Yamamotoyama makes a big splash

[inhashi 2,363]

He looks as if he's lost weight :o missed him and glad to see him today :D

[Kasutera 258]

Things I have learned about Yamamotoyama since training with him/spending time with him:

-Falls asleep very easily in the back of my Toyota Prius C, which is the best testimonial to its suspension and quiet smooth ride.

-Likes the music of Cyndi Lauper.

-Is a big fan of the Loco Moco and now specifically asks to be taken to Bob's Hawaiian in Gardena whenever possible so he can get a double-order of it on one plate. We're trying to get the restaurant owner to name it the "Yama Special."

-Is a huge otaku and has a bookshelf in his apartment that is chock full of just manga. He lent me some of his issues of Rurouni Kenshin after I asked for a recommendation. He's a huge fan of Assassin's Creed as well.

P.S. that's Yama I'm pushing in my avatar.

Edited June 23, 2015 by Kasutera

[Jakusotsu 6,401]

He's a huge fan of Assassin's Creed as well.

Now I'm waiting for YBF doing a mock-up B-)

[yorikiried by fate 2,038]

Right, hello?

That's kind of a video game, isn't it?

[yorikiried by fate 2,038]

[yorikiried by fate 2,038]

Forgot the shadow, though...

[yorikiried by fate 2,038]

And f*ed the proportions between the two...

[yorikiried by fate 2,038]

Quintuple post! (Band playing...)

[dingo 1,483]

Things I have learned about Yamamotoyama since training with him/spending time with him:

-Falls asleep very easily in the back of my Toyota Prius C, which is the best testimonial to its suspension and quiet smooth ride.

-Likes the music of Cyndi Lauper.

-Is a big fan of the Loco Moco and now specifically asks to be taken to Bob's Hawaiian in Gardena whenever possible so he can get a double-order of it on one plate. We're trying to get the restaurant owner to name it the "Yama Special."

-Is a huge otaku and has a bookshelf in his apartment that is chock full of just manga. He lent me some of his issues of Rurouni Kenshin after I asked for a recommendation. He's a huge fan of Assassin's Creed as well.

P.S. that's Yama I'm pushing in my avatar.

On the other hand I'm amazed to learn that he can actually fit inside a Prius! :D

[kuroimori 1,634]

Things I have learned about Yamamotoyama since training with him/spending time with him:

-Falls asleep very easily in the back of my Toyota Prius C, which is the best testimonial to its suspension and quiet smooth ride.

-Likes the music of Cyndi Lauper.

-Is a big fan of the Loco Moco and now specifically asks to be taken to Bob's Hawaiian in Gardena whenever possible so he can get a double-order of it on one plate. We're trying to get the restaurant owner to name it the "Yama Special."

-Is a huge otaku and has a bookshelf in his apartment that is chock full of just manga. He lent me some of his issues of Rurouni Kenshin after I asked for a recommendation. He's a huge fan of Assassin's Creed as well.

P.S. that's Yama I'm pushing in my avatar.

On the other hand I'm amazed to learn that he can actually fit inside a Prius! :D

This made me think of Tyrone, the getaway driver in Guy Ritchie's movie Snatch!

Greetings from Barcelona!

[Kasutera 258]

Things I have learned about Yamamotoyama since training with him/spending time with him:

-Falls asleep very easily in the back of my Toyota Prius C, which is the best testimonial to its suspension and quiet smooth ride.

-Likes the music of Cyndi Lauper.

-Is a big fan of the Loco Moco and now specifically asks to be taken to Bob's Hawaiian in Gardena whenever possible so he can get a double-order of it on one plate. We're trying to get the restaurant owner to name it the "Yama Special."

-Is a huge otaku and has a bookshelf in his apartment that is chock full of just manga. He lent me some of his issues of Rurouni Kenshin after I asked for a recommendation. He's a huge fan of Assassin's Creed as well.

P.S. that's Yama I'm pushing in my avatar.

On the other hand I'm amazed to learn that he can actually fit inside a Prius! :D

I've, on multiple occasions, fit both Yama and Byamba (so a total of... 850 or so pounds?) into my Prius C at the same time. A testament to Japanese engineering for sure.

[Amamaniac 2,092]

When life gives you gobo, make chankonabe.  Back in 2011, Yamamotoyama was implicated in the bout-fixing scandal that rocked the sumo world.  After being forced to retire, Yamamotoyama did not roll over and fade into obscurity.  He made something out of his notoriety as one of sumo's heaviest wrestlers and ended up on the Indian reality TV program, Bigg Boss (perhaps meant as an embodiment of the title character).  

But his decision to relocate to Los Angeles has paid off.  I just finished watching the John Wick Chapter 2 DVD, and was delighted to see Yamamotoyama playing one of several professional assassins who attempt to kill Keanu Reeve's character.  His was a non-speaking role, but a memorable one.  He takes several kicks to the groin, and even revives after taking a bullet to the top of his skull.  Perhaps stereotypical (the difficult-to-kill giant), the role brings sumo back into the consciousness of Hollywood-movie goers.  As some people say, there is no such thing as bad publicity.  Despite being disgraced at home in Japan, Yamamotoyama is doing more for sumo internationally than your average sekitori.

I'd love to know who his agent is!

 

Edited June 16, 2017 by Amamaniac

[Asashosakari 20,288]

38 minutes ago, Amamaniac said:

... Yamamotoyama is doing more for sumo internationally than your average sekitori.

For sumo, possibly, which isn't very difficult given that it has near-zero publicity in the US normally. For Ozumo? Rather questionable. I doubt his Hollywood aspirations will make any difference whatsoever to the Kyokai or anybody else in Japan. Good for him that he's making inroads there though.

 

And as usual I'm of the opinion that ex-rikishi activities don't belong in Ozumo Discussions unless they're actually related to Ozumo.  If the mods want to tackle it, perhaps this thread could be merged with this thread (origin 2011) and possibly also this thread (from last year, in Amasumo), and the whole shebang moved to Off-topic. There are also a couple of YMY posts in the catch-all ex-rikishi thread, not sure if it would make sense to move those to a dedicated thread as well.

Edited June 15, 2017 by Asashosakari

[Toumorokoshi 7]

21 hours ago, Amamaniac said:

But his decision to relocate to Los Angeles has paid off.  I just finished watching the John Wick Chapter 2 DVD, and was delighted to see Yamamotoyama playing one of several professional assassins who attempt to kill Keanu Reeve's character.  His was a non-speaking role, but a memorable one.  He takes several kicks to the groin, and even revives after taking a bullet to the top of his skull.  Perhaps stereotypical (the difficult-to-kill giant), the role brings sumo back into the consciousness of Hollywood-movie goers.  As some people say, there is no such thing as bad publicity.  Despite being disgraced at home in Japan, Yamamotoyama is doing more for sumo internationally than your average sekitori.

This was so cool to see in the theater with no warning. I was totally taken aback when I saw Yama, and then he hits Keanu with a textbook oshi-dashi and sends him straight through a phone booth! Needless to say I think I was the most excited person in the theater at that particular moment.

Edited June 16, 2017 by Toumorokoshi

[Benihana 1,973]

 

[Amamaniac 2,092]

For the purposes of completeness, this post is meant to draw fellow Forum users' and Yamamotoyama fans' attention to another cameo by the "disgraced" wrestler in popular culture in the West.  I just became aware that Yamamotoyama appeared in the official music video for Ed Sheeran's 2017 song, "Shape of You".  In terms of chronology, the music video was released just a couple of weeks before the movie, "John Wick Chapter 2".  

Clearly, the video maker's intent was to draw on Yamamotoyama's size as an (un)intended pun related to the song title.  If that wasn't stereotyping enough, Ed Sheeran, dressed in a sumo-suit, takes on the sumotori in an underground fight.  Can't say that the portrayal of sumo was positive..., but a little light-hearted fun still brings sumo to the fore outside (and inside) Japan especially for the young generation to whom Ed Sheeran's music appeals.

I love how the credits simply list YMY as "Yama".

 

[Sakura 1,524]

No idea if this person named Yama is the same Yama or not.

 

[Benihana 1,973]

3 hours ago, Sakura said:

No idea if this person named Yama is the same Yama or not.

Yes, he is. I love the commercial, cute kitteh 

[Akinomaki 41,851]

I don't know if they asked Yama about the use of the name. The internal chatbot of the Mitsui-bussan corporation has the character Yamamotoyama, and the users have to get it promoted by making the FAQ better, from jonokuchi to now sandanme. https://www.relia-digital.com/virtualagent/case_mtb/

Edited April 28, 2020 by Akinomaki

[Amamaniac 2,092]

1 hour ago, Akinomaki said:

I don't know if they asked Yama about the use of the name. The internal chatbot of the Mitsui-bussan corporation has the character Yamamotoyama, and the users have to get it promoted by making the FAQ better, from jonokuchi to now sandanme. https://www.relia-digital.com/virtualagent/case_mtb/

Thanks for reviving this thread, Akinomaki.  Cute characters.  Not sure about the game play, though.

[Amamaniac 2,092]

Yamamotoyama fans can also get their fix from this YouTube cooking vlog (June 8, 2019):

Better late than never...

[Kintamayama 47,347]

Got married-mazal tov!

[Jakusotsu 6,401]

Happiest day in your life, and all you got was . . . a pine cone and a glow stick in a jar? Okaay...

[Kintamayama 47,347]

14 hours ago, Jakusotsu said:

Happiest day in your life, and all you got was . . . a pine cone and a glow stick in a jar? Okaay...

They apologized that their wedding was small because of the situation.

[Godango 1,092]

10 minutes ago, Kintamayama said:

They apologized that their wedding was small because of the situation.

Most things are bound to appear small when Yama's involved.