Intro/Interview: Effraim.
Photos: York Uno.

It is time to catch up with winner of both Editorial and Reader Choice Must Watch edit of 2022, Akihiko Takahashi. Akihiko is a name you don’t hear much about, but when see or hear of a clip or part online from him you know it’s going to be serious. I wanted to pick his brain about his attitude towards riding, filming video parts, instagram vs parts, and so on. This is a good one, whilst you’re at it. Go and watch his amazing edit once again!

Congratulations Akihiko, you had a clean swoop winning both editorial and reader choice for “Must watch edit of the year”! How do you feel about winning the FM awards?
I was surprised, because my style is not what every rider likes. I am very honored.
Thank you so much to everyone who voted.

How did you approach filming this part, did you have a list of tricks you wanted to do?
Originally, there was no plan to post on YouTube. I posted the tricks I decided in my usual riding life on Instagram, I felt that 2022 is going well.
And I made a plan to post on You Tube around October.
For that reason, tricks posted on Instagram and newly shot tricks are used in the part.
I think my prime was around 2008-2011, and during that time there were a few tricks that I could only do once. So I decided to challenge myself in my prime.
In the additional shooting, we aimed to revive a trick that could only be decided once in the past. Backwards facing Jump lash, and Crackpacker bikeflip to Hitchhiker.

What was the hardest trick for you to get in the edit?
The Crackpacker bikeflip to Hitchhiker.
Over the course of two months, I devoted all my riding time to filming this trick, tried it thousands of times, but only got it once.
The bar was scratched and not clean, but it was the best for me at that time.
I was in trouble because the handlebar and fork broke during attempting this trick.:)

This may sound crazy, as you won two awards for the edit, but were you happy with the outcome of the edit? Any tricks you missed for example?
When I finished it, I was satisfied with it, but when I think about it now, there were some tricks I wasn’t able to use. I want to put it in the next edit.

Wow, look forward to that Akihiko. How do you separate what is edit worthy, and what goes on your social media? (instagram etc)
Social media is a clipping of the moment.
When I complete a new trick, I post it on social media early so I don’t end up like other riders.Edit is an artwork. It’s easy to look at social media,
But I think it’s hard to remember, because it’s buried in the information that is updated every day. I think the best way to keep it as a artwork is to edit it.
However, due to the development of social media fewer people are watching YouTube maybe.
Some people may not want to watch long clips.

What’s your opinion about video parts? Is it something you care about, is it important for flatland?
I think these are difficult times, because have social media.
But it won’t die like vhs videos and DVDs.
Because there is a charm, that can only be expressed in a long parts.
I would like to continue to express myself videoparts.

Do you film everytime you ride, or sometimes leave the camera alone and just ride?
Practice new tricks and filming them when I feel like they will work. At that time, I will try forever while filming. In addition, I sometimes filming regular tricks.

If you have used a trick on Instagram would you use it in an edit?
I basically don’t use Instagram.
However, REBOOT, which I changed the plan halfway through, also reused Instagram videos.

Any final thanks Aki? Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Much respect due.
Yuichi & Shintaro who let me meet Flatland environment,family,work,fellow riders who keep me motivated. Flatmattersonline and Effraim, plus everyone who voted and, you who read this interview!! Thank you so much, see you next edit.

Great catching up Akihiko, hope all the readers of Fm enjoyed that as much as me. I look forward to your next edit!

Rewatch it here:

https://www.flatmattersonline.com/must-watch-akihiko-takahashi-reboot

The post Akihiko Takahashi: The Flatmattersonline 2022 Year End Awards Interview first appeared on Flat Matters Online.