Raishu

Oh, I am not saying they should have done that. I just mentioned it as a potential option. The way it was handled back then looks fine to me. Let's stretch it a bit further: They didn't bother to put the name on Kaio six years ago, why should they do it now? As you rightfully said, it is just a signboard and aside from Kaisho, no other rikishi has a connection to the old stable. Also, in regards to prestige, we are not talking about a name like Dewanoumi, Kasugano, Isegahama, Takasago or Nishonoseki. I am pretty sure they wouldn't want any of these to vanish from the heya map.

Never say never, but I would be surprised if that is going to happen. I vaguely remember reports/posts/rumors around the time of Kaio's retirement, that he and his shisho couldn't immediately agree on how they would handle the ozeki's future as oyakata. Apparently, Kaio wanted to branch out ASAP and the old Tomozuna (Kaiki) saw him as his successor. Kaiki eventually gave him permission, but Kaio stayed in Tomozuna beya as an affiliated oyakata for 18 months instead of the mandatory minimum 12.* Plus, they already had the opportunity to revive/preserve Tomozuna in 2017 by simply merging it into Asakayama stable + renaming the heya. Instead, Kaiki gave the stable to a former Oshima beya rikishi (Kyokutenho). I interpret these events that Kaio always wanted to build up "his own name" and doesn't want to fly under the Tomozuna banner. * Don't nail me on this, my memory might have failed here and I have mixed it up with something else.

Can't be determined at all. Tokushoryu voiced his wish to become Oyakata. He will probably hang on as long as he has to, until a kabu becomes available. Might be after the basho, might be in two years. With that dire kabu situation at the moment, I assume the latter (but hope for the former).

I mean it's totally plausible. With kabu being sparse, Ishiura might be the temporary place older until a more decorated Miyagino rikishi picks up the Magaki name and he will eventually leave for Tottori Johuku. And now he has an income to support his family (opposed to being a lower ranked rikishi on the banzuke).

Has there ever been an official statement that this is/was the plan? I seriously can't remember. But what I can remember is that one or two SF members speculated about him succeeding his father and this thought has been absorbed and reproduced several times here on the forum.

Aside from having ex-Hishofuji playing the role of Shizuuchi, could it be that they had some other former rikishi as extras? I am pretty sure I have spotted ex-Masutoo at least twice during the tournament scenes (either sitting at ringside or in the corridor) and ex-Kaonishiki as one of the guests at the heya danpatsuhiki. Maybe my eyes tricked me ... who knows. Neither was I impressed nor disappointed by the series. In case they plan to follow up with a season 2, I will probably watch it.

Fair enough, maybe "recruited" is the wrong term here, more like "convinced by". Also I edited my post, because I forgot to put the "beya" behind Nakamura. What I meant is, that if ex-Yoshikaze eventually succeeds to found his own Nakamura-beya (Geez, the name really makes it hard here), would Nakamura (the rikishi) follow him, since both share the same alma mater. Yoshikaze brought a good amount of rikishi to Nishonoseki when Oguruma beya dissolved and I expect them all to follow him, when and if he opens his own stable.

So we can assume he was personally recruited by ex-Kisenosato (not by former Nittaidai graduate Yoshikaze) and would stay at Nishonoseki in case Nakamura-beya was to be established eventually?

By numbers yes, but the NSK has reduced the spots for sewanin the recent years and wakaimonogashira posts are all taken at the moment. I'd also say the have plenty of other homegrown options in the lower ranks to cover these jobs.

Me neither. But as I understand it, foreign rikishi are on an (entertainment?)-visa as long as they are registered with the NSK. A hasty retirement means he has to switch to a different visa (if that's possible) or leave the country. Further, I am not aware whether he still is heavily injured, but he has access to medical care as long as he is "active". Gagamaru also needed several months to sort out his future and dropped in the rankings before finally calling it quits. I don't see anything unusual in Kagamio's case. And if he has Japanese citizenship now, he can move on... whatever his plans are.

That was my first thought too.

Well, that's the point here. Asanoyama was in a disadvantageous position after the tachiai, while Daishoho was able to get a double grip right away. You can see Asa grabbing Daishoho's sagari with his left hand and only had a firm grip with his right. When he tried to get his left in, Daishoho moved forward and the ex-Ozeki couldn't turn things around anymore. Classic bout of "lost it at the tachiai" - which can also happen to an ex-Ozeki in Juryo.

When I saw his first 4 bouts I had the gut feeling that this might be his last tournament on the dohyo. As others have mentioned already, big start and rather mediocre injury plugged sekitori career. Due to the current kabu draught, he will probably be one of quite a few eligible Kise beya veterans that have to leave the NSK sooner or later. Tokushinho preceded Jokoryu. Akiseyama as a mostly Juryo veteran is very likely not in line for a share and Hidenoumi more or less belongs in the same category. At least Tokushoryu with a yusho and over 60 sekitori basho under his belt should have a decent chance IMO.

Son of Asahiyama Oyakata.

Just on a quick side note: On my sheets, I have Takarafuji linked with the Kiriyama stock - currently used by Asahisho on loan. The share itself has had its links with the old and new Isegahama stable, so I would assume that Takarafuji's future can be divided from the current Ajigawa/Isegahma situation.