Leaving a pro skate career is a lot like leaving a gang. Exit quietly and you’ll slowly realize how hard “real life” can be outside of it. Publicly announce your retirement and be hated on for your pretension. Lose all your sponsors and become skate industry laughing stock. Seems the only “respectable” way out of skating is death.
However, there are rare skateboarders who can leave skating gracefully. Daniel Shimizu is now one of them. Skateboarding’s hive mind accepted Shimizu’s recent retirement because he didn’t leave to make cringy rap music or ditch us before we were ready to let him go. Shimizu left just in the nick of time, before he could be called out for completely milking it.
In appreciation of skateboarding’s cleanest scumstache, our friend Joey Sinko edited Shimizu’s most memorable video moments into a vintage compilation. A reminder for older folks of when they first wanted to skate in button-up shirts, and a primer for young bucks on how to look good on a rail. No judgments if this one makes you feel all warm and gooey inside.
Related Posts
-
PREMIERE: “MANIMAL” A SHORT FILM ON COREY DUFFEL
Revisiting skating's premier big-gap-slammer.
-
AN ODE TO JAMES BROCKMAN
Retiring from pro skating may be the gnarliest trick of all.
-
PREMIERE: “THE FIRST & THE LAST PICTURE SHOW” BY JOEY SINKO
"I just want to get people hyped and wish them a merry Christmas with a skateboard video that’s slightly experimental"
-
AN ODE TO DONNY BARLEY
No judgments if this one makes you feel some sentimental type of way.
Comments
Popular
-
WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON WITH ILLEGAL CIV?
The Illegal Civ stuff feels like an ongoing soap opera, so to air out any confusion we talked to a few key characters.
-
HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP SKATE SHOPS ALIVE?
For years brands and skaters have blindly cried "support your local," but we asked shop owners about other ways we can all provide actual help.
-
UNDERSTANDING THE NEAL HENDRIX ALLEGATIONS & POWER DYNAMICS IN SKATEBOARDING
How can skateboarders within the industry do a better job of keeping each other in check?
-
MY EXPERIENCES IN SKATEBOARDING
"I've been terrified of garnering the reputation of 'ramp-tramp' or 'pro-ho' just from spending time with skaters."
-
8 ARTISTS REIMAGINE THE INDEPENDENT LOGO
What would an Independent rebrand even look like?
January 25, 2018 3:30 pm
He looks like a Chinese version of Jerry Hsu. Ching Chong ding dong walla walla bing bong
Leave a reply
January 25, 2018 4:04 pm
Loser
Leave a reply
January 25, 2018 4:48 pm
Your mom
January 25, 2018 6:14 pm
the only person that ever looked cool in nike sb
Leave a reply
January 25, 2018 7:39 pm
thank you god
Leave a reply
February 5, 2018 12:50 am
lewis marnell
Leave a reply
January 25, 2018 9:24 pm
I used to Watch his part on Art Bars everyday. Good lucky Shimizu
Leave a reply
January 25, 2018 10:21 pm
he’s had a 20 year career. i suppose it’s time.
Leave a reply