Kanako Murakami

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74T3nT9jiQQ
1st after the short!

bibi wrote:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74T3nT9jiQQ
1st after the short!

The dress is really beautiful, but it somehow looks too pretty/delicate for a program like this... Childish or not, I looooved the polka dots!

congratulations, kanako, for winning the asian games!

Congrats to Kanako on her win!

Just watched her SP. Wow, is she a spunky ball of energy! I agree with chiyori that the dress doesn't really fit the program/music, but it's so pretty! I love it.

chiyori wrote:

The dress is really beautiful, but it somehow looks too pretty/delicate for a program like this... Childish or not, I looooved the polka dots!

I'm quietly hoping polka dots will be added to the new dress by Worlds...

Kanako's cm!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VuRSZ95iuE

dangerous_angel_face wrote:

Kanako's cm!

Wow, this young lady is becoming a star.

I watched the cm but still don't know what this advertisement is about

I found a news clip showing a bit of Kanako's new SP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAXqHZV93hk
It looks like she dropped TAT's "Granada", after all. Her new music is "Violin Muse" by Ikuko Kawai. At this point it's still obvious that it is a very new program, but I hope it develops nicely later in the season. It's not the easiest music to skate to, in my opinion - a bit too march-like and gloomy. I hope the music cut is good (it's difficult to guess just from that short news clip).

Love Kanako's new costume. So far I'm liking what I'm seeing. Kudos to her for going for 3F-3T.

Okami wrote:

I found a news clip showing a bit of Kanako's new SP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAXqHZV93hk
It looks like she dropped TAT's "Granada", after all. Her new music is "Violin Muse" by Ikuko Kawai. At this point it's still obvious that it is a very new program, but I hope it develops nicely later in the season. It's not the easiest music to skate to, in my opinion - a bit too march-like and gloomy. I hope the music cut is good (it's difficult to guess just from that short news clip).

Here is some more of the SP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAXqHZV93hk

Different clips from the short program and a few from the LP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llPjVw6aFoc
Apparently Kanako plans to repeat 3L this season!
Does anyone have the protocols from this competition (or Kanako's LP jump layout)?

Guys, did Kanako skate her short program from TAT anywhere?

polosatik wrote:

Guys, did Kanako skate her short program from TAT anywhere?

I don't think so. Back at the Japanese Training Camp (when it was announced that Kanako worked with TAT) Kanako already mentioned that she probably will not use TAT's SP, because it's too tiring. Kanako is doing a challenging for her jump layout this season (3F-3T and 3L), so maybe she needs to concentrate on the jumps more, and "Granada" is quite powerful right from the start (In contrast to "Violin Muse", which starts gently then gets more intense).

Maybe she'll use it as her EX, though? Kanako seems to be quite fond of Spanish / flamenco themed music, and she wouldn't have to worry as much about jumps during the Gala. That, and IMHO "Amarti Si" is a lovely program, but not quite exciting enough to watch it more than a few times.

Here's Elene's "Granada" choreographed by TAT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPkbYl33TTY
I'm guessing the music would be the same, because all other versions of "Granada" that I've found have vocals.

Okami wrote:

Does anyone have the protocols from this competition (or Kanako's LP jump layout)?

Here you go Okami:
(Kanako's protocol is of course the first one listed for both segments)
Short Program
Free Skate

She is indeed repeating the 3L this time around. I previously read on 2ch that she gave an interview on one of the Japanese skating magazines talking about how her LP is aiming for a 7-triple layout without a 3-3 (a 2A in SEQ) and it looks like this is the case after all.

Thank you so much!
That's an intriguing jump layout. It would be interesting to compare it to the BV of other ladies... Now where's my calculator...

Kanako's new FS


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaP2LXl5L-U&feature=player_embedded

lovely albeit a bit dull

I think they push Kanako too hard ~ she wants to grow up too fast.
Her goal this year is "being adult" but I don't think that is necessary.
She is just lovely as the way she was.
I like her energy in her program before but her new programs don't show her lovely personality.
Maybe she can't do those feet shaking movement but she still can be lovely and young.

In addition, she can practice to skate clean but she needs to deal with her technique issue too.
The last thing I wanna see is ppl call her cheating in entrant even she manages to full -rotated her jump.
we never know who is the next Japanese skater they would like to be picky with. If kanako is doing well, she may be next

And here is the sp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PUtaxgtjZLE
I'm impressed with her 3F-3T, it looks fully rotated and so easy. She seems to have some difficulties with the loop though that she now does in SP and twice in FP.
I agree with shikure, I miss last year's Kanako. They could have made one "mature" program and one fun program again, instead of two of the same.

I love the way she's changed since last season her new SP is brilliant, she's much more mature.

Unfortunatelly it looks like she started to have problems with her 3 loop...

Thanks for the vids!

I like both her sp and lp, although both are obviously still incomplete. But I think they've got potential.

I agree with shikure and babayaga that Kanako might be being pushed too hard to become mature. Personally, I liked her spunky, youthful programs from last season. I thought The mask of Zoro was just right for her, not childish, not too mature either. But after being grossly underscored at last worlds, I can see how she would think "I have to grow up! Now!". If only figure skating wasn't led by politics . . . sorry, I'm ranting.

Anyway, Mrs Yamada said Kanako felt some pain in her pelvis/waist/hip area, this might explain why she struggled with the loop. I hope she feels better soon.

dangerous_angel_face wrote:

Thanks for the vids!

I like both her sp and lp, although both are obviously still incomplete. But I think they've got potential.

I agree with shikure and babayaga that Kanako might be being pushed too hard to become mature. Personally, I liked her spunky, youthful programs from last season. I thought The mask of Zoro was just right for her, not childish, not too mature either. But after being grossly underscored at last worlds, I can see how she would think "I have to grow up! Now!". If only figure skating wasn't led by politics . . . sorry, I'm ranting.

Anyway, Mrs Yamada said Kanako felt some pain in her pelvis/waist/hip area, this might explain why she struggled with the loop. I hope she feels better soon.

I'm worried. I hope she will not force herself too much. I think this is an important year for her to show the judges consistency and try to get more PCS scores. I don't know if 3 3loops will work good for her. I just hope she stays healthy.

interview of kanako https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG_FQktKKOc&feature=share
she is 161cm now~no wonder she looks taller than Haruka.