Arashifuji

Giku's win was amazing! It made me shiver! The only time I shivered more was when I had my first date with a lady! The atmosphere couldn't be more electric! It will be mayhem in Japan in the next days! Even being a Harumafuji fan, I'll be rooting for Giku to keep getting that belly going tomorrow.

Lots of feel-good stories in this basho! Ama (my personal favorite) winning again. Hakuho showing some humanity (at least in the last days of the basho he wasn't the usual ruthless winning machine). The great sumo shown by Ikioi. The resurrection of Shohozan. Terunofuji showing strength even injured. Kotoshogiku also fighting well until kyujo. Goeido saving his tail again. Osunaarashi changing his way of doing sumo (and I hope this knee injury doesn't cripple him too much). Aminishiki making things interesting as always. A great variety of sumo styles in the top rankings (guisa like the speedy Yoshikaze and the powerful Tochinoshin). The new kids arriving at the top divisions... So many interesting stuff. A great year of sumo got a fitting end. I can't wait until January!

Ok, I'm new to this thing, but considering: 1. Hakuho's lack of training because of injury (oh my God! Terunofuji wasn't the only one banged up on that dohyo!) 2. That Hakuho must be really tired after 13 days of basho, and always fighting with a target on his forehead (because he is the über-dai-greatest-of-all-time-Yokozuna). 3. That Hakuho was obligated to show his greatness all over again after an injury (quite a rare situation in his career), to moot any kind of speculation like: "yeah, he is done, the king is dead". And there is nothing that makes people crazier than the fall of a giant. 4. Terunofuji's motivation to put any kadoban chances to rest. 5. The fact that Terunofuji is not the kind of fella that is simply blown away off the dohyo in his bouts. 6. that Terunofuji was leaning all over Hakuho for a couple of minutes with all his humongous body mass (that did not shrunk just because his knee is bad). 7. That Hakuho losing puts the cup in Ama's hands. The tournament math is not forgiving for any setups. Sorry if I look like a Hakuho fanboy here (I'm not, but it's hard not to admire the achievements he got, and his amazing consistency throughout all those years), but those circumstances above make any yaocho way too far from likely. In Brazil we have a saying that means like "I don't believe in witches, but sure they exist!". In this case, the witch is just too ugly to exist.

What a basho! Hakuho showing tricks and having fun out there. Ama back in the hunt after so long. Shohozan 2.0 V6 turbo. Ikioi really being "baby Hakuho". Terunofuji gallantly surviving. Kisenosato doing charity in the dohyo. Even Aminishiki channeled his inner Akebono and started blowing people away!

Totally agreed. Maybe with all those interesting prospects rising, guys like Terunofuji, Ichinojo, Endo, Osunaarashi, even Mitakeumi now, Kisenosato kind of fell out of the center of the spotlight. And it's a blessing for him. His mind is out of the state of confusion that blurred his tactical approach in pressure filled moments. I'm just loving this calm and collected brand of sumo he's employing. Controlled agression is a kind of art.If Goeido could get any far asas from the word "kadoban", he could also improve. But I guess there is not much room for it, brainwise or talentwise... Also loved Ama's handling of Yoshikaze. Yesterday, Yoshi just brought hell to Tochiozan. Ama forgot his bad record against Yoshikaze and showed superiority. Praying for Terunofuji to get his kachikoshi soon and get some rest for that knee. He outmuscled Osunaarashi, who seem to have his mumification process evolving. Love those ancient pharaonic traditions... And Kotoshogiku just smashed into the Great Wall of Mongolia. Ichinnorow's need to be upright allied to his remarkable leg stability made him work as a gigantic stonewall. And considering Giku's lack of familiarity with a concept generally known as "plan B", Ichinojo's victory got as predictable as it was surprising, considering both guys' records in this basho until now. And to close out, how not to laugh out loud when Henkaminishiki shows his evasive abilities?

Henkas would be the most boring thing in the world if it were not for the "despicable" character some give to it. It adds some "poetical beauty" in the choice of using it: paying the price of dishonor for an effortless and almost automatic win. Long live the henka buzz, it just gives flavor to things!!! About Hakuho's henka: it looked like sort of a "freudian slip". Maybe unintentional, but probably thought before the bout, considering Yoshikaze's newfound dangerousness... Something like: "not that I wanted to, but it came in just handy..."

Ikioi found his inner Roger Federer. Amazing display of swift footwork! Other fella that dances amazingly on the dohyo is Toyonoshima. Is he that does have some background in soccer? If he does, it explains a lot of his trickery. Also amazed by Kisenosato' s technique. The tachi-ai he withstood was massive. And, talking about technique, how about Osunaarashi? What a difference from the brawling sumo he was showing. The result didn't come against the great Hakuho, but the way he is fighting the yokozunae seem so polished. With his power, and this newfound classicness of style, he will become one of people's favorite rikishi. Kotoshogiku's tachi-ai are normally quite agressive. It seemed very obvious, at least to me, that he would go off blitzing against the dangerous Yoshikaze. I would expect some more avoidance from Yoshikaze, but he just stood there and was sent flying all the way to Hawai'i by Giku. Or maybe Giku's tachi-ai was just too good anyway.

I'm really new to this forum and to sumo in general. Have been watching since Harumafuji's promotion to yokozuna. So, please, have patience with any blunders from me About Ama and Osuna's bout: it was kind of unexpected, due to the styles of both rikishi, that it became a belt match so quickly. And, due to the egyptian's sheer strength, it became almost a mismatch. Even with Ama's ability, Osuna was able to take the offense and win. Sad to see Teru struggle with his knee. Hoping to see it properly healed. Too much potential to be lost in a busted knee. Yoshikaze is on fire! It will be fun to see how many times he can bulldoze the big dogs. The kid Mitakeumi is looking good, quite quick fella. Aoiyama sometimes looks like a truck going downhill with no brakes. His body control is quite bad. Gagamaru's strength is one-directional. Push him back and he is toasted. And my fellow countryman Kaisei would really use some more speed. He seems to have some problems to keep his leverage. Some more speed would improve his momentum. Not always bigger is stronger. Things are going to Hakuho, but lots of good stuff in the horizon for this basho! Hope to keep learning from all of you guys!