Taikoubana

At least he's realistic. It'd be a shame if his career high was juryo. Does he really have what it takes for makuuchi, much less have what it takes to live up to Taiho?

It should be aquamarine, specifically.

(I misclicked, I intended to vote 2 Ozeki yushos, not 1.) Hakuho 3 Goeido 1 Takayasu 1 Onosho 1

6th place and a KK in my sumo games debut! Not too shabby. Well played, everyone!

40th yusho for Hak! Will he try to reach 50, or was 40 the end goal? And is it possible for him to reach 50?

My boy Giku's having a rough time climbing back up through sanyaku. He's got the spirit, he just can't pull out the wins.

In the slow-mo, after he slaps Yoshi, he appears to tap his back like Harumafuji did to Kotoshogiku believing it was a false start. Was that the problem?

This nicely put-together montage of his career as a Yokozuna feels like a bad sign.

Onosho is back in red and back in business! That win may give him the confidence he needs to finish Kyushu with a kachi-koshi.

What's up with Onosho? Is he pulling a Shodai, or is the competition just too stiff this basho? He doesn't seem to be in bad shape. He just can't catch any breaks.

Who are you referring to?

Kotoshogiku zensho-yusho. Ishiura yusho in juryo. Aminishiki pulling 11 wins or higher. Chiyotairyu gets one or more kinboshi. (Perhaps not that ridiculous, but all unlikely...)

Yoshikaze, Mitakeumi, Shohozan, Hokutofuji, Takarafuji, Daishomaru, Asanoyama, Takekaze, Daiamami, Homarefuji, Ishiura, Kizaki, Enho (he's not confirmed kyujo, is he?), Nishikifuji, Tanabe. My alternate is Midorifuji.

Must have been a serious injury for him to go kyujo mere days before the basho after doing well in training. One would think he'd at least enter and attempt a reasonable score ... Since this kyujo means an almost certain retirement for him, does it not?

We haven't heard of or seen Ura for obvious reasons, but where is Takayasu? He was injured pretty badly as well but not as bad as Ura. Did he just skip this jungyo entirely to heal up for Kyushu?

These days, I could point out and name quite a number of active gyoji and yobidashi. But when I'm watching older sumo footage, I'm at a loss, seeing gyoji and yobidashi who have retired and info about them virtually impossible to find on the english corner of the internet. (If only I could google search someone's facial features!) Is there a database that I'm somehow overlooking that shows former gyoji and yobidashi and info about them? If not, please feel free to post pictures of former gyoji and/or yobidashi with their names, heya, and any other info you may have on them. Many thanks in advance!

May you enlighten us on the other 9 of your various sumo books? Would love to hear what other sumo fans keep around for reading material.

A happy and hearty greetings! I'm a lifelong enthusiast of Japan, it's language, and it's culture, since I could walk and talk. It was a long time coming, but I've finally found my way into the world of Sumo this year, and have quickly become obsessed. I've been lurking these forums for a while now, and I'll likely continue to, but I'm looking forward to adding my two cents here and there! Excited to be with you folks for the upcoming basho.