Mao News - The 2012-2013 Season!

inskate wrote:

Thanks for the info, Pochi!

Phew, I just hope Mao can have a bit of time to herself now. This season was super-hectic.

BTW, the translated "10 years from now" interviews can be found here: http://ohheyjamiee.tumblr.com/post/47286735139/ten-years-from-now-thatll-be-when-all-the
(Quotes from Akiko, Kanako & Miki are also included).

Quote :

“Ten years from now! That’ll be when all the little kiddies like Shoma turn senior.”
Actually, Shoma is already 15. He’ll probably move up to seniors soon.
“Oh, I see. How old will I be? 32… I see. I probably won’t be competing anymore then. There are a lot of things I want to do beside skating. Normal things like wanting to get married and having kids. I want to try to open a restaurant specializing in simple comfort foods or a cafe. Like a traditional cafe! I have a lot of dreams. Of course, skating-wise, I also thought about wanting to teach little kids.” —Mao Asada

Why I'm not surprised that Mao wants to open a restaurant? And it would be great to see Mao coaching young skaters in the future.

Thanks Inskate for the translation. Mao is quite a foodie . I look forward to see her imparting her talent and passion to the next generation of skaters.

Though I'm about to cry, I want her to stay healthy and if she decide to retire I will support her al the way. But I'm happy to hear that's not her final decision.

Mao I hope she stays until 2018, although if she retires I'll support her...

Thanks for the info on Mao's specific wording, Pochi. Hmm...the very idea of her retiring makes me sad, but I'm doing my best to hold back the tears until we know something more definite. She's just finished a long and busy season, and she must be exhausted. That can have a big effect on someone's mindset when looking at future plans. If she does indeed retire, I'll respect that decision and support her; I'm sure she knows what is best for herself and what her body can handle. Still, the selfish part of me can't help but hope that she'll decide to stick around a little longer.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130414-00000023-mai-spo

At today's press conference, Mao said: she started to think about retirement since the beginning of this year, and then there was a moment when she felt this is it, so she thought maybe it's time to do so. She talked about it with Mai and her manager. There is less than a year (before Sochi) and during such a limited time period she thinks she will be able to exert herself to the utmost. She wanted to tell her thought to her supporters. She would like her fans to know it and support her (while understanding next season will be the last season for her). She will practice to skate her last and best performances at Olympics. She will be careful to avoid injury. She wants to do her best not only at Olympics but also at each competition. She's been concentrating only on skating so she will have to think about what she will do after she retired.


I will keep praying for her that the next season will become her best season in her career and she will be able to deliver everything she wants to do and end on a high note.

I'm so sorry for being negative and pessimistic. But it's so heartbreaking, because she's too good to retire. It's not that she's not a good skater so that she has to think about retirement. Because of arbitrary judgement and harsh ur calls, she was driven into thinking about it. Also the current rule does not encourage difficult jumps despite it's sport. That's how I feel now. I know rules are rules and cheat is cheat and games are done as per rules. But I cannot help but feel so upset.

ETA: I meant by harsh ur calls not only this season but also those back in 2010 (3A) and before (3-3L)

inskate wrote:

Thanks for the info, Pochi!

Phew, I just hope Mao can have a bit of time to herself now. This season was super-hectic.

BTW, the translated "10 years from now" interviews can be found here: http://ohheyjamiee.tumblr.com/post/47286735139/ten-years-from-now-thatll-be-when-all-the
(Quotes from Akiko, Kanako & Miki are also included).

Quote :

“Ten years from now! That’ll be when all the little kiddies like Shoma turn senior.”
Actually, Shoma is already 15. He’ll probably move up to seniors soon.
“Oh, I see. How old will I be? 32… I see. I probably won’t be competing anymore then. There are a lot of things I want to do beside skating. Normal things like wanting to get married and having kids. I want to try to open a restaurant specializing in simple comfort foods or a cafe. Like a traditional cafe! I have a lot of dreams. Of course, skating-wise, I also thought about wanting to teach little kids.” —Mao Asada

Why I'm not surprised that Mao wants to open a restaurant? And it would be great to see Mao coaching young skaters in the future.

Thanks for the translation! I am sad that mao wants to retire, but i shall respect her decision. Hopefully we can still see her in shows as well!

Just wondering, who do you think will be the new top lady/ladies of Japan's skating? Esp with Mao/Kana/Akko probably retiring after Sochi and Miki has yet to announce anything.

koala_lover wrote:

Thanks for the translation! I am sad that mao wants to retire, but i shall respect her decision. Hopefully we can still see her in shows as well!

Just wondering, who do you think will be the new top lady/ladies of Japan's skating? Esp with Mao/Kana/Akko probably retiring after Sochi and Miki has yet to announce anything.

Probably Yura Matsuda?

No offence nor disrespect linglang, but I think as Jpnse members in this forum we should let the others know that she has still said 'That's what I'm planning to do now' again in today's press conference.

(記者からあらためて「ソチ五輪のシーズンで引退ということか」と聞かれた浅田は「今はそういうつもりでいます」とソチ五輪を一区切りとすることを認めた。)

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/sports/figureskate/headlines/article/20130414-00000008-spnavi

In addition, here's a vid on an interview on this matter at the WTT banquet last night:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sJS2SMqArA

The first part is probably the TV Asahi interview right after WTT was over I think.

Translation:

1st part---

Q:How close do you think you are to Olys gold?
A:I'm aiming to deliver the best performance in my skating career at Olys rather than medalling there now, so in I want to do the best performance in my life in the end.

2nd part---

Q:'About retiring after next season'
A:Well yes, right now I'm going on with the feeling of intending to do so.

Q:Is there a possibility you might continue?
A:........Um, I'm really thinking of it to be my final compilation so...'hai(はい yes)'

Q:'When have you started to think about this?'
A:Since this year I think...

The 'hai (yes)' in the second to last question is pointed towards what she said right before and not to the possibility that she may continue. But note there was a long pause after this question, so I'm still not sure she has made up her mind entirely even at this point. Btw, her answer to the last question in direct translation would be 'After we entered this year', which in Jpnse clearly shows she started to think about it since 2013, not this season.

I will keep in mind that next season is most likely to be her last one, but I'm just going to go on supporting her as usual, period. I don't think she would want us to feel so down about what she's planning on doing 'now'.

Frankly, I'm getting a bit tired of Mao fans in Jpn all crying out how disappointed they are and then accusing the system of the sport and how mean the our media has been to her all along of pushing Mao into feeling this way without any proof. Jmo but our media being always rude and mean to Mao is mere exaggeration. They have not been THAT mean to her, plus there have been many other athletes who have been treated so much more unfairly by them in the past. In addition I do not think Mao is a weak person who would decide to end her career because figure skating rules and judges may be too strict or because the 'mean' media took away her motivations to go on. I don't even think she had time to watch those cheap variety shows on tv which sometimes gives wrong info about her and the sport on the whole, and I'm quite certain that her father or Mai had not bothered to record them for her to watch them later. I also do cannot possibly image the Asada family buying those crap tabloid papers and magazines which sometimes writes negative articles on her when she doesn't win (btw, they do praise her when she does well otoh).

Mao is the kind of athlete who will retire only when she feels satisfied that she has done enough. Her mother's death which must've made her think over how she wants to lead her life, is just about the only other reason I can possibly believe which influenced her to think about retiring. Fans should just stick to going on supporting her more than ever and stop treating her like a poor victim of whatever. Mao is definitely not the type of person who wants to be pitied. Feeling sorry for her is the same as insulting her.

ETA:There's nothing in the news here that Kanako is considering retirement.

pearlyriver wrote:

koala_lover wrote:

Thanks for the translation! I am sad that mao wants to retire, but i shall respect her decision. Hopefully we can still see her in shows as well!

Just wondering, who do you think will be the new top lady/ladies of Japan's skating? Esp with Mao/Kana/Akko probably retiring after Sochi and Miki has yet to announce anything.

Probably Yura Matsuda?

Haruka Imai, maybe? She didn't start skating until she was 9, so she might be a late bloomer who can skate well into her twenties.
Out of the junior girls, personally I think Riona Kato might be the most promising one in terms of overall package, but it's rather difficult to predict how those young girls will do.

Pochi thanks so much for clarifying in detail about Mao and retirement.

Guys, lets be honest, she's been skating WITHOUT a break almost her whole life, she'll be 23 in september, her body won't be able to keep up with her much longer, besides I'm sure she wants to do other things in life beside skating.

Don't get me wrong, just the thought of her retiring breaks my heart, and hearing her publicly saying she (at least for now) plans to retire after next season...I'm tearing up.
After everything she's been through she needs a break, so hopefully, after next season, she won't make a public statement but just take a season off, to rest, finish school, have some fun and maybe then she'll get hungry for competition again. Remember last summer, she took a month off (or something like that) and she came back hungrier than ever.

zarinaballerina wrote:

Pochi thanks so much for clarifying in detail about Mao and retirement.

Guys, lets be honest, she's been skating WITHOUT a break almost her whole life, she'll be 23 in september, her body won't be able to keep up with her much longer, besides I'm sure she wants to do other things in life beside skating.

Don't get me wrong, just the thought of her retiring breaks my heart, and hearing her publicly saying she (at least for now) plans to retire after next season...I'm tearing up.
After everything she's been through she needs a break, so hopefully, after next season, she won't make a public statement but just take a season off, to rest, finish school, have some fun and maybe then she'll get hungry for competition again. Remember last summer, she took a month off (or something like that) and she came back hungrier than ever.

ITA

While I think that harsh UR calls did have some affect on Mao (It did lead her to decide to overhaul her jumping technique), I don't believe this was the reason that drove her to think about retirement. Mao is someone who never gives up even when her results were really low a few seasons ago. I still think this is a new awareness she is having about her body and how much more she can continue at the level she hopes to be competing. In another article posted on GS, she mentioned feeling wrong about her foot and breathing during the latter half of her FS and she doesn't know why. And I remember reading similar things about pain/tiredness in her body but she doesn't know the reason earlier in the GP season and also at the last Worlds. I think Mao is facing a similar dilemma that many top female skaters in the past must face at one point in their careers. Decrease of technical difficulty for the sake of consistency. It's already evident this season, though not so much in the long program but she was pretty consistent in the SP until she added her 3A back. She knows that at some point, she will probably have to give up the 3A. And as Pochi said before, Mao will not be satisfied with competing without her signature jump. For Mao, Sochi is her last chance at the only gold medal that has eluded her in her career and she wants to go for it with all that she got, which means with her 3A. The next Olympics will be for another four years which is a really long time in skating years. Although most of the veterans are retiring, there can be new stars or the emerging stars now may get a lot better, who knows. When Mao decided to plan for Sochi, she was very determined and optimistic. But the jumping overhaul took a long time and many things happened in her personal life. I always knew that she would persevere in her plan because she is so strong but she must have been under immense pressure. I think she deserves a break from all of the pressure of competitive life and to enjoy life outside of skating. And perhaps away from the limits of COP and competition pressure, Mao can continue to give us beautiful exhibition programs in her skating shows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFjU554jt80

The newest interview on Mao's retirement matter. Translation is as follows:

Q:Sochi being your final compilation...how exactly are you...???
A:Yes, well...how I feel about it is, at this point, I'm deciding to make it (perform there) as my final compilation.

Q:Um...for instance, Daisuke Takahashi or Miki Ando and Kitajima (Olys gold swimmer) had made similar comments before, but they went on competing (after Olys). But everyone around (meaning the media) has been writing that you will be retiring out loud in a self-indulged manner. How do you feel about that? Are you (feeling) misunderstood...???
A:Well in the interview yesterday, I said I will perform the best in my life at Olys as my final compilation tentatively, and after that I was asked if that meant I'll be retiring, so I told them that's the way I'm thinking about it now but...

Q:But there's no need to conclude which way your decision will turn out...I mean, it's not for us to conclude is it?
A:That's right, yes.

Q:So should we consider that you'll be focusing for Sochi in that kind of way, and think about it (retiring) from there (meaning after Olys)...???
A:Um...well, yes...

Q:Okay, well, anyway you can decide about it from there...
A:Yes...

Q:But, this is from (my) athletic point of view...that once you decide that you're going to go on up to a certain goal, your motivation starts rising real high like crazy.
A:Yes. In my case too, after reaching the point where there's only an year left, my feelings on working harder foremost became more strong.

-------------The interviewer Matsuoka used to be one of our top tennis players. He goes on to talk about his impressions on this interview with Mao with Shizuka as follows:

M:I can imagine how surprised everyone must have after hearing 'Mao-san retiring', but the way I saw it was that it meant she's (only) determined to do every single thing she can do on her way to Sochi Olys. That's the way I understood it.
S:Yes, as athletes, when you think about where you'll set your competing career goal, there are many who choose Olys as one of their breakpoints. However, you can only find out how you'll actually feel after Olys only when Olys is over. So for now, what I felt most that she (Mao) wants to have all her feelings (=passion) towards Sochi very strongly.

I'm aware that the English in these translations may sound a bit strange because I tried the best I can to translate the exact words they all said so anyone who reads this can think for themselves how exactly Mao may be feeling.

Still, please keep in mind one thing. This interview was broadcasted right before they aired the WTT gala on Asahi TV. Asahi has been achieving high viewing rates when airing skating competitions, and they clearly know that it's because Mao is a very popular figure in Jpn. Therefore, I'm quite sure they wanted to give the impression that Mao has not completely made up her mind yet about retiring. They must've feared that her fans may have been so shocked that they may not even feel like watching the gala broadcast and future competitions, and that's probably why they showed this interview in the beginning. I think the staff told Matsuoka to try to make her say something like 'I may change my mind later'. The way he interviewed her was more like leading her into admitting she feels she wants to retire only at the moment. Which imo is a nasty way to interview someone.

But at the same time, I basically think Matsuoka is a pretty nice kind hearted guy; not intelligent, but really nice and kind. So I think he personally wanted Mao to take more time and think it over, since he was an athlete before; a pretty good athlete in fact. I think the staff also asked Shizuka to say something to calm Mao fans down and she did. In her case, she decided to retire after winning Olys gold, but if I remember correctly, it took her quite some time after Olys to make that decision. So if Shizuka says an athlete can never know how they'll feel after Olys until it's over, I think she really means it.

http://sportsnavi.yahoo.co.jp/sports/figureskate/headlines/article/20130414-00000063-dal

Above is an article with comments from Dai and Akiko concerning this issue.

Dai said 'I think she must have thought about it very much. But I'm personally taking it (the retirement comment) as a fact that she wants to do it (aim for Sochi) feeling that way. It's the same with me, but you never know (how you'll feel) until Olys is actually over. Right now I'll (just) watch over her.'

Akiko said 'I'm 28 and still continuing, so I feel she's (too) young (to retire), but in her case, she started competing at the top from an earlier age. So she must have been carrying pressure much longer. I can understand her wanting to make Olys her breakpoint. If that (retiring) is her decision, I'd like to go on working hard along with her (next season).'

Btw, maybe someone already posted this but these are the exact words she said in today's press conference:

「理由は色んなことがありますけど、今年に入ってから徐々に思い始めました。体力面ではないです。気持ちがふっときた時があって、そうなのかな、そうなのかなって思うようになった。ソチで自分の最後の、最高の滑りをできるようにと考えるようになりました」

"There are several reasons, but I started feeling this way little by little since this year. It (the reason) is not about physical stamina. There was this moment when the feeling suddenly came to me, and I started thinking should it be, should it be. I started to think that I want to deliver my last, best performance in Sochi."

When asked about what she plans to do after retiring she said:

「これまでスケート１本でやってきたので、自分で道を切り開かないといけない」
「将来的にはちゃんと子どもが欲しい。いい旦那さんと巡り会って、いい家庭を築きたいな。将来的にはですけど…」

"I've lived (my life) so far with skating only, so I need to start making my own (new) paths."
"In the future I'd like to have children. I want to find a nice husband and make a good family. Although, I mean that the in the future (not so soon)..."

http://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/general/2013/04/14/2p_0005899639.shtml

ETA:

Quote :

In another article posted on GS, she mentioned feeling wrong about her foot and breathing during the latter half of her FS and she doesn't know why.

Yes, she said her legs felt numb and her body heavy while she was performing her FP at WTT. She said that had never happened to her before and she couldn't understand why. She said this in a group interview with team Jpn which was aired in between the gala broadcast tonight. But she was cheerful when she said it. I remember Jeremy saying almost the exact kind of thing happened to him when he couldn't deliver well sometime in the first half of this season. His doctor told him later that his legs are not reacting properly to the signals his mind is sending to them. It was hard for me to understand why he felt that way, but he said he's relieved that he found out what the problem was. He hasn't mentioned the same thing happening to him again afterwards, so maybe this kind of thing isn't as serious as it sounds...although he hasn't been performing so well lately. Retire or not, Mao should go see a doctor like Jeremy did and find out if something's wrong. She might just have a slight cold or something though; she was blowing breath on her fingers before 6 min practice as if they were chilled. Anyways, someone around her will make her go see a doctor I think.

Thanks Pochi for the translation.
I'm very touched by Dai and Akiko's comments. They are kind hearted people who know what 'pressure' truly means and Mao is blessed for having them around her.

Thanks everyone for translations. I don't know, even though Mao is saying that this is how she feels now, I think she made up her mind. I think she just tries to choose her words carefully, but I have a feeling she is determined to retire after the Olympics. I think she wouldn't even mention it if she wasn't more or less certain.

I am very sad about this news, but I can see how she might need to stop skating after so many years. I still hope though that it will not necessarily be a permanent retirement and that she might return after a year or so if she starts to miss competition. I really hope that Mao will have the season that she wants this year and that she would be able to retire with the feeling of satisfaction.

Still, I am very sad and I miss her already.

Does anyone know whether all these skaters (Dai, Akko, Mao, Kana (?)) intend to retire directly after Sochi or just after next season?! Because Worlds 2014 will be in Japan and I think it would be a worthy goodbye to a very special era of Japanese top skaters... No matter whether they will be Olympic/World champion in this year, the amazing Japanese crowd would honor them for what they've done the last years!
I have a vision of a very touching and sad, but also beautiful Exhibition Gala at Worlds 2014...

Btw, I totally forgot to thank linglang and Pochi for the amazing translations... Sorry for that, you're always doing a great job for all the non-japanese members!!

josling wrote:

Does anyone know whether all these skaters (Dai, Akko, Mao, Kana (?)) intend to retire directly after Sochi or just after next season?! Because Worlds 2014 will be in Japan and I think it would be a worthy goodbye to a very special era of Japanese top skaters... No matter whether they will be Olympic/World champion in this year, the amazing Japanese crowd would honor them for what they've done the last years!
I have a vision of a very touching and sad, but also beautiful Exhibition Gala at Worlds 2014...

Btw, I totally forgot to thank linglang and Pochi for the amazing translations... Sorry for that, you're always doing a great job for all the non-japanese members!!

I had the same thought. Somehow, I don't see them retiring before worlds. It's in Japan so they, or at least JSF and especially the audience, would want them to compete , and with their strong sense for "duty", I can't imagine that they would actually skip it, as long as they're all healthy.

I actually like this "it's your last year give it your all" approach, that is, as long as she doesn't put too much pressure on herself...

Whatever her decision will be, even it breaks my heart, I will fully support her. Though I wish she'd continue on, I don't want to see her going down the "Fumie road". She has such an insanely difficult technical layout, it's normal that her body is starting to slowly quit on her. And since she is someone who will never settle for less, it's better if she leaves on her own terms, and hopefully after the best freaking skate of her entire life, than keep competing, only to be a shadow of her former self. JMO

It's been amazing 7 years (counting from her full senior season) and hopefully the most amazing year is about to come...
Crap, I feel like crying.

zarinaballerina wrote:

　
I had the same thought. Somehow, I don't see them retiring before worlds. It's in Japan so they, or at least JSF and especially the audience, would want them to compete , and with their strong sense for "duty", I can't imagine that they would actually skip it, as long as they're all healthy.

I actually like this "it's your last year give it your all" approach, that is, as long as she doesn't put too much pressure on herself...

Whatever her decision will be, even it breaks my heart, I will fully support her. Though I wish she'd continue on, I don't want to see her going down the "Fumie road". She has such an insanely difficult technical layout, it's normal that her body is starting to slowly quit on her. And since she is someone who will never settle for less, it's better if she leaves on her own terms, and hopefully after the best freaking skate of her entire life, than keep competing, only to be a shadow of her former self. JMO

It's been amazing 7 years (counting from her full senior season) and hopefully the most amazing year is about to come...
Crap, I feel like crying.

The skaters who have announced retirement has been saying they will retire 'after next season is over', so I'm pretty sure you're right zarina on assuming they will not skip Worlds. However, the one exception may be Miki. She has said that she basically plans Jpn Nats to be her last stage, although if chosen she will go to Sochi. But that's unlikely to happen since JSF has deleted her position from the special training group which all the top skaters in Jpn are in. But the others are most likely to be willing to enter Worlds if chosen, and if they have no injuries or burn out syndrome after Olys.

I agree with most of you that Mao has her mind set on retiring at this point, but I think she will take some time to reconsider it at least once after Olys is over accordingly to the outcome. I do not think she will go on competing until the Olys after Sochi at all, but depending on how she performs in Sochi, she might still continue for one other last season or two. JMO though...

In anycase though, I'm definitely sure that Mao of all skaters will never end up like Fumie. Fumie is an extremely rare case. It seems she had not been in good terms with most other Jpnse female skaters, esp Shizuka. They had been rivals for years without the kind of friendship Miki, Yukari, Mao, Akiko and Kanako has had. It's pretty obvious that the reason why she is being so stubborn not to retire and keeps on saying she'll go to Sochi (as if she's already been given a spot, lol) is because she's been jealous of Shizuka winning in Torino Olys. The other thing is...she's been well known as kind of a nutcase all along. She had made so many strange comments in the past which all sounded like a joke of some kind but she was actually always serious about them. Her thinking she can make it to Sochi is based on that sort of personality of hers. In addition, she was never even this close in being a skater as good as Mao. She only peaked for a short time compared to Mao, and even during then she did not manage to get good results as Mao too. Even if Mao changes her mind and goes on competing after next season, she may lose her 3A, but I highly doubt she will ever deteriorate in the way Fumie has. There's no need to be worried about Mao turning out to be like Fumie. The gap between their levels as skaters have always been huge, and the same can be said about their attitudes and personalities.

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

In anycase though, I'm definitely sure that Mao of all skaters will never end up like Fumie. Fumie is an extremely rare case. It seems she had not been in good terms with most other Jpnse female skaters, esp Shizuka. They had been rivals for years without the kind of friendship Miki, Yukari, Mao, Akiko and Kanako has had. It's pretty obvious that the reason why she is being so stubborn not to retire and keeps on saying she'll go to Sochi (as if she's already been given a spot, lol) is because she's been jealous of Shizuka winning in Torino Olys. The other thing is...she's been well known as kind of a nutcase all along. She had made so many strange comments in the past which all sounded like a joke of some kind but she was actually always serious about them. Her thinking she can make it to Sochi is based on that sort of personality of hers. In addition, she was never even this close in being a skater as good as Mao. She only peaked for a short time compared to Mao, and even during then she did not manage to get good results as Mao too. Even if Mao changes her mind and goes on competing after next season, she may lose her 3A, but I highly doubt she will ever deteriorate in the way Fumie has. There's no need to be worried about Mao turning out to be like Fumie. The gap between their levels as skaters have always been huge, and the same can be said about their attitudes and personalities.

Oh, I didn't mean that Mao will become so bad that she won't be able to land any triples. What I meant was, that I don't want to see her compete (for some misgided reason) with extremely watered down content. Like I said she has the hardest technical layout of all ladies, this is the Mao we all know, and because she's so insanely talented, even when only omiting 3A and maybe 3-3, she will drop in skating fans' (not Mao's fans) eyes and probably even in the judges' eyes, being labeled as a has been. This is a down side of being a prodigy, you can't do the hardest tricks anymore and you're done in everyone's eyes. JMO
Besides, as I said I don't see Mao settling, ever, when her body won't be able to keep up, she'll leave, and I think this is what's happening. So I hope she'll have the best skate in history of this sport in Sochi, and go with a HUGE bang. And then take a season off and come back, better than ever.

I can't believe that Fumie would for a moment think, that she has ANY CHANCE WHATSOEVER at competing in Sochi, let alone voice that publicly. I don't want to be mean but, is she ok? Surely she can't be that delusional as to not see how bad she is? She didn't even qualify for nationals, for God's sake. Do I need to say more?

Umm..... at 4:45 Mai says
when she asked Mao over the phone if she was going to retire,
then Mao denied saying she was going to "retire".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weekO5kRZg

silenceisgolden wrote:

Umm..... at 4:45 Mai says
when she asked Mao over the phone if she was going to retire,
then Mao denied saying she was going to "retire".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weekO5kRZg

what does this mean?

ballerinamao wrote:

silenceisgolden wrote:

Umm..... at 4:45 Mai says
when she asked Mao over the phone if she was going to retire,
then Mao denied saying she was going to "retire".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weekO5kRZg

what does this mean?

Mai explained first that she didn't know at all that Mao spoke of retirement until a friend of hers read an article about it and phoned her. It surprised her, so Mai phoned Mao right away and asked if she really said she'll retire. Then Mai said that Mao said 'I didn't say I will retire'...the way to translate this part is quite difficult...in Jpnse it's:

引退とは言っていない

In direct translation it would be something like 'I did not say the word retire'...but the nuance in Jpnse is like 'I didn't say I will retire' or 'I didn't exactly say I'd retire'.

So Mai went on and said she's a bit confused about the press conference on Mao's retirement issue which they held the day after.

When asked about Mao saying in the press conference that she had discussed retiring with Mai already, Mai said 'We've never discussed her retirement in any serious/proper way. We always talk about lots of things like what we want to do in the future and what kind of family we want, including when it would be best for her to reitire and that her goal for now is to perform her best in Sochi Olys. We've talked about it in that kind of manner'. Mai also answered clearly after being asked 'No, Mao has not properly told me she will retire after Sochi'. She went on to say 'We don't even know if she'll be chosen to go to Sochi yet, and I think you'll never be able to know how you'll feel until such a big event is over, so I think Mao herself doesn't know yet (what she'll decide until Sochi is over)'.

Mai said in the end of this clip that '(Mao mentioning retirement) Meant more like she's said how determined she is on heading towards Sochi'.

And in between, she said something like whether or not Mao may really retire, she's just going to go on supporting her as her sister on Mao's way towards Sochi.

This video has also included a footage of Mai interviewing Mao which this program casted totally before all this retiring fuss started. In it, Mao had already said 'I want (my performance in ) Sochi to be my final compilation'....I didn't see that interview when it was aired on tv for the first time, but obviously, the media didn't go rushing towards Mao then and asked her if that means she'll retire after Sochi. Why? Because as I've wrote before, lots of skaters in Jpn say things like 'final compilation' when it comes to Olys, even when they're not thinking of retiring afterwards. Btw, I didn't know the word '集大成 (final compilation)' in English so I used an online dictionary and the closest translation of the word I was able to find was 'final compilation'. The nuance of the Jpnse word and the English phrase may be slightly different.

So from all the info Mai gave us in this program, I assume...

1. Mao said she wants her performance in Olys to be her final compilation in the interview right after WTT when asked about Sochi.
2. Then some reporter asked her if that means she'll be retiring after next season and Mao answered 'That's how I'm feeling/planning/thinking NOW' in the kind of sense that she was just telling them how she's feeling at that moment.
3. Some of the press took it as if she had totally made up her mind about it, some took it as a fact that she's only considering it at this point. But anyways, they all wrote articles about Mao mentioning retirement in one way or another and put them on the net right away.
4. Surely, all Mao fans in Jpn freaked out and JSF's phones must've started ringing all at once.
5. Hence, the next day, her management company decided that Mao should hold a press conference on the matter and she did.
6. In the press conference Mao told the press that the thought of retiring 'kind of suddenly came up to my mind' after entering 2013 and she had been thinking about whether she should or not on and on, plus she said to the press again 'That's how I'm feeling/planning/thinking NOW'.
7. After that everyone in Jpn thought she's totally made up her mind about retiring, and almost all Jpnse figure skating fans are acting like they've just attended some funeral on the net.

It seems to me that everyone except me and a few friends of mine did not hear the words 'NOW' or 'AT THE MOMENT' which Mao has continuously been adding on every occasion the media asks her about retiring.

So yes, indeed Mao is thinking/feeling/planning about retiring after next season 'NOW' or 'AT THE MOMENT'. But don't you think most skaters over thier 20s take retirement into consideration after their next Olys is over? I think they all do. Not just skaters but probably most athletes in any sport which is being held in Olys do. The only difference is that some mention it in public beforehand, and some do not. Dai and Joubert said they'll be retiring after Vancouver Olys, but they changed their minds afterwards. Mao may even had been considering retirement after Vancouver Olys if she won gold there. It's only natural for most athletes to start thinking about retirement when an Olys in which they have a good chance of medalling is close by. I'm definitely sure now that Mao wouldn't have mentioned she's considering retirement NOW, unless she was asked. So jmo, but in actuality, nothing has changed that much afterall. The press in Jpn is making too big a deal about Mao telling them how she's feeling at the moment. Mai most likely noticed it, and told us all she can to calm the situation down.

Mao is always polite and very well mannered in speaking to the public, but the truth is...she's not so good at making herself clear on what she's really trying to say. She's always been like that and I assume that's one of the reasons why she tends to say the same things over and over, using the exact same phrases in different interveiws and towards different questions. She answers questions in vague ways, with not much detail......unless the questions are about food.

I think that all she's been trying to tell us for the past few days is that she's very very determined to give the performance of her life in Sochi Olys, and she's feeling that she wants to retire after it's over but she hasn't totally made up her mind yet. She's been trying not to give people the impression that the word retire just slipped out of her mouth since she was unsatisfied with her skate in WTT and was feeling down about it. At the same time, she didn't think the word retire coming out of her mouth would cause such a commotion; it's been reported in articles that when she entered the press conference room the first thing she said was 'I never thought so many people would be here...' seeing how the place was full of journalists. All this makes it so so so clear to me that Mao still doesn't entirely understand how much she means not only to the Jpnse figure skating community, but to others who are planning to take advantage of her popularity waiting to get hold of her the minute she retires from competing.

Who can blame her, though? Her mind had only been occupied about practice, training and competition...her family, dogs and food...for so long. She had no idea at all what would happen if she told the media she's been thinking about retiring after next season and at the moment she intends to do so. If she did know what would happen, she never would've said it, esp after the WTT competition was over but the gala still wasn't. Because if there's one thing she does know, it's that she knows how much her fans care about her and she would not want to make them feel sad before a gala.

I'm starting to get sort of busy with some stuff I'm working on, so this will be the last time I'll be able to translate Jpnse info for you guys at least for while. If anything new comes up, I hope someone else who can understand Jpnse will be able to give you guys correct info on it. Bye~!

Thank you PP , I am relivied now, but I am thinking that if Mao was not considering retirement may be with all this she going to do it. Mao is not the kind of person to use wordiness, but well, if she decide retire may be is just one year, Yuna has the OGM and everything, even she came back.

PochinkoPotanko wrote:

ballerinamao wrote:

silenceisgolden wrote:

Umm..... at 4:45 Mai says
when she asked Mao over the phone if she was going to retire,
then Mao denied saying she was going to "retire".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_weekO5kRZg

what does this mean?

Mai explained first that she didn't know at all that Mao spoke of retirement until a friend of hers read an article about it and phoned her. It surprised her, so Mai phoned Mao right away and asked if she really said she'll retire. Then Mai said that Mao said 'I didn't say I will retire'...the way to translate this part is quite difficult...in Jpnse it's:

引退とは言っていない

In direct translation it would be something like 'I did not say the word retire'...but the nuance in Jpnse is like 'I didn't say I will retire' or 'I didn't exactly say I'd retire'.

So Mai went on and said she's a bit confused about the press conference on Mao's retirement issue which they held the day after.

I have to apologize how I explained as I did above.

Mai telling us that Mao said to her that 'I didn't say I will retire' or 'I didn't exactly say I'd retire' (as I translated above), so Mai said she's a bit confused on why Mao said she's thinking of retireing 'Now' again in the press conference which was on the next day after WTT's gala was over had been confusing me too.

But I think I finally understand what exactly went on in Mai and Mao's conversation on the phone.

Mai said she asked Mao 'Did you really say you're going to retire?' (direct translation of Mai's words in the vid).
Then Mao denied she said it. I first assumed that maybe Mao didn't want admit to Mai that the words slipped out of her mouth and was a bit embarrassed to admit it to her sister so she denied it. But I think that was totally wrong about that now. When Mai asked her that question, it probably sounded to Mao that Mai asked her if Mao herself had actually said the word 'retire'. Which she has indeed never said it up to this point, besides when she was asked to explain why she ended up saying that's what she's thinking of doing now in the interview right after WTT, and even then she only said the word 'retire' quoting the words of the reporter who asked her 'Do you mean you intend to retire after Sochi?'.

The word 'retire' had never come out of her mouth even in the press conference when you carefully read this article on which it has lots of quotes of what Mao's words.

http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20130414-00000023-mai-spo

The words after '--'s are the questions which were asked. The paragraphs under it are Mao's actual words.

Even in this interview which is probably the last one she did on the matter so far...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLtY-Q1eHdw

She did not say the word 'retire' besides once when she said 'I was asked if I will be retiring'.

So the correct translation of what Mao meant to say to Mai on the phone is most likely to be:

'I didn't say (the word) retire actually'

When Jpnse people talk esp to people who are close to them, they speak in not much detailed ways compared to how people talk in English. We really speak in a pretty vague sense, assuming the other person will understand what we're exactly trying to say. It's a cultural thing. We have not had many foreigners living in our country compared to others. So most of us has not had much experience communicating with people from other countries and races who may not be able to understand what we mean if we talk to them in the same not detailed vague way we do amongst ourselves.

Btw in the latest interview I linked to above, the interviewer only asked her about 2 or 3 questions concerning the retirement fuss. They mostly talked about how much she had been struggling the past few years, what she wants to do during off season, and how determined she is about performing well in Sochi. This is quite strange. I'm sure this program wanted to ask her more about the retirement issue. I'm guessing our entire media still wants to ask her more questions about it.

But the fact this program didn't do so gives the strong impression that either her manager told them they can only ask a few questions on the matter, or Mao herself she doesn't want to talk much on the retirement issue anymore.

The first thing the interviewer asked Mao in this clip can be translated like 'Everyone (the media) is saying you will be retiring after next season, how do you feel about all that right now?'. His actual words were 'how do you feel'. But, Mao merely replied 'I said I wanted to make (my performance in) Sochi my final compilation, and then I was asked if it means I'll be retiring (afterwards), so I said that's how I'm planning on now, and then I heard from people that the matter being reported so much the next day'. That's all. She did not answer how she's feeling about all this even though that's what the interviewer asked. Then the interviewer said 'So were you surprised about (the media's) big reaction?' and Mao said 'Yes, I was very surprised about that.' 'Does that mean that you intended more to appeal that you are that much determined (as to consider next season may be your last one) to do well in Sochi?' and Mao replied 'Yes, that's right. That's how I'm feeling'.

Sorry, I don't have time to translate every single word they said but only the main parts.
Just wanted to make things a bit clear cause I felt bad about my misunderstanding and mistranslation.
Btw, in this interview Mao said the word 'now' or 'at the moment' quite strongly than ever before.
I think she doesn't want all the media fuss to go on, nor does she want her fans to be so concerned about it.

Pochi, thank you so much for taking the time to explain and translate to us (non japanese speakers) in detail, of what's going on, and what Mao said!