yutarotanaka

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2vRBVCLuZH47Aj6h8 Ichinojo and Enho #BiggieAndSmallie Should this photo be transferred to the 'Sumo with kids' thread? I mean look at the size discrepancy. I would probably take 2 1/2 Enho's to match Ichinojo's mass. Yikes!

That was fast! The NHK WORLD-JAPAN website already has the program available on VOD even before they've finished the usual four times of broadcasting it. Yeah. The program has a bit more relaxed tone than the preview show. There are lots more fun moments here in my opinion. I was hoping though that they included (or include in future editions of the program) discussions about some of the controversies and scandals that hit the world of sumo. I think the program tries to have positive vibe about it but I think they should balance it out by being transparent enough to deal with these serious events so that the sumo community and the fans can have some more open discussions about problems plaguing sumo. Perhaps come up with some constructive criticisms and suggestions.

So I just finished watching GRAND SUMO Review a while ago. It's basically the same format as the GRAND SUMO Preview program they have days before each honbasho. For this edition though, it covers a larger time frame as it reviewed sumo for the whole of 2018. Features included a recap of the winners from each of the honbashos, a piece on Onosho's rivalry with Takakeisho, Raja putting his body on the line again in analyzing the sumo technique 'Yorikiri' with special guest former Ozeki Kotoōshū and the panel's forecast of sumo in 2019. It was a fun way to end the sumo year as you got to relive the amazing happenings that sent waves in the sumo world that included having three first time yusho winners. Like a said in my previous post, I hope this program will be eventually made into a regular program during sumo honbasho off months so sumo fans will still get a bit of coverage of what is happening in the world of sumo.

A new sumo related program on NHK WORLD-JAPAN has just been unveiled. It's called GRAND SUMO Review. It first aired earlier today, 28th of December 2018. I'm going to catch the 2nd (replay) broadcast in a few hours. I've been a program monitor for NHK WORLD-JAPAN for almost two years now and when I monitor one of their sumo programs like GRAND SUMO Preview, GRAND SUMO Highlights or GRAND SUMO Live, I've sometimes suggested creating another program after the tournament to recap it and provide insight to the events that happened in it. A 'GRAND SUMO Review' as I coined it in one of my reports. Apparently, my comments and suggestions did not go unnoticed by the show runners and producers of NHK WORLD-JAPAN and decided to give it a go. Hopefully, this would be a regular thing during the even numbered months so we can get our sumo fix when honbasho is on break. Will provide additional information later on what the show's format is and what contents and topics were discussed. Or better yet, just watch it on NHK WORLD-JAPAN's website for free. They stream all of their programs live and I'm guessing it will be available on 'Video On Demand' some time after the 4th broadcast.

OK. So I'm officially naming the Shaqtin' A Fool version of sumo "Nokotta-in' A Fool" The question now is what hashtag to use when pointing out bad sumo play. #nokottain or #nokottin Vote now! :D

If there was a Shaqtin' a fool version of sumo, this match ought to be the top match of the year and the gyoji the Shaqtin' MVP of the year. This match was soo f***ed up it was ridiculous. Matta called by the head judge and the gyoji still continued the match "Nokotta-ing" for a whopping 8 seconds as the judge had his hand up in right front of the him. 8 freaking seconds! Either the gyoji did not see or chose to ignore it. Either way, bad look on him. This ain't American football wherein even if a flag is called you still continue play. The 2nd matta called by the gyoji was terrible. There was nothing wrong with their tachiai. And he missed the step out of Tochinoshin because he was out of position to see what was going on critical side of the match. And apparently, if Ross Mihara's explanation in the commentary (which was also a sumo Shaqtin MVP nominee if you ask me) is to be believed, the gyoji, after seeing Tochinoshin 'win' by Yokiri pointed his paddle to Shohozan's side. One of the replays confirm this. It's like was the gyoji drunk or high? So many bad calls in a match. Terrible. Just terrible.

Takayasu is kind of running in the same trajectory as his heyamate senpai Kisenosato. This year he had many runner-up finishes. Maybe next year he can string up the needed wins to finally capture that elusive yusho cup. All the best to him. Congrats to Takakeisho!

Oh no... No more "It's time... Dr. Takasu" :,(

Yago making a statement that he probably should be in the top division spot where Chiyomaru is after deafeating the round one in today's first makuunuchi match of Day 1.

The writer clearly did not do enough research about the other Filipinos/half Filipinos in sumo. The article mentioned Masunoyama at the first paragraph but completely forgot about him in the rest of the article. And the writer did not even get to Kotokuzan who is higher in rank compared to Masunoyama. Kotokuzan has recently been climbing up the Makushita ranks and enters Kyushu 2018 at his highest rank of East Makushita 11. Masunoyama, whose last stint at the top division was four years ago, has since been fading away lower and lower the banzuke because of injuries but managed a good Aki basho and is now at East Sandame 18.

This is too general. Specifics are needed to be outlined so that the criteria is clear and punishments for infractions can be dealt with fairly to all. This is just some vague guidelines that is nothing more than lip service to the media and sumo enthusiasts so the Sumo Association can say they did something about the issue. They need to follow this up with more concrete steps.

OMG! See! See! I told you they do it from time to time! https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/tournament/201809/live_2.html

I'm guessing no. That would be too sudden a promotion for Mitakeumi considering he's just now able to produce double digits in the sanyaku level. A solid 11 or 12 wins next basho should be enough for Ozeki consideration if he wins the 2018 Nagoya basho.

You mean this guys? https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZaJDkLRvXHJJH8mf9

Abi kinboshi!!! Kakuryu drops two in a row against rank and file wrestlers.

Ikioi kinboshi!!! Kakuryu was depressed by Hakuho's kyujo hence his heart wasn't in the match today...

Updates on some of the graphics packages of selected wrestlers. Onosho - https://photos.app.goo.gl/phYY3dCFnfY7ndHQ9 Takayasu - https://photos.app.goo.gl/vi79637JuoTJP0ne2 Ishiura - https://photos.app.goo.gl/f7GMfDr8C0GDaMyw1 Takakeisho - https://photos.app.goo.gl/bHoLBTufiCaSUtli1 And for those of you who watch Abema TV live sumo often, What does the button/graphics that appear near the lower right side of the screen sometimes during advertisements or matches? Any idea what it does/say/mean? I just keep pressing it as I'm scared if I don't, the streaming would stop. Haha. https://photos.app.goo.gl/ttPEy4wyakRZ9aAr8

Shodai gets to ride shotgun with Kakuryu in the parade car today.Just a quick question: I'm just curious who gets to determine who gets to ride with the yusho winner in the parade car? Are there special rules to facilitate this or special connection that the two should have like being in the same heya, a certain rank, besties etc. or is it just who ever raises their hands first and yell "Me! Me! Me!" when asked who wants to ride with the yusho winner gets picked for the honor?

I remember last basho that Abema TV had a video on demand (VOD) for their sumo coverage. Do they still have those? I can't seem to find it on their sumo page. Anybody know the link it there is one? EDIT: Nevermind... I think I found it.

I know its been a few days after NHK WORLD-JAPAN's live sumo with English commentary for this aired but I'd like to share my thoughts on it. I believe the commentators for that day are Raja Pradhan and another fellow named David Shapiro. I'm not quite familiar with David Shapiro though. I may have heard him during instances in Jason Harris YouTube videos when he turns up the volume so his viewers can hear the commentary for matches. So this will be the first time I'm hearing his commentary for an extended time. Also, I would just like to mention that I rarely hear English commentary in sumo coverage aside from the aforementioned tidbits from Jason's videos. The other occasion I was able to watch a sumo coverage with English commentary was last basho's Day 1 live sumo coverage by then NHK WORLD-TV with Murray Johnson and John Gunning as commentators which I thought was very well done. Having said that, I felt that Raja and David were perhaps a bit rattled and there were instances that they were just all-over the place with their commentary. They overdid themselves by trying to appeal to both the potential new audience watching from outside Japan and their usual English speaking audience at the same time to what I personally thought was a bit of a mess. Like over-explaining things but rather than clarifying the situation, I felt that it added more confusion to new viewers and frustration for the long-time sumo fans/viewers. Their explanations could have been made more succinct and just perhaps give the link and refer them to the NHK WORLD-JAPAN's page on sumo for further info. They just laid it too thick with all the explaining in my humble opinion. The graphics needed a bit of polishing too. It could have been perhaps spruced up a bit. I just felt it was too simple and bland. There are times where the graphics just appears and disappears too quickly. I also noted that there are times that the commentators just ignored the graphics on screen that I felt that they should be paying attention to or explaining a bit. Even if they do eventually pay attention to the graphics, the timing is off and the commentators tend to be left behind in their task to read or explain what was on the graphics displayed that they sounded like they were scrambling. Look, I'm not poo-pooing on the efforts of NHK WORLD-JAPAN's or the commentators' efforts here. There was just a noticeable drop in the quality of the broadcast compared to the last time they did it. I hope I didn't sound mean or too critical here because that's not my intention. I just wanted to do my part as a humble fan of the show and sumo to try and provide constructive criticism in the hopes of improving future versions of it. I do hope that NHK WORLD-JAPAN would continue and hopefully expand on their live sumo with English commentary coverage on the next tournaments. How about you guys? Were you able to catch the live coverage also? What did you like or not like about the coverage? Love to hear your thoughts.

Is the slap and grab/forearm blast at the tachi-ai considered a cheap move unworthy or beneath the rank of Yokozuna like henkas?

Abema TV coverage has a lot of close up shots of Takanohana today. Hearing a lot of talk about Takanohana from the commentator as well. If only I can understand Japanese...

A few more graphics for certain werestlers I got from today's Abema TV live sumo coverage: Aminishiki: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lw8yAiywBHwNMhNt1 Chiyomaru: https://photos.app.goo.gl/faoRtABIGUOcUNL93 Hokutofuji: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KJqtJHEijOkbh7EG3 Ishiura: https://photos.app.goo.gl/f7GMfDr8C0GDaMyw1 Ryuden: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bpBjpeb4tk9wFn6x2 Takakeisho: https://photos.app.goo.gl/bHoLBTufiCaSUtli1 Yoshikaze: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZePmajytSa5Y722P2 Some Day 2 screenshots: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Stx6Tys4XWiL10nU2

"It's time... Dr. Takasu."

Aminishiki got tripped today by Kyokutasei... Veteran Takekaze drops the mountain Aoiyama... Ishiura tries a henka against Arawashi but gets caught and reversed...