# Takeru Amine Kataise

Takeru Amine Kataise (片伊勢武アミン, Kataise Takeru Amin, born February 8, 2004) is a Japanese figure skater. He is the 2022 Egna Trophy Junior champion, the 2022 Junior Grand Prix Poland II champion, the 2022 Junior Grand Prix Italy bronze medalist, and the 2022 Japanese Junior national silver medalist.

## Personal life

Kataise was born on February 8, 2004, in Shimane, Japan. He enjoys travelling and watching movies. He graduated from Kansai University Senior High School, and he attends Kansai University as of 2022, studying law.
He was inspired to begin skating after watching Mao Asada on the television during his first year of elementary school. He also idolises Jason Brown.
Prior to the 2022–23 figure skating season he competed as Takeru Kataise. Henceforth, he has included his middle name in competition, saying he felt he has "finally been able to express himself" and that it was a "fresh start". His middle name is Arabic, meaning "honest, sincere" and comes from his father's background.

## Career
### Early years

Kataise began skating in 2011. He made his international debut at the 2017 Coupe du Printemps, winning in the Novice category. He placed second at the 2017 Japan Novice A Championships, behind Shun Sato.
He performed at the annual touring ice show The Ice in 2014 and 2016.

### 2021–22 season

Kataise began the season competing in the Kinki Regional Championships. He placed third in the short program, but fell to fifth in the free skate, placing fourth overall, qualifying for the Western Sectional Championship, where he placed 2nd in both the short program and free skate, and placed 2nd overall, behind Tatsuya Tsuboi. He qualified to compete at the 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships, where he placed third after the short program despite a fall on his triple Axel. However, he later popped his opening triple Axel in his free skate into a single and lost points in the grade of execution on multiple jumps, and he placed fourth overall in the competition.
He was selected to compete at the 2021–22 Japan Senior Championships for the first time. In the short program, he fell on his triple Lutz, which was intended to be part of a combination, and added a double toe loop to his triple flip later in the program instead. In the free skate, he popped his opening triple Axel into a double Axel, which received a downgrade; he also made the same mistake on his final triple Salchow. He placed 14th overall, with a score of 199.65.
Kataise was sent to compete at the 2022 Egna Trophy, where he made his international junior debut. He scored 82.94 in the short program, breaking the 80 point barrier for the first time, and he received level fours on all of his spins and his step sequence. He fell on his opening triple Axel in the free skate, but came back with a triple Axel-triple toe loop combination. He scored 143.20 points and a total of 226.14 overall; it was the first time he scored over 220 points in his career.

### 2022–23 season

Kataise was assigned to compete at the 2022 Junior Grand Prix Armenian Cup and the 2022 Junior Grand Prix Egna/Neumarkt. However, after the cancellation of the Armenia Cup due to the Armenia-Azerbaijan crisis, he was reassigned to compete at the second stage of the Junior Grand Prix in Poland instead.
He made his ISU Junior Grand Prix debut at the 2022 ISU Baltic Cup in Poland. He placed first in the short program with a score of 79.06, receiving multiple fours and a five from a Swiss judge in grade of execution on his opening triple Axel. He later went on to win the free skate after landing two triple Axels, including one in combination with a triple toe loop, and receiving all level fours on his spins, his only mistake being a two-footed landing on his double Axel-triple toe loop combination. He achieved a personal best score of 155.18 in the free skate, and 234.24 overall, breaking the 230 barrier for the first time and winning the competition by over ten points.
He then competed at his second Junior Grand Prix, Egna/Neumarkt in Italy. He had an unsuccessful short program, falling on his opening triple Axel, then turning an intended triple loop into a double, which also resulted in a fall. In the short program, he placed seventh. However, he was able to rise back to podium position after placing 3rd in the free skate, taking the bronze medal behind Lucas Broussard and teammate Shunsuke Nakamura. His placements of first and third on the Junior Grand Prix circuit meant he qualified for the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final in Torino.
Kataise competed at the Japan Western Sectional competition, where he placed second after the short program. He fell to forth in the free skate and placed forth overall. In November, he competed at the 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships, where he achieved a new national junior record in the short program of 83.27. He had an unsuccessful free skate, in which he placed sixth; however, his almost twelve point lead from the short program placed him second overall, and he won his first national junior medal.
In December, Kataise competed at the 2022–23 Junior Grand Prix Final, coming into the competition with the highest free skating and highest total score received on the Junior Grand Prix circuit that season. He fell on his opening triple Axel in the short program, hitting the boards, then fell a second time on his triple Lutz. He was unable to complete the mandatory jump combination for the short program and placed sixth.
In the free skate, he was able to land both of his triple Axels; however, multiple mistakes later in the program led him to place fifth in the free skate and sixth overall, with a total score of 182.49.
Kataise was invited to compete at the 2022–23 Japan Senior Championships. He stepped out of his triple Axel in the short program and was only able to add a double toe loop to his triple Lutz later on in the program; he placed fourteenth with a score of 70.05. He fell to twenty-first in the free skate and placed nineteenth overall.
Kataise competed at the 2023 Coupe du Printemps in Luxembourg. He placed fifth in the short program and free skate and fifth overall, with a total score of 183.33.

### 2023–24 season

Beginning the season by making his senior Grand Prix debut at the 2023 Grand Prix de France, Kataise would finish twelfth at the event. He would follow this up with another twelfth-place finish at the 2023–24 Japan Senior Championships.

### 2024–25 season

Kataise competed at the 2024–25 Japan Senior Championships, where he finished thirteenth.

## Programs

Competition and exhibition programs by season :
| Season | Short program | Free skate program | Exhibition program |
| 2024–25 | Adiós Nonino Composed by Astor Piazzolla Performed by Lisandro Adrover choreo. by Noriko Sato | Tree of Life Suite Composed by Roberto Cacciapaglia choreo. by Akiko Suzuki | |
| 2023–24 | Adiós Nonino Composed by Astor Piazzolla Performed by Lisandro Adrover choreo. by Noriko Sato | Tree of Life Suite Composed by Roberto Cacciapaglia choreo. by Akiko Suzuki | |
| 2022–23 | "Densetsu, soshite shinwa e" (main theme) (伝説、そして神話へ, lit. 'From legend to myth') From Yoshitsune (2005 Taiga Drama) Composed by Taro Iwashiro choreo. by Kohei Yoshino | Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso Composed by Camille Saint-Saëns Performed by Yuna Shinohara, Tomoki Sakata choreo. by Kenji Miyamoto | The Legend of 1900 |
| 2021–22 | "Densetsu, soshite shinwa e" (main theme) (伝説、そして神話へ, lit. 'From legend to myth') From Yoshitsune (2005 Taiga Drama) Composed by Taro Iwashiro choreo. by Kohei Yoshino | "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You" From The Mask of Zorro Performed by Marc Anthony, Tina Arena choreo. by Kohei Yoshino | |
| 2020–21 | The Legend of 1900choreo. by Kohei Yoshino Composed by Ennio Morricone Tracks used "The Crisis" "1900's Theme" | "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You" From The Mask of Zorro Performed by Marc Anthony, Tina Arena choreo. by Kohei Yoshino |
| 2019–20 | The Legend of 1900choreo. by Kohei Yoshino Composed by Ennio Morricone Tracks used "The Crisis" "1900's Theme" | Don Quixote Composed by Ludwig Minkus choreo. by Stephane Lambiel | |
| 2018–19 | The Addams Family choreo. by Masahiro Kawagoe | Don Quixote Composed by Ludwig Minkus choreo. by Stephane Lambiel | |
| 2017–18 | The Addams Family choreo. by Masahiro Kawagoe | Don Quixote Composed by Ludwig Minkus choreo. by Stephane Lambiel | |
| 2016–17 | The Addams Family choreo. by Masahiro Kawagoe | The Mask of Zorro |

## Competitive highlights

JGP: Junior Grand Prix

### 2017–18 to Present

International :
| Event | 17–18 | 18–19 | 19–20 | 20–21 | 21–22 | 22–23 | 23–24 | 24–25 |
| GP France | | | | | | | 12th | |
| Printemps | | | | | | 5th | | |
| International: Junior |||||||||||
| JGP Final | | | | | | 6th | | |
| JGP Armenia | | | | | | C | | |
| JGP Poland | | | | | | 1st | | |
| JGP Italy | | | | | | 3rd | | |
| Egna Trophy | | | | | 1st | | | |
| National |||||||||||
| Japan | | | | | 14th | 19th | 12th | 13th |
| Japan Junior | 10th | 10th | 10th | 10th | 4th | 2nd | | |
| TBD = Assigned; WD = Withdrew; C = Cancelled J = Junior |||||||||||

### 2013-14 to 2016-17

International: Advanced novice :
| Event | 13–14 | 14–15 | 15–16 | 16–17 |
| Printemps | | | | 1st |
| National ||||||
| Japan Junior | | | | 21st |
| Japan Novice | 7th B | 2nd B | 8th A | 2nd A |
| Kinki Reg. | 3rd B | 1st B | 2nd A | 1st A |
| Levels: A = Novice A; B = Novice B ||||||

## Detailed results

Current personal best scores are highlighted in bold.

### Senior level

2024–25 season :
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 19–22, 2024 | 2024–25 Japan Championships | 10 75.62 | 11 137.16 | 13 212.78 |
| 2023–24 season |||||
| Date | Event | SP | FS | Total |
| December 20–24, 2023 | 2023–24 Japan Championships | 18 70.41 | 11 141.85 | 12 212.26 |
| November 3–5, 2023 | 2023 Grand Prix de France | 10 76.27 | 12 136.48 | 12 212.75 |

### Junior level

2022–23 season :
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 17–19, 2023 | 2023 Coupe du Printemps | Senior | 5 63.28 | 5 120.05 | 5 183.33 |
| December 21–25, 2022 | 2022–23 Japan Championships | Senior | 14 70.05 | 21 115.35 | 19 185.40 |
| December 8–11, 2022 | 2022–23 JGP Final | Junior | 6 58.19 | 5 124.30 | 6 182.49 |
| November 25–27, 2022 | 2022–23 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | 1 83.27 | 6 124.95 | 2 208.22 |
| Oct. 11–15, 2022 | 2022 JGP Egna/Neumarkt | Junior | 7 65.56 | 3 135.79 | 3 201.35 |
| Oct. 5–8, 2022 | 2022 JGP Baltic Cup | Junior | 1 79.06 | 1 155.18 | 1 234.24 |
| 2021–22 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| April 7–10, 2022 | 2022 Egna Trophy | Junior | 1 82.94 | 1 143.20 | 1 226.14 |
| Dec. 22–26, 2021 | 2021–22 Japan Championships | Senior | 16 69.32 | 14 130.33 | 14 199.65 |
| November 19–21, 2021 | 2021–22 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | 3 67.99 | 4 120.38 | 4 188.37 |
| 2020–21 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| November 21–23, 2020 | 2020–21 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | 7 67.19 | 11 104.92 | 10 172.11 |
| 2019–20 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| November 15–17, 2019 | 2019–20 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | 14 59.08 | 7 116.04 | 10 175.12 |
| 2018–19 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| November 23–25, 2018 | 2018–19 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | 9 61.87 | 10 101.69 | 10 163.56 |
| 2017–18 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| November 24–26, 2017 | 2017–18 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | 12 58.68 | 9 112.19 | 10 170.87 |
| 2016–17 season ||||||
| Date | Event | Level | SP | FS | Total |
| March 10–12, 2017 | 2017 Coupe de Printemps | Advanced Novice | 1 44.52 | 1 85.89 | 1 130.41 |
| November 18–20, 2016 | 2016–17 Japan Junior Championships | Junior | 22 45.73 | 19 95.93 | 21 141.66 |