User:Henni147/sandbox/Figure skating legacy of Yuzuru Hanyu

 

Yuzuru Hanyu
Refer to caption
Hanyu after his gala performance to "Haru yo, koi" at the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki
Yuzuru Hanyu article series
Skating career
Other works
Solo ice shows
Ensemble ice shows

Global reception and status in figure skating

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Skating philosophy and technique

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Hanyu is regarded by analysts as an accomplished skater known for his high-level technical elements as well as mature and versatile artistry.[1][2][3] His performance is often characterized as "the perfect combination of skills, strength and elegance",[4][5][6] tending to "[blur] rigid gender lines".[7] According to four-time Olympic medalist Evgeni Plushenko, Hanyu had a "decided edge over other skaters in the completeness of his performance—spins, skating skills, transitions between jumps and musical interpretation".[7] Two-time world champion Stephane Lambiel described him as "the most complete athlete in figure skating, probably ever."[7]

Figure skaters Hanyu looked up to while growing up are Evgeni Plushenko and Johnny Weir.[8][9] With his competitive programs for the 2018–19 season, he paid homage to the two skaters by skating to "Otoñal" by Raúl di Blasio as well as "Art on Ice" and "Magic Stradivarius" by Edvin Marton, which had been used by Weir and Plushenko, respectively, in their programs.[10] At the press conference of the 2018 Winter Olympics, Hanyu also mentioned Stephane Lambiel, Javier Fernández, and Dick Button as the skaters who had influenced him as a skater.[11]

Skating skills

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Hanyu is known for his ability to generate skating speed "out of nowhere" and cover long distances with only a few strokes.[5][12][13] At the 2021–22 Japan Championships, he managed to perform a clean short program without using consecutive crossovers and reduce the number of basic skating movements to a minimum.[14] This is a feat that has long been considered near impossible, as stated by former competitive skater John Misha Petkevich in his book Figure Skating: Championship Techniques from 1989: "Without a doubt, crossovers are the staple of every skater. Not only are they used to negotiate corners, but they are also used to pick up speed. Skating without crossovers would be virtually unthinkable."[15] The ability to accelerate with a few strokes allows Hanyu to execute his jumps from a variety of difficult entries. Notable are the backward counter turn, twizzle, and spread eagle into his signature triple Axel jump.[16][17][18]

Axel and other jumps

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Hanyu is known for his strong vaulting technique with minimal pre-rotation on the ice at the take-off,[19][20][note 1] achieving trajectories of impressive size.[5][13] With a height of 70 centimeters and covering a distance of 3.62 meters, his triple Axel was the largest measured jump in the men's short program at the 2019 World Championships.[22]: 1  In 2018, Hanyu's triple Axel from the 2018 Winter Olympics was used as a demonstration example by the ISU for the GOE judging criteria "very good height and very good length" as well as "steps before the jump, unexpected or creative entry".[23] Despite the complex preceding steps and big trajectory, he manages to land his jumps smoothly and increase his skating speed from take-off to landing.[5][13][22]: 1  With the toe loop, Salchow, loop, and Lutz, Hanyu has successfully executed four different types of quadruple jumps in the course of his competitive career. He stated his preference for edge jumps, and notably featured all three types in his short program of the 2016–17 season.[24]

Spins and signature moves

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Hanyu is able to execute the layback Biellmann and doughnut camel spin,[25] which are more commonly seen in women's singles and known for their difficulty among male skaters due to the high flexibility required in spine, hips, and shoulders.[8][26][27] Other signature moves include the layback Ina Bauer, hydroblading, and the side lunge.[28] Overall, Hanyu's technical elements stand out for their high quality of execution,[1][5][29] having received a total of 29 maximum scores in international competition,[30][note 2] covering all four types of required elements in the men's singles discipline: jumps, spins, steps, and choreographic sequences.[31][32][33] Beyond that, his elements are noted for their seamless embedding into the choreography and his movements for their precise timing with the music,[34][35] the latter being awarded a perfect 10.00 in the interpretation component at the 2021–22 Japan Championships.[36]

Artistic philosophy and style

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Relation between technique and art

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[37][38][39][40][41]

Gender norms and costuming

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Music and choreography

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Hanyu's programs cover a variety of different music genres, including classical pieces, modern pop rock, musicals, and traditional Japanese music.[42][43] He notably portrayed the historical Japanese figures Abe no Seimei and Uesugi Kenshin in his free skate programs at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics.[44][45] He also dedicated various exhibition programs to the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and performed them as live music collaborations at shows like Fantasy on Ice among others.[46] Hanyu is known to be involved in all aspects of his programs, from the music selection and editing process to the costume design and choreography.[4][45] As his choreographer Shae-Lynn Bourne stated, "He knows what costume he wants. He knows what jump order he wants. He makes a lot of the decisions on his own. You can't say 'no' to that ever. You know, with music especially, because he is going to skate with conviction."[44]

Approach to competitive skating

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Hanyu is regarded as part of the vanguard of the "quad revolution" in men's figure skating.[47] He was the first skater to land a quadruple loop, a quad toe loop-triple Axel sequence as well as a quad toe loop-Euler-triple flip combination.[48] He was also the first to land three quad jumps in the second half of the free skate and among the pioneers to approach the quadruple Axel.[49][50] According to him, a clean and seamless execution of the jumps is essential for a good figure skating performance.[51][52] However, he repeatedly stressed the importance of well-rounded programs, including advanced transitions and intricate footwork as well as the precise interpretation of the music.[14][53][54] Regarding the ongoing debate about the relation between technique and artistry in figure skating,[55] he noted: "That so-called balance between [technical] difficulty and artistry, to me that doesn't actually exist. Artistry is founded upon absolute technical prowess, that's what I think."[38]: 5 Towards the end of his competitive career, Hanyu’s and the ISU’s philosophy of skating have continuously diverged. This included the abolition of mandatory steps before the solo jump in the short program in 2018,[56] the proposal to replace the short and free skate program by a "technical" and "artistic" program in 2020,[57] and the removal of transitions and interpretation as separate program components in 2022.[58] While feeling of having evolved in various aspects of his skating compared to his record-breaking performances in 2015, his scores had become lower, making him wonder if he was "no longer needed".[59][60]: 1 At his transition from competitive to professional skating, he remarked that he "stopped wanting to be evaluated", and stressed his intention to keep pursuing his "ideal" skating.[43]

Approach to professional skating

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Influence and impact

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Next generation of skaters

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Fan culture and skating events

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Influence of people outside figure skating

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Impact on economy and journalism

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See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ Since the 2022–23 season, jumps with "excessive rotation on the ice at the take-off" are listed under "poor take-off" and result in a deduction of -1 to -3 in the raw GOE mark.[21]
  2. ^ In the ISU Judging System, a technical element is awarded a perfect score if it's credited with the full base value by the technical panel and the maximum grade of execution (GOE) after dropping the highest and lowest mark across the judging panel (+3 GOE before and +5 GOE since the 2018–19 season).

Citations

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  1. ^ a b Gallagher, Jack (February 26, 2022). "Yuzuru Hanyu's Performance in Beijing Increased His Legend". Japan Forward. Chiyoda, Tokyo: Sankei Shimbun. Archived from the original on April 10, 2022.
  2. ^ Bonds, Faith (October 30, 2019). "The Inside Edge: Yuzuru Hanyu is the greatest figure skater of all time". USC Annenberg Press. Los Angeles. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021.
  3. ^ Gallagher, Jack (April 11, 2017). "Hanyu's legend continues to grow with latest masterpiece". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on April 11, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Qi Qi; Yi Ling; Zhang Han (February 10, 2022). "Profile: From "Ice Prince" to "Ice Warrior," Hanyu determined to rise after fall". Xinhua News Agency. Beijing. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022.
  5. ^ a b c d e Gallagher, Jack (November 29, 2016). "Hanyu's strength, style a sight to behold". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on May 2, 2017.
  6. ^ Ryan, Maggie (February 8, 2022). "Yuzuru Hanyu Fought to the Finish in His First Short Program in Beijing". Yahoo!Life. Chiyoda, Tokyo. Archived from the original on February 9, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Longman, Jeré (January 4, 2018). "The Greatest Figure Skater Ever Is Michael Jackson on Ice, Surrounded by Winnie the Poohs". The New York Times. New York City. ISSN 1553-8095. Archived from the original on May 10, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Yanai, Yumiko (February 19, 2014). "A Post-Plushenko Champion: Hanyū Yuzuru Wins Figure Skating Gold". Nippon Communications Foundation. Minato, Tokyo. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022.
  9. ^ "ISU Bios 2016/2017 – Men, Yuzuru Hanyu JPN". International Skating Union. Lausanne. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017.
  10. ^ "Hanyu skating for himself this season". International Figure Skating (IFS). Denville Township, New Jersey. August 31, 2018. Archived from the original on January 16, 2022.
  11. ^ 羽生結弦「嫌われたくないってすごい思う」金メダル獲得後の記者会見で漏らした本心 [Yuzuru Hanyu "I really don't want to be hated" at the press conference after winning the gold medal]. Logmi Inc. (in Japanese). Shibuya, Tokyo. February 18, 2018. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021.
  12. ^ Hersh, Philip (January 31, 2022). "In pushing each other, Hanyu and Chen have redefined the meaning of figure skating greatness". NBC Sports. Stamford, Connecticut. Archived from the original on February 11, 2022.
  13. ^ a b c "Yuzuru Hanyu". Edea Skates. Crocetta del Montello, Veneto. Archived from the original on December 5, 2015.
  14. ^ a b 羽生結弦、語る SP編(1)「全部、見ていただけるようなプログラムにしていきたい」 [Yuzuru Hanyu talks about his SP (1) "I want to make it a program, where everything can be seen"]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. December 24, 2021. Archived from the original on December 24, 2021.
  15. ^ Petkevich 1989, p. 56.
  16. ^ Scibilia, Angele (November 23, 2012). "Yuzuru Hanyu short program analysis". The Wrong Edge. Italy. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022.
  17. ^ Gallagher, Jack (September 19, 2019). "Christina Valdez ecstatic after fulfilling dream of seeing Yuzuru Hanyu skate in person". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022.
  18. ^ Gallagher, Jack (March 31, 2021). "No Reason to Worry About Yuzuru Hanyu's Result at World Championships". Japan Forward. Chiyoda, Tokyo: Sankei Shimbun. Archived from the original on April 30, 2021.
  19. ^ Nakai, Masahiro (May 7, 2018). 中居正広のスポーツ!『平成のスポーツ名場面ベスト50大発表』 [Masahiro Nakai's Sports "The 50 best sports moments of the Heisei Era"] (Television production) (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo: TV Asahi. 10-53433-1160981 (Kakaku.com). Archived from the original on September 16, 2022.
  20. ^ 羽生結弦氏が言う「下で回る」とはどういうことかをしばし考えた結果、そこで言葉を区切ったら不十分かもしれないと思い至った件 [After some thorough thought about Yuzuru Hanyu's wording "go underneath", I came to the conclusion that it might not be enough to separate the words there]. Livedoor (in Japanese). Shinjuku, Tokyo. November 1, 2019. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021.
  21. ^ "Single & Pair Skating – Levels of Difficulty and Guidelines for marking Grade of Execution and Program Components, season 2022/23". International Skating Union. Lausanne. June 2022. Archived from the original on May 4, 2022.
  22. ^ a b フィギュア、ジャンプ測定に新技術採点で導入は可能か? [Figure skating: Can new technology for jump measurement be implemented for scoring?]. News Post 7 (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Shogakukan. June 5, 2019. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022.
  23. ^ Grades of Execution +5 to -5 Single Skating. International Skating Union. Lausanne. July 7, 2018. Event occurs at 6:08 and 7:18. Archived from the original on September 15, 2022 – via YouTube.
  24. ^ Ice Jewels 2017, ch. 1.
  25. ^ "Yuzuru Hanyu Biography". International Olympic Committee. Lausanne. Archived from the original on July 24, 2022.
  26. ^ Barron, Laignee (February 16, 2018). "5 Things to Know About Figure Skating Champion Yuzuru Hanyu". Time. New York City. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018.
  27. ^ Zaichik, Paul. "Biellmann Spin in Figure Skating: Strength & Flexibility – Training at Home". easyflex.com. United States. Archived from the original on September 15, 2022.
  28. ^ Noguchi, Yoshie (June 12, 2022). 羽生結弦の情熱のアイスショー 北京冬季五輪以来96日ぶりの演技に歓喜 [Yuzuru Hanyu's Passionate Ice Show – Delighted with his first performance in 96 days since the Beijing Winter Olympics]. Aera (in Japanese). Kita-ku, Osaka: Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022.
  29. ^ Samuels, Robert (February 17, 2018). "Is two-time Olympic gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu the greatest figure skater of all time?". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018.
  30. ^ "Skating Scores – Yuzuru Hanyu (JPN)". Skating Scores. United States. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022.
  31. ^ "ISU GP NHK Trophy 2015 – Men free skating, judges details per skater" (PDF). International Skating Union. Lausanne. November 28, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 28, 2020.
  32. ^ International Skating Union (September 30, 2016). "2016 Autumn Classic International – Senior men short program, judges details per skater" (PDF). Skate Canada. Ottawa. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2016.
  33. ^ International Skating Union (September 22, 2017). "2017 Autumn Classic International – Senior men short program, judges details per skater" (PDF). Skate Canada. Ottawa. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 17, 2019.
  34. ^ Ganguly, Sudarshana (March 6, 2022). "Yuzuru Hanyu creates fire on ice". The Telegraph. Kolkata, West Bengal. OCLC 271717941. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022.
  35. ^ Gallagher, Jack (May 9, 2019). "Salute to Hanyu: U.S. ballet troupe paying tribute to legend". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on May 9, 2019.
  36. ^ "Japan Figure Skating Championships 2021 – Men short program, judges details per skater" (PDF). Japan Skating Federation. Shinjuku, Tokyo. December 26, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 26, 2021.
  37. ^ "Yuzuru Hanyu: PyeongChang Olympic Figure Skating Men's Single Gold Medalist". Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan. Chiyoda, Tokyo. February 27, 2018. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018.
  38. ^ a b 羽生結弦フィギュアスケート選手 平昌五輪金メダリスト [Press Conference: Yuzuru Hanyu figure skater Pyeongchang Olympic gold medalist] (PDF). Japan National Press Club (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. February 27, 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 2, 2021.
  39. ^ Loosemore, Sandra (December 2, 1998). "It's the presentation, stupid". CBC Sports. Toronto, Ontario. Archived from the original on April 29, 1999.
  40. ^ Devine, John William; Lopez Frias, Francisco Javier (February 4, 2020). "Philosophy of Sport". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford, California: Stanford University. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022.
  41. ^ Kovich 1971, p. 42.
  42. ^ Todoroki, Aimi (October 7, 2021). 羽生結弦 – フィギュアスケート史に燦然と輝く栄光の軌跡 [Yuzuru Hanyu – The track of glory shining brightly in the history of figure skating]. Non-no (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Shueisha. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021.
  43. ^ a b "Japanese icon Yuzuru Hanyu retires from competition". Kyodo News. Minato, Tokyo. July 19, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022.
  44. ^ a b Gallagher, Jack (August 7, 2018). "Shae-Lynn Bourne noted Yuzuru Hanyu's genius making 'Seimei'". The Japan Times. Chiyoda, Tokyo. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021.
  45. ^ a b Noguchi, Yoshie (January 22, 2021). 伊藤みどり、荒川静香…歴戦のプログラム編曲者が語る羽生結弦「なぜ羽生君の『SEIMEI』は音にピタリとハマるのか」 [The veteran program music editor who worked with Midori Ito and Shizuka Arakawa explains "why Hanyu-kun's SEIMEI looks perfectly in one with the music"]. Number (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Bungeishunjū. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021.
  46. ^ Matsubara, Takaomi (May 30, 2022). 羽生結弦の登場に思わず歓声が…3年ぶりのファンタジー・オン・アイスで魅せた「『羽生結弦のスケート好きだな』って思ってもらえる演技を」 [Yuzuru Hanyu's appearance drawing cheers from the audience "I want to give a performance that makes people think, 'I like Yuzuru Hanyu's skating'" at Fantasy on Ice after 3 years]. Number (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo: Bungeishunjū. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022.
  47. ^ Hersh, Philip (January 31, 2022). "In pushing each other, Hanyu and Chen have redefined the meaning of figure skating greatness". NBC Sports. Stamford, Connecticut. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022.
  48. ^ Russell 2022, p. 25.
  49. ^ Flade, Tatjana; Ritoss, Robin (April 21, 2017). "Hanyu, Uno keep Japan in the lead at World Team Trophy". Golden Skate. Cary, North Carolina. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021.
  50. ^ Galocha, Arthur; Samuels, Robert; Berkowitz, Bonnie (February 10, 2022). "How Yuzuru Hanyu nearly landed a quadruple Axel". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on April 12, 2022.
  51. ^ 羽生結弦、語る フリー編(2)1人でも「どこかしらで、なにかしらでつながっている」 [Yuzuru Hanyu free skate interview (2) Even one person is "somewhere, somehow connected"]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. December 26, 2020. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021.
  52. ^ Russell 2022, p. 29.
  53. ^ Wei, Xiong (December 23, 2015). "Hanyu wants performances that stay in hearts". Golden Skate. Cary, North Carolina. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021.
  54. ^ 羽生結弦と一問一答 2: 納得するスケートと4Aの両立は厳しい「でも、やんなきゃいけない」 [Question and answer with Yuzuru Hanyu part 2: Convincing skating with 4A is tough "But I have to do it"]. Sports Nippon (in Japanese). Chiyoda, Tokyo. December 8, 2019. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019.
  55. ^ Hirono, Aoshima (January 27, 2018). "Athleticism Over Artistry? The Jump Obsession in Men's Figure Skating". Japan Forward. Chiyoda, Tokyo: Sankei Shimbun. Archived from the original on October 4, 2022.
  56. ^ Walker, Elvin (September 19, 2018). "New Season Rules". International Figure Skating. Denville Township, New Jersey. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022.
  57. ^ Hersh, Philip (February 13, 2020). "In figure skating, a radical proposal to reshape the sport". NBC Sports. Stamford, Connecticut. Archived from the original on September 28, 2022.
  58. ^ "Communication No. 2494: Some changes in General, Special Regulations and Technical Rules accepted by the 58th ISU Congress 2022". International Skating Union. Lausanne. June 30, 2022. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022.
  59. ^ 独占インタビュー#2:羽生結弦「早く引退しろって言われてるのかな」プロ転向表明直後に取材 [Exclusive Interview #2: Yuzuru Hanyu "I guess they want me to retire soon" Interview immediately after announcing his intention to turn pro]. TV Tokyo (Motion picture) (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. September 2, 2022. Event occurs at 01:21. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022.
  60. ^ 羽生結弦 独占インタビュー「自分って必要とされていないのかな」プロ転向決断までの苦悩 [Yuzuru Hanyu Exclusive Interview "I wonder if I am not needed" Anguish until the decision to turn pro]. TV Tokyo (in Japanese). Minato, Tokyo. September 2, 2022. Archived from the original on October 22, 2022.

Books and magazines cited

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Further reading

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