Yuzuru Hanyu Ice Story GIFT at Tokyo Dome (2023) - full transcript
The first-ever solo ice show at Tokyo Dome, "GIFT," is a story that self-portrays Yuzuru Hanyu's life and future on the ice.
Are you happy there?
Do you have a connection with someone?
Is your heart broken?
It's okay.
It's okay.
This story and these programs...
are your friends.
This gift to you...
is your friend.
The first thing I noticed was the world.
I was breathing.
"What was I?"
But I had a name.
There were things I liked.
There were things I loved.
I wanted to become those things I loved.
But there were many things I couldn't do.
However, slowly but surely,
I could do more.
And every time, the world became warmer.
I loved that world.
That's why I wanted to become
warmer and warmer
by learning to do more.
I could do more things.
I loved that the world
was becoming warmer.
That world overflowed with kind words.
"Amazing!"
"Excellent!"
"Good job!"
One day, I found the warmest place
in that world.
It became my dream.
"When will it come true?"
"It will surely come true, eventually."
I heard a voice in my head.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you want it to come true,
don't you?"
"Yes, I want it to come true."
"Then it definitely will.
Because you don't like to fail."
And with those words,
the mysterious voice
in my head disappeared.
I still hadn't noticed the many feelings
and lives of the living things around me.
But I loved nature,
basking in the sunlight
that makes the water sparkle.
Then one day, I noticed something.
Although every day they were always there,
I realized they were suddenly much bigger,
and I felt a little envious of them
for easily growing,
seemingly without putting in much effort.
I was working so hard.
It wasn't fair.
Why couldn't I do better than now?
The grass spoke.
"When I grow, I blossom into a flower!
And then the world becomes warmer."
How nice.
The grass doesn't seem to struggle at all.
It doesn't have to try hard at all.
Even though I'm trying so hard.
"Hey, how can you achieve
your dream so easily?
I want mine to come true, too!"
"It's because of the sun!
It gives me so much energy!"
The sun... That's nice.
I want to be like the sun!
I want to be like the sun,
giving everybody energy
and making the world warmer for everyone!
But why isn't the sun always with us?
At night, it becomes dark.
Ah ha! The moon must be the villain.
I'll go get him!
"Hey, moon!
Why do you hide the sun?"
"I love and cherish the sun."
"What?
You don't hide the sun
because you despise it?"
"The sun won't always provide energy.
I can't shine on my own,
but the sun gives me light.
That's why I can do this."
A rainbow formed around the moon.
It was so beautiful.
And very fleeting.
My heart was filled with warmth.
It was then I noticed something.
The moon has many scars.
They look very painful and agonizing.
"Do you hurt?
How do you keep trying hard?"
"When night comes,
everyone can see me.
There's nothing tough about it.
Because this is me."
I was blown away.
I wanted to become strong
and impressive like the moon.
There were many times afterward
that were tough and sad
and made me want to quit,
but I kept trying.
But there's still so much I can't do.
I should've known.
But I'm going to keep trying.
I will succeed.
It was like being stuck forever
in a dark tunnel.
But there were several places
in that tunnel where the light entered.
Morning gave way to night,
and again to morning,
and soon night again.
Every day was like that.
When I traveled through that tunnel,
I was alone.
But that was a good thing.
I have something to cherish!
It was a flash of a dream.
It's what's important to me.
I clung tightly to it
and continued forward.
Ceaselessly onward.
Onward, onward!
I ran and ran forward
with all my strength.
Before I knew it,
all I had left was what I cherish.
Is that lonesome?
No, it's fun!
That's right! It's fun!
Always cherish
what you don't want to lose.
Clasp it tightly and never let go.
Because you have a dream
you want to achieve!
Because that's impressive!
And that's me!
That's me!
Me.
Me...
I burst into tears.
Everything around me suddenly crumbled.
I was simply too scared...
to do a thing.
All the blades of grass
and flowers disappeared.
At some point, the sun had gone away.
The moon was gone, too.
Utter darkness.
Why?
I don't know what happened.
It was so shiny before.
There were so many lives!
Why? Why? Why?
I was growing along
with all that I cherish.
I only chose that which
is important, and yet...
Where did they go?
Why did they go away?
I cherished them so...
Why?
I don't like being alone.
I didn't think I would be lonely.
I didn't think I would be sad.
I didn't think being alone would be scary.
Tears spilled out again.
The tears I'd been hiding all this time.
I tried my best...
but why did they go away?
It was a very, very cold night.
In place of what I cherished
was empty space.
When I became alone,
the light from the sky...
shined on what was important to me.
"It's okay.
Everyone's here.
They're not gone."
That light...
put life back into what I cherish.
And then...
the trees and grass
began to glisten again.
The starry sky provided light
so I could see.
All that I cherish was no longer empty.
The light spoke to me.
"There is something
that you and only you can do."
"I want to see that."
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
My days with what I cherish will resume.
Night gave way to morning.
Stuck inside the fog.
But gradually, gradually...
I think I'm making progress.
"It's okay.
You're making progress."
The wind blows in my face.
It blows hard, yet somehow kindly,
from the way ahead.
The wind tells me something.
"The path you've chosen...
is very difficult."
But I know that...
I can't stop walking.
Even if you're a headwind,
you're kind.
Even if it's challenging now,
you will make the cold day warm.
You will make the hot day cool.
Is that who you are?
The wind blew strongly...
and it seemed to smile.
That's why I'm not scared.
I choose to go into the strong wind.
That wind spoke to me.
"Keep coming this way.
Your dream...
will come true."
Before I knew it,
the wind had blown the fog away.
Nobody else
will achieve your dream for you.
All along,
you've chosen who to be.
I see tears of joy.
Why do you shed them?
Go follow those tears.
Go search.
Where did they come from?
You've fought a lot.
You've done many disagreeable things.
You've had much patience.
You've cried heavily, with much regret.
Every day has been your choice.
When did this hurt happen?
It has fully formed a scab.
But...
it's not healing.
You've been waiting the whole time.
It's okay.
My dream has come true.
I've become strong thanks to you.
It's time to heal.
Thank you.
Everything,
all the hard work
and choices
have been for this time,
have been for this moment,
have been for me.
But...
I will fly a little more.
I want to try...
a little bit more.
Because in the days I've chosen thus far,
so many things have been with me:
the grass, the flowers,
the sun, the moon,
the lives, and the starlight.
I want to be with everyone
a little longer.
I want to be together.
If my wish would come true,
I want to fly with everyone a little more.
A little more...
A little more...
You have six minutes for your warm-up.
He's a two-time Olympic gold medallist
and a two-time world champion.
He also has won at the Four Continents,
the ISU Grand Prix Final,
the World Junior Championships,
and the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final,
to become
the first male single skater ever
to complete a "super slam"
of major competitions.
From Japan, Yuzuru Hanyu.
You have one minute left in your warm-up.
Your warm-up is over.
Do your best!
On the ice, representing Japan,
Yuzuru Hanyu.
Representing Japan,
Yuzuru Hanyu.
It's fun! It's fun!
Is it fun?
It's fun, right?
It must be fun.
Isn't it fun?
Aren't you having fun?
Yes, I'm having fun!
You're smiling.
Who made you smile like that?
Tell me who.
Who are you smiling for? Who?
I can do it! I'll do my best!
Do you really think you can do it?
Do you think it's something you can do?
You don't know.
Why do you think so?
Because if I can't,
then what's the point?
Because I'm the one who can do it!
And if I can't do it,
then I'll keep trying until I can!
I see.
You're convinced you can do it.
But no, that's not true.
You just want to be able to do it.
And if you can't do it,
then what's the point of living?
No one needs me.
Now I get it.
When was it?
When I had fun doing what I like?
When was it
when it had to be more than that?
When was it when I stopped liking
and enjoying what I do?
The struggle became too much
and it messed with my head.
I don't want to think about anything.
Everything is a distraction.
I do more than I can.
It never stops.
It never ends.
I keep doing what I couldn't before.
That's what I do.
I'm always...
being more than me.
Even though I try so hard...
Even though I put in everything...
How long did it take
for me to get this far?
How much effort have I put in?
Even I don't know.
You wonder what the point of living is
if you can't do it?
And that nobody needs you?
Is that really what you think?
I have to do it.
I have to do it until I can.
I've simply conquered the darkness.
Nobody helped me do it.
I merely put in the time
and the physical and mental effort.
I simply consumed the energy
in my heart and mind.
To get this far,
that's what I've done.
There was not a single beautiful thing.
I am suffering so much,
so much, so much.
I am struggling so much.
I've been fighting fate
with single-minded purpose.
I don't want to hurt anybody.
I don't want anybody to get hurt.
I don't want anybody to lose that hope.
I want to be the ideal me.
That's the reason to become strong.
So I can be me.
Does anybody understand who I am?
Nobody will ever know.
Ever!
Game over.
I am tired.
I'm tired and I can't move anymore.
I don't want to move at all.
You can do it. Don't give up.
I already gave it my best shot.
I already did my best.
I want to rest.
I'm tired.
Even though I want to rest...
my weak heart and strong pride
always get in the way.
You're strong.
You can overcome anything.
There's nothing at all to be afraid of.
I'm scared.
I can't do anything.
I'm useless...
and alone.
You're not alone.
Turn around.
Everyone's waiting.
I can't move.
I'm scared.
I can't do anything.
No, I know you.
But you want to deliver it, don't you?
You can't move, but you want to, right?
I...
can't.
But...
I know everything.
Who do you think I am?
Who?
I am you in a warm world. I am you.
A warm world...
I can't be this me.
I can't because I'm useless.
I have nothing.
All I know is what I lack.
When I wished for what I lack,
what I found was not me.
I want to become that.
I want me and everyone else
to want me
and see who I really am.
I'll reach out to you.
I want to be you.
I may be useless,
but if I were with you...
You pretended
to completely close off your heart.
I feigned strength and said
I didn't want anyone to understand me.
In your melancholy,
you don't want to go anywhere
or do anything.
"But why is there a door over there?"
It's the door you put up.
There is no keyhole,
the doorknob is broken,
there are nails in it,
and it's falling apart,
but the one who put the door there
is you.
You are not special.
"I" am nothing special.
We're weak and falling apart.
Even if we gasp our last breath,
the world will move on just fine.
Neither you nor I...
are special.
Why?
Because each and every person is a life.
Each of us sees
the world's colors differently.
We see our world one way.
At some point, you and I
will start to see different colors.
While I'm looking from over here,
you have been adding
many, many more colors.
That's why you are who you are now.
You worked and worked
so hard to build it up.
But it is easily destroyed.
And it is easily sullied.
Because that's your color.
Because you've taken care of yourself,
even though you're soaked in tears,
you look bad, you got hurt,
and all you can do is hide.
Because that is you,
that is precious, and that is true.
Even if you didn't take care of yourself...
"I would take care of you.
It's okay now.
But it's already time."
I scream 'til I'm hoarse.
Don't go.
Don't disappear.
I don't like being alone.
I won't hurt anyone.
I'll stay perfect,
and I'll be the me who can do it right,
so don't leave me alone.
"It's already time.
It's time to say farewell.
We can't always be together.
Nothing lasts forever.
Because I am one of your dreams.
You have to awaken from a dream.
I'm taking my leave."
The chains that bound us
have been broken to pieces.
I'm free.
I wonder what happens
after the chains break.
There is not a thing left.
The dream is over.
I have to walk on without looking back.
I have to move forward
so I don't remember.
My head hurts.
My heart hurts.
What just disappeared?
And why did it disappear?
I just have tears running down my cheeks.
This was me.
I couldn't do anything.
I was just completely...
...alone.
DARK WATER LIGHT SUPPORT SKATE
SHINE THOUGHT EMOTION FEAR ALONE
WATER HEART WORLD DISAPPEAR SOUL TREE
FEELING FILLED SHINING
I should be alone.
It should be pitch black.
It should've ended.
But why is such a bright light shining?
It's too bright.
I can't look directly at it.
I don't deserve to look at it.
Even so,
the stars were shining bright on me.
"Do your best.
It's okay."
The moon, bathed in the sun's light,
was also shining.
That dignified light looked wonderful.
The light showed me the path I am to take.
"Welcome the light
with open arms."
There were flowers
blooming along the path.
They were alive, standing upright.
"We are here."
A little farther down the path
of the moon,
the wind blows from ahead.
That wind
was very gentle and warm.
"We know who you are.
You've been heading this way
the whole time."
At some point I couldn't sense
any of you anymore,
but there you were.
I hadn't noticed that.
But...
I am...
alone.
Alone no matter what.
That which I cherished has ended.
That which I cherished has disappeared.
That which I cherished isn't anywhere.
I felt I could do anything if only you,
the other me, were here.
Every day, there was suffering.
There was joy.
There was laughter, anger, and tears.
There was loneliness and sadness.
But what I cherished
was always at my side,
and it always seemed perfectly natural.
I tried my best at everything.
Was I always alone? No.
I chose to be alone.
But,
we were always, always together.
I cherished it.
But at some point,
I stopped cherishing it.
I blamed you, the other me,
for my inability.
I only gave you sadness and hurt.
I wasn't the only one suffering.
I wasn't the only one.
What was painful was being alone.
Not being able to walk together.
I always wanted to be together.
I wanted to be together forever.
I...
am alone.
"You are not alone."
I think I can hear you.
I won't let you be alone.
Don't you ever forget.
Don't cover up your lonesomeness.
Always acknowledge
the loneliness inside you.
I know you, the other me.
You are always strong,
but that's okay now.
It's okay to feel like crying
because it's tough.
I noticed when I became alone,
they wouldn't leave me alone.
They're all here.
So many of them.
The starlight brightened
and they became one.
I know.
I accept with open arms.
"You're not alone."
"I've returned."
"Welcome back."
My dream...
is a GIFT from everyone.
I don't know
what's on the path I'm going down.
I don't know
what's waiting where we're heading.
But let's keep going.
Let's run on.
On a journey to deliver a gift.
Are you leading every day happily?
Are you feeling difficulty?
Are you alone and sad?
It doesn't matter where or when.
When you're tired
and your heart's dried out,
please come back.
This awful story,
this fabulous story,
is always here.
For the story about you, past
and future.
Hi, everyone.
How did you enjoy GIFT?
Uh...
I really gave my all.
And now, for the encore,
I'll perform a little more.
But first...
I want to introduce the people
who helped create
this ICE STORY "GIFT" at Tokyo Dome.
The music was provided
by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
The pianist, Mr. Kawada.
The maestro, Mr. Kurita.
And the people who added
human effects to the show,
the dancers of Elevenplay.
And over on that side
are the members
of the special band for GIFT.
And...
The music producer and director for GIFT,
Mr. Satoshi Takebe.
Please give him a big hand.
Thank you so much.
- And...
- What?
- There's another person.
- Huh?
Someone who's been training hard late
into the night for days
and skated all those programs today.
Yuzuru Hanyu.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
This wasn't...
This wasn't in the script.
I was going to leave
after introducing you,
but the curtain didn't lift.
- You took me by surprise.
- And there's more.
The people who prepared the ice
and all the props
- for this one day.
- Right.
- And Ms. Mikiko who directed this show.
- Right.
And all the staff members
who worked so hard
for this one-day-only show.
A big round of applause for the staff!
Thank you so much!
Back to you, Mr. Takebe.
Watching his efforts and his performance
greatly encouraged us.
I'm sure it's the same for everyone.
He was truly inspiring.
So...
Taking his passion and our gratitude,
we composed a song titled "Gift."
While Hanyu is preparing
for his next performance,
please listen to this song, "Gift."
Thank you.
Thank you so much!
Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for the wonderful music.
Ms. Mikiko and the others are over there.
A big round of applause, please!
Thank you so much
for the amazing direction.
And to everyone who came to this venue
and everyone who's
watching the live stream,
I want to say this "GIFT"
wouldn't have been complete without you.
Thank you so much!
To be honest,
the journey here was very tough.
I had to train very hard.
There were many times when I felt
all my training was going to waste.
I was unsure whether I could
meet your expectations
and sometimes I felt crushed by it.
This day may not remain in anyone's heart
or leave an impression on anyone.
But I'm glad I liked skating.
Thank you so much
for watching this show today!
I hope this day
will leave an impression on your life.
I hope this one day
will remain in your memories
and become a place of comfort to turn to
when things are rough.
May this day become
a comforting memory for you.
Thank you so much!
Just a moment...
Just a moment of quiet, please.
I'll try my best.
Thank you so much!
That concludes
Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2023
"GIFT" at Tokyo Dome,
supported by Sekkisei.
Please make sure not to forget
your belongings when you leave.
Attention, everyone.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please remain seated
until you hear an announcement.
We thank you for your cooperation.
Thank you very much for coming today.
Please remain seated!
Thank you for your cooperation.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please remain seated.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please remain seated.
Good work!
Good work.
Well done!
Good work!
Good work!
This is from us all!
Yay!
Thank you!
Well done!
- Well done!
- Thank you!
It was really...
It was the first-ever ice show
at Tokyo Dome.
In the season before this one,
when I had my first solo ice show,
I was unsure whether I could pull it off.
That's how it was when making this show.
I'm sure there was
a lot of anxiety and work involved
in making the performances
connecting my programs.
So I'm so thankful to everyone
for making this come together.
- I hope...
- Thank you!
I discovered new possibilities
and areas of improvement for myself.
And I felt I could do much more.
So if there is another opportunity,
I hope I can work with you again!
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Well, I'm going to my interview, then.
- Good luck!
- Thank you!
Thank you so much!
YUZURU HANYU'S REFLECTION
ON THE SPECIAL DAY
THE DAY AFTER GIFT
Hello. Thank you for having me.
Did it focus properly?
- Please take a seat.
- Thank you.
This kind of thing.
I really gave it my all.
I feel like, "Oh, it's finally over."
I received many different responses
from a lot of people.
Of course, the people who have been
supporting me for so long
gave me lots of great feedback.
But I also received feedback from people
who had never seen me skate before.
And from people who came to the show,
not because they were interested in me,
but to see this new form
of entertainment at Tokyo Dome.
Their reactions were quite different.
The reactions from fans
went along the lines of,
"So this is what
Yuzuru Hanyu has been thinking,"
"This is what Hanyu has been feeling,"
or "So this is what
he's been feeling at these moments."
But some non-skating fans took this story,
not as my story, but as their own.
And seeing these reactions
also made me happy.
To me, "GIFT" is something like a dream...
"THE MESSAGE IN GIFT"
...that I was given by everyone.
Overall, the message is that
I'm receiving so much support
from everyone
and living together with them.
I think this is true for most people.
They're surrounded
and supported by many people.
But I know for a fact there are people
out there who feel like they're all alone,
myself included.
I even brood sometimes about
what would happen
if I couldn't skate anymore.
So I wanted...
to assure people
who feel like they're alone that,
"No, you have friends."
This story and these programs
are your friends.
My hope is that
this story I wrote
and these programs
will encourage people.
This is my gift to everyone.
I prepared it with the wish
that it would give hope to people.
I thought of telling this story
because I myself have been encouraged
by different songs and lyrics.
THE REASON FOR WRITING THIS STORY
Whenever I was going through a hard time,
it was the power of words
that saved me the most.
It was words I poured out
and words from songs
that helped me keep going.
When I wrote this story,
I thought maybe it could encourage others
in the same way
I've been encouraged by these songs.
So I started collecting my ideas.
Sometimes, I jotted them down
on a scrap of paper.
When I didn't have
the energy to do even that,
I just gave vent to my thoughts
and recorded it.
At other times, I took
little notes on my phone.
So these words are definitely
based on my experiences.
And I poured out these words
to help myself think more positively.
But they definitely don't reflect
my experiences alone.
If anything, I wrote this story
imagining that other people
must harbor these feelings
inside them, too.
I wanted to make this story
something that would stay
in the hearts of others.
Mm.
The first half of the show...
ABOUT THE OVERALL COMPOSITION
For people who've been following me,
it depicts my life
from my birth to the Olympics
and my journey up to the Beijing Olympics.
In order to present it like a story,
I expressed it in an abstract way.
Part Two takes the opposite approach.
It's realistic instead of abstract.
It focuses on who I am
and digs deep into myself.
So the first half has
a fantasy element to it
while the second half
is grounded more in reality.
And I wanted to merge
these two together for the ending.
That's what I was aiming for
in presenting this show.
I think the second half
is a better reflection of who I am.
The first program
starts with "Let's Go Crazy"
and ends with "Let Me Entertain You."
"Let Me" is basically
about entertaining people,
so I tried to do that.
But...
I had doubts
while I was entertaining people.
Doubts like,
"Am I really enjoying myself?"
"I like skating, but do I really?"
And I thought expressing these doubts
after the program...
might add something different
to this fun program.
So I incorporated this into the story.
"Isn't it fun? Yes, I'm having fun."
It's fun! It's fun!
Is it fun?
Isn't it fun?
Yes, I'm having fun!
I can do it! I'll do my best!
Do you really think
you can do it?
I see.
You're convinced you can do it.
But no, that's not true.
You just want to pretend you can do it.
When was it?
When I had fun doing what I like?
When was it
when it had to be more than that?
When was it when I stopped liking
and enjoying what I do?
I'm sure everyone has the experience
of doing their jobs or hobbies
out of habit.
Even if you started it
because you liked it.
For example, when you're pressed
to meet a deadline
or when you're feeling down,
if someone asks if you enjoy
what you are doing,
you may not always be able to answer yes.
For me, it is skating.
To some, it may seem like a big deal.
But when you think about it,
it's no different from anyone else's life.
Everyone has something they like doing,
and moments when they wonder
if they really like it or enjoy it,
and moments when they have
to remind themselves that they do.
These are all the things
I wanted to express.
So...
This program was all about...
fun and enjoyment before.
But I wanted to pose this question.
"Is this program purely
about entertaining others?"
This was how I wanted
to start off Part Two.
This was my primary goal.
And then comes "Ashura-chan."
This song is very fun and upbeat,
but if you listen carefully to the lyrics,
you realize it's not quite lighthearted.
ASHURA-CHAN/ADO
I thought this program
would probably leave
a very strong impact on a lot of people.
To me,
the words and lyrics of this song
make a very strong impression.
So I wanted the lyrics to make people go,
"Wait. The lyrics aren't very fun."
That's what I was aiming for
in preparing this program.
I wanted to express fun
but also the feeling of...
not having anyone
who really understands you.
The feeling of being shut in
behind transparent glass walls.
They're transparent,
so I'm trying to show myself.
But at the same time,
I'm adamant about
not leaving this room.
It's a precarious state of mind.
And I tried to express that.
But I think everyone must feel this, too.
In the end, no one else understands
how you really feel.
There are feelings
you can't express in words
or feelings you have
but can't admit to yourself.
That's what I wanted to express
through the odd movements
in the choreography.
I wanted people to enjoy Mr. Neru's lyrics
and Ms. Ado's singing
and also make people feel different things
through my performance.
After the upbeat dance
and the dramatic finish,
the first words that you hear are,
"I'm tired and I can't move anymore."
I thought, "What a drop!"
as I was making this.
I am tired.
I'm tired and I can't move anymore.
I don't want to move at all.
You can do it. Don't give up.
I can't do anything.
No, I know you.
Who do you think I am?
Who?
I am you in a warm world. I am you.
When I created my two selves,
I wanted my other self to be an embodiment
of a dream in the end.
One question that has been
a theme in my life is,
"What is a dream?"
It's something I've been thinking about
a lot in my life.
For example, I'm sure
many people can remember
talking about their dreams at their homes
or in kindergarten or elementary school.
Dreams like wanting to open a cake shop.
In my case, I wanted to be Ultraman.
Dreams like that.
I'm sure everyone has these ideas,
but at some point,
these dreams are just sitting there
and are never confronted.
When people grow up,
they just forget about such things.
I suppose they forget them
because they're not necessary
for living in the world.
But I've been facing up to my dream
for much longer than others.
So I know what it's like
to confront your dream.
And I'm sure everyone actually
has such dreams.
But they had just moved past them.
But in living life
and moving toward something,
I believe that dreams are always with you.
And it's dreams that give you energy.
Even if my ankle gets badly hurt,
and my training doesn't go well
because of it,
and even if my body
can't do things anymore,
in my heart, I will always have my dream
to land the quad Axel.
And it's this dream that tells me,
"You don't have to be so discouraged."
And it tells me stuff like,
"You can keep going."
So that's what I wanted to express here.
And I think this is inside everyone, too.
They just don't look at it
or acknowledge it.
But if they really asked themselves,
they might find
they have something like that.
I think that maybe
there's a phantom of the opera
inside me and in each of us.
That's what I wanted to express
through these words and these programs.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
The theme of this program,
"The Phantom of the Opera",
is that a single person
can have many sides.
Everyone has a Raoul and a Christine
inside them, too.
You have a side with a beautiful voice
and a side with a pretty face
but a pitiful self.
I think deep down,
everyone has a side
they don't want to show people.
A side that is ugly
but truthful to yourself.
And I realized that maybe my truthful self
was actually speaking words that resonated
with my other idealistic self.
When I thought about this,
I connected with myself
that was narrating this part in GIFT.
Even my ugly, useless self
can say things
that resonate with my "dream" self.
That's why I think dreams
can give you energy and encouragement.
That's what I wanted to express
as I skated "The Phantom of the Opera."
Mm.
Also, there were things I could do
because this wasn't a competition.
I skated "Rondo Capriccioso"
right before this, which was very hard.
So when I skated
"The Phantom of the Opera" later,
the pain was very real and convincing.
To me, this program is strongly associated
with my collision at the Cup of China.
And I think this program
is associated with that painful skate
in the minds of many, too.
That's part of the reason
I had put it away for a long time.
But I knew "Phantom" was perfect
for expressing this side of me
that was really suffering
and in pain and unable to move.
I could really become the Phantom.
In that sense, I think I was able to skate
a very convincing program there.
When I first skated
to "The Phantom of the Opera,""
I skated as if I were the Phantom himself.
I became the Phantom,
saying farewell to Christine.
At the end of the program,
I put on my mask
and performed
as if I was burning in hellfire.
But this time,
I was sometimes Christine,
sometimes the Phantom,
and sometimes Raoul.
I think it turned out to be
a very interesting "Phantom" performance.
It's interesting.
When I learned that
the film director Akira Kurosawa
made his films inspired by Shakespeare,
it raised a lot of questions inside me.
And when I thought of Shakespeare,
it reminded me of Romeo and Juliet.
And thinking about Romeo and Juliet
and stuff like that gave me an idea.
Maybe if I told the story in first person,
I could express everything.
What if...
I replaced the characters with objects?
For example, what if
I replaced Romeo with the moon,
and Juliet with the sun?
It might move the story forward.
If I wrote this for little kids,
it might even make a decent picture book.
And when I thought about these things,
I thought of something.
I could take a love story
and swap the characters
for me and my dream,
or me and my skate.
And the whole story would make sense.
So, just as different stories
exist inside different people,
I thought I could use
the different stories inside me
and bring them to each of my programs.
I thought very hard
"FIRST ICE SHOW AT TOKYO DOME"
...about how to present my skating
at Tokyo Dome as I was training for it.
The difficult part
about performing at Tokyo Dome
was the great distance
between myself and the audience.
The audience might not even be able
to see me skating on the rink.
Also, the ceiling was so high
that it gave me the illusion
that I was flying very low.
Everything was so out of the ordinary.
Everything was moving
at such a grand scale.
And I had to control
the entire atmosphere of the venue.
I thought that it would be very uncool
if the audience could only see me
as a tiny moving speck.
So the challenge was
how to make myself look big.
And not only that
but how to make my movements
appear big as well.
There were programs I choreographed myself
and programs choreographed by others.
There were also old programs
that I reused.
And I made alterations
to each of them as I performed.
It was hard, but I jumped quads
and triple axels
and fine-tuned my expression.
I'm pretty content
with what I was able to achieve.
When I was having different visuals made
and different effects made for the show,
Ms. Mikiko said,
"I'm my own harshest critic.
And I want the harshest critic
to watch this and think,
'This is refreshing.'
Or 'I've never seen anything
like this before.'"
It really woke me up.
In my performances,
I don't pump out new programs each time.
If anything, figure skating
is more about polishing
what you already have.
And when you're
simply doing things like that,
it's easy to lose this freshness.
So when I thought of myself
as my own harshest critic,
it made me want to produce things
that will keep myself fresh,
and that will keep impressing people.
THE EMOTIONS THAT FLOWED
DURING THE FINAL SONG
Thank you so much!
SUIHEISEN/BACK NUMBER
Thank you!
Thank you so much!
I first thought of adding
my voice-over or words to "Suiheisen,"
because I thought my voice alone
wouldn't reach the audience in the Dome.
"Suiheisen" is one of my favorite songs
that have saved me on countless occasions.
So I expressed myself through this song
and added a few words myself
through a mic.
Even though my voice would echo
and not carry well in Tokyo Dome.
But I at least wanted to say,
"I'm glad I liked skating."
So I used the mic to say that.
This day may not remain in anyone's heart
or leave an impression on anyone.
But I'm glad I liked skating.
This part was completely ad-lib.
I just moved as my heart led me.
The choreography came from my heart.
And I think it left an impression
because of it.
Thank you so much
for watching this show today!
I was able to convey
my feelings from my heart
with this space, my being, and my skates.
I was able to use all these things
to freely express myself.
I think this was my gift to everyone.
Thank you so much!
We invented a new style of figure skating.
Something like...
a new genre of entertainment
called Yuzuru Hanyu.
Everyone worked so hard
to make this happen,
and I worked with them to make this.
To be honest,
I'm not sure where to take it from here.
But I probably feel this way
because we were able
to put our all into this show.
Right now, I just feel
like I've given it my all.
I used every cell in my body
and exhausted my energy
down to the last drop.
I worked so hard.
Well done. Good job.
As I said in my story,
I've received too many gifts
from everyone throughout my life.
So I want to keep cherishing these gifts
and keep giving gifts back to everyone.
Yes, my wish is that...
That when one's heart is chilled,
even a fragment of one of my programs,
a scrap of one of my words,
a snippet of the production or the music,
or even a light
from one of the synchronized glow sticks
might provide comfort to their hearts.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
Thank you very much.
This feeling of having GIFT behind me...
This feeling of accomplishment
makes me feel pretty empty.
Translated by Ai Matsuoka
Do you have a connection with someone?
Is your heart broken?
It's okay.
It's okay.
This story and these programs...
are your friends.
This gift to you...
is your friend.
The first thing I noticed was the world.
I was breathing.
"What was I?"
But I had a name.
There were things I liked.
There were things I loved.
I wanted to become those things I loved.
But there were many things I couldn't do.
However, slowly but surely,
I could do more.
And every time, the world became warmer.
I loved that world.
That's why I wanted to become
warmer and warmer
by learning to do more.
I could do more things.
I loved that the world
was becoming warmer.
That world overflowed with kind words.
"Amazing!"
"Excellent!"
"Good job!"
One day, I found the warmest place
in that world.
It became my dream.
"When will it come true?"
"It will surely come true, eventually."
I heard a voice in my head.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you want it to come true,
don't you?"
"Yes, I want it to come true."
"Then it definitely will.
Because you don't like to fail."
And with those words,
the mysterious voice
in my head disappeared.
I still hadn't noticed the many feelings
and lives of the living things around me.
But I loved nature,
basking in the sunlight
that makes the water sparkle.
Then one day, I noticed something.
Although every day they were always there,
I realized they were suddenly much bigger,
and I felt a little envious of them
for easily growing,
seemingly without putting in much effort.
I was working so hard.
It wasn't fair.
Why couldn't I do better than now?
The grass spoke.
"When I grow, I blossom into a flower!
And then the world becomes warmer."
How nice.
The grass doesn't seem to struggle at all.
It doesn't have to try hard at all.
Even though I'm trying so hard.
"Hey, how can you achieve
your dream so easily?
I want mine to come true, too!"
"It's because of the sun!
It gives me so much energy!"
The sun... That's nice.
I want to be like the sun!
I want to be like the sun,
giving everybody energy
and making the world warmer for everyone!
But why isn't the sun always with us?
At night, it becomes dark.
Ah ha! The moon must be the villain.
I'll go get him!
"Hey, moon!
Why do you hide the sun?"
"I love and cherish the sun."
"What?
You don't hide the sun
because you despise it?"
"The sun won't always provide energy.
I can't shine on my own,
but the sun gives me light.
That's why I can do this."
A rainbow formed around the moon.
It was so beautiful.
And very fleeting.
My heart was filled with warmth.
It was then I noticed something.
The moon has many scars.
They look very painful and agonizing.
"Do you hurt?
How do you keep trying hard?"
"When night comes,
everyone can see me.
There's nothing tough about it.
Because this is me."
I was blown away.
I wanted to become strong
and impressive like the moon.
There were many times afterward
that were tough and sad
and made me want to quit,
but I kept trying.
But there's still so much I can't do.
I should've known.
But I'm going to keep trying.
I will succeed.
It was like being stuck forever
in a dark tunnel.
But there were several places
in that tunnel where the light entered.
Morning gave way to night,
and again to morning,
and soon night again.
Every day was like that.
When I traveled through that tunnel,
I was alone.
But that was a good thing.
I have something to cherish!
It was a flash of a dream.
It's what's important to me.
I clung tightly to it
and continued forward.
Ceaselessly onward.
Onward, onward!
I ran and ran forward
with all my strength.
Before I knew it,
all I had left was what I cherish.
Is that lonesome?
No, it's fun!
That's right! It's fun!
Always cherish
what you don't want to lose.
Clasp it tightly and never let go.
Because you have a dream
you want to achieve!
Because that's impressive!
And that's me!
That's me!
Me.
Me...
I burst into tears.
Everything around me suddenly crumbled.
I was simply too scared...
to do a thing.
All the blades of grass
and flowers disappeared.
At some point, the sun had gone away.
The moon was gone, too.
Utter darkness.
Why?
I don't know what happened.
It was so shiny before.
There were so many lives!
Why? Why? Why?
I was growing along
with all that I cherish.
I only chose that which
is important, and yet...
Where did they go?
Why did they go away?
I cherished them so...
Why?
I don't like being alone.
I didn't think I would be lonely.
I didn't think I would be sad.
I didn't think being alone would be scary.
Tears spilled out again.
The tears I'd been hiding all this time.
I tried my best...
but why did they go away?
It was a very, very cold night.
In place of what I cherished
was empty space.
When I became alone,
the light from the sky...
shined on what was important to me.
"It's okay.
Everyone's here.
They're not gone."
That light...
put life back into what I cherish.
And then...
the trees and grass
began to glisten again.
The starry sky provided light
so I could see.
All that I cherish was no longer empty.
The light spoke to me.
"There is something
that you and only you can do."
"I want to see that."
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
My days with what I cherish will resume.
Night gave way to morning.
Stuck inside the fog.
But gradually, gradually...
I think I'm making progress.
"It's okay.
You're making progress."
The wind blows in my face.
It blows hard, yet somehow kindly,
from the way ahead.
The wind tells me something.
"The path you've chosen...
is very difficult."
But I know that...
I can't stop walking.
Even if you're a headwind,
you're kind.
Even if it's challenging now,
you will make the cold day warm.
You will make the hot day cool.
Is that who you are?
The wind blew strongly...
and it seemed to smile.
That's why I'm not scared.
I choose to go into the strong wind.
That wind spoke to me.
"Keep coming this way.
Your dream...
will come true."
Before I knew it,
the wind had blown the fog away.
Nobody else
will achieve your dream for you.
All along,
you've chosen who to be.
I see tears of joy.
Why do you shed them?
Go follow those tears.
Go search.
Where did they come from?
You've fought a lot.
You've done many disagreeable things.
You've had much patience.
You've cried heavily, with much regret.
Every day has been your choice.
When did this hurt happen?
It has fully formed a scab.
But...
it's not healing.
You've been waiting the whole time.
It's okay.
My dream has come true.
I've become strong thanks to you.
It's time to heal.
Thank you.
Everything,
all the hard work
and choices
have been for this time,
have been for this moment,
have been for me.
But...
I will fly a little more.
I want to try...
a little bit more.
Because in the days I've chosen thus far,
so many things have been with me:
the grass, the flowers,
the sun, the moon,
the lives, and the starlight.
I want to be with everyone
a little longer.
I want to be together.
If my wish would come true,
I want to fly with everyone a little more.
A little more...
A little more...
You have six minutes for your warm-up.
He's a two-time Olympic gold medallist
and a two-time world champion.
He also has won at the Four Continents,
the ISU Grand Prix Final,
the World Junior Championships,
and the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final,
to become
the first male single skater ever
to complete a "super slam"
of major competitions.
From Japan, Yuzuru Hanyu.
You have one minute left in your warm-up.
Your warm-up is over.
Do your best!
On the ice, representing Japan,
Yuzuru Hanyu.
Representing Japan,
Yuzuru Hanyu.
It's fun! It's fun!
Is it fun?
It's fun, right?
It must be fun.
Isn't it fun?
Aren't you having fun?
Yes, I'm having fun!
You're smiling.
Who made you smile like that?
Tell me who.
Who are you smiling for? Who?
I can do it! I'll do my best!
Do you really think you can do it?
Do you think it's something you can do?
You don't know.
Why do you think so?
Because if I can't,
then what's the point?
Because I'm the one who can do it!
And if I can't do it,
then I'll keep trying until I can!
I see.
You're convinced you can do it.
But no, that's not true.
You just want to be able to do it.
And if you can't do it,
then what's the point of living?
No one needs me.
Now I get it.
When was it?
When I had fun doing what I like?
When was it
when it had to be more than that?
When was it when I stopped liking
and enjoying what I do?
The struggle became too much
and it messed with my head.
I don't want to think about anything.
Everything is a distraction.
I do more than I can.
It never stops.
It never ends.
I keep doing what I couldn't before.
That's what I do.
I'm always...
being more than me.
Even though I try so hard...
Even though I put in everything...
How long did it take
for me to get this far?
How much effort have I put in?
Even I don't know.
You wonder what the point of living is
if you can't do it?
And that nobody needs you?
Is that really what you think?
I have to do it.
I have to do it until I can.
I've simply conquered the darkness.
Nobody helped me do it.
I merely put in the time
and the physical and mental effort.
I simply consumed the energy
in my heart and mind.
To get this far,
that's what I've done.
There was not a single beautiful thing.
I am suffering so much,
so much, so much.
I am struggling so much.
I've been fighting fate
with single-minded purpose.
I don't want to hurt anybody.
I don't want anybody to get hurt.
I don't want anybody to lose that hope.
I want to be the ideal me.
That's the reason to become strong.
So I can be me.
Does anybody understand who I am?
Nobody will ever know.
Ever!
Game over.
I am tired.
I'm tired and I can't move anymore.
I don't want to move at all.
You can do it. Don't give up.
I already gave it my best shot.
I already did my best.
I want to rest.
I'm tired.
Even though I want to rest...
my weak heart and strong pride
always get in the way.
You're strong.
You can overcome anything.
There's nothing at all to be afraid of.
I'm scared.
I can't do anything.
I'm useless...
and alone.
You're not alone.
Turn around.
Everyone's waiting.
I can't move.
I'm scared.
I can't do anything.
No, I know you.
But you want to deliver it, don't you?
You can't move, but you want to, right?
I...
can't.
But...
I know everything.
Who do you think I am?
Who?
I am you in a warm world. I am you.
A warm world...
I can't be this me.
I can't because I'm useless.
I have nothing.
All I know is what I lack.
When I wished for what I lack,
what I found was not me.
I want to become that.
I want me and everyone else
to want me
and see who I really am.
I'll reach out to you.
I want to be you.
I may be useless,
but if I were with you...
You pretended
to completely close off your heart.
I feigned strength and said
I didn't want anyone to understand me.
In your melancholy,
you don't want to go anywhere
or do anything.
"But why is there a door over there?"
It's the door you put up.
There is no keyhole,
the doorknob is broken,
there are nails in it,
and it's falling apart,
but the one who put the door there
is you.
You are not special.
"I" am nothing special.
We're weak and falling apart.
Even if we gasp our last breath,
the world will move on just fine.
Neither you nor I...
are special.
Why?
Because each and every person is a life.
Each of us sees
the world's colors differently.
We see our world one way.
At some point, you and I
will start to see different colors.
While I'm looking from over here,
you have been adding
many, many more colors.
That's why you are who you are now.
You worked and worked
so hard to build it up.
But it is easily destroyed.
And it is easily sullied.
Because that's your color.
Because you've taken care of yourself,
even though you're soaked in tears,
you look bad, you got hurt,
and all you can do is hide.
Because that is you,
that is precious, and that is true.
Even if you didn't take care of yourself...
"I would take care of you.
It's okay now.
But it's already time."
I scream 'til I'm hoarse.
Don't go.
Don't disappear.
I don't like being alone.
I won't hurt anyone.
I'll stay perfect,
and I'll be the me who can do it right,
so don't leave me alone.
"It's already time.
It's time to say farewell.
We can't always be together.
Nothing lasts forever.
Because I am one of your dreams.
You have to awaken from a dream.
I'm taking my leave."
The chains that bound us
have been broken to pieces.
I'm free.
I wonder what happens
after the chains break.
There is not a thing left.
The dream is over.
I have to walk on without looking back.
I have to move forward
so I don't remember.
My head hurts.
My heart hurts.
What just disappeared?
And why did it disappear?
I just have tears running down my cheeks.
This was me.
I couldn't do anything.
I was just completely...
...alone.
DARK WATER LIGHT SUPPORT SKATE
SHINE THOUGHT EMOTION FEAR ALONE
WATER HEART WORLD DISAPPEAR SOUL TREE
FEELING FILLED SHINING
I should be alone.
It should be pitch black.
It should've ended.
But why is such a bright light shining?
It's too bright.
I can't look directly at it.
I don't deserve to look at it.
Even so,
the stars were shining bright on me.
"Do your best.
It's okay."
The moon, bathed in the sun's light,
was also shining.
That dignified light looked wonderful.
The light showed me the path I am to take.
"Welcome the light
with open arms."
There were flowers
blooming along the path.
They were alive, standing upright.
"We are here."
A little farther down the path
of the moon,
the wind blows from ahead.
That wind
was very gentle and warm.
"We know who you are.
You've been heading this way
the whole time."
At some point I couldn't sense
any of you anymore,
but there you were.
I hadn't noticed that.
But...
I am...
alone.
Alone no matter what.
That which I cherished has ended.
That which I cherished has disappeared.
That which I cherished isn't anywhere.
I felt I could do anything if only you,
the other me, were here.
Every day, there was suffering.
There was joy.
There was laughter, anger, and tears.
There was loneliness and sadness.
But what I cherished
was always at my side,
and it always seemed perfectly natural.
I tried my best at everything.
Was I always alone? No.
I chose to be alone.
But,
we were always, always together.
I cherished it.
But at some point,
I stopped cherishing it.
I blamed you, the other me,
for my inability.
I only gave you sadness and hurt.
I wasn't the only one suffering.
I wasn't the only one.
What was painful was being alone.
Not being able to walk together.
I always wanted to be together.
I wanted to be together forever.
I...
am alone.
"You are not alone."
I think I can hear you.
I won't let you be alone.
Don't you ever forget.
Don't cover up your lonesomeness.
Always acknowledge
the loneliness inside you.
I know you, the other me.
You are always strong,
but that's okay now.
It's okay to feel like crying
because it's tough.
I noticed when I became alone,
they wouldn't leave me alone.
They're all here.
So many of them.
The starlight brightened
and they became one.
I know.
I accept with open arms.
"You're not alone."
"I've returned."
"Welcome back."
My dream...
is a GIFT from everyone.
I don't know
what's on the path I'm going down.
I don't know
what's waiting where we're heading.
But let's keep going.
Let's run on.
On a journey to deliver a gift.
Are you leading every day happily?
Are you feeling difficulty?
Are you alone and sad?
It doesn't matter where or when.
When you're tired
and your heart's dried out,
please come back.
This awful story,
this fabulous story,
is always here.
For the story about you, past
and future.
Hi, everyone.
How did you enjoy GIFT?
Uh...
I really gave my all.
And now, for the encore,
I'll perform a little more.
But first...
I want to introduce the people
who helped create
this ICE STORY "GIFT" at Tokyo Dome.
The music was provided
by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
The pianist, Mr. Kawada.
The maestro, Mr. Kurita.
And the people who added
human effects to the show,
the dancers of Elevenplay.
And over on that side
are the members
of the special band for GIFT.
And...
The music producer and director for GIFT,
Mr. Satoshi Takebe.
Please give him a big hand.
Thank you so much.
- And...
- What?
- There's another person.
- Huh?
Someone who's been training hard late
into the night for days
and skated all those programs today.
Yuzuru Hanyu.
Thank you so much.
Thank you.
This wasn't...
This wasn't in the script.
I was going to leave
after introducing you,
but the curtain didn't lift.
- You took me by surprise.
- And there's more.
The people who prepared the ice
and all the props
- for this one day.
- Right.
- And Ms. Mikiko who directed this show.
- Right.
And all the staff members
who worked so hard
for this one-day-only show.
A big round of applause for the staff!
Thank you so much!
Back to you, Mr. Takebe.
Watching his efforts and his performance
greatly encouraged us.
I'm sure it's the same for everyone.
He was truly inspiring.
So...
Taking his passion and our gratitude,
we composed a song titled "Gift."
While Hanyu is preparing
for his next performance,
please listen to this song, "Gift."
Thank you.
Thank you so much!
Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much!
Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for the wonderful music.
Ms. Mikiko and the others are over there.
A big round of applause, please!
Thank you so much
for the amazing direction.
And to everyone who came to this venue
and everyone who's
watching the live stream,
I want to say this "GIFT"
wouldn't have been complete without you.
Thank you so much!
To be honest,
the journey here was very tough.
I had to train very hard.
There were many times when I felt
all my training was going to waste.
I was unsure whether I could
meet your expectations
and sometimes I felt crushed by it.
This day may not remain in anyone's heart
or leave an impression on anyone.
But I'm glad I liked skating.
Thank you so much
for watching this show today!
I hope this day
will leave an impression on your life.
I hope this one day
will remain in your memories
and become a place of comfort to turn to
when things are rough.
May this day become
a comforting memory for you.
Thank you so much!
Just a moment...
Just a moment of quiet, please.
I'll try my best.
Thank you so much!
That concludes
Yuzuru Hanyu ICE STORY 2023
"GIFT" at Tokyo Dome,
supported by Sekkisei.
Please make sure not to forget
your belongings when you leave.
Attention, everyone.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please remain seated
until you hear an announcement.
We thank you for your cooperation.
Thank you very much for coming today.
Please remain seated!
Thank you for your cooperation.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please remain seated.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Please follow the guidance
when leaving the venue.
Please remain seated.
Good work!
Good work.
Well done!
Good work!
Good work!
This is from us all!
Yay!
Thank you!
Well done!
- Well done!
- Thank you!
It was really...
It was the first-ever ice show
at Tokyo Dome.
In the season before this one,
when I had my first solo ice show,
I was unsure whether I could pull it off.
That's how it was when making this show.
I'm sure there was
a lot of anxiety and work involved
in making the performances
connecting my programs.
So I'm so thankful to everyone
for making this come together.
- I hope...
- Thank you!
I discovered new possibilities
and areas of improvement for myself.
And I felt I could do much more.
So if there is another opportunity,
I hope I can work with you again!
- Thank you.
- Thank you.
Well, I'm going to my interview, then.
- Good luck!
- Thank you!
Thank you so much!
YUZURU HANYU'S REFLECTION
ON THE SPECIAL DAY
THE DAY AFTER GIFT
Hello. Thank you for having me.
Did it focus properly?
- Please take a seat.
- Thank you.
This kind of thing.
I really gave it my all.
I feel like, "Oh, it's finally over."
I received many different responses
from a lot of people.
Of course, the people who have been
supporting me for so long
gave me lots of great feedback.
But I also received feedback from people
who had never seen me skate before.
And from people who came to the show,
not because they were interested in me,
but to see this new form
of entertainment at Tokyo Dome.
Their reactions were quite different.
The reactions from fans
went along the lines of,
"So this is what
Yuzuru Hanyu has been thinking,"
"This is what Hanyu has been feeling,"
or "So this is what
he's been feeling at these moments."
But some non-skating fans took this story,
not as my story, but as their own.
And seeing these reactions
also made me happy.
To me, "GIFT" is something like a dream...
"THE MESSAGE IN GIFT"
...that I was given by everyone.
Overall, the message is that
I'm receiving so much support
from everyone
and living together with them.
I think this is true for most people.
They're surrounded
and supported by many people.
But I know for a fact there are people
out there who feel like they're all alone,
myself included.
I even brood sometimes about
what would happen
if I couldn't skate anymore.
So I wanted...
to assure people
who feel like they're alone that,
"No, you have friends."
This story and these programs
are your friends.
My hope is that
this story I wrote
and these programs
will encourage people.
This is my gift to everyone.
I prepared it with the wish
that it would give hope to people.
I thought of telling this story
because I myself have been encouraged
by different songs and lyrics.
THE REASON FOR WRITING THIS STORY
Whenever I was going through a hard time,
it was the power of words
that saved me the most.
It was words I poured out
and words from songs
that helped me keep going.
When I wrote this story,
I thought maybe it could encourage others
in the same way
I've been encouraged by these songs.
So I started collecting my ideas.
Sometimes, I jotted them down
on a scrap of paper.
When I didn't have
the energy to do even that,
I just gave vent to my thoughts
and recorded it.
At other times, I took
little notes on my phone.
So these words are definitely
based on my experiences.
And I poured out these words
to help myself think more positively.
But they definitely don't reflect
my experiences alone.
If anything, I wrote this story
imagining that other people
must harbor these feelings
inside them, too.
I wanted to make this story
something that would stay
in the hearts of others.
Mm.
The first half of the show...
ABOUT THE OVERALL COMPOSITION
For people who've been following me,
it depicts my life
from my birth to the Olympics
and my journey up to the Beijing Olympics.
In order to present it like a story,
I expressed it in an abstract way.
Part Two takes the opposite approach.
It's realistic instead of abstract.
It focuses on who I am
and digs deep into myself.
So the first half has
a fantasy element to it
while the second half
is grounded more in reality.
And I wanted to merge
these two together for the ending.
That's what I was aiming for
in presenting this show.
I think the second half
is a better reflection of who I am.
The first program
starts with "Let's Go Crazy"
and ends with "Let Me Entertain You."
"Let Me" is basically
about entertaining people,
so I tried to do that.
But...
I had doubts
while I was entertaining people.
Doubts like,
"Am I really enjoying myself?"
"I like skating, but do I really?"
And I thought expressing these doubts
after the program...
might add something different
to this fun program.
So I incorporated this into the story.
"Isn't it fun? Yes, I'm having fun."
It's fun! It's fun!
Is it fun?
Isn't it fun?
Yes, I'm having fun!
I can do it! I'll do my best!
Do you really think
you can do it?
I see.
You're convinced you can do it.
But no, that's not true.
You just want to pretend you can do it.
When was it?
When I had fun doing what I like?
When was it
when it had to be more than that?
When was it when I stopped liking
and enjoying what I do?
I'm sure everyone has the experience
of doing their jobs or hobbies
out of habit.
Even if you started it
because you liked it.
For example, when you're pressed
to meet a deadline
or when you're feeling down,
if someone asks if you enjoy
what you are doing,
you may not always be able to answer yes.
For me, it is skating.
To some, it may seem like a big deal.
But when you think about it,
it's no different from anyone else's life.
Everyone has something they like doing,
and moments when they wonder
if they really like it or enjoy it,
and moments when they have
to remind themselves that they do.
These are all the things
I wanted to express.
So...
This program was all about...
fun and enjoyment before.
But I wanted to pose this question.
"Is this program purely
about entertaining others?"
This was how I wanted
to start off Part Two.
This was my primary goal.
And then comes "Ashura-chan."
This song is very fun and upbeat,
but if you listen carefully to the lyrics,
you realize it's not quite lighthearted.
ASHURA-CHAN/ADO
I thought this program
would probably leave
a very strong impact on a lot of people.
To me,
the words and lyrics of this song
make a very strong impression.
So I wanted the lyrics to make people go,
"Wait. The lyrics aren't very fun."
That's what I was aiming for
in preparing this program.
I wanted to express fun
but also the feeling of...
not having anyone
who really understands you.
The feeling of being shut in
behind transparent glass walls.
They're transparent,
so I'm trying to show myself.
But at the same time,
I'm adamant about
not leaving this room.
It's a precarious state of mind.
And I tried to express that.
But I think everyone must feel this, too.
In the end, no one else understands
how you really feel.
There are feelings
you can't express in words
or feelings you have
but can't admit to yourself.
That's what I wanted to express
through the odd movements
in the choreography.
I wanted people to enjoy Mr. Neru's lyrics
and Ms. Ado's singing
and also make people feel different things
through my performance.
After the upbeat dance
and the dramatic finish,
the first words that you hear are,
"I'm tired and I can't move anymore."
I thought, "What a drop!"
as I was making this.
I am tired.
I'm tired and I can't move anymore.
I don't want to move at all.
You can do it. Don't give up.
I can't do anything.
No, I know you.
Who do you think I am?
Who?
I am you in a warm world. I am you.
When I created my two selves,
I wanted my other self to be an embodiment
of a dream in the end.
One question that has been
a theme in my life is,
"What is a dream?"
It's something I've been thinking about
a lot in my life.
For example, I'm sure
many people can remember
talking about their dreams at their homes
or in kindergarten or elementary school.
Dreams like wanting to open a cake shop.
In my case, I wanted to be Ultraman.
Dreams like that.
I'm sure everyone has these ideas,
but at some point,
these dreams are just sitting there
and are never confronted.
When people grow up,
they just forget about such things.
I suppose they forget them
because they're not necessary
for living in the world.
But I've been facing up to my dream
for much longer than others.
So I know what it's like
to confront your dream.
And I'm sure everyone actually
has such dreams.
But they had just moved past them.
But in living life
and moving toward something,
I believe that dreams are always with you.
And it's dreams that give you energy.
Even if my ankle gets badly hurt,
and my training doesn't go well
because of it,
and even if my body
can't do things anymore,
in my heart, I will always have my dream
to land the quad Axel.
And it's this dream that tells me,
"You don't have to be so discouraged."
And it tells me stuff like,
"You can keep going."
So that's what I wanted to express here.
And I think this is inside everyone, too.
They just don't look at it
or acknowledge it.
But if they really asked themselves,
they might find
they have something like that.
I think that maybe
there's a phantom of the opera
inside me and in each of us.
That's what I wanted to express
through these words and these programs.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
The theme of this program,
"The Phantom of the Opera",
is that a single person
can have many sides.
Everyone has a Raoul and a Christine
inside them, too.
You have a side with a beautiful voice
and a side with a pretty face
but a pitiful self.
I think deep down,
everyone has a side
they don't want to show people.
A side that is ugly
but truthful to yourself.
And I realized that maybe my truthful self
was actually speaking words that resonated
with my other idealistic self.
When I thought about this,
I connected with myself
that was narrating this part in GIFT.
Even my ugly, useless self
can say things
that resonate with my "dream" self.
That's why I think dreams
can give you energy and encouragement.
That's what I wanted to express
as I skated "The Phantom of the Opera."
Mm.
Also, there were things I could do
because this wasn't a competition.
I skated "Rondo Capriccioso"
right before this, which was very hard.
So when I skated
"The Phantom of the Opera" later,
the pain was very real and convincing.
To me, this program is strongly associated
with my collision at the Cup of China.
And I think this program
is associated with that painful skate
in the minds of many, too.
That's part of the reason
I had put it away for a long time.
But I knew "Phantom" was perfect
for expressing this side of me
that was really suffering
and in pain and unable to move.
I could really become the Phantom.
In that sense, I think I was able to skate
a very convincing program there.
When I first skated
to "The Phantom of the Opera,""
I skated as if I were the Phantom himself.
I became the Phantom,
saying farewell to Christine.
At the end of the program,
I put on my mask
and performed
as if I was burning in hellfire.
But this time,
I was sometimes Christine,
sometimes the Phantom,
and sometimes Raoul.
I think it turned out to be
a very interesting "Phantom" performance.
It's interesting.
When I learned that
the film director Akira Kurosawa
made his films inspired by Shakespeare,
it raised a lot of questions inside me.
And when I thought of Shakespeare,
it reminded me of Romeo and Juliet.
And thinking about Romeo and Juliet
and stuff like that gave me an idea.
Maybe if I told the story in first person,
I could express everything.
What if...
I replaced the characters with objects?
For example, what if
I replaced Romeo with the moon,
and Juliet with the sun?
It might move the story forward.
If I wrote this for little kids,
it might even make a decent picture book.
And when I thought about these things,
I thought of something.
I could take a love story
and swap the characters
for me and my dream,
or me and my skate.
And the whole story would make sense.
So, just as different stories
exist inside different people,
I thought I could use
the different stories inside me
and bring them to each of my programs.
I thought very hard
"FIRST ICE SHOW AT TOKYO DOME"
...about how to present my skating
at Tokyo Dome as I was training for it.
The difficult part
about performing at Tokyo Dome
was the great distance
between myself and the audience.
The audience might not even be able
to see me skating on the rink.
Also, the ceiling was so high
that it gave me the illusion
that I was flying very low.
Everything was so out of the ordinary.
Everything was moving
at such a grand scale.
And I had to control
the entire atmosphere of the venue.
I thought that it would be very uncool
if the audience could only see me
as a tiny moving speck.
So the challenge was
how to make myself look big.
And not only that
but how to make my movements
appear big as well.
There were programs I choreographed myself
and programs choreographed by others.
There were also old programs
that I reused.
And I made alterations
to each of them as I performed.
It was hard, but I jumped quads
and triple axels
and fine-tuned my expression.
I'm pretty content
with what I was able to achieve.
When I was having different visuals made
and different effects made for the show,
Ms. Mikiko said,
"I'm my own harshest critic.
And I want the harshest critic
to watch this and think,
'This is refreshing.'
Or 'I've never seen anything
like this before.'"
It really woke me up.
In my performances,
I don't pump out new programs each time.
If anything, figure skating
is more about polishing
what you already have.
And when you're
simply doing things like that,
it's easy to lose this freshness.
So when I thought of myself
as my own harshest critic,
it made me want to produce things
that will keep myself fresh,
and that will keep impressing people.
THE EMOTIONS THAT FLOWED
DURING THE FINAL SONG
Thank you so much!
SUIHEISEN/BACK NUMBER
Thank you!
Thank you so much!
I first thought of adding
my voice-over or words to "Suiheisen,"
because I thought my voice alone
wouldn't reach the audience in the Dome.
"Suiheisen" is one of my favorite songs
that have saved me on countless occasions.
So I expressed myself through this song
and added a few words myself
through a mic.
Even though my voice would echo
and not carry well in Tokyo Dome.
But I at least wanted to say,
"I'm glad I liked skating."
So I used the mic to say that.
This day may not remain in anyone's heart
or leave an impression on anyone.
But I'm glad I liked skating.
This part was completely ad-lib.
I just moved as my heart led me.
The choreography came from my heart.
And I think it left an impression
because of it.
Thank you so much
for watching this show today!
I was able to convey
my feelings from my heart
with this space, my being, and my skates.
I was able to use all these things
to freely express myself.
I think this was my gift to everyone.
Thank you so much!
We invented a new style of figure skating.
Something like...
a new genre of entertainment
called Yuzuru Hanyu.
Everyone worked so hard
to make this happen,
and I worked with them to make this.
To be honest,
I'm not sure where to take it from here.
But I probably feel this way
because we were able
to put our all into this show.
Right now, I just feel
like I've given it my all.
I used every cell in my body
and exhausted my energy
down to the last drop.
I worked so hard.
Well done. Good job.
As I said in my story,
I've received too many gifts
from everyone throughout my life.
So I want to keep cherishing these gifts
and keep giving gifts back to everyone.
Yes, my wish is that...
That when one's heart is chilled,
even a fragment of one of my programs,
a scrap of one of my words,
a snippet of the production or the music,
or even a light
from one of the synchronized glow sticks
might provide comfort to their hearts.
- Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
Thank you very much.
This feeling of having GIFT behind me...
This feeling of accomplishment
makes me feel pretty empty.
Translated by Ai Matsuoka