Takahiko!

Okami wrote:

... It seems Taka inherited his grandfather's ears.

You're right!

So if I understand correctly this is Taka's new short program by David Wilson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya0Q6NrpJPQ

I think I like it. Maybe because I love jazz and this piece in particular, but I enjoy the program a lot. It seems to be constructed to highlight the changes in the music and shows off Taka's skating skills.

What do you guys think?

babayaga wrote:

So if I understand correctly this is Taka's new short program by David Wilson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ya0Q6NrpJPQ

I think I like it. Maybe because I love jazz and this piece in particular, but I enjoy the program a lot. It seems to be constructed to highlight the changes in the music and shows off Taka's skating skills.

What do you guys think?

When they broadcasted "The Ice", they said Wilson had the piece first and wanted to find someone can skate to it then he found Taka.
Sounds like Wilson offered the program to Taka.

what I like about the program is Taka brings his personality in it and he shows his confidence in the program.
Since the rink for ice show is smaller than those for competition, he can't skate with his full speed. I am really looking forward to see he skates in competition.

Thank you shikure, this is very interesting! The more I watch the program the more I like it to be honest.

https://youtu.be/C8hc3lRsxdg interview broadcast on Saturday
can see him practice in university, looks like the same day they announced the pair program practice.
In addition, we can also see him doing his FP a little bit.

btw, he can drive in both Jpn and US and he looks like good driver~

ETA: in the video~after 5:00 there was a female skater ...is that Mao ?

Thanks shikure!

He is a pretty good driver. I'd be involved in a car accident if I tried to drive in Japan because it would take me a while to get used to the driver's seat and the road being on the opposide sides.

I wonder what Marina and Taka cooked up in the free. 3 months seems like a long wait, but I hope it flies by.

*There is a good chance that the skater was Mao since you're only allowed to skate at Chukyo University through identification and their training sessions are usually done together.

from Tanith Belbin twitter
"Great weekend with family and friends! Charlie giving Taka the full U of M tour. Go Blue!"

Charlie and Taka are so cute, and looks like they become good friends

Awww.

Their bromance is truly something special. Just don't go as so far and run with your shirts off side by side on the beach like Matthew Macconaughey and Lance Armstrong!

Thanks for always keeping up posted, shikure!

taka also spent time w/ the shibs while in michigan! (wonder who took the pic??)

from maia shibutani's twitter:

RT @maiashibutani: Had a fun night downtown with Taka. We got tired, so @AlexShibutani gave us a lift! http://yfrog.com/h6z6n3j

dlynndao wrote:

taka also spent time w/ the shibs while in michigan! (wonder who took the pic??)

from maia shibutani's twitter:

RT @maiashibutani: Had a fun night downtown with Taka. We got tired, so @AlexShibutani gave us a lift! http://yfrog.com/h6z6n3j

dlynndao
how cute~Shibutani sandwich
Taka has ice dancer potential since he hold on Alex then use the other hand to make sure Maia won't fall.
I think he has enough strength to protect his partner
Good to see Taka has so many good friends there and had good time then he looks healthy even he is so busy

Thanks dlynndao!

I checked out the other photo from your link. I had no idea Alex was so much taller than Taka!

shikure wrote:

how cute~Shibutani sandwich
Taka has ice dancer potential since he hold on Alex then use the other hand to make sure Maia won't fall.
I think he has enough strength to protect his partner

Shibutani sandwich = ADORABLE

It would be wonderful to see Taka take up ice dance one day -- I would love to see that!

maowataiyo wrote:

I had no idea Alex was so much taller than Taka!

I think Alex is 5'10" -- also sliiiiightly taller than Scott and Charlie!

They are so cute
from Alex's twitter
"Taka, @MaiaShibutani, and I have mastered the art of the panoramic group shot! "


I think this should be last one since Taka should be on his way back to Japan for PIW on this weekend.

Hehe, very cute! And Maia looks much more grown up compared to last year.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.270854489597820.91102.168543383162265&type=1
Alex released more pic on his fb page.
Taka really got an "unusual" small face compared to other Aisan.

When everyone is still doing ICE show or training, Taka is doing his graduated school student thing.
http://www.hcf.or.jp/information/2011/08/815.php
He went to be assistant for his professor and helped visitors to experience the research.
He also did jump to show visitors how the equipment works.

http://t.co/Fun00nF thanks those ppl shared their pics video

he looks so young and ppl said looks like he lose some weight
saw a lots of comments about him~including staff and those moms bring their kids there
everyone said he is so nice and polite to everyone and said kids waited in line kept touching him--> female fans are envy those kids

news about PIW Okasaki
https://youtu.be/v5ahI-kRBOY
https://youtu.be/-Hlguxd4Jkw Miki K.O. Taka

ETA: from 1:00 the spread eagle https://youtu.be/TZp5WNokMNw
based on twitter~this one is shorter than he did before and he lose some weight the clothes didn't fit him that well this weekend you can see he looks tired and maybe have jet-leg

for ppl also on FSU / twitter maybe you have seen this
Taka's new EX "Cello song" --> he looked tired AGAIN but still amazing
Compared with pics during pair-program practice, he really lose lots of weight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mq6elDZt-30
This ending pose is prayer and they edited the music to add the final sound which makes the ending very powerful.
I feel something just hit my heart~if they can take the shot with his whole body position will be better.

I have to say if Mao is queen of EX, I feel Taka is my king of EX (for skaters still compete).
I can watch Taka's any EX from 2008 over and over then I can't stop watching his new ex now.

I just watch Patrick's prior EX from the broadcast of AOI in Taipei~he just bored me.
Even ppl went there said Patrick's mom is so nice and talked to fan and everyone there...sorry, I just can't get into his program.

ETA: just announced he will join Friends on Ice
http://www.friendsonice.com/profile.html
now they have amazing cast now~ Yuka, Dai, Mik, Akiko, Taka and of course Shizuka

shikure wrote:

https://youtu.be/-Hlguxd4Jkw Miki K.O. Taka

ETA: from 1:00 the spread eagle https://youtu.be/TZp5WNokMNw
based on twitter~this one is shorter than he did before and he lose some weight the clothes didn't fit him that well this weekend you can see he looks tired and maybe have jet-leg

Thanx a lot, shikure!

Lol on Taka putting on the muscle suit since Plushenko a la "Sex Bomb". And I must say, I am really liking Kanako's costumes lately. She's definitely going for a more grown up look.

Sorry to hear about Taka looking a little gaunt. I hope it's nothing serious. He shouldn't push himself too much as Skate America is the first grand prix event and only about a month and a half away from starting.

official website update~this one should also go to Dai's thread
so hilarious
http://t-kozuka.com/blog/2011/08/post-35a5.html
Who am I ?


wearing Dai-chan's costume, going to dance Mambo
Friends on Ice~


Actually, during rehersal yesterday~
Taka wore his 2010 season SP costume for Mambo routine

Can't wait to see the broadcast
Since Shae-Lynn, Shizuka, Akiko, Taka and of course Dai do the Mambo program together

looks like Taka has adjusted his body to "in season" body shape.

Thanks for the update, shikura! Hilarous photos.

Some more Taka news: according to nana7035 @FSU, Taka's new programs are:

Takahiko Kozuka
SP: Inner Urge by Joe Henderson / Choreo by David Wilson
FS: Fantasia for Nausicaa by Joe Hisaishi / Choreo by Marina Zueva

SP music was chosen by David.
Taka picked his FS music and also did the music edit by himself.

I'm amused, because many fans here wanted Mao to skate to the Nausicaa theme... Looks like Taka stole the idea.

Okami wrote:

Thanks for the update, shikure! Hilarous photos.

Some more Taka news: according to nana7035 @FSU, Taka's new programs are:

Takahiko Kozuka
SP: Inner Urge by Joe Henderson / Choreo by David Wilson
FS: Fantasia for Nausicaa by Joe Hisaishi / Choreo by Marina Zueva

SP music was chosen by David.
Taka picked his FS music and also did the music edit by himself.

I'm amused, because many fans here wanted Mao to skate to the Nausicaa theme... Looks like Taka stole the idea.

Thank you Okami~
For the FS, no one hears that yet and Taka said in interview before that he mixed two music together so not sure how it will go. Maybe Taka heard all the fans' wishes but he said he wants to do something passionate and latin...not sure if that is official.

Another hilarious photo~ Taka wore make up to make himself looks like Dai (in the photo, Taka in pink, Dai in red)

in the final show they exchanged the clothes to confuse all the fans-->Dai in pink then Taka in red.

In addition, he modified "soul man madly" to new EX. The music is with vocal ~he performed that in FOI too.

I think we don't need to worry about him anymore since he did one clean 4T in his SP today then did another 4T in encore Manbo today. All fans felt relief since he skipped most of 3A and all 4T during off seaon, but he proved himself today. now all fans are more worried that he will become comedian after all this shows

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9l5z2xuXm8&feature=feedf Taka and Dai are hilarious here

Thanks Okami, shikure and polosatik!

I am excited for Taka's music choices.
And this whole mambo stuff is hilarious!
There is a post at ontd_skating about FOI with many backstage photos. So funny!
http://ontd-skating.livejournal.com/1177782.html#cutid1

Taka even went as far as to use fake spray tan! and the fake chest hair
He has really opened up in this off season and has a lot of fun! First TakaMao kiss, than Taka in drag and now MamboTaka I am a little bit scared what will be next
I have also heard that he has opened up while skating his programs too. Good for him! Can't wait to see a proof and see the broadcast!

kaarolcia wrote:

Thanks Okami, shikure and polosatik!

I am excited for Taka's music choices.
And this whole mambo stuff is hilarious!
There is a post at ontd_skating about FOI with many backstage photos. So funny!
http://ontd-skating.livejournal.com/1177782.html#cutid1

Taka even went as far as to use fake spray tan! and the fake chest hair
He has really opened up in this off season and has a lot of fun! First TakaMao kiss, than Taka in drag and now MamboTaka I am a little bit scared what will be next
I have also heard that he has opened up while skating his programs too. Good for him! Can't wait to see a proof and see the broadcast!

kaarolcia thank you for the post and polosatik for the video clip.
That is why Friends on Ice is so good ~ all of them are good friends.
On the weekend, you can see Shizuka, Akiko and Miki tweet something interesting all the time
Then all of them tweet that they love the fifth brother ~ Taka a lot. He is really loved by all other skaters and he was really going for anything in that show.
there will be two hours broadcast around end of September, and I am looking forward to see that Mambo routine.
They said Taka tried Dai's layback spin that he never did in his own program~ so amazing.

I saw a interview of Davis and White on the weekend which they did during the camp in states now. They asked them what they want (from other skaters) then Charlie said when he went to Japan for the ice, he saw Taka's spread eagle then he wants to have that you can see how much he loves Taka from his facial expression.

ETA: just wonder ...will Mao and Taka skate to the same music for SP anf FS respectively?

I made "The ICE" DVD on the weekend then I can watch that on TV...feel so happy for now

part of Inner urge performance in Friends on Ice which is part of "Going Special"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts6O6WMJFBM (it's a private link so don't share with other ppl outside here and I only shared with some friends on twitter)
he landed the 4T and the whole clip totally different from the one in "The Ice"~more intensity in the program.
the way he entered 4T is Wally--> that makes the preparation time for 4T shorter than he did before.