#yes that was yuzus world debut

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

So this is more to be answered after WTT but I wanted to ask now: thoughts on the 2022-23 season overall? How did you feel about scoring overall? The various skaters? Did any skaters catch your eye? How did you feel about the lack of Russians (please don't bring them back, ISU)? Yuzu and Nathan weren't competing, how did the men's field feel without the two titans? And any other thoughts on the season (and also Shoma's season in particular if you want)

So WTT is over...time to answer I guess 😉

Are you in for a long read bc there are a lot of questions 😅

Thoughts on the season overall?

I think there was long time no season as unpredictable as this one. All disciplines were quite unpredictable in almost every competition. You obviously still had favorites for the events but still the winner was not clear when in last seasons you could predict winners most of the time especially in ice dance. I think probably most predictable for wins was Shoma as even with mistakes he was far off the field and results do tell the story. Can you imagine that Shoma finished the season undefeated and actually never did his full layout? Crazy huh? Kaori was not the clear favorite you could have expected, she had a lot ups and downs. Same was for Loena Hendrickx. Ladies was as interesting as ever and for the first time in years I had lot of fun watching ladies competitions. Kihara/Miura were in constant battle with the US team, they won the comps but also profited from their mistakes. In the GP series I was kinda disappointed with the Pairs competition and perceived them as quite boring, but Worlds actually surprised me with the variety of good Pair skaters. I think you can see the development of this discipline. I thought it was an enjoyable season. I like chaos 🔥. I like when it's exciting who will win.

How do you feel about scoring?

Actually over the years I care less and less for scoring. The system is too rigged to be completely fair. I think the judging overall was mostly as fair as it can get in the season, means scoring was as expected with all the shortcomings it offers, nothing too out of the box besides that WR scores for Chock/Bates because wth? I was actually quite surprised that Ilia's PCS score didn't rise as much as I feared. I take the little victories at this point. Y'all know I am not one to be too rigid with technical stuff in scoring as I also see the shortcomings in the rulebook with too much freedom for interpretation, but let's say I was not too pissed off by the scoring most of the time, which I take as either "a victory for my nerves" or "a process of scores are meaningless anyway" 😅 I think overall the right ppl won the events with some few exceptions.

Did any skater catch your eye?

Actually mostly juniors: Hannah Lim/Ye Quan in ice dance. It's been a while I was this excited for an ice dance team. Minsol Kwan - her performance level at 13 years of age is extraordinary. Jia Shin and Mao Shimada also impressed me. But also the Australian Pair who competed in Juniors most of the season and had a fabulous debut in seniors at Worlds.

As for seniors Kao Miura definitely catched my eye. His energy and jumps are stunning to witness, especially live. I think his energy is sometimes a bit too much, but once he learns to control it he'll can be the full package.

Nina Pinzarrone is a skater I really adored first at Euros and especially when I could see her live at Challenge Cup. She's sweet.

Then there are a couple of skaters I long know or like but who got me on a new level of being their fan: Two are definetly Junhwan Cha and Haein Lee. At this Worlds and WTT they were on fire. They really did find their best at the end of the season. In general I really love Team South Korea, their comradery and their programs.

Keegan Messing - I always loved Keegan but now that it was clear that this would be his last season I cried many times over Keegan, the most just today. It made me realize how much I really adored him and how much I will miss him.

Adam Siao Him Fa is another skater I really like more and more. Sadly he had not the best ending to his season but he brings something special to the ice.

How did you feel about the lack of Russians?

I think banning the Russians is the right decision. Russia is using sport as a propaganda tool and sadly a lot of Russian coaches and skaters do support their agenda in words and actions. I think it's unimaginable how you can welcome them back to competitions. I for one would not know how to react when I suddenly face the Russians again at competitions knowing how they will be used for promotion. This war against Ukraine is a crime and as long as the war is on I don't want any of them back on international stages and I seriously hope that the consideration of letting them compete under neutral flag will not happen. Did the Olympics not teach anyone a lesson? They do not care for sanctions such as a neutral flag. Sports and politics cannot be separated and everyone saying it's not a conflict is lying. This all being said I liked or still like a lot of Russian skaters and despite the awful scoring at times - which the athletes themselves are not at fault - so it would be lie to say that I am not sad to not see one or the other, but tbh I didn't see any of the Russian competitions and I did not look at any of their programs. I just cannot watch it. I do not support it. I am not even sure how to follow those I am/was a fan of. I cannot suddenly unlike them, but I also do not feel good about supporting any of them like I used to. (Personally the skaters are not at fault for the war and I do understand why they don't take action against it, but still saying nothing doesn't mean they don't agree on what is happening. They were at the roots of the propaganda, it would actually be logical if they would follow the general Russian mindset.)

So to say I was completely unaffected would be a lie, BUT I don't miss Russian skaters at competitions especially in ladies it was so much more fun than all these years before where unfair rooftop scoring and predictability made it just unbearable at times. I would even say men and ice dance were hardly affected overall by their absense. It's not like they were the top notch only. In Pairs I thought about the Russians because this discipline especially in the GP series had a lower level than what we were used to. But I'd rather take empty fields than Russians back on a big stage. I do not want them back at any cost before the war in Ukraine is over.

Continued in Part 2 because this is already very long...

[peanutpinet]

Hii i don’t know if your requests are open but this idea came to my head and now i can’t let it go awwghh. I’m glad to have found someone who writes for yuzuru *^* So. The context is Y/N’s last competition before retiring, at the gala she gives a speech and gets all emotional. Without knowing that behind her back a sneaky yuzu approached with a surprise. An engagement ring! Ajdbkdk i hope you can work with this it’d be an honor!

Wholesome Yuzuru Hanyu request :"

A/n: Hi, yes, I do accept requests though I may be slow on them since I'm currently doing an intern. I would definitely try my best to write as best as I could :)

Pairings: Yuzu x female skater

Warnings: a bit emotional but fluff!!

A/N: for the how many time, I dunno why but for some reason, I just see this in a bullet form; hope you won't hate it :" kay onto the fanfic

First and foremost, let's establish your relationship first

Basically, the two of you have known each other since you debuted in your senior level

Essentially, Yuzu was your senpai and you have always looked up to him

Yuzu, on the other hand, did notice your senior debut but because he was a very busy man, the two of you only ever interacted during competitions (and that is if you guys went to the same competition)

But do not fret because the universe slowly brought you both together

Short story was that the both of you were supposed to head back after practice one time when the both of you missed your bus back to the hotel and ended up having to find your way back to the hotel together

Throughout the adventure back to the hotel, the two of you started to talk more and got to know each other better; and basically the rest is history

Time skip to your last competition

You have been a senior for 7 years at this point and figured that you have tried so many competitions (from GPF to Worlds and even the chance to join the Olympics) and figured that it's time to close this chapter of your life and move on

It was the day of the exhibition of your final competition and throughout the day, your mind has been reciting the speech you made since you finished your competition

Everyone was so sweet and knew that it was your final competition and exhibition that they kept sending messages, gifts and texts; however, there was no news from Yuzu

You tried not to overthink about anything and just enjoyed yourself with your fellow skaters

Throughout the exhibition, you definitely bring out your best self; being fully immersed in your performance until the very end of the exhibiton

At the end of the exhibition, just like past skaters who were going to retire, a fellow skater brought a mic and some flowers for you as the spotlight was mainly shine on you

Throughout your speech, you started getting emotionally and just couldn't held back the tears; wanting to pull yourself and finish your speech so you could cry as much as you'd like on Yuzu's shoulder

But, someone thought otherwise ;)

Nearing the end of your speech, there was a huge clap from both the audience and your fellow skaters when suddenly there was a different genre of music of playing

Confused, you looked around to see what was happening but you couldn't comprehend any form of words coming out of your mouth for what you witnessed

Yuzu had changed his outfit into a suit-like outfit, brought you your favourite flowers, and pulled you out of the hug of the skaters to the center

What happened next definitely made you think that this was all a dream from a fanfic you've read because Yuzu was having his own little speech about how you've changed his perspective in life, how you made him feel so many different emotions he has never felt before and suddenly the man was on one knee, making you and basically everyone in the stadium gasped in shock

And the next few words and actions Yuzu does say everything on what's happening

"(Y/N). I know this may seem rushed since we've only really been together for 3 years but honestly, I can't imagine what my life would be if the both of us didn't miss that bus. It may sound cheesy and cringe, but for reals, you make my life more colourful, being with you is just one surprise after the other and what I'm saying is that, no matter what, I know that you're the one. And I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with someone else. So, (Y/N), would you marry me?" Yuzu spoke, pulling out a simple yet beautiful rose gold ring

"Yuzu...you must be out of your mind if you think I wouldn't say yes. Like, I'd say yes more than you jump the 3A. Of course I would!!" you shouted, all the tears you held back finally burst

Without wasting any time, Yuzu stood back up, put the ring onto your finger, pulling you close and sealing the night with a kiss

"I love you" - the both of you whispered to each other as the background excitement slowly faded into the kiss

A/N: brb, I dunno why I became emotional when writing this T_T I hope you enjoy this short one-shot I did. Also, to everyone who wants to request anything about Yuzu, NCT or 9%, feel free to message me or drop a request in my inbox!! See y'all in the next one and take care everyone :) xoxo

[fireemblemtcg]

“The Cipher Frontier!” Issue 58: “Cipher Will Never Die!”

"The Cipher Frontier! With Emma, Shade, Yuzu, Randal, Alice, Val, Niamh & Poe" was a regular column on the Fire Emblem Cipher website which summarized upcoming news concerning Cipher and other Fire Emblem materials. It was presented by the eight mascot characters. The following is a full translation of the 58th and final issue of the column, which was originally published on 31 March 2021.

More Fire Emblem Cipher translations!

Hello, everybody!!!!!!!!

It's been over five years since Cipher launched - and, for that matter, The Cipher Frontier! itself...

And today... we bring you the last one!

Sniff... So this is really it...

Aye, it certainly is a bitter occasion.

With the moment upon us, I find myself overcome with emotion. Yet at the same time, I cannot help but sorely wish that this day had never come at all.

Well, it... It doesn't bother m-m-me... Not... one...

BWAAAAAAAAAAAH! I C-C-CAN'T TAKE THIS!

E-easy, milady! You swore before we began that you would not cry!

I, too, owe very, very much to all of you, so... I am very sad.

Where there is a beginning, so too shall there be an end... It is an inevitability.

Still, one might argue that as long as there are still decks to play with and opponents to challenge... Cipher may be played for eternity. So think not on this as the end, for this is but a milestone of life.

Sniff... So this isn't farewell?

Not in the least! All of our players can still continue to get together to play Cipher. So as sad as you might be now to see the game end, the feeling won't last! And I, for one, would like to close out our final day with a smile.

To that end, I propose that we all share some parting words. You first, Emma!

Alrighty! Well, I've been here since the beginning, but... Back then, I was an absolute noob, wasn't I? I didn't have the faintest idea what a "Tea See Gee" even was!

But then I learned so much from Shade, and I presented news, participated in Tryout and Gathering events, and watched Live Broadcasts - and all of that gave me the chance to grow so much.

And then as the days went by, we got to meet Yuzu and Randal, Alice and Valjean, and Niamh and Poe, and we all always had a riot of a time playing Cipher together... It's all been like something out of a dream!

Lastly, I just want to say thank you...

To all of you who've been reading our column to date, thank you tho thuch!

Ha! Is that a slip of the tongue I hear?

Why, I do believe it was... And of all the words to flub, at that.

H-heh heh heh! I guess I am still just a kid after all... But mark my words, I'll be working even harder to become a mature, full-fledged knight! Okay, let's try this again... Thank you all!

Well, I'm next! I was primarily tasked with hosting this column and presenting news.

But the work introduced me to more and more friends, and to a constant stream of announcements that were news to me myself... To lose it is like I've also lost my reason to exist, but at least I am left with fond memories of it all.

My desire to convey the appeal of Cipher to others hasn't wavered in the slightest, but... this is the last time it will ever happen here. Alas. Still, I will always be rooting for all of you, even if we don't see each other.

There will always be a bond between us - always. Remember that whenever you play Cipher and see our cards. On this, you have my word! This has been Shade, shepherd of wayward lambs, saying farewell!

Alright, then. You're next, Yuzu!

...

Huh? Yuzu! What's gotten into you? Would you just get out here?

Er, forgive me. When everybody's gaze turned upon me, I could not help but immediately seek shelter...

Oh, yeah. You never did like public speaking, did you, Yuzu?

Of course! We had a devil of a time convincing you to come out at all for your very first column.

E-enough! That was many years ago: a d-d-difficulty that I have long since moved past!

Hrr-hrr-hrr... heh-HEM! L-l-let us, er, begin anew.

I am Yuzu. My contribution to this column was to introduce cards that afforded new styles of play... only to let a haze of utter passion promptly consume me and hence spend my every waking hour crafting decks from them and trialling them in matches.

You always were one to cry, "I must test these cards at once!" and throw yourself into obsessive research.

As such, I have acquired an eye for strategy, forged in the fires of Cipher, to incorporate into my prior mastery of the martial arts - and with that, at long last, I have come to an understanding of the very heart of warcraft.

Further, as a consequence I may declare with confidence that, should I ever find my brother, I shall be able to hold my head high for all that I have grown in his absence. For that, you have my most heartfelt gratitude. So end my parting words!

Thank you, Yuzu. Right, it's your turn, Randal!

Huh? Oh, right then!

I've got a motto: always take your games deathly serious, and always make your own fun on the job… And, well, this has been my chance to prove those words true.

I mean yeah, I'm a wanderer at heart; I might've stuck around a bit too long... but that's just because this was all a hell of a lot of fun.

Oh, I agree... It was a HELL of a lot of fun!

GAH! It's... It's you!

Well, well. We have a stranger among us!

Pah! "Stranger," indeed. This hair, this face, this ribbon... None of this ring a bell?

Eh? Do you... do you mean Randal?

Indeed! I am...

...His son, no? It is nice to meet you!

OI!

What are you on about?! I AM Randal, just from the past - younger than the one you know!

It's happening again! The exact same argument!

This really must be the end, if HE'S here...

This is how you treat me? I have to hear that the last column is happening at the eleventh hour and make a mad dash to make it in time?! Bloody hell...

What is this? A being under the thrall of the Boundless Chaos? How intriguing. I must conduct a thorough examination at once...

H-hey! What are you doing, Niamh?! You look deathly serious... Oi, that's enough! Stay back! I... I've got a sword!

Well, er, I'm just about all out of time, but I just want to say it was a hoot being on the Frontier. Hope I see you all again someday. Adios!

He vanished?! Still more intriguing...

Sigh... What a pain in the arse, if I do say so myself. Although... I must admit, we do agree on one thing: I'd also be glad to see you all again.

This might be one farewell, but here's hoping we cross paths once more! And if we do, hey, why not play a match with this old fart? And that's all she wrote from ol' Randal!

Thank you. Next, let's hear from Alice and Valjean!

Heh heh! At last! Shall we, Val?

Yes, milady.

The two of us made our debut circa Series 10, and ever since that day, the Frontier never failed to be a most thrilling time. Would you agree, Val?

Yes, milady.

My objective in making this journey was simple: to experience much in my travels, such that I might someday return home and become a great ruler indeed. But instead, I first became a most superior, most brilliant Cipher player! Utterly invincible! Favored by fortune! And whatnot. Didn't I, Val?

Yes, milady.

I remember... that every time a Cipher release day came, I would be up all night from their eve, crafting decks and playing matches with the others. Oh, it was such fun! Wasn't it, Val?

...Yes, mi... mi... milady! Sniff...

V-Val?! What is the matter with you?

I am most moved. That my most capricious liegelady could at last find in Cipher such an engaging hobby, such good company, and such a source of training - and that she could grow so greatly as a woman.

Val...

We have been truly blessed to have had all of this: all of you, who welcomed us so warmly into the Frontier fold, and all of the Cipher players out in the world. I wish to offer you my gratitude for everything.

To be honest... I have something to say on that matter myself. Thank you, truly, for everything. I will never, ever, ever, EVER forget even a single day that we spent here together!

Nor shall I!

...Having said that, milady, I fear that you are still yet unready for the throne! From today onward, we must redouble your original leadership training efforts! I fully intend to prepare for you an intensive study regimen.

I-I-I beg your pardon?! You will not speak to me so! If I see even a single incorrect mark, you would do well to prepare yourself, for I will work you to the very bone for the rest of your days!

By all means, do it. But be prepared, for I have a lifetime's worth of admonishments at the ready.

Heh... Best of luck to the two of you!

Your turn, Niamh!

I was present from the 37th column onward... To be precise, it was in the "Love and Bonds Special Talk CD" audio drama that came as a set with an artbook, sold at Comiket 93.

My inquiry and research into the miscellaneous phenomena of this world, and the Boundless Chaos in particular, shall continue, but...

...

Well?! Don't tell me that's all you have to say!

...No. To me, my inquiry into Cipher represented the introducton of a new, major challenge into my life. Cipher decks... Gameplay... Which solution is correct, and which is optimal... As yet, I still have found no answers. As such, it is vital that going forward, I collaborate with a broad sample of Cipher players and find an answer...

So what you're saying is, you enjoyed playing Cipher with everyone, and you're gonna keep playing forever!

That, er... Ahem! That's pretty much it.

Cryptic remarks if I ever heard them, but certainly Niamh-ish.

Right, let's keep this going with Poe!

Only a year and a half has passed since I was welcomed to this column, and sadly, in the end our association has been brief. But I was able to have a very fulfilling time with you.

Attending that Winter Comiket thing with all of you, playing the "Recite and Play: Heroes Iroha" card game being sold there... They were very happy days.

And in all of that, I have always been monitoring Niamh...

...

Hee hee... You have been a good girl here, have you not? I do nothing to good girls.

If one of you becomes wicked, at that time I shall... Heh... Heh heh heh heh heh...

So, I pray that we never have an unpleasant reunion, and end my speech. Thank you. This has been Poe!

Heh... Let's keep that warning in mind.

...With that, have all of us spoken?

Tsk tsk... We aren't actually finished just yet! Since this is our last column, allow me to call upon a special guest!

...A guest? Wait, you don't mean...

Ta-daaaaa! Here he is!

Hello, everyone! I am Kawade, the producer of Fire Emblem Cipher.

K-K-KawadeP!

My, what a surprise!

The publication of the final Frontier coincides with, at last, the end-of-March termination of event support for Cipher. So I thought I would share a message for all of our readers and Cipher players.

If you count from when Cipher was first announced, roughly six years have passed. That's a long time, yet it's just flown by... These have been very busy years, but also wonderful ones, absolutely full of memories and events.

In that time we've constantly taken on new challenges - not just the production of Cipher itself, but Twitter content, live broadcasts, and staging events all around Japan.

And through all of that, we've had the chance to meet so many fans of Fire Emblem and Cipher... That was not only the most fun part of all, but a part that made us happy.

Although, we were unfortunately unable to hold any of our planned events for our final year, and for that I am truly sorry to all of you.

Still, we staff stuck with it to the very end, and as a result were able to complete Cipher as a fantastic game that can be played for years and years to come. For that, we are proud of ourselves.

It was thanks to all of you, who kept on supporting us, that we could continue our work to this standard all the way to the final series. I am overcome with gratitude to you all!

Production might have come to an end, but Fire Emblem Cipher will never die! It would make me happy if, every now and then, you might bring your cards out and play with them. Thank you all, truly, for everything!

And that concludes KawadeP's remarks!

Whew!

That, I believe, is everything that we wished to share.

Aye, I've got nothing to add.

So I suppose this is it: the end of the Cipher Frontier's long run.

Er... Shade? Can I say one last thing?

Hm? What is it, Emma?

Thank you for taking the lead in hosting this last one... And thank you so much for all the things you've taught me!

(Emma...)

H-hey! That's enough of that! You're about to make me cry, and that wouldn't be ending this day with a smile, would it?

Heh. I guess not!

So hey, let's give them one last, enthusiastic That Thing before Shade bursts into tears!

Very well, then. That Thing it is! This has been The Cipher Frontier!

With Emma...

Shade...

Yuzu...

Randal...

Alice...

Val...

Niamh...

...and Poe.

Now, then...

Let's do it, everyone!

One...

Two...

CIPHER!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING, EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!

...

...

...

...

FIRE EMBLEM CIPHER The Cipher Frontier! With Emma, Shade, Yuzu, Randal, Alice, Val, Niamh & Poe

Emma Emma continues to train in order to become a full-fledged pegasus knight. Her tireless Cipher training also continues, but she has yet to show much improvement at the game.

Shade Veteran mage that she is, Shade continues to teach the next generation. Many seeking to become almighty Cipher players have come to her, only to struggle bitterly under her tutelage - yet at the same time, to Emma and the others, she remains a nurturing guiding hand.

Yuzu Yuzu embarked on a journey of martial training, all the while following whispers of her brother's whereabouts... although evidently, she does return from her travels from time to time, bearing souvenirs, to partake in Cipher matches with all of her friends.

Randal Randal made a truly once-in-a-lifetime wager, only to go into hiding thereafter. Some rumors attest that he won, and that with that windfall he secured for himself a carefree life of quiet leisure in some southern land - others, that he met with a catastrophic loss, and was hence forced into labor in someplace.

Alice Alice's travels continue, as she seeks all the experience that she needs to become a true leader. Although at first she struggled, she grew to thoroughly enjoy it, and so she will persist in her journey without ever taking a break to return home... Or so she tells herself, at least.

Valjean Valjean continues to travel all across the land with his liegelady. Witnessing Alice grow ever stronger and wiser by the day, he cannot help but feel conflicting feelings of joy and loneliness beneath the privacy of his helm.

Niamh Even as she continues in her pursuit of wisdom, Niamh silently carries out research into Cipher. Her seminal monograph, "A Compendium of Cipher Decks," is over 100 volumes in length, and by all accounts is still in print to this day.

Poe Poe vanished in her hunt for evil, and her whereabouts remain unknown. However, according to the afterword of "A Compendium of Cipher Decks," she and Niamh have since fought to the death on many an occasion.

The End...???

[quadaxxels]

ISU World’s Men’s Short Program GROUP 5 (LAST GROUP) - live blog

Guys we haven’t even started but I’m already done w Nathan’s “costume” .... IT’S JUST A BUTTON DOWN WHITE SHIRT JFC WHY IS THIS BOY ALLERGIC TO SPARKLES UR A FIGURE SKATERRRR IT’S IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION

yuzu looks beautiful in his sparkles tho 😌

First up is Jason Brown! Skating to that one song that’s used for a health insurance ad here in Australia,, and he nails opening triple flip and follows up w 3A

He really does have the best skating skills in the circuit jfc he might not do quads but he sure is beautiful to watch

Lands triple triple combo but the 3A from before is up for review now

SPLITJUMP

Final combo spin is ofc a lvl 4 complete w a biellmann - BEST IN THE CIRCUIT I TELL YOU

HE ENDS IN A SPLIT OMGGG HE ENDED IN A SPLIT

Jason score 91.25 and is in at 5th

AHHHHH YUZURU HANYU NOW YES PLS ENTERTAIN US!!!!

Can you tell he’s my fave lmao

Ok so I put down my phone for this one to properly enjoy it so sue me ok HAHAHA

Brief notes: he skated clean but the opening quad triple is up for review,, brian orser was just caught on camera saying is was “so much fun” AND I AGREE!!!! Whilst I LOVE yuzu’s more lyrical programs some of my faves are actually the programs that show off Chaotic Yuzu

Spread eagle into 3A was beautiful as always

HE SKATED CLEAN!!!!

But I am disappointed that he didn’t do his little booty shake when the lyrics said “shake your ass” like he did when he debuted the program :((

Overall I LOVED his energy today!! He was feeling the music!!

Yuzu is in at 106.98 current leading yuma kagiyama by about 6pts

Daniel Grassl is BABY omg making his worlds debut,, music choice is fun tho!!!

Landed the opening jump but the following 3A was just clung on to and is up for review

Triple double combo is red

I think he’s getting tired bc he’s really slowed down,,

He comes in at 13th place

Matteo Rizzo who won the uni games a couple years back up with a chi mi dice as his music,, opens w quad toe loop,, it’s up for review tho

Nails 3A followed by a nice lvl 4 spin

His step sequence suits the music quite well!! Floor work from him also today lol - I feel like that’s the trend today, floor work in step sequences

Last jump is a triple triple combo that’s gotten a green light yayyy for him!!

~ad break~ guys I’m loving these Japanese ads right now, hella throwbacks to my trip to japan right before covid 🥲

Aaaaand my Fuji tv stream is being temperamental again 🥲🥲 i’ve missed the first two elements of Nathan Chen’s program

He too is channeling the ~Spanish vibes~.... albeit in a button down white shirt 😭

3/5 elements currently up for review

Wowww my stream really froze every 5 seconds and I didn’t see a single jump of his huh 😭🥲 the replay is telling me he for + 3.14 for his quad triple combo tho

He looks happy w himself though!!!

Nathan finishes at 98.85 in 3rd place after yuzuru and yuma

Morisi Kvitelashivili of Georgia is in next,,, his opening quad triple combo is red, so is his 3A that followed

Yeahhh my stream is still Not Cooperating so it looks like I’ll probably be missing half of this program too 🙃 only good thing is that the lag has given me enough time to Google and spell morisi’s last name properly 💀

Out of 7 elements only 2 are green, morisi finishes w 3 red and 2 for review in yellow!

Fuji TV reporter is now interviewing our fave bean Shoma, he’s talking about Japanese nationals,, can’t make out much more than that though bc of MY STREAM 😡

Yuzu is being interviewed now too and I think it might have something to do w the skater covid bubble bc he’s talking about hotels? But again can’t make out anything bc of the lag

Morisi most likely won’t be placing in top 6 tonight so I’m going to call it, the results tonight (today? Idk it’s literally 2:30 am where I am) are:

Yuzuru Hanyu

Yuma Kagiyama

Nathan Chen

Mikhail Kolyada

Keegan Messing

Shoma Uno

And that’s that! Short program is now over and the men’s free skate will be on the 27/3!

[lynnneposts]

[Huffpost exclusive interview] Brian Orser speaks Junhwan Cha, Yuzuru Hanyu, and Yuna Kim

Even though they’ve been separated for eight years, Orser is still proud of Yuna Kim.

At the Gangneung Ice Arena, where the figure skatng competition for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics was held, there was a person who was the busy like nobody else.

On the day of the men’s competition, he had to change his clothes three times, and run around here and there for his three skaters. He’s a familiar name for Koreans. It’s figure skating coach Brian Orser.

After his retirement, the 1984 and 1988 silver medalist took Yuna in as his first student and led her to the top of the world. Although their relationship didn’t end on a good note, Yuna won silver at Sochi after their separation and Orser raised world class athletes even after Yuna.

Orser sent five athletes in total to PyeongChang. South Korea’s Junhwan Cha, Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu, Spain’s Javier Fernandez, Canada’s Garbrielle Daleman, and Elizabet Tursynbayeva are the names.

Junhwan ended up as 15th in the individual event and succesfully completed his olympic debut, and Yuzuru Hanyu became the two time consecutive olympic gold champion. It’s the first time since in 66 years, since Dick Button of the United States. Fernandez also won the bronze and made it to the podium with Yuzuru. Daleman and Tursynbayeva ranked 12th and 15th respectively.

What did PyeongChang mean to Orser? Did he feel anything new since it was Yuna’s home country? On the 22nd, the day before the ladies’ free skate, Huffpost met with Orser in Gangneung and asked about his experience at the olympics. Before he was even asked about his past students, Orser brought up Yuna’s name. Although their separation is still a topic of discussion, to this day, Orser is still proud of Yuna Kim.

— first, congrats on your students. how did you feel when yuzu and javi stood on the podium?

“very proud. it was a great experience for me as a coach since i’ve spent quite a long time with both of them. 7 years with javi, 6 years with yuzu. it was wonderful to see them both on the podium.

this olympics was very important. since yuzu, javi and my students were competing at the olympics again, it was important to be with them. yuzu was looking to become a two time olympic gold medalist along with a gold medal.

yuzu was very happy to stand on the podium with javi since he was 4th at the last olympics by a small margin. but since he ranked fourth then, we could see him for three more years. if javi had won a medal four years ago, he would have retired then.

i thought this comp would be a showdown between javi and yuzu. i can’t pick one over another since i coached them both. when you were young, whenever you asked your parents to pick their favourite child, they always replied the same since everyone is special. i’m feel the same. i love all my students the same. they each have different personalities and traits. i’m not much different than a parent.”

— you were called the busiest man at the ice arena. you had to change twice, and coach five students. what are some things to keep in mind when coaching multiple students at once?

“attention to detail. i have to wear a team spain jacket when javi’s in practice. the same goes for yuzu, junhwan, gabby, and elizabet. it gets a bit complex when they’re in the same warmup session. i wear neutral jackets then but prepare team jackets as well. planning is important. before i leave the village, i check if i have all the jackets and draw the path i have to take in my mind. it’s not that hard if you plan accordingly.”

— how was the opening ceremony?

“the opening ceremony felt very special to me. the last part where Yuna lit the torch was truly beautiful. I almost had tears in my eyes. I have pride in her. I know how important this olympics was to her. She was part of the bidding and the organizing committee.

— we all had tears in our eyes when Yuna appeared.

“that’s right. Especially for me. It was a great scene, and a perfect choice.”

junhwan

— this was junhwan’s first olympics. what kind of goals were on his mind?

our first goal was to get a spot for the olympics. this was the first year he could vouch for one. in Korea, there’s three skaters in the men’s field competing for the spot. except for junhwan, the two have some experience at Worlds and senior comps.

we started preparing at July but he had an injury back then, a problem with the skates, along with the need for a new program. we weren’t prepared.”

it was also physically challenging. he’s grown so much in the three years i’ve been with him. in figure skating, the body’s axis is the most important. when your body grows, the axis changes as well and you can’t spin as fast as before.

we went through a series of frustration. along with junhwan, i was a bit disturbed as well. the parents, who don’t know much about fs, were also worrying as well. so we had to be patient.

in the first qualifying comp, junhwan was 24 points behind. in the next one, he was 3 points behind. he had to win by over 27 points in the last comp. so i reminded him of how he won over the two skaters by 5-60 points in a competition last year. and he won the spot.

i think the fed chose the right person since they have to think about the future. we need to consider what the olympic experience would mean to junhwan, and what effect it would have on his career in the future. Junhwan didn’t disappoint anyone.

— what do you think of junhwan as a skater?

“do i think he’s in the top 5, 6, 7th in the world? yes. do others think so? no. the judges are also people. they already think about the scores skaters would get in their heads.

junhwan’s skate was impressive, but they may be afriad of him getting a score they didn’t anticipate. but if junhwan skates well in the future, the judges would be able to trust him more.

junhwan’s standing at a 8 point barrier. when he’s capable of producing 8 points, he’ll move on to 9 points. we must take our time. it will happen someday. we just have to wait with patience.”

— does junhwan have any weaknesses?

“not really. if i had to pick one, it would be ‘responsibility.’ when he was young, he couldn’t lead his daily trainings. he was used to doing what others asked him to do, and maybe used to thinking what others wanted him to think.

but now, he has his own opinion and his own voice. i want to teach him to express his opinions to me. if he doesn’t like the music, choreo, or element, i hope he speaks up. i think he has grown enough to voice his own opinion.

he was able to grow into the young man he is due to the olympics, and he’s ready to take responsibility for his own decisions. Junhwan is ready to go for the next step.”

— does junhwan feel pressured to do quads?

“junhwan is capable of doing quads and he already landed the quad toeloop. but i don’t want him to jump quads too quickly. i don’t want him to get hurt. i saw too many skaters who got injured because they were overdoing quads.

the important thing is whether they are able to land quads combined with other elements. quads themselves are important, but it’s more important whether a skater can land a quad toeloop after a triple axel. that would be true art and something that you rarely see.

personally, i don’t want to get caught up on quads.

you wouldn’t want to forget the essence of figure skating just for quads. if skaters don’t get points for skating skills, transitions, choreography, speed, and power, we can only resort to quads. it would be very sad if that happens.”

— junhwan’s next goal?

“preparing for the grand prix season. i hope he gets taken as a serious competitor and i also hope he medals. he’s ready for that. i hope his growth spurt ends so he can finally adapt to his body. he’ll be able to practice quads once he maintains his balance and axis.”

— yuzu had a three month gap due to his injury. how did he spend it?

“yuzu was in Toronto the entire time. It was very gloomy at first. I was sad to see him on crutches because i knew how much he wanted to train.

Instead of training, he imagined training in his head and practiced on land. He was very serious about it.

the turning point came three weeks before the olympics. a road seemed to open up. he started training from then, and had to do all the elements we planned. so i gave him confidence and planned a strategy. and he did it.

it’s a miracle that he produced these results. i never underestimated him, but it felt like he was a ‘superpower’ from a different planet. i’m not surprised that he produced these results. i’m just happy since i know what he went through to get them.”

— some criticized yuzu for reusing his 15/16 season program. what do you think about this?

“i think it was a wise decision to display the program again after time had passed, since it’s a very special program. isn’t it something you would see at the olympics? i think doing the program two years ago was too early for the olympic-worthy program.

the same goes for the short program. it’s beautiful and exquisite, and you never get tired of watching it.”

— was it yuzu’s choice?

“it was 100% his decision, and i supported him. he made the choice with responsibility. he always has good ideas. i think the press talked a lot about his decision. but a lot of people wanted to see this program. the judges especially liked it.

when yuzu broke his world record with this program, some judges remarked that ‘it was the best moment of my life to be able to watch and judge this wonderful and magical performance.

the judges who weren’t able to watch that competition live was able to watch it during the olympics, so i think it was a good decision.”

— how many skaters do you coach at the moment?

“except for the skaters that competed at the olympics, i have 4-5 more that i work with on a regular basis. i don’t know what yuzu’s decision is going to be, but i know javi is going to retire after the olympics.”

— what’s your secret in finding young skaters?

“luckily, they tend to come to me. there’s something that’s more important than teaching skaters. it’s spending time with them in order to learn more about them.

when i train with top skaters such as junhwan, javi, yuzu, and gabby, i spend time with each of them. i couldn’t do the same if i had twelve students. that’s why i choose skaters selectively and limit their numbers.

i’m not the right coach for a skater that needs a quick fix. it takes about a year and a half to see results with my teaching. it takes about a year and a half to establish basic foundations of skating and to see change.

i’m planning to take in one or two new students when the olympics is over. these students, as my current ones have done, should be able to accept that progress takes time.

it’s like learning piano. learning theory and practicing scales all day is very boring. but you need to set the foundation. you can produce a richer and fancier sound with a good foundation. the same goes for skating.”

— any traits you look for in a young skater?

“they have to love figure skating. i want to see them fly on the ice. i want to see them show off their beautiful skills when they’re practicing edges with the other skaters. most of all, they truly have to love skating.”

— any young skaters you’re interested in?

“i’m coaching a young but skilled skater. he’s debuting as a junior this year and i’m planning to prep him for beijing 2022. He’s Canadian Stephen Gogolev. he turned 13 two months ago, but he can land all the quads. he landed a triple lutz at the age of 10. although we did coach him, God himself gifted him with the skills. He is a beautiful skater, and was born to rotate and jump. but since he is still growing, there are obstacles that we’ve yet to overcome.

i’m also watching junhwan. i’m not sure whether Gogolev, who’s 3 years younger than him, would jump better quads, but in terms of flow and maturity, junhwan is much better. beijing would be a battle between the two [junhwan and Gogolev]. they may become rivals, but it would be interesting to watch.”

— did Yuna love skating?

“when i first started coaching her, it seemed as if she didn’t really love skating. it felt like a challenge at first. but after the year and a half of training, she established the basics, and Yuna came to love skating. it seemed like she started loving training because she became better at skating. during training, Yuna seemed to realize her jumping skills and beautiful movements that she didn’t notice before.

yuna’s delicate movements were breathtakingly beautiful. it was enjoyable watching her grow up to a great skater.”

— how did you feel when Yuna announced her retirement?

“we separated on a sour note, and to this day, it still feels confusing to me. but i had to move on and continue with my work. after the separation, we met a couple times and we treated each other with great kindness.

i know that Yuna is proud of my accomplishments as a coach. when we met at Sochi, she congratulated both Yuzu and Javi on their performances. In my opinion, I think she is proud that I’ve produced great results with other skaters. So i hope to meet Yuna here, at pyeongchang.

we’ve been together for a long time. we had our good moments and the bad ones, but we were always together. I was sad when she retired. Everyone loves it when Yuna takes to the ice.”

— did you get to meet Yuna at PyeongChang?

“not yet. it’s a bit hard to approach her since she’s so famous. Yuna’s busy with her olympic schedule, and I’m busy with mine. Maybe we’ll meet at the ladies free skate. i hope we get to say hello at least.”

— what do you think about diversity in the olympics?

“it’s a world stage to spread great messages. Adam Rippon is spreading his message with positivity and helping out teens that are going through hard times. this kind of education is appropriate for the olympics. the olympics is the perfect stage to promote diversity since everyone is watching and listening.

somewhere in a small village, a young child would gain confidence watching the olympics instead of falling into depression or thinking that there’s something wrong with them.

there’s also a pride house in the Canada house. I’m proud as a Canadian. they had one at the last olympics, but the one at pyeongchang seems more visible.

it takes time for people to understand diversity. some may never understand. but that’s okay. everyone is entitled to their opinions, and they have different thoughts, religions, and teachings. people should be a bit more sensitive towards each others different traditions and cultures.

— Korea is developing into a society that embraces diversity. what do you think?

“I visited Korea for the first time in 1988, exactly 30 years ago. Ever since i visited Korea as I started teaching Yuna, I could feel change in the role of women in this society.

women began to gain convidence and a voice. I think Yuna had a lot to do with it, since many women look up to her. The world isn’t just for men. The world has changed.”

— what is orser’s next goal?

“i need a break. the past few years of my life was dedicated to the olympics. i couldn’t do a lot of things because of it. my partner waited for me and understood that my world revolved around the olympics.

i was often awake due to the time difference between Toronto to Korea and Japan. In the past year before the olympics, I only took a break once, for a week. And during that week, I kept checking my emails when my partner wasn’t looking.

I also had some health issues. my partner was so concerned. i think it’s because of stress. stress causes all kinds of diseases, doesn’t it. so i need a break. Worlds are coming up. I think i’ll take a week off after then.”

original article found here: http://www.huffingtonpost.kr/entry/brian-orser_kr_5a8fd6bbe4b01e9e56ba48cb?utm_id=naver

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 11/25/20

SEAN: Happy Thanksgiving! Please be safe when you celebrate it!

Cross Infinite World gives us the 2nd volume of Another World’s Zombie Apocalypse Is Not My Problem!, which surprises me, as I thought it was a standalone. Though perhaps it surprises me less because it was on last month’s list – it got bumped.

Dark Horse Comics has two deluxe volumes – Vol. 6 of Berserk and Vol. 2 of Hellsing.

ASH: I plan on getting my hands on that deluxe Berserk volume.

SEAN: Ghost Ship has a trio of titles, as we see Fire in His Fingertips 2, World’s End Harem 9, and Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs 11.

ASH: Fire in His Fingertips is definitely one of the spiciest josei manga being released in print right now.

SEAN: J-Novel Club debuts The Bloodline, their first attempt at pulling a Cross Infinite World and licensing direct from the author – this isn’t out from a Japanese publisher yet. The plot sounds a lot like Our Last Crusade, but with vampires.

There’s also a pile of other titles. By the Grace of the Gods 5, Cooking with Wild Game 10, Demon Lord, Retry! 5, Full Metal Panic! 9, The Greatest Magicmaster’s Retirement Plan 7, the 11th and final volume of Kokoro Connect, My Instant Death Ability is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me! 2, and My Next Life As a Villainess 8.

No print debuts for Kodansha, but some new volumes. We see I’m Standing on a Million Lives 8, Noragami: Stray God 22, Sayonara Football 2 (the final volume, though also see Farewell My Dear Cramer), The Quintessential Quintuplets 11, The Witch and the Beast 2, and Yuzu the Pet Vet 4.

MICHELLE: Man, I’m already so far behind on Yuzu the Pet Vet.

ASH: Likewise!

SEAN: SEAN: Digitally there is a debut. Am I Actually the Strongest? (Jitsu wa Ore, Saikyou Deshita?) is a reincarnation isekai that runs in Suiyoubi no Sirius. A reincarnated kid is abandoned for being weak. But is he? Is he really? No word on whether the author’s high school bullies play the villains here, but it’s possible! That is typical of the genre.

There’s also Cells at Work: Baby 2, Farewell My Dear Cramer 12, Maid in Honey 3, My Best () Butler 3, Orient 8, Shaman King: Red Crimson 4 (the final volume), The Slime Diaries 4, and When We’re in Love 2.

Seven Seas has a massive amount of stuff. Let’s start with the debuts. Days of Love at Seagull Villa (Umineko Sou Days) is a Comic Yuri Hime title about a spurned fiancee who runs away, and the single mom who runs the housing complex she runs to. No relation to Umineko: When They Cry. Probably. It’s from the creator of I Married My Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up.

MICHELLE: This looks really good!

ASH: It does! I’m looking forward to giving it a try.

MELINDA: Could be interesting.

SEAN: Kageki Shojo!! The Curtain Rises is a one-omnibus shoujo manga that originally ran in a not-shoujo venue, Shueisha’s Jump Kai!. It’s about the lives of two Takarazuka girls. There is a sequel, as yet unlicensed, still running in Japan, this time in Hakusensha’s Melody.

MICHELLE: This looks really good, too!

ASH: Yes, it really does! In fact, it’s probably one of the releases that I’ve been most looking forward to this year.

ANNA: I’m intrigued by this for sure.

MELINDA: Same here!

SEAN: Two light novels we’ve seen digitally already also make print debuts: The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent and The Sorcerer King of Destruction and the Golem of the Barbarian Queen. We also get the 2nd volume of each of those series digitally.

Also due out next week: Adachi and Shimamura 3 (print) and 4 (digital), Citrus+ 2, D-Frag! 14, Dungeon Builder: The Demon King’s Labyrinth is a Modern City! 3, Gal Gohan 5, GIGANT 3, Harukana Receive 6, High-Rise Invasion 15-16, Magical Girl Site 13, My Senpai is Annoying 3, Neon Genesis Evangelion ANIMA 4, PENGUINDRUM 3 (manga version), Scarlet 2 (the final volume), and Species Domain 8. A large number of these have been out digitally for a while.

Tokyopop has the 7th volume of Futaribeya: A Room for Two.

Vertical has the 14th volume of Witchcraft Works. They also have the digital debut of the final volume of Katanagatari.

Yen On only has three volumes, but one is a doozy. The Intuition of Haruhi Suzumiya is the 11th volume in the light novel series, coming out digital-only (for now, print will follow) in North America at about the same time it’s out in Japan. The last volume in the series came out in English almost 7 years ago to the day. It’s been a while. Now, this is merely three short stories, but hey, it’s nice to see Haruhi back again – rumors of the author’s crippling writer’s block were worrying.

ASH: It has been some time! I never got around to reading them all, but I did enjoy the Haruhi novels that I made time for.

SEAN: They’ve also got The Asterisk War 14 and Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online 7.

On the Yen Press side, no debuts, but we get Breasts Are My Favorite Thing in the World! 2, Bungo Stray Dogs 16, Is It Wrong to Try To {Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon: Sword Oratoria 13 (manga version), Overlord the Undead King-Oh! 5, and Teasing Master Takagi-san 10.

Give thanks for manga! And again, stay safe. Masks, please.

By: Sean Gaffney

[shoma-uno]

Shoma’s Quadruple 2017+Plus Interview

Interview conducted in January 2017, published in Quadruple 2017+Plus magazine in February 2017. Please do not repost this translation without permission.

“A 19 Year-Old’s Ideal and Pride”

A new era of men’s singles skating has arrived—the competition heats to astronomical levels as the amount and type of quadruple jumps swells. Uno Shoma has not changed his stance on wanting to be competitive in artistry—continuing to devote himself fully in that area. With his perseverance as a source of strength, this 19 year-old is carving his own path. Working towards his ideal level of skating—this national champion is always giving his all.

Today was the ice show in Kumamoto (Prince Ice World Kumamoto) so how did it feel like to perform in front of an audience that doesn’t seem to have the means to watch figure skating regularly? Shoma: It was a lot of fun to skate for the big audience that came to see us. It would mean a lot if those who watched skating for the first time became skating fans as a result.

There were a lot of audience members here who were affected by the Kumamoto earthquake so were you able to interact with any of them? Shoma: Yes. When we did the meet-and-greet lap around the rink, it meant a lot to hear them say things like “Thanks for coming to Kumamoto” and “I’m so happy. Thank you.”

You have two exhibition programs this season. What kind of themes were considered when creating them? Shoma: “See You Again” was choreographed by Higuchi Mihoko-sensei. This was one of the few songs I recognized—having thought it was a nice song when I first heard it. It’s a nice program, very emotional. The other program is “La vie en rose,” and it was my first program choreographed by someone other than Mihoko-sensei. I was really nervous about it because it was my first time—I learned movements and expressions different from what I’m used to doing.

The choreography was created by Stéphane Lambiel, right? Shoma: Yes. He came to give some footwork lessons, and in that time, we created a new program. He suggested the song; “Let’s give this piece a try,” he said. It’s a lot of fun skating as it’s completely new from my usual routine.

The title of the song means, “rose-tinted life,” and it has this gentle feel to it. Shoma: When I listened to the music for the first time, the piece had a more mature mood from things I’ve done before, that “rose-tinted life” (laughs). The number one area of improvement is using more expressions as I’m emoting. I can’t just do the program and its movements, I have to really, really be more expressive.

What’s the difference in feeling and interpretation in creating these two programs? Shoma: “La vie en rose,” or “rose-tinted life,” is skated with a smile, a joy for life. “See You Again” has a bit of a heartbreaking sadness to it, but there’s also a side of resilience. It’s about wanting to look ahead.

So, I’d like to ask you about the first half of the season. First, on Japanese Nationals, how were the two days of competition like? Shoma: The short program was disappointing with the mistakes so I was really depressed on that day… But, before the free skate, I just refocused myself to just do what I came to do.

To the press after the champion was decided, Higuchi Mihoko-sensei said it was tough ordeal. How did you feel about it? Shoma: I was asked if I got into a good place when I was skating, but that wasn’t really the case. I was particularly on edge in the free, truly. I kept telling myself I need to enjoy it, but I have no idea if I was relaxed or anxious. But, that feeling to somehow persevere has always been there and allows me to overcome a performance beyond just good and bad.

As Hanyu Yuzuru-senshu withdrew from the competition, was there an added pressure as you were the expected favorite to win? Shoma: I didn’t intend to allow the pressure to get to me, but I wasn’t able to move as I normally would. I was trying to figure out why my jumps were off. Yuzu-kun is such an incredible skater—the standard of excellence. There are so many other great skaters in Japan, and I’m so proud and happy I was able to compete against them and come out with the win.

After your free skate performance, tears were streaming down your face. Now that some time has passed, what were the reasons behind those tears when you look back on it? Shoma: Heading into Nationals, I trained relentlessly on combinations so to come out of that short program performance was really frustrating. I told myself to get it when I started my free skate, but I couldn’t do a single combination in the first half and it was a mess. But, I was able to tack on combinations in my final three passes. It was a reminder all that training was worth it, all the training didn’t go to waste—naturally, the tears just burst out.

Seems like you started focusing on combinations when you returned from the (Grand Prix) Final. Shoma: There was just an overwhelming amount of mistakes on my combos this season so I was determined to practice them so as to not have any more mistakes.

I believe it was due to the disappointingly close margins in the Final, but are there other reasons as well? Shoma: I don’t really have regrets about ‘if only I did a combo here or there’ because you can’t really do anything about it even if you have regrets. When I lose by slim margins like that, I feel it’s because I wasn’t good enough. Besides, the regret of not having any combinations is worse, which is why I practiced being able to recover from those situations. But, I don’t remember much of the Final, really. I’ve been really feeling how long this year’s been recently. Like Nationals, it feels like it was months ago—like a really, really long time ago. Having all kinds of experiences have been fulfilling. During the World Championships last season, it felt so weird for it to be called my “senior debut season.” It feels like I’m in my third year, I’ve been at this for so long.

Does it feel different from your junior days? Shoma: I’ve never once felt like this when I was a junior, but I really feel like I’ve been in seniors for a long time. It’s probably all the experience—I’ve grown a lot technically and mentally in the past year. Sometimes I find myself thinking, “Ah, I was like that once,” but when I really think about it, it was only a few months ago (laughs). It happens a lot.

As you prepare for the second half of the season, you joined Coach Ouriashev’s training camp in Chicago again during the New Year’s holiday. Shoma: After Nationals and Medalists on Ice, I went back to Nagoya. I came back [from North America] the day before the Stars on Ice shows. I went directly to the venue from the airport for rehearsals (laughs).

Busy schedule. Did it not feel like New Year’s? Shoma: Yeah, I slept through the new year. Practice was rough.

How is training like in Chicago? Shoma: In one word: jumps. For about 10 days, it was jumps, jumps, and more jumps (laughs). We especially focused on toe loops and loops.

It feels like the quality of your toe loop has vastly improved. Shoma: No, no. Only when I’m landing it—still have a lot to work on. For instance, I have to work to improve its success rate—that itself has been a challenge. Right now, the toe loop is the number one thing I’m working on. I believe it’s more important to improve the consistency of my toe loop than it is to learn a new jump.

When you say, “jumps, jumps, and more jumps,” do you mean you just keep on practicing quads over and over again? Shoma: Yep. Kept on doing them over and over in practice.

How much time is spent on it? Shoma: It doesn’t encompass an entire day’s worth of training, but three hours is spent on just jumps. Back in Japan, practice in its entirety was three hours a day. In addition, there’s an hour of skating/moves-in-the-field practice—that practice is rough (laughs). That hour is really killer.

That’s surprising to hear that the one hour of skating is more difficult than the three hours of jumps. Shoma: I’m terrible at footwork—I’m so bad at holding onto edges. We’re always going hard and pushing the pace so working on the basics gets quite rough physically and mentally.

So are you saying your great skating wasn’t developed by practicing basics but by natural talent? Shoma: It was more like, I just kept on running through my programs to try and develop what I need through the programs. When I’m to do a certain skill, I can’t really do it. My backward crossovers are so bad.

It seems like Gracie Gold was also there training. She was there right before the US Championships so how was her training? Shoma: Not sure if I’m allowed to talk much about it, but she’s a really hard worker. My image of her was a naturally talented skater who didn’t need to practice much. But, in actuality, she’s a really hard worker where no matter how many painful-looking falls she had, she’d still kept on trying it over and over. Seeing that surprised me.

When you returned home for Stars on Ice, you went for six quads and two triple axels [in your free skate performance], which surprised the audience. That was the fruit of your training, wasn’t it? Shoma: I was feeling good that day so I wanted to show a little bit of what I was doing in Chicago. But, if I’m not feeling good then I wouldn’t do it. It’s surprisingly difficult (laughs).

Until now, I couldn’t even fathom going for six quads in a row. Would you say there is another Quad Revolution in the works? Shoma: No, no, no, was a point of error. It’s more difficult to have [quads] dispersed out [between other jumps] than it is to jump them all in a row. Jumping all in a row is a battle of endurance. And in that, the jump I was working the hardest for was the second one, the flip that came after the failed loop. Was able to do it (laughs). Not letting falls drag down the other jumps.

Seeing that, I was reminded of when Boyang Jin said, “My dream is to skate a free skate with only quads and triple axels,” at last season’s (Grand Prix) Final. Shoma: I don’t want to skate a program like that (laughs). In terms of number of quads, my max would be about 4-5.

Would you like to do 4-5 quads in the future? Shoma: No, I don’t. I’m just speaking hypothetically. When it gets to the point where the situation requires me to increase my number of quads, I will, but at the moment, I want to focus on improving my artistry. I would much rather be called an entertainer than I would a jumper. Being an artist who can also do the jumps would be the best, of course. Right now, I’d like to work on my artistry without being caught up in the jumps.

What would you say is your ratio between artistry and jumps? Shoma: Right now, it would be 40% artistry and 60% jumps.

That ratio is the best balance for your programs. Shoma: Truth is, I want it to be 70% artistry and 30% jumps.

With 70-30% as your ideal, would you say the current 40-60% is due to the high difficulty of jumps? Shoma: No, my artistry just isn’t enough yet, that’s the only reason. I have to improve on my artistry. I feel like I don’t have to add much more to the jumps which is why the ratio is the way it is.

Have you heard the news of Nathan Chen landing the quad lutz-triple toe, quad flip, and triple axel in the short program at the US Championships today? Shoma: Nathan has always had the lutz, flip, and axel in his short program since forever so rather than being surprised by it, it just motivates me to develop my consistency even more.

News also came of Boyang Jin landing the quad loop in practice. Shoma: When someone is working on their jumps and tells themselves they can do it, practices it, they’re able to do it. But, the competition is whether or not someone can or cannot do it. The winner is the one who successfully performs it in competition. That’s how I feel.

It appears it will be an intense battle in the second half of the season. Shoma: Generally, you can predict who has a higher chance of winning by the success rate of quads, but that’s also mere probability, and you don’t really know how successful one is in the actual competition. No one knows who’s going to win. That is the reality of sports.

The essence of sports? Shoma: Yes.

Last month, you celebrated a birthday. Does 19 feels different from 18? Shoma: Nothing has changed. I don’t think about age. This year was just a year of growth in terms of skating. My skating path has been my focus so I haven’t thought much about my age.

A 19 year-old describing his “path” is pretty great. Shoma: I’ve never felt unsatisfied with my skating career. Rather, with all the fulfilling experiences, I’ve never once thought this career was a mistake. There isn’t anything I want or anything I want to do aside from skating. I just want to skate now. I just want to get better at skating.

So, if there were 25 hours in a day, would you use that extra hour to train? Shoma: I wonder, my stamina lately is… (laughs). Feels like practicing too much just eats up your energy the next day.  Lately, I feel it’s important to have a reasonably paced training schedule—to hold yourself back even if you feel you have it going, do what you’re supposed to when you’re supposed to, and stop when it’s time to stop. So, I’ll probably use that extra hour to rest up for the next day’s training. But, if there’s one thing I want more of, it’s stamina, not time (laughs).

In the past, you gave off the impression of a “reckless rink rat.” When did you start thinking of stamina and conditioning for the next day? Shoma: Umm. This season… (thinks about it) After Cup of Russia, my condition kept dropping after I trained relentlessly up until the Final. After that, I started thinking about it.

Have you thought about peaking as you head towards Four Continents, Asian Winter Games, and Worlds all one after another? Shoma: Making sure your training peaks at the right time is doable, but I feel it’s more important to be in the right place mentally during the actual competition. Have to make sure I’m in the right place on that end.

Have you changed your stance of aiming to perform like you do in practice? Shoma: No change. There are occasions where you are unable to perform what you trained for in competition and are able to perform what you couldn’t do in practice during competition. It’s not just me, but when the nerves get to you, your energy is more hyped than usual which leads to not being able to do things you can do and being able to do things you are unable to do. But, I would rather be able to do what I trained for in competition than perform what I normally can’t do in practice in competition.

So you would rather come out of it saying, “Just like in practice!” than “I only did it in competition!” Shoma: Yes. I would rather be able to execute what I’m usually capable of rather than something that I usually can’t do.

Please share with us your goals for the second half of the season. Shoma: I had good competitions in the first half of the season, but there were also not-so-great ones. Especially in the short program, there are still lingering regrets. In the second half of the season, I want to have strong short programs and to have an overall good season.

Higuchi Mihoko-sensei said something to work on was the short as it has been more difficult than the free skate. Shoma: She said that, didn’t she (laughs). The short program has developed a bit of a reputation of missing jumps—even in practice, the free skate run-throughs have been cleaner. It is something I will work on.

Finally, please share a message for your fans. Shoma: The first half of the season has ended, and I have yet to give performances everyone deserves to see so I will work to really improve my performance for everyone, earn good results, and end the season with a smile.

[yuzurk]

「  Heartz 1/3 Debut Stage 」 ⇢ Heartz Oct 2k20 Schedule | +5 S ; +3 DB    ⇢ Yuzu behind the scenes of Mnet M!Countdown

“ she wasn’t nervous, no. not at all. absolutely not. ”

theoretically she should be prepared for this. had she been on camera? yes she had. had she performed for a somewhat large audience before? yeah, she had done that too. had she stood on a stage while doing so? also a check.

so why did she feel like her stomach was trying to perform a dry wash in her tummy?

from not sleeping well the night before to her brain constantly going over her lines and the movements she had to execute; yuzu was a nervous mess. as she tried to analyze where her nervousness came from she ultimately came to the conclusion that she just wanted to do well. that, as well as the fact she was a teamplayer now. if she stood out badly it would automatically reflect back upon the others and that was something she couldn’t have.

always the girl who no one ever expected to debut in a group like she had announced she’d try, she knew that many of her viewers had been just as torn about the news as yuzu had been herself. she was still blessed to receive support and bring in a fanbase about the size the other girls had gathered through their own activities. however after her fail at the mgas,yuzu hadn’t expected to make it into this lifestyle so quickly.

all in all, it was a lot to catch up to and her lack of preparation made her feel like she wasn’t fully equipped for this. to yuzu it felt like going into a dungeon quest she was technically under leveled for but wanted to see if she could challenge anyway.

only that yuzu had come to realize that the idol world was less forgiving to fuck ups than the gaming world. as a streamer it was all about making people laugh when she failed. something told her people wouldn’t find it so funny if she screwed up on stage here.

so getting ready to go up, her microphone secured, make up fixed, hair done and outfit in place, she couldn’t help but send one last tiny prayer to whatever god was up there to not let her slip or blank out. 

‘just entertain ‘em like ya usually do,’ she thought to herself, exhaling a long breath. she could do this. it was time to show the world that choi yuzu could shine just as bright as heartz’ yena.

[thehungrykat1]

Botejyu Philippines Opens 14th Outlet in Greenbelt 3

Japan's pioneer Okonomiyaki and Okosoba specialty restaurant has just opened its 14th outlet in the country. Botejyu Philippines made its smashing debut in 2016 and has since expanded all over Metro Manila. The Hungry Kat was invited to the grand opening of its newest branch in Greenbelt last May 23, 2019 which also featured some of their new sushi and sashimi items on the menu.

You can find Botejyu at the third level of Greenbelt 3, just beside the cinema entrances. Botejyu was brought to the Philippines by Viva International Food & Restaurants which has also opened other notable franchiese such as Wing Zone, Pepi Cubano, Paper Moon, and more. It was just the first time for me to dine at Botejyu, and I was really impressed with their fine selection of authentic Japanese cuisine. The mouthwatering unagi sushi was really heavenly.

Botejyu was established in 1946 in the gourmet city of Tamade, Osaka by Eikichi Nishino. The restaurant name was coined from the rhythmic cooking sound of okonomiyaki. The first part of the name, "Bote" comes from the flipping sound of the okonomiyaki and the second part of the name, "Jyu", represents the sizzling sound as it cooks on the teppan grill. Botejyu is considered as Japan’s traveling restaurant as it continues to spread its original and traditional Japanese cuisine throughout the world for the past 70 years.

I can’t believe that this is just my first time to visit Botejyu, even though I have seen its numerous branches around the city. I have always wanted to try it, so I finally get my chance today during its grand opening.

The Greenbelt branch of Botejyu is a bit smaller compared to the other branches but it can seat around 40-50 guests. It has a bright and casual ambiance which is well suited for malls and every day dining.

Botejyu aims to promote the spread of local Japanese specialty gourmet food, offering authentic local cuisine from various regions throughout Japan like Osaka, Tokyo, Kagawa, Fukuoka, Hokkaido, and others. They hope to deliver authentic Japanese taste to as many people as possible by aggressively opening branches worldwide. They currently have outlets in Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand and in the Philippines.

Similar to other modern restaurants, Botejyu comes with an open kitchen where you can see your okonomiyaki or teppanyaki being grilled on the spot. What really surprised me was seeing how extensive their menu is. They have almost every Japanese dish you can imagine, from salads, sushi, takoyaki, teppanyaki, ramen, rice bowls, steak, curry, and a whole lot more. I was in a Japanese dreamland!

I started with some of their specialty Japanese drinks which include the Yuzu Honey Sour (P150), a Japanese Fruit Sour drink. Highballs and Shochu are also available. They also have fruit shakes like the Green Mango Shake (P130) and the Osaka Mixed Fruit Juice (P200), a popular local specialty in Osaka combining orange, banana, peach, apple, and pineapple with milk.

A true test of a Japanese restaurant is in its sushi, so I was excited to try their specialties. The Seattle Roll (P315) is one of the new and recommended items from their Sushi and Sashimi menu. It’s the perfect combination of avocado, cream cheese, salmon, lettuce and their original Botejyu mayonnaise.

Another colorful item is the Crispy Fried Prawn Mayo Roll (P320). This has crispy fried prawn wrapped inside a roll with lettuce and original Botejyu mayonnaise. I like the contrasting textures of the soft sushi roll and the crunchy prawn, brought all together with the sweet Japanese mayo.

My favorite sushi that afternoon was the Pressed Unagi Sushi (P995) which comes with this big plate of juicy unagi sushi. This is the biggest serving of unagi I have ever seen and while the price may be a bit high, you are getting your money’s worth with these sweet and delicious eel doused in unagi sauce. This is probably one of the best unagi dishes I have encountered in the metro and I will definitely be back for more of this.

Botejyu also has a lot of fresh sashimi options but it’s better to get the Special Assorted Sashimi 5 Kinds (P695) so you can try them all. This sashimi platter comes with tender slices of salmon, tuna, shrimp, scallops, and crab meat. Everything was fresh and superb. The sashimi platter also comes in 3 Kinds (P425). 

For Botejyu first-timers like me, the All Star Takoyaki (P255) is a good way to experience their six different flavors of takoyaki. The Takoyaki is a Japanese snack made of wheat flour batter with bits of octopus and other spices that originated in Osaka. 

The All Star Takoyaki has these savoury balls served with six different types of sauces including Sauce & Mayo, Tomato Sauce, Umami Sauce & Mayo, Salt Garlic Sauce, Spicy Tartar Sauce, and Thick Spicy Sauce. I prefer the original version simply with sauce and mayo, but the others are also quite interesting.

They also have a few buns like the Fried Chcken Bun (P125) and the Grilled BBQ Pork Bun (P125). These light snacks are also good for those on the go since you can easily take them out. 

Yes, Botejyu also has ramen! The Pork Paitan Ramen (P425) is one of the local specialty paitan ramens from Japan. The secret to this flavorful soup is the thick pork broth cooked with the magical oil. You can also have it with extra charsiu (+P50) if you prefer. 

You can’t go to a Japanese restaurant without having tempura, so the Prawn Tempura Platter (P340) is always a great order to have on the table. It comes with 5 pieces of crispy prawns fried in a special batter.

Botejyu also offers Japanese-Style Grilled Rice Dishes like the Garlic Fried Rice with Bacon and Egg (P195). This extravagant fried rice dish turned out to be the most surprising dish for me with its thick smoked bacon topped with a fried egg. It looks so simple but it really tastes good. It’s the best value-for-money item on the menu in my opinion.

For sweet endings, try any of their unique Japanese Desserts like the Teppan Baked Banana with Vanilla Ice Cream (P130). The banana slices are so soft and sweet, plus the Vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup gives it another level of happiness. 

The Honey Toast with Brown Sugar and Creamy Kinako Syrup (P250) is a specialty of the house. It comes with a crispy toast topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and drizzled with sweet brown sugar syrup and a creamy soy bean powder.

You can also try their Japanese Parfaits like the Warabimochi with Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae (P150) which comes with crispy flakes and cream topping. The warabimochi is a chewy, jelly-like mochi which was created 120 years ago and made from authentic bracken powder. This gives Japanese diners a taste of nostalgia every time they have it.

I would like to thank Ms. Laine Vallar for hosting our small KTG group at Botejyu Greenbelt’s grand opening. Now that I know what I have been missing, I will definitely visit Botejyu again really soon to try the other sumptuous items on the menu. Congratulations to Viva International Food and more branches to come!

Botejyu Philippines

Level 3, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City

https://botejyu.com.ph

https://www.facebook.com/Botejyuph

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 7/29/20

SEAN: July is coming to an end, and there’s still a few things for you.

J-Novel Club has the 3rd Bibliophile Princess novel, Cooking with Wild Game 8, and a 4th manga for How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom.

No debuts for Kodansha next week, and the only print book is Yuzu the Pet Vet 2.

ASH: The first volume looked cute, but I haven’t actually read it yet.

MICHELLE: Same. I do hope to rectify that soon.

SEAN: Hey, remember all those Kodansha digital books that were on last week’s Manga the Week of? They seem to have gotten bumped to next week, so add them to this list.

Wait, stop the presses! Kodansha is, in fact, releasing all 35 volumes of Shaman King – including the never-before-in-English ending – digitally. This is a Weekly Shonen Jump series from back in the day, with Kodansha now holding the rights. I assume it will have a new translation. It’s a cult classic.

ASH: Wow, that’s impressive!

SEAN: Besides that, digitally there’s a whole lot (note: this is based on the dates on Kodansha’s website). Altair: A Record of Battles 20, Boarding School Juliet 16 (a final volume), DAYS 19, Farewell My Dear Cramer 11, I Fell in Love After School 6, I Want to Hold Aono-kun So Badly I Could Die 6, Kakafukaka 10, Kiss Me at the Stroke of Midnight 11 (print later), Magus of the Library 4 (print later), Real Account 12-14 (print later), Saint Young Men 7, UQ Holder 20 (print later), Watari-kun’s ****** Is about to Collapse 8, When We Shout for Love 2, and Yuzu the Pet Vet 3 (print later).

(Yes, some of the digital titles like Boarding School Juliet and Saint Young Men are also getting print later, but here I mean “COVID-delayed print edition”.)

ASH: In general, I’ll be waiting for the print edition, even if I have to wait longer considering the circumstances.

MICHELLE: I’ll be reading several of these, most especially the soccer pair.

SEAN: Seven Seas’ debut is Kingdom of Z, a zombie apocalypse romantic comedy that looks to be for fans of High School of the Dead. It runs in Kodansha’s Comic Days.

Seven Seas also gives us BL Metamorphosis 2 (yay!), High Rise Invasion 13-14, King of Fighters: A New Beginning 3, Little Devils 4 (the final volume), Magic User: Reborn in Another World as a Max Level Wizard 2 (print version), Mushoku Tensei 6 (print edition), and My Room Is a Dungeon Rest Stop 3 (digital edition).

ASH: Even though this is only the second volume, BL Metamorphosis is already one of my favorite series being released right now.

MICHELLE: I never got around to reading volume one so this is another one where I’m hoping to get caught up by volume two.

MELINDA: I’ve been slow to pick up volume one, but I need to get on that!

SEAN: Tentai Books has a light novel debut, Welcome to the Diner of the Exiled! (Tsuihousha Shokudou e Youkoso!). Guy betrayed by everyone meets girl betrayed by everyone. Together, they do not fight crime. They open a diner. I smell a slow life title.

Vertical has, digitally, a 14th Witchcraft Works.

Finally, Yen On has Kingdom Hearts III: the Novel 2. Which hopefully is not as confusing as its title.

Short list, mostly because it was mostly two publishers. What interests you?

By: Sean Gaffney

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 6/3/20

SEAN: June is busting out all over, and while the schedule is not back to normal yet, it’s better than May was.

ASH: Huzzah!

SEAN: First, an apology to a new publisher, Tentai Books, who have their first release out this week and I missed it. They’re publishing in both Spanish and English, and their debut is a light novel, There’s No Way a Side Character Like Me Could Be Popular, Right?. Seems to be targeting the Oregairu/Tomozaki crowd.

As for next week, Ghost Ship has a 9th Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs.

J-Novel Club has a lot. In print, we get the debut volume of Sexiled: My Sexist Party Leader Kicked Me Out, So I Teamed Up With a Mythical Sorceress!, which I recommend to absolutely everyone.

ASH: Now that it’s finally in print, I’ll definitely be picking this one up. I’ve heard great things about it from all sorts of people.

ANNA: I’m curious about it too!

SEAN: Also in print: Ascendance of a Bookworm 5, How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord 10, and In Another World with My Smartphone 10.

Digitally, there’s also Altina the Sword Princess 4, a 3rd By the Grace of the Gods, Can Someone Please Explain What’s Going On? 2, Kokoro Connect 9, the 3rd Marginal Operation manga, The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar 11, and a 6th Record of Wortenia War.

Kodansha has a lot, most of which I’ve mentioned before because the schedule shifted. The print and digital debut is Rent-A-Girlfriend (Kanojo, Okarishimasu), a Weekly Shonen Magazine manga by an artist best known for the long-running and unlicensed AKB49: The Rules Against Love. A desperate guy, as the title suggests, rents a girlfriend, who seems perfect… at first. This is getting an anime this summer, and Kodansha describes it as “sweet, naive boy meets cute, ruthless girl”.

Debuting digitally is Stellar Witch LIP☆S (MajoKaitou LIP☆S), a shoujo series from Nakayoshi. A girl who desperately wants to see an idol group turns to a witch to help her. Hijinks ensue.

MICHELLE: I can’t confidently claim Stellar Witch is going to be any better than Rent-A-Girlfriend, but it’s certainly more my speed.

ANNA: This sounds fun, but I am utterly incapable of keeping up with these digital releases.

MELINDA: Yes, with so many, I find I need to REALLY want to read something for it to stand out from the crowd.

SEAN: No other print stuff, but in digital-first print books we have (be prepared for titles you’ve heard here before…) Cells At Work: Code BLACK 5, Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest 4, Granblue Fantasy 5, Knight of the Ice 2, LDK 15, Maga-Tsuki 11-13 (a final volume 3-in-one omnibus two years after a 2-in-one omnibus, YIKES), The Seven Deadly Sins 38, Something’s Wrong with Us 2, and Yuzu the Pet Vet 2.

In digital-only we get A Condition Called Love 4, Chihayafuru 20, Smile Down the Runway 10, and To Be Next to You 6.

MICHELLE: I’ve been catching up on A Condition Called Love and enjoying it. And, of course, I always rejoice for more Chihayafuru.

ANNA: Chihayafuru is the one digital release that I am confident I will get caught up on…one day.

SEAN: Seven Seas has, in early digital release, Love Me for Who I Am (Fukakai na Boku no Subete o), aka Fukaboku. This LGBT manga from GOT Corporation’s Comic MeDu is about a nonbinary protagonist and the nontraditional maid cafe they’re introduced to.

MICHELLE: I’ll definitely be checking this one out.

ASH: Same!

ANNA: Sounds good!

MELINDA: To illustrate my above point, I’m SO here for this. I will seek it out.

SEAN: Also out early digitally: A Centaur’s Life 18 and Skeleton Knight in Another World light novel 6.

In print, Seven Seas has quite a bit. Debuting is The Invincible Shovel, a light novel that I found hilarious when I reviewed the early digital copy. And we also see Sarazanmai: Reo and Mabu, the manga prequel to the upcoming light novels based on the anime.

ASH: I really need to catch up on Sarazanmai in general.

SEAN: Also out in print: Dungeon Builder: The Demon King’s Labyrinth is a Modern City! 2, How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift? 3, Magical Girl Site 12, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid 9, and Saint Seiya: Saintia Sho 10.

Viz has two debuts. The first is SPY x FAMILY, a series that should need no introduction but I’m going to anyway. In an unnamed vaguely Eastern European country, a spy needs to have a wife and child to complete his next assignment. A woman who moonlights as an assassin needs a husband so that she isn’t suspicious. And a young girl with esper powers just wants to get away from being experimented on. Together, they are the best found family ever. Oh yes, and except for the girl (who can read minds), they don’t know each other’s profession. A magical series, I want the world to read it. Hilarious and heartwarming.

MICHELLE: So excite.

ASH: Really looking forward to this release!

ANNA: Me too!!!

MELINDA: This sounds great!

SEAN: The other debut is, of course, My Villain Academia, which replaces the seemingly popular My Hero Academia. Not sure why, maybe its sales were slipping? In any case, this volume focuses on our villain heroes, Shigaraki, Twice, and Himiko Toga. It promises to be DARK as hell. (Also, it is possibly it’s really My Hero Academia 24.)

MICHELLE: Heh. This arc solidified Twice as my favorite amongst the villains.

SEAN: In Shonen Jump news, we get Black Clover 21, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 13, Dragon Ball Super 9, Food Wars 36 (mercifully the final volume… anyone noticed an annoying trend for popular long-running Jump series to leap off of cliffs into piles of crap lately?), Jujutsu Kaisen 4, My Hero Academia Vigilantes 7, The Promised Neverland 15, We Never Learn 10, and Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V 7.

MICHELLE: Oh, I had no idea that was the final volume of Food Wars! I reckon since I have read through volume 30 I might as well finish it, pile of crap or no. Also, I’m looking forward to the next Vigilantes volume, as I believe it has more of Aizawa’s past in it.

SEAN: As for Shojo Beat, no debuts, but we get Ao Haru Ride 11, Natsume’s Book of Friends 24, Queen’s Quality 9, and Yona of the Dawn 24. Natsume’s Book of Friends is always near the top of my pile when it comes out, though it may have to wait for me to read Yona.

MICHELLE: I love both dearly, but because Natsume comes out less regularly, I think it’s got the edge for me.

ASH: Natsume and Yona both have my heart, too. Though, I’ve also been enjoying Queen’s Quality.

MICHELLE: I really need to read it. I did enjoy QQ Sweeper.

ANNA: Nice week of many great series coming out!

MELINDA: Queen’s Quality! Hurray!

SEAN: What are you getting next week? (Please get SPY x FAMILY.)

By: Sean Gaffney

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 5/27/20

SEAN: It’s the end of May, and the schedule is still not back to normal, but we soldier on regardless.

ASH: Bring on the manga!

SEAN: Ghost Ship has Parallel Paradise 2 (digitally) and Yokai Girls 10 (in print).

I’m starting to give up on predicting when Kodansha’s “digital early” releases of their print books will come out. Theoretically we’ll see Cells At Work: Code BLACK 5 and Yuzu the Pet Vet 2.

That said, actually coming out in print are the first two volumes of Wave, Listen to Me!. Now with a polarizing anime!

MICHELLE: Yay!

ANNA: I want to check this out.

ASH: I’m thrilled this is being released in print!

MELINDA: Definitely ready to give this a look!

SEAN: Digital-only volumes are out for Altair: A Record of Battles 18, DAYS 18, I Fell in Love After School 4, and Watari-kun’s ****** Is about to Collapse 6.

MICHELLE: I’ve enjoyed I Fell in Love After School thus far. And of course I am here for DAYS.

SEAN: One Peace has the 2nd volume of The New Gate.

Seven Seas have three debuts, all digital-first. Makeup is Not (Just) Magic: A Manga Guide to Cosmetics and Skin Care (Make wa Tada no Mahou Janai no Beginners) is actually a josei title from Kiss, and sounds like one of those “The Manga Guide To Quantum Mechanics” style books. A young woman learns about makeup through her glamorous friend. It’s done in one, though there is an (unlicensed) sequel that came out this year in Japan.

ANNA: I am intrigued by skin care manga.

ASH: I’ll admit, I am, too.

SEAN: My Senpai Is Annoying (Senpai ga Urusai Kouhai no Hanashi) is a comedic romance that runs on Ichijinsha’s Comic Pool site. It’s the same magazine that has Wotakoi. Let’s hope it is as good as Wotakoi: the premise of “huge guy with his tiny office coworker who looks like a child” starts with a strike against it. (He’s the annoying one.)

ASH: Hmmm…

SEAN: And the first PENGUINDRUM light novel is out digitally. Yes, I know I said it was back in March. It got bumped.

ASH: Will be waiting for this one to be released in print, personally.

SEAN: Also out (digitally) are Adachi and Shimamura’s 2nd light novel, A Certain Scientific Railgun 15, and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid 9.

Vertical has a 4th Bakemonogatari manga out digitally, which should start the Suruga Monkey arc.

And now Yen Press, who nostalgically are releasing everything on the same week. This month is smaller than usual for them, though. And these ARE print (and mostly digital too).

ASH: Ah, remember the days?

SEAN: Yen On debuts – finally, it was originally scheduled for August 2019 – A Mysterious Job Called Oda Nobunaga. From the creator of I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and You Call That Service?, this light novel seeks to answer the question “do casuals know enough about the Sengoku Period to know what this is talking about?”. It helps that the fantasy world this kid lives in doesn’t know either – when he gets “Oda Nobunaga” as his chosen calling, no one has any clue what it is. This could be a disaster, but it’s only 3 volumes long, so…

Also out from Yen On is The Alchemist Who Survived Now Dreams of a Quiet City Life 3, The Asterisk War 13, Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody 11, Strike the Blood 15, and Suppose a Kid From the Last Dungeon Boonies Moved to a Starter Town 2.

Yen Press has no new debuts, but they are putting out the first Collector’s Edition of Nightschool, the OEL series from Svetlana Chmakova.

MICHELLE: I had this idea that Chmakova was going to continue Nightschool at some point, but that doesn’t seem to have happened. Perhaps this rerelease is to remind people about the series and gauge interest? I certainly would read more!

ASH: It’s been a while, but I do recall liking Nightschook.

MELINDA: I would read more Nightschool!

SEAN: Hey, remember when I said that The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi-chan 11 was the final volume? Back in 2017? Possibly as it had the word ‘FINAL’ on its cover? Guess what, folks, the real final volume is out next week. You can tell it’s really finally final as they’re running away while waving to the reader on the cover.

ASH: Ha!

MELINDA: Huh.

SEAN: We also get Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody 9 (manga version), Happy Sugar Life 5, IM: Great Priest Imhotep 3, I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years 2 (manga version), Kakugurui Twin 6, Karneval 10, the 6th and final volume of Nyankees, Overlord’s 12th manga volume, Trinity Seven 20, and the 2nd Woof Woof Story manga volume.

What manga are you reading instead of going to a parade?

By: Sean Gaffney