<DATE> Contents

Sumo Souvenirs  
Mark Buckton
Second of a two parter on sumo souvenirs - some hints on avoiding the fluff.
Konishiki
Chris Gould
Takamiyama's 60s / 70s successes notwithstanding Konishiki was sumo's first full-on mover and shaker from lands afar leaving Chris G to take an in-depth look at the ripples the big guy left behind when exiting the sumo pool.
Rikishi of Old
Joe Kuroda
Joe Kuroda's looks back at the life and times of former yokozuna Shiranui.
Eric Evaluates
Eric Blair
Eric IDs the true winners of the henkafest that was the Haru Basho senshuraku.
Rikishi Diary
Mark Kent
Mark Kent - English pro-wrestler and amateur heavyweight sumotori - takes his training a step further on his road to European and World sumo glory.
Heya Peek
Mark Buckton
Oitekaze Beya just to the north of Tokyo and not far from the abode of SFM's Ed-i-C falls under the microscope.
SFM Interview
Carolyn Todd
Carolyn interviews Riho Rannikmaa during his recent trip to Osaka - head of all things sumo in Estonia, friend and mentor of Baruto, this is a man with something to announce.
Sumo à la LA
Alisdair Davey
SFM's man in the shadows reports on his recent jaunt in LA, as guest of the Californian Sumo Association and SFM reporter at large.
Photo Bonanzas
Hot on the heels of the recent Ise bonanza - Haru up close and very very personal - some of our best pics to date.
Haru Basho Summary
Lon Howard
Lon wraps the Haru Basho and chucks in a few bits on the henka issues the top dogs are suffering from at present.
Sumo Menko
Ryan Laughton
Sumo cards of old brought to life once again by expert collector Ryan Laughton. None of your BBM offerings here - Pt II of III.
Natsu Ones To Watch
Carolyn Todd
Carolyn ponders the ones to watch come May and Natsu when sumo comes home to Tokyo.
Kimarite Focus
Mikko Mattila
Mikko's latest look at sumo's kimarite offers unequalled analysis and in depth explanations.
Amateur Angles
Howard Gilbert
On your marks, get set, go - Howard Gilbert walks us through the months ahead on the amateur calendar.
Kokugi Konnections
Todd Lambert
Click on Todd's latest selection of the best sumo sites the WWW has to offer.
Fan Debate
Facilitator - Carolyn Todd
Should it or shouldn't it? Honbasho go on the overseas road that is. See what SFM's Chris Gould and James Hawkins have to say.
SFM Cartoons
Benny Loh & Stephen Thompson
In this issue's cartoon bonanza, sit back and sample ST's latest 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 - A. S. - the face in the crowd reveals almost all - to see everything you'll have to close your eyes.
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.
  four years – in the meantime having been relegated to casting zingers to the media regarding Asashoryu’s perceived transgressions.  This might be fun to watch in the coming months and years. 


Chiyotaikai’s fall-down to Asashoryu on senshuraku means he is headed to his 10th kadoban in the Natsu basho, once again pulling him even with Kaio for the all-time record.  For his part, Kaio again avoided adding to his own kadoban total by winning four of his final five matches, one-upping his January performance when he had to take three of his last five, to post 8-7 marks both times.  As for Kotooshu, he secured his kachi-koshi on Day 14 against Chiyotaikai, so there was no particular pressure on him when he faced Hakuho on senshuraku.  One question people have been asking lately about Kotooshu seems to have been answered in Haru, though.  After appearing with no wrapping on his right knee for some time now, a light one reappeared on day 12, followed by a heavier one on the last three days.  Since there was no report of a new injury, it appears the old one hasn’t healed.  If he doesn’t give it at least one basho off, he may be ready to join the kadoban circuit himself.

Kotomitsuki’s obligatory hot start finally got him 10 wins this time and now there is some jabber about the beginning of an ozeki run.  That is just confounding, considering that he is now a ripe 31-year-old who has won with double digits just twice in over two years; and somehow now it’s hoped that he can actually improve on this 10-win performance for at least two more basho, with some new young turks nipping at his heels to also contend with.  Sorry, but I’ll watch this bandwagon pass by.

He’ll be joined at sekiwake by Ama,
now with added weight that has made him more stable, and probably made the difference in winning the nage contest with Toyonoshima on day 12.  He did just eke out his 8-7, but he’s a tough matchup for everyone now.  His tachiai is crisp and his canny follow-up creates many advantageous positions for him to work from. 


The other two sanyaku in Haru will have to work their way back to where they were.  Shin-sekiwake Kotoshogiku might finally get his shot at komusubi.  He bypassed the rank by being promoted directly from M1 but had to win out on the last six days just to post 7-8, probably preserving another sanyaku showing in May.  He was overwhelmed and intimidated by his sanyaku peers and I don’t see that changing; he hasn’t shown that he is perennial sanyaku or ozeki material.  Shin-komusubi Tokitenku nearly pulled off a kachi-koshi but fell to Homasho on senshuraku to score 7-8.  Although he advanced to sanyaku by becoming more aggressive, I feel that many times his first option is still something clever or cunning, and that he should continue his re-programming; otherwise he may have topped out.

The komusubi lineup for Natsu is hard to determine right now.  You’d think that Homasho’s 11-4 showing at M5 would make him a lock, and that would leave the other spot to either Kotoshogiku or the continuing surprise of last basho and this one – M1 Toyonoshima, who squeezed out an 8-7 kachi-koshi on senshuraku.  Most observers probably thought Toyonoshima’s 12-3 bolt at M9 in Hatsu was a fluke and so expected him to get skewered this time, but his 3-5 showing against the sanyaku boys with two ozeki scalps showed he is capable for some major impact. Moreover, his wins had a legitimate feel to them, showing
 that he can win against quality opponents even without his signature morozashi grip.  Of course, it’s always possible that they could open up a third komusubi spot, but it’s unlikely.

Homasho is now – in my book – the frontrunner to be the next ozeki.  He and Toyonoshima are two examples of rikishi whose added weight in recent basho have given them the feeling of security they needed to become more combative.  They don’t wait around during the torikumi now, and move to take charge of their matches.  Homasho though is bigger with more leverage, and is more technically skilled.  In addition, he has as much lower body stability as anyone in sumo today.  His efforts in Haru earned him the Gino-sho (Technique) prize.
 

Homasho

Excepting the shenanigans of the yusho contenders, the real show-stealer for the Haru basho was the

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