Fuji TV HERO’s programme on 23 Feb 2018. 　
Yuzuru’s comments translated by Sophie Moroi.
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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/k2a9edIm8xBsgAqhhmA

(How was your Olympics?)

The final result was a good one, so it was the best way to end it. (Laughter while watching the gala rehearsals ‘speed skating’ video where he fell)
Well, it was good that I didn’t fall during the competitions.

(While Ms. Kato pointed out that Mr. Nomura and Yuzuru won a total of five gold medals)
Oh, I am awfully sorry that I only won two medals (laughter) (t/n. Mr Nomura won 3 Olympic gold medals for judo)

(After Mr. Nomura pointed out that Yuzuru overcame loads of adversities)

Well, it’s true that I also think that there were so many adversities myself.

(What made it possible for you to believe in yourself?)

I guess it was just out of my strong determination towards it [the victory].  So many people supported me; and I was aiming only at the Olympic gold medal together with my supporters. So, I believe that such a sense of determination probably made me strong.

(Nomura: Wouldn’t too much determination become pressure and a source of failure?)

Yes, pressure is something I can physically feel, but I always try to translate it into power that would push [support] me from the back.

(Kato-san: Were you able to collect all the pieces and make them into one crystal representing Yuzuru Hanyu, as you declared last summer?)

Obviously, there are many pieces that are still missing. There were so many things [elements: that I couldn’t do [execute]. But probably, all the determination [and the sacrifice] I gathered towards this Olympics became one piece, I feel.

(Kato-san: What do you feel about the chemistry of the programmes this season?)

Above all, there were many periods during which I couldn’t practice skating, while figure-skating requires lots of practice and repetitions for perfection. So, this time, it might have been ‘meguri awase’ [a luck / chance] that I chose the music and the programmes that I was already used to do and I could perform from the bottom of my heart. I guess, it was a good choice.

(Didn’t you have a feeling of pressure that you would have to surpass yourself in the past, because you chose the same music?)

Yes, there were lots. However, I strongly felt that there were limits to what I could do, depending upon the circumstances, particularly after my injuries. I also believe that I had to become strong enough to be able to surpass myself in the past.

(You mentioned 4A in the post FS press-conference)

Yes, I think that the only motivation remaining for me is 4A. As you know, I already took what I should have taken [two consecutive gold medals]; I think I captured everything I was aiming at. So, the rest is for me to realise the dream I have been having since my childhood.

(Wow, 4A?!  What an era!)

Yes, well, if you ask me, I don’t think 4A is necessary to win competitions. But regardless of whether or not to win competitions, I still cannot proudly face my childhood self; [laughter] (Ms Kato: That’s too demanding!) Yes, my self in my childhood is so demanding. [Little Yuzuru was] really really demanding.

(We in fact have an old video in which you attempted 4A at the time of Dreams On Ice 2015) [video is shown]

Aaaggghhh, the one I don’t want to watch… ha ha ha. Ah, a total failure, oh so embarrassing, ah, embarrassing.
It wasn’t close at all. I should have jumped higher. At that time, I wasn’t seriously practicing [4A]. Well, even now I am not yet practicing 4A at all. As my right ankle gets better from now on; as of now, I can somewhat manage landing of jumps, as long as I keep taking pain-killers. But I should try to gradually reduce the amount of pain-killers, and I would like to start practicing 4A, once I can land jumps without pain killers.
(OK, so little by little)
Yes, I was indeed aiming only at winning the second Olympic gold medal, so I am really pleased that [my right ankle] barely held [until the end].

(How do you evaluate yourself out of your maximum potential? You said it was 60% of your max last June.)

I guess my current percentage is even lower than that. As there are too many things I cannot do at the moment [due to the ankle]; so, a bit of feeling of frustration [kuyashii] has started emerging. The things I cannot execute now include 4Lz, which I was about to master, and 4Lo, which I started challenging since last season. I am potentially able to execute more difficult elements, so I would like to make better performances in addition to such difficult jumps.

(Even if your self in childhood was so demanding, he would definitely congratulate you for your gold medal now, wouldn’t he?)

Well, what would that be? Perhaps he would tell me ‘it’s just natural’. [Laughter] He is so strict. Obviously, I myself now have no feeling whatsoever that it [this gold medal] was just natural, but my self in the past would say ‘well, that’s something to be naturally expected’. [laughter] 
As I said before, all the more because I remember my childhood self, I always would like to be my self whom I can feel proud of, in the eyes of my self in the past. In the past as well, there were times when I felt like escaping from skating. But the reason why I was able to keep aiming high is that I have compiled the memories from the past and made them into a source of energy.

(How would your childhood self approve you?)

If I land 4A, he would agree to approve me, probably. [Laughter] But it would be meaningless if I don’t execute it at competitions; it would not be recognised as a success unless it’s done within competitive performances. So, I would try to aim at succeeding it [at competitions]. I will try my best.

(Did you watch the Japanese ladies skating?)

Yes, I watched them on TV earlier today. If anything, the level of competitions was so high.
You wouldn’t be able to win unless you execute your elements with a high quality upon achieving clean performances. [As for Satoko], she realised a performance without any underrotated jumps, which was previously a bit of concerns. [After Satoko’s performance] I made the ‘guts pose’ myself when watching it. As for Ms. Sakamoto, there were some mistakes, but both of them participated in the Olympics for the first time, and I do feel that it’s wonderful that both of them made their performance in a confident manner.

(As for the OAR ladies)

Yes, they were really strong. As Mr. Takahashi said, it was very difficult to predict which one of them might win. If possible, I would have wanted to give both of them a gold medal, honestly speaking as one of the audience.

(Do you know that so many people rushed to grab the special edition of newspapers in Japan, issued right after you won the gold medal?)

Yes, I saw it on an internet video.

(Are you happy to see them?)

Yes, it makes me feel happy. There are so many people who cheer for me in my home town and there may be many people who happened to be in Sendai. The scene [in which people rush to grab the newspapers] demonstrates their feeling of strong support for me. So, it makes me happy when I witness their attitude like that.

(Your future ambition)

I already said that the only remaining thing is 4A. My mind is filled with things about 4A. I finally started making an image-training of 4A when I go to bed. Since the reality of executing 4A is now emerging, I would have to start practicing it seriously.

(Is image-training important?)

I still cannot embrace a concrete imagine that I can execute it [4A] at all, so I would have to start with it [creating an image in my head]. Having said that, the most important for me now is to cure my ankle completely, as many people tell me. So, I will concentrate on treatment of my ankle now.

[Followed by the part tracing his process towards the victory, including 4Lz-3T(rippon)!!!]

Interview continued in a separate video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPoRPGP94Ek

(You described the four years since the Sochi Olympics as “a true era of quad jumps” [真四回転時代] and it spread widely.)

Yes, I did say that (laughter). Indeed, other newspapers have also stolen the description. From the viewpoint of Fuji TV, aren’t you a bit angry with it? (laughter) I was surprised [that the expression spread so quickly].

(From Yuzu’s quote, the way “shin” written in kanji is not “new” [新] (as it’s often written) but rather “authentic” or “true” [真].)
(What kind of era do you expect to come?)

Well, it’s also difficult for me to predict if the enthusiasm for more difficult jumps keeps escalating or the current difficulty continues. The rules are going to change for sure, so the competitors will become stronger in accordance with the new rules. When the competitors recognise limits due to the new rules, each competitor would naturally have to think how to become even stronger [overcome them].

(Will an era of quint jumps come?)

There are competitors who are likely to be able to jump, like Boyang Jin. Boyang has the height and speed as demonstrated in his 4Ltz, so I quite expect him to do quint jumps. I’m looking forward to it.

(What kind of era will it become…. we are all looking forward to it.)

Yes. So I too would like to keep trying and make sure to stay among the top skaters.

Thank you so much 😊
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Thanks to Sophie Moroi of YHIFG for the translation (please do not use or re-post without permission)