nevermind

IF people acknowledge it, they play the necessity card– there weren’t any women out on the range, so they had to “resort to men.” this claim completely erases 1) the romantic (not just sexual) writings of actual cowboys, 2) the acknowledgement of cowboys’ potential homosexual activity by writers at the time, and 3) the possibility that some men would deliberately become cowboys with the intent to seek out homosexual encounters.

An exclusive interview from Kiss&Cry (TOKYO NEWS MOOK #639). On SEIMEI, goals, and shortcoming.

What else can I say? I remember the title of another piece, “Confidence without Conceit.” That describes Hanyu perfectly, and I think we’re in for a feast this season. - gladi

Translated by gladi. Please do not repost without permission. Images belong to Kiss & Cry (Tokyo News Mook) - ideally don’t cut out credits from the pictures :)

Text by Satoko Sawada. Photography by Nobuaki Tanaki (SHUTTERZ)

(Introduction skipped––same old, same old)

I would like to show a “Japanese Yuzuru Hanyu”

SEIMEI uses music from Onmyoji, a movie set in the Heian period. Last season’s free skate, Hope & Legacy, was also said to have been chosen due to [Hanyu’s] desire to “go wa style” (t/n - Wa is Japan, Japanese-style. But also harmony, peace, soften). Why is Hanyu insistent upon “programs of wa”?

“Well first, number one is the great feedback when I tried SEIMEI. Before I did SEIMEI, I didn’t have the sense that ‘wa’ would absolutely be a good fit for me. But when I did SEIMEI, a program that is faithful to ‘wa’, I received excellent evaluations, and for sure, the program also felt good to me. Now, I see ’wa’ as [my] weapon.“

According to Hanyu, he and “programs of wa” are on the same wavelength.

“Of course, there is a somewhat retrospective aspect in ‘evaluations,’ but more than anything, I personally was immensely interested in traditional performance arts. And then, there was also the meeting with Mr. Mansai Nomura. So first, my interest towards “wa”, followed by the feeling that “programs of wa” and I have come to be a good fit.”

All eyes are on the Olympics, so what is he like––the Yuzuru Hanyu he intends to show there?

“Since Ballade No.1, my short program, is classical music and has nothing to do with ‘wa,’ with SEIMEI, I hope to bring out its contrast to that. To add to that, SEIMEI’s protagonist, Abe no Seimei, is a character who existed in reality and is also widely known through movies, et cetera. Not only do I want to be true to that, I would also like to show a ‘Japanese Yuzuru Hanyu’ through my performance.”

(Skipping paragraph on thoughts about SP choice. More details in Kateigaho interview here)

(Photo below: I already see SEIMEI in this, actually.)

I want to show greater depth in both programs