Yuzuru Hanyu: 2016-17 Season

[mcq]

I'm aware that Marin and family are represented by Oscar Agency. Is Yuzuru represented by any agency? Brian and Javi are with IMG, but I don't think that's the case with Yuzuru. Curious

She is. I don't think Yuzuru sign with any (and maybe I can see why), at least not any that I know of. If so, we probably would see a lot more from him maybe lol. Seems like the closest thing he got to an agency is his ANA affiliation but if you are talking about athlete management, I am not aware of it. Mao-chan is with IMG too iirc

 

[sweetwater]

I think the disappointment in Jonetsu Tairiku was caused simply by the condition under which they produced the program. They weren’t the only media who could film him in the backstage of the ice show, at TCC before Worlds 2016, or in the hotel room after Worlds. These occasions were essentially not so different from the media day in TCC. So we had seen, or read large part of what was to be revealed in the program before it was aired. We could also imagine what had happened in the preparation for the Worlds when we heard the news about his injury.
Besides, he is not an actor or an artist who usually shows his completed work only. He is a young athlete in development and we can always witness his unexpected sides one after another! Oh I don’t know how I can prepare myself for Worlds…:hopelessness:

 

[YuzusHydroblade]

I think the disappointment in Jonetsu Tairiku was caused simply by the condition under which they produced the program. They weren’t the only media who could film him in the backstage of the ice show, at TCC before Worlds 2016, or in the hotel room after Worlds. These occasions were essentially not so different from the media day in TCC. So we had seen, or read large part of what was to be revealed in the program before it was aired. We could also imagine what had happened in the preparation for the Worlds when we heard the news about his injury.
Besides, he is not an actor or an artist who usually shows his completed work only. He is a young athlete in development and we can always witness his unexpected sides one after another! Oh I don’t know how I can prepare myself for Worlds…:hopelessness:

I've realized that this has been the case with Yuzu since i started reading interviews and such. We rarely get information that hasn't been published in another way somewhere else. And frankly, any other stuff they might ask... I think it's completely irrelevant, and watching him talk about his skating and things like that is very interesting.
I am so glad there is no real drama surrounding him
And we have seen some unexpected things, like the clip of the green room at 4CC

 

[kiches]

I think I mentioned this in a response before, but I figured the way Jounetsu Tairiku turned out was different than what they originally intended. I always felt it was supposed to be a documentary piece on his road to reclaiming his World title after the struggles from the previous season with the collision and loss at Worlds, and with the loss at Skate Canada earlier. When the worst happened and he didn't win, they had to change the narrative of the entire piece. I often wonder if they had other footage they had intended to use instead for the story they initially thought they would produce. Maybe that's why the documentary felt somewhat unfulfilling in terms of a documentary that's supposed to show the behind the scenes of an athletes life. For me the whole documentary had a very somber tone to it (I was still feeling sad about the whole thing, perhaps that's why).

 

[riminin]

Organizers announced that they received 12'000 applications for 800 seats for Shizuka-Yuzu talk show in Sendai on April 16

https://twitter.com/msmf40239/status/844278986167336960

 

[gladiolusc]

Organizers announced that they received 12'000 applications for 800 seats for Shizuka-Yuzu talk show in Sendai on April 16

https://twitter.com/msmf40239/status/844278986167336960

Thank goodness they are streaming it TwT

 

[liv]

I think Yuzu is just very professional about the whole interview/media thing now, after all these years. I think when the media expect something from him, he just automatically goes into this mode where he explains himself and his thoughts carefully and professionally, respecting them and giving them honest answers. I would not say it is an act, rather, it is that side of him that comes out when his thoughts are required. Some athletes can be very flippant and rude and give one word answers (watch some N.American team sports locker room interviews, lol), while others are more respectful of the journalist and the job they have to do, and give thoughtful answers just make it easier for everyone to do those jobs. I think he probably just falls into this category all the time now.... and he's just a good kid who has devoted his life to this sport, which has given him many things, and so devotes time to explaining himself as well.

 

[Raomina]

This was an article written in response to Yuzu's Jounetsu Tairiku documentary that aired right after Worlds last year.
Mediagenic athlete, Yuzuru Hanyu, has broken down the “emotional grammar” in this nationally popular documentary program—I was left with this impression after 24 minutes.

Thank you so much for translating this very interesting article! A lot of people have responded and tried to understand what exactly that is meant to show about Yuzuru and how he presents himself to the media, and it seems like the author's previous article about his mediagenicity would be interesting to read as well (if it hasn't already been translated, heh) and might give us more clues as to what the author means.

My impression of the article was also quite similar to what you yourself wrote in one of the replies, where it's not really so much of him having 'two-sides', one that he shows the media and one that he keeps private, but rather how comfortable he is WITH the media that the way he delivers the message so matter-of-factly and how he answers so quickly seems quite incongruent with the idea that you have to 'think deeply for a while' to come up with something profound and internal, as the act of pondering deeply itself can make the message appear to be more profound or private than what they usually are. Thus, the impact of his words is somewhat lost through his delivery even though the content of the words are still profound, which is what I think the tweet about him being 'too deep/profound' meant. He doesn't appear to have to think very hard when he says profound things because he is just that profound, and that in itself lowers the impact of his own words.

The conclusion that the authors gives ('he scores too high in mediagenicity') doesn't necessarily mean that he is so media-trained that he always have a facade on such that even his 'private' thoughts are not 'actually' his private thoughts and that his quick answers are canned responses, but rather I think it can also mean that he's so used to using the media as a way to actually express and formulate his thoughts that what he presents to the media regularly is indeed what he actually 'privately' thinks because he has already 'ping-ponged' his thoughts WITH the media so frequently. In a sense, his in/outward thoughts are already homogenized by the previous interactions with the media.

This would be consistent with what he himself have said before about how his interviews with Shuzo Matsuoka have helped him a lot in understanding and sorting out his own thoughts and feelings and he is perhaps one of the few athletes who actually use the media that way (at least outwardly), rather than treating it as a hindrance or invasion of his private space.

 

[gladiolusc]

My impression of the article was also quite similar to what you yourself wrote in one of the replies, where it's not really so much of him having 'two-sides', one that he shows the media and one that he keeps private, but rather how comfortable he is WITH the media that the way he delivers the message so matter-of-factly and how he answers so quickly seems quite incongruent with the idea that you have to 'think deeply for a while' to come up with something profound and internal, as the act of pondering deeply itself can make the message appear to be more profound or private than what they usually are. Thus, the impact of his words is somewhat lost through his delivery even though the content of the words are still profound, which is what I think the tweet about him being 'too deep/profound' meant. He doesn't appear to have to think very hard when he says profound things because he is just that profound, and that in itself lowers the impact of his own words.

Hehe, it suddenly occurs to me that's kind of how Yuzuru's skating and jumps are too. He makes it all look so effortless you think it's way easier than it really is (his back counter 3A... his perfectly incorporated 3F....). He fills his programs up with footwork and transitions, (suddenly some people think he has zero transitions) so that they all come together as one instead of separate highlight movements.

But yes, yes, yes!

(I have a Japanese blog post on H&L coming up next which I want to get done before Worlds, but I'll translate the other one for sure after worlds! )

 

[jinabee]

I think Yuzu is just very intelligent, including high emotional intelligence which not many people have. He seems more inclined to internalise rather than externalise emotions, and will express them in different ways after consideration of how certain feelings can best serve him. He seems like quite a deep thinker and seems to to be very astute, which will lead to adjusting his behaviour depending on who he is around and if he's around media. That astuteness, emotional intelligence and tendency to internalise might not lend itself to the television format and the kinds of things the media likes but I found the programme really interesting and insightful.

 

[Geo1]

Mmm, when I think of him, I tend not to draw a stark line between "real" (internal) vs outside-facing so much. Of course he has a filter, but I believe he is able to be so consistent in tone and message because the core tenets of his "inside space-kitten world" and "outside self that we see" are generally in sync. He has mentioned that conversations with the media (maybe some more so than others, such as Shuzo-san, and certain times more so than others, such as right after competitions) serve as external stimulation to help comb through his thoughts / his own processing of events.

Perhaps because he's done this for so long, he seems to have come to use those opportunities to establish what he himself thinks, perhaps unlike your usual athlete, who'd be busy trying to come up with something appropriate for the occasion. In this way, Yuzu's many different "selves" seem quite in sync with each other. Another example I can think of is during press conferences. I don't think he immediately puts on an "outside face" so to speak after he competes. Press conferences, maybe due to the mix of adrenaline rush and HisGreatEnemy!English, is often where he is the slowest (but still machine gun talk). He hums and haws quite a bit, occasionally going back to correct himself. His infamous 5-minute-long response to "How many quads would it take to win" from NHK 2015 was especially slow. He was deliberating words, but everything came out extremely clear. And based on how he's behaved all throughout these years, that's his true belief and what he practices.

So, while he has a more private side we sure don't get to see, I think that side has the same core beliefs as the "outside face" ----> hence consistency.

Sorry, such a ramble and not exactly making sense either.

I think you are making perfectly good sense.

 

[Raomina]

Hehe, it suddenly occurs to me that's kind of how Yuzuru's skating and jumps are too. He makes it all look so effortless you think it's way easier than it really is (his back counter 3A... his perfectly incorporated 3F....). He fills his programs up with footwork and transitions, (suddenly some people think he has zero transitions) so that they all come together as one instead of separate highlight movements.

But yes, yes, yes!

(I have a Japanese blog post on H&L coming up next which I want to get done before Worlds, but I'll translate the other one for sure after worlds! )

Right, that is my impression of him in general... he makes everything look easy, haha. Actually, I probably shouldn't say everything, but he has that ability/will to make some tough things look easier than they should.

And yay, thanks for all your translations! I can't wait to read them, no matter what they're about :luv17:

 

[nekun]

just visit WC prediction game thread, it seem Yuzu is not clear fav for everyone thats mean good, lees pressure for him.

but, are people forget that Javi is the reigning World Champion, he's so underrated tbh

 

[Geo1]

Regarding the article written in reply to the Jounetsu Tairiku documentary program regarding Yuzuru, the journalist says that it failed to reveal the "real" Yuzuru Hanyu and what we saw was "the usual Hanyu you'd see on television", and suggests that this is due to Yuzuru's "mediagenic" façade.

I believe that it is the other way around. I think that we see the "real" Yuzuru Hanyu every time he is being interviewed or otherwise in the media, and that is why we did not see a "different" Yuzuru in the Jounetsu Tairiku documentary.

Yuzuru has strong core values and beliefs that he is true to. That accounts for his consistency. Furthermore, he is very intelligent and has a quick mind. The journalist suggests that Yuzuru wasn't revealing his true nature when asked about weakness because he answered too quickly without a lot of angst. I would suggest that Yuzuru knows himself well and has a very quick mind. He never gives evasive answers. His responses are directly on point, without any thought as to how his answers will reflect on him.

You people may recall an interview that he attended directly from the press conference at the airport after arriving in Narita from Barcelona following the 2015 Grand Prix Final. This is the link to a video of the TV program:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3i6yra_20151215-y-h-生出演_sport

The program might be nicknamed "Winnie the Pooh's Forest" because they tried to conceal a Pooh in a makeshift forest set in the studio (which Yuzuru noticed right away). At the end of the program, the TV host shook his head in wonder and expressed his respect for Yuzuru's ability to answer all of his questions so directly and completely. He said that he was looking for an opportunity to trip him up in his answers, but was unable to do so. Just listening to Yuzuru in this interview leaves me with the feeling that he has no guile and is answering everything as honestly as he can. He is just very intelligent and able to focus on the questions and provide a quick reply.

 

[gladiolusc]

Regarding the article written in reply to the Jounetsu Tairiku documentary program regarding Yuzuru, the journalist says that it failed to reveal the "real" Yuzuru Hanyu and what we saw was "the usual Hanyu you'd see on television", and suggests that this is due to Yuzuru's "mediagenic" façade.

I believe that it is the other way around. I think that we see the "real" Yuzuru Hanyu every time he is being interviewed or otherwise in the media, and that is why we did not see a "different" Yuzuru in the Jounetsu Tairiku documentary.

I agree with your reading of Yuzuru, and I don't think the author would disagree with it either!

The production team followed Hanyu quite closely, and Hanyu may have been showing his real side. But since he was so mediagenic, I didn’t feel like I was shown Hanyu's “unexpected real side” through these “close coverage”.

The focus here was mainly on the "unexpected" and the author's disappointment here was directed at the documentary not Yuzuru. His core argument is that the documentary failed to reveal an "unknown side" to Yuzuru Hanyu, not that the "real Yuzuru Hanyu" remains unknown. Whatever ambiguity is probably from my translation and not the article itself.

 

[narcissa]

The program might be nicknamed "Winnie the Pooh's Forest" because they tried to conceal a Pooh in a makeshift forest set in the studio (which Yuzuru noticed right away).

He'd have to be an idiot not to notice this hahaha

 

[gladiolusc]

He'd have to be an idiot not to notice this hahaha

That's always how I imagine murder scenes. *Enters crazy murderer pooh*

 

[jinabee]

What were they hoping to discover? I find it odd. I think he's always been pretty forthright and true to his self throughout his career and all the interviews and documentaries he's had to do through that career.
He's maintained privacy regarding his life away from skating but he's entitled to some privacy (and he's also been pretty honest that there's not much going on)

 

[shiroKJ]

Regarding the article written in reply to the Jounetsu Tairiku documentary program regarding Yuzuru, the journalist says that it failed to reveal the "real" Yuzuru Hanyu and what we saw was "the usual Hanyu you'd see on television", and suggests that this is due to Yuzuru's "mediagenic" façade.

I believe that it is the other way around. I think that we see the "real" Yuzuru Hanyu every time he is being interviewed or otherwise in the media, and that is why we did not see a "different" Yuzuru in the Jounetsu Tairiku documentary.

Yuzuru has strong core values and beliefs that he is true to. That accounts for his consistency. Furthermore, he is very intelligent and has a quick mind. The journalist suggests that Yuzuru wasn't revealing his true nature when asked about weakness because he answered too quickly without a lot of angst. I would suggest that Yuzuru knows himself well and has a very quick mind. He never gives evasive answers. His responses are directly on point, without any thought as to how his answers will reflect on him.

You people may recall an interview that he attended directly from the press conference at the airport after arriving in Narita from Barcelona following the 2015 Grand Prix Final. This is the link to a video of the TV program:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3i6yra_20151215-y-h-生出演_sport

The program might be nicknamed "Winnie the Pooh's Forest" because they tried to conceal a Pooh in a makeshift forest set in the studio (which Yuzuru noticed right away). At the end of the program, the TV host shook his head in wonder and expressed his respect for Yuzuru's ability to answer all of his questions so directly and completely. He said that he was looking for an opportunity to trip him up in his answers, but was unable to do so. Just listening to Yuzuru in this interview leaves me with the feeling that he has no guile and is answering everything as honestly as he can. He is just very intelligent and able to focus on the questions and provide a quick reply.

結弦. Elegance and beauty graced with power and mastery.
The tightened bow string ; essence undeviated and dignified.
Released with a virtuous heart, his arrow will only mirror his sincerity.

 

[fishheadanon]

What were they hoping to discover? I find it odd. I think he's always been pretty forthright and true to his self throughout his career and all the interviews and documentaries he's had to do through that career.
He's maintained privacy regarding his life away from skating but he's entitled to some privacy (and he's also been pretty honest that there's not much going on)

The point of that post was that there is a certain narrative that the series of documentaries likes to adopt. Most people they interview can be fitted into that narrative. Yuzuru, being the intelligent, straightforward person he is, can interact with the media that defies that sort of set narrative. Though the writing style is nuanced the article is undoubtedly positive, basically admiring him for the unique being he is. If there is anything the writer is disappointed with, it's the direction the documentary tried to take, and certainly not Yuzuru himself. It has nothing to do with the issue of revealing or not revealing his private life at all.