Something new to talk about: Takahashi Daisuke

[shine]

Isn't he just wonderful? The guy has it all! His SP is so amazing. Who needs choreography anyway when you can skate and perform like that?

 

[sashay]

I really enjoyed his skating very much at SA, he was wonderful! I really hope he gets chosen to go to Torino.

 

[jesslily]

At NHK I think he skated better than Even Lyscheck, but was placed lower. Takahashi has better jumping technique and posture.

 

[qoo]

Yeah.. I agree. He was like a professional dancer on the ice :thumbsup:

 

[Vash01]

At NHK I think he skated better than Even Lyscheck, but was placed lower. Takahashi has better jumping technique and posture.

I like Dai more than Evan, but at NHK Dai did not skate well at all. He had problems on the landings of many jumps. Evan skated a strong program and he deserved the higher placement.

Vash

 

[Jaana]

I love the skating of both Takahashi and Lysacek!!! They are so awesome....

 

[new_europe2006]

I love the skating of both Takahashi and Lysacek!!! They are so awesome....

Me too. I love both of them and hope that they will have a great rivalry in the future along with Weir and Lambiel.

 

[jesslily]

Lysacek needs to work or his flexibility. I know male skaters don't have to have high leg spirals. But reasonable amount of flexibility make the presentation and in-betweens much better. Lysacek also needs to make his rotation smoother. His elbows are too far away from his body...axels are more looked like Tara's. Takahashi does not have these problems.

 

[ilovepaydays]

Lysacek needs to work or his flexibility. I know male skaters don't have to have high leg spirals. But reasonable amount of flexibility make the presentation and in-betweens much better. Lysacek also needs to make his rotation smoother. His elbows are too far away from his body...axels are more looked like Tara's. Takahashi does not have these problems.

That is especially true considering how tall Evan is. Having longer legs makes having great flexibility look that much better and bad flexibility look that much worse.

 

[Hikaru]

Isn't he just wonderful? The guy has it all! His SP is so amazing. Who needs choreography anyway when you can skate and perform like that?

Yeah, I'm a Takahashi fan as well. He really knows how to move and glide, very elegant (I call him the Johnny Weir of Japan lol!!)

 

[~Muffin~]

Count me as a fan- his skating is brilliant. His short program is masterpiece, I guess he is like the Japanese Baryshnikov of the ice.

 

[CDMM1991]

Count me as a fan- his skating is brilliant. His short program is masterpiece, I guess he is like the Japanese Baryshnikov of the ice.

ITA Muffin. Perfect analogy. I'm glad you've started to take part in our conversations about the skating. You have some great insights.

 

[bdreampixie]

Thanks shine for starting this thread.

I became an instant Takahashi fan the first time he was shown on TV at Lalique in 03-04 season. He has presence and intensity and is a true and natural artist. I love his programs this season, the best in the mens field this year. His speed is amazing, and my favorite thing is his ability to do a great head toss during his ftwk., right up there with Grushina.

 

[~Muffin~]

I am glad he has made the Olympics, I hope that he fares better than he did at the GPF (bronze) becase he is really one of the best figure skaters in the world right now. Another comparison/analogy is the Japanese Alexei Yagudin. I had the pleasure of seeing him skate live at Skate America and I was mesmerized. Only two other skaters had done that to me before and they were Alexei Yagudin and Stephane Lambiel. He is truly an artist on the ice and a brillant one.

Another analogy: if his skating was a painting he would be Leonardo Da Vinci.

 

[slutskayafan21]

If he even matches his bronze from the GP final in Turin it will be a minor miracle. His bronze at the GP final, came with some of his better performances, and was in a field that did not include many key skaters including Plushenko

 

[Eeyora]

He is a definite pleasant surprise this season. His performance at SA brought tears to my eyes.

 

[K-Mo]

I really like his skating, so I'm glad we will see him in Torino. He is so elegant! I hope he does well.

 

[mzheng]

Count me as another one. Finally I got chance to sit down review the GPF sp on tape. Wow, what a skater. I love his footword to no end. Who says Morosova can't choreograph level 4 fw. It all depends who is able to execute it. What he impressed me the most is his ability to interprete the music. Watch he skate you just feel he and music comes together. Does he have quad yet? I'm glade he is named to Olympics team by JF.

 

[jesslily]

Takahashi is really a stronger skater than top US and Canadian male skaters. Under TV camera, it doesn't matter you are tall or short, the skating problems can be easily seen since at that particular time, only one skater was on the ice skating. I don't see Takahashi has any major weakness while other male skaters show their technique problem clearly

 

[hockeyfan228]

Takahashi is really a stronger skater than top US and Canadian male skaters.

In some ways he is, and other ways he isn't. He doesn't have Buttle's posture or control, or Weir's or Weiss' basic skating skills and glide. He lands many of his jumps at a forward tilt, and while he has a quad -- more consistently this year -- he doesn't have Weir's pristine jumping technique. When Sandhu is on -- and Sandhu is the closest stylistically to Takahashi among the North American skaters -- Sandhu is at a higher level, particularly live.

I love Takahashi, and compared to Oda he looks more "mature" on ice, but he's still a little choppy in person, although his stroking and line have improved since Dortmund Worlds, where he was dynamic and charming.