SOS - Shinjinrui on Sumo   Chris Gould Wrapping up his look at increasing the popularity of sumo, Chris Gould caps a series the NSK would do well to refer to. Sumo Souvenirs   Mark Buckton Souvenirs are a part of every sport and sumo is no different - or is it? A look at collectibles and the downright trashy, the bona fide versus the unproven. Rikishi of Old   Joe Kuroda Joe Kuroda's latest look at times past focuses on former makunouchi man Dewagatake. Eric Evaluates   Eric Blair Eric takes a no-nonsense look at the claims of fixed bouts in the Japanese media. Rikishi Diary   Mark Kent Mark Kent - English pro-wrestler and amateur heavyweight sumotori - takes us through the first month or so of his training and preparation for the various European events lined up in in 2007. Heya Peek   Chris Gould SFM's Chris Gould was in Japan for the Hatsu Basho and popped along to the new Shikoroyama Beya to give SFM an online exclusive peek into sumo's newest heya. SFM Interview   Mark Buckton Mark interviews Mark - Buckton on Kent that is as Mark Kent, the UK's only active heavyweight amateur answers a few questions on his own recent entry into the sport. Photo Bonanzas   Sumo Forum stepped in to take the weight off the shoulders of SFM as far as Hatsu went so we could sit back, relax, enjoy the sumo and take a few more select pics you won't see anywhere else. Hatsu Basho Summary Lon Howard Lon wraps the Hatsu Basho and chucks in a few bits on the rush of henka that threatens to sully the good name of at least one foreign ozeki. Sumo Menko   Ryan Laughton Sumo cards of old brought to life by expert collector Ryan Laughton. None of your BBM here. Haru Ones To Watch Carolyn Todd Carolyn ponders and puts fingers to keys on the ones to watch come March and the Haru Basho. Kimarite Focus   Mikko Mattila Mikko's latest look at sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations. Amateur Angles   Howard Gilbert Howard looks at the 'sumo factory' of lore - Nichidai. Kokugi Konnections Todd Lambert Click on Todd's bimonthly focus on three of the best the WWW has to offer. Fan Debate Facilitator - Carolyn Todd Moti Dichne comes back for more and takes on Bradley Sutton on the subject of 'Modernize the heya - yea or nay?' SFM Cartoons Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample Benny's artistic offerings. Sumo Odds & Ends SFM's interactive elements - as always includes Henka Sightings, Elevator Rikishi and Eternal Banzuke! Let's Hear From You What was it that made you a sumo fan? Ryan Laughton - sumo fan and menko expert reveals all. 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 a genuine banzuke.

Kokugi Connections by Todd Lambert

(covered in SFM #9).  Another gem on this site is the part on Izutsu stable and one of their sumotori, Kakuryu.  Explore further and find some of Fay's own photos from her sumo travels, and links to her favorite sumo site on the Web.  This is an excellent portal into the world of professional sumo stables, and the fans who manage to step behind the curtain for a look.  Why not join Fay for a look at what she loves about sumo? Sumo Menko (http://www.sumomenko.com/) The homepage of an avid sumo menko collector formerly based in Japan, Sumo Menko is neatly divided into three sections, general sumo links on the left, all about menko on the right, and the center has a menko collection, relevant data, and images divided by decade or year.  Wait - just what the heck is a menko, what does it have to do with sumo, and where can I get one?  These are just the sort of questions the website sets out to answer.  From the basics of the history of menko to the details of how they were made and used can be found right here.  If you decide this is something you just gotta have, there's a list of links specific to menko themselves.  Check out our articles section this issue to learn much more about sumo menko. Home

Each issue of SFM, Todd Lambert – our man online – will bring you a review of some sumo related sites to be found on the World Wide Web. Enjoy.

Doitsuyama's Homepage  (http://130.149.112.57/index.html) This homepage is operated by a German sumofan, and has three main sections.  The first is the Hoshitori page, which is the site of one of the more popular sumo games on the Internet today.  Follow the link to learn about the origins, rules, past results, and how you can join in the fun.  The second section of this homepage is the Ozumo Ratings page.  This section ranks the rikishi in order of strength (using a  rating system similar to the Elo system used in chess) dating back to the start of the Heisei era (1989) to the present.  The index page lists the top six rikishi for each tournament in a given year.  You can get more detailed information for each basho by following the link for the specific tournament you are

interested in.  You can also link to more information about how the ratings were derived, and to the raw data itself.  The last section of this homepage is the PDF file containing of the finest sumo primers available - Grand Sumo Fully Illustrated (http://130.149. 112.57/gsfi/).  This fine book is a must for any sumo fan, and covers most of sumo's FAQs.  A seemingly simple homepage packed with useful and fascinating information! Fay's Fan Site (http://www.faymesseite.com/)       This is the personal homepage of another German sumo fan.  It includes translations of the Sadogatake stable homepage (covered in SFM #1) and the official English version of the Tomozuna stable homepage