Yoma

Kitazakura taught Hakurozan not to be emotional? I hope he held back in favour of Tochinonada during that particular lesson.

Thx for the excellent pics! Especially the tsuna-tying pics are very interesting.

Funny, I recently had a discussion with a Jpanese friend of mine who suggested that Kaio should be made honorary Yokozuna. Yusho-wise Kaio outscored various Yokozuna of the recent past with five trophies , but that doesn't help much if you don't achieve two of them in a row, does it ;) And Chiyo "only" won three emperor's cups. And despite that, he currently takes almost one fourth of his wins by Hatakikomi - way to much for a Yokozuna. I, too, miss the times when Chiyotaikai Oshidashi-ed like 10 out of his 15 opponents within 2-3 seconds and won yushos that way but those times are over. Let's face it: He's one great Ozeki, but not a Yokozuna.

I'm pretty sure I know who it is since he's my favourite rikishi (Not my Avatar Rikishi, though). Actually, I'm certain it's him. But I'm not gonna tell either ;) I once asked a Japanese friend of mine about the exact meaning of his shikona and after much thinking and looking up words in a dictionary he said it probably stands for an outstanding warrior, winning a battle practically on his own, possibly sacrificing his own life doing so ... I don't know how reliable that information is though, since that friend of mine is not a Sumo fan and he is not familiar with shikonas that much but it sounds great I think. :)

Maybe Asa should return to his old method of paying back a loss - show up at the relevant rikishi's heya for a surprise visit and honour him with an extra tsuri-based keiko session?

D'oh! I did use the search function though, searching for Akebono and Ocean's thirteen. Sorry anyway...

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1850858/ Since he's listed as a guy called "Sumo Wrestler" I guess it'll be pretty much a role like those of boxers Lennox Lewis and Wladimir Klitchko who more or less played themselves in O's Eleven.

As far as I recall, the announcer said it exactly so.

I hardly ever saw Asa screw up as badly as today. This remembers me of Aki 2004 when he was thrown down by tochinonada and suddenly started to get Oshidashi'd by Iwakiyama and stuff without showing any of his over-ambitious energy. I think that he will approach the two upcoming bouts a lot more carefully as usually and I don't think he'll win more than one of them.

Sd50w Masutoo (0-7) (Chucking salt...) OK, not every big European guy who joins ozumo must necessarily make an impact like Kotooshu or Baruto and Masutoo surely had to recover from an injury last year, but this kinda shocked me...

Futabayama I'm sure...

I voted for Sekiwake as I think he'll only make it to Ozeki some time 2006. It wouldn't surprise me though, if he fulfilled the requirements within the next four basho.

Your favorite rikishi: Kaio Least favorite rikishi: Kyokushuzan Best technician: Asashoryu Best weapon in sumo today by a particular rikishi: Asa's Power in attacking Best defensively: Asashoryu (can turn any attack into a counter attack.) Your current favorite matchup in sumo: Kaio vs. Wakanosato Your all time favorite bout: Kaio vs. Maru Nagoya 2000 Deserves more appreciation: Takanotsuru Most exciting to watch: Ama Overrated rikishi: Shimotori Underrated rikisi: Ama On the way down: Toki Most potential: Kisenosato Overachiever: Kyokushuzan (this basho) Underachiever: Kisenosato Best Tachiai: Asashoryu Most fighting spirit: Asashoryu Least fighting spirit: Kyokushuzan Your favorite rikishi all time: Kaio Least favorite rikishi all time: Asanowaka Favorite heya: Naruto Least favorite heya: Tatsunami (weird things going on there...) Destined for ozekihood: Hakuho Destined for yokozuna: Hakuho Destined for makuuchi: Shiraishi Wasting time in Juryo: Kasugao Strongest Rikishi: Kaio Weakest Rikishi: Kyokushuzan Fastest Rikishi: Asashoryu Best Yotsu: Asashoryu Best Oshi: Asashoryu Weirdest rikishi: Takamisakari Henka: Yay or Nay? Nay Asashoryu: Yay or Nay? Yay Many foreigners in sumo: Yay or Nay? Yay Will sumo ever become a true global sport? Nay Favorite SumoForum poster: Kintamayama Favorite SumoForum smiley: Punk Rocker Fixing in sumo today? probably... Doping: Yay or Nay? Nay (dunno actually...) Is doping in sumo cheating? Yep Worst thing about sumo: Yaocho Best thing about sumo: It's still Sumo

And Don't Forget Kaio! His condition seems to be serious. I wonder if he can compete this basho. If he can't and needs to withdraw, I doubt he will give it too many more tries. Maybe none...

works fine for me...

Kaio's mawashi is a disgrace to Sumo? No offence, but this is a bit rediculous...

Against Morikawa. I'd have laughed had he lost.

:-) 1. Don't jump the gun mate! 2. Be serious...

Usually I'd agree but if Hakuho has a white creature on his kesho I wonder if maybe...

As it is a white beast on that kesho, I first thought that must be a white phoenix then (Hakuho=White Phoenix, right?) but then again a phoenix is a bird rather than a water animal, isn't it? So either this is just any kind of beast without a reference to Hakuho's shikona OR the designer of this kesho didn't do his homework OR I'm totally mistaken and a phoenix in japanese mythology is not necessarily a bird-like creature OR I was wrong about Hakuho's shikona in the first place OR ...

I liked Wakanosatos bouts so far. The better man won today, he was simply stronger than Kotooshu. Man, I just hope he'll make it ;-) (and I personally mean just the Ozeki run ;) )

Yeah, I just meant to say he hasn't faced Any of the Hakuhos, Kotomitsukis and guys like that yet but "only" Iwakiyama and Kotonowaka. Thinks won't get any easier. The easiest part is already over for Kio I think. And he didn't look exactly good. It was a close bout against Iwakiyama, too, wasn't it?

I hope you're right. In Aki 03 he started 4-0 and ended up 7-8. Maybe a loss at the beginning isn't that bad for him but there big names coming up...

And a really sad bout by Kaio it was. How come he didn't finish Kotonowaka by Oshidashi when he had the chance? Or by Yoriki, Uwatedashinage right after? Not the power? Not the will? I'm really disappointed. :-D

Very interesting information, thank you very much! Mrs. Uchidate is a screenwriter, isn't she? And I take it shinbunsha has something to do with shinbun=newspaper...?