Favorite Yokozuna? Past And Present

[Asojima]

Interesting that despite their popularity among the Japanese, neither of the Taka/Waka Hanada guys have been mentioned here.

[Chanko Thief]

41 minutes ago, Asojima said:

Interesting that despite their popularity among the Japanese, neither of the Taka/Waka Hanada guys have been mentioned here.

I thought that strange as well. For my part, I am not a huge fan of Takanohana for some reason. He just never really grabbed my attention the way that other past Yokozuna have, and I was always more a fan of Akebono which I’m sure plays into it somehow.
 

In fact, dare I say that I prefer Wakanohana? I remember a couple of his matches fondly. But I admit that it has been some time since I last revisited Taka’s career. Time to watch some old matches of his to see if my opinion has changed.

[sumojoann]

25 minutes ago, Chanko Thief said:

I thought that strange as well. For my part, I am not a huge fan of Takanohana for some reason. He just never really grabbed my attention the way that other past Yokozuna have, and I was always more a fan of Akebono which I’m sure plays into it somehow.
 

In fact, dare I say that I prefer Wakanohana? I remember a couple of his matches fondly. But I admit that it has been some time since I last revisited Taka’s career. Time to watch some old matches of his to see if my opinion has changed.

Here is a great video posted 2 months ago of all of Takanohana vs Asashoryu's bouts. 

 

Edited June 9, 2020 by sumojoann

[sumojoann]

Great video of Takanohana vs Akebono bouts. 

 

[sumojoann]

Part 2 

 

[sumojoann]

From a great new Youtube channel "Best of Sumo". 

 

[yohcun]

18 minutes ago, sumojoann said:

Great video of Takanohana vs Akebono bouts. 

 

Dug up what I think was their first meeting, in jonokuchi (not in the above vid).

 

[sumojoann]

This is supposedly an updated video of the Takanohana vs Akebono bouts.  It was recently uploaded.  Parts 1 & 2 above were uploaded 7 years ago.  (I don't know what the differences might be). 

 

[Hakuryuho]

11 hours ago, Yamanashi said:

I tried to bet my friends that you'd say Hakuho was the greatest yokozuna, but none of them would put up money against me.  Damn!

Haha, I mean that would not have been very smart on their part, I picked the name in honor of the Greatest, my favorite rikishi   But it was worth a try I'm sure! 

[Swami]

Consider how much the banzuke was in Takanohana and Wakanohana's favour for much of the mid-to-late 90s when Fujishima and Futagoyama stables merged, they went down as far as maegashira 8 or so to get opponents for Taka/Waka, whereas Akebono always had a much harder draw.  Musashimaru too, even though he had two high-ranking stablemates in Musoyama and Dejima.

In Wakanohana's case had he remained ozeki he would probably have been remembered in a better light, but his Yokozuna tenure was not exactly stellar.

 

Swami

[Chanko Thief]

Great Chiyonofuji documentary in English narration with some awesome interviews with a few other legends:

 

[Dapeng]

On 09/06/2020 at 07:42, Swami said:

Consider how much the banzuke was in Takanohana and Wakanohana's favour for much of the mid-to-late 90s when Fujishima and Futagoyama stables merged, they went down as far as maegashira 8 or so to get opponents for Taka/Waka, whereas Akebono always had a much harder draw.  Musashimaru too, even though he had two high-ranking stablemates in Musoyama and Dejima.

In Wakanohana's case had he remained ozeki he would probably have been remembered in a better light, but his Yokozuna tenure was not exactly stellar.

 

Swami

Ake and Taka had 21:21 record.

[Yamanashi]

The Chiyonofuji video was a double plus: a really superior in-depth docu with first-person interviews, and a hilarious look at vintage British commercials.

[Chanko Thief]

1 hour ago, Yamanashi said:

The Chiyonofuji video was a double plus: a really superior in-depth docu with first-person interviews, and a hilarious look at vintage British commercials.

Exactly! My wife walked into the room during one and said “what the hell are you watching?” Hahaha. Those commercials are comedy gold.

[Achiyama]

My favorite Yokozuna is the ONE who made me a Sumo fan and hooked me to sumo ever since:

A K E B O N O !!!

[Shinobi Steve]

I only learned that Sumo exists because of Akebono. So, I have to stick with the Hawaiian giant. 

[Chanko Thief]

 

[Bugman]

I'd have to go for Chiyonofuji, when i was a child in the UK, channel 4 used to show Sumo highlights and that was his era.  I used to watch them with my father, neither of us having a clue what was going on, but cheering for the wolf, knowing that we were witnessing a champion.

[Fujisan]

Aaashoryu-Chiyonofuj

[Stupidface]

On 11/10/2020 at 06:20, Chanko Thief said:

 

Ran out of reactions but thumbs up for this!

[Chanko Thief]

My boy Onokuni’s dohyo-iri:

 

[Tochinofuji]

For me, Chiyonofuji ranks at the top, with Takanosato, Kitanoumi, Wakanohana I (specifically for his yobimodoshi), and Harumafuji not far off. 

Wow, apparently I like a goodly chunk of yokozuna! 

[Churaumi]

Hakuho, Harumafuji, and Chiyonofuji round out the Churaumi household favorites. However, I have to admit Kakuryu was a thing of beauty at his peak. It was like watching a python in action, with his patience and strategy.

[Kaminariyuki]

On 27/05/2020 at 23:52, Jakusotsu said:

白鵬

I missed this thread last May, but I too am a Hakuho fan. Of course, as a fan of only five or six years, he's the only dai-yokozuna I've seen. Only seen a little video footage of some of the earlier top dogs, but after reading some of the comments on this thread, I need to go see what I can find of Wajima on Youtube. There must be something...

I guess I like the bad boys. Go figure.

[Kaminariyuki]

On 06/11/2020 at 14:55, Stupidface said:

Ran out of reactions but thumbs up for this!

Who is Hakuho fighting in that last clip?