By Mark S., (c)
JapanSkates 2006.
Normally,
interviews with members of
the Japanese team (or any
national contingent) must be
expressly approved by that
nation's skating governing
body, as well as the
skaters' coaches and
sometimes even the host
arena itself. All five
previous JapanSkates
interviews required a series
of e-mails, faxes and late
night phone calls to make
sure we had permission to
speak with the various
Japanese ladies and to
publish the results. I
knew something was different
when, as I was arranging the
Aki interview for Thornhill
Summer Skate, I mentioned
that we might like to
interview Nobunari Oda as
well and my usually
process-driven contact at
the JSF replied "Oh, just
ask him, he'll do it."

If you've ever met Mr.
Oda, you'll know that he's a
very outgoing, confident and
personable individual on and
off the ice. And
training at the Mariposa
club in Barrie, he speaks
excellent English.
I-Ching, who had met "Naboo"
at the 2005 World Juniors
and at last year's Thornhill
Summer Skate, went up to him
on the Saturday evening
following his winning short
program and asked if he'd
interview the next day.
He said "Sure, just find me
after the free skate."
He had also visited this
website as we had given him
our card last year, but
mourned the fact that it was
"only about the ladies!"
Following his awesome
event-winning free skate, we
found Nobunari and took him
into the lounge for the
interview. I-Ching's
friend Gigi, a lifelong
skating fan herself, was
with us too and they took
photos during the session.
Nobunari's mom was there too
and actually snapped a pic
of us interviewing him.
JS:
JapanSkates
NO:
Nobunari Oda
JS:
Thank-you, Nobunari, for
doing the interview.
You are the first male
skater to be interviewed by
JapanSkates! All the
others were girls!
NO:
(laughs)
Ah, thank you!!!
JS:
Congratulations. How
do you feel about your
performances these last two
days?
NO:
Thank you. This time
is my first time to show the
new programs to the big
audience and judges.
JS: So, these were
the new programs for the
season? What was the
music for short and free?
NO:
Short program is "Fly Me To
The Moon", which is jazz
music, and the free program
is classical music by
Tchaikovsky, Symphony No 20
perhaps.
JS: What are your
plans after this? Are
you going to stay in
Toronto, go back to Barrie
or to Japan?
NO:
I'm staying just for a week
after this, then I'm going
back home and training up to
Skate America.
JS: Are you
training at Mariposa this
year?
NO:
Oh, yes.
JS: Why did you
choose Mariposa? What
brought you there?
NO:
Ah, after I didn't choose my
program, the Japanese
Federation chose for me.
The Federation suggested
Jeffery Buttle. The
Japanese Federation wanted
me to be like Jeff.
So, that's why. And my
coach is Lee Barkell.
JS: How has your
life changed since coming to
Canada? Is life
different for you in Canada
than in Japan?
NO:
Ah, my life is very good
because my host family is
very, very nice. They
are such nice people.
JS: Do you have
much time for a social life?
Going out with friends?
NO:
Oh yep!
JS: You don't have
to answer this one, but do
you have time for a
girlfriend? Anyone in
your life?
NO:
Ah....not much!
(all laugh)
Not so much!
JS (I-Ching and
Gigi): Fans writing
into the site have asked
that. People wanted to
know if you had a
girlfriend! (All
laugh)
JS: Why do you
think the Japanese skaters
are so popular these days?
Everywhere I go, I hear "Ganbatte"
from the crowd, lots of
people yelling and cheering
for the Japanese skaters.
Why do you think that is?
NO:
I don't know, I think
because figure skating is so
popular in Japan, that's why
they like us.
JS: This is a more
serious question. At
the Japan national
championships...unfortunately
you finished first and then
were given second. How
did you feel about that and
not being able to go to the
Olympics?
NO:
I was so sad because I was
first, and then down to
second. But
after last year I was third,
so then after getting second
I felt better (later on).
JS:
We have a friend Dave
Carmichael, the
photographer, and he was
there and said it was very
unfortunate.
NO:
Yeah, I was crying all the
time...on the podium I was "Ohhhh"!
JS: How about your
goals for this season?
Do you have specific goals
for this year? For
2010?
NO:
Yes, I want to be national
champion this time, and then
go to Worlds, and then maybe
podium!
(laughs)
And then 2010 in Vancouver.
JS: Is it safe to
say your goal is the Olympic
gold medal in Vancouver?
NO:
Oh yeah!
JS (I-Ching):
It looks like we're going to
be there, so we're going to
cheer for all the Japanese
skaters! (all
laugh)
JS: Do you have a
message for all of your fans
at our website? What
would you like to say to
them?
NO:
I would like to say thank
you to my fans and I am
very, very flattered by
their attention.
JS: All of this
media attention, people
asking you questions and
taking pictures...do you
enjoy that?
NO:
Yes, I really enjoy that and
am very happy when girls and
boys ask me "Could I take
your picture?" and I'm so
happy because I really like
my fans and like to be
friendly.
JS: Who was your
favorite skater growing up?
NO:
My favorite skater is Elvis
Stojko, and Yagudin and
Plushenko.
JS: Who are some of
your best friends on the
Japanese team nowadays?
NO:
Oh, like all! The
Japanese national team is
very, very friendly all the
time.
JS:
(I-Ching): So do you
guys go out a lot?
NO:
Yes, after competition, yep!
JS: (I-Ching)
There is a rumor that some
of the Japanese female
skaters like you! We
hear you're popular with the
ladies!
NO: (Torrents of
laughter...but strangely no
comment!)
JS: (I-Ching):
At this age, what do you
miss the most? You're
so young, but not an
ordinary boy anymore.
Everyone knows who you are
and you're going to the
Worlds and Olympics. I
know you like the attention,
but what do you miss the
most?
NO:
Yes, but I love figure
skating, so it's no problem.
JS: I ask this
question to all the skaters.
Of all of the funny things
that people throw on the ice
for you, what was the
funniest or strangest thing
you've ever got on the ice?
NO:
Uh.... underwear!
(all laugh)
In Japan... but not normal
underwear, like T-back!
JS: (I-Ching):
You mean a thong?
NO:
Yeah!!! That was it!
(all
laugh)
JS: (I-Ching):
Where are you staying for
this competition? Here
in Toronto or in Barrie?
NO:
Barrie, yeah!
After this funny ending to
the interview,
we had Nobunari sign some
autographs and pose for some
pictures with us. We
told him he was the "first
man to have his picture
taken with the JapanSkates
banner". JapanSkates would like to
thank Nobunari and his
mother for the gift of their valuable
time on such short notice!
It was a fun experience and
we'll do it again.
Looks like the men might be
here to stay at JapanSkates!
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