Two new Daisuke's interviews in Japanese news paper.

Hi Everyone! I introduce you Dai-chan's articles appeared in Japanese news paper recently.
They are not full translation. Sorry!!

Yomiuri Shinbun (10/18/2008)

- You are going to enter this season after the parting from Morozov who you have worked with for 3 years.
D: It was hard until I made up my mind. People around me entrusted it to me saying "It's something you have to decide." That was my biggest decision ever. If it came one year later, I would not leave. I made the decision because I still had two more years.
- Is it like "graduation" ?
D: Might be. I was taught really a great deal of things by him.
- You changed your choreographer too.
D: I prepare two FPs. One of them is a kind of a choreograph which I've never done before. It includes some embarassing(?) parts to do. I suppose people think I am a kind of a skater who won't break myself. So it will be important how much I will be able to break out my shell. I want to make people know that I'm capable to do such thing and amaze.
- You finished 4th at World Championships last season.
D: After Tokyo Worlds I kept thinking of next and got tired at the last moment. And I might have let my guard down after I won at 4CC with the highest score ever. I might have felt a little like it was enough.
- This season is the pre-Olympics season.
D: I take this season and the next season as one season and I want to build up a system in order to get a medal carefully and unhurriedly. I want to go through this season pooling my streangth for the next seaon.


Nikkei Shinbun (10/15/2008)

- Are you nervous to leave from Morozov?
D: I want to make it a good chance.
I have Utako Nagamitsu coach who has worked with me for ten years. I prefer a person who puts me first.
He brought out various aspects of me. The way of practice, lifting up motivation and beyond all things he created one style called Daisuke Takahashi and gave me confidence. Hence I have to be a self-disciplined person.
- You intend to do a quad jump in SP.
D: I think it's not Men's figure skating if there are no quad jumps. Quad jumps are dynamic and most difficult technically. I want other male skaters to put them in their programs too. If I fail it, a big deduction will be applied. But I want to challenge it. I want to do it perfectly and win.
- It's about a year till Vancouver Olympics.
D: The result of a competition depends on the will-power for it and the content of practice. When I keep myself stoic all the time, I collapse. So I want to practice varying the pace of it.
At the same time of last year I was determined to win and already full of fighting spirit. So I ran out energy at the end. I'm so composed this season, somewhat worringly. It's important to win at Worlds but I want to keep having space to improve for Olympics and win even if I'm not 100%.


I also read the article in the magazine "Cutting Edge 2009: Men's Figure Skating Team Japan Fan Book".
He seems very calm and organized. He trys to make a slow start in order to forcus on coming World Championships.

GO DAI-CHAN!!

miyu, you did it again!
Thank you for the translations. Those are two lovely & intriguing interviews. I love Daisuke's interviews.

Quote :

The way of practice, lifting up motivation and beyond all things he created one style called Daisuke Takahashi and gave me confidence.

I agree with what is said about motivation and style, I do, though, disagree with the 'he gave me confidence' part. Nikolai (and he's so great) helped Daisuke to develop skills, but no one can give you or take your confidence from you, it's something you're doing yourself, IMHO. Skills do help, but there are other ways to become self-confident.

Quote :

I think it's not Men's figure skating if there are no quad jumps. Quad jumps are dynamic and most difficult technically. I want other male skaters to put them in their programs too.

I myself have quite a different classification of figure skating routines: pretty skating/ less pretty skating/ mediocre skating. Rather than manly /unmanly. I love however that Daisuke adds different new and tough elements to his programs. How can I not?

Thanks miyu! I still want to know what that second long program is. I was very intrigued when he said he was "embarrassed" to perform one of the long programs. It could be Ocean Waves he's referring to and the "secret" long program isn't as out there for him. Also, the quad thing...it's not to the point where it's not men's skating without it but it could be getting there.

miyu wrote:

- You finished 4th at World Championships last season.
D: After Tokyo Worlds I kept thinking of next and got tired at the last moment. And I might have let my guard down after I won at 4CC with the highest score ever. I might have felt a little like it was enough.

Well, this is interesting! Hopefully, he won't "let his guard down" this year!

Thank you so much for translation, miyu!

Every time I read Daisuke talking about his new FP I become more and more curious... What can be these embarassing parts???
BTW, I agree with him when he said that Morozov gave him a style, but know I'm sure Daisuke is ready to create his personal style... Daisuke will be himself and I'm sure we will really see "him" in his programs!
GO DAISUKE!

I'm also sure I will be so nervous watching his SP with the quad!

You are welcome.

hsuhs wrote:

I myself have quite a different classification of figure skating routines: pretty skating/ less pretty skating/ mediocre skating. Rather than manly /unmanly.

Me too.
I suppose Dai-chan thinks of quad so highly because he has grown up through the era of Yagudin - Plushenko and Takeshi Honda who landed 3 quads in a program once was always near him. (Actually Takeshi is still near him as a coach. Good! )

swandie wrote:

I still want to know what that second long program is. I was very intrigued when he said he was "embarrassed" to perform one of the long programs. It could be Ocean Waves he's referring to and the "secret" long program isn't as out there for him.

Me too.
But I have a feeling that he refered to the secret FP when he said "embarassing part". Absolutely "Ocean Waves" would be a difficult program to perform. But is it one which is embrassing to perform? (Of course there might be some super unique choreographs in it, though. )

BTW he hasn't revealed his new EX by Camerlengo neither. Accorging to the magazine "Cutting Edge", he won't skate it in Japan. He said "Perhaps U.S. people like the taste of the music. I like it but feel uncomfortable to do it in Japan."

glorydave wrote:

I'm also sure I will be so nervous watching his SP with the quad!

Me too.
We will see his 4T+3T try just right after he starts performing at CoC where we can see him on the ice next time...

GO DAI-CHAN!!

miyu wrote:

But I have a feeling that he refered to the secret FP when he said "embarassing part". Absolutely "Ocean Waves" would be a difficult program to perform. But is it one which is embrassing to perform? (Of course there might be some super unique choreographs in it, though. )

BTW he hasn't revealed his new EX by Camerlengo neither. Accorging to the magazine "Cutting Edge", he won't skate it in Japan. He said "Perhaps U.S. people like the taste of the music. I like it but feel uncomfortable to do it in Japan."

Wow, NOW I want to see all that embarrassment & discomfort, of course! I'll love it, I promise. Even if Daisuke's skating on his head

But seriously, what can possibly beat this gala number by Evgeny Plushenko?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wmAV11V_As
Many people like it. And Zhenya looks perfectly comfortable in it, too!

And, even more seriously, I find Daisuke an exceptional skater, a rarely talented one, who has a great potential for becoming The One. And I'm glad he's stepped out of his comfort zone and has been trying new things

Thank you so much for the translation, miyu!!
Wow, I'm looking forward to seeing Daisuke's new programs in CoC. Is he going to do quad in SP?? I think it's going to be risky to perform combination jump with quad.