Robo's Last Stand

[Akinomaki]

To the two other Aomori veterans Wakanosato (also 36) and
Aminishiki (34): I want to have them do their best till their bodies
are worn out

[Akinomaki]

Furiwake-oyakata talk-show in Osaka: "If there's a fine guy, by
all means call me. I go there myself to talk to him" - showing again his
wish to scout rikishi rising higher than him.
"At last I'm getting used to wearing a suit. I also want to learn the fashion sense of the other oyakata."
"My muscles have become flabby" - he wants to take part in asageiko

[Naganoyama]

Do you notice that he's always smiling now? I don't think I remember seeing him smile when he was a rikishi.

[Bugman]

Do you notice that he's always smiling now? I don't think I remember seeing him smile when he was a rikishi.

My grandfather told me that on his final day of work before retirement, such was his happiness that on the way home he felt like he was floating down the street, maybe Takamisakari is experiencing something similar, the thought alone of no more Keiko must be reason to smile. :)

Edited February 26, 2013 by Bugman

[Akinomaki]

talk-show yesterday - he still doesn't want to give a lot of autographs

getting the Beat Takeshi entertainment awards special award
He would like to appear in a film by Takeshi - but, thinking of his position as an oyakata, not as a yakuza or similar.

[krindel]

talk-show yesterday - he still doesn't want to give a lot of autographs

getting the Beat Takeshi entertainment awards special award

He would like to appear in a film by Takeshi - but, thinking of his position as an oyakata, not as a yakuza or similar.

Not to worry, considering that association with actual yakuza has recently been discreetly downgraded in the transgressions list for oyakata, I am sure portraying one in a film would not be that much of a problem :-)

[Treblemaker]

Interesting to note, he may actually become more popular now than when he was a rikishi, and because sumo is a year-round thing (rather than other sports where there's a definite "off-season") he may be permanently on demand. Good for him.

[Asojima]

Interesting to note, he may actually become more popular now than when he was a rikishi, and because sumo is a year-round thing (rather than other sports where there's a definite "off-season") he may be permanently on demand. Good for him.

He was well-taught by Takamiyama to play the popularity/commercial game, but without his shikiri histionics, his demand will start to fade quickly.

[Treblemaker]

Interesting to note, he may actually become more popular now than when he was a rikishi, and because sumo is a year-round thing (rather than other sports where there's a definite "off-season") he may be permanently on demand. Good for him.

He was well-taught by Takamiyama to play the popularity/commercial game, but without his shikiri histionics, his demand will start to fade quickly.

Time will tell. My hunch is that he will be more popular and have more success off the dohyo than he ever had on it. My basis for this is that he has cultivated a huge following, not necessarily from his chest-thumping antics but from his approach and dedication to the whole lifestyle, and I honestly think, if there ever was a NATIVE face of sumo, he's it.

His heart-on-his-sleeve honesty, his longevity and consistency, his ad work, his whole style of dealing with the media, not to mention overcoming a large myopic handicap, his charisma (or whatever he uses as a defence-mechanism substitute), plus the fact the he really plays it up for the camera, and his squeaky-clean image following all those scandals - all of this make him an obvious choice for any public-related job the Kyokai needs.

For once, they have a real Japanese* commodity on their hands who is not encumbered by wins and losses, who can be counted on to follow the company line, and who revels in the spotlight. Not to take this opportunity and turn this guy into Mr Sumo in print, TV, videos, etc as a PR specialist would be a lost chance that couldn't be found in any other person currently on staff.

* Not taking anything away from Hakuho or HF as ultimate representatives as Yoks, but they're not Native. Of the current crop of recently (and not-so-recently) retired Japanese cum Oyakata, who else is there that could do this job, and do it well? Ex-Kaio? Ex-Chiyotaikai? Any Ex-Yoks? If there had been any they'd be up there now. The closest one who comes to mind is Ex-Mainoumi.

Anyway, this is just my guess. And who knows? It might lead to some form of marriage thing... He might be the Most Eligible Ex-Sumo Bachelor out there.

[Asashosakari]

* Not taking anything away from Hakuho or HF as ultimate representatives as Yoks, but they're not Native. Of the current crop of recently (and not-so-recently) retired Japanese cum Oyakata, who else is there that could do this job, and do it well? Ex-Kaio? Ex-Chiyotaikai? Any Ex-Yoks? If there had been any they'd be up there now. The closest one who comes to mind is Ex-Mainoumi.

Tochiazuma is playing the "business" version of the role you're outlining, I think. Anyway, I agree with your point - beyond all the shikiri stuff and the charming (or not) oddities in his behaviour, there's something about his complete dedication to the sumo lifestyle that obviously plays very well with Japanese audiences, and I don't think that was solely dependent on his active status.

I used to think it's a no-brainer to put him in the public relations department, but on reconsideration, maybe it's more worthwhile to just let him be himself vis-a-vis the press, and not put him into a role as an official press liaison with all the "company line" constraints that would bring. (That's more where you put a Tochiazuma, and they smartly did that shortly after he retired.)

In any case, the three oyakata currently working in the PR department are Hakkaku (ex-Hokutoumi, boss), Tamanoi (ex-Tochiazuma, deputy) and Otowayama (ex-Takanonami) - the number used to be larger, but that seems to have decreased after they installed full-time civilians a few years ago.

[Akinomaki]

Furiwake on air today (likely pre-recorded), again confessing that he likes a girl group member (forbidden to have romantic relations of course), this time Rino Sashihara (20) from AKB 48.


Today at the fire drill

[Bugman]

Fireman: How much of the chilli chanko-nabe did you eat sir?

[Akinomaki]

Furiwake gets his mage arranged by heya tokoyama Tokoizumi (3rd class) ->big


at the fire drill

[Yubinhaad]

Furiwake-oyakata with the poster for his intaizumo, which will be held on October 6th:

Drawn by former Kototsurugi:

[Asashosakari]

I generally enjoy Kototsurugi's work, but if the pose wasn't giving it away I'd have no idea this was supposed to be Takamisakari. (My first thought was: Shunketsu?)

[Doitsuyama]

I generally enjoy Kototsurugi's work, but if the pose wasn't giving it away I'd have no idea this was supposed to be Takamisakari. (My first thought was: Shunketsu?)

I saw Chiyotaikai...

[Kintamayama]

I saw Bennylo.

[Washuyama]

I generally enjoy Kototsurugi's work, but if the pose wasn't giving it away I'd have no idea this was supposed to be Takamisakari. (My first thought was: Shunketsu?)

I saw Kototsurugi himself from back when he was active..

[Akinomaki]

Furiwake at his first appearance with basho mawashi since intai at a children's tournament and talk-show, with a promising child rikishi and talk-show announcer Rena Tomas, who announced him not as oyakata but wrongly as aikata (companion) - which he apparently liked. The kid he asked if in 3 years he'll join his heya, but got an evading "let me think".

Edited May 3, 2013 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki]

High five with 1214 visitors in 30min. on his 37th birthday - Furiwake will be doing this till day 13, except on days 2 and 5

Edited May 12, 2013 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki]

High five with 1214 visitors in 30min. on his 37th birthday - Furiwake will be doing this till day 13, except on days 2 and 5

He did it with a total of 9356 visitors on those 11 days, 1614 on day 8 was the most for one day.

[Akinomaki]

The hall was full for the intai-zumo and danpatsu-shiki of Takamisakari (Furiwake-oyakata) in the kokugikan today, about 10000 visitors. About 380 had a cut, Hakuho, Akebono and former Azumazeki-oyakata (Takamiyama) among them.

Azumazeki-oyakata cutting


Final cut especially not by the present but by the former Azumazeki-oyakata

[Akinomaki]

I guess there will be masses of pics and videos

Welcoming the spectators with the oyakata and o-kami-san

The stylist had told him: “The theme of the new hair style is 'a man popular with women' ”




Asked “And next the search for a bride?” he replied “Please don't say that.”

Edited October 6, 2013 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki]

NHK news7 video (how to watch hidden NHK videos outside of Japan)
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20131006/k10015070761000.html

He suppressed any tears till the very end.


Wakanosato also had a cut, same 37, also from Aomori, training together and competing with each other since childhood – he gave no hint about his own future, only commenting “I could fight him in the spirit 'I don't want to lose to him'.”

(Anime girl character-)Fighter Yuichiro Nagashima cutting


His speech afterwards in the typical extra loud Kato style.




His mother (64) commented: “I thought he's sweet also without the top-knot.”

Edited October 6, 2013 by Akinomaki

[Akinomaki]

Kyodo

TBS will air an report about his last day as Takamisakari. http://www.tbs.co.jp/birth-day/

Last keiko - with kids

before the last bout, with a kid, he showed the characteristic Takamisakari gestures for the last time.







The sumo experts Mitsuru Yaku (manga artist) and Demon-kakka (many-sided artist) were among the cutters.

Hakuho




his father


Azumazeki-oyakata




Takamiyama

Edited October 6, 2013 by Akinomaki