LET THE 82ND JAPANESE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGIN
...and may the odds be ever in your favor.
The first of the major national championships this season is almost here (Dec. 21-24), so I thought I'd make a preview/primer post to Team Japan for those poor souls who may not know much about them! This got too long for one post so I split it into two; this one is about the men. (I'm not sure if I can finish the ladies' post before Nationals starts, unfortunately /o\)
this is literally the cruelest poster imaginable, like why would you even
Note: This post was written for an audience with basic knowledge of figure skating and little knowledge of Team Japan. Also I fully admit that I am not free of bias~
OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES
First things first: Japanese Nationals is not the only event used to determine the Olympic team! The rules are thus:
THE HUNGER GAMES MEN'S EVENT
Team Japan (hereafter abbreviated as TJ) men's is an incredibly deep and talented field. This season, at least one Japanese man has medaled at each Grand Prix event - and they've done this for the second season in a row. They qualified three men to the Grand Prix Final this season (and won it for the second season in a row), FOUR last season, and at least two for the entirety of this Olympic cycle. Several of their top men have the potential to be in the top 10 at the Olympics and/or World Championships; some of them are Olympic medal contenders. Unfortunately (and this fact causes me to cry tears of blood daily), they have only 3 spots to the Olympics (and Worlds) - the maximum number of spots, but for a field as deep as theirs, it's still not enough...
So! Let's get to know these guys, shall we?
YUZURU HANYU
Born: December 7, 1994 (age 19)
From: Sendai (trains in Toronto)
Fan nicknames: Yuzu, #serialkilleryuzuru
_skating tags: 4T3A and his bowlcut, the japanese beatle
Notable titles: 2013 GPF champion, 2012 World bronze medalist, 2012 Japanese National Champion, 2-time 4CC silver medalist, 2010 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 99.84 (SP), 193.41 (FS), 293.25 (total)
Season's best: 99.84 (SP), 193.41 (FS), 293.25 (total)
Current world ranking: 1st
Coaches: Brian Orser, Tracy Wilson
Choreographers: Jeffrey Buttle (SP), David Wilson (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore (SP), Romeo and Juliet by Nino Rota (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 2nd at Skate Canada, 2nd at Trophée Eric Bompard, 1st at GPF
Yuzuru Hanyu is adorable.
He also might want to murder you a little.
(just kidding) (maybe)
But seriously, this kid has Ambitions and the talent to back it up. He's experienced a meteoric rise since turning senior after becoming the fourth Japanese man to win Junior Worlds in 2010 at the age of 15. He won the silver medal at 2011 4CC. Unfortunately, during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake his house was damaged and he spent four days in a shelter with his family. His training rink in Sendai was also damaged and closed for several months. As a result he spent most of the summer of 2011 skating in shows in order to practice his programs while his rink was closed. He had a breakout season in 2011-2012, winning Cup of Russia, qualifying for the GPF and culminating in a World bronze medal after skating lights-out in the FS. After 2012 Worlds he moved to Canada to train with Brian Orser, Yuna Kim's former coach, in Toronto. He's since improved the consistency of his quad toeloop and has included the quad salchow in his free skate since last season, though with minor success. His triple axel is probably his strongest jump and one of the best examples in the current men's field - in shows he does these crazy 3A+3A and quad+3A sequences including even a 4T+3A+3A.
his 3As are fucking enormous
Just last week he won the Grand Prix Final, beating 3-time and current World champion Patrick Chan, breaking the SP world record for the third time, setting world record technical scores in both segments, and all before his 19th birthday. He's also the reigning Japanese National Champion and looks to be in prime form to defend his title. In the past he's struggled with stamina issues in the free skate - having asthma probably doesn't help - but this didn't seem to bother him at GPF. Generally, if he messes up one program, he'll be much better in the other, and if he manages to be clean in both, god save your soul. The quality of his jumps, the fact that he does many difficult jumps in the second half of his programs where they gain extra points, and difficult positions in his spins can garner him huge technical points. After his performance at GPF he's pretty much a lock for the Olympic team no matter how he does at Nationals, so it only remains to be seen whether he can continue his upward trend. He's also currently ranked first in the world by the ISU. Though he lacks the refinement and sophistication of his older competitors, there's no denying that he's incredibly talented and a contender for Olympic gold in Sochi and for the next Olympic cycle.
Strengths: jumps, spins
Weaknesses: stamina, skating skills not that the scores reflect it
Miscellaneous tidbits:
Videos!
2011 Nagoya Festival EX - Change
2011 Cup of China SP - Etude in D-sharp minor (Scriabin)
2011 GPF EX - Somebody to Love
2012 Worlds FS - Romeo + Juliet
2012 Worlds EX - Swan Lake
2012 NHK Trophy EX - Hana ni nare
2013 SOI Japan EX - Hello, I Love You
2013 GPF SP - Parisienne Walkways
2013 GPF FS - Romeo & Juliet
2013 GPF - English interview
DAISUKE TAKAHASHI
"Here he is, the man they've all come to see. The Messiah."
- British Eurosport commentators at 2013 NHK Trophy
Born: March 16, 1986 (age 27)
From: Osaka (born in Kurashiki)
Fan nicknames: Dai, Uncle Dai, Daisha Fierce
_skating tags: dai-sha fierce
Notable titles: 2010 Olympic bronze medalist, 2010 World Champion, 2-time World silver medalist, 2012 GPF Champion, 2-time Four Continents Champion, 5-time national champion, 2002 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 95.55 (SP), 182.72 (FS), 276.72 (total)
Season's best: 95.55 (SP), 172.76 (FS), 268.31 (total)
Current world ranking: 3rd
Coaches: Utako Nagamitsu, Takeshi Honda, Nikolai Morozov
Choreographers: Kenji Miyamoto (SP), Lori Nichol (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Sonatina for Violin by Mamoru Samuragochi (SP), Beatles Medley (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 4th at Skate America, 1st at NHK Trophy
Daisuke Takahashi is the light of my world king of my heart ruination of my life a trailblazer of Japanese men's skating. He's Japan's first Olympic medalist in men's singles as well as their first world champ, first GPF champ, and first Junior World champ. After winning 2002 Junior Worlds and moving up to seniors, he struggled with consistency for three seasons before making a breakthrough in the 2005-2006 season leading up to the Torino Olympics. This was the first season he had programs choreographed by Nikolai Morozov; Morozov would later become his official coach. Daisuke's bronze at the 2005 GPF was the first GPF medal for a Japanese man. He beat domestic rival Nobunari Oda for his first national title in 2005 and captured the lone spot for TJ men for the 2006 Olympics, where he placed 8th. The following seasons he continued his upward trajectory, winning two more GPF medals and national titles, as well as the silver medal at 2007 Worlds, the first for a Japanese man. Everyone was very whelmed.
At 2008 4CC he landed two quads in the free skate and set a world record for the free skate and overall; this record held for three years until Patrick Chan broke it at 2011 Worlds. Despite being the favorite for gold at 2008 Worlds, Daisuke ended up breaking the Zayak rule (he did too many combos) in the free skate and finished fourth. In the spring of 2008 he split with Morozov, citing Morozov taking Oda on as a student as the cause. Morozov blamed Daisuke's agent and the JSF for interfering too much. There was A Fair Bit of Drama and by all accounts it was not an amicable split. To this day I'm still not entirely sure what happened.
In October 2008 Daisuke tore a ligament in his right knee in practice that required surgery to recover. He missed the entire 2008-2009 season, spending several months in rehab and only resuming on-ice training in April 2009. During the 2009 GP season leading up to the Vancouver Olympics, he had wildly inconsistent jumps and results. However, he did win his fourth national title and was named to the Olympic team along with Nobunari Oda and Takahiko Kozuka - the Brot3, as I like to call it.
Against all odds, Daisuke managed to pull off two stunning performances in Vancouver to win TJ men's first Olympic medal, a bronze. He then won 2010 Worlds, becoming the first Japanese (and Asian) man to do so. In the free skate he attempted a quad flip (it was two-footed and downgraded), a jump that he tried on and off in competition for the next two seasons, though he never landed it clean.
Daisuke's career this Olympic cycle has been up and down. Ever since his ACL injury he struggled to land quads. He was messy for most of 2010-2011 season, lost motivation and was unsure whether he should retire or not. In the free skate at 2011 Worlds a screw fell out of his skate and he finished fifth. However, this incident prompted him to continue competing until the Sochi Olympics. In 2011-2012 he came back strong, still struggling with the quad but landing everything else fairly consistently. He won another GPF silver, his fifth national title, and silver at 2012 Worlds.
even cats love him
Daisuke proceeded to shock the skating world and give me a heart attack by announcing he was taking Nikolai Morozov back as his coach in June 2012. He began including two quad toeloops in his free skates but still struggled to land them cleanly. His results in 2012-2013 were mixed; he won GPF (setting another "first" for Japanese men) but lost Nationals to Yuzuru Hanyu and placed 6th at Worlds. Recently he revealed that he had persistent knee pain that season in the area of his old ACL injury.
His results this season continue to be a rollercoaster - he finished fourth at Skate America, won NHK Trophy with some astounding performances, qualified for his eighth (!!!) GPF...then withdrew due to a contusion of the right shin bone in late November. With limited time to prepare for nationals this season after the shin injury, nobody really knows what condition he'll show up in...basically, I'm setting up a prayer circle, but if there's one thing you should know, it's to never write off Daisuke Takahashi. In the disastrous case where he doesn't medal at nationals, he still has the second-highest world ranking among TJ men and the second-highest season's best. If he makes it to Sochi, he will set another record in becoming the first Japanese skater to participate in 3 Olympics. This season will also be his last; after 11 seasons skating in seniors, I can only hope he ends his amazing career in the best possible way while i cry for the next five million years.
Though his jumps aren't always there, Daisuke is often regarded by journalists, commentators and fans as one of the most entertaining and versatile performers skating today, having skated to a wide variety of music with choreography by many different choreographers, not all of them well-known (in fact, he was probably responsible for helping some of them become well-known). Personally, I find his work with Pasquale Camerlengo and Kenji Miyamoto to be his best. His step sequences in particular are to die for.
Strengths: skating skills, footwork, performance ability
Weaknesses: jumps, spins
Miscellaneous tidbits:
Videos!
2007 Worlds EX - El Tango de Roxanne
2008 4CC SP - Cyberswan (definitely watch this)
2007 GPF EX - Bachelorette
2010 Olympics SP - Eye (and this)
2010 Olympics FS - La Strada (also this)
2010 Worlds EX - Luv Letter
2011 4CC SP - Mambo Medley
2011 4CC FS - Invierno Porteno
2011 4CC EX - La valse d'Amelie
2011 Nationals SP - In the Garden of Souls
2012 WTT FS - Blues for Klook (and this. just watch everything ok)
2012 Worlds EX - The Crisis
2013 Worlds SP - Moonlight Sonata
2013 WTT EX - Primavera Portena
2013 NHK Trophy SP - Sonatina for Violin
2013 NHK Trophy FS - Beatles Medley
Short interviews in English:
"Some people say my footwork is cool"
"My fan is kinda like whoa"
"I couldn't make it jumps"
"Appreciate to your support"
TATSUKI MACHIDA
"THIS BIRD IS ON FIRE"
- someone on my twitter feed (I forgot who; if it's you, tell me!)
Born: March 9, 1990 (age 23)
From: Osaka (born in Kanagawa)
Notable titles: 2012 Cup of China champ, 2013 Skate America champ, 2013 Cup of Russia champ, 2010 4CC silver medalist
Personal best: 91.18 (SP), 174.20 (FS), 265.38 (total)
Season's best: 91.18 (SP), 174.20 (FS), 265.38 (total)
Current world ranking: 6th
Coaches: Anthony Liu, Azumi Hata, Yoshinori Onishi
Choreographers: Stephane Lambiel (SP), Philip Mills (FS)
2013-2014 programs: East of Eden (SP), The Firebird (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 1st at Skate America, 1st at Cup of Russia, 4th at GPF
Tatsuki had a bit of a breakout last season - third at Skate America and a surprising win over Daisuke at Cup of China. He qualified for the 2012 GPF...where he promptly finished in last place by a mile, then proceeded to finish ninth at 2012 Japanese Nationals. Over the off season he moved his training base from the US back to Japan, started working on his skating skills from scratch and a new quad technique. This season he came back a renewed Firebird, blasting away the competition at 2013 Skate America, setting new personal bests and winning by over 25 points. He then won Cup of Russia to qualify for his second GPF. After a disastrous SP at GPF that left him in last place, he came back with a great FS to pull up to fourth overall.
Tatsuki is gunning for the Olympic team and he has two GP wins and the third-highest world ranking and season's best among TJ men on his side. He includes a 4T3T in his SP and two quad toeloops in his FS. For someone who's never made a World team before, he is definitely making a statement this season. If he can pull out two consistent performances at Nationals and medal, that, coupled with his good GP showings, could land him a spot on the Olympic team. His programs this season are also great and I love his commitment to performance. He's really fun and engaging to watch. He has said that he will not retire after this season, but will likely not continue competing until the 2018 Olympics.
Strengths: jumps (when he lands them), performance ability
Weaknesses: spins, nerves
Miscellaneous tidbits:
Videos:
2011 Nationals EX - Don't Stop Me Now
2012 4CC SP - Dark Eyes
2012 JSC EX - Concierto de Aranjuez (samurai remix!!)
2012 Skate America SP - FUYA (watch this it's amazing)
2012 Skate America EX - Les Demoiselles de Rochefort
2013 Skate America SP - East of Eden
2013 Skate America FS - The Firebird
2013 Skate America EX - Byakuyako
Short interviews in English:
"I want to really really compete Olympic Games"
"I'm so happy to won"
NOBUNARI ODA
"I'm stubbornly positive!"
Born: March 25, 1987 (age 26)
From: Osaka
Fan nicknames: Odaddy, Nobu, tiny warlord
_skating tags: oda!, hold me closer tiny warlord
Notable titles: 4-time GPF medalist, 2006 4CC Champion, 2008 Japanese National Champion, 2005 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 87.65 (SP), 175.02 (FS), 255.96 (total)
Season's best: 82.70 (SP), 175.02 (FS), 255.96 (total)
Current world ranking: 10th
Coaches: Lee Barkell, Noriko Oda
Choreographers: David Wilson (SP), Lori Nichol (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Cotton Club (SP), William Tell Overture (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 3rd at Skate Canada, 2nd at NHK Trophy, 3rd at GPF
Nobu's career has been full of ups and downs. After winning TJ men's second Junior World title in 2005 and turning senior in the 2005-2006 season, he immediately made a splash on the Grand Prix at the same time Daisuke was having a breakout season. The sole TJ men's spot to the 2006 Torino Olympics went to Dai while Nobu was sent to 2006 Worlds, where he pulled off stunning performances, only losing out on a medal because he broke the Zayak rule - he did too many combos in his free program. Unfortunately, he came to be known for doing this on several occasions, often zayaking himself out of a medal. Nevertheless, he was at the forefront of TJ men's skating along with Daisuke and Takahiko Kozuka for much of the last two Olympic cycles. He's known for his jumping ability and incredible knee bend on jump landings - seriously, just look at this -
- smooth as butter. *___*
Nobu participated in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and finished 7th after an unfortunate accident in the free skate where his skate lace broke. He married his longtime girlfriend Mayu that spring and their first son Shintaro was born later that year. And now I have an excuse to spam baby pictures!
dying of cute
Their second son Shinnosuke was born in January 2013:
(most of these pictures are from Mrs. Oda's twitter)
Nobu missed most of the 2011-2012 season due to a knee injury. He placed 4th at last season's Nationals, failing to make the World team, but he's come back strong this season with two good programs, a two-quad free skate and having finally conquered his old nemesis, the Zayak rule. He finished 3rd at Skate Canada and 2nd at NHK Trophy this season. After Dai withdrew from GPF, Nobu replaced him and finished third at the event. He has a good shot of making it to his second Olympics, but a lot will depend on how he skates at Nationals. This will be his last season of competitive skating.
Strengths: jumps (when he lands them), spins
Weaknesses: consistency, nerves
Miscellaneous tidbits:
Videos!
2005 Jr Worlds SP - Super Mario
2005 Jr Worlds FS - Zatoichi (watch his K&C too. it's worth it)
2006 Worlds SP - The Barber of Seville/The Marriage of Figaro
2009 TEB FS - Charlie Chaplin
2009 GPF EX - Austin Powers
2010 GPF SP - Storm
2012 Skate Canada EX - New York, New York
2013 NHK Trophy SP - Cotton Club
2013 NHK Trophy FS - William Tell Overture
2013 Dreams on Ice EX - The Last Samurai
TAKAHIKO KOZUKA
(not to be confused with TakaHITO Mura)
"I'm not a horse!"
Born: February 27, 1989 (age 24)
From: Nagoya
Fan nicknames: Taka
_skating tags: taka-chan doesn't believe in sparkles
Notable titles: 2011 World silver medalist, 2-time GPF medalist, 2010 Japanese National Champion, 2006 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 86.39 (SP), 180.79 (FS), 258.41 (total)
Season's best: 81.62 (SP), 153.20 (FS), 230.95 (total)
Current world ranking: 17th
Coaches: Nobuo Sato, Kumiko Sato, Yuka Sato
Choreographers: Shae-Lynn Bourne (SP), Marina Zueva (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Unsquare Dance by Dave Brubeck (SP), Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 6th at Skate America, 3rd at Cup of China
Taka is known for three things: gorgeous skating skills, being chronically underscored by judges, and ugly, baggy costumes. Case in point:
Culminating in the infamous gas station attendant/hot-air-balloon-with-limbs/lobster bib costume at 2013 Japan Open:
Which he thankfully (THANKFULLY) changed to this fairly nice shirt by the time the GP started:
(or at least, nice except for the unfortunate fact that it shows sweat stains really clearly)
Taka comes from a skating family; his grandfather was an important figure in early Japanese figure skating, his father was a Japanese national champ and Olympian, and his mother was an ice dancer. He started skating from a very young age, coached by his parents and family friend/legendary coach Nobuo Sato, who placed emphasis on teaching Taka compulsory figures - probably why his skating skills are so good today not that judges ever give him the scores for it. Taka won 2006 Junior Worlds, becoming the third TJ guy to do so after Dai and Nobu. He then turned senior, swept the 2006 NHK Trophy podium along with Dai and Nobu, and the Brot3 was then complete.
Taka made a major breakthrough in 2008-2009 season when he won his first GP (2008 Skate America), qualified for the final and medaled there. He qualified for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and placed 8th, fulfilling a dream of being an Olympian like his father. He was on fire during the 2010-2011 season, winning two GPs, medaling at the GPF, winning the 2010 Japanese national title, and finally winning the silver medal at Worlds with a flawless free skate and a world record technical score that wasn't broken until this season.
mr. and mrs. sato in the background is literally the best thing
And then everything went to hell and I cried for a million years. Taka had persistent boot issues throughout 2011-2012 season and inconsistent results; he reportedly went through 10 pairs of skates that season. He came back strong for the 2012 GP, winning 2012 Skate America and qualifying for the final, but injured his foot before nationals and finished fifth, failing to make the world team for the first time in six years. He eventually discovered that a congenital hip problem that could only be fixed with surgery was probably responsible for the injury, but decided not to get surgery in order to keep skating.
This season Taka has struggled with jumps in his GPs, finishing 6th at Skate America and 3rd at Cup of China (but with an even lower score). So far this season he has included one quad toeloop in his SP and one in the FS, though he used to attempt two last season. Getting onto the Olympic team will be tough, but I'm crossing all my fingers for him to have two good performances at Nationals. His SP this season is one of my faves. He has said that he will not retire after this season, but I don't know how much longer he intends to keep competing.
Strengths: skating skills, spins
Weaknesses: jumps, consistency
Miscellaneous tidbits:
Videos:
2008 GPF SP - Take Five
2009 4CC EX - Save the Last Dance for Me
2010 Worlds SP - Bold as Love (my fave taka sp)
2010 Olympics FS - Guitar Concerto
2011 Worlds FS - Piano Concerto No.1 (Liszt)
2010 Carnival on Ice EX - Free Fallin' (#nipples)
2011 Nationals FS - Fantasia for Nausicaa
2011 Skate America EX - Cello Song
2012 Skate America SP - Exodus
2012 The Ice EX - The Sound of Silence (must-see, this is my favorite program from him ever)
2012 Cup of Russia EX - Moondance
2013 Skate America SP - Unsquare Dance
2013 Skate America EX - Bang Bang
Short interviews in English:
"I missed many jumpses"
"I feel so good and nice"
"Please, please, slow, slow
"I include many feeling" (me too taka, me too)
TAKAHITO MURA
(not to be confused with TakaHIKO Kozuka)
Born: February 11, 1991 (age 22)
From: Nagoya (born in Matsudo)
Notable titles: 2012 Trophée Eric Bompard champion, 2-time national bronze medalist
Personal best: 83.44 (SP), 160.72 (FS), 234.18 (total)
Season's best: 79.97 (SP), 147.25 (FS), 227.22 (total)
Current world ranking: 11th
Coach: Takashi Mura
Choreographers: Tom Dickson, Nanami Abe
2013-2014 programs: Minnie the Moocher/Jumpin' Jack (SP), Shogun (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 10th at Skate Canada, 6th at NHK Trophy
Takahito had kind of a breakout last season, winning the 2012 Trophée Eric Bompard and the bronze at 2012 Nationals, making the World team for the second time (his first time was 2009 Worlds, where he finished 15th). He finished 8th at 2013 Worlds. This spring he married his girlfriend and they had a baby daughter in May. (Unfortunately, I have no baby pics to spam this time.) He can be a bit a of a headcase and tends to pop jumps when he's nervous/tired. You can usually count on at least one pop per free skate. When he hits them, though, his jumps have great height and landings. So far this season he includes one 4T in the SP and one in the FS, but it's quite possible he will upgrade to a two-quad free for Nationals. Takahito had a disastrous showing at Skate Canada this season, finishing last, but did better at NHK Trophy. The Olympic spot seems hard to reach now, but with all the high-risk programs the men are attempting these days, it's hard to tell what might happen at Nationals.
Strengths: jumps (when he lands them), skating skills
Weaknesses: consistency, nerves
Miscellaneous tidbits:
Videos:
2012 TEB FS - Shogun
2012 TEB EX - Talking to the Moon
GENERAL TEAM JAPAN VIDEOS
that you should watch because they are so stupidly adorable (these include the ladies too)
Team Japan Derp (the sound got muted on this but it's still worth watching!)
2012 WTT K&C compilation
GOOD LUCK TO ALL SKATERS AT JAPANESE NATS!
FLAWLESS PEOPLE TYFYT.
The first of the major national championships this season is almost here (Dec. 21-24), so I thought I'd make a preview/primer post to Team Japan for those poor souls who may not know much about them! This got too long for one post so I split it into two; this one is about the men. (I'm not sure if I can finish the ladies' post before Nationals starts, unfortunately /o\)
this is literally the cruelest poster imaginable, like why would you even
Note: This post was written for an audience with basic knowledge of figure skating and little knowledge of Team Japan. Also I fully admit that I am not free of bias~
OLYMPIC QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES
First things first: Japanese Nationals is not the only event used to determine the Olympic team! The rules are thus:
- The first spot: goes to the National Champion.
- The second spot: selected from the silver and bronze medalists at nationals and the highest Japanese finisher at the Grand Prix Final (GPF).
- The third spot: selected from the pool described in 2), as well as skaters who have the top 3 season's best scores or the top 3 ISU world rankings among Japanese skaters.
THE HUNGER GAMES MEN'S EVENT
Team Japan (hereafter abbreviated as TJ) men's is an incredibly deep and talented field. This season, at least one Japanese man has medaled at each Grand Prix event - and they've done this for the second season in a row. They qualified three men to the Grand Prix Final this season (and won it for the second season in a row), FOUR last season, and at least two for the entirety of this Olympic cycle. Several of their top men have the potential to be in the top 10 at the Olympics and/or World Championships; some of them are Olympic medal contenders. Unfortunately (and this fact causes me to cry tears of blood daily), they have only 3 spots to the Olympics (and Worlds) - the maximum number of spots, but for a field as deep as theirs, it's still not enough...
So! Let's get to know these guys, shall we?
YUZURU HANYU
Born: December 7, 1994 (age 19)
From: Sendai (trains in Toronto)
Fan nicknames: Yuzu, #serialkilleryuzuru
_skating tags: 4T3A and his bowlcut, the japanese beatle
Notable titles: 2013 GPF champion, 2012 World bronze medalist, 2012 Japanese National Champion, 2-time 4CC silver medalist, 2010 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 99.84 (SP), 193.41 (FS), 293.25 (total)
Season's best: 99.84 (SP), 193.41 (FS), 293.25 (total)
Current world ranking: 1st
Coaches: Brian Orser, Tracy Wilson
Choreographers: Jeffrey Buttle (SP), David Wilson (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Parisienne Walkways by Gary Moore (SP), Romeo and Juliet by Nino Rota (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 2nd at Skate Canada, 2nd at Trophée Eric Bompard, 1st at GPF
Yuzuru Hanyu is adorable.
He also might want to murder you a little.
(just kidding) (maybe)
But seriously, this kid has Ambitions and the talent to back it up. He's experienced a meteoric rise since turning senior after becoming the fourth Japanese man to win Junior Worlds in 2010 at the age of 15. He won the silver medal at 2011 4CC. Unfortunately, during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake his house was damaged and he spent four days in a shelter with his family. His training rink in Sendai was also damaged and closed for several months. As a result he spent most of the summer of 2011 skating in shows in order to practice his programs while his rink was closed. He had a breakout season in 2011-2012, winning Cup of Russia, qualifying for the GPF and culminating in a World bronze medal after skating lights-out in the FS. After 2012 Worlds he moved to Canada to train with Brian Orser, Yuna Kim's former coach, in Toronto. He's since improved the consistency of his quad toeloop and has included the quad salchow in his free skate since last season, though with minor success. His triple axel is probably his strongest jump and one of the best examples in the current men's field - in shows he does these crazy 3A+3A and quad+3A sequences including even a 4T+3A+3A.
his 3As are fucking enormous
Just last week he won the Grand Prix Final, beating 3-time and current World champion Patrick Chan, breaking the SP world record for the third time, setting world record technical scores in both segments, and all before his 19th birthday. He's also the reigning Japanese National Champion and looks to be in prime form to defend his title. In the past he's struggled with stamina issues in the free skate - having asthma probably doesn't help - but this didn't seem to bother him at GPF. Generally, if he messes up one program, he'll be much better in the other, and if he manages to be clean in both, god save your soul. The quality of his jumps, the fact that he does many difficult jumps in the second half of his programs where they gain extra points, and difficult positions in his spins can garner him huge technical points. After his performance at GPF he's pretty much a lock for the Olympic team no matter how he does at Nationals, so it only remains to be seen whether he can continue his upward trend. He's also currently ranked first in the world by the ISU. Though he lacks the refinement and sophistication of his older competitors, there's no denying that he's incredibly talented and a contender for Olympic gold in Sochi and for the next Olympic cycle.
Strengths: jumps, spins
Weaknesses: stamina, skating skills not that the scores reflect it
Miscellaneous tidbits:
- He started skating because his older sister was doing it.
- He looks up to Johnny Weir and Evgeni Plushenko. Unfortunately, this also means he trusts Johnny to design his costumes, resulting in the #boobskirt costume seen above.
- He likes playing baseball. If he weren't a skater, he'd be a baseball player.
- He's always accompanied to competitions by his Winnie the Pooh tissue box. BOrser has to deal with it.
- He loves randomly imitating choreo from other skaters' programs. This is a trait most of TJ shares.
- That sign of the cross he does before his programs isn't because he's Christian, it's just a ritual he does for checking his balance.
- He wants to learn ALL THE QUADS (this is maybe only partly a joke)
- He wants to win ALL THE THINGS (but is getting better at not being distracted by how much he wants to)
- He's bros/friendly rivals with his training mate Javier Fernandez. They are terribly adorkable.
- He's a student at Waseda University. He takes classes online, since he's in Canada most of the time.
- Meet Pedobird. Never forget Pedobird.
Videos!
2011 Nagoya Festival EX - Change
2011 Cup of China SP - Etude in D-sharp minor (Scriabin)
2011 GPF EX - Somebody to Love
2012 Worlds FS - Romeo + Juliet
2012 Worlds EX - Swan Lake
2012 NHK Trophy EX - Hana ni nare
2013 SOI Japan EX - Hello, I Love You
2013 GPF SP - Parisienne Walkways
2013 GPF FS - Romeo & Juliet
2013 GPF - English interview
DAISUKE TAKAHASHI
"Here he is, the man they've all come to see. The Messiah."
- British Eurosport commentators at 2013 NHK Trophy
Born: March 16, 1986 (age 27)
From: Osaka (born in Kurashiki)
Fan nicknames: Dai, Uncle Dai, Daisha Fierce
_skating tags: dai-sha fierce
Notable titles: 2010 Olympic bronze medalist, 2010 World Champion, 2-time World silver medalist, 2012 GPF Champion, 2-time Four Continents Champion, 5-time national champion, 2002 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 95.55 (SP), 182.72 (FS), 276.72 (total)
Season's best: 95.55 (SP), 172.76 (FS), 268.31 (total)
Current world ranking: 3rd
Coaches: Utako Nagamitsu, Takeshi Honda, Nikolai Morozov
Choreographers: Kenji Miyamoto (SP), Lori Nichol (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Sonatina for Violin by Mamoru Samuragochi (SP), Beatles Medley (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 4th at Skate America, 1st at NHK Trophy
Daisuke Takahashi is the light of my world king of my heart ruination of my life a trailblazer of Japanese men's skating. He's Japan's first Olympic medalist in men's singles as well as their first world champ, first GPF champ, and first Junior World champ. After winning 2002 Junior Worlds and moving up to seniors, he struggled with consistency for three seasons before making a breakthrough in the 2005-2006 season leading up to the Torino Olympics. This was the first season he had programs choreographed by Nikolai Morozov; Morozov would later become his official coach. Daisuke's bronze at the 2005 GPF was the first GPF medal for a Japanese man. He beat domestic rival Nobunari Oda for his first national title in 2005 and captured the lone spot for TJ men for the 2006 Olympics, where he placed 8th. The following seasons he continued his upward trajectory, winning two more GPF medals and national titles, as well as the silver medal at 2007 Worlds, the first for a Japanese man. Everyone was very whelmed.
At 2008 4CC he landed two quads in the free skate and set a world record for the free skate and overall; this record held for three years until Patrick Chan broke it at 2011 Worlds. Despite being the favorite for gold at 2008 Worlds, Daisuke ended up breaking the Zayak rule (he did too many combos) in the free skate and finished fourth. In the spring of 2008 he split with Morozov, citing Morozov taking Oda on as a student as the cause. Morozov blamed Daisuke's agent and the JSF for interfering too much. There was A Fair Bit of Drama and by all accounts it was not an amicable split. To this day I'm still not entirely sure what happened.
In October 2008 Daisuke tore a ligament in his right knee in practice that required surgery to recover. He missed the entire 2008-2009 season, spending several months in rehab and only resuming on-ice training in April 2009. During the 2009 GP season leading up to the Vancouver Olympics, he had wildly inconsistent jumps and results. However, he did win his fourth national title and was named to the Olympic team along with Nobunari Oda and Takahiko Kozuka - the Brot3, as I like to call it.
Against all odds, Daisuke managed to pull off two stunning performances in Vancouver to win TJ men's first Olympic medal, a bronze. He then won 2010 Worlds, becoming the first Japanese (and Asian) man to do so. In the free skate he attempted a quad flip (it was two-footed and downgraded), a jump that he tried on and off in competition for the next two seasons, though he never landed it clean.
Daisuke's career this Olympic cycle has been up and down. Ever since his ACL injury he struggled to land quads. He was messy for most of 2010-2011 season, lost motivation and was unsure whether he should retire or not. In the free skate at 2011 Worlds a screw fell out of his skate and he finished fifth. However, this incident prompted him to continue competing until the Sochi Olympics. In 2011-2012 he came back strong, still struggling with the quad but landing everything else fairly consistently. He won another GPF silver, his fifth national title, and silver at 2012 Worlds.
even cats love him
Daisuke proceeded to shock the skating world and give me a heart attack by announcing he was taking Nikolai Morozov back as his coach in June 2012. He began including two quad toeloops in his free skates but still struggled to land them cleanly. His results in 2012-2013 were mixed; he won GPF (setting another "first" for Japanese men) but lost Nationals to Yuzuru Hanyu and placed 6th at Worlds. Recently he revealed that he had persistent knee pain that season in the area of his old ACL injury.
His results this season continue to be a rollercoaster - he finished fourth at Skate America, won NHK Trophy with some astounding performances, qualified for his eighth (!!!) GPF...then withdrew due to a contusion of the right shin bone in late November. With limited time to prepare for nationals this season after the shin injury, nobody really knows what condition he'll show up in...basically, I'm setting up a prayer circle, but if there's one thing you should know, it's to never write off Daisuke Takahashi. In the disastrous case where he doesn't medal at nationals, he still has the second-highest world ranking among TJ men and the second-highest season's best. If he makes it to Sochi, he will set another record in becoming the first Japanese skater to participate in 3 Olympics. This season will also be his last; after 11 seasons skating in seniors, I can only hope he ends his amazing career in the best possible way while i cry for the next five million years.
Though his jumps aren't always there, Daisuke is often regarded by journalists, commentators and fans as one of the most entertaining and versatile performers skating today, having skated to a wide variety of music with choreography by many different choreographers, not all of them well-known (in fact, he was probably responsible for helping some of them become well-known). Personally, I find his work with Pasquale Camerlengo and Kenji Miyamoto to be his best. His step sequences in particular are to die for.
Strengths: skating skills, footwork, performance ability
Weaknesses: jumps, spins
Miscellaneous tidbits:
- He started skating when he was 8 because his parents wanted him to get out of the house and do a sport. He originally wanted to do gymnastics but it was too far for his parents to take him. A skating rink just happened to open nearby.
- He is the youngest of four brothers. Here is a gratuitous baby pic:
- He has a truly ridiculous amount of hairstyles, many good, many terrible.
- The way he flips his hair is magical. Yes, this is a fact.
- For the record, his name is pronounced "dice-kay", not "daisookay", "daisookee", or, as one French announcer put it, "deesakoo".
- He insists on using illusion mesh in his costumes even in the most unnecessary situations.
- His favorite food is gyoza. They're good even when they're not good.
- He's best buddies with Akiko Suzuki. They've known each other since his novice years.
- He has an amazing butt. This is also a fact.
- He once received a thong as a present from fans.
- Nobunari and Takahiko claim that he's the best among the brot3 at karaoke.
- Here is a gratuitous picture of Dai with a puppy BECAUSE.
- He wants to be Meryl Davis's partner. No, not her life partner, that would be too much pressure.
- He is the biggest dork in the world. I could dedicate an entire post to how much of a dork he is. Here is a gif where he zips up his hoodie and skates into the boards:
- Also, this.
- And this:
Videos!
2007 Worlds EX - El Tango de Roxanne
2008 4CC SP - Cyberswan (definitely watch this)
2007 GPF EX - Bachelorette
2010 Olympics SP - Eye (and this)
2010 Olympics FS - La Strada (also this)
2010 Worlds EX - Luv Letter
2011 4CC SP - Mambo Medley
2011 4CC FS - Invierno Porteno
2011 4CC EX - La valse d'Amelie
2011 Nationals SP - In the Garden of Souls
2012 WTT FS - Blues for Klook (and this. just watch everything ok)
2012 Worlds EX - The Crisis
2013 Worlds SP - Moonlight Sonata
2013 WTT EX - Primavera Portena
2013 NHK Trophy SP - Sonatina for Violin
2013 NHK Trophy FS - Beatles Medley
Short interviews in English:
"Some people say my footwork is cool"
"My fan is kinda like whoa"
"I couldn't make it jumps"
"Appreciate to your support"
TATSUKI MACHIDA
"THIS BIRD IS ON FIRE"
- someone on my twitter feed (I forgot who; if it's you, tell me!)
Born: March 9, 1990 (age 23)
From: Osaka (born in Kanagawa)
Notable titles: 2012 Cup of China champ, 2013 Skate America champ, 2013 Cup of Russia champ, 2010 4CC silver medalist
Personal best: 91.18 (SP), 174.20 (FS), 265.38 (total)
Season's best: 91.18 (SP), 174.20 (FS), 265.38 (total)
Current world ranking: 6th
Coaches: Anthony Liu, Azumi Hata, Yoshinori Onishi
Choreographers: Stephane Lambiel (SP), Philip Mills (FS)
2013-2014 programs: East of Eden (SP), The Firebird (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 1st at Skate America, 1st at Cup of Russia, 4th at GPF
Tatsuki had a bit of a breakout last season - third at Skate America and a surprising win over Daisuke at Cup of China. He qualified for the 2012 GPF...where he promptly finished in last place by a mile, then proceeded to finish ninth at 2012 Japanese Nationals. Over the off season he moved his training base from the US back to Japan, started working on his skating skills from scratch and a new quad technique. This season he came back a renewed Firebird, blasting away the competition at 2013 Skate America, setting new personal bests and winning by over 25 points. He then won Cup of Russia to qualify for his second GPF. After a disastrous SP at GPF that left him in last place, he came back with a great FS to pull up to fourth overall.
Tatsuki is gunning for the Olympic team and he has two GP wins and the third-highest world ranking and season's best among TJ men on his side. He includes a 4T3T in his SP and two quad toeloops in his FS. For someone who's never made a World team before, he is definitely making a statement this season. If he can pull out two consistent performances at Nationals and medal, that, coupled with his good GP showings, could land him a spot on the Olympic team. His programs this season are also great and I love his commitment to performance. He's really fun and engaging to watch. He has said that he will not retire after this season, but will likely not continue competing until the 2018 Olympics.
Strengths: jumps (when he lands them), performance ability
Weaknesses: spins, nerves
Miscellaneous tidbits:
- He makes kind of a big deal out of his bows. diva~
- He stans Stephane Lambiel a whole lot, having gotten several programs choreographed by him.
- This season his motto is timshel, a Hebrew word meaning "thou mayest". He read John Steinbeck's East of Eden in order to better understand his short program.
- He choreographed his exhibition this season by himself. It's really good; you should watch it.
Videos:
2011 Nationals EX - Don't Stop Me Now
2012 4CC SP - Dark Eyes
2012 JSC EX - Concierto de Aranjuez (samurai remix!!)
2012 Skate America SP - FUYA (watch this it's amazing)
2012 Skate America EX - Les Demoiselles de Rochefort
2013 Skate America SP - East of Eden
2013 Skate America FS - The Firebird
2013 Skate America EX - Byakuyako
Short interviews in English:
"I want to really really compete Olympic Games"
"I'm so happy to won"
NOBUNARI ODA
"I'm stubbornly positive!"
Born: March 25, 1987 (age 26)
From: Osaka
Fan nicknames: Odaddy, Nobu, tiny warlord
_skating tags: oda!, hold me closer tiny warlord
Notable titles: 4-time GPF medalist, 2006 4CC Champion, 2008 Japanese National Champion, 2005 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 87.65 (SP), 175.02 (FS), 255.96 (total)
Season's best: 82.70 (SP), 175.02 (FS), 255.96 (total)
Current world ranking: 10th
Coaches: Lee Barkell, Noriko Oda
Choreographers: David Wilson (SP), Lori Nichol (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Cotton Club (SP), William Tell Overture (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 3rd at Skate Canada, 2nd at NHK Trophy, 3rd at GPF
Nobu's career has been full of ups and downs. After winning TJ men's second Junior World title in 2005 and turning senior in the 2005-2006 season, he immediately made a splash on the Grand Prix at the same time Daisuke was having a breakout season. The sole TJ men's spot to the 2006 Torino Olympics went to Dai while Nobu was sent to 2006 Worlds, where he pulled off stunning performances, only losing out on a medal because he broke the Zayak rule - he did too many combos in his free program. Unfortunately, he came to be known for doing this on several occasions, often zayaking himself out of a medal. Nevertheless, he was at the forefront of TJ men's skating along with Daisuke and Takahiko Kozuka for much of the last two Olympic cycles. He's known for his jumping ability and incredible knee bend on jump landings - seriously, just look at this -
- smooth as butter. *___*
Nobu participated in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and finished 7th after an unfortunate accident in the free skate where his skate lace broke. He married his longtime girlfriend Mayu that spring and their first son Shintaro was born later that year. And now I have an excuse to spam baby pictures!
dying of cute
Their second son Shinnosuke was born in January 2013:
(most of these pictures are from Mrs. Oda's twitter)
Nobu missed most of the 2011-2012 season due to a knee injury. He placed 4th at last season's Nationals, failing to make the World team, but he's come back strong this season with two good programs, a two-quad free skate and having finally conquered his old nemesis, the Zayak rule. He finished 3rd at Skate Canada and 2nd at NHK Trophy this season. After Dai withdrew from GPF, Nobu replaced him and finished third at the event. He has a good shot of making it to his second Olympics, but a lot will depend on how he skates at Nationals. This will be his last season of competitive skating.
Strengths: jumps (when he lands them), spins
Weaknesses: consistency, nerves
Miscellaneous tidbits:
- Nobu does not age. Here is proof.
- He is the 17th direct descendant of Nobunaga Oda, a famous Japanese warlord who unified Japan in the 16th century.
- He had a tendency to cry from joy in the K&C in his younger days.
- Don't let his innocent babyface fool you; he has a bit of a wild side.
- On that note, he's also received thongs as gifts thrown onto the ice.
- But really he's the most cheerful, adorable person. I mean, hi-fiving Cookie Monster and dancing with Elmo!
- He wants to be a coach after he retires.
- Here is a picture of him in a tutu because it's necessary.
Videos!
2005 Jr Worlds SP - Super Mario
2005 Jr Worlds FS - Zatoichi (watch his K&C too. it's worth it)
2006 Worlds SP - The Barber of Seville/The Marriage of Figaro
2009 TEB FS - Charlie Chaplin
2009 GPF EX - Austin Powers
2010 GPF SP - Storm
2012 Skate Canada EX - New York, New York
2013 NHK Trophy SP - Cotton Club
2013 NHK Trophy FS - William Tell Overture
2013 Dreams on Ice EX - The Last Samurai
TAKAHIKO KOZUKA
(not to be confused with TakaHITO Mura)
"I'm not a horse!"
Born: February 27, 1989 (age 24)
From: Nagoya
Fan nicknames: Taka
_skating tags: taka-chan doesn't believe in sparkles
Notable titles: 2011 World silver medalist, 2-time GPF medalist, 2010 Japanese National Champion, 2006 Junior World Champion
Personal best: 86.39 (SP), 180.79 (FS), 258.41 (total)
Season's best: 81.62 (SP), 153.20 (FS), 230.95 (total)
Current world ranking: 17th
Coaches: Nobuo Sato, Kumiko Sato, Yuka Sato
Choreographers: Shae-Lynn Bourne (SP), Marina Zueva (FS)
2013-2014 programs: Unsquare Dance by Dave Brubeck (SP), Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 6th at Skate America, 3rd at Cup of China
Taka is known for three things: gorgeous skating skills, being chronically underscored by judges, and ugly, baggy costumes. Case in point:
Culminating in the infamous gas station attendant/hot-air-balloon-with-limbs/lobster bib costume at 2013 Japan Open:
Which he thankfully (THANKFULLY) changed to this fairly nice shirt by the time the GP started:
(or at least, nice except for the unfortunate fact that it shows sweat stains really clearly)
Taka comes from a skating family; his grandfather was an important figure in early Japanese figure skating, his father was a Japanese national champ and Olympian, and his mother was an ice dancer. He started skating from a very young age, coached by his parents and family friend/legendary coach Nobuo Sato, who placed emphasis on teaching Taka compulsory figures - probably why his skating skills are so good today not that judges ever give him the scores for it. Taka won 2006 Junior Worlds, becoming the third TJ guy to do so after Dai and Nobu. He then turned senior, swept the 2006 NHK Trophy podium along with Dai and Nobu, and the Brot3 was then complete.
Taka made a major breakthrough in 2008-2009 season when he won his first GP (2008 Skate America), qualified for the final and medaled there. He qualified for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and placed 8th, fulfilling a dream of being an Olympian like his father. He was on fire during the 2010-2011 season, winning two GPs, medaling at the GPF, winning the 2010 Japanese national title, and finally winning the silver medal at Worlds with a flawless free skate and a world record technical score that wasn't broken until this season.
mr. and mrs. sato in the background is literally the best thing
And then everything went to hell and I cried for a million years. Taka had persistent boot issues throughout 2011-2012 season and inconsistent results; he reportedly went through 10 pairs of skates that season. He came back strong for the 2012 GP, winning 2012 Skate America and qualifying for the final, but injured his foot before nationals and finished fifth, failing to make the world team for the first time in six years. He eventually discovered that a congenital hip problem that could only be fixed with surgery was probably responsible for the injury, but decided not to get surgery in order to keep skating.
This season Taka has struggled with jumps in his GPs, finishing 6th at Skate America and 3rd at Cup of China (but with an even lower score). So far this season he has included one quad toeloop in his SP and one in the FS, though he used to attempt two last season. Getting onto the Olympic team will be tough, but I'm crossing all my fingers for him to have two good performances at Nationals. His SP this season is one of my faves. He has said that he will not retire after this season, but I don't know how much longer he intends to keep competing.
Strengths: skating skills, spins
Weaknesses: jumps, consistency
Miscellaneous tidbits:
- The quote "I'm not a horse!" comes from people calling him a "thoroughbred" since he has so many skaters in his family. Taka used to dislike this but recently he's come to appreciate it.
- His grandfather, Mitsuhiko Kozuka, was an important figure in the early development of skating in Japan. He helped found the competition that later became NHK Trophy. There's a local competition in Aichi nicknamed the Kozuka Cup after him.
- He trains with Mao Asada under the same coach. He has a history of playing pranks on her, like tying her skate laces together or putting fake cockroaches in her bag. i still ship it
- He enjoys barbecue and ramen. (not necessarily together)
- Mr. Sato always rubs and pats his back before he skates a program. His mom used to do it when Taka was little so Mr. Sato started doing it too.
- He's super forgetful. He once forgot to bring his costume to a competition. Another time he left his skates in the hotel. (He is also a huge dork, can you tell)
- Journalists have a long history of confusing his name with Takahito Mura's, Daisuke Takahashi's, and even Taka's own father, Tsuguhiko Kozuka.
- He's currently a Chukyo University grad student studying the science of jumps.
- His spreadeagles are some of my favorite things in skating.
- He has an affinity for walls.
- Sometimes he moonlights as the sexy SEÑOR KOZUKA.
Videos:
2008 GPF SP - Take Five
2009 4CC EX - Save the Last Dance for Me
2010 Worlds SP - Bold as Love (my fave taka sp)
2010 Olympics FS - Guitar Concerto
2011 Worlds FS - Piano Concerto No.1 (Liszt)
2010 Carnival on Ice EX - Free Fallin' (#nipples)
2011 Nationals FS - Fantasia for Nausicaa
2011 Skate America EX - Cello Song
2012 Skate America SP - Exodus
2012 The Ice EX - The Sound of Silence (must-see, this is my favorite program from him ever)
2012 Cup of Russia EX - Moondance
2013 Skate America SP - Unsquare Dance
2013 Skate America EX - Bang Bang
Short interviews in English:
"I missed many jumpses"
"I feel so good and nice"
"Please, please, slow, slow
"I include many feeling" (me too taka, me too)
TAKAHITO MURA
(not to be confused with TakaHIKO Kozuka)
Born: February 11, 1991 (age 22)
From: Nagoya (born in Matsudo)
Notable titles: 2012 Trophée Eric Bompard champion, 2-time national bronze medalist
Personal best: 83.44 (SP), 160.72 (FS), 234.18 (total)
Season's best: 79.97 (SP), 147.25 (FS), 227.22 (total)
Current world ranking: 11th
Coach: Takashi Mura
Choreographers: Tom Dickson, Nanami Abe
2013-2014 programs: Minnie the Moocher/Jumpin' Jack (SP), Shogun (FS)
2013-2014 results so far: 10th at Skate Canada, 6th at NHK Trophy
Takahito had kind of a breakout last season, winning the 2012 Trophée Eric Bompard and the bronze at 2012 Nationals, making the World team for the second time (his first time was 2009 Worlds, where he finished 15th). He finished 8th at 2013 Worlds. This spring he married his girlfriend and they had a baby daughter in May. (Unfortunately, I have no baby pics to spam this time.) He can be a bit a of a headcase and tends to pop jumps when he's nervous/tired. You can usually count on at least one pop per free skate. When he hits them, though, his jumps have great height and landings. So far this season he includes one 4T in the SP and one in the FS, but it's quite possible he will upgrade to a two-quad free for Nationals. Takahito had a disastrous showing at Skate Canada this season, finishing last, but did better at NHK Trophy. The Olympic spot seems hard to reach now, but with all the high-risk programs the men are attempting these days, it's hard to tell what might happen at Nationals.
Strengths: jumps (when he lands them), skating skills
Weaknesses: consistency, nerves
Miscellaneous tidbits:
- He likes cars.
- He's attempted a 4T-4T combo in practice.
- He's friends with the other Taka (Taka squared!) They are often confused for each other by the press.
Videos:
2012 TEB FS - Shogun
2012 TEB EX - Talking to the Moon
GENERAL TEAM JAPAN VIDEOS
that you should watch because they are so stupidly adorable (these include the ladies too)
Team Japan Derp (the sound got muted on this but it's still worth watching!)
2012 WTT K&C compilation
GOOD LUCK TO ALL SKATERS AT JAPANESE NATS!
FLAWLESS PEOPLE TYFYT.