Figure skating hero Hanyu Yuzuru to start gaming-inspired 'RE_PRAY' solo ice tour in Saitama
Double Olympic champion Hanyu takes his latest solo show nationwide, beginning in the arena he claimed his first world title back in 2014.
Figure Skating
Even after retiring from competition, Hanyu Yuzuru continues to push the boundaries of figure skating.
The double Olympic champion has announced that he will be taking his new solo show 'RE_PRAY' across Japan, opening with performances on consecutive nights - 4-5 November - in the Saitama Super Arena.
The venue has happy memories for Hanyu who won his first world title there in 2014 before taking silver in 2019.
Last November, Hanyu performed the first solo show in figure skating history with 'Prologue' featuring highlights from his competitive career which ended at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.
The 'Prologue' tour comprised two nights at Yokohama's Pia Arena MM and three at the Flat Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture, the last of which was screened live on Japanese television.
In February, Hanyu unveiled a one-off production 'Gift' in front of an ice-show record 35.000 spectators at the Tokyo Dome with the event streamed worldwide.
Billed as a token of his appreciation to his fans, Hanyu was on the ice for close to two and a half hours and successfully performed 'Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso' having failed to do so in his Beijing short program.
On his latest tour, the 28-year-old will collaborate with choreographer Mikiko as he has done on both previous solo outings.
In a statement on the show's official website, Hanyu said he was delighted to be working with Mikiko again and that RE_PRAY would "incorporate ethics and values from the gaming world which has had a huge influence in my experience".
He added, "You only live once, and you can play a game over and over again. I believe there are many important things you can only find in the contradiction between these two concepts."
After the first two nights in Saitama, Hanyu - who announced his marriage in August - will take his show to the Saga Arena in southwestern Japan in January before ending the tour back at Yokohama's Pia Arena MM in February.