Asashosakari

There's only one pitiful Asashosakari. Accept no substitutes.

Is something missing here in the English version? ("between yaku-rikishi"?)

+ Daishoho + Tomokaze 8 Ichinojo - Chiyonoumi - Maikeru - Sadanoumi + Wakatakakage - Irodori - Takanoiwa + Toyonoshima TB 9

Fantasy Sumo (play): As mentioned in the Aki basho summary, the scores were low enough to warrant a +1 scoring adjustment, but large parts of the banzuke proved unworkable that way, so the straight scores ended up getting used. That meant more than twice as many MK as KK records, but in the parts of the banzuke that matter (i.e. upper makushita and above), things worked out relatively well - at least as well as can be expected when almost everybody scores between 6 and 9 wins and there are lots of collisions of players going for the same new ranks. To compensate for their low number, KK records were treated quite generously, not only in relation to makekoshi but also relative to each other. Especially the 9-6 players may be somewhat higher than you would expect to see them under normal circumstances. The kadoban carousel completed one full rotation, with Chisaiyama and Pandaazuma hopping off with minimum 8-7 scores, and Hironoyama taking a seat with his 7-8 record. These ozeki are newly joined by Bill who has amassed an adjusted number of 31 wins across his latest three active tournaments, including jun-yusho in July, which is quite rare in FS to say the least, and was judged as worthy of promotion even though that run started from all the way down at M9. Well done! Bill was also the only one of the 8 S/K players on the Aki banzuke to finish kachikoshi, so a new set of sekiwake had to be found from among the maegashira lot. In the absence of better candidates, this meant huge promotions for the Aki basho joint yusho winners Jejima and Norizo, moving up from M5 and M8. The komusubi ranks are taken by a pair of 7-8 sekiwake alongside the next-best two maegashira, meaning that the sanyaku has shrunk from 11 to 10 slots. Chisaiyama (O1w 8-7) O1 Pandaazuma (O2e 8-7) Hironoyama (O1e 7-8) O2 Bill (S3w 9-6) Jejima (M5e 11-4 Y) S Norizo (M8w 11-4 Y) Chocshoporyu (S1e 7-8) K1 Taka (S1w 7-8) Toratorii (M4w 9-6) K2 Ganzohnesushi (M1w 8-7) Hironoumi (M2e 8-7) M1 Danishido (M2w 8-7) Metzinowaka (Ke 7-8) M2 Asashosakari (S2e 6-9) Gibuten (S2w 6-9) M3 Ruziklao (S3e 6-9) Konosato (M1e 7-8) M4 Anjoboshi (M11e 9-6) Amafan (M3e 6-9) M5 Natsuki (M5w kosho) Holleshoryu (M3w 6-9) M6 Gonzaburow (Kw 4-11) Flohru (M12w 8-7) M7 Choshu-yuki (M13e 8-7) Frinkanohana (M13w 8-7) M8 MussenoYama (M6e 6-9) Kitakachiyama (M4e 5-10) M9 Kotomikey (M6w 6-9) chishafuwaku (M9e 7-8) M10 Akezuma (M7e 6-9) Seki Haruaki (M15e 8-7) M11 Kurofuji (J2e 9-6) Tochinofuji (J2w 9-6) M12 Andoreasu (M8e 6-9) Ketsukai (M9w 6-9) M13 Achiyama (M7w 5-10) Tenshinhan (M12e 7-8) M14 Susanoo (M10e 6-9) Kaiomitsuki (M10w 6-9) M15 Feginowaka (M11w 6-9) Ryukyuyama (M14e 7-8) M16 Mariohana (J3e 8-7) Kaiowaka (M14w 7-8) J1 Dingoyama (J8e 9-6) kishikaisei (J6e 8-7) J2 ScreechingOwl (M15w 6-9) Chankoyama (J1w 6-9) J3 Kuroimori (M16e 5-10) Iron Chef Kanoya (J4e 7-8) J4 21grams (J4w kosho) canapayama (J10e 8-7) J5 Saruyama (J1e 5-10) KikoCookiee (J5w 7-8) J6 Mmikasazuma (J3w 6-9) Alishimaru (Ms1e 9-6) J7 Kotononami (J5e 6-9) Sebunshu (J13e 8-7) J8 nageru (J8w kosho) Mike (J7e 6-9) J9 Washi (J7w 6-9) Yamashiro (Ms5e 9-6) J10 Yeznik (Ms1w 8-7) Motohageouryu (J10w 7-8) J11 Gaijingai (J6w 5-10) Sushiyama (J11e 7-8) J12 wuli (J11w 7-8) Reijinguoshan (J9w 6-9) J13 Tsuchinoninjin (Ms7e 9-6) Fujisan (Ms3w 8-7) J14 Motörfuji (J9e 5-10) Peraz (J14e 7-8) Ms1 Andonishiki (J12e 6-9) Midoriyama (Ms9w 9-6) Ms2 Unkonoyama (J13w 6-9) Saryn (Ms2w kosho) Ms3 Sherlockiama (Ms3e kosho) Haidouzo (Ms10w 9-6) Ms4 Bayasaa (Ms4e kosho) sagi (Ms13e 9-6) Ms5 Ichigohime (J14w 5-10) Gurowake (Ms10e 8-7) Ms6 SuperSteveZeki (Ms14w 9-6) Always Exciting Ura (Ms6w kosho) Ms7 Senkoho (Ms5w 7-8) Super Duper Sumo (Ms12e 8-7) Ms8 Yamamiaomiao (Ms16w 9-6) Thoralee (Ms4w 6-9) Ms9 Terarno (Ms2e 5-10) Carlos (Ms8w kosho) Ms10 FarewellMoose (Ms13w 8-7) Roundeye (Ms8e 7-8) Ms11 Geishazakura (Ms6e 6-9) Megaturonu (Ms20e 9-6) Ms12 tatsukai (J12w 0-0-15) Jro59 (Ms17e 8-7) Ms13 Arawaka (Ms22w 9-6) Rasuto (Ms18w 8-7) Ms14 Osanshuo (Ms27w 9-6) Mogurayama (Ms28e 9-6) Ms15 Fujiwara Hatsuharu (Ms15w 7-8) Alt (Ms16e kosho) Ms16 TruF. (Ms24w 8-7) Kotoedo (Ms25e 8-7) Ms17 Shatsume (Ms17w 7-8) Furanohana (Ms11e 5-10) Ms18 Wamahada (Ms11w 5-10) SumOweN (Ms19e 7-8) Ms19 hunter beagle (Ms14e 5-10) Princess (Ms18e 6-9) Ms20 Joshzeki (Ms22e 7-8) Ama no Shiri (Ms21e kosho) Ms21 Hararudo (Sd6w 9-6) Sashogatake (Ms23w 7-8) Ms22 senban-kou (Ms21w 6-9) Suwihuto (Ms23e kosho) Ms23 Ves-Hana (Ms25w 7-8) Takanosushi (Ms7w 0-0-15*) Ms24 Seisset (Sd5w 8-7) shimodahito (Ms19w 4-11) Ms25 Shokikogi (Ms9e 0-0-15) Utsukushi (Ms30w 7-8) Ms26 Chanko (Ms27e 6-9) hisanohama (Ms24e 5-10) Ms27 Uiriamu (Ms28w 6-9) Gansekiiwa (Ms29w 6-9) Ms28 Haruto (Sd3w 7-8) Sutārokku (Ms29e kosho) Ms29 SumoSon (Ms30e 6-9) Bimyou (Ms26w 5-10) Ms30 Kung Fu Pandas 2 (Ms12w 0-0-15) Rick (Sd1e 6-9) Sd1 SakuraSumo (Sd5e 7-8) Januck (Sd2e 6-9) Sd2 Takanorappa (Ms15e 0-0-15) Brian DC (Sd15w 8-7) Sd3 Innyuendo (Sd1w 5-10) Harukoksan (Sd6e 6-9) Sd4 Tsunohashi (Sd3e 5-10) Valley Wind (Ms26e 3-12) Sd5 Fightin Flamingos (Sd7w 6-9) wolfgangho (Sd19e 8-7) Sd6 Athenayama (Sd12e 7-8) Okami Shu-moto (Sd8w 6-9) Sd7 Hermanosato (Ms20w 0-0-15) War Rhino (Sd8e kosho) Sd8 frank-san (Sd13w 7-8) Ishigawa (Sd10e 6-9) Sd9 mamasan (Sd7e 5-10) Kyoju (Sd4e 4-11) Sd10 Asa (Sd10w kosho) Hirokeshi (Sd36e 10-5) Sd11 Komusubi maru (Sd11w kosho) Gotshuyama (Sd30e 9-6) Sd12 Deku (Sd24e 8-7) ChefZuki (Sd13e kosho) Sd13 Robiyama (Sd9e 5-10) erieri (Sd14e kosho) Sd14 keiko (Sd14w kosho) #freeosunaarashi (Sd18w 7-8) Sd15 DarkKnight24 (Sd35e 9-6) Lisiecky (Sd22e 7-8) Sd16 Commander Fabulous (Sd16w kosho) Diego2757 (Sd30w 8-7) Sd17 Sumo101 (Sd19w 6-9) Disnelle (Sd20e 6-9) Sd18 Suntory Time (Sd24w 7-8) Sumotion Wink (Sd18e 5-10) Sd19 Kiyomi (Sd15e 4-11) Monkey (Sd12w 3-12) Sd20 IsThisReallyASport (Sd2w 0-0-15) Rikishi Argy (Sd21e kosho) Sd21 Adoki (Sd21w kosho) Kobashi (New 9-6) Sd22 nomadwolf (Sd4w 0-0-15*) Thurstonogushi (Sd23e kosho) Sd23 TripleAAA (Sd27w 6-9) Fat Man (Sd25w 5-10) Sd24 Gray Haired Man (Sd28e 5-10) Konjonashi (Sd25e kosho) Sd25 Ivan (Sd29e 5-10) Jorach (Sd9w 0-0-15) Sd26 Drogon (Sd11e 0-0-15) Rocket Man (New 7-8) Sd27 Bouncer (New 7-8) Dhalsim (New 7-8) Sd28 Gyozayama (Sd16e 0-0-15*) Niitakayama (Sd17e 0-0-15*) Sd29 Antoryu (Sd17w 0-0-15*) OneMan Wolfpack (New 6-9) Sd30 Hayanami (New 6-9) Dairou (New 6-9) Sd31 Tenjin (New 6-9) Small Frye (New 6-9) Sd32 Terremoto (Sd20w 0-0-15) Sumoloko (Sd38w 4-11) Sd33 Itchy Knee (Sd22w 0-0-15) Ooatama (New 5-10) Sd34 Gaijinkusai (Sd34w kosho) Bakanonou (New 5-10) Sd35 Strudel (Sd27e 0-0-15) Genjitsushin (New 4-11) Sd36 chiqokadze (New 4-11) mezurashi_tori_ (Sd29w 0-0-15) Sd37 taste my torsk (Sd33w 0-0-15) Dosukoi (Sd34e 0-0-15) Sd38 Toyota Teriyaki (Sd36w 0-0-15) fulli (Sd41e 0-0-15) Sd39 Taiho san (Sd42e 0-0-15) Goku (Sd42w 0-0-15) Sd40 -

Seki-Oracle (play): The Aki yusho in Oracle went ozeki Choshu-yuki's way, for the following recent set of records: 2018.01 O1e 15-0 Y 2018.03 O1e 11-4 2018.05 O1e 8-7 2018.07 Oe 12-3 J 2018.09 Oe 15-0 Y You can probably guess what's coming. While jun-yusho + yusho ordinarily might not be quite enough for the big white rope, the presence of another strong yusho result so recently managed to push her case across the line, so here's to another yokozuna promotion - congratulations, Choshu-yuki! The incumbent yokozuna duo produced decent performances as well, with Pandaazuma picking up the overall 5th-best result and a converted 11-4 record, while Norizo went 9-6. Not so decent was the score turned in by ozeki ScreechingOwl, who finished dead-last by a mile in the joi-jin bracket, and the typically unforgiving standard up there meant a converted disaster record of 1-14. Even worse, the kadoban tag was already dangling from his virtual mawashi after a 7-8 in Nagoya, so this has meant a trip down to sekiwake on the new rankings. This has created an interesting mess now, as we've lost our only two ozeki at the same time, leaving the rank temporarily deserted. I've gone back through the banzuke records from my own time at the Oracle helm (since 2006...yikes, this long?), and we've never dropped below two ozeki in all these years, not even down to one, despite fairly frequent turnover both with promotions to yokozuna and demotions to sekiwake. Well, let's hope we get some ozeki reinforcements soon, of course potentially starting right with ScreechingOwl's 10-5 repromotion opportunity. He's joined at sekiwake by the sole holdover (three others went MK in Aki), that being Gurowake - he has had three pretty good records in a row with 9-6, 11-4, and 9-6, but the sum total of that was not yet anywhere near the ozeki promotion standard. Andoreasu is a sekiwake as well, and he's made a much better case with back-to-back jun-yusho results (converted to 12-3 and 14-1), unfortunately ranked only M4 and komusubi for them. 10-5 would obviously secure his promotion here; it remains to be seen if a 9-6 might. Despite the drop to only 3 Y/O players, the usual sanyaku size of 10 spots wasn't possible to hold without disadvantaging some deserving player, so the titled ranks have been expanded to 11 positions for the first time since Nagoya 2015. (We've gone low to 9 spots on occasion since then, most recently in Nagoya 2017.) No less than 5 komusubi grace the new banzuke, including Kitakachiyama and co-yusho runner-up Chishafuwaku who posted excellent Aki results from the maegashira bracket. Overall the results disparity was even larger than is usual in Oracle, with the maegashira KK/MK line 2 wins below the joi's, and the juryo/makushita line almost 4 (!) wins below the maegashira's. Pandaazuma (Yw 11-4) Y1 Norizo (Ye 9-6) Choshu-yuki (Oe 15-0 Y) Y2 - - O - Andoreasu (Ke 14-1) S1 Gurowake (S1w 9-6) - S2 ScreechingOwl (Ow 1-14) Tenshinhan (Kw 8-7) K1 DeRosa (M2w 10-5) Andrasoyamawaka2 (M1w 9-6) K2 Kitakachiyama (M6e 12-3) chishafuwaku (M8w 13-2) K3 - Asashosakari (S2e 7-8) M1 Mariohana (S2w 7-8) Konosato (M3e 8-7) M2 Taka (M2e kosho) Frinkanohana (M1e 7-8) M3 Ganzohnesushi (S1e 5-10) Sakura (M8e 10-5) M4 Tsuchinoninjin (M6w 9-6) Senkoho (M3w kosho) M5 Profomisakari (M10w 10-5) Bill (M7e 8-7) M6 Mmikasazuma (M4e 5-10) Sebunshu (M4w 5-10) M7 Jejima (M5e 5-10) Gansekiiwa (M5w 5-10) M8 Hironoumi (M13e 9-6) Flohru (M11w 8-7) M9 Torafujii (M14w 9-6) Kurofuji (M12w 8-7) M10 Kishikaisei (J1e 14-1) Haidouzo (M9w 7-8) M11 Hakase (M10e 7-8) Akezuma (M9e 6-9) M12 Unkonoyama (M7w 5-10) Pitinosato (J1w 12-3) M13 Ayagawa (J3e 11-4) Gaijingai (J4w 11-4) M14 Wamahada (J3w 10-5) Kaiowaka (M15e 7-8) M15 Kaiomitsuki (M15w 7-8) Suwihuto (M13w 6-9) M16 - Susanoo (M16e 7-8) J1 Anjoboshi (J4e 9-6) Andonishiki (M11e 4-11) J2 GONZABUROW (J5e 9-6) Metzinowaka (M16w 5-10) J3 Saruyama (J2w 7-8) Nantonoyama (M14e 3-12) J4 Fujisan (J7w 8-7) Athenayama (J8e 8-7) J5 Kobashi (J10w 9-6) Ruziklao (J5w 7-8) J6 Holleshoryu (J6e 7-8) Kuroimori (J2e 5-10) J7 Kotononami (M12e 0-0-15) Seki Haruaki (J9e 7-8) J8 Takanorappa (J6w 5-10) Terarno (J8w 5-10) J9 Kyoju (J11e 5-10) RPedro44 (NR 5-10) J10 Kasamatsuri (J9w 4-11) Rufakiyama (J10e 0-0-15) J11 -

Seki-Quadrumvirate (play): After a couple of tournaments with unusually strong scoring we found ourselves in more familiar territory again for Aki basho, with a winning rate of only 43.5%. It was also Quad's turn to produce rather skewed results. Often there isn't much of a difference between the scores high and low on the banzuke, thanks to Quad's famously fickle luck, but this time the joi players down to M3 clocked in an impressive 50.6% (7.6 wins equivalent), while the rest of the maegashira only scored at a 43.1% clip (6.5 wins), and the juryo players even found themselves down at just 38.9% (5.8 wins). Needless to say, that made any sort of global scoring adjustment impossible, even though 43.5% is almost a full win short of average. A trio of Japanese players ran away in the Quad hoshitori in September, with DeRosa taking a super-narrow 11-4 tie-breaker victory over Norizo and Susanoo. The yusho winner was the lowest-ranked among the three and has "only" moved up to komusubi, the two runners-up both find themselves at sekiwake for Kyushu. They're joined there by Pandaazuma and Chishafuwaku who had strong results while komusubi-ranked. Zero sekiwake holdovers, however, as the incumbent trio all went makekoshi in Aki basho. Often-kadoban ozeki ScreechingOwl was on tsunatori for a change following his 12-3 same-score runner-up performance in July, but for November it's kadoban time again after a 7-8 Aki record. As usual he's not in immediate demotion danger, of course, as we're needing the equivalent of 3 MK to drop here in Quad. Choshu-yuki takes over the Ozeki East spot for the first time in her fourth appearance at the rank, but the 8-7 result that did it wasn't that much to write home about either. All in all, the sanyaku ranks saw a reduction from 11 to 10 spots. The aforementioned skewed scores meant that the bottom dropped out of the banzuke as early as M7, so 7-8 records were treated somewhat favourably (though not as a full kachikoshi) from that point onward. Choshu-yuki (Ow 8-7) O ScreechingOwl (Oe 7-8) Norizo (K3w 11-4 D) S1 Pandaazuma (K3e 10-5) chishafuwaku (K1w 9-6) S2 Susanoo (M2w 11-4 D) Konosato (K2w 8-7) K1 DeRosa (M7e 11-4 Y) Haidouzo (M1e 8-7) K2 Kaiowaka (M1w 8-7) Kitakachiyama (S1e 6-9) M1 Sebunshu (S2e 6-9) Ganzohnesushi (M3e 8-7) M2 Metzinowaka (K1e 6-9) Flohru (K2e 6-9) M3 Kishikaisei (M8e 9-6) Gurowake (M2e 7-8) M4 Andoreasu (S1w 4-11) Gaijingai (M4e 7-7-1) M5 Achiyama (M5e 7-6-2) Andonishiki (M3w 6-9) M6 Jejima (M6w 7-7-1) Terarno (M5w 6-9) M7 Taka (M6e 6-9) GONZABUROW (M9w 7-8) M8 Bill (M4w 5-10) Chankoyama (M7w 6-9) M9 Reijnguoshan (M16e 8-7) Fujisan (M11w 7-8) M10 Ruziklao (M12e 7-8) Chocshoporyu (M9e 6-9) M11 Tsuchinoninjin (J5w 10-5) Asashosakari (M10e 6-9) M12 Profomisakari (M8w 5-10) Kyodaitimu (M13e kosho) M13 Gibuten (M14e 7-8) Gernobono (M10w 5-10) M14 Kuroimori (M11e 5-10) Mariohana (M15e kosho) M15 Jakusotsu (M13w 6-9) Senkoho (M12w 5-8-2) M16 Kyoju (J8e 9-6) Fujiyama (J5e 8-6-1) J1 Andrasoyamawaka2 (J6e 8-7) Kotononami (J2e kosho) J2 Gansekiiwa (J2w 7-8) Kaiomitsuki (J1e 6-9) J3 Frinkanohana (M14w 4-11) Kasamatsuri (M15w 4-11) J4 Anjoboshi (J8w 7-6-2) Takanorappa (J9e 7-8) J5 Hironoumi (J3e 5-10) Tenshinhan (J6w 6-9) J6 Konizan (J1w 3-9-3) Sakura (J7e kosho) J7 Athenayama (J13w 7-8) Unkonoyama (J7w 5-10) J8 Rowitoro (J10e 6-8-1) Tainosen (J4e 3-12) J9 Nantonoyama (J3w 2-13) Mmikasazuma (J10w 5-9-1) J10 Getayukata (J4w 2-8-5) kamogawa (J9w 4-9-2) J11 Hakase (J14e 6-9) Saruyama (J14w 6-5-4) J12 Kobashi (J12w 5-10) Holleshoryu (J11w 4-10-1) J13 wolfgangho (J12e 4-10-1) suwihuto (J11e 2-12-1) J14 aderechelseamaru (NR 1-1-13) Neko (J13e 0-0-15) Ms1 -

Seki-Toto (play): Nagoya basho had featured a whopping six-way leaders' tie at 11-4, all of them by joi players, and as part of summarizing that I wrote this two months ago: Well, talk about fulfilling the expectations. Susanoo proceeded to win the Aki yusho with the sole 13-2 record of the basho, enough to make up for the less than impressive nature of that 11-win tie, so these back-to-back top scores have triggered the obvious outcome: Congrats to Toto's second ever yokozuna! The promotion caps off a 9-basho stint as ozeki, although Susanoo had previously been ozeki as well between Haru 2009 and Natsu 2013 already. Ozeki Pandaazuma for his part now has a four-basho record of 12-3 D, 9-6, 11-4 D, 11-4 (fifth place), with the latest score unfortunately not enough to push his own tsuna run across the line, but it's good enough to extend into another opportunity this month. Yusho, please! Fellow ozeki ScreechingOwl posted an acceptable 9-6 line, while yokozuna Norizo had an uncharacteristically mediocre basho at 8-7, only clinching the kachikoshi on senshuraku. We're not done with high-ranker news, however, as there has also been this fine extended run of performances: 2017.09 M4e 10-5 2017.11 K1e 11-4 2018.01 S2w 9-6 2018.03 S1w 10-5 2018.05 S1e 10-5 2018.07 S1w 10-5 2018.09 S1e 12-3 J It's not quite the 33-win target, but with that much consistency plus the 12-win highlight it was now an easy decision to promote Flohru to ozeki. Congrats, again! It'll be his second time as ozeki in Toto, following a mere 2-basho run back in 2011. Here's hoping for a more extended presence at the second-highest rank this time around. Asashosakari was also up for promotion following back-to-back runner-up scores in Natsu and Nagoya, but fell short of the 10-5 target by one win. Things were over early at 4-6, sadly, with a late winning streak at least salvaging a 9-6 record. A strong Kyushu result may yet complete this ozeki run, but 10 wins won't be doing it this time. The strongest contender, however, is Ganzohnesushi after back-to-back 11-4's; the first one of them was for the yusho in Nagoya. All in all, there wasn't as much scoring disparity between the joi, the maegashira and the rest of the field as there usually is in Toto, so this banzuke was possible to create without any particular issues. Aki runners-up Gurowake and Andrasoyamawaka earned promotion to sanyaku, while Gernobono missed out on a slot with his 9 wins at M2w, but we've seen much worse here in the bad luck department in the past. Norizo (Ye 8-7) Y Susanoo (O1w 13-2 Y) Pandaazuma (O1e 11-4) O1 ScreechingOwl (O2w 9-6) Flohru (S1e 12-3) O2 - Ganzohnesushi (S2w 11-4) S1 Andonishiki (S1w 9-6) Asashosakari (S2e 9-6) S2 DeRosa (K1e 9-6) Gurowake (M3e 12-3) K1 Andrasoyamawaka (M4w 12-3) - K2 Konosato (M1w 10-5) Gernobono (M2w 9-6) M1 Tainosen (M7w 10-5) Ahokaina (M5w 9-6) M2 Kitakachiyama (S3e 6-9) Kuroimori (M5e 8-7) M3 Toonoryu (K1w 6-9) Andoreasu (K2w 6-9) M4 Sebunshu (M12e 11-4) Fujisan (M6w 8-7) M5 Taka (M1e 6-8-1) Umigame (M10e 9-6) M6 Jakusotsu (M4e 7-8) Chankoyama (M10w 9-6) M7 Kaiomitsuki (M3w 6-9) Kaiowaka (M6e 7-8) M8 Chisaiyama (M2e 5-10) Damimonay (M13w 9-5-1) M9 Fukurou (M11w 8-7) Kotononami (M9e kosho) M10 Metzinowaka (M8w 7-8) Achiyama (J2e 10-4-1) M11 GONZABUROW (M9w 6-9) Unkonoyama (M8e 5-9-1) M12 Kintamayama (J6w 11-4) Choshu-yuki (J4w 10-5) M13 Tenshinhan (J5w 10-5) Hana-ichi (J2w 8-6-1) M14 Terarno (J3e 8-7) Bill (M11e 5-10) M15 Sakura (M15w kosho) Herritarooo (M7e 3-11-1) J1 Gawasukotto (M13e 5-10) Gansekiiwa (J8e 9-6) J2 Ketsukai (J8w 9-6) Gaijingai (M14w 5-10) J3 Profomisakari (M12w 4-11) Sherlockiama (M15e 5-6-4) J4 Hakajusakari (M14e 4-11) Kobashi (J10w 9-6) J5 Athenayama (J11w 9-6) Sutarokku (J9w 8-7) J6 Suwihuto (J3w 6-8-1) Mmikasazuma (J1w 5-9-1) J7 Haidouzo (J11e 8-7) Feginowaka (J12e 8-7) J8 Chishafuwaku (J14w 9-6) Mariohana (J9e kosho) J9 Onakaderu (J7e 6-9) Gaanaa (J1e 3-12) J10 Frinkanohana (J4e 4-11) Getayukata (J7w 5-9-1) J11 Tsuchinoninjin (Ms5w 9-6) Kishikaisei (Ms6e 9-6) J12 Dan Koloff (Ms3w 8-6-1) Benihana (J12w 7-7-1) J13 Anjoboshi (J13e 7-6-2) Sukubidubidu (J5e 3-11-1) J14 Rowitoro (J10e 5-9-1) Chijanofuji (J6e 3-11-1) Ms1 Tatsuomi (J13w 6-7-2) Kitsune (Ms1w 7-8) Ms2 Holleshoryu (J14e 6-8-1) Wolfgangho (Ms8e 8-5-2) Ms3 Takanorappa (Ms5e 7-7-1) Ulishimaru (Ms2e 5-10) Ms4 Kyoju (Ms4w 6-9) Iepii (Ms7e 7-7-1) Ms5 Nantonoyama (Ms2w 3-11-1) Konizan (Ms3e 3-9-3) Ms6 Jejima (Ms8w 5-9-1) Saruyama (Ms6w 4-7-4) Ms7 Takayumi (Ms9w 4-7-4) Effinojo (Ms1e 0-0-15) Ms8 Takashidodo (NR 4-4-7) Neko (Ms4e 0-0-15) Ms9 Kobemaru (Ms7w 0-0-15) Edwardoho (NR 0-2-13) Ms10 -

A contribution along the same line.

@wolfgangho And your tie-breaker selection?

Highlighted for those who might not be scrolling all the way down the opening post.

Sorry, a bit later than usual. Here's the LKS ballot for the final basho of 2018: 1. Daishoho 8 2. Tomokaze 8* 3. Ichinojo 7 [score?] 4. Chiyonoumi 7 5. Maikeru 6* 6. Sadanoumi 5 7. Wakatakakage 5 8. Irodori 5 9. Takanoiwa 4 10. Toyonoshima 4 TB: [pick?] (* marks rikishi with no makekoshi since debut) The scoring and thus your game assignment: For sanyaku: Please predict an exact record for each rikishi. The target record will be calculated after the deadline and will be chosen so that it bisects the predictions as evenly as possible. The predictions will then be converted into + and - votes as usual; one point for each correct prediction. For lower-ranked rikishi: Please predict for each rikishi if he will finish KK or MK; one point for each correct prediction. (For clarification: If you're expecting an outright makekoshi for one of the sanyaku high-rankers, just predict MK, exact records are only needed on the kachikoshi side of things.) First tie-breaker: From among those 10 guys up there and the further 11 rikishi (7 'veterans' and 4 newcomers/returnees) who are currently just shy of a 5-KK streak, please guess how many KK you expect in total. Your tie-breaker guess may be anything from 0 to 21. Only exactly correct guesses qualify at this tie-breaker stage. Note: Sanyaku count as correct for the tie-breaker if they achieve KK, they do not need to meet their target records. Next 9 tie-breakers if needed: Correctly predicted rikishi, one-by-one in ballot order, i.e. starting at Daishoho. Extra tie-breakers, should two or more players have entered identical ballots: Proximity of their tie-breaker guesses to the correct number, followed by proximity of their sanyaku rikishi guesses to the correct records (one-by-one in ballot order). Final tie-breaker: earliest entry. Note: Rikishi who show up on the before-shonichi kyujo list will be excluded from scoring (even if they end up joining the basho later), so it is not necessary to re-submit your entry if you picked such a rikishi as a KK; he will not count for points anyhow. You may, however, notify me if you'd like to reduce your tie-breaker guess by one point to compensate for the "missing" rikishi. Your position on the entry list (for final tie-breaker purposes) will be deemed unchanged in this special situation. Any other changes to a ballot will be considered a new entry, with correspondingly lower priority for the final tie-breaker. Deadline: Shonichi noon JST. ----- Simplified entry template: 1. Daishoho KKMK 2. Tomokaze KKMK 3. Ichinojo W-L 4. Chiyonoumi KKMK 5. Maikeru KKMK 6. Sadanoumi KKMK 7. Wakatakakage KKMK 8. Irodori KKMK 9. Takanoiwa KKMK 10. Toyonoshima KKMK TB xx

Futagoyama-oyakata revoked the "proper" shikona from him, stating that Raiga/Yabuoka didn't give enough effort to justify the 雅 kanji from his own former shikona. The Aki post-mortem tweet where he announced it:

52 points for me - anything scored between M3 and M11 is purely incidental, so I don't expect this total to be good for much in the standings.

The remainder: Makushita Sandanme Jonidan Jonokuchi (New shikona in red.)

Makushita-joi Gagamaru Ms1 Daiseido Toyohibiki Ms2 Irodori Tamaki Ms3 Sagatsukasa Shiba Ms4 Kagamio Sokokurai Ms5 Churanoumi Tomisakae Ms6 Tokushinho Wakamotoharu Ms7 Kotodaigo Akua Ms8 Seiro Kotokamatani Ms9 Satoyama Takayoshitoshi Ms10 Kizenryu Kotokuzan Ms11 Asakoki Akinohana Ms12 Kiribayama Homarefuji Ms13 Kaisho Ryuko Ms14 Higonojo Horyuyama Ms15 Kaito