during his competitive career. Through trial and error, he found new forms of self-expression.
Uno: “After actually skating through it, I felt things that were different from each individual number. So changes were made even during production. But since I’m directing Shoma Uno myself, it’s hard to stay objective. That’s why it was important to exchange feedback with the staff. I think we ended up with a strong program.
To me, this feels like I’ve finally arrived at the starting line. Aside from delivering a good performance, as someone bringing entertainment to an audience, I feel there’s so much more I can do. It’s important to turn your weaknesses into strengths—but also to recognize your strengths and learn how to showcase them. That might sound like a competitive mindset, but that’s honestly how I feel.”
Self-Critique of His Own Performances
At 24:30, Uno reviewed and commented on four selected programs:
“Great Spirit,” “Narco,” “Wild Side,” and
“Boléro IV.”
Uno: “When I watch footage of myself, I start thinking, ‘I wish I did that part differently,’ and I go into critique mode.”
Still, watching his own joyful performance, he smiled and said, “That’s a good expression,” and “Not bad at all.”
About “Great Spirit,” which opened the show, Uno said: “When I think about what my strength is as a pro skater, I feel it’s my energetic side. That’s why I chose a program that would best convey that energy.”
In
“Narco”, he tried street dance for the first time, fully immersing himself in training.
Uno: “In figure skating, you kind of know which foot is coming next, but that didn’t apply here. The usual assumptions didn’t hold. But taking on things I couldn’t do was fun—I skated more than I ever have in my life. During my competitive career, I’d rest after 40–50 minutes, but during the show period, I skated so much my feet were wrinkled like I’d been in a bath too long—sometimes 6 or 7 hours in my boots.”
An Emotional Pair Performance with Coach Stéphane Lambiel
In
“Wild Side,” Uno also ventured into ice dance. The change in axis during pair spins and the different body mechanics added layers of difficulty. Still, in typical Uno fashion, he laughed it off.
Uno: “It’s lame to explain, ‘This is hard but I’m doing my best.’ Saying it myself isn’t cool. But I do feel I should learn from ice dancers’ strength.”
When asked by Morita if he’d commit to building that strength, he quickly responded, “Nope,” in a comedy-style exchange.
The final piece was
“Boléro IV”, a program that led him to global success. Originally scheduled for only the latter half of the show due to physical fatigue, he chose to perform from the beginning.
Uno: “Skating with everyone was so much fun, I decided to join in from the start.”
His joint performance with his coach Stéphane Lambiel had fans emotional.
Uno: “Watching Stéphane perform is amazing. Even when I was competing, I’d think, ‘I wish he were the one skating instead of me.’ I felt now was the time to make that a reality. He really pulls it off—I mean, he’s 40! I could never skate like that at 40.”
Ice Brave 2
The announcement of
“Ice Brave 2” came during the final performance in Niigata, and its key visual was revealed at 55:01 in the program. During a “screenshot time,” viewers in the chat requested a “2 pose,” prompting Uno to reluctantly hold up two fingers, prompting laughter from Morita.
Uno scolded himself jokingly: “Not great… I need to be more professional.”
Ice Brave 2 starts November 1 in Kyoto and will also visit Tokyo, Yamanashi, Shimane, and Miyagi. Some venues have already opened early ticket lotteries—details are available on the official website.
When asked whether he’d perform his Olympic medal-winning
“Turandot” from the PyeongChang Games, Uno replied:
Uno: “I’ve done it quite a lot already, so honestly, I’m really torn.”
The setlist is still undecided.
Uno: “The cast is changing, and while it’s called ‘2,’ the name ‘Ice Brave’ is staying the same. That’s why I want to take it to the next level without making it a completely different show. I want to include new challenges that set it apart from 1, but also preserve what made 1 special. That balance is something I’m currently struggling with.”
The Words of Shoma Uno Continue
From the flood of viewer questions, here are some of Uno’s candid responses. True to himself, he earnestly responded to fan requests and promises to show an evolved version of himself in
Ice Brave 2.
Uno: “I don’t think I’ll ever push my body this hard again in my life. I definitely miscalculated how I used my energy. It’s not good to run out of steam before the end—but I think that just shows how badly I wanted to give my best performance. Really, I should have thought about energy balance during the production phase. (laughs)”
Uno: “If I started aiming to skate until 40, my approach would completely change—I’d start thinking about energy conservation. But Stéphane being able to skate at 40 is proof of what’s possible. Even when I was competing, I never thought about the future. What mattered was doing my best today, right now. Who knows what lies ahead.”
Uno: “I feel like I’ve finally blended into society. After retiring, I wasn’t an athlete anymore, but I also wasn’t part of regular society—I wasn’t doing anything. After putting on this show, I finally felt like I could stand proudly as a creator. I’ve truly transitioned from athlete to professional.”
Uno: “Do I personally want an acrylic stand of myself? I don’t know. But fans who like me probably do. It’s tricky—that tension between what I want and what fans want. I wanted to find a middle ground between those two.”
Uno: “As a skater, I always tried to go as far as possible from a starting point of 1. But now, I’m in a position where I have to create that starting point from zero. It’s tough, but it’s also where the real joy lies. I want to keep working hard on that ‘zero to one’ creation process going forward.”