Reonito

Other than Takayasu at M1e, my other differences are Sadanoumi M8w, Kusano M14e, Shishi ahead of Mitakeumi (I really, really debated that one and hope Nishikigi's placement ahead of Tamashoho wasn't a one-off). We agree on a number of other choices for which there's no overall consensus (Hakuoho, Chiyoshoma, etc)

When I looked, they'd never left a 7-8 M1e in place, while over the same time, a few M1w's got to stay. It's not that unusual for 6-9 K to only drop to M1. And there's at least one instance of specifically 6-9 K going ahead of 7-8 M1e. Of course, who knows what this bunch will actually do.

I don't think registering is a thing, but apparently you can be charged if the circumstances warrant.

Which one? Nothing looks too crazy in your guess...

Y1e Hoshoryu 12-3 J ─ Y1 O1e Onosato 14-1 Y  ↑  Y2 O1w Kotozakura 8-7 +0.5 O1 O2 O3 S1e Daieisho 10-5 ─ S1 S1w Kirishima 11-4 G ─ S2 K1w Wakatakakage 12-3 JG  ↑  M6e Oshoma 10-5  ↑  K1 M9e Aonishiki 11-4 K  ↑  K2 K1e Takayasu 6-9  ↓  M1 M1e Wakamotoharu 7-8 -0.5 M1w Oho 7-8 -0.5 M2 M2e Abi 7-8 -0.5 M8e Onokatsu 10-5 +5 M3 M8w Kinbozan 10-5 +5 M7e Hakuoho 8-7 +3 M4 M3e Tamawashi 6-9 -1.5 M3w Hiradoumi 6-9 -1.5 M5 M4e Takerufuji 6-9 -1.5 M10e Meisei 9-6 +4 M6 M6w Tobizaru 7-8 ─ M11e Endo 9-6 +4 M7 M4w Ichiyamamoto 5-10 -3 M2w Gonoyama 4-11 -5.5 M8 M13w Sadanoumi 10-5 K +5 M5e Ura 5-10 -4 M9 M12e Atamifuji 8-7 +2.5 M14w Roga 9-6 +4.5 M10 M12w Takanosho 8-7 +2 M5w Chiyoshoma 4-11 -5.5 M11 M13e Tokihayate 8-7 +1.5 M17w Asakoryu 10-5 +5.5 M12 M9w Midorifuji 6-9 -3 M10w Shodai 6-9 -2.5 M13 M7w Churanoumi 4-11 -6 J1w Kusano 13-2 Y  ↑  M14 J5w Wakaikari 12-3  ↑  M14e Kotoshoho 6-4-5 -1 M15 J2e Hidenoumi 9-6  ↑  M16e Kayo 7-8 ─ M16 M11w Shishi 4-11 -5 J1e Mitakeumi 8-7  ↑  M17 J7w Kotoeiho 11-4  ↑ 

Plenty of similar or more extreme promotions when they've needed to fill a slot; most recently Tamawashi after Hatsu 2015 going from M9 to K1e with a 10-5; on the same banzuke, Okinoumi went from M6 to S with a 9-6, and Myogiryu filled K1w after going 9-6 at M8. I think it's pretty much an unwritten rule that 6-9 drops you out of sanyaku, no matter what warm body they have to pull up to fill the slots.

Of the 3 possible choices for M1e (Takayasu, WMH, Onokatsu), Takayasu makes the most sense. I'm not going to look for examples now, but I haven't gotten the sense that keeping separation between juryo guys based on rank and record is something they care about.

I didn't swap Daieisho and Kirishima for a couple of reasons, but yeah, that seems like the only question mark in sanyaku. IMO there's one clear choice for K1w, though I've seen unconventional solutions floated by people who don't like it.

I don't know if this was done in the past, but it certainly isn't now, except for computing the division exchanges and the rank order of the juryo promotions relative to each other. The gap is certainly not constant, and the approach changes over time. Right now it seems to be, lean over backwards to give the makuuchi incumbents every possible benefit of the doubt when deciding whether to rank a juryo promotion ahead of them. Pretty sure there's just one banzuke meeting where all of this gets hashed out.

100% After Ura's placement last time, along with a few of the other recent decisions, little would surprise me.

there are several tricky areas: M4/M5, M7/M8, M11/M12, and the bottom.

It's about 27.5 hours by my count now—18 GMT tomorrow, right?

The two+ year absence?

Two of the six drop out if you expand the window to 2019-now, the remaining quartet is still there in 2018, one drops off in 2017, the trio is all there in 2016 (that's 56 consecutive basho!) and then we're down to the top two, one of whom has been in the top division for 71 consecutive basho, the other for a whopping 83 since debut.

We've had 32 basho since the start of 2020. 93 rikishi have appeared on the Makuuchi banzuke during this time, but only six have been there for all 32. Any guesses before you click?