Kazuki Tomono

NGL I'm very excited about the SP! I'm curious to see what Mills's choreo will look like for him, plus the music is so interesting! I really feel Kazuki can pull it off, he's done ballet before and he's already shown he is great with contemporary music, so contemporary ballet might be right up his street!

I also think since they chose an unusual piece of music for his SP, it's a smart choice to "play safe" with a warhorse as the FS, in the sense that it's music that's been tried and tested and we know the judges like it.

But I feel both SP and FP will be quite challenging, just in different ways! As it happened in the past season, Kazuki is trying to push his limits with both his programmes. I'm proud of him, buy also a bit worried

KiraraChin said:

But I feel both SP and FP will be quite challenging, just in different ways! As it happened in the past season, Kazuki is trying to push his limits with both his programmes. I'm proud of him, buy also a bit worried ��

Click to expand...

Yeah, agree. I am so happy seeing him trying new things and showing different sides of his skating since I think he can't grow without doing that but as always it makes me worried and anxious to see how it will work for him since it is always a risk.

Wish him the best of luck this season

Guys, Wayne McGregor himself reacted to Kazuki's SP announcement! They had a little convo on Twitter:

Wayne: Brilliant choice - and one day I will choreograph you!
https://twitter.com/WayneMcGregor/status/1128988938125881345

Kazuki: It Just unbelievable for me to receive your message! Thank you very much.
https://twitter.com/naniwatomono/status/1129056913520336897

Wayne: In think you are terrific. And we should make something together one day soon!!!
https://twitter.com/WayneMcGregor/status/1129058286102355968

Kazuki: I am honored to hear that!
https://twitter.com/naniwatomono/status/1129132931530743808

I cannot stress enough how big of an acknowledgement this is for Kazuki. Here's Wayne's bio from Wikipedia:
Wayne McGregor, CBE (born 12 March 1970) is a multi award-winning British choreographer and director, internationally renowned for trailblazing innovations in performance that have radically redefined dance in the modern era. Driven by an insatiable curiosity about movement and its creative potentials, his experiments have led him into collaborative dialogue with an array of artistic forms, scientific disciplines, and technological interventions. The startling and multi-dimensional works resulting from these interactions have ensured McGregor’s position at the cutting edge of contemporary arts for over twenty-five years. He is the Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor and Resident Choreographer of The Royal Ballet[1]. McGregor was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) 2011 for Services to Dance.

I'm now REALLY hoping Kazuki takes up the offer at some point! It would be AMAZING.

^ wow, that's so cool! Looking forward to Kazuki's take on that music. That boy has guts! (And he speaks English better than I expected! )

KiraraChin said:

Guys, Wayne McGregor himself reacted to Kazuki's SP announcement! They had a little convo on Twitter

Click to expand...

Yeah, I saw that and it wouldn't have surprised me much if he only applauded Kazuki's choice but extending that to actually praise Kazuki and show interest to collaborate with him!!! They are also following each other on Twitter now :shocked:

I am not sure how Wayne came to know and check Kazuki's performances (don't think they need to get his approval for the use of the music) or if he ever did a choreo for Figure Skating so wah, it must be a big surprise for Kazuki like it is for us!!

Wish our boy does great with his SP this season and who knows maybe really this collaboration can happen

Yesterday was Misha's birthday! Did you guys see the hilarious story that Kazuki posted to wish him happy birthday?
https://twitter.com/KiraraChin/status/1129273466262347782
They crack me up

Also, can I just remind everyone that tomorrow is the PIW broadcast! We will (hopefully) see Freaks!!!! :luv17:
Make sure to check for videos ASAP, as they might be deleted later.

surimi said:

^ wow, that's so cool! Looking forward to Kazuki's take on that music. That boy has guts! (And he speaks English better than I expected! )

Click to expand...

Yes, his English is pretty good! Misha said in the Quadruple Axel interview he was impressed by Kazuki's English when they first talked in Milan. Also, remember the John Wilson Blades interview last year? Yes, Kazuki had pre-prepared the answers (he was reading them from his phone), but the sentences were fairly complex and grammatically correct. He has a very strong Japanese accent but his pronunciation is also good!

AQFS said:

I am not sure how Wayne came to know and check Kazuki's performances (don't think they need to get his approval for the use of the music) or if he ever did a choreo for Figure Skating so wah, it must be a big surprise for Kazuki like it is for us!!

Click to expand...

From his bio and from the fact he's British, I'd say Wayne probably doesn't have a lot of knowledge and experience with figure skating. What I think it must have happened is that Wayne saw his name being mentioned on Twitter, decided to check what it was all about, and then like we all did, he 'fell in love' with Kazuki :luv17: The fact that he felt compelled to reach out to Kazuki like that is simply amazing. Wayne is someone who definitely knows a thing or two about musicality and performance (I'm using British understatement here), and he was able to see our boy's sheer amount of talent straight away :yes2:

Freaks is here!!!!
A kind soul recorded it and shared on her Google Drive: https://twitter.com/beth_gifs/status/1130004227290521601

I love it! So entertaining! However, Kazuki, love, are you going crazy? 4S 3A 3A in an exhibition number? :shocked:

KiraraChin said:

Freaks is here!!!!
A kind soul recorded it and shared on her Google Drive: https://twitter.com/beth_gifs/status/1130004227290521601

I love it! So entertaining! However, Kazuki, love, are you going crazy? 4S 3A 3A in an exhibition number? :shocked:

Click to expand...

Happy that we finally see it, although I would say that I had higher expectations for this one and I do hope he grows into this EX more in future. I think it has more potential than what he showed there but in all cases, I am glad to see him skating again

On other news, seems we will get a documentary for Kazuki's training with Philip!! I thought about that when we saw cameras in Kazuki's stories before but didn't dare to put much hope but seems that really Fuji TV filmed them ^^

https://twitter.com/Tomono_Infonet/status/1129953819893178369
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxfxDMChYJn/

KiraraChin said:

I love it! So entertaining! However, Kazuki, love, are you going crazy? 4S 3A 3A in an exhibition number? :shocked:

Click to expand...

Fan tweets during PIW said something about Shoma and Tomono-kun making a deal, something like, if they made a mistake (in jumps I assume), they'd have to do all the hard jumps in their following performances or something along that line. And the TV camera was recording on the last day, I think. I forgot where I read them out of all the flooded tweets, but more than one were talking about it, iirc - but I could be reading them wrong (remember the chaos during PIW days), so don't quote me on that.

Okay, so I was watching it on BS TV Tokyo today (thank god I have cable TV to watch it outside Tokyo) and I saw Tomono-kun appearing in the opening number, too, wearing a white shirt, with his beautiful smile. He looked like he was having so much fun with the show. I really loved his expressions on his face during the ex program. No, not just his face, just so lively smiles all over his body! I thought I knew Tomono-kun was great at dancing, but I didn't think it could even be better than I had expected.
According to the commentary, all the guest skaters too had to wear something blue for the finale, like a dress code, so apparently that is why Tomono-kun brought his New Cinema Paradise costume and he had his fureai time in it.

Now, I picked some noteworthy comments during his Freaks pro.
Caster : Tomono said that he wanted to show his power(迫力) with this program so as to cancel out (blow away?) the impression we all had from the last year's ex number, Daft Punk.
Machida: I think Tomono-san's 3As are great both in its success rate and quality. 3A is the jump that backed him up (supported him) in his leaping forward.
Caster: According to Tomono, he has an image of this number portraying "Araburu* (savage) Trumpeter"
Machida: The prop(trumpet) was in the spotlight from the beginning, and set the audience's expectations. All the more so, he should have been a bit more creative with the use of the prop, I think.
Machida: He is a kind of skater who brings his will to the fore to convey (his expression/performance) to the audience and the will itself generates his strength.

*araburu/荒ぶる is an archaic adjective that normally goes with God(s) in Japanese traditional belief. I think 'savage' is good for it (as his number was the one featuring 'Savage' anyways ) but there are many translations for it, like rampant, violent, rough, wild, strong, etc (often malevolent or raging but not in this case for trumpeter, I think). If, by any chance, you feel like you want to see its precise image, an anime film "Mononoke-hime" illustrated an Araburu God (but I don't think English subtitle actually translated this phrase said by Ashitaka when trying to calm down the god) Or, an anime series, "Chihayafuru" literally explained the meaning of this adjective 'araburu' as opposed to the title 'chihayaburu' when talking about the meaning of this famous tanka.

Tomono-kun's interview responses:
"We had a great amount of cheers today, and I could skate really comfortably(feeling good)."
"In Reiwa era, I'd like to polish what I've learned in Heisei era, and not waste it."

---
A good news for you. Fuji tv is apparently making a documentary of Tomono-kun according to the linked page! (Maybe that's why they could give us his video message the other day from USA!)
https://www.facebook.com/223287831052524/posts/2147715515276403/?sfnsn=xwmo
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxfxDMChYJn/

BTW... KiraraChin, the chance for you to see Tomono-kun walking in a street in London got a lot higher now!!! Especially when he loves UK culture, he may even consider entering the new competition hosted in UK sometime??? Or just to meet up with this British choreographer? (I really don't watch contemporary ballet and I can't exactly see what it's like for him or even you and all, but I imagine that something great and amazing is happening! I guess he really is a 持ってる男/a man with an extraordinary luck, fate, or w/e, as one of his teammates said in Doshisha univ's video.)

ETA: ha ha, I was too slow! AQFS beat me again!

Thank you both AQFS and Tsurara for the news about the documentary! I'm looking forward to it!

AQFS said:

Happy that we finally see it, although I would say that I had higher expectations for this one and I do hope he grows into this EX more in future. I think it has more potential than what he showed there but in all cases, I am glad to see him skating again

Click to expand...

Oh, he will! I don't know if you remember, but his Daft Punk improved a lot after the performed it for the first time at PIW last year.

Tsurara said:

Okay, so I was watching it on BS TV Tokyo today (thank god I have cable TV to watch it outside Tokyo) and I saw Tomono-kun appearing in the opening number, too, wearing a white shirt, with his beautiful smile. He looked like he was having so much fun with the show. I really loved his expressions on his face during the ex program. No, not just his face, just so lively smiles all over his body! I thought I knew Tomono-kun was great at dancing, but I didn't think it could even be better than I had expected.

Click to expand...

Was it, by any chance, this? https://www.instagram.com/p/BxpQfPBJYU3/
I really liked this bit, too!

Tsurara said:

Now, I picked some noteworthy comments during his Freaks pro.
Caster : Tomono said that he wanted to show his power(迫力) with this program so as to cancel out (blow away?) the impression we all had from the last year's ex number, Daft Punk.
Machida: I think Tomono-san's 3As are great both in its success rate and quality. 3A is the jump that backed him up (supported him) in his leaping forward.
Caster: According to Tomono, he has an image of this number portraying "Araburu* (savage) Trumpeter"
Machida: The prop(trumpet) was in the spotlight from the beginning, and set the audience's expectations. All the more so, he should have been a bit more creative with the use of the prop, I think.
Machida: He is a kind of skater who brings his will to the fore to convey (his expression/performance) to the audience and the will itself generates his strength.

*araburu/荒ぶる is an archaic adjective that normally goes with God(s) in Japanese traditional belief. I think 'savage' is good for it (as his number was the one featuring 'Savage' anyways ) but there are many translations for it, like rampant, violent, rough, wild, strong, etc (often malevolent or raging but not in this case for trumpeter, I think). If, by any chance, you feel like you want to see its precise image, an anime film "Mononoke-hime" illustrated an Araburu God (but I don't think English subtitle actually translated this phrase said by Ashitaka when trying to calm down the god) Or, an anime series, "Chihayafuru" literally explained the meaning of this adjective 'araburu' as opposed to the title 'chihayaburu' when talking about the meaning of this famous tanka.

Tomono-kun's interview responses:
"We had a great amount of cheers today, and I could skate really comfortably(feeling good)."
"In Reiwa era, I'd like to polish what I've learned in Heisei era, and not waste it."

Click to expand...

Thank you so much for the translation! That was a really sweet comment from Machida. I remember reading that Kazuki was trying to impress Machida when he was learning the 3A (they used to train together at the time), so I'm sure this comment made Kazuki really happy!
Also, Tsurara, great examples in the translation note, I love both Mononoke-hime and Chihayafuru

Tsurara said:

BTW... KiraraChin, the chance for you to see Tomono-kun walking in a street in London got a lot higher now!!! Especially when he loves UK culture, he may even consider entering the new competition hosted in UK sometime??? Or just to meet up with this British choreographer? (I really don't watch contemporary ballet and I can't exactly see what it's like for him or even you and all, but I imagine that something great and amazing is happening! I guess he really is a 持ってる男/a man with an extraordinary luck, fate, or w/e, as one of his teammates said in Doshisha univ's video.)

Click to expand...

I know, Tsurara, what should I do if I bump into Kazuki in the streets of London? I think I would faint

I must confess I wasn't very familiar with Wayne McGregor either, but just looking into his Wikipedia page you can see a number of impressive achievements/accolades: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_McGregor (Also I hadn't recognised his name at first, but I've definitely seen him before on the TV and press)

The fact that he is a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) tells you everything you need to know, really. This is an accolade given by the Queen to British people who have given extraordinary contribution to their fields (in his case, dance).

Guys, Kazuki has a new combo! 4S-3T (he's only done 4S-2T so far)
https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1130490874318733313
This is at least the 3rd tech upgrade he's been attempting recently... In addition to the 4T which he can already land in practice, and the 4lo which he hasn't yet landed, but looks promising!

Boy is really on fire... I love how he's really going for it both in terms of tech and artistic development

Incidentally, it seems he's back in Japan! A fellow Japanese skater posted this today, and it looks suspiciously like the Naniwa rink: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxr0427HKOf/

KiraraChin said:

That was a really sweet comment from Machida. I remember reading that Kazuki was trying to impress Machida when he was learning the 3A (they used to train together at the time), so I'm sure this comment made Kazuki really happy!

Click to expand...

Yeah, I think I've read that his first successful 3A was indeed in front of Machida-kun, iirc. I'm sure Machida-kun too is very proud of Tomono-kun as his senpai.

KiraraChin said:

Guys, Kazuki has a new combo! 4S-3T (he's only done 4S-2T so far)
https://twitter.com/FSIgstories/status/1130490874318733313
This is at least the 3rd tech upgrade he's been attempting recently... In addition to the 4T which he can already land in practice, and the 4lo which he hasn't yet landed, but looks promising!

Boy is really on fire... I love how he's really going for it both in terms of tech and artistic development

Incidentally, it seems he's back in Japan! A fellow Japanese skater posted this today, and it looks suspiciously like the Naniwa rink: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxr0427HKOf/

Click to expand...

I'm really thrilled!
Btw, I think it's in Rinspo (Rinkai Sports Center, Tomono-kun's former home rink in Takaishi city). Here is the Japanese skater's insta account that posted the cute welcome-back story, and other insta posts and stories of hers show the sign saying "Rinspo".

Tsurara said:

Btw, I think it's in Rinspo (Rinkai Sports Center, Tomono-kun's former home rink in Takaishi city). Here is the Japanese skater's insta account that posted the cute welcome-back story, and other insta posts and stories of hers show the sign saying "Rinspo".

Click to expand...

Oh, it could well be! Thanks, Tsurara!

Kazuki posted some lovely pics today on his Insta!
A gorgeous pic of Huntington Beach he took with his phone: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxtGDFzDSCD/
A picture with Philip Mills, saying thanks for everything, and then a couple of pics from the Los Angeles Angels stadium! He went to see a game with Marin and Taichi :luv17:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxs5Kt4Hc-T/

KiraraChin said:

A picture with Philip Mills, saying thanks for everything, and then a couple of pics from the Los Angeles Angels stadium! He went to see a game with Marin and Taichi :luv17:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxs5Kt4Hc-T/

Click to expand...

Wow, maybe they watched the game Ohtani hit a 2-run homer!? How lucky!
Or it might be Tomono-kun who brought luck to Angels... (they're losing home games after Tomono-kun left LA)

I really can't wait to see what his new SP will be like...:hap85:

Tsurara said:

Wow, maybe they watched the game Ohtani hit a 2-run homer!? How lucky!
Or it might be Tomono-kun who brought luck to Angels... (they're losing home games after Tomono-kun left LA)

I really can't wait to see what his new SP will be like...:hap85:

Click to expand...

I don't know much about baseball, but that sounds awesome! I hope he got to see it

I know, I'm super excited about the SP, too... He even thanked Philip Mills for his 'creative choreography'! Ahhhh I'm really curious to see it, and I wonder what kind of costume he'll have, too!

Just wanted to share some cute fan arts!

https://twitter.com/Clara_1673/status/1131240908714893312 (references this viral video from a few years back: https://youtu.be/CgHW02YF50s)
https://twitter.com/nusunnosukeaka/status/1131229987200045056
https://www.instagram.com/p/BxksYcrFz3y/
https://twitter.com/amk62469130/status/1131419784451518464 (feat Sota)

and someone made a Freaks pill case: https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxn84sfpb2A/ I don't even take pills often, but I want it

KiraraChin said:

Ahhhh I'm really curious to see it, and I wonder what kind of costume he'll have, too!

Click to expand...

Me too, but lack of imagination on my part :hopelessness:

I ran across a new photo site by a figure skating fan. It has quite a few old photos of Tomono-kun too.
https://www.yanablumka.com/

Btw, have the previous Kanspo/Doshisha article series on the three kansai boys (from last year) ever translated in the past?
Like this one↓?
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24279

Tsurara said:

Me too, but lack of imagination on my part :hopelessness:

Click to expand...

Hmmm let's see. I think Moulin Rouge will be in dark colours for sure, maybe black and deep red, or black and deep blue? I have no idea about the SP costume colour, but I'd like it to be bright and sparkly, to highlight his movements. Does anyone else have ideas?

Tsurara said:

I ran across a new photo site by a figure skating fan. It has quite a few old photos of Tomono-kun too.
https://www.yanablumka.com/

Btw, have the previous Kanspo/Doshisha article series on the three kansai boys (from last year) ever translated in the past?
Like this one↓?
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24279

Click to expand...

Thank you, Tsurara! Some great pics from Milan 2018 there!

I believe no-one properly translated that article, I tried to read with Google Translate but it was confusing!

BTW, did you guys see Kazuki's comment on Yuma Kagiyama's IG post showing a 4S3T and 4T3T: https://imgur.com/beQeMpu
Please correct me if I'm wrong, Tsurara, but Kazuki said: 'Amazing...' and Yuma replied: 'Thank you!!'

Kazuki is such a supportive senpai! :luv17:

KiraraChin said:

I believe no-one properly translated that article, I tried to read with Google Translate but it was confusing!

Click to expand...

I don't believe Google Translate caters to Kansai-ben... That said, even I (as a native Western Japanese) don't get all of it completely. Some of the lines don't have enough contexts to understand what they're saying, either (They're student editors, and I won't blame them when we can just enjoy their casual interactions. I'm just grateful for their work.) But I'll try my best to translate as much as possible.

KiraraChin said:

BTW, did you guys see Kazuki's comment on Yuma Kagiyama's IG post showing a 4S3T and 4T3T: https://imgur.com/beQeMpu
Please correct me if I'm wrong, Tsurara, but Kazuki said: 'Amazing...' and Yuma replied: 'Thank you!!'

Kazuki is such a supportive senpai! :luv17:

Click to expand...

Your translation is correct :agree:
My interpretation, though, was more like Tomono-kun being really impressed, not as a senpai (to praise his kohai) but as a skater (to praise one of his rivals)

【Ice Skating】KanSpo×Atom Collaboration Project: Kinki Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-Season Part 1~
http://kanspo.univ.nikkansports.com/?p=24279

1/2 of Part 1

NOTE: ( ) are the editor's additions + available context that I added to make it readable, and { } are my notes.
I'm sure you know about skating age by fs season calendar, and Japanese education system has 6 years in elementary, 3 years in junior high and senior high, starting in April. Please don't hesitate to inform me if things aren't clear enough or if you spot mistakes.​

―It's a little abrupt, but would you please decide the title for this session...?
All: [silence]
Honda: Osaka Representatives <tentative title>.
Nakamura: What about me? [laugh]
H: (You're from) Hokkaido, and (I'm from) Kyoto.
N: Not related at all.
Tomono: Hokkaido versus Osaka? What should we name it...?
H: Got any suggestions? We three got nothing in common, really.
T: Indeed we don't.
N: Maybe Koyakodo {Knives Out in English, a battle game they play} is the only thing (that we have in common).
T: Koyakodo... {for the title?}
N: Like, those who aim to be king(s).
All: [laugh]
N: Isn't that cool? [laugh]
T: I loled.
H: We may come up with something once we start talking, maybe.
(The title "Kinki-Danshi's Daily Life ~Off-season~" was decided after the session.)

Photo
▲The three bewildered by our sudden unreasonable request. Sorry about that...

―When did you meet each other?
H: Kazuki and I were completely...
T: We met in 2nd grade in elementary.
H: I don't remember about Shu-kun.
T: I don't remember about Shu-kun (either).
N: But, I first saw you when you (Tomono) were doing this in Novice or something *mimics Tomono's old program choreo* So, (I found you as) 'that restless kid'.
T: Umm, you mean, the one in Ibaraki (79th All Japan Junior Figure Skating Championship), right? {Tomono asking Shu in keigo}
N: Yeah, right.
H: The one in Hachinohe (80th All Japan Junior)? Or the one in Ibaraki?
N: I think it was Ibaraki one.
H: Not in Hachinohe? Then, Ibaraki one.
T: But...
N: Taichi was...
{Note: They all appeared in both competitions and maybe they're talking about Taichi not making it to free.}
H: But I was in All Japan Novice (in Hachinohe in 2009). Like, Shoma (was 1st), Shu-kun 2nd place, and so on.
{Note: Shoma 1st, Shu 2nd, Tomono 13th in Novice A, Taichi 2nd in Novice B in 2009 Japan Novice in Hachinohe}
N: I too only (remember?) Hachinohe.
T: Was it 2012? or 2011? All Japan Junior in Ibaraki, when Nakamura Kento kun won 1st.
{Note: Kento won Japan Junior in 2010 in Ibaraki. Their memories don't serve them well.}
H: Yeah, yeah.
N: How many years ago?
T: Taichi and I were in 2nd grade in elementary. Shu-kun was probably in first Junior year... wasn't it? {keigo again}
N: Wasn't it 2nd year? Or was it 1st year. 1st year and somewhere in Novice.
T: 2nd (I think). because 1 year age difference (by skating age)
H: Ah, you (Kazuki and Shu) have one year age gap.
T: Yeah. So, it was when Shu-kun was in his first Junior year.
H: We were in Novice A, 2nd year (Kazuki) and 1st year (Taichi).
T: (So, Shu-kun was) 13 years old. Or 14?
N: 2nd year in Junior High School.
T: When I was in 6th grade, (I met) Shu-kun (in 2nd in junior high = 8th grade). I think that's about it that we actually got involved (then).
H: Shu-kun and I were both in the same competition. For sure. I just got DSQ at Short.
N: That was funny.
―What do you mean, funny?
H: I got 2 consecutive DSQs after short at All Japan Juniors.
T: It really didn't work out for Taichi at Japan Juniors. Oddly enough, I got qualified.
N: Was that so?
T: Yeah. I placed 15th. Isn't that great?
{Note: At that time, I think Taichi had a lot higher reputation than Tomono-kun.}
H: You know, this will go on forever.
{Note: Literally, he said "this talk will go nowhere" because of nostalgia and they just keep on talking about the past, never advancing to the main topic for the session.}

―Your first impression when you first met each other?
H: I got only one for Shu-kun.
N: As for Kazuki('s impression), this was it *mimics his motion* People were calling him Prince of Step, you know.
T: I lost to Taichi, so he was an annoying guy. [laugh]
H: For me, (Kazuki's impression was) Chibi {squirt, tiny}.
N: Me too, (his impression was) Chibi.
H: Shu-kun was Charai {showy, flashy, flirty, too fashionable...etc}
T: Taichi's got some over-the-top one...
H: Shu-kun's Charai.
N: That's horrible!
All: [laugh]
T: When I first saw Shu-kun, well...
H: Master of Loop?
T: Like someone good (at skating).
H: But he might be a real master of loop. Really.
T: But... I don't know. I really don't know when we actually started talking, either.
N: Ah, I know. In Novice A, weren't you jumping some Lutz before? And I thought you were amazing. I didn't watch Taichi skate, but I saw the results (judge's score) and thought it was amazing.
H: Ah.
N: (I thought) there're some amazing guys out there.
T: But weren't you two together in (team) Kansai Univ (KFSC)?
N: No, not (together) then yet.
T: Oh really?
H: Was it (started practicing together) after that Japan Junior? Or was it right before that Japan Junior? Around that time, he came (to Kansai Univ's figure skating team/affiliated school).
N: Yup.
T: Shu-kun did?
H: Shu-kun and also (Yoshino) Kohei-kun failed in short, back then.
N: We did?
H: Both of you failed in short, freaking out saying omg, but I was DSQ'd and even worse~.
All: [ROFL]
T: My first impression for Taichi was... what was it, well, I guess just a normal annoyance because I lost to him. [laugh]
H: Kazuki was like...
T: But, what an annoying kid, {indecipherable here}
H: You were popular with screaming fans, I thought. Because of this. *mimics Tomono's old choreo motions*
T: Right. I wasn't doing that at that time, though. (It was like) te-te-te-te {I think it's supposed to be onomatopoeia for his dance steps} Sabre Dance... I guess they're almost the same. [laugh]
H: No difference at all.
T: Was very cute.
N: Weren't you using the same number for short and free?
T: Yup. You're right.
N: In junior.
T: That was a legend (didn't you know?)
H: All the steps were the same, both in short and free and all level 1 as planned.
T: Yup, all level 1 as planned. That was Hiraike sensei's (evil) work. Not my fault. I didn't even know. [laugh]

photo
▲The three recalling their first encounter.

To be continued