SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo Chris Gould Chris sinks his teeth deeper into how sumo can go about pulling in the younger fans in part two of a three-part series. Azumazeki up close and personal Steven Pascal-Joiner / William Titus A wiz with a pen and a wiz with a lens get together with SFM to share their time with Azumazeki Oyakata - Takamiyama as was - with the wider sumo following world. Rikishi of Old Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda takes a detailed look at the life and times of a former yokozuna forgotten by many - Maedayama. Eric Evaluates Eric Blair Eric calls the musubi-no-ichiban kimarite call on nakabi in Kyushu as perhaps only he could. Heya Peek Jeff Kennel First time heya visitor Jeff Kennel wrote about, photographed and even made a video of his time spent at Arashio Beya prior to the Kyushu Basho. All to be found within. SFM Interview Mark Buckton Mark interviews Russian up and comer Wakanoho of Magaki Beya. Photo Bonanzas See behind the scenes at the Kyushu Basho, morning training in Arashio Beya through the eyes of an artist and exactly what the Azumazeki lads had to eat halfway though the July Nagoya Basho. All originals, all seen here and nowhere else, and all for you. Kyushu Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon wraps the Kyushu Basho in Fukuoka and throws in some henka sighting results for good measure. Lower Division Rikishi Mikko Mattila The lower divisions, their members and results get the once over thanks to Mikko's eyeing of life down below the salaried ranks. Hatsu Ones To Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn ponders and puts fingers to keys on the ones to watch come January and the Hatsu Basho. Kimarite Focus Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest clarification of a handful of sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations. Amateur Angles Howard Gilbert Howard looks at makushita tsukedashi and what it means in real terms. Kokugi Konnections Todd Lambert Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best sumo sites online. Fan Debate Facilitators - Lon Howard / Carolyn Todd Two SFMers talk over the yokozuna benefiting from weak opposition - or not as the case may be. SFM Cartoons Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample Stephen's artistic offerings. Sumo Odds ’n’ Ends SFM's interactive elements including Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Lets Hear From You What was it that made you a sumo fan? Starting with issue #10, the SFM staff will reveal a little of their own routes into sumo fandom - starting with Benny Loh. Readers' Letters See what our readers had to say since we last hit your screens. Sumo Quiz The Quizmaster Answer the Qs and win yourself next basho’s banzuke.

the back of the komusubi’s head to force the youngster to the clay? 3.    Did he do so at the tachiai? 4.    Had the pressure applied in #2 above sealed the fate of the komusubi prior to Asashoryu initiating his leg sweep? 5.    Were Roho / any other rikishi known for their overuse of ‘henka’ in recent months up there in place of the yokozuna would we be using the word ‘henka’ in place of ‘ketaguri’? The answer to all of the five questions here is likely ‘hell yes’ / ‘yes of course’ / ‘why yes, that is so’ or, perhaps even ‘hmmmmm’ (but with an accompanying nodding motion). For this reason, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 - yes, yes, yes, yes, yes equate to the dreaded ‘H’ word – not hatakikomi or hikiotoshi per se – ‘henka’. The yokozuna pulled a henka on an opponent only recently classified as an adult! The yokozuna henka’d a lowly komusubi barely able to buy a beer under Japanese law! Consider further: Hatakikomi is a move accomplished in 2 main steps: 1.    The person attempting hatakikomi moves away at (more often than not) tachiai. 2.    While the eventual winner moves to the side, the incoming foe has pressure, in the form of a slap (oftentimes elongated in time span / direction applied as the ‘dodger’ is still in the process of getting out of the way and thus it appears as a

short pull or perhaps pushypullythingy)  applied to his shoulder, neck or head and is introduced to the dohyo, nose first in the crudest of manners. Hikiotoshi is much the same only with the slap down replaced by a clear pulling technique from the get go – no confusion to be had with the ‘was it a slap / short pushypullythingy?’ debate hatakikomi can sometimes turn into. Either way you look at it, Asashoryu - yokozuna Asashoryu that is - used hatakikomi or hikiotoshi on Kisenosato at the tachiai with incredible ease and without even blushing! Ketaguri, a move only the most skillful can pull off needs 3 steps. 1. Taking the initial charge, albeit in brief manner. Only after this does the person attempting ketaguri move to the side. 2. At the same time as moving (to the side) the initiation of the leg sweep must commence. 3. Once the sweeping motion is in progress the rikishi attempts a pull down on the shoulder or arm of his foe. Very fast, in the blink of an eye but the 1, 2, 3 is vital as is the fact that we talk of shoulder or arm receiving the pressure – not the neck! Admittedly Asashoryu achieved the latter portion, moving to the side in #1 above but in his failure to take his opponent’s charge properly and his subsequent leg ‘sweep’ being little more than Kyokutenzan-esque shin

kick initiated after the pulling technique in #3 above had been put into play resulted in his pulling down of Kisenosato by the head / neck area – and not by the shoulder or arm. The sumo of the mathematical number crunching above then equates, once more, to a quite simple run of the mill hehehehehenka, does it not!? Well? Well? So, some may ask, why did the stadium announcer deem Asashoryu’s Eric Blair-proven henka to be a ‘ketaguri’ and not a bog-standard hatakikomi? The answer in EB’s eyes at least boils down to respect for rank and is not unlike an enlisted member of any branch of any efficient military service in the world saluting an officer they hold no respect for – the type more than deserving of a fragging than a hand pointed to a cap badge in salute. That said, enlisted men, consciously or not each time the arm goes up, salute the commission the officer holds. Whether that respect extends to the man himself is a matter for each soldier, sailor or airman to address. For yours truly, I still respect the yokozuna rank from the bottom of my heart but my respect for the man holding that position today has been severely dented. It is up to him to win it back. EB Ed. Note:  The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Mr. Blair and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sumo Fan Magazine or other staff. Home