People From Japan

"That is everything you could ever want in a short program. The complete package. He balances the artistic score and the technical score like no one I have ever seen. The best ever. He has the jumps, he has those quads, he has the performance ability. It was perfection."

"The mindset to overcome this injury, to deal with all of that pressure is what makes him a true champion."

"他让我想起一句话。命运对勇士低语: '你无法抵御风暴。' 勇士低声回应: '我就是风暴。'"

"With one delayed single Axel, one triple Axel, Yuzuru Hanyu, double gold medalist, just gave a masterclass of what figure skating actually is."

"He's a two-time Olympic gold medalist, he's won the World Championships [...] He has everything. And what's all the more amazing that despite that he still [came] back and demonstrated improvement, not just sustaining his excellence but improving his excellence."

"I've heard that his programmes this year are hommages or testaments to some of his favourite skaters. [...] And that's interesting, because that makes you believe that – perhaps – he's a little reserved in his own estimations of himself [...] Perhaps he's not quite aware that he's everybody else's inspiration, he's everybody else's motivation to improve."

"Watch how he plays with the music. He is a master."

"There is no one like him. No one like Yuzuru Hanyu. [...] The rockstar does it again. And whatever it cost, the GOAT – the GOAT – delivers."

"This is not a world championship, this is not the Olympics, but I've never seen anything like this. [...] The maestro, the master, Yuzuru Hanyu, has won in Canada."

"He's his own mystical creature, that's for sure. [...] He also has this unmatched confidence that I think is very rare but also very prevalent in all the greats in the sport. Like that he knows he's the best and he wants everyone to know he's the best and he lives up to it."

"With Yuzu, we are everything, we are friends, we are team mates, at some point we have to be rivals. It’s like having a wife, your wife is your friend, your wife is everything, but it depends on the time. When we are on the ice, we are competing against each other but when the competition is done, we are friends again and we work together again."

"Yuzuru is a mystery and he will always be a mystery, because he likes it like that."

"I've done so many competitions and I've been in so many different atmospheres that at some point you kinda know what you have to do. [When] you skate in a competition in Japan after Yuzuru Hanyu, that teaches you a lot."

"Could he win without the big, giant tricks? Yes. But that’s not him. He’s willing to take the risk. He’s visualizing a greater win than last time. It wasn’t that magical moment you usually see at the Olympics."

"Never underestimate Mr Hanyu. That's for sure."

"He instantly at that time connected with a higher purpose of what he does. Yes, it's a sport. Yes, it's about winning. But for him it became about how he affected people emotionally, his ability to lift people, his ability to take people out of their troubles for a moment, and move to another place and find inspiration."

"He’s everything. He’s the skater, he’s the jumper, but quintessentially, he’s the performer. He seems to have the superpower to take all the pressure, all the expectations and all the lights and all the cameras, and somehow he’s able to use it as a competitor."

"I think he’s beautiful; he moves like a dream."

"He’s got this aura, this special presence that only he has. He’s so fierce on the ice, but in the kiss and cry he’s got his Pooh. That gap is what makes him attractive."

"I certainly have seen my fair share of great skaters over the course of my life and Hanyu ranks right up at the top with the best of them. [...] There is a contrasting sweetness and innocence backstage in conversation to the "killer" who comes out to skate. I have often said, you can see it in Hanyu's eyes when he takes his opening position."

"He’s the most complete athlete in figure skating, probably ever."

"For me he's number one. He's a great skater from a different planet. [...] When he skates, he has charisma. I like his jumps, I like his choreography, I like his spins. We have other skaters, they're good jumpers for example. But their choreography is not quite good, not enough to take the audience."

"You're the most complete figure skater of all time. Technical ability, artistry, but above all - above all - the ability to perform when it counts the most."

"It reminds me of when Michael Jackson was in his heyday, or meeting the Pope. People see Hanyu for the first time and they become hysterical or they’re moved to tears. It’s like their lives are complete. It’s crazy."

"[He] looks like he wakes up from bed and goes and jumps."

"Imagine being so good at something that people make it rain Winnie the Pooh stuffed animals on you."

"Obsessed with #yuzuruhanyu the best figure skater ever because he is as great an artist as athlete. The Baryshnikov of the Ice."

"seriously - just watched his exhibition skate - EXHIBITION! - and it was chilling. his relationship to the ice, to the music... it's simply inspirational."

"羽生結弦殿。あなたは厳しい修練と、人一倍の努力の積み重ねにより、オリンピック冬季競技大会個人種目における日本人初の連覇、フィギュアスケート男子シングル競技においても世界で66年振りとなる連覇を達成されました。この世界の歴史に残る快挙を、東日本大震災による被災、大会直前の大きな怪我という大変な困難を乗り越えて達成されたことは多くの国民に深い感動と勇気、社会に明るい夢と希望を与え、そして震災復興への力強いメッセージとなりました。"

"super heroes that can fly"

"自分の中で特にこれになりたいというのはないけど、アニメとかは好きだし、なんかとにかく劇的に勝ちたいという気持ちはすごくあります。"

"僕は僕。羽生結弦以上でも、以下でもない。ありのままの自分が出来る事を、五輪でもしっかりやりたい。"

"逆境は嫌いじゃないので。弱くなってる自分がすごく嫌なんです。それは本当に嫌いですけど、でも弱いというのは強くなれる可能性があると思ってるんで。"

"次のもう一個の課題を克服するチャンスが来たっていうのは、それはもうただただ、いつも思うように、こんな恵まれたことはないですよ。"

"明日の自分が今の自分を見たら胸張っていられるように、そんな今を過ごし続けたいなという風に思ってます。"

"毎回毎回、被災地とか、津波の被害があったところとか、通るたびにすごく思うんだけれども、僕の言葉なんかじゃ絶対表せないし…言ってみれば部外者だから、僕たちは。人の心に踏み込んじゃいけないところって絶対あるんで…。でもこういう風景を見てる時に思うのは、本当に何ができるかなってことはいつも思います。[...] 本当に僕たちは今生きている中で逆に何を残せるんだろうってすごく思うんですよね、本当にいろんなものがなくなってしまったからこそ。”"

"努力はウソをつく。でも無駄にはならない。"

"プレッシャー大好き、崖っぷち大好き、ヤッホーイ。"

"自分がすべきことを集中してやっていけば、自ずと道は開かれてくると信じているので。"

"It’s thanks to Javi, if I beat my pressure. When I feel nervous, he’s usually talking about something funny. So I think, I owe what I won to him."

"I try to find challenges after every competition and overcome them the next time."

"I am an athlete, and as an athlete it’s normal to keep challenging to do more and more."

"Honestly, sometimes I’m feeling like they treat me as a celebrity or an idol, but I’m not quite that. But I understand they’re all here to support me and I appreciate that passion."

"My strength is, I’m able to really analyze myself and have that image and try to match that with the physical skating."

"それがあるから絶対幸せが来るんだっていうのをひたすら待ってました。「明けない夜はない」。"

"震災後初めて、津波の被害のあったところまで行き、石巻の中学校を訪問させていただきました。全校生徒の前でスケートの話をしたんですけれど、それより金メダルを持ってきているということにまず、中学生たちがすごく喜んでくれたんです。そして、僕に会っただけでもすごく笑顔になってくれました。生徒の皆さんの笑顔から、被災した方々、本当につらい経験をしてきた方が元気になってくれたということを、教えてもらったというか、肌で感じさせていただいたことが初めてだったので、すごく嬉しかったんです。僕自身が一番感動し、僕自身が元気になったなって思います。"

"試合でうまくいかなくてもあまり落ち込まないのが僕の特徴です。逆に失敗した試合のあとは100%モチベーションが上がります。"

"いつも心を開いているんです。心を開いていなければ何も吸収できないし、おもしろくない。心を開くことが成長の原動力。"

"目標を書くなら大きいほうがいい。具体的に書いたほうが達成しやすい。けっこう理数系です。"

"I really love to skate, I really love to perform. I want to skate for my fans. I never feel like a champion. I'm always a challenger."