“I wanted the entire show to be original.” Yuzuru Hanyu announced the fourth installment of his solo ice show series “ICE STORY: PREQUEL”
Two-time Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu announced the fourth installment of his solo ice show series, “ICE STORY: PREQUEL,” featuring original music and story, marking his full return to the ice after a break.
original source: Nikkansports 11th April 2026 by Atsushi Kinoshita
Yuzuru Hanyu (31), two-time men’s Winter Olympic champion now in his fourth year as a professional, made a surprise announcement on the 11th about the latest installment in his solo performance series, “ICE STORY.” The fourth show, titled “Prequel,” was revealed at the opening night of “Yuzuru Hanyu ‘REALIVE’ an ICE STORY project” at Sekisui Heim Super Arena in Miyagi, where Hanyu also serves as executive producer. Here’s a translation.
After the performance, Hanyu told reporters, “I can’t say when yet, but it’s happening.” He explained that the original story, which he wrote himself, is already fully conceptualized. It was also announced that composer Marihiko Hara (43), known for the film “National Treasure,” will compose all the music for the show.
Regarding the collaboration, Hanyu said, “I wanted the entire show to be original, and thought about who I wanted to work with. After creating the original story, I discussed it with Mr. Hara. He’s incredibly busy, so at first I just hoped he could write even one song, but he said he wanted to compose everything. He ended up writing not only for my performance parts but also for all the video segments. He really brought color to the story I wrote, which is themed around ‘white.’ I’m very grateful.”
The “ICE STORY” series is unique worldwide for featuring only one performer. Following “GIFT at Tokyo Dome,” “RE_PRAY,” and “Echoes of Life,” this spring’s “REALIVE” served as a special side story, with the announcement of the latest fourth installment, “PREQUEL,” coming in the latter half of the show. This marked Hanyu’s first solo performance in about 14 months since February 9, 2025. He revisited classic programs from his competitive days, such as the short program “Autumn Leaves” from the 2018–19 season, landing a beautiful triple axel and performing popular pieces from the previous three shows.
During “REALIVE,” Hanyu performed his signature “SEIMEI” early in the show, raising expectations for the second half, where “PREQUEL” was introduced as a prologue. At the very end, he announced the upcoming main production.
Hanyu had taken a break starting in August 2025 for “maintenance to further evolve.” He returned to the ice in March 2026, 15 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake, performing in “Yuzuru Hanyu notte stellata 2026” to support recovery efforts. This time, he made a complete solo comeback, delighting a packed audience of 7,000, including standing room. With the announcement of the fourth installment making headlines, Hanyu said, “There’s another show tomorrow, so I’ll do my best!” as he looked ahead to the next day’s performance at the same venue.
Related topics: Yuzuru Hanyu
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