Featured / Yuzuru Hanyu is My Emergency Contact

The Answer is Still Gyoza.

When Yuzu stepped onto the set for his ANA interview, he wasn’t dressed like Yuzu. His hair was far from LGC. But he made sure we knew Yuzu was there. The polite ease. The grin that illuminated the room. The infectious laugh. And if you weren’t already convinced, the unhesitating “gyoza” answer was Yuzu scanning his fingerprints at the ANA interview security checkpoint and declaring,

“I’m still Yuzu. And I won’t change.”

The craft services table at Wine Studios in Sendai has surely remained stocked with gyoza as they yet again created a “new” setting for a Yuzu campaign. Pretty soon, they’re going to have to get creative with their options when Staff-san calls and says, “We need another set for Yuzu.” The roof? The parking lot? The custodian’s closet? For his next interview, I can just see Yuzu perched on top of the break room water cooler like it’s the Gucci suitcase on the Elle cover. At least when he finishes he can quickly grab a Dr. Pepper from the vending machine before making the long commute to his next meeting…in Wine Studios.

Similar to the time Charlie White described Yuzu (to his face!) as “capable,” I sort of wanted Yuzu to answer the special abilities question with, “Do you not think I already have at least a few of those?” But one of the many special abilities Yuzu already has is the ability to diffuse tension. When asked about motivation, he gave an answer which could have led us to worry that he is working himself too hard. But he instantly followed up with the light-hearted laugh that has put us at ease so many times. Careful, Yuzu. We may be starting to catch on to what that laugh really means…

Because we worry. Which would explain why I heard the global intake of breath from the Fanyus when Yuzu confirmed he is still challenging the Quad Axel. I don’t think any of us were fooling ourselves that this wasn’t still happening in the ice fog at Ice Rink Sendai at 2 AM. Several questions later, we could exhale (少し [a little]) when Yuzu stated that he would like to be reborn as…Hanyu Yuzuru. And the Fanyus rejoiced that this must mean Yuzu is happy. At least he didn’t answer, “Hanyu Yuzuru who has landed the Quad Axel.” He’s coming, Yuzu. Just be patient…and careful. (Though I still think you’ve probably already landed it better than anyone else.)

Then, there were those incredibly relatable moments we could all share with Yuzu: skate boots as our must-have travel item, record setting Olympic gold medal “failures” and shoe repair lottery dreams. These are also the moments I find myself massaging my scalp and saying out loud to my TV, “そうですね! [that’s right] I. LOVE. THIS. PERSON.” Because only Yuzu could say these things, and only Yuzu could leave you with zero question that he means these things whole-heartedly.   

Speaking of shoe repair lottery dreams, I wish we had been given more detail on which “skate maintenance” would be at the top of Yuzu’s list. Then again, I bet you just meant you wanted a fancier screwdriver; right, Yuzu? Just make sure you buy yours before you make it known which one you want or you won’t have a chance of getting it before the Fanyus buy them all…as we are certain to do with kabosu juice. (By the way. When I Googled kabosu juice and saw that it comes from a citrus “closely related to yuzu fruit,” I thought, ‘Good one, Yuzu. Good one, ANA. Good one, citrus gods.’…and then promptly placed an order for a crate of it.)

I love that Yuzu prefaced his answer about which animal he resembles with “I’ve been called” a cat. Better yet – he attempted for it to make sense by finding a legitimate connection to his physical prowess. I guess it was more professional than pulling his non-phone out of his pilot sleeve, showing a picture of himself with Photoshopped cat ears and a tail and saying, “Have you ever been on Twitter? I have two words for you: Baby Kitty. 次の質問をお願いします。[Next question, please.]”

And then, the world invited Yuzu to dinner. Finland and Italy reacted to Yuzu’s answers about which country he would like to visit as if he were standing on their welcome mats ringing the doorbell at that very instant. I don’t blame them. I’d be dusting the (not Wine Studios’) mantle place too! This yet again demonstrated Yuzu’s global appeal. Some celebrities mention a product and fans send it to them by the crate. (Who did you think I ordered that kabosu juice for?) Yuzu mentions a country and it sends him a personal invitation to go rain his Yuzunomics on them and then take the entire country home as a souvenir in his champagne colored carry on. Congratulations, Finland and Italy, now you know how Miya felt at FaOI when Yuzu called out to him by name. 

One of my favorite parts of the interview was when Yuzu was asked about his survival skills and, in the blink of an eye, transformed into Boy Scout Yuzu (You just pictured it. I know you did.) taking the quiz to get his survival badge. Just think of all the merit badges Yuzu has already earned: Public Speaking, Cooking, Salesmanship, Emergency Preparedness, Aviation, Nuclear Science (I dare you to correct me.), CITIZENship…Skating. (Yes, folks, there is a Boy Scout Badge for that.) And I’m certain one day he’ll get that Cycling badge too. Let’s face it. Yuzu wouldn’t be a Boy Scout. He’d be an Eagle Scout. Or, better yet, a Firebird Scout. And I guarantee you there’s only one of those out there toasting marshmallows in the “fowest.”

One very telling answer was Yuzu’s answer about his hero. We have known for a long time that Yuzu loves Ultraman (though our late arrival to this connection to Yuzu’s podium jumping could certainly be considered a Fanyu popped jump), but there has been a shift. While I am certain there are very worthy, very loyal, very upstanding people in Yuzu’s life, the fact that Yuzu’s publicly declared hero is now a fictional character says something – very loudly – about Yuzu’s awareness of the capacity for humans to change, disappoint and betray. When a grown man’s maturity level is demonstrated by him openly stating his hero is a science fiction character, you know he has experienced a tumultuous path of relationships. We fully support this declaration, Yuzu. No matter how many times you’ve been betrayed, you’ve never lost your kindness. (Bonus points to anyone who gets that reference.) We know Ultraman won’t let you down. 

For much of the interview, Yuzu answered as if he were on a gameshow – to the point that he sometimes looked like he expected to be told he had answered incorrectly and lost his chance at winning the new 冷蔵庫 [refrigerator]. He was so quick to respond to so many of the questions. But then, for the very last question – a question he is asked every time he is interviewed – he had to stop. For 20 seconds. And we no longer needed the infectious laugh to tell us what was inside Yuzu. Yuzu is always turning his eyes to the sky when looking for the answer, but this question – on this day – brought his eyes closer to his heart. I had heard about his “message to his fans” before I had seen it, but nothing could have prepared my heart for these 20 seconds.

20 seconds where we see Yuzu fully feeling the weight of his love for us. 

Yuzu allowed us to see this beautifully vulnerable introspection. And this introspection not only showed us Yuzu’s love for us, but it also revealed his need for our love. Yuzu’s heart is so fragile and so big, he needs each and every one of us to guard it, value it and regularly refill it with love. How else can he be expected to fearlessly continue being Hanyu Yuzuru with all his heart and soul? 

So yes, the answer is still gyoza. 

But the answer is also still us.