Yuzuru Hanyu: 2014-15 Season

hamaguri said:

This is the report of the second show of Kanazawa FaOI on June 27, Sunday

First of all, thank you for reading the previous report or supporting me. I can continue to write thanks to you.

(PART II)

Part II is about SEIMEI

(Costume)
My friend said a minor change was made in his costume.
The sleeves got larger in width, more like a Japanese traditional costume.

(Jumps)
4S (punk, 2S?) 4T(fall), 3F (o), 4T (fall), 3A-3T (o)
He didn’t do well with his jumps that day. It was partly because of the ice. After finished, he skated towards the certain area and stroked the ice with his blades and hands.

(Performance)
In the show, what made me most surprised was his speed. Obviously he got more speed than in Makuhari. He was skating from one corner to another with an incredible speed.

Further, his overall movements were sharper and more controlled and deliberate than in DOI.
Coreo sequence got stronger and dramatic!

The elements seemed to increase. But, the choreography itself impressed that it was far from the complete even though I knew some parts had not yet included. The overall impression will be much different in competitions.

And ina bauer…. Someone had talked about ina bauer in SEIMEI. In terms of interpretation, it was well mixed in music and effective. Of course, it presented a kind of climax, but the feeling wasn’t as dramatic as in RJ2, Phantom or so.

His spin.. In FaOI, there’s a master of spin. Of course it’s Stephan. His spin is truly masterpiece. Compared with Stephan’s, yuzu’s spin nearly reached Stephan’s level. Oh, it might be exaggerated…. Anyway, it was sure when it came to spin, both two stood out clearly.

About music, it didn’t feel like so Japanesque. That’s partly because the other instruments than the Japanese traditional ones were used enough. The point I noticed was Japanese flute around 2:00 in this video . It sounded as if it came from far away. If he can make supernatural-like atmosphere around here, the program will be different.

Throughout the show, he was apparently in different mode than in one at Makuhari I had previously saw him live. In Makuhari, he felt relaxed and amused himself and audience bringing back his old EX, and at “Believe”, he was skating happily and passionately. In Kanazawa, however, he felt a bit serious and was in a kind of competition mode. He might have switched his mode.

Part III is other things about yuzu and show overall, other skaters. Show itself was great and high-quality entertainment more than Makuhari, I suppose. In Kanazawa, music was gorgeous and programs were better. I guess the layout of Kobe show will be almost the same, as Makuhari’ and Shizuoka’ were so. We can expect the broadcast of KOBE!

Click to expand...

Thank you hamaguri very much for your report. Glad to know the progress of "SEIMEI." And of course I hope you had a great time watching the show. (It seemed you did. )

Re his spins, Yuzuru has said that Stephane himself gave him tips. Re his speed on the ice, I credit his hard work with Tracy Wilson, his skating skills coach. I've read that because of his increased speed, for a time Yuzuru had trouble landing his jumps until he has learned the proper control.

I'll join the discussion on my favourite Yuzu cosrumes, mine are:
1) hana ni nare
2) pw (the black one)
3) the seimei one (so far)
Thanks hamaguri and everyone else for your reports!!! I'm so excited to see videos now....

The new EX costume is "over the top" as far as excessive bling and ruffles, but perhaps these details represent his deep felt emotions regarding the earthquake and how that event changed his life. In this way the costume makes sense to me, although I much prefer him in understated costumes that compliment the program rather than define it.

Given that, my faves are:
1. POTO v.2
2. PW (both black and blue)
3. R&J v.1

Honorable Mention: SEIMEI (as is) looks great! :agree:

My favorite costume!
1. PW (black is more)
2. POTO (ver. 1)
3. SEIMEI

This is the report of the second show of Kanazawa FaOI on June 27, Sunday

This is the last part.
(PART III)

(Yuzu other Jumps)
Opening　3A O
Finale 4T O
Jump battle 4Lo O, Soooo gorgeous 4Lo! He seemed happy.
Without fail, he landed all jumps.

(Yuzu with other skaters)
*yuzu & Nam Unfortunately, I didn’t noticed yuzu and Nam.
*yuzu & Javi , yuzu & Johnny, yuzu & Marin Honda
When skaters were standing in a line at the stage after the finale, javi skated towards yuzu second time from the end, they talked each other. At that time, yuzu was next to Johnny! Yuzu also spoke to Marin and tried to catch the timing for her to start to the center of the ice. She failed a few times, but finally she could start. For young skater like Marin, how big experience it was.
*yuzu & Plushenko
They did high-touch beside the stage when yuzu walked towards the ice at his EX .
After yuzu succeeded in 4Lo, they bowed to each other. It was hilarious.

(Others)

(Opening and Finale)
Opening: Sarah (I don’t know music)
Finale: Okamoto, Bolero
I hardly watched the group number, because my eyes pursued only yuzu..

(Skaters)
*Nam (per to request of Matmuh!)
Music: My Funny Valentine (with vocal), and I didn’t notice it, but I read Rachmaninoff piano concerto 2 was also used in its back. Interesting arrangement.
He was said to get taller. I don't remember his jumps in his performance, but in the opening, he fell largely (4S?). I felt his movement got smooth. Further, I read a twitter or so said that yuzu had been watching Nam’s performance and had clapped!

*Brian Joubert (corroboration with musician)
Music: “Time to Say Good by” with Sarah and Okamoto (duet)
Their duet was truly out of this world! Then Joubert was wonderful! Some audience said his performance was one of the best that day. His red costume and his soft and tender expression! I found his new attractiveness.

*Stephan (corroboration with musician)
Music: Piano “Prelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5 “(Rachmaninoff ) with Fukuma
“Turandot” with Okamoto
Both of them were amazing! I was too excited and said to my elderly friend, “Now we can’t see Rudolf Nureyev (legendary ballet dancer in 20 century) but we have Stephan Lambiel.” Astonishingly, she replied, “Oh, I saw Nureyev live many years ago!” And she also said that she had three genius performers in her life, who were “Nureyev”, “Tetsuya Kumakawa” (Japanese ballet dancer) in his younger age, and our “YUZU”!

*Johnny (corroboration with musician)
Music: “You Raise Me Up” with Sarah
Sarah’s voice was much more beautiful to hear her live! In her soft and clear voice, Johnny appeared on the ice and started slowly. At that moment, tears came to my eyes, so I could barely see. I never forget that scene. I love Johnny. His personality was shining on the ice. And the costume (overall black, but read area was in the upper back) was chic and lovely.

This is the last of my report. Thank you for reading! Anyway, it was outstanding show. I really hope the programs in Kobe will be the same! (Musicians and skaters are almost the same.)

Thank you so much Hamaguri! Your detailed reports comfort us who couldn't be there in person. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

As newbie said thank you a lot for your report hamaguri.

Thanks Hamaguri! It was really nice to hear what you thought about the show and along with other performances too.

I echo the thought that someone has mentioned previously he might use this EX in international competition coming up since it has no vocals. Maybe that's why it has such intricate details; maybe because he is planning on wearing it for a while a for quite a few times?

I was actually thinking that one of the changes they might make with regard to the SEIMEI costume is to make some thin golden threads/pattern on the currently silver surface. There are some detail now, but maybe just a little bit more obvious? Probably affected by the talk of how much he likes gold

In the beginning of the off season we were counting the different colors he has tried and haven't tried, and he went ahead and put on melon orange and seaweed/lettuce green to add to his repertoire! He really is trying them all isn't he??

Thanks Hamaguri!!! I'm as happy for you as I am jealous. Your report is much appreciated!

Hamaguri, thank you so much for your long and detailed report! It reallly means a lot for those who could not be at that show to read about your impressions. Thanks a lot for taking time and put those impressions all together for us!

I actually think that the most beautiful and tender Ina Bauer he did was for "Believe" performance. It was simply wow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=a0uVaBzmkRc#t=130 It was also passionate but it was a different kind of passion from all of his other programs.

hamaguri, thanks a lot for your reports and special thanks for Nam report as well!! i am glad you had fun , i cant wait to see,
HERE is interview with Kenji for Vogue, he talks about working with Yuzuru and aura surrounds him thats been mentioned before, thanks to yuzuland

Thank you, Hamaguri. It was wonderful to read your reports and impressions of the show

Thank you, Hamaguri!!
Re Lambiel's spin, I heard that he used to do extremely good and fast spins but the spins hurt his body. So, he has decided to slow down and his spins are not unmatchable now. So, I believe you that Yuzu's spins were at the level of Lambiel's about Seimei, I'm happy to know that he has managed to land all his jumps in the show. It's a good sign. I think he'll go clean at least once next season and get a WR. And, it's such a high compliment to compare Yuzu to Nureyev:shocked:

Well, my favourite costumes are:
1: final time traveler, white shirt ver.
2: POTO 2.0
3: Hana wa saku, NHK 14

Adding my thanks hamaguri for sharing with us your experience of the June 27 FaOI Kanazawa show.

Thank you hamaguri for your detailed report !! And thanks for adding some extras like Nam, Brian and Johnny (I'm still dreaming to see him live...)

Yuzuru's 4Lo seems to get better and better, it would be a shame if we don't see one in competition before he retires....

Thank you hamaguri for your reports, they are fabulous and so nice for people like me who can't go to the ice shows!!! Thank you!!!

As everyone here has said, thank you so much Hamaguri for the report! I'm glad he landed his 4Lo, he always has such a happy face when he lands it. It would be amazing if Yuzu were to be the first skater to land it at a competition

It was really fun to read your reports, Hamaguri. Thank you so much for your taking time to let us know about the details of the shows. I hope you had no trouble coming back home :agree:

I'm wondering whether the designer of the new costume of Requiem is the same person designed the Phantom 2 (white tiger version) or not. It seems to me some details have same taste. We know the designer of Chopin, but did he design other costumes?

I have always wanted to know who designed Etude costume .
Does anyone know about that?

Any way, I have convinced myself again Yuzuru is really "Ashura dressed in lace and frills"

If yuzuru stays healthy, he will be world champion 2016, without doubt. There can be Chan, Plushenko or even Putin, if he wants, it doesn´t matter.