#jnats

Men - My Predicted Top 6 (in no particular order)

Kao Miura—He's had a lot of ups and downs this season, and he's also been dealing with his leg injury. If he puts everything together, he could finally make the podium here and make the World's team again. He is my fav so I really hope he does well here. #FuecocoTrioForever.

Kazuki Tomono - He's had a little trouble with consistency with his quads, but I really like his programs and he has good performance skills. I do think Kao, Shun, Sota, and Yuma will be fighting for the podium spots. Kazuki and Koshiro will be rounding out the top 6.

Koshiro Shimada - He's had a little trouble with the 3A this season and he's been stepping out of his combo, but he is a skilled performer and made a pretty big improvement from his first grind prix to his second.

Shun Sato - I'm still so happy that he made the podium at the Grand Prix Final. If he does well here I think it's pretty safe to say that he will finally make the World's team. He's been pretty solid all season except for the 4F in the free, so I'm nervous to see if he'll be able to put it down. #FuecocoTrioForever.

Sota Yamamoto - I really do think it's going to be a battle between him and Kao to see who will get bronze and who will get 4th in this competition. Last year Sota got 3rd but Kao got the World's spot because he went to the GPF, but this year neither of them went so we'll see what happens. I love both Sota and Kao so I am a little conflicted.

Yuma Kagiyama - He is truly the one to beat here. I just hope his 4S will be okay because it is such a good jump for him and I was surprised he made mistakes on it in both the short and free at the GPF. I hope we see a performance very similar to what we saw at the NHK Trophy. #FuecocoTrioForver.

Women - My Predicted Top 6 (in no particular order)

Hana Yoshida - The competition between the Japanese women is so tight I honestly don’t know what’s going to happen. Hana has been pretty consistent this season and has been putting the 3A in the free with various degrees of success. Both of her programs are a bit weird but she does weird well and she’s super cute.

Kaori Sakamoto - Didn’t have the skate she wanted at the GPF, mainly due to the fall on her combo in the short. I hope she doesn’t backload the combo again it makes me so nervous. If she pulls out two solid routines I have no doubt she’ll make it to the top of the podium.

Mao Shimada - I love seeing her compete against the seniors because it demonstrates just how strong she is. She had a couple of mistakes on her bigger elements at the GPF but her showmanship is great. Defying Gravity was such a great program choice and I think it fits her so well and so looks so happy when she performs it.

Mone Chiba - OUR HIGHEST RANKED JAPANESE WOMAN AT THE GPF!!! She has been so solid on all of her jumps this season. Would love to see her bring out her personality just a smidge more. Her skating skills are excellent and I’m already looking forward to seeing her spiral in the free program because it is gorgeous. I think her and Kaori are the closest to being locked in for the World’s team.

Rinka Watanabe - I like her programs this season so much better than her programs last season. Had a great showing at Skate America but the free program at the Cup of China betrayed her which was so sad because she landed her 3A. I love her so much and I just hope she has a good competition.

Wakaba Higuchi - I need Wakaba to get on this podium because I need her to be on the World’s team. I hope she learned her lesson from the GPF and doesn’t backload the combo in the short because it isn’t worth it. I hope she fully rotates her 3Lz3T again!

Pairs - My Predicted Top 3 (in no particular order)

Riku Miura / Ryuichi Kihara - They’re obviously winning this thing so I want to see a stellar performance since the pressure is low.

Sae Shimizu / Lucas Tsuyoshi Honda - I haven’t seen them skate this season but I looked at their stats and they’ve scored better than Yuzuki and Tristin so yeah.

Yuna Nagaoka / Sumitada Moriguchi - I actually really liked this team and was happy to see them get a second assignment after their performance at the NHK. I really like their short program and the free was nice too. They really struggled with the short at Finlandia so hopefully they can put down two clean programs.

Ice Dance - My Predicted Top 3 (in no particular order)

Ayano Sasaki / Yoshimitsu Ikeda - I also have not seen them compete this season but based on stats I think they’re gonna land ahead of Kuneshita and Alec.

Azusa Tanaka / Shingo Nishiyama - They were a bit slow at NHK but they served face so it’s okay. Not a big of their free program because Fur Elise is such a slow song and they were skating so slow so the whole thing was very slow idk.

Utana Yoshida / Masaya Morita - I think they’re the favs to win here since they scored higher than Azusa and Shingo at NHK. They had good edge quality and they were acting their faces off. I really liked their Romeo and Juliet free program.

Similar to the Yuzuru Hanyu's GP Series Through the Years, I compiled these links* of Yuzu's All-Japan Championships - all 11 of his senior competitions.

6x National Champion

☆ 2008

(Bolero / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini)

☆ 2009

(Mission Impossible / Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini)

☆ 2010

(White Legend / Zigeunerweisen)

☆ 2011🥉

(Étude / Romeo + Juliet)

☆ 2012🥇

(Parisienne Walkways / Notre-Dame de Paris)

☆ 2013🥇

(Parisienne Walkways / Romeo and Juliet)

☆ 2014🥇

(Ballade No. 1 / The Phantom of the Opera)

☆ 2015🥇

(Ballade No. 1 / SEIMEI)

☆ 2019🥈

(Otonal + K&C / Origin + K&C)

☆ 2020🥇

(Let Me Entertain You / Ten to Chi to)

☆ 2021 🥇

(Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso / Ten to Chi to)