- Joined
- May 5, 2018
The second non-no article with Sota, Kazuki and Koshiro has been published: https://nonno.hpplus.jp/article/105966
Here's the DeepL translation:
Reflections on the ISU Championships
"A season in which I grew a lot as a person."
--After the Japan Championships, you competed in the ISU Championships, the Four Continents Championships, and the World Championships, respectively.
Shimada: I ran out of energy at the All-Japan Championships. My goal was not to compete in the Four Continents Championships, but to win a medal. I had to imagine the road beyond that.
In the last two or three seasons, due to the pandemic, I had only been able to compete in about two games each season, so my lack of experience came out.
But when I think about it, I was allowed to compete in seven games this year, and I was more than happy about that. I think I have grown a lot as a person and as a skater this season.
"The World Championships in Japan was extremely special."
--I think the venue was at a high altitude, which made the adjustment even more difficult than usual. Afterwards, you were at the World Championships where you both competed, weren't you?
Shimada: Yes, they were really cool at the World Championships.
Yamamoto: I made a mistake, though.
Tomono: No, I saw the free skate, and it was really good.
Shimada: I couldn't make it to the short program, so I watched it at the airport in Switzerland, but from the 6-minute practice, I wondered if Sota-kun would be OK .......
(Everyone laughed)
Tomono: No doubt, there was nothing but anxiety in those six minutes (laughs).
Shimada: "Sota-kun, aren't you a bit timid? I was worried. The practice before that was really good.
Tomono: Yeah, that's why I was even more scared.
--If practice is good, are you afraid of the actual performance?
Tomono: I was the same way at that time. No matter how well I was doing in practice, when I entered the venue and was confronted by the loud cheers, my concentration was broken with a "pop" and I was instantly swallowed up by the atmosphere of the venue and my mind was in turmoil.
It was my third World Championships, but it was a feeling I had never felt before.
But I was surprised because I thought Sota would be fine, and after 6 minutes of practice, I was worried, "Oh, man, he's in trouble."
Shimada: Because I knew Sota when he was strong, I saw that expression on his face. ......
Tomono: I still thought I could do it.
Shimada: I was praying that he wouldn't just punk out ....... It was cool to see him fighting to the end with the proper closure. I almost cried when I saw Sota-kun fighting through to the end.
Tomono: I was able to keep my mistakes to that level because I was doing well in practice. I was able to hold my own without falling down. With today's rules, it is possible to lose some points, but it was a nice fight. Anyway, the venue was too difficult.
Yamamoto: My practice was not bad in the official practice before the day of the competition, but I started making mistakes in the morning practice on the day of the short competition. Then, when the competition started and I entered the venue packed with spectators, I realized for the first time, "Oh, this is the World Championships," I thought. And that was the result of that Short program.
Tomono: I understand.
Yamamoto: The atmosphere at the Worlds was special. After the competition, I thought, "I should have done that, or I should have done that," but I should have realized what I should have done at the preparation stage. I wondered if I was going in the wrong direction, or if there was a better way. But that performance was everything for me.
Shimada No, when I see Sota in his everyday life, I see .......
Tomono: I don't think that's all of Sota. No matter how well he does in practice, if he has any problems in the performance, they will show up in his performance.
Shimada: In the off-season, you can make any number of mistakes, but in competitions, success is taken for granted, so failure becomes special. Once you make a mistake, you are so focused on it that you can't replace your past successes with positives. ...... That's why one mistake is dragged out throughout the season, I think.
Tomono: That day's crash, that day's flat tire.
Yamamoto: Yes, that may have been true. It's important to be nervous, but it wasn't a good nervousness. ...... But I think it was a great experience for me to be able to experience that atmosphere this season. It was my first time to experience that Saitama Super Arena at the World Championships. I would like to use it as a confidence booster for the future.
"I told myself that I would be the strongest at the World Championships"
Tomono: I was in scary shape in practice and had a lot of confidence. I thought I had been telling myself "I am the strongest in the Worlds" with my past successful experiences as my strength, and had been working with full throttle of mysterious confidence.
But in reality, I made a mistake on the second jump, which I had been working on, and that was all that mattered.
The good thing is, I was able to control myself for the competition, not to rely on the adrenaline of the moment, but to let the results of my practice come out. I think I could skate with confidence in the end, even though I skipped some choreographies in the middle of the competition.
I missed medals in both Short and FS, because of two jumps I missed, but I think my score will go up and up, and we will enter the era of 300 points again. I hope I can continue to have fun and enjoy myself, with high expectations for myself, because I was able to show my potential to reach the podium if I do not make mistakes.
That is the best. I don't want to suffer in skating.
Yamamoto: That sounds like Kazuki.
Tomono: The World Championships in Japan was really terrible from my point of view, the best and worst atmosphere (laughs). The air was so tense and the tension was unbelievable, as if everyone was pointing a gun at you, even though you were cheering for them.
But once the performance is over, all of that becomes your own and it's the best moment of your life. I was so happy to see the cheering banner, and I felt like I had to burn that scene into my eyes, so many special things were packed into this competition, even though it was my third time.
Shimada: All the skaters on that rink were so cool. First of all, just to be on that stage is an amazing thing.
I have skated at Saitama Super Arena during All-Japan, too, but I wonder if I would have skated there myself. I wonder if I would have skated in such a place.
It was even more special at the Worlds, and of course, the Men's Single and all the other categories were amazing, and I was so emotional all the time.
As a skating fan, I cheered loudly for them, and admired the way they fought. I was so inspired, and I wanted to be on that stage again.
The indicator of good acting is a LINE message from Shimada-san!
--it's a wonderful relationship. Did you actually tell the two of them what you thought of the show at the venue?
Tomono Yes, I received a thankful LINE message from Koshiro.
Shimada: Oh, I decided to tell Sota-kun directly at Stars on Ice for sure, so I only told Kazuki.
Tomono: I contacted him myself, saying "praise, praise~" (laughs).
Yamamoto: I came to you when I got over 100 points for the first time at the UNIVA (ISU Winter World University Games 2023) in the short.
Shimada: I was waiting for that moment.
Tomono: I would send him a LINE when I was in trouble too. Koshiro is pretty strict, so I have the image that he only sends me a message when I give a really good performance. That's why I'm so happy when I get a message. I was like, "Oh, I did well today.
Shimada: Hmmm. I'll send you a message even when you're not so good if you're really cool.
Tomono (looking happy)
For next season
Koshiro Shimada
I have had the opportunity to compete in many competitions this season, and I have grown as a person and as a skater. I sometimes struggled with how to adjust for each competition, but it was all good experiences. I will continue to work hard next season to achieve my ideal skating.
Sota Yamamoto
This season, I had a lot of matches and it was a little difficult to adjust. However, I believe that top players experience such things and become stronger through them. I know it can be difficult at times, but I want to focus on the games in front of me first.
I hope to sort out what I gained from the season and compete with everyone at a higher level next season.
Kazuki Tomono
I didn't win a medal at the Worlds, but I have gained the ability to make adjustments, and I was able to show my potential this season. I have learned that the way to become a true top skater is to achieve consistent results throughout the season, so I would like to strengthen my consistency so that I don't make everyone nervous anymore.
What mutual programs would you like to try?
Sota's Program
Shimada: Sota's program is something only he can do. It's because of his graceful skating.
Tomono: I understand. I'm "Poeta".
Shimada: I was going to say that too. Poeta" left too strong an impression on me.
Tomono: I also like "Anthem" too much, and "Jekyll & Hyde" was cool too. I also have a desire to wear Sota's costume. There are so many costumes that have the overwhelming sense of a champion, and I would wear something like "Ka, I can't win ......". I tend to wear "gold medal costumes" that go well with gold medals. Also, "Lorelei" is good, isn't it? (starts singing)
Shimada: "Thunderbirds" is also good.
Tomono: Indeed! I could do "Thunderbirds" too! (starts singing again)
Koshiro's Program
Yamamoto: I want to play "Adios". Koshiro is good with Benjamin Clementine, like "Nemesis".
Tomono: Yes, yes. I think I would like "Smile" from Chaplin.
Yamamoto: Ah, Kazuki fits.
Tomono: My taste and Koshiro's tend to overlap. But lately I've been going for a cooler taste. People may think we fit in with happy programs, but I don't think so.
Shimada: You always tell me that, don't you?
Tomono: I really like Koshiro's programs that are a bit dark and serious, such as "Adios" and "Romeo + Juliet".
That's why I really enjoyed "Come What May" this time. I think Koshiro really excels in artistic aspects, inheriting Stéphane's (Coach Ranvier) skating. His skating makes me feel good. In other words, it's the kind of skating that can be displayed in a museum.
Kazuki's Program
Shimada: I don't want to play Kazuki's program because his own color remains strong in it (laughs). I love "La La Land" and "An American in Paris," but I think many people already think of Kazuki when they hear this song. I also really like "West Side Story".
Tomono: "An American in Paris" is often mentioned.
Yamamoto: We are the exact opposite of the type of skaters, aren't we?
Tomono: The tiger and the dragon.
Yamamoto: That's why I thought about it, but it's still difficult. I like watching Kazuki skate in "West Side Story."
Tomono: "West Side Story," which you both mentioned, is my favorite, too. I like not only the program, but also my skating at that time.
Shimada Still, it's amazing how everyone keeps coming up with the names of old programs one after another.
Tomono: It's partly because we are good friends, but it's also because we are two skaters who I watch together as one skater at the shows. When I watch Koshiro's skating, I really feel frustrated every time. It's the kind of skating that makes me jealous.
Sota's "Poeta" at Stars on Ice was also amazing. Just watching his crosses in practice, I'm in awe of him. ...... I think they are really cool skaters, don't you? (I'm getting more and more embarrassed even as I say it myself.)
Yamamoto/Shimada: It feels good to be praised!
Tomono: Hmmm. It made me realize that I should aim to skate in such a way that people think so too.
Shimada: Good luck with that.
Tomono: What is this guy~~ (laughs)!
Here's the DeepL translation:
Reflections on the ISU Championships
"A season in which I grew a lot as a person."
--After the Japan Championships, you competed in the ISU Championships, the Four Continents Championships, and the World Championships, respectively.
Shimada: I ran out of energy at the All-Japan Championships. My goal was not to compete in the Four Continents Championships, but to win a medal. I had to imagine the road beyond that.
In the last two or three seasons, due to the pandemic, I had only been able to compete in about two games each season, so my lack of experience came out.
But when I think about it, I was allowed to compete in seven games this year, and I was more than happy about that. I think I have grown a lot as a person and as a skater this season.
"The World Championships in Japan was extremely special."
--I think the venue was at a high altitude, which made the adjustment even more difficult than usual. Afterwards, you were at the World Championships where you both competed, weren't you?
Shimada: Yes, they were really cool at the World Championships.
Yamamoto: I made a mistake, though.
Tomono: No, I saw the free skate, and it was really good.
Shimada: I couldn't make it to the short program, so I watched it at the airport in Switzerland, but from the 6-minute practice, I wondered if Sota-kun would be OK .......
(Everyone laughed)
Tomono: No doubt, there was nothing but anxiety in those six minutes (laughs).
Shimada: "Sota-kun, aren't you a bit timid? I was worried. The practice before that was really good.
Tomono: Yeah, that's why I was even more scared.
--If practice is good, are you afraid of the actual performance?
Tomono: I was the same way at that time. No matter how well I was doing in practice, when I entered the venue and was confronted by the loud cheers, my concentration was broken with a "pop" and I was instantly swallowed up by the atmosphere of the venue and my mind was in turmoil.
It was my third World Championships, but it was a feeling I had never felt before.
But I was surprised because I thought Sota would be fine, and after 6 minutes of practice, I was worried, "Oh, man, he's in trouble."
Shimada: Because I knew Sota when he was strong, I saw that expression on his face. ......
Tomono: I still thought I could do it.
Shimada: I was praying that he wouldn't just punk out ....... It was cool to see him fighting to the end with the proper closure. I almost cried when I saw Sota-kun fighting through to the end.
Tomono: I was able to keep my mistakes to that level because I was doing well in practice. I was able to hold my own without falling down. With today's rules, it is possible to lose some points, but it was a nice fight. Anyway, the venue was too difficult.
Yamamoto: My practice was not bad in the official practice before the day of the competition, but I started making mistakes in the morning practice on the day of the short competition. Then, when the competition started and I entered the venue packed with spectators, I realized for the first time, "Oh, this is the World Championships," I thought. And that was the result of that Short program.
Tomono: I understand.
Yamamoto: The atmosphere at the Worlds was special. After the competition, I thought, "I should have done that, or I should have done that," but I should have realized what I should have done at the preparation stage. I wondered if I was going in the wrong direction, or if there was a better way. But that performance was everything for me.
Shimada No, when I see Sota in his everyday life, I see .......
Tomono: I don't think that's all of Sota. No matter how well he does in practice, if he has any problems in the performance, they will show up in his performance.
Shimada: In the off-season, you can make any number of mistakes, but in competitions, success is taken for granted, so failure becomes special. Once you make a mistake, you are so focused on it that you can't replace your past successes with positives. ...... That's why one mistake is dragged out throughout the season, I think.
Tomono: That day's crash, that day's flat tire.
Yamamoto: Yes, that may have been true. It's important to be nervous, but it wasn't a good nervousness. ...... But I think it was a great experience for me to be able to experience that atmosphere this season. It was my first time to experience that Saitama Super Arena at the World Championships. I would like to use it as a confidence booster for the future.
"I told myself that I would be the strongest at the World Championships"
Tomono: I was in scary shape in practice and had a lot of confidence. I thought I had been telling myself "I am the strongest in the Worlds" with my past successful experiences as my strength, and had been working with full throttle of mysterious confidence.
But in reality, I made a mistake on the second jump, which I had been working on, and that was all that mattered.
The good thing is, I was able to control myself for the competition, not to rely on the adrenaline of the moment, but to let the results of my practice come out. I think I could skate with confidence in the end, even though I skipped some choreographies in the middle of the competition.
I missed medals in both Short and FS, because of two jumps I missed, but I think my score will go up and up, and we will enter the era of 300 points again. I hope I can continue to have fun and enjoy myself, with high expectations for myself, because I was able to show my potential to reach the podium if I do not make mistakes.
That is the best. I don't want to suffer in skating.
Yamamoto: That sounds like Kazuki.
Tomono: The World Championships in Japan was really terrible from my point of view, the best and worst atmosphere (laughs). The air was so tense and the tension was unbelievable, as if everyone was pointing a gun at you, even though you were cheering for them.
But once the performance is over, all of that becomes your own and it's the best moment of your life. I was so happy to see the cheering banner, and I felt like I had to burn that scene into my eyes, so many special things were packed into this competition, even though it was my third time.
Shimada: All the skaters on that rink were so cool. First of all, just to be on that stage is an amazing thing.
I have skated at Saitama Super Arena during All-Japan, too, but I wonder if I would have skated there myself. I wonder if I would have skated in such a place.
It was even more special at the Worlds, and of course, the Men's Single and all the other categories were amazing, and I was so emotional all the time.
As a skating fan, I cheered loudly for them, and admired the way they fought. I was so inspired, and I wanted to be on that stage again.
The indicator of good acting is a LINE message from Shimada-san!
--it's a wonderful relationship. Did you actually tell the two of them what you thought of the show at the venue?
Tomono Yes, I received a thankful LINE message from Koshiro.
Shimada: Oh, I decided to tell Sota-kun directly at Stars on Ice for sure, so I only told Kazuki.
Tomono: I contacted him myself, saying "praise, praise~" (laughs).
Yamamoto: I came to you when I got over 100 points for the first time at the UNIVA (ISU Winter World University Games 2023) in the short.
Shimada: I was waiting for that moment.
Tomono: I would send him a LINE when I was in trouble too. Koshiro is pretty strict, so I have the image that he only sends me a message when I give a really good performance. That's why I'm so happy when I get a message. I was like, "Oh, I did well today.
Shimada: Hmmm. I'll send you a message even when you're not so good if you're really cool.
Tomono (looking happy)
For next season
Koshiro Shimada
I have had the opportunity to compete in many competitions this season, and I have grown as a person and as a skater. I sometimes struggled with how to adjust for each competition, but it was all good experiences. I will continue to work hard next season to achieve my ideal skating.
Sota Yamamoto
This season, I had a lot of matches and it was a little difficult to adjust. However, I believe that top players experience such things and become stronger through them. I know it can be difficult at times, but I want to focus on the games in front of me first.
I hope to sort out what I gained from the season and compete with everyone at a higher level next season.
Kazuki Tomono
I didn't win a medal at the Worlds, but I have gained the ability to make adjustments, and I was able to show my potential this season. I have learned that the way to become a true top skater is to achieve consistent results throughout the season, so I would like to strengthen my consistency so that I don't make everyone nervous anymore.
What mutual programs would you like to try?
Sota's Program
Shimada: Sota's program is something only he can do. It's because of his graceful skating.
Tomono: I understand. I'm "Poeta".
Shimada: I was going to say that too. Poeta" left too strong an impression on me.
Tomono: I also like "Anthem" too much, and "Jekyll & Hyde" was cool too. I also have a desire to wear Sota's costume. There are so many costumes that have the overwhelming sense of a champion, and I would wear something like "Ka, I can't win ......". I tend to wear "gold medal costumes" that go well with gold medals. Also, "Lorelei" is good, isn't it? (starts singing)
Shimada: "Thunderbirds" is also good.
Tomono: Indeed! I could do "Thunderbirds" too! (starts singing again)
Koshiro's Program
Yamamoto: I want to play "Adios". Koshiro is good with Benjamin Clementine, like "Nemesis".
Tomono: Yes, yes. I think I would like "Smile" from Chaplin.
Yamamoto: Ah, Kazuki fits.
Tomono: My taste and Koshiro's tend to overlap. But lately I've been going for a cooler taste. People may think we fit in with happy programs, but I don't think so.
Shimada: You always tell me that, don't you?
Tomono: I really like Koshiro's programs that are a bit dark and serious, such as "Adios" and "Romeo + Juliet".
That's why I really enjoyed "Come What May" this time. I think Koshiro really excels in artistic aspects, inheriting Stéphane's (Coach Ranvier) skating. His skating makes me feel good. In other words, it's the kind of skating that can be displayed in a museum.
Kazuki's Program
Shimada: I don't want to play Kazuki's program because his own color remains strong in it (laughs). I love "La La Land" and "An American in Paris," but I think many people already think of Kazuki when they hear this song. I also really like "West Side Story".
Tomono: "An American in Paris" is often mentioned.
Yamamoto: We are the exact opposite of the type of skaters, aren't we?
Tomono: The tiger and the dragon.
Yamamoto: That's why I thought about it, but it's still difficult. I like watching Kazuki skate in "West Side Story."
Tomono: "West Side Story," which you both mentioned, is my favorite, too. I like not only the program, but also my skating at that time.
Shimada Still, it's amazing how everyone keeps coming up with the names of old programs one after another.
Tomono: It's partly because we are good friends, but it's also because we are two skaters who I watch together as one skater at the shows. When I watch Koshiro's skating, I really feel frustrated every time. It's the kind of skating that makes me jealous.
Sota's "Poeta" at Stars on Ice was also amazing. Just watching his crosses in practice, I'm in awe of him. ...... I think they are really cool skaters, don't you? (I'm getting more and more embarrassed even as I say it myself.)
Yamamoto/Shimada: It feels good to be praised!
Tomono: Hmmm. It made me realize that I should aim to skate in such a way that people think so too.
Shimada: Good luck with that.
Tomono: What is this guy~~ (laughs)!
Sota certainly knows how to keep his fans on their toes!
