Excited to see Onosato come up like this! It's bittersweet seeing Takakeisho go, iirc my first tournament watching was the 2nd or 3rd tournament of his Ozeki run so him being an Ozeki (besides...
Excited to see Onosato come up like this!
It's bittersweet seeing Takakeisho go, iirc my first tournament watching was the 2nd or 3rd tournament of his Ozeki run so him being an Ozeki (besides that one basho Sekiwake demotion) has been the norm the entire time I've watched the sport.
Same on all points! Onosato is exciting to watch, still has a lot of potential to learn more, and with ex-Kisenosato as his stablemaster he should have a lot of experience to draw upon. Takakeisho...
Same on all points! Onosato is exciting to watch, still has a lot of potential to learn more, and with ex-Kisenosato as his stablemaster he should have a lot of experience to draw upon.
Takakeisho has always been a favorite of mine, love that human cannonball even if I did cringe every time he knocked heads with another rikishi. Five years at Ozeki is one hell of a tenure and I, unlike many others, do not fault him for not reaching Yokozuna rank. In fact, I'm of the opinion that Ozeki is the single hardest rank to be. You don't have the safety net of not being demoted if you lose or go kyujo, you are expected to win just as if you are a yokozuna, you spend every basho fighting all of the sanyaku and the yokozuna(s), along with being the gatekeeper for any upstarts that want a shot at the throne.
Don't get me wrong, it takes significant achievement to reach the top rank and I'm sure Takakeisho would loved to have reached it and been able to take time off, heal properly, etc. I just don't think it's a mark against him to have spent 5 consecutive years at Ozeki without reaching it, especially since the biggest portion of that was with Hakuho at the top who felt threatened enough by Takakeisho to pull stunts like this.
I look forward to seeing him as a stablemaster and he's young enough to teach the next few generations of rikishi.
I really enjoyed reading this comment, I always like listening to someone passionate talk about an interest. I think I've figured out most of the ranking talk through context clues. As a dumb,...
I really enjoyed reading this comment, I always like listening to someone passionate talk about an interest. I think I've figured out most of the ranking talk through context clues. As a dumb, never really seen a match before American, is there a good place to learn more and watch matches?
Been out of town a few days, so just getting back to this reply. Would you prefer to watch or read to learn more? Watching: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/basics/ - and - NHK (Japan's...
Been out of town a few days, so just getting back to this reply.
Would you prefer to watch or read to learn more?
Watching: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/basics/ - and - NHK (Japan's national broadcaster) has a long series of 2 minute "Sumopedia" videos: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/sumopedia/ - At the very top where the "NEW" section is, click "more", then scroll down to find the numbered videos and start with #1. If that's too much I'd watch the sections in this order: Traditions, Rikishi, Stadium, Bouts.
Onosato is an absolute force. Was a joy to watch him this past basho--but my favorite moment was when he got dunked on by my original favorite rikishi (and still one of my favorites!),...
Onosato is an absolute force. Was a joy to watch him this past basho--but my favorite moment was when he got dunked on by my original favorite rikishi (and still one of my favorites!), Wakatakakage. Seeing WTK rocket back to competing at the top levels has been heartwarming, and seeing him take down the big guy was one of my favorite Sumo moments in recent memory.
I'm also so relieved to see Kirishima more-or-less back to form, and could still see him getting the rope if all goes well.
Real sad to see Takakeisho go. I started watching just before Terunofuji ascended to Yokozuna, so the Battle Hamster has been a constant for me from the beginning. I always appreciated his style and willingness to just go for broke. I think if he had made Yokozuna he would have stuck around for some time longer, but not having the time to heal his injuries really put a timer on his career. I will always wonder how he would have done if he did like Teru (and now WTK) and just sat out and climbed up from the bottom.
Sumo has been just plain exciting for me lately. I feel like I'm actively rooting for nearly half the banzuke, it's great.
The term you're looking for is bandwagoner and while it's oft considered negatively, I disagree as there is no right or wrong way to be a fan of something. I like underdogs, the pixies (band and...
The term you're looking for is bandwagoner and while it's oft considered negatively, I disagree as there is no right or wrong way to be a fan of something. I like underdogs, the pixies (band and rikishi), one trick ponies, technicians, and some wrestlers just based on their attitude. I don't like some wrestlers just based on their fighting style (Abi is an example with just two hands straight for the throat or a henka if he doesn't feel like fighting that day).
That said, there is no dominant rikishi right now and to me, that is interesting. I expect the top ranks to win, I expect yokozuna to dominate, but without a single dominant force you're going to get a mishmash of winners. Now some of the reason they don't tend to win consistently, is multi-fold.
Many of the recent winners are new to the top division and their strategies haven't been fully fleshed out by others just yet. Every fighting style has a weakness and it takes time to know how to counter. In other professional sports they'd say there's not much tape on new winners to watch, learn from, and use to form a defense. It's one of the reasons rookies in many other sports get a "breakout season" as the base to counter their moves doesn't exist yet.
The new-to-the-top-division winners also face an easier slate of opponents. A low maegashira wrestler will spend the first week facing other low maegashira wrestlers, giving them an easier chance at wins and gain momentum and confidence for the rest of the basho. Rikishi in the sanyaku are facing other top/experienced wrestlers and don't have as easy a run of things.
After winning a basho, the winner is heavily promoted up the ranks, which puts them in a tougher schedule with more seasoned opponents where they usually get slapped down and taught a lesson that they got lucky with the tournament win and aren't the new top dog in the pack. Dominant athletes/teams in all sports are rare.
It is worth noting that while I am not pleased with Terunofuji's absences, when he shows up he pretty much always wins the tournament. So technically speaking, he is dominant, just not always present to demonstrate such.
Excited to see Onosato come up like this!
It's bittersweet seeing Takakeisho go, iirc my first tournament watching was the 2nd or 3rd tournament of his Ozeki run so him being an Ozeki (besides that one basho Sekiwake demotion) has been the norm the entire time I've watched the sport.
Same on all points! Onosato is exciting to watch, still has a lot of potential to learn more, and with ex-Kisenosato as his stablemaster he should have a lot of experience to draw upon.
Takakeisho has always been a favorite of mine, love that human cannonball even if I did cringe every time he knocked heads with another rikishi. Five years at Ozeki is one hell of a tenure and I, unlike many others, do not fault him for not reaching Yokozuna rank. In fact, I'm of the opinion that Ozeki is the single hardest rank to be. You don't have the safety net of not being demoted if you lose or go kyujo, you are expected to win just as if you are a yokozuna, you spend every basho fighting all of the sanyaku and the yokozuna(s), along with being the gatekeeper for any upstarts that want a shot at the throne.
Don't get me wrong, it takes significant achievement to reach the top rank and I'm sure Takakeisho would loved to have reached it and been able to take time off, heal properly, etc. I just don't think it's a mark against him to have spent 5 consecutive years at Ozeki without reaching it, especially since the biggest portion of that was with Hakuho at the top who felt threatened enough by Takakeisho to pull stunts like this.
I look forward to seeing him as a stablemaster and he's young enough to teach the next few generations of rikishi.
I really enjoyed reading this comment, I always like listening to someone passionate talk about an interest. I think I've figured out most of the ranking talk through context clues. As a dumb, never really seen a match before American, is there a good place to learn more and watch matches?
Been out of town a few days, so just getting back to this reply.
Would you prefer to watch or read to learn more?
Watching:
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/basics/ - and - NHK (Japan's national broadcaster) has a long series of 2 minute "Sumopedia" videos: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/sumopedia/ - At the very top where the "NEW" section is, click "more", then scroll down to find the numbered videos and start with #1. If that's too much I'd watch the sections in this order: Traditions, Rikishi, Stadium, Bouts.
Japan Sumo Association's youtube channel Sumo Prime Time: https://www.youtube.com/@sumoprimetime7506/videos - Their basics video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qA8wS_t5Lv8
Reading:
NHK Q&A: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/sumo/qa/
SumoTalk's Sumo 101: https://www.sumotalk.com/basics.htm
Highsnobiety (there isn't a part 2): https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/sumo-wrestling-guide/
Actually watching matches gets trickier and we can get into that if you get through the above and are still interested.
Onosato is an absolute force. Was a joy to watch him this past basho--but my favorite moment was when he got dunked on by my original favorite rikishi (and still one of my favorites!), Wakatakakage. Seeing WTK rocket back to competing at the top levels has been heartwarming, and seeing him take down the big guy was one of my favorite Sumo moments in recent memory.
I'm also so relieved to see Kirishima more-or-less back to form, and could still see him getting the rope if all goes well.
Real sad to see Takakeisho go. I started watching just before Terunofuji ascended to Yokozuna, so the Battle Hamster has been a constant for me from the beginning. I always appreciated his style and willingness to just go for broke. I think if he had made Yokozuna he would have stuck around for some time longer, but not having the time to heal his injuries really put a timer on his career. I will always wonder how he would have done if he did like Teru (and now WTK) and just sat out and climbed up from the bottom.
Sumo has been just plain exciting for me lately. I feel like I'm actively rooting for nearly half the banzuke, it's great.
The term you're looking for is bandwagoner and while it's oft considered negatively, I disagree as there is no right or wrong way to be a fan of something. I like underdogs, the pixies (band and rikishi), one trick ponies, technicians, and some wrestlers just based on their attitude. I don't like some wrestlers just based on their fighting style (Abi is an example with just two hands straight for the throat or a henka if he doesn't feel like fighting that day).
That said, there is no dominant rikishi right now and to me, that is interesting. I expect the top ranks to win, I expect yokozuna to dominate, but without a single dominant force you're going to get a mishmash of winners. Now some of the reason they don't tend to win consistently, is multi-fold.
It is worth noting that while I am not pleased with Terunofuji's absences, when he shows up he pretty much always wins the tournament. So technically speaking, he is dominant, just not always present to demonstrate such.