Yamanashi

WTF, WTK? (sorry, I'm going to my room now ... )

I was shocked, after seeing his photo in the db, to watch a video of a match of his ~2018. I thought Oazuma must be the other wrestler!

Notes from the db and elsewhere: Mugendai – 18 years in Sumo, made Ms5 in 2017. Fukamiyama – climbed all the way to Ms20 last year, but went through COVID kyujo twice with Onoe stable and his scores collapsed. Taichiyama – often injured; Makushita was like Kryptonite to him Azumasato – 12-year veteran, a Sandanme stalwart. Hokutokawa – probably an upper Makushita rikishi but for the incessant breaks for injuries. Akashifuji – 37 basho in Sandanme over an eight year career. Amatsu – 32-year old from Osaka; fell off the banzuke 2015-2017. Oazuma – see above for comments Sakurafuji – a slow climb to mid-Sandanme, then injury (it appears) and a quick exit. Leaves with an even record (105-105). Hokutohiro – one of three Hakkaku retirees this basho; spent 80% of his eight-year career in Jonidan Ariake – entered in 2011; much injured during the second half of his career. Hokutoo – see comment above; much-injured but reached Ms41 in 2020. Onofuji – a quick exit by the 23-year old from Oita. Zendaisho – an amazing 96 basho in Jonidan (1 in Sandname in 2014).

Thanks as always for the deep dive. I looked at the JY/Y ratio because I vaguely thought that a lot of JY's w/o a Y would be emblematic of "always a bridesmaid, never a bride." The only comparable ratio is Wakanohana Kanji II, but a closer look shows that most of his Y's and JY's were after he reached Yokozuna (and 3 JY's were during his last years). I didn't specifically consider doten because that would perhaps indicate a different type of "choke", if applicable. All things said, Kisenosato stands out for the number of JY in his career. I came to Ozumo late, so I can't say what the vibe was while he was an Ozeki. But it sure makes for a good discussion.

Some choking, some non-choking; either he was the perfect Ozeki all those years (wall against the lower ranks, but not top rank material himself), or he was a potential Yokozuna who could never quite pull the string. I know that his 12/2 Jun Yusho to Yusho ratio is stunning in comparison with other Y/O since the 70's, but I can't pinpoint why.

... or maybe Tokushoryu is the Xia Boyu of Sumo. Er, no.

Rarities like that are what keep people coming back for years afterwards -- as long as they are rarities. That basho should be "the exception that proves (probes) the rule"; we're in trouble if it becomes "the exception that represents the rule." My favorite trivia bit from Hatsu 2020 is that Tokushoryu's only loss was to Kaisei, and not with his standard yorikiri, but with an oshidashi.

I don't mean to suggest this is a general statement, but I think Kisenosato could have wiped the floor with them this basho.

The resort/inn look was part of the design from the beginning. Nishonoseki spoke about his interest in having destination tourism written into the design plan. I believe there is still a gift shop in the plans. Smart -- his image will be a draw for several years; if he can generate sekitori, and provide a high-quality experience to the visitor, it will be quite a draw (even if it's a little out of the way).

It's interesting that, as an Oyakata, he hasn't had much luck teaching it to his rikishi. Only a couple of them have won more than the average number of bouts with kotenage. But I see a lot of heya where that is the case: the Master doesn't often pass on a special technique, but passes on general style and motivation.

Sorry if this has been compiled already. Also, please move it to where it needs to be ... As far as I can tell, the current rules for being eligible for toshiyori status are : 1) have at least one basho as San'yaku; 2) have at least 20 basho in Makuuchi; 3) have at least 30 basho as Sekitori (Makuuchi + Juryo) Based upon the current banzuke, there are 4 rikishi eligible under criterion 1 only (Wakatakakage, Hoshoryu, Kiribayama and Takanosho), 7 rikishi eligible under criterion 3 only (Terutsuyoshi, Azumaryu, Daiamami, Akiseyama, Chiyonoo, Fujiazuma and Kyukutaisei), and 16 eligible under all three criteria. A total of 40 rikishi are eligible to look for a kabu (Endo and Okinoumi already own one, according to the db). Of course, there aren't enough to go around.

Narutobeya's Instagram pages contain photos of the celebration for Oshoma after winning the Makushita yusho, along with video of him accepting the certificate and the NSK interview. https://www.instagram.com/narutobeya/

Out of reactions. Like!

Great idea, @Seiyashi! It would be great if more heya were covered in this way (one's enough for me, though). Incidentally, the picture you're seeing is the result of another impressive Nishonoseki innovation: Street Sumo, an attempt to reach out to inner-city youth in Tokyo and Osaka.

Ack!, surely.

First in a series (maybe): Basho summary in three lines. Line 1: Days 1-5; Line 2: Days 6-10; Line 3: Days 11-15. Feel free to contribute. Teru kyujo, right? Can Ozeki at least try? Playoff! No, Teru

Natsu: Chaos reigns Up, down, ANYONE CAN WIN!!! [Terunofuji]

I don't know if that is true by the books, but it should be true! When I checked the banzuke to see where Oshoma (Delgerbayar) landed, I noticed he was right across from Akiseyama, and up the block from Tomokaze. "Oh, no, those wily veterans are murder! Well, if he can get by those guys, at least he's got a chance." So at 6-0 he's matched up for the Yusho against ... the wily veteran Kitaharima.

Shonanzakura, AKA Hattorizakura, the LOAT (Lousiest of all time), recorded four 0-8 records in his career. In each of these basho, he lost to a "1-0-6" rikishi for both his seventh and eighth losses.

Natsu record for Narutobeya rikishi, and expected positions for next basho; "CH" = Career high rank: Name 2022 5 rec. 2022 7(?) CH Oshoma Ms8e 7-0 J9 Ms4 Oshoryu Ms27e 6-1 Ms10 Ms7 Hoshuzan Ms57w 5-2 Ms40 Ms41 Mishima Sd15e 6-1 Ms38 Ms56 Sakurai Sd21e 0-0-7 Sd81 Ms57 Mukaida Sd32w 3-4 Sd48 Sd2 Oshoumi Sd36e 0-0-7 Sd96 Ms7 Murayama Sd40w 3-4 Sd54 Sd40 Marusho Sd49e 2-5 Sd72 Ms31 Honma Sd52w 3-4 Sd65 Sd52 Kawamura Sd63e 3-4 Sd77 Sd55 Oshozan Sd83e 2-5 Jd12 Sd56 Anzai Sd88w 4-3 Sd70 Ms36 Hokuozan Jd37w 0-0-7 Jd110 Ms35 Yamane Jd89e 0-0-7 Jk16 Jd8 Kanazawa Jk8e 4-3 Jd70 Jk8 Oyamada Mz 0-0 Jk? Comment: Unlike in some recent basho, the top rankers did the best for Natsu; the top four all received >4 wins, none of the rest. Even Anzai's 4-3 at Sd88 feels like a losing record, when he should be shooting through Sandanme on the way back to mid-Makushita. Kanazawa did a respectable 4-3 in his first outing against a crop of high-test newcomers. When will the four kyujo rikishi return? Hokuozan (ex-Hagiwara) is off his crutches and moving around in the heya according to recent photos. He's 24 (college grad) and maybe doesn't have time for another multi-basho drop if he's hoping to make sekitori. And, have Forum members picked up any word about Oshoumi, who was knocking on the door of Juryo six months ago?

I agree. He was reading too many adoring headlines. He will get over it.

It was great that they continued the tradition, despite the slight schedule mismatch (as if the US President would change his schedule to cover day 15 ... )

Sneaky Yamato displayed a straight-ahead matta, hoping to set Kazekeno up for the leg pick, but it didn't work. Come on, do you think that would fool a Sumiki?

Everything will be fine.

Interesting. If two or three of the 10-4s win, then a playoff. When is that held? If they all lose and some of the 9-5ers beat their 8-6 opponents, we could have a massive playoff.