#sayo yamamoto

[blonndiec]

If anything, I feel the urge to write more Yuri On Ice fanfiction. To keep reading amazing Yuri on Ice fanfiction. To draw more Yuri on Ice art. To purchase more doujin and support work of talented people who still create Yuri on Ice content/stories.

Yuri!!!on Ice is eternal.

The fandom made it timeless. And the fandom will keep it alive, no matter what happens.

Born to Make History, forever.

#yuri on ice #yoi #victor nikiforov #katsuki yuuri #victuuri #yuuri katsuki #yuri!!! on ice #Kubo #Sayo Yamamoto #Mitsurou Kubo #BORN TO MAKE HISTORY

[occvltswim]

#michiko & hatchin #michiko to hatchin #sayo yamamoto #michiko malandro #rio de janeiro #brazil

[kushanna]

-> Episodes 5 to 8

Lupin the Third: the Woman Called Fujiko Mine | LUPIN the Third ～峰不二子という女～(2012) dir. Sayo Yamamoto

#lupin the third #lupin iii #fujiko mine #the woman called fujiko mine #lupin the third ～峰不二子という女～ #sayo yamamoto #10s #* #q

[sakugabooru]

#anime #animation #sakuga #kotomi deai #skip and loafer #sayo yamamoto #shinichiro watanabe #rolling girls

[rikeijo]

A random bit of YoI meta

In the translation I posted today, Sayo mentioned the movie "the Hangover", which inspired ending of ep. 10, but in her other interviews too, she's said she always watched more movies than animes~

I'm sure that there are many more references to various movies than she revealed!✨

This shot for example...?

Looks very similar to this Bond poster here:

And there's so much meaning in just this one short shot, too, if you think about it!

It perfectly expresses Victor's "Just take it, Yuuri... I'm right here just waiting for you to make a move...✨" attitude (I mean, spread thighs and hands on his hips, highlighting his butt), and Yuuri's "N-no... I don't think I'm ready do that just yet... -////-" " mindset from the first few episodes! Quite unlike Bond with his girls haha 😂

Ah, Sayoooo... (I love her sm, is what I wanted to say ✨)

#yuri on ice #yoi meta #sayo yamamoto

[utopikia]

please marry me, miss mine!

cr. lupin the third: the woman called fujiko mine color design (uploaded by settei dreams)

#lupin the third #lupin the 3rd #lupin iii #lupin #the woman called fujiko mine #峰不二子という女 #fujiko mine #fujiko #mine fujiko #monkey punch #sayo yamamoto #takeshi koike

[thetremblingroofbeam]

#the woman called fujiko mine #lupin the 3rd #Sayo Yamamoto #anime

[imethirdperson]

Remember when tms came up to sayo yamamoto like "hey we want you to direct the latest series of one of anime's most iconic franchises after 30 years" and she said "okay but only if I have complete creative freedom and also I get to make it about my first cartoon crush instead"? Nobody's doing it like her

#sayo yamamoto #twcfm #the woman called fujiko mine

[animehouse-moe]

Women In Anime

I came across this tweet a few days back, and did give it a response on Twitter back then, but I keep thinking about it, so I wanted to bring a longer discussion here.

I think hating that anime ends up a male dominated industry is totally fair, I think that hating that men end up bringing a lot of negative stereotypes and tropes and whatnot is valid.

There's a mountain of problems with men in the industry, and just the industry in general. But there's also a problem with the awareness of the NA community. Scrolling about the quote tweets and replies, it's probably one in ten responses at best, that show an opening that's actually from a woman.

Hate like this ends up performative, and targeted at the most negative aspects, rather than being used as a tool to shine a light on the people that deserve it. Directionless and generalized points like this do nothing, and in the end can actually take away from uplifting the voices and talents that they should be.

So, I wanted to bring a list of ten women in anime that have worked on openings over the years.

Karneval OP - Satou Akira

Openings that really cut deep into the core of a series can be a little hard to come by sometimes. I think a lot of openings get suckered into "looking cool" and tend to neglect their creative ability to depict something deeper within. Satou Akira falls into no such trap with Karneval, providing an incredibly strong opening that consistently relays several themes to the viewers through its visuals of things like, well, carnivals, for one. Also included is clock faces, butterflies, gears, and a few other pieces. It's really great work, so it's a shame that they haven't returned to the role since then.

They have, however, been in some pretty impressive roles elsewhere. For example, their biggest role was boarding for the second Fate/Grand Order Camelot movie. Important to note that it's the second movie, and not the first, as the second movie is considerably better.

Akira is still only reaching the tip of the iceberg though, as they recently were the lead director on Ao Ashi, and are being tapped for the Kinnukuman anime in 2024. They certainly have a good relationship with Production I.G, so I'm really hopeful to continue to see them on future projects with the studio.

Skip and Loafer OP - Deai Kotomi

Yeah, it hurts my soul to have different embeds, but I've had to source some of these OPs as they don't exist on YouTube.

Anyways, Deai Kotomi definitely had her limelight moment this year with Skip and Loafer and it's very fun and energetic opening. It's a great reflection of the characters and story, which really highlights Kotomi's understanding and ability to work with the content of the series. She did an absolutely wonderful job leading the production of Skip and Loafer, but I think a lot of people don't know about her history and connection. I mean, the reason she's following up Akira and Karneval is because Kotomi actually did the ending for Karneval! Really cool little piece to learn.

Make no mistake though, this isn't Kotomi's first rodeo, it's just the one she's most known for. But man, does she have a good history. Starting off with assistant direction credits for Kids on the Slope and the first season of Silver Spoon, she then moves on to helm the follow up season of Silver Spoon, and take over for Natsume's Book of Friends.

Though with the new season of Natsume's Book of Friends I'm a little sad to see Kotomi relieved of the role as the Chief Director for the series, Hideki Itou, steps into the role. Still have high hopes, but was looking forward to more Kotomi. Just means I need to wait and see where she ends up next, and I highly doubt it'll take too long for her to appear once more.

Sk8 The Infinity OP - Hiroko Utsumi

Speaking of people that I can't wait to see more of Hiroko Utsumi. I'm sure everyone that's seen it is a fan of Sk8 The Infinity and its opening, and there's not really a better person to handle the opening that Utsumi herself. After all, she's the original creator for the series.

But let's rewind a little before I get ahead of myself. Utsumi has probably one of the most prestigious careers on this list. Utsumi originally started with KyoAni, working her way up from second key animation to first key animation, to episode direction and storyboarding, finally making their directorial debut with Free! back in 2013, quickly following it up with the sequel.

Interestingly enough though, Utsumi then goes silent for 2 years before re-appearing outside of KyoAni, doing some storyboarding work with Bones and Mappa, leading into the next crazy piece of her story: the lead director of Banana Fish. Then of course it's to Sk8 The Infinity, and now she has Bucchigiri?! on the horizon, as well as a continuation of Sk8 The Infinity.

Talk about a career with no misses. Even better is that with her new works, we'll almost certainly be getting more of her expert openings, as with every series she's directed, she's also done the openings. So really, lots and lots to look forward to with Utsumi.

Arakawa Under The Bridge OP - Yamamoto Sayo

I know, not the opening that most would pick, but I wanted to be ✨Different✨. Everybody surely knows Yamamoto Sayo from Yuuri!! on Ice, but I just wanted to show off a bit more of a her range with an opening like this one. Clearly, she's a very talented woman, and the industry recognizes that with her work as she's done quite a few openings, especially with Mappa as of late.

These are all of her openings (and some endings), in order of appearance: Rozen Maiden Traumend, Michiko and Hacchin, Arakawa Under The Bridge S1 & S2, Hanamaru Kindergarten (ED), Attack on Titan S1 (ED), Space Dandy S1 (ED), Yuri On Ice, Kakegurui, and Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul.

Quite the list, to be sure. I just wish they did more direction work, as they've been stuck at Mappa for the Yuuri!! on Ice movie. Hopefully that'll come out some day and Sayo will be free of that hell, but all we can do is sit and wait.

Kaguya-Sama: Love is War - Ultra Romantic OP - Eiko Hirayama

I mean, it's Kaguya-Sama, do I really need to say more? Great effort, and great direction from Hirayama here to really cap off the best season of the series. But did you know that she also did the work for the first opening of Love is War?

Hirayama is probably the most curious staff member on this list though. They do have a good few credits for various openings, but by and large they're all special or visual effects credits. For example, they most recently did the visual effects in the opening for the Nier anime, and they also did the same for 2 of the Vivy openings.

I think it's really interesting to see someone like Hirayama step out of their comfort zone to do something like an opening, because you can absolutely feel their experience shape the opening.

Here, let me add a little breakdown of the opening for Kaguya S3. If you pay close attention to the opening, you'll realize that there's not a crazy amount of animation. Rather, there's a lot of camera and 3 dimensional movement, and a lot of interesting composition. I mean, just look at the sequence of Kaguya running, it's a compositor's dream as they shift through all sorts of different visuals and styles.

And I just think that's really cool. Sure, Hirayama isn't a thoroughbred director like the others on this list, but I think their storied experience with composition gives them an angle in this opening that a lot of others just wouldn't find.

Heike Monogatari OP - Naoko Yamada

Naoko, alongside her work with Heike Monogatari, will always have a special place in my heart. Much like Utsumi, Naoko started her career with KyoAni. However, she was a part of the studio for longer, and because of that, was present during the arson attack on the studio in 2019.

This opening, and really the entirety of this story, hits really close to home with its ideas of the loss of family and suffering through a cycle of violence, and she does a beautiful job of juxtaposing that idea against the pieces that Biwa fondly remembers of those around her. It's very, very strong work from Naoko that feels almost like a rebirth as her first major work following the arson attack.

Regardless of what she went through at the end, her time with KyoAni was incredibly impressive. I'm not sure how many will know her name from it, but she was the director behind the incredible success of K-On!. Similarly, she also worked on Tamako Market and the follow up movie. She's an incredibly talented woman, and has continually put her best foot forward with everything she's done, so I'm really hopeful to see her continue that hot streak with wherever she goes next.

Naruto Shippuden OP20 - Chiaki Kon

Had to bring a bit more of a classic pick out, no? Chiaki Kon is certainly not a staff member that tends to really be seen as someone popular, if that makes sense. They're rather light in terms of individual expression, so having a stronger opening like this that hones in on individual character arcs while relating them to larger interactions within the world is really great to see.

Though that's not to say that Chiaki tends to get lost as a staff member, but that I think her work is very subtle. For example, she directed the recent (and popular) Sacrificial Princess anime, which is one of J.C Staff's top 3 anime in the last 5 years. It undoubtedly has Chiaki to thank for a lot of that, where she's kept a reasonable distance on the project while still providing a lot of her overarching vision to it.

But man, has she been active lately. While she does do lead direction, she's insanely present as an episode director and storyboarder, getting anywere from 6 to even 12 or more episodes boarded and/or directed in a year. Odds are if you watch any amount of anime, you've seen an episode done by Chiaki Kon.

Given OP - Hikaru Yamaguchi

Maybe a bit of an odd choice, but I feel like that makes it all the better to give them some spotlight. Not everyone is going to be a "knock it out of the park anime rockstar", and that's perfectly fine. Though I might still argue that Yamaguchi fits that bill. It's just that they're not as productive as others on this list.

After all, they did the OP for Given and directed the series (as well as the movie), and it's a very good show. It's interesting though how long it took her to get another lead direction role. There was 3 years between the Given movie, and the Osomatusu-San movie that she directed in 2023. And you might be thinking, "well hey, what about smaller roles to fill the gap?". Nope, not really any of that.

There was a 2 year gap between the Given movie and her next staff position. Though I mean, it's a pretty damn cool one. She did the storyboard for episode 3 of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War. For those that don't know, that's the episode of Ichigo vs Quilge Opie (which was very cool, by the way).

Yamaguchi is certainly an interesting staff member in that regard, as she doesn't have many projects she's worked on, but they've almost all been very big name ones. Certainly has me curious to see what she'll manage to appear on next.

Dance Dance Danseur OP - Sarisa Kawamura

If you thought Kawaguchi was an odd pick, wait until you hear about Kawamura. This is the second ever credit for her that I've been able to track down. The other comes from VFX assistant role on the Undead Girl Murder farce ending. So you can imagine my surprise considering the insane quality and creativity displayed with this opening that she boarded for.

I mean, when I first watched it when the anime aired, I was stunned. Absolutely incredible work with the first person perspective and the ideas with all the reflections and the wild expressiveness of the characters. Seriously, this was a shoe-in for opening of the year back in 2022, and I'd still say one of the standouts in this decade for sure.

I just, really, really hope that we'll see Kawamura board something else soon, because I absolutely need more of her incredible vision.

And that's the end of the 10 women, that I chose to use for this list. Seriously, there's a mountain of them that have done all sorts of other openings, or endings, and an unimaginable amount that have done creative work outside of those things.

I wouldn't say I'm disappointed that nobody talks about anime staff (in general, really, but also more specifically women), but a lot of people just don't have the interest in looking this stuff up. I really, really wish that streaming services would start translating credits to make it easier for people to get a grasp of who it is that's working on their favorite series, but we can't always rely on companies to do things like that.

Thankfully, the community out there is really, really dedicated so you can find staff credits on websites like MAL, Anilist, Anidb, and even Anime News Network. Sure, it takes a little bit of time to go and find those credits, but I think it's really valuable time that's well spent. You're bringing more awareness and understanding into the hobby and community, and that can change the trajectory of it in really wonderful ways.

Highlighting the works of women in anime is just one way of doing that. It inspires people in the community, it makes people aware of the idea of who is making their favorite works, that women are a central and pivotal part of the industry.

I really hope that people found out something cool with this list, and I really do encourage everyone to do a bit of digging into their favorite series to find out the names behind them. I mean, we all know who directs a movie or TV series over here, and we certainly know all about the actors and whatnot, so I'd love to see people bring that same understanding to anime.

#karneval #satou akira #deai kotomi #skip and loafer #skip to loafer #hiroko utsumi #sk8 the infinity #banana fish #yamamoto sayo #yuri on ice!!! #yuuri!!! on ice #yuri!!! on ice #michiko and hatchin #michiko to hatchin #arakawa under the bridge #eiko hirayama #kaguya sama: love is war #kaguya sama wa kokurasetai #love is war #kaguya sama love is war #kaguya sama anime #yamada naoko #heike monogatari #k on #k on anime #tamako market #tamako love story #chiaki kon #naruto #naruto shippuden

[ichiharas-familiar]

Used to be that the largest gap between the quality of the op and the quality of the show was absolutely kakeguruei but I have to question its status now that I have watched and dropped Magical Girl Destroyers after 4 total episodes. Unbelievable.

#sayo yamamoto should NOT have done that for them they did not deserve that....

[the-gayest-sky-kid]

p5s opening was directed and storyboarded by who

#SAYO YAMAMOTO YURI ON ICE?????????? #HUH?????

[crazyasianlove]

Ninja ni Kekkon wa Muzukashii Ep. 2 (Sub. Esp)

DESCARGAR O VER ONLINE AQUÍ

#ninja ni kekkon wa muzukashii #jdrama #nanao #suzuki nobuyuki #katsuji ryo #yamamoto maika #tomosaka rie #yoshitani sayo #fujiwara taiyu #furuta arata #drama #dorama #proyectos activos #sub. español

[kushanna]

-> Episodes 9 to 13

Lupin the Third: the Woman Called Fujiko Mine | LUPIN the Third ～峰不二子という女～(2012) dir. Sayo Yamamoto

#lupin the third #lupin iii #fujiko mine #the woman called fujiko mine #lupin the third ～峰不二子という女～ #sayo yamamoto #10s #* #q

[ritsukageyamas]

i don't know how many people here on tumblr have seen this thread on twitter/x, where leaks from someone who claimed to be in a position to know about ice adolescence and what had happened to it several years ago were finally made public today, but since all we've been given from MAPPA is that the movie was cancelled due to "various circumstances" and no one else associated with it has given us any concrete info, i'm personally choosing to believe this leaker. their stated reasoning of the movie being left to die because of "LGBT issues" and concerns about chinese/russian distribution sadly lines up all too well with the fact that this always, always happens to queer media. whenever it seems like progress is being made, with creators fighting to get beautiful queer stories told, the people in power do everything they can to ruin it and the world just feels like it goes backwards. if what's being said in this thread is true (and really, even if it isn't and there's actually a completely different reason that iceado was canned) then i feel heartbroken for sayo yamamoto, mitsuro kubo, and everyone else who fought for viktor and yuuri's story to be told and who tried their hardest to get this movie made. they deserved so much better than for this to happen.

#posting this so late in the day idk if anyone will even see it but oh well #yuri on ice #yoi #yuri!!! on ice #ice adolescence #iceado

[rikeijo]

Today's translation #63

Misc.

Probably most fans are aware of this, but Sayo often references gay culture, e.g. gay artists, in YoI and YoI-related materials. So an additional translation for the purpose of pure Sayo's appreciation (and Lindsay Kemp's obviously) ✨✨✨

The new illustration for this issue of Kikan Esu.

　In case of this new illustration on the front cover, from the early planning stages Yamamoto Sayo, the director herself was giving us suggestions. At first, for the costumes and poses, she wanted to use ballet and ice shows as a base and gave us a lot of reference materials, and we were discussing different patterns [for the cover]. Kikan Esu editors wanted the cover to have an "intoxicating" feel to it, Yamamoto-director took it into consideration and in the end she proposed to us: "How about the image of Lindsay Kemp's Midsummer Night's Dream?". In the past, when we did a special feature on Lindsay Kemp in this magazine, we included his quote: "Dance is the life itself. Live as if every moment were to be your last moment of life. Dance as if every dance were to be your last dance!". It's a mindset that corresponds well with Yuri!!! on Ice. So, we wanted to use Lindsay Kemp's world known for its intoxicating and beautiful dance as a motif. At the same time, Yamamoto-director proposed to us: "I want to make this illustration one, that no-one has ever seen before, so how about drawing Victor and Victor in juniors together?", and so the characters were decided. The illustration depicts a fantasy, where child Yuuri and Yurio watch two Victors performing together. The front cover, drawn by Hiramatsu Tadashi, became one of unparalleled beauty.

Here's a fragment of Lindsay Kemp's Midsummer Night's Dream (movie version). You can also find the full version of this movie on yt.

[Note: The quote was translated by me from Jp, as I couldn't find the original, so it's prolly butchered. Sorry! But I hope the meaning is still there!]

#yuri on ice #yoi translations #yuri on ice translation #sayo yamamoto

[thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai]

Viktor Nikiforov is an adult character with adult problems and anxieties. However, unlike for Yuuri, whose struggles couldn't be more obvious to the audience, Viktor's issues are portrayed with subtlety. Which is ironic since, of the entire cast, Viktor is confronted with the most drastic life-changing choices and changes.

We meet Viktor as a competitive figure skater who has reached a point in his life many people eventually end up. The initial excitement for your profession has long since withered away and you're stuck in a life that is making you miserable. You're only staying out of convenience, the fear of change, the fear of taking a risk, or due to a lack of opportunity—or a combination thereof.

That's where Viktor is in episode 1. You can read the misery in his fake smiles and in his empty expression when he skates—an activity that once has been his passion (we know because creating your own programmes demands a creativity that is the result of passion). There are rumours that he might retire, and when being asked about his future plans, we see again the empty expression of a man who has lost his purpose. He has accumulated quite a fortune through sponsorships if his expensive clothes are any indication of that, but money can't buy happiness.

For twenty years, Viktor has lived for his sport and neglected his private life over it. His body might keep up for a couple of more seasons, but his mind is weary and his creativity is running dry. Twenty years is a long enough time to make even a decisive person think that that one thing is all you will ever be good at.

When you're stuck like that, maybe even to the point that it affects your mental health, it's hard to make it out of the slump on your own. Having someone showing you an alternative can work wonders to shift your perspective and enable you to take matters into your own hands again. For Viktor, this shift comes in form of a cute and utterly drunk fellow skater who not only seems to have a crush on him but very explicitly voices his wish that Viktor becomes his coach.

Viktor is a master of his craft. He choreographs his own programmes, he has music composed for these, and he has twenty years of experience in figure skating. Before that fateful banquet, Viktor already showed low-level coaching tendencies like when he gives (unsolicited) advice to his younger rinkmate...

or when he encourages him to become junior world champion without a quad jump and agrees to choreograph his first senior programmes.

These examples indicate that Viktor has a hidden skill he might not have been aware of during his active career as a skater. He could build on that if the sets his mind to it.

While it's true that Viktor only decided to become a coach when he saw that video (see Sayo Yamamoto's episode commentary), his feelings for Yuuri played a major role his decision because he felt a connection. That's important because feelings ignite passion and provide you with new purpose. It's tempting to assume that Viktor went to Japan for a booty call, but this totally disregards the complexity of his situation and the key role feelings play in igniting passion in someone and giving them new purpose.

"People shine brightest when they understand what kind of love sustains them."

Turning your life upside down and leaving behind the safety and convenience of a job you're good at but that you learned to hate, comes with fears and requires a certain readiness to take risks. Many people don't go to such lengths unless 1) their current situation is insufferable and 2) they have a very strong motivator to start all over. Like love or passion. As both stem from the same place, I'm equating them in the following.

Taking your first step into the uncharted territory of your new future IS scary. It can be one of the hardest things you have ever done. Especially if it means a complete reorientation. But burning for this future—be it out of love for your new subject/field, a specific person you will work with etc.—is a truly inspiring experience that fills you with the confidence that you can actually do it. So far, Viktor has been on the receiving end of coaching, but his feelings for Yuuri, his experience as a skater, and his resulting dedication to the task ultimately turn him into a good coach for Yuuri and help him succeed where Celestino failed. And it's obvious that Viktor really loves being Yuuri's coach.

Viktor Nikiforov is a true inspiration for everyone who faces the choice of staying on in a life or work situation that is making them miserable or going full risk by following one's heart. I cannot thank Sayo Yamamoto and Mitsurou Kubo enough for creating a show with so many mature characters that are dealing with realistic adult issues and I'm happy that one of my favourite YOI characters is one of them. I wish that Viktor would receive more appreciation for this.

I want to thank the reader of Thousand Spotlights whose comment about my portrayal of Viktor inspired me to finally write this post 🩷 Also many thanks to @cecebeanie for reading over it in advance 🩷

Please note:

In some cultures, changing your job frequently is normal and thus not a big thing for people, but the concept I've discussed is the universal.

This meta doesn't attempt to be a comprehensive analysis of Viktor's situation as this would have gone beyond the cope of this post (I have written other metas that discuss some of these). Viktor shows signs of depression and/or creative burnout that might or might not have to do with focusing on skating for most of his life. Depression can manifest itself differently in different people and no one's experience is less valid than someone else's.

If you enjoyed this meta, please consider giving me a follow or checking out my works on AO3 (link in bio), which build upon my analyses.

#yuri on ice #viktor nikiforov #yoi #yoi meta #my yoi meta #yuri on ice meta #victor nikiforov