Japanese Nationals Review

This is a little late, I know, but I wanted to get my thoughts out there.

First the men:

Takahiko Kozuka, SP:

Takahiko Kozuka, LP:

Kozuka is one of my favorite skaters, so I'm a little biased, but I am so glad he won!  However, I wish he would've skated the way he did at TEB about a month earlier and won in a more convincing fashion.  He is finally starting to receive the PCS he deserves for his strong skating skills and intricate footwork throughout his program.  I wish he would change the first combo spin he does in the LP to something that maintains better speed throughout, such as a sit-change-sit.  Overall, I am satisfied with his performances and hope he saves his best for worlds in March.

Nobunari Oda, LP:

I don't really have too much to say about Oda's performances here, except that he can do a lot better.  I was a little disappointed with him for not skating up to his potential, but like Kozuka, I hope it's because he is saving his best for worlds.  However, I did like when the cameras showed his son who was looking very cute in a brown one-sie :).

Daisuke Takahashi, LP:

I really enjoy watching Takahashi perform, but frankly I do not like the fact that his programs are so similar in style this year.  One latin/tango themed program is enough, especially when virtually half of every warm-up group has one!!  I do really like this program, and I like it much more than his SP, but I cannot fully appreciate it with all of the tango overload.  My advice to him: work on the spins, make sure  he gets the levels/goe.  He leaves so many points on the table by holding positions for 7 instead of 8 and other sloppy mistakes like that.  Overall, I am glad he is going for the quad, but would rather see a clean quad toe than a sloppy under-rotated quad flip.