Natsu basho 2021

[Benihana 1,913]

*meh*

Congrats, but *meh*

[Gospodin 187]

Uff...Terunofuji has a knack for drama..

 

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Takakeisho's turn to be baited off balance. Ah well, it was a valiant fight all the way.

Terunofuji's wincing all the way down the hanamichi though. Hope he's alright.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Seiyashi

[Asashosakari 18,967]

Both matches were won by the rikishi who wasn't displaced from his usual fighting side.  Congrats to Teru on a deserved fourth yusho!

Edited May 23, 2021 by Asashosakari

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Hmm. Cagey stuff and a sloppy finish. Congrats to Terunofuji.

Onward to July where hopefully these two meet in another final-day decider and a double-promotion event!

[Katooshu 3,179]

These guys have a great thing going with each other, I really hope they both stay healthy.

[Hakuryuho 334]

As a Takakeisho fan I‘m not too sad, 

he achieved the yusho equivalent this time and should definitely be on a tsuna runa as well, just like Terunofuji.

July is going to be mental!

[Kashunowaka 300]

The right winner in the end. Abysmal sumo.

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Yusho for Abi, Ura and Terunofuji today, all guys who've fallen down the banzuke and worked/are working their way back up.

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Isegahama working off nervous energy in the hanamichi. He's smiling with his eyes though, and everyone passing seems to be congratulating him.

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Just now, Eikokurai said:

Yusho for Abi, Ura and Terunofuji today, all guys who've fallen down the banzuke and worked/are working their way back up.

One of them is not like the others though. 

[Eikokurai 3,437]

Just now, Seiyashi said:

One of them is not like the others though. 

Abi is a little skinny, it's true.

[Umizoi 27]

5 minutes ago, Seiyashi said:

Terunofuji's wincing all the way down the hanamichi though. Hope he's alright.

more emotion than pain... i hope.

[hakutorizakura 609]

Entertaining basho. Looking forward to T&T rivalry for the next few years. Will order be finally restored in the sumo world?

Hakuho, please return in July before you bow out of the dohyo and be THE party pooper! (Instead of Shodai..)

[Katooshu 3,179]

Ya, my hope is that, with the basho finally over, it was him releasing all the emotional and physical tension that's built up over those 15 days.

[dcisneros 4]

Well deserved, Teru

[Eikokurai 3,437]

A reminder too that this was history-making. Terunofuji becomes the first man in the 15-bout, six-basho era to win consecutive yusho as Sekiwake > Ozeki.

[yohcun 400]

I swear Terunofuji always ends up standing next to Teruya in the big moments. It's uncanny.

[Kaninoyama 1,712]

The Woman deserves a sansho for being able to stand straight up for the national anthem after hours sitting in seiza. 

[Thorbjarn 214]

Dramatic final, Takakeisho looked furious with himself for losing. Congrats to Terunofuji, there seemed no doubt during the first 13 days, but the last two days once again showed everyone is beatable nowadays, it seems, although by different means. As said before, sign me up if this is the rivalry we will be getting for the next few years. 

Terunofuji seems visibly moved, which adds to his redemption arc. 

[Seiyashi 4,072]

So the odd part is that no rikishi has ever started a tsuna run with a 12-3D. Terunofuji's 12-3Y puts him in the company of - surprisingly, only Hokutoumi; every other 12-3 start of a tsuna run has been a JY (with the exception of Terukuni's non-honour, although that is a surprisingly apropos comparison given Terunofuji's shikona was drawn partially from Terukuni's). All of these rikishi, however, went either 13-2 or 14-1 (3J, 3Y and 1D) in the following basho, so it's safe to assume that Terunofuji needs at least 13 wins to be promoted next basho.

If one takes a D to be better than JY, then by that token Takakeisho also needs a 13-2 or better next basho to be promoted as well. Ideally, he should also win the yusho and at the very minimum force a playoff again; a JY is very risky. The only 12-3J followed by a D was Futahaguro, whose precedent the Kyokai can't be too happy to repeat. Onokuni also went 12-3J 13-2J, but before the Futahaguro affair really broke, and those two aren't really the best yokozuna candidates to be comparing against either.

The bad news is that 13-2 is the best that both Takakeisho or Terunofuji have ever managed. The good news is that all the 14-1 results from the 12-3 yokozuna potentiates were also achieved for the first time in the course of the tsuna run. So if the shimpan make any statements on the possibility of a promotion next basho for either of these two ozeki, that might well be the push they need to really seal that promotion.

Edited May 23, 2021 by Seiyashi

[pricklypomegranate 730]

Endo collapse on senshuraku. This is very typical of the rikishi. 

Congratulations to Terunofuji! He defeated Takakeisho almost the same way he was defeated in the regulation, cementing his run for the rope. It will be highly interested how Hakuho will deal with him (if at all) next basho. Next basho is definitely the one. 

[Katooshu 3,179]

I dunno, even if he goes 12-3Y again I think he'll be promoted. 3 yusho in a row, 2 as ozeki, I think it's enough...

[Seiyashi 4,072]

Terunofuji getting a few laughs out of the audience. Wish my listening comprehension was a little better.

[Seiyashi 4,072]

1 minute ago, Katooshu said:

I dunno, even if he goes 12-3Y again I think he'll be promoted. 3 yusho in a row, 2 as ozeki, I think it's enough...

It's not impossible, but even with double yusho it will be the weakest ever rope run in the 15-day basho era - the absolute minimum previously was 25/30. While the NSK may decide that their need for a yokozuna is pressing enough to do the unprecedented, it's much safer to assume he needs at least 13 to make his promotion a lot less controversial.