Gou Miyagi – FESN Overground Broadcasting (2008)

Thinking without a box.

Gou Miyagi is a true original. The status quo says that Mark Gonzales is the most original and creative skateboarder alive. I think Gou sits right beside him. Nobody knew it until the Far East Skate Network dropped Overground Broadcasting and brought the Japanese skateboard sensei to the surface.

For starters, Gou does away with regular griptape, preferring to use coloured tapestryt instead. The smooth finish doesn’t stop him from hopping onto ledges, banks and what not. The real spectacle comes with the rails Gou skates. These aren’t your normal rails either. Japanese architecture is technical and so it follows that the rails Gou skates are curved, segmented and obtuse.

Gou has the balance of fine tuned gyroscope. His. ind spins faster than your average person and this makes for exciting tricks that simply haven’t been done before and can only be done by himself. This Overground Broadcasting part smashes the doors of conformity off their hinges. Suddenly the freaks and geeks has a spiritual leader. However, it has to be noted that Gou performs on a board with taste and grace. He is nothing like the weird recluses locked in garages or hyping themselves up for the ‘Gram. Gou loves skateboarding and finds connection and solace where others do not. It’s a beautiful thing.