Kasugao's inability to do sumo

[Gusoyama 104]

In the Kobo thread, Kaikitsune mentioned:

He was able to underline Kasugao's inability to do sumo

I'm constantly trying to learn more about the rikishi, and this is probably a well known fact, but it is a fact that I do not know. Why is Kasugao perceived to have poor sumo? :-D I'm not disputing this claim, I'd just never heard it before.

[Azumashida 1]

I don't know exactly what Kaikitsune means here, but it seems to me that Kasugao tends to have problems with the tachi-ai - or at least he often is on the receiving hand in the early stages of his bouts. This may have to do with his Korean upbringing, since in Ssireum the bouts don't start the same way (if I'm not mistaken, the wrestlers are holding - or anyway have some sort of grip on - each other from the start). That tendency to mess up the start of the bout makes his sumo quite frustrating, since he appears to have a unique ability to resist stubbornly while on the edge of the dohyo, in a desperate situation. In 9 cases out of 10 (although I don't have any real statistical backing here, I'm just telling about overall impressions I have), he loses these kinds of bouts anyway, and that's what makes them frustrating... Once out of 10 times, however, he finally manages to come up with a brilliant utchari (like in his bout on day 13 of Hatsu 2004 against Takanotsuru, cf. http://www.banzuke.com/~juryoika/200401/ for a clip of that memorable bout - although his tachi-ai wasn't that bad in this one) or some nage to win it in spectacular fashion. Last Basho, he seemed to have gotten rid of his problems and had a very exciting and spectacular - and unbeaten - first week (leading me to believe in him again as a potential Sanyaku in the near future), only to get back to rather frustrating ways in the second week...

That was my humble take on it, but of course I'm sure Kaikitsune will explain what he means more precisely, with the insight he usually provides in his rigorous Rikishi style analyses...

[Kaikitsune Makoto 210]

Kasugao is the worst yotsu-rikishi ever to be so immensely good at yotsu. He doesn't have oshi-sumo and has problems receiving oshi-sumo due to his original discipline. He doesn't do much slapdowns at all and isn't unorthodox with his moves off-contact. What does he have then?

Inability to do sumo combined with some stunning throwing, tripping and especially defending abilities. No oshi, no spesialized oshi-defense (defends against high and low oshi by just using his defensive power), no slapdowns and very limited grip pursuing skills against yotsu-rikishi. Yet he shows tremendous skill and power when he gets into offensive (which is rarely) and turns the tables often when forced into defensive.

The main point in his sumo is the exceptional hip power in defense, the habit of his to make impossible look possible. I have seen bouts where he came back from positions that were so desperate that it makes one look in disbelief when he manages to hang in there. I have never seen any rikishi so strong in upright position as Kasugao is, I have never seen any rikishi who can come back from such situations he puts himself into. Asashoryu for example is also capable of turning the tables at tawara or in the heat of his foe's strong attack but Shoryu uses speed and maneuvering skills whereas Kasugao locks in, wriggles, twists and exerts such power it makes the crowd gasp for more smoke-filled air and wonder what the heck just happened in addition to excessive inhalation of cigarette smoke.

Kasugao's inability to do sumo means that his yotsu-pursuing skills are very modest and he very rarely gets a superior grip in a bout. Kobo and Tamarikido for instance usually put him in awkward positions without any grip. Often he loses of course as when you give momentum to a makuuchi rikishi and you have no grip nor centre of gravity low, there is nothing you can do. But give Kasugao even a moment of respite or chance to establish his defense and what you get is a desperate battle that surprisingly often ends with his victory.

He has bad habits of going into high kotenage positions almost as default. He wins a lot of bouts with kotenage but makes it the hard way. He is a bit old to learn sumo from the core so probably he continues his entertaining sumo with a pinch of gaagaagaa-aspect forever. On the other hand Kasugao trains like a madman. Does keiko so much it is with all likelyhood above all levels of overtraining but his mind is set to fullfill his potential.

Azumaryu's intuition on 9/10 times losing those bouts sounds like a vast exaggeration but naturally it depends on how you define a "forced into defensive"-mode but for Kasugao that is more of a rule than exception and he still notches up many wins.

His problems of late have been largely due to injuries. Tears in thigh flexor prevented him from doing his defense properly and it lead to his demotion to juryo after bad basho after another. In Haru he was in great shape and tachi-ai looked sharp (it is not the lack of power in the tachi-ai, it is the stance of letting his foes to beat him in yotsu-pursuing there) and also competent. He started with dominating wins and threw his foes around like a good makuuchi level rikishi should do in juryo. Then he injured his hand and lost much of his grip. Yet ended up winning more bouts and finished with 10-5.

I wish Kasugao would remain healthy and would learn the basics of yotsu grip pursuing. Whereas his unmatched defensive strength is fun to watch and entertaining, it can be frustrating and dangerous. Such straining increases injury risk and also makes him too accustomed to that kind of style. Kasugao in offense is what the world also wants. Makuuchi needs Kasugao! Healthy Kasugao that is as his defensive style has a pre-requisite of being fully genki on lower extremities and especially hip area. If he suffers a bad back injury, he is in HUGE trouble.

I'll look for some of his memorable bouts and post some examples here in addition to that Takanotsuru-utchari.

[Azumashida 1]

That's what I meant when I said "rigorous Rikishi style analyses"... (Applauding...)

Yes, 9/10 is surely exaggerated, basically it often seems that Kasugao needs to be "forced into defensive" in order to start trying something, and in many cases he defends the desperate situation brilliantly but it's already too late, hence the frustration I'm referring to...

[Gusoyama 104]

Thank you very much, I appreciate the answers greatly. Wonderful analysis. I don't get to see much of Kasugao so I know so little about him.

[Yoavoshimaru 0]

If he wasn't as strong as he is, he wouldn't be even close to sekitori. His strength is excellent, almost like a poor man's Wakanosato but obviously with not nearly as much technical skill.