Shoji Risa- Japan's 'Post Kim-Yuna?'

Japan surpassed all other teams during the Junior Ladies Grand Prix of Figure Skating SBC Cup 2010 held in Nagano, Japan, Sept. 24-25. Three of the top eight ladies were from Japan.

Experts were especially excited over Risa Shoji. The 14-year-old overwhelmed all the other skaters and won with 149.39 points, a cool 10-point difference from the runner-up Kiri Baga (138.70) from the United States. Kexin Zhang came third with 134.08. What’s more amazing is that this was Shoji’s international debut.

The Japanese are already calling her “the second Kim Yu-na,” the Korean gold medalist at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in January. Experts say that Shoji’s performance during the freestyle skating was similar to that of Kim’s. Some are going as far as anticipating a gold medal from her in four years time at the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Shoji had placed only 10th last year in the Japan Junior Championship. However, she showed unbelievable growth after she was coached by Naoki Shigematsu and was able to become champion in her first ever international competition. Shigematsu is a four-time Japanese national silver medalist who retired in 2000 and became a coach.

The sensation Shoji is creating in Japan may well be due to Mao Asada’s poor performance. The silver medalist from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics disappointed fans with her worst performance ever during the first competition of the season.
Asada received 92.44 for her freestyle skating during the Kinoshita Group Cup Japan Open 2010 on Oct. 2. This is the lowest score she has ever received after her debut on the senior stage. She failed 6 of her 7 jumps, including her specialty, the triple axel.

However, Japan not only has Shoji, but also Kanako Murakami, to look forward to. Murakami was the 2010 World Junior Champion and will join the senior stage this year.

-taken from The Korea Times

I'm not sure how I feel about this.

There's only one Yu-na, and even if this is supposed to be flattery on Risa's part... Well, I'm not sure if I'm happy about her being called the next Kim Yu-na. They're also banking on her to be one of the contenders in Sochi. I don't know because there's Adelina and Elizabeth, plus Kanako to look out for. Thoughts on this?

Lol wat is this. As much as I liked Risa's performance, it's just too early to judge how she is going to perform the next competitions and even harder because the russian girls are just
The other thing that bothers me is they talking about Mao like she is already done just bc she had a bad performance.

Well, we should consider the source of this article. (Korea times) I remember reading several articles with a negative slant on Mao in the past, so I am not surprised.

Why the hell would the Japanese call their own skater a "second Kim Yuna"?

alyssa wrote:

Why the hell would the Japanese call their own skater a "second Kim Yuna"?

I live in Japan and follow many skating forums and news but I've never heard anyone calling Risa "Second Yuna". and It doesn't create any sensation here by just winnning one JGP event because there always is someone from Japan who does that.

This is another rubbish article.

I think that we don't have to pay attention to this kind malicious news. I don't Understand why if koreans believe that his "Queen" is the best, they always are observing what Mao is doing, I believe that this happen because they are scared about Mao progress

A video of Shoji's JGP performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVvxZ3bdmc4

She resembles Arakawa more than Kim to me - which is all well and good because I happen to prefer the former to the latter.

Aibhlin wrote:

A video of Shoji's JGP performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVvxZ3bdmc4

She resembles Arakawa more than Kim to me - which is all well and good because I happen to prefer the former to the latter.

Good job, loved the final spin position. But I found her a bit dispirited.

Aibhlin wrote:

A video of Shoji's JGP performance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVvxZ3bdmc4

She resembles Arakawa more than Kim to me - which is all well and good because I happen to prefer the former to the latter.

ITA!
I saw Shizuka when I watched her skate. Her stroking, carriage, moves...so much Shizuka like!
And I also think being compared to Shiz is much bigger a compliment.
On the other hand I see nothing in her skating that would remind me of Yu-Na.
I actually find Risa's moves more fluid and overal more elegant. I also like the way she uses her knees.

She definitely looks very promising and I'm looking forward to watching her progress.

Btw, the article only shows which country is actually desperately trying to find their Yu-Na II.
Japan on the other hand seems to be doing just fine

Shoji won the silver medal at this week's jgp event with a new fs and total personal best.

This means she will enter the junior final as the third finalist!

FS
1 Risa SHOJI JPN 106.37 57.34 49.03 6.32 5.96 6.11 6.18 6.07 0.00
2 Vanessa LAM USA 103.36 55.58 47.78 6.04 5.79 6.00 6.04 6.00 0.00
3 Polina SHELEPEN RUS 102.46 55.65 46.81 5.96 5.68 5.89 5.86 5.86 0.00

Total points:
1 Vanessa LAM USA
156.41 1 2
2 Risa SHOJI JPN
155.23 4 1
3 Polina SHELEPEN RUS
152.92 2 3


Miss Shoji sure seems to have taken a leap forward. I googled her up and apparently in 08/09 she didn't make the final in junior nationals but next year she ended up in tenth place. I hope her streak continues and she has an even better nationals this year!

Quote :

And I also think being compared to Shiz is much bigger a compliment.

Oh, I meant no offense towards Kim - I really like her skating, I just like Arakawa's even more!



ETA: protocols show she attempted seven (!) triples and had one downgraded but she went clean.

Risa is much more beautiful and has her own skating style, I think she will not become the second yuna but the only Risa in the coming years. Just like Kana-chan Both of these two Japanese girls are so cute and energetic

kana wrote:

Just like Kana-chan Both of these two Japanese girls are so cute and energetic

Forgive me for asking, but who is Kana?

Aibhlin wrote:

kana wrote:

Just like Kana-chan Both of these two Japanese girls are so cute and energetic

Forgive me for asking, but who is Kana?

I believe it's Kanako Murakami. Right

alyssa wrote:

Aibhlin wrote:

kana wrote:

Just like Kana-chan Both of these two Japanese girls are so cute and energetic

Forgive me for asking, but who is Kana?

I believe it's Kanako Murakami. Right

Bingo ! Haha Kanako is so wonderful, and she worships Mao-chan very much

I was browsing through some Mao clips, and I happened to find this mini interview with Risa-chan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEn8JgtAMCQ

Now I see why they call her 'Princess Risa'--she has a very sweet voice and speaks very properly, not like the adorably ditzy, super-excited 14-year-old Mao.

Mao said "She seems grown-up, but she's also very pretty."
Kana said "Unlike me, she has fluidity [in her skating], she's refined, and pretty."

Risa-chan said, "Everyone has their own personality. Mao-chan has a Mao-chan aura, and Kanako-chan has a Kanako-chan aura, so I think everyone is different in certain ways, and I don't think there are any skaters that are alike."

Q: In your view, what kind of person is Mao?
A: Hmm...warm & pleasant.
Q: What about Miki?
A: Strong.
Q: What about Kanako?
A: Cheerful/energetic.

Hmm, that sounds about right to me!