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It is compatible with the little bits we could see on video. He went to sumo to win and crush his opponents as he more or less put it. It was more a true wish than bravado. Frustration came from the difficult lifestyle and, as he also admitted but not as openly, from the initial inability to win. The not very supportive father warned him from the beginning that it would be hard, and he agreed, but as a 18-year-old who didn't take those words seriously. The excuses he resorted to to make the initial failure more palatable was that he was suited to judo instead or that he should have joined the military - which hadn't accept him in the first place. This dodging behavior is part of the lie telling we engage everyday to go on with life [e.g. didn't want that promotion anyway] but also represents how hard it was for him to cope with the actual (sumo) world as it differed from what he had in mind. In the end of the video he admits his naivety, a sign of growing maturity. Someone must have talked sense to him, or maybe he realized by himself that whatever course in life he chose, perseverance, a word he had used earlier without any depth of meaning, was of utmost importance. Now that his winning-minded self has found actualization, he can be a bit full of himself again.

"Let" him retire? What makes you think Ryuden doesn't want to get back to full competition eventually? Nobody's staying in sumo against his own will. He's obviously not well enough to compete full-time now, but plenty of rikishi have missed long periods of time. In any case, it hasn't been just a single injury that has caused his absences since Kyushu 2012.

Another basho is in the bag... See the results of the Natsu Masters Series here This is one for the tabloids. Fujisan was Sumo Gaming World Champion in 2009, but he has never won a Green Mawashi so far. In fact, his gaming performance over the last few years was anything but stellar. But out of left field he rose like a phoenix, grabbing his first ever Masters title. Fujisan won the yusho in ISP and Paper Oyakata. He also finished third in Odd Sumo, among other things. Reigning World Champion Andoreasu was very close behind with only 2 points margin. For his second place, and a double yusho in prestigious games Toto and Quad he receives the shukun-sho. It's already his fifth Outstanding Performance Prize, making him the sole leader in that category. Asashosakari won his first sansho ever, the Technique Prize gino-sho for good gaming in pre-basho games (e.g. Oracle and Hoshitori) and daily games (e.g. a jun-yusho in Chaingang). Finally, the Fighting Spirit Prize goes to Flohru for finishing among the top 10 in seven games. This is his fifth kanto-sho in his career, equalizing the record mark set by Golynohana, Doitsuyama, and Tosahayate. Congratulation to all the winners! Also updated: World Championship Standings At the top there are five players within a 10-point margin. And lots of others who can join the fray in the remaining tournaments. That could be exciting! ScreechingOwl leads the way in front of the Cracovian Dragon Smoczayama. Norizo has also joined the Century Club while Flohru and Andoreasu are very very close behind.

If what was mentioned during the honbasho about his health problems is true, its quite possible that his oyakata will allow him to stick around until he's banzuke gai, even if only for the health insurance benefit.

Tier 2: Narrowly saved from extinction this tier performed pretty well in Natsu basho. Leading prospect Sasanoyama was back near his career high ranking achieved a 4-3 kachikoshi, with two of the losses coming to highly-regarded Onosho and Horikiri. Akinoyama and Ikioi Ikeru were at career-highs and also scored 4 wins, the latter doing so in his makushita debut. And Akinoyama's smaller-sized twin brother Akinokawa also got in on the act with a 6-1 record that will send him to a new high rank next time. Takakasuga found mid-makushita difficult as expected after coming in with a mid-sandanme zensho and had to settle for 2 wins; his goal will have to be to stick in makushita now and avoid dropping back into the lower division. Heisei Hopefuls for Natsu 2014 - Tier 2: Promising Youngsters - Age 21 and under Rikishi Heya DOB Debut HiRk 2013.07 2013.09 2013.11 2014.01 2014.03 2014.05 Sasanoyama Kise 1992/12/30 (23) 2011.05 Ms12 Ms12w 2-5 Ms24e 1-6 Ms50e 5-2 Ms29w 4-3 Ms23w 4-3 Ms17w 4-3 Takakasuga Kasugayama 1993/03/06 (21) 2011.07 Ms30 Sd34w 5-2 Sd11e 4-3 Ms60e 2-5 Sd20e 2-5 Sd42w 7-0 D Ms30e 2-5 Kotodaigo Sadogatake 1993/01/14 (22) 2011.05 Ms27 Sd37w 3-4 Sd54e 6-1 Sd3w 3-4 Sd13w 6-1 Ms36w 4-3 Ms31e 3-4 Akinoyama Takadagawa 1992/11/30 (24) 2008.03 Ms33 Ms53w 0-2-5 Sd30w 5-2 Sd6e 3-4 Sd18w 6-1 Ms39e 4-3 Ms33w 4-3 Akinokawa Takadagawa 1992/11/30 (24) 2008.03 Ms26 Sd13e 5-2 Ms53e 6-1 Ms26w 2-5 Ms42w 3-4 Ms50e 4-3 Ms42e 6-1 Ikeru Onomatsu 1992/11/26 (26) 2010.11 Ms53 Jk19w 7-0 Y Jd14w 5-2 Sd80e 6-1 Sd24w 4-3 Sd12e 5-2 Ms53e 4-3 Tochimaru Kasugano 1992/08/26 (27) 2011.05 Ms23 Ms43e 4-3 Ms36w 2-5 Ms52w 6-1 Ms23w 1-6 Ms48w 3-4 Sd3e 4-2-1 As mentioned yesterday this tier will see another bunch of reinforcements for July, although it'll continue to be without any major near-term sekitori candidates. One sandanme rikishi scored well enough to earn a quasi-debut: Rikishi Heya DOB Debut HiRk 2013.07 2013.09 2013.11 2014.01 2014.03 2014.05 Hokutowaka Hakkaku 1992/06/20 2008.03 Sd13 Sd31w 3-4 Sd48e 2-5 Sd77w 4-3 Sd59w 4-3 Sd40w 5-2 Sd13w 5-2 Hokutowaka will turn 22 before Nagoya basho so his actual entrance to this thread will be taking place in Tier 3, but for now he's still eligible for this section. Anyway, Hokutowaka is Hakkaku-beya's highest-ranked rikishi under the age of 26, which doesn't do much to recommend this stable as a future powerhouse despite its large roster comprising nearly 30 deshi. After missing some time in the first half of his 6-year career Hokutowaka has been a reliable presence in the middle of the sandanme division since the beginning of 2012. Suffering back-to-back MKs a year ago seems to have spurred him on as he proceeded to not just get back to his previous comfort zone, but added another two 5-2's to earn his makushita debut now. Looking at his kimarite profile he appears to have undergone somewhat of a technique makeover - highly focussed on yori and nage techniques in his early career, his results show an increasing prevalence of oshidashi over the last couple of years. All in all, you probably know my opinion by now - making makushita at nearly 22 places him as only an outside bet for a future sekitori career.

Your point is well made. If you have lived or worked closely with that number of countries people, you would get a good sense of their national identity. Your statement was much less flippant than I originally thought. I am in Japan, and the largest Mongolian festival held every year is not too far from where I live. I tend to make it every year (all the big Mongolian sumo guys usually attend one day) and I had a talk with a Mongolian guy after an anthem of sorts was played and he tried to give me the impression that Mongolians are very proud to be Mongolian, but I wasn't sure of how biased he was at the time. I guess he really meant it.

Again? So soon? You'll know it is if Sunday phones!

Again? So soon?

When what clears up?

Wakanoshima is from Hanaregoma-beya. What a beautiful tribute to his first oyakata's memory.

It would just be wrong if "people should be able to have positive expected value". You know, the bank is always winning, so it should be hard to get a positive score. But it's still doable as (very) few players are able to beat the bank. At least in the long run - this basho nothing went right and I finished with 0, but this probably would have been the case with better odds too. Which brings me to the most important point. The primary goal of OddSumo is NOT to beat the bank, it's to win the yusho. And I think better odds would just increase playing for the one day a high bet is lucky enough to win. I like the game strategy better as it is now, because it is much more difficult to get a really high single-day payout.

A stuck-up tsukebito? How quaint.

Oh geez. But I love you all :) My english is truly worsening in that last ten years :P Best time of my life, with my wife in Paris :) (before the kids arrived, sure)

Natsu summeries summaries, with the first prospect double-promotion since Wakamisho/Chiyomaru five tournaments ago... Tier 1: Ichinojo's reign as the youngest sekitori will be coming to a quick end as Daieisho pulverized most of the competition this basho, his only loss having come in a quick pulldown by fellow promotee Kyokutaisei. Unlike several other recent high-school entrants with similar pedigrees, the 20-year-old Saitama Sakae grad and former National Inter-High semifinalist has avoided getting stuck in upper-mid makushita, only suffering a temporary two-MK setback upon his makushita debut a little over a year ago. His preferred fighting style hasn't had to change much since that debut, which is a good sign - it's still the same aggressive tsuki-oshi with a sprinkling of pulldowns where useful as a follow-up. Overall he reminds me a bit of Shohozan, though with added physical and a lot more age upside. One thing he seems especially adept at - at least against the level of competition he's faced so far - is keeping his opponent right in front of him for his pushing attack; he's rarely been caught out by bad footwork. Needless to say, if he manages to avoid injury, we're looking at a very likely future joi-jin regular at a minimum here. It's a pretty exciting time for high-level prospect watching even with Daieisho reaching the sekitori ranks: Onosho (three years younger than Daieisho, I remind you) continues to be unstoppable, posting 5 wins for his 8th straight KK since debut, Horikiri avoided the post-yusho sophomore jinx and also went 5-2 to firmly establish himself in high makushita, and even Tatsu posted another kachikoshi, although he still has to fight hard for every win at this level and still tends to look pretty bad in his losses. All three should be in the top 10 ranks next time. Further down the list we find more talents who had a good basho, namely Daishoho and Hakuyozan with a 4-3 KK at their career-best positions, Terutsuyoshi with a 5-2 (albeit at a level at which he should be doing well), and Kaito - the second-youngest prospect after Onosho - stunning with 6 wins in his makushita debut. Fellow debutant Daichi wasn't quite that good, but posted a respectable 3-4 after jumping up from mid-sandanme. Last not least, a couple of noteworthy results in sandanme: Meisei finished with a 6-1 record, ending a string of 11 consecutive basho in which he was either 4-3 or 3-4, and Baraki continued his unsuccessful search for his banzuke footing - his 1-6 score will now send him down to approximately the ranking from which he zensho'ed six months ago. Heisei Hopefuls for Natsu 2014 - Tier 1: Top Talents - current yardstick: Ichinojo (1993/04/07, debut 2014.01, shin-juryo 2014.05) Rikishi Heya DOB Debut HiRk 2013.07 2013.09 2013.11 2014.01 2014.03 2014.05 Daieisho Oitekaze 1993/11/10 (15) 2012.01 Ms2 Ms11w 3-4 Ms17w 5-2 Ms8w 3-4 Ms13w 5-2 Ms7w 5-2 Ms2e 6-1 Tatsu Takadagawa 1994/06/01 (9) 2010.03 Ms9 Ms44e 4-3 Ms38e 4-3 Ms29w 5-2 Ms19e 4-3 Ms13e 4-3 Ms9w 4-3 Tsurubayashi Kise 1993/12/31 (12) 2009.03 Ms12 Sd11w 4-3 Ms60w 3-4 Sd12e 6-1 Ms32e 5-2 Ms17e 4-3 Ms12w 2-5 Onosho Onomatsu 1996/07/04 (1) 2013.01 Ms16 Sd55e 6-1 Sd3w 4-3 Ms54w 5-2 Ms34e 4-3 Ms28e 5-2 Ms16e 5-2 Mitoyutaka Nishikido 1993/04/08 (20) 2009.03 Ms16 Ms34w 4-3 Ms28e 4-3 Ms21e 4-3 Ms16w 3-4 Ms23e 4-3 Ms17e 2-5 Horikiri Shikoroyama 1994/05/04 (11) 2013.05 Ms13 Jk19e 6-1 Jd33w 7-0 Y Sd34e 4-3 Sd23w 7-0 Y Ms13w 3-4 Ms18e 5-2 Daishoho Oitekaze 1994/08/28 (7) 2013.03 Ms31 Jd26e 7-0 Y Sd33w 2-5 Sd58e 6-1 Sd5e 5-2 Ms44w 5-2 Ms31w 4-3 Terutsuyoshi Isegahama 1995/01/17 (5) 2010.03 Ms11 Ms27w 3-4 Ms35w 5-2 Ms19e 5-2 Ms11e 2-5 Ms24e 3-4 Ms32e 5-2 Goshi Arashio 1993/10/05 (16) 2011.11 Ms7 Ms55e 7-0 Y Ms7e 2-5 Ms19w 2-5 Ms36w 3-4 Ms43w 4-3 Ms37e 4-3 Ohara Shikoroyama 1993/12/14 (14) 2009.03 Ms41 Sd8w 3-4 Sd21e 4-3 Sd9e 4-3 Ms59e 2-5 Sd21w 6-1 Ms41e 3-4 Hakuyozan Takadagawa 1995/04/13 (4) 2011.05 Ms43 Sd7e 3-4 Sd19e 5-2 Ms56e 4-3 Ms47e 3-4 Ms57e 5-2 Ms43e 4-3 Masunosho Chiganoura 1994/11/14 (6) 2010.03 Ms18 Ms23e 2-5 Ms40e 3-4 Ms46w 2-5 Sd1e 4-3 Ms53e 4-3 Ms46e 4-3 Shinohara Onomatsu 1993/08/21 (17) 2012.01 Ms41 Sd80w 6-1 Sd22w 4-3 Sd10e 4-3 Ms59w 5-2 Ms41e 3-4 Ms49e 3-4 Daichi Shikoroyama 1994/07/15 (8) 2010.03 Ms57 Sd48e 3-4 Sd67e 4-3 Sd48e 5-2 Sd22w 2-5 Sd44w 6-1 Ms57e 3-4 Kaito Asakayama 1996/06/19 (2) 2012.05 Ms59 Sd23w 1-6 Sd64e 6-1 Sd11e 2-5 Sd34e 4-3 Sd21e 5-2 Ms59e 6-1 Aonosho Dewanoumi 1993/06/03 (19) 2009.03 Ms38 Sd7w 2-5 Sd31w 5-2 Sd7e 4-3 Ms56w 5-2 Ms38e 2-5 Sd1e 2-5 Chiyokiryu Kokonoe 1993/12/27 (13) 2012.03 Ms50 Sd61w 4-3 Sd44e 5-2 Sd16e 3-4 Sd30w 6-1 Ms50w 3-4 Sd4e 1-6 Meisei Tatsunami 1995/07/24 (3) 2011.05 Ms51 Ms59w 3-4 Sd11w 4-3 Ms60w 3-4 Sd8e 4-3 Ms58w 3-4 Sd14e 6-1 Haguroho Tatsunami 1993/07/08 (18) 2009.03 Ms20 Ms20e 3-4 Ms27w 3-4 Ms34e 0-7 Sd9w 2-5 Sd31w 4-3 Sd17w 5-2 Baraki Shikihide 1994/05/10 (10) 2013.01 Ms58 Sd89w 3-4 Jd10e 4-3 Sd90w 7-0 D Ms58e 0-7 Sd34e 3-4 Sd51w 1-6 5 prospects will be sent down to Tier 2 by Daieisho's yardstick reset, namely Mitoyutaka, Goshi, Shinohara, Aonosho and Haguroho. Meanwhile, two others have achieved their qualification: Rikishi Heya DOB Debut HiRk 2013.07 2013.09 2013.11 2014.01 2014.03 2014.05 Nishiyama Onoe 1994/04/27 2010.03 Sd10 Sd27w 4-3 Sd16w 3-4 Sd31e 4-3 Sd21w 3-3-1 Sd35e 5-2 Sd10e 4-3 Rikishin Tatsunami 1995/10/07 2011.05 Sd8 Sd63w 6-1 Sd8e 0-0-7 Sd68w 4-3 Sd52e 3-4 Sd65w 6-1 Sd11e 5-2 Onoe-beya looked a bit moribund for a while, but they do have a trio of interesting youngsters who will probably play a mid-level prospect role in the near future; with Nishiyama the first one of them has now reached the makushita division. (The others are Fukamiyama and Miyauchi.) Nishiyama is a fairly average-sized yotsu-based rikishi, although looking at his last couple of basho his positioning seems quite suspect to me, with even several of his wins looking rather awkward, let alone his losses. That tendency may also be the reason for his odd kimarite profile - without looking particularly proficient in the technique department he has already amassed two utchari, an ashitori, a kakenage, a kawazugake and a kubihineri among his 90 wins. All in all, I suspect that low makushita will prove quite a challenge for the 20-year-old for now, but he's probably good enough to establish himself before too long. I do doubt his viability as a true future sekitori contender, however. The other debuting prospect, Tatsunami-beya's Rikishin, is at least a cut above. He's been on my personal watchlist ever since he debuted in the infamous "I Can't Believe It's Not A Honbasho" (Natsu 2011), and while he didn't quite match the fast rise of stablemate Meisei (who's three months older and debuted in the same tournament), he did move up steadily over the last three years, a very respectable pace towards makushita for a middle school grad. Fairly tall but not very large yet, he'd probably qualify as an "all-rounder" in Randomitsuki's old nomenclature; his kimarite stats are pretty close to the overall Ozumo averages in the yori, oshi, nage and pulling categories, although he does seem to favour pushing techniques somewhat. I suspect he's still very much an unfinished product and figuring out a winning style will be his major task (besides putting on more weight) for the next few years. Still, there's something to be said for being raw but already good enough to reach makushita at just 18 years of age. He'll be the third-youngest makushita rikishi after top talents Onosho and Kaito, but I don't expect him to have the same immediate success in the third division. Write-ups of the other three sections will be coming over the next few days.

Let's all hope Shibatayama's new juryo debutant has better fortune than the previous one.

Not an article as such, but Musashikuni and Musashimaru interviewed by the BBC: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-27588064

This may be because he's from Endo's heya, all eyes on Endo. He fell back to sandanme in late 2012 after some success, and was then struggling in lower makushita, but started to improve just around the time Endo joined sumo (maybe energized by Endo's success?), taking the sandanme yusho in Endo's second tournament and climbing steadily since. Funny you should mention the university guys, b/c his wikipedia article in Japanese says he is the first non-univeristy graduate to make juryo from Oitekaze since it's inception. That's something considering it was founded back in 1998. It is a rather educated heya, with it's share of college (Nihon university) graduates.

Sometimes a separate thread is made for pictures after the banzuke itself is released, because they can cover various sekitori promotions and stories etc. But there's no need for that just for the Juryo promotions, so they're absolutely fine here. :-) A few more:

The sansho selection committee meets in the press room at 1pm on the final day of each basho. The committee consists of members of the press club, the directors of the shimpan group and a representative of the Tamari-kai (or the equivalent group at the non-Tokyo basho). There can be no more than 30 people, but I get the impression that the press men rotate amongst themselves as it's usually around 20. This basho there were exactly 20, requiring a majority of 11 votes for a sansho to be awarded. Results: Shukun-sho: Goeido, 20 votes, conditional on winning his final bout. Awarded. Kanto-sho: Ikioi, 20 votes, unconditional. Awarded. Kanto-sho: Sadanoumi, 19 votes, conditional on winning his final bout. Awarded. Gino-sho: Homasho, 8 votes, conditional on winning his final bout (vs. Aminishiki). Not awarded. Gino-sho: Aminishiki, 4 votes, unconditional. Not awarded. I understand that Isegahama-oyakata opted to remain impartial (Aminishiki is in Isegahama-beya) and did not participate in the discussion or votes for the Gino-sho nominees. Shimpan directors Asahiyama, Izutsu and Isegahama during the meeting. A vote is taken. And the results sheet with the three selected recipients.

Kensho total this basho: 1165, most ever at a Natsu basho, 2007 had 1109. Sponichi has 103 for Kakuryu other kensho winners Homasho 20 Yoshikaze 18 Chiyotairyu 13 Shohozan 12 Ikioi 12 Takekaze 10 Toyonoshima 9 Aoiyama 8 Takarafuji 5 Kitataiki 4 Tokitenku 4 Tamawashi 3 Tochinowaka 3 Gagamaru 3 Kyokutenho 2 Kaisei 2 Takayasu 2 Terunofuji 2 Toyohibiki 2 Jokoryu 2 Kyokushuho 2 Arawashi 2 Sadanoumi 2 Tokoshoryu 1 Masunoyama 1 Sokokurai 1 None: Myogiryu (8 wins)!, Okinoumi (6), Chiyomaru (5),Takanoiwa (3)