17/03/2024, 18:06 Part 12 Thankful for games | No matter when the world might end – Hobo Nikkan Itoi

n Itoi Shinbun | Yuzuru Hanyu | ほぼ日刊イ…

It all started when Yuzuru Hanyu said he was a MOTHER 2 fan on a TV

program. This brought about the kind of discussion you only dream about.
Not in a cliche way, but really and truly an amazing thing. Last
December, Yuzuru Hanyu and Shigesato Itoi met in a studio in Sendai and
talked about all kinds of things for two hours. We’re pleased to be able to
bring you that discussion.

＞Yuzuru Hanyu’s Profile

This article is available in Japanese, English and Chinese.

＞ Japanese（日本語）

＞ Chinese（中文版） weibo／REDBOOK

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17/03/2024, 18:06 Part 12 Thankful for games | No matter when the world might end – Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun | Yuzuru Hanyu | ほぼ日刊イ…

Prev Index

Boyhood／Mirror Neuron／Heaven and Earth／Mr. Saturn／

Ballet／Timeline／Homesick／Universe／Johnny Weir／

Reset／Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami／Picasso／Sprain／

Parallel Universe／Heroic Sword and an Evil Sword／Produce／

Astro Boy／Music／Ness／Fifteen-year-old／

Romeo and Juliet／Goldfish／Nap／Athlete／Millennials／

Elder sister／A Beatles song, XXXterday／

Score／Vinyl／Death／Youngest child／

That／Hip hop／Mozart／Dilemma／Ice Show

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17/03/2024, 18:06 Part 12 Thankful for games | No matter when the world might end – Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun | Yuzuru Hanyu | ほぼ日刊イ…

Itoi You’ve sure been a busy person since you were a child.

H a n yu (Laughs)

Itoi Have you even had any spare moments?

H a n yu Of course. That’s probably where I fit in video games.

Itoi Ah, I see.

H a n yu When I was a boy, any free time I had outside of studies and

family obligations was for video games.

Itoi I’m glad you had that.

H a n yu Truly. There are so many things I learned through it. I think I

learned from games that life is a story intertwined with many

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things, such as having the courage to step out, the importance of

friends, and that not everything is what you think it is.

Itoi Ah, I’m glad to hear that. I think kids these days learn all kinds
of things—up to and including ethics—through the two pillars of

video games and mangas.

H a n yu Yes, yes.

Itoi You could even say the same thing of me or the people who were

my teachers. Children learn through play.

H a n yu I agree. I especially think so because I’m a millennial and

experienced pressure-free education, or the so-called yutori

kyoiku in Japan.

Itoi Ah, yutori kyoiku.

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H a n yu We had moral education and integrated studies built into our

timetable, so maybe we’re influenced by that.

Itoi I’m not familiar with those kinds of classes. Did you find them
interesting?

H a n yu I did. For example, we played Hyakunin-Isshu during class

because my homeroom teacher liked it.

Itoi Ah, that’s nice.

H a n yu That’s how classes went, but we also had a lot of free time, so we
probably spent more time discussing and talking with one

another than past generations.

Itoi Hmm, I really like that. I think more people should know that
about you.

H a n yu I’m definitely a millennial. (Laughs) So I do think the pressure-

free education of Japan in our generation was a success, but we

millennials have to think about how to learn from there.

Itoi In the end, it is important for you to think about and decide

things for yourself, rather than have someone else decide.

H a n yu Exactly. It’s about what someone has to offer as a person, and

how we as a society can make use of that potential.

Itoi I’m learning so much from someone way younger than me today.

H a n yu That’s not true. (Laughs)

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Itoi I’ve been amazed the whole time we’ve been talking. Although,

looking around, I think everyone’s ready for us to be done.

(Laughs)

H a n yu (Laughs)

Itoi I’m sorry it’s gotten so long. I really enjoyed talking with you.
And I’m glad I made MOTHER 2.

H a n yu Yes, truly.

Itoi I’m really, really glad I had the opportunity to talk with you.
We’ve never really heard about these things you talked about
until today.

H a n yu I should show that side of me more then.

Itoi Yeah. Please meet with me again sometime.

H a n yu Yes, of course.

Itoi I’d like to talk about things even more trivial.

H a n yu (Laughs)

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Itoi I also think there’s definitely something in your stories that will
be useful to everyone in a tangible way, whether that be your talk

about mirror neurons or how you improved your skills. Even for
people who aren’t aiming for the Olympics.

H a n yu Yes. I feel like many younger siblings have strong mirror

neurons.

Itoi I’m particularly interested in preschool education and mirror

neurons lately.

H a n yu Is that so?

Itoi I think it’s a really important aspect for adults too. Well, I don’t
know whether we’d talk about that next time, but we’ll end

things here, now that it’s time and we’re asked to stop. Thank
you so much.

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H a n yu Thank you.

Itoi It was so interesting. I was taught so many things.

H a n yu No, not at all.

Itoi There were a lot of times I had to stay on my toes.

H a n yu Ah, I’m happy.

Itoi Do you want this Mr. Saturn plush?

H a n yu Are you sure? Yay!

Boyhood／Mirror Neuron／Heaven and Earth／Mr. Saturn／

Ballet／Timeline／Homesick／Universe／Johnny Weir／

Reset／Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami／Picasso／Sprain／

Parallel Universe／Heroic Sword and an Evil Sword／Produce／

Astro Boy／Music／Ness／Fifteen-year-old／

Romeo and Juliet／Goldfish／Nap／Athlete／Millennials／

Elder sister／A Beatles song, XXXterday／

Score／Vinyl／Death／Youngest child／

That／Hip hop／Mozart／Dilemma／Ice Show

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17/03/2024, 18:06 Part 12 Thankful for games | No matter when the world might end – Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun | Yuzuru Hanyu | ほぼ日刊イ…

（Thank you for reading until the very end.）

2024-03-12-TUE

Prev Index

Photography: Toru Yaguchi

Clothing: tk.TAKEO KIKUCHI

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17/03/2024, 18:06 Part 12 Thankful for games | No matter when the world might end – Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun | Yuzuru Hanyu | ほぼ日刊イ…

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