‘Tis the season. And we’re not talking about Christmas here.
Yes, it’s that time of year for another Hanyu Yuzuru show – ‘Echoes of Life’, the third chapter in the Olympic champion figure skater’s Ice Story saga. It will premiere at the Saitama Super Arena on Saturday (7 December), Hanyu’s 30th birthday.
As with the first two episodes – Prologue at a sold-out Tokyo Dome in 2022 and last year’s gaming inspired follow-up, Re_Pray – Hanyu is scheduled to perform alone.
Again, he is collaborating with critically acclaimed producer-choreographer Mikiko who will oversee the direction.
And again, beyond the above, we have not been let in on much more other than where the show will be held (Saitama, Hiroshima, Chiba) and when (seven days total across December 2024, January 2025, and February 2025).
What we do know is that Echoes of Life looks to be a thoroughly introspective journey and judging by the limited amount of visuals offered, has a futuristic touch to it.
When Hanyu announced the show two months ago, he sprinkled words like “AI” and “technology” into his statement, all the while asking about the meaning of life.
In September, Hanyu held a charity show in Ishikawa Prefecture for all those impacted by the M7.6 Noto Peninsula Earthquake that struck on New Year’s Day. It was a fitting gesture as a survivor of a major quake himself, who knows their pain.
But apart from the Echoes of Life announcement in October, Hanyu has stayed out of the limelight as he largely has ever since retiring from competitive skating in July 2022.
Hanyu is also the master of tease who always has anyone following him guessing about his next move. We’re about to find out what that is in four days’ time.