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SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo |
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Chris Gould
Chris sinks his teeth into how sumo can go about pulling in the younger
fans - currently so noticeable by their absence. The first of a
three-part series.
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Sumo World Championships |
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Mark Buckton
Mark Buckton reports from Sakai near Osaka, site of the latest Sumo World Championships.
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Rikishi of Old |
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Joe Kuroda
Joe Kuroda finishes off his look at former yokozuna Minanogawa.
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Sumo 101 / Eric Evaluates |
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Eric Blair
Eric expains sumo fan terminology - with the inevitable twist - for
those just getting into the sport and still subject to the know it alls.
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Age stands still for no man |
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Joe Kuroda
Former ozeki Kiyokuni will retire in November under the compulsory '65
and you are out' rule. JK takes a look at this quiet earth mover.
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Feel the Sumo |
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Eduardo de Paz
Read and feel the renowned Leonishiki's passion for all things sumo at his first live event.
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SFM Interview |
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Mark Buckton
Mark interviews Colin Carroll - again - Irish star of Sakai.
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Photo Bonanza |
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See the Aki Basho bonanza as well as the largest collection of pics you
are likely to see on the Sumo World Championships earlier in October.
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Aki Basho Summary |
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Lon Howard
Lon wraps the September Aki Basho and throws in some henka sighting results for good measure.
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Lower Division Rikishi |
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Mikko Mattila
The lower divisions, their members and results get the once over thanks to Mikko's eye of things 'beneath the curtain'.
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Kimarite Focus |
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Mikko Mattila
Mikko's latest clarification of several of the sport's plethora of kimarite.
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Amateur Angles |
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Howard Gilbert
Howard Gilbert - manager of New Zealand's amateur sumo team takes a look at the approaching Russians.
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Kokugi Konnections |
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Todd Lambert
Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best sumo sites online.
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Fan Debate |
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Facilitator - Lon Howard
Jesse Lake and Rich Pardoe hammer out their differences on a current furor - promotion criteria.
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SFM Cartoons |
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Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and enjoy Benny Loh's
offerings and put a caption to Stephen Thompson's picture to win
yourselves a banzuke.
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Sumo Odds ’n’ Ends |
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SFM's interactive elements including Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke!
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Readers' Letters |
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See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens.
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Sumo Quiz |
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The Quizmaster
Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.
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made for either M1 Roho, who filed a 10-5, or for the amazing M3 Aminishiki, with his
11-4. Normally, either record would be sekiwake material if a
place was open, but with no sekiwake or komusubi demotions, it’s
possible both men could be shut out. A close call there, but by
the time you read this, you’ll know.
Aminishiki
In that lower sanyaku grouping, besides Miyabiyama, it was 8-7s all
around for sekiwake Kotomitsuki,
 Kotomitsuki
“sophomore” komusubi Kisenosato,
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and
shin-komusubi Kokkai. In the Nagoya Basho Summary,
I wondered if Kotomitsuki’s five straight 8-7 marks at sekiwake might
be some kind of record, and in his Aki post-basho comments, Kotomitsuki
himself asked if six straight might be one. I haven’t attempted
to look it up yet, but I believe his luck is about to run out.
Kisenosato was another source of some of the failed promise of this
basho. Despite his wins over Asashoryu and Hakuho, he faltered
against some lower rankers, losing concentration at the tachiai.
Still, two straight kachi-koshi in his only sanyaku showings so far is
an impressive result, and with youth on his side, the promise continues.
Kisenosato
Then we come to Kokkai, who matched Kisenosato’s 8-7 shin-komusubi
outing of July. Although history shows that portends well, there
is much to make you wonder. I believe
he is making an effort to minimize the instinctive slap-down motions he
makes throughout the course of his bouts – witness his assault on
Futeno on day 13. But those “clean” torikumi are still the
exception. More common is the kind of goofy two-handed slap-down
motion he made in the air while in the process of running Chiyotaikai
off the dohyo on day 3. Finally, as if to dispel any doubt that
he still has major “presence of mind” issues, on day 9 he delivered a
stiff shove to the back of the already vanquished M2 Tamanoshima while
the latter was
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already stepping down from the dohyo after being pushed
out. As far as ozeki material is concerned, he still looks to be
fool’s gold.
Kokkai and Roho
The aforementioned Roho has now put together two solid outings at the
top of the maegashira ranks, and with an apparently remarkable attitude
adjustment after his off-the-dohyo debacle in Nagoya, now appears
poised to replace Kotomitsuki as a permanent member in Club
Sanyaku. That won’t happen in Kyushu…but soon, I believe.
As for Aminishiki, I am amazed, astounded and agog. It was
impressive enough watching him return from juryo two years ago after a
career-threating knee injury, and then proceeding to improve his
accustomed mid-to-lower makuuchi banzuke standing, but what nobody saw
coming was a 7-3 mark against the sanyaku ranks this time on the way to
his 11-4 surprise. All this while lugging more weight than ever
before on that ever-ailing knee – normally a deadly combination.
If he does slip into sanyaku in Kyushu, it will be his high-water
mark. Even if he can’t hold this position, what he’s done should
be an inspiration to all. His Ajigawa heya-mate Ama’s matching
11-4 performance pales in comparison. Ama was in the spotlight
for most of the basho due to his 10-1 start against the lower-rankers,
but was only 1-3 against the sanyaku. Still, it is apparent that
Ama’s proper place on the banzuke
Next
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