Mao News - The 2012-2013 Season!

zarinaballerina wrote:

I'd love to see Miki make a comeback, so she can show to Morozov, that he isn't a God he thinks himself to be and that she can make it with someone else, but then, I just know that Akiko would be left off the Oly's team. So I'm a bit torn about this.

This is the only reason that doesn't allow me to hope for a Miki's comeback: Akiko/Kanako would be pulled out off Team Japan, and I love both of them!! And I would also be sad if Miki didn't come back in a good shape, it's always horrible to see former champions skating bad... Japan should have 4 Olympic spots!!

Mao2012 wrote:

zarinaballerina wrote:

I'd love to see Miki make a comeback, so she can show to Morozov, that he isn't a God he thinks himself to be and that she can make it with someone else, but then, I just know that Akiko would be left off the Oly's team. So I'm a bit torn about this.

This is the only reason that doesn't allow me to hope for a Miki's comeback: Akiko/Kanako would be pulled out off Team Japan, and I love both of them!! And I would also be sad if Miki didn't come back in a good shape, it's always horrible to see former champions skating bad... Japan should have 4 Olympic spots!!

I'm willing to bet it would be Akiko who JSF would drop and not Kanako. Somehow even in her home country Akiko rarely gets the recognition she deserves.

shikure wrote:

http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kanamoon/e/bbd1194cb23860f8e5d66574ed3efece
a blog from a narrator, Kana Oshima. she went to interview Satoko in Kansai University then met Miyu Honda's father there. then her father told Ms. Oshima something happened during 4cc.

Miyu and her parents was in Gala of 4cc, after that Mao talked to them in the hallway.
although they met each other several times before but it was first time they have chance to talk with her like that. seeing honda family, mao remembered her childhood memory and was crying then talking to them about memory with her mother.
Ms. Oshima said Mao is not that kind of person would talk to others not so familiar (first meet) but she talked to them a lot maybe she landed 3A in the competition and her mother is the person she wanted to talk to most at the moment, then the Honda family just brought those emotion to her.

PS. I saw Makino has fiancee before, but anyway...stupid internet.

Sometimes I think we're asking too much from Mao. She's already has done so much..more then she needs to.. She lost the main person in her life-mother, this season we see her happy and smiling,but we never know what really is going on with our Dear Mao This pain will never go away. Love you Mao.

Mao2012 wrote:

zarinaballerina wrote:

I'd love to see Miki make a comeback, so she can show to Morozov, that he isn't a God he thinks himself to be and that she can make it with someone else, but then, I just know that Akiko would be left off the Oly's team. So I'm a bit torn about this.

This is the only reason that doesn't allow me to hope for a Miki's comeback: Akiko/Kanako would be pulled out off Team Japan, and I love both of them!! And I would also be sad if Miki didn't come back in a good shape, it's always horrible to see former champions skating bad... Japan should have 4 Olympic spots!!

i think japan should have five olympic spots for the men's side at least!

Japan really deserves about four spots for ladies if Miki returns and arguably six spots for men. I mean, look at how many Japanese men medaled on the Grand Prix this year - Dai, Yuzuru, Taka, Nobu, Tatsuki, AND Takahito Mura. Nobu probably could have made it to the GPF if he had been assigned to the very weak TEB field, so that could have been FIVE men at the GPF instead of the already insane four. And all of them could probably place in the top twelve at worlds. Maybe even top ten (assuming Nobu ever learns how to count).

Alokya wrote:

Japan really deserves about four spots for ladies if Miki returns and arguably six spots for men. I mean, look at how many Japanese men medaled on the Grand Prix this year - Dai, Yuzuru, Taka, Nobu, Tatsuki, AND Takahito Mura. Nobu probably could have made it to the GPF if he had been assigned to the very weak TEB field, so that could have been FIVE men at the GPF instead of the already insane four. And all of them could probably place in the top twelve at worlds. Maybe even top ten (assuming Nobu ever learns how to count).

Although Miki says she'll return next season, she hasn't got a coach yet and there are rumors that she's still depressed (although her management denys it), not sure if she'll be able to make Olys team even if she does come back. Most fans in Jpn are still worried about her mental state...therefore, I don't think Akiko will be kicked off the Olys team by Miki at this point. While Akiko has a strong motivation to make Sochi, Miki has repeatedly said that she had never competed just to win at Olys in her career, and though she's determined to work hard and do the best she can if chosen to go to Sochi, she won't feel down if she's not chosen. Miki has also said that to her any competition had always been as important as Olys, no difference. Maybe a rare philosophy from an athlete, but I kind of admire her way of thinking (but I still want Mao to win Olys gold!!!!!).

So for the number of spots for ladies being 3 tops, that's fine with me.
But as for the guys...I used to think 3 spots for Jpn was fair enough but...after seeing Nobu do so well at Kokutai, and knowing Takahiko would've done much better at Nats if it wasn't for that injury...I'm starting to have second thoughts. Nats in Jpn has become so high levelled, the pressure is too hard on the guys. I assume Dai and Yuzu will be selected if they manage to go on like this season, but I do feel all the other top guys are eligible for the 3rd spot if they can skate their best next season. But still, you never know if that'll be the case next season...Nobu has his ups and downs, Takahiko may not fully recover from his injury, Machida and Mura can still be vulnerable to pressure, etc....I think we'll just have to wait and see till next season. But anyway, the Olys comittee and ISU would probabaly never allow more than 3 spots for 1 country.

they updated gallery of Mao's official website
http://maimao-asada.com/gallery/mao/
love the one in red dress with a lot of movement in it

Mao looks great in red.

I know I'm getting greedy but I wish Mao would post more often in her blog, with pics of course.

i also really like the red dress, i would love to see her skate with this kind of dress in the future, the shape and the color of the dress is beautiful on mao

it's nice to see mao post in her blog, it's reallly effective and allows us as fans to know the little details, like what's on her mind, how she feels... that the media usuelly doesn't cover!

ballerinamao wrote:

it's nice to see mao post in her blog, it's reallly effective and allows us as fans to know the little details, like what's on her mind, how she feels... that the media usuelly doesn't cover!

unless it's about 3A.

A video where Makino talks about Mao and Sara Takanashi :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSy87-MbetQ

Among the things he says :
-There are 3 kinds of people : men, women and top athletes.
-When they participate in international competitions, Mao and Sara become samurais.
-Mao and Sara don't compromise or cut corners in their training. As their trainer, sometimes he doesn't want them to do too much, but they're natural born competitors.
-Mao and Sara have never met, but they tell Makino "Mao/Sara was amazing in the last competition", and he thinks they motivate each other.

Btw, Makino is 33, so he is within Mao's potential love interest age range.

dangerous_angel_face wrote:

A video where Makino talks about Mao and Sara Takanashi :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSy87-MbetQ

Among the things he says :
-There are 3 kinds of people : men, women and top athletes.
-When they participate in international competitions, Mao and Sara become samurais.
-Mao and Sara don't compromise or cut corners in their training. As their trainer, sometimes he doesn't want them to do too much, but they're natural born competitors.
-Mao and Sara have never met, but they tell Makino "Mao/Sara was amazing in the last competition", and he thinks they motivate each other.

Btw, Makino is 33, so he is within Mao's potential love interest age range.

To add a side note: Sara Takanashi is a ski jump competitor (as can be seen in the clip). She has just won the overall ski jumping world cup championship about a week ago...she's Japan's first ski jumping world cup champion, and youngest female champion in the field (only 16).

Just to let you know, our FB Mao fan group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/maosguardianangels/) sent Mao edited original CDs with music we thought may be good for her to use in Olys season last year. polosatik designed the CD labels and covers, also made an original letter sheet with the group's original seal on it, wrote an Eng and Jpnse version message on it (Alokya wrote the Eng version), I did the CD editing and sent all of it off to Mao. Alot of other members in this forum who are also in the FB group participated too. We all know there's only a very low chance of Mao using any of the music we suggested, but hopefully she can just enjoy the music anyway, so we wanted to do it.

When you send something to Mao (fan letters or presents), her agency IMG Tokyo always sends you back a thank you postcard. Remember when we did Mao's 20th birthday DVD message project, we got a thank you postcard too? It seems they change the design from time to time (probabaly for each season), and I got the new thank you card for the CD project today.





I erased part of my name and address for privacy reasons, but I'm sure one of the IMG staff wrote it not Mao anyway. It's printed 'Thank you for supporting me all the time. Mao Asada' below in the second image.

I think IMG gets alot of letters and presents for Mao everyday, so it always takes time for them to send you back a thank you postcard, but if you want one just write a fan letter or send a present to her. I'm sure they'll send you a postcard like this.

I hope we can maybe do another project to show our support for Mao in the near future; next time we can do something with both the members in the FB group and this forum together. Maybe we can do something for her before Olys? Sending her messages of encouragement along with fan art or poems like whiteboots wrote towards Olys in a DVD might be nice...anyone interested?

I love Mao Poppins card!

Kayo, that's a great idea! I think we can collaborate our fan stuff,it can be poems,letters,blends,montages, everything, just to cheer for Mao!

What a lovely idea Kayo I want to participate

Interesting story, can anyone confirm it?

http://sport.news.am/eng/news/19938/japanese-figure-skating-team-to-train-in-armenia-for-2014-winter-olympics.html#

That's interesting: maybe it could help developing FS in Armenia... And, yes, this could be true, because Armenia is close to Sochi and it would be a nice strategy...

http://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/349016 new article
basically the reason she can land good 3A is because she left ice for a long time last summer.
She can forget how she did 3A before then started to go for 3A as the same way she lands her 2A

shikure wrote:

http://number.bunshun.jp/articles/-/349016 new article
basically the reason she can land good 3A is because she left ice for a long time last summer.
She can forget how she did 3A before then started to go for 3A as the same way she lands her 2A

shikure, thanks for taking the time to report! mao has such unique ways of training. things seem to work out for her! best of luck to you, mao! even if you don't land on the podium, many of us are so proud of you this season!

swan wrote:

shikure, thanks for taking the time to report! mao has such unique ways of training. things seem to work out for her! best of luck to you, mao! even if you don't land on the podium, many of us are so proud of you this season!

ABSOLUTELY! To be honest I'd love to see her win 3rd world title, but whatever happens, I'm so proud of her for what she's achieved this season.

Go Mao!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qCv1EcHuos&feature=youtu.be
latest interview done by 2/28
see the height of 3A !!! and I want the jacket for Sochi
look like 3A became first jump of FS

ps. just seeing Taka on ice made me feeling relief too...didn't see him skating for 3 month

Thank u so much shikure! Mao's 3A looks really good! OMG, Worlds is so close

o.O Thanks for the link, shikure!

I'm so excited. Aaaahhh! Last worlds I was torn between excitement and apprehension knowing Mao will go for 3As at all cost even if they're not ready. This time, however, I'm really excited because I see that fire in her once again.

And I really hope she'll be able to go clean finally like what she also hopes.

Wow! That 3a! Mao is on fire and really hungry for competition! Go girl!!!

wow the 3A looks amazing in the clip