Featured rikishi: Takanonami

[Rijicho 6]

Takanonami!

Stage is yours. I'll chuck in my salt later myself.

Edited April 24, 2004 by Rijicho

[hoshidango 0]

He is only 32. Is he losing interst in Sumo? I heard he does not do practice much at all because for the fear of injury... He seems like ready to retire very soon like even possibly next basho? Too bad I am a fan.

[sekihiryu 51]

I did some trawling through the vast files at SML archive and found these tidbits

From January 1996

Musashimaru

Edited April 24, 2004 by sekihiryu

[Yubiquitoyama 4]

I think one shouldn't be too hard on Takanonami for his often off performances after Ozeki demotion. He's been there near the top and stayed Ozeki for a long time. Then he dropped and has without a doubt various injuries and problems which make it harder for him to do hard keiko and keep up his spirit on the dohyo.

Despite that, he has (including the May basho) been able to stay in the top division for 4 whole years after Ozeki demotion, and that is tied for first with Konishiki for fallen Ozekis. It seems it's often difficult for them to fully assume the role of elevator rikishi, so in that respect Takanonami has done really well to keep in for so long.

He seems a really nice guy from the various interviews and reports I have read through the years and I hope he can stay in for longer, but it isn't so strange that the will and the spirit is beginning to give. He was Ozeki and was so for a long time. It's a completely different story than hanging in there bouncing up and down...

Espcecially since the once great heya he belongs to now is a shadow of its former self, and Takanohana taking it over doesn't in any way seem to have changed that to the better, and Nami is the last one of the old guard. I just hope he stays in there for as long as possible, even in this time of renewal in the ranks (Applauding...)

[hoshidango 0]

I did some trawling through the vast files at SML archive and found these tidbits ...

Great info Sekihiryu.

[Zuikakuyama 1]

Great summary Seki.

I have always admired nami for his durability. If I recall correctly, he did not take any bashos off in all of his 10+ year career. That in alone of itself is a great accomplishment, in view of all the kyujos we have seen in all the ozekis.

That he is losing interest is not hardly surprising at all since all of his contemporaries are gone now.

He is always that one guy who I root for in every basho, but I dont think he will last until the end of this year.

[Kashunowaka 300]

Takanonami's way of doing sumo is definitely his own. I tried to find some good examples of Takanonami-sumo at banzuke.com, and so turned to the latest (last?) basho when he was really hot, which was Kyusho 2002. He went 10-5 as maegashira 1 (6-3 against sanyaku) and won the kanto-sho.

Day 4 against Tochiazuma:

http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/kyushu2002/...azu_takanami.rm

Tochiazuma must be satisfied with a tachiai where he can get that kind of grip. Takanonami is very upright and the bout seems to be over. Nami in good form defends well against Tochiazuma's force-out attempts, but it sure looks like Tochiazuma's bout.

Suddenly Nami locks Tochiazuma's arm from above and swings him down and out with kotenage!

Day 5 against Musashimaru:

http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/kyushu2002/...shi_takanami.rm

Takanonami's first kinboshi. :-O Again the opponent seems to get the upper hand - Musashimaru drives Takanonami backwards, but somehow Nami resists at the edge and launches a defensive throw attempt, forcing Musashimaru to step out. Not exactly what I would call a classic bout, but surely a Takanonamiesque way of winning. (Shaking head...)

Day 9 against Musoyama:

http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/kyushu2002/...kanami_musoy.rm

Musoyama in good form charges forward. It looks like Takanonami tries to get right overarm grip first, and when that fails he quickly switches to left arm instead, gets the desired grip and launches a strong kotenage. All this happens very fast with Nami going backwards. Against a different (smaller) opponent, he would probably have gone for kime grip - both arms.

Day 14 against Aminishiki:

http://www.banzuke.com/~movies/kyushu2002/...kanami_amini.rm

Who said that Takanonami never slaps his opponents? Sure he does, but he doesn't indulge in tsuppari-orgies like once Terao. :-) When Takanonami slaps his opponent he doesn't overdo it. Just one slap with the right fist at the tachiai, to disturb the opponent and get him off balance.

Once again, Nami looks to be on the defence, but looks are deceiving. You can see how he goes for kime-hold but is quite happy to settle for right-arm kotenage in the end.

Judging from these bouts, the Takanonami Way is to let the opponent think that he has the upper hand. In other words, if the opponent wants morozashi he can have it! It just gives Nami the opportunity to exert his deadly grip where he clamps both arms from above. Kimedashi and kotenage are Takanonami's bread and butter. His yorikiri is often the result of a kime-hold. He also wins several bouts with uwatenage and shitatenage, but I have the impression that those techniques are not only used as offence, but are just as much defence techniques to Takanonami.

From Mikko's Sumo Pages (maintained by a certain forum member of some prominence) I have learned that Takanonami also has several other tricks up his sleeve, or at least used to have. It's been a while since we saw a kawazugake from Takanonami.

Edited April 30, 2004 by Kashunowaka

[hoshidango 0]

Judging from these bouts, the Takanonami Way is to let the opponent think that he has the upper hand. In other words, if the opponent wants morozashi he can have it! It just gives Nami the opportunity to exert his deadly grip where he clamps both arms from above. Kimedashi and kotenage are Takanonami's bread and butter. His yorikiri is often the result of a kime-hold. He also wins several bouts with uwatenage and shitatenage, but I have the impression that those techniques are not only used as offence, but are just as much defence techniques to Takanonami.

Yes it does makes sense doesn't it?

[Kashunowaka 300]

That's it? Nothing more to be said about Takanonami? 18 replies on Kobo, only 7 so far on former ozeki and two-time yusho-winner Takanonami? :-)

Perhaps moving to a separate subforum was a bad idea after all. In any event, pinning the topic is totally pointless in a subforum where regular members cannot create new topics.

[hoshidango 0]

I was feeling the same as I looked at the listing... So here you go one extra..

Edited April 28, 2004 by hoshidango

[Zentoryu 154]

Another reason could be that there isn't much else to say about Takanonami.

Don't get me wrong, I don't disrespect him or his accomplishments.

But what's been posted above pretty much sums it up.

Nami's been around forever and most of the veterans of this forum, and of sumo in general, know as much as there is to know about him. Which is probably a good reason for the lack of posts to this thread, at least by forum vets.

Plus its basho time, a time when things like this get put on the back burner. :-D

Of course, now that I've said this, it will probably spark a million posts about him. (Applauding...)

Edited April 28, 2004 by Zentoryu

[tominishiki 0]

I know one thing about Nami: His first bout that I watched was his kinoboshi against Musashimaru at Aki 2002 when Takanohana did his comeback and that was the first kionoboshi I saw

[Asashosakari 19,693]

Nami's been around forever and most of the veterans of this forum, and of sumo in general, know as much as there is to know about him. Which is probably a good reason for the lack of posts to this thread, at least by forum vets.

I must admit, that pretty much echoes my thoughts. (Applauding...) There just doesn't seem too much to talk about Takanonami after he has been around for sooo long, and I'm saying that as one who voted for him in that "who's your most favorite rikishi ever?" poll a few months ago. And beyond that, the voting that gave us this thread sort of smacked of "quick, let's talk about the guy before he goes intai", which didn't really seem like a winning strategy to get people talking about somebody...

So veteran posters/fans don't have the urge to talk about him, and newer fans haven't exactly flooded the thread with requests for Nami information either, so nobody knows what exactly to post about, I guess.

I dare say the Toki thread worked because he's a cult favorite, and the Kobo thread did because he's so invisible to most fans, and putting him front and center made people realize just how little they knew about him. Neither reasoning really applies for a Nami thread...

Edited April 28, 2004 by Asashosakari

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Some general Nami-stuff with some repetitions to the excellent posts by

others in this thread already!

Born in 27th October 1971 which makes him 32 years old. Aomori-based and

has a nickname Nyonami. He is the tallest makuuchi rikishi with 196cm

height. Weight has varied between 160 and 170kg for years. He likes

whiskey, has cheerful character, has a small wife with whom he dated for

years and years before getting married.

He made his debut in 1987 a bit less than a year before Takanohana and

Wakanohana. There is a record of the first ever training session where

both Hanada-bros were officially professional sumotori.

http://www.accesscom.com/~abe/wakatakaday1.html

Takanonami went 12-22 in keiko against them beating Wakanohana 9 times in

17 bouts and losing 14 times to Takanohana managing only 2 wins.

Wakanohana on the other hand dominated his younger brother with 14-8

record.

Nami made his juryo debut in Haru 1991 showing already the well-known

style of his. 9-6 at J13 was followed by 8-7 at J7 in Natsu. Then a little

make-koshi in Nagoya but strong 12-3 in Aki (lost to Daizen in kettei-sen

for juryo yusho) and promotion to makuuchi. He never looked back again to

juryo. In Makuuchi he spent about 1.5 years to get accustomed to high

maegashira position. In Haru 1993 he was able to achieve 9-6 at M1 and

from them on he was sanyaku rikishi until his demotion to maegashira in

Hatsu 2001. Nami didn't waste much time to gain ozeki promotion. In Natsu

1993 he was shin-komusubi and celebrated his ozeki promotion already

after 13-2 jun-yusho in Hatsu 1994 where he showed a lot of his technical

repertoire. Beat Akebono with classic kawazugake, had 3 uwatenage, 2

kotenage, 1 kubinage, kimedashi, sotogake, oshitaoshi, hatakikomi and only

2 yorikiri.

His ozeki career was a bit wavy. He started it with a shitatenage loss to

Terao though but then won 12 of his next 14 bouts. In kettei-sen he was

slaughtered by Akebono's tsukitaoshi. Whole 1994 was very good for Nami.

His record was 70-20. His biggest nemesis of the year to him was

Musashimaru who beat Nami 5 times. Also Akebono, Kaio and Terao had 2 or

more wins against him. 1995 was much worse and he was mostly struggling to

get 8 or 9 wins per basho. He even had his first ever make-koshi as

sanyaku rikishi in Natsu where he went 6-9. Then he obviously got back

into shape and started 1996 with the aforementioned 14-1 yusho after

kettei-sen win over Takanohana. Whole 1996 was successuful and mostly 12-3

level bashos for him. In Kyushu basho he was in 5-man play-off but lost to

Maru. 69-21 in 1996. He suffered his second ozeki make-koshi at the start

of 1997 but then revitalized himself and had another good year at ozeki

highlighting in his Kyushu 1997 yusho after another kettei-sen against

Takanohana.

Downhill started in 1998. Some good basho but the peak had already gone.

Ankle problems piled up and with an exception of one resurgence in Haru

1999 (12-3) he went to a chronic survival battle against demotion from

ozeki. He lost the battle in Kyushu 1999 and although he racked up

necessary 10 wins in Hatsu to regain his ozeki rank, he was dommed and

ever since Haru 2000 he has had 7 kachi koshi basho and 18 make-koshi

basho. At M13w he is almost certainly at the very last bashos in his

career.

Takanonami is quite unique rikishi when it comes to style. There is a holy

triplet in his sumo that all rikishi know and are afraid of. Even

morozashi man Asashoryu admitted that he doesn't like locking in with Nami

even with morozashi because Nami has that strong response with kime-tsuri

and general kime-yori hassle.

Kime-hold is really essential to Nami. Always was. There are probably over

200 makuuchi wins he has gotten with simply employing his kime-hold. I

have no doubt he is a rikishi against other rikishi have lost most often

despite having morozashi. When he gets his standard two-handed kime, he

squuzes and uses his height and great strength to really lift his foe up

or at least onto his toes and then escort him out or carry him out. If his

foe had only one hand inside, then Nami often deployed kotenage tactics!

He was fluent in kotenage to both sides and leads makuuchi kotenage

frequency with a clear margin. He has 65 kotenage wins in makuuchi, 38

wins with kimedashi and countless of wins with yorikiri after kime-hold

set-up.

He also has effective sotogake which is only natural as if you put your

foe on his toes, sotogake becomes quite valid option to proceed! So Nami

has used his towering sotogake very effectively in sumo 17 times in

makuuchi. But sotogake isn't Nami's speciality as such and there are many

others who do it more or equally often as Nami has done. Kawazugake on the

other hand has Nami's trademark all over it. He has won with kawazugake 6

times in makuuchi and ever

[aderechelsea 125]

(Applauding...)

that was an impressive summary of Nami's career........

this is why we "younger fans" didn't post here.We haven't watched him at his peak and we certainly don't know that much about him.....

thanks a lot

(Sign of approval)

[Kashunowaka 300]

Thank you Kaikitsune! (Applauding...)

this is why we "younger fans" didn't post here.We haven't watched him at his peak and we certainly don't know that much about him.....

You shouldn't let that stop you!

To me Nami was always the king of defense and when I think of kimedashi or

kawazugake, I think of Takanonami.

I agree about that. On a more negative note, Takanonami's defensive style has brought him quite a lot of criticism. Quote from the SML, in addition to those already posted by Sekihiryu:

I think if Takanonami does not change his sumo style, he should be happy

with his current Ozeki position. His slump is based on his sumo style. The

way many oyakata, including Dewanoumi Rijicho, comment on his sumo style is

that since he is winning even with his terrible sumo style, he must be

enormously talented, or that must be good sumo style for him. Nobody said

it is a great sumo technique. His sumo style is something oyakata used to

tell younger rikishi not to immitate.

Sumo kyokai expect yokozuna to be a model for younger rikishi. Takanonami's

sumo style can't be a model for any other rikishi. That is one of the

reason why he was never mentioned as a yokozuna candidate even though he

has been winning 12 or so constantly. Everyone knows his style. While he is

not working on improving his sumo skill, other rikishi are studying his

style and start catching up with him. That is happening this basho, I

think.

The basho in question was Haru 1995. Takanonami ended with 9-6.

In later years, Takanonami has also earned him self nicknames such as "The Evil One" and "Matta King". I think these are related, and allude to his tendency to stall the tachiai until he gets it the way he wants it, thereby causing an extraordinary amount of matta. But I don't know for how long matta has been associated with Takanonami. Wasn't there a rule change regarding the tachiai a couple of years ago, or at least a stricter interpretation of the rules? I seem to recall that Takatoriki had difficulties adjusting to the new rules, and that his tachiai suffered because of that.

[hoshidango 0]

Great one Kaikistune.

I kind of visualize Baruto or Kitaoji or both of them following his style of sumo...

As for himself I wonder what would happen to him next basho. I would say anywere between 5-10(and retirement) at worst and 10-5 best. No worse, no better.

[Kaikitsune Makoto 209]

Nami's towering sotogake samples:

Nami's kotenage:

Nami beating KaioU:

Nami gives his reply to accusations of matta-evilness:

Nami's loss to Toki which guaranteed his ozeki demotion in Kyushu 1999:

[Tumppi 0]

Great to choose Takanonami in Featured rikishi ! Great post Kaikitsune! It's just sad to see Nami go.. (Applauding...)

ps I hate when veterans quit

Edited April 29, 2004 by Tumppi

[Sasanishiki 57]

Would 'nami quit if he dropped to juryo? Could he make his way back from there? He might be losing his stuff, but he would probably have a lot more savvy than the up-and-comers and the other faded perennial escalator rikishi.

[Kashunowaka 300]

Would 'nami quit if he dropped to juryo?

As a former ozeki, he is more or less expected to quit if he faces demotion to juryo.

[sekihiryu 51]

Of course, now that I've said this, it will probably spark a million posts about him. (Applauding...)

(Pulling up a swede...) great foresight! you picked it like a swede!

Takanonami of late has a bad habit of starting a basho with roar, going 6-7 days with with only 1 loss then falling to pieces in the second half of the draw, I wonder does he himself doubt he can do it? does he get nervous? I wonder what he is thinking

[sekihiryu 51]

I'll chuck in my salt later myself.

and that was a Mitoizumi special worth of salt too! superb. This forum will soon become the online Mecca for Sumo information! (Applauding...)

[Asashosakari 19,693]

Takanonami of late has a bad habit of starting a basho with roar, going 6-7 days with with only 1 loss then falling to pieces in the second half of the draw, I wonder does he himself doubt he can do it? does he get nervous?

Are you sure you're thinking of Takanonami? (Applauding...) For the last year or so (except Hatsu 2004), his pattern has actually been pretty much the opposite...usually close to make-koshi by Day 10 (3-7 four times, 4-6 once), only to rally a bit during the final days and pick up some more wins, but still unable to avoid going MK eventually.

http://www.szumo.hu/stat/Takanonami.html

Edited April 30, 2004 by Asashosakari

[Ryunokaze 0]

Takanonami-A formless muscle-man whos power is fading.

Has had a good run.

These days is less exciting than a good henka.

JUST holding on for his new master-Takanohana Oyakata.

By the way,does anybody know if 'nonami has paid for his matta?If so,then how much?In my humble opinion,should have been a small furtune.A BMW a least, or a Louie Vitton bag.Whats going on there?

Edited April 30, 2004 by Ryunokaze