I posted the final five episodes of the Narō series. Again, rather than duplicating stuff and putting all five videos here, go to the main Konishiki Tapes Page. Videos 13-17 are the new ones.
Episode 13: Days of the Sekitori
Episode 14: Konishiki’s Match Breakdowns
Episode 15: Ozeki Life
Episode 16: Yokozuna Dreams
Episode 17: Legacy
In these videos you will find out more about Konishiki’s career, including his rapid assent in the top division, his life as an Ozeki, and his dreams of being Yokozuna and the toll injuries took on him. While we may think it’s all party time, there are a lot of obligations and responsibilities. We start to see why the top wrestlers might need a personal assistant for some stuff. One day you’re fighting in a tournament, then suddenly, you’re the MC at the wedding of a supporter’s daughter. And the next day you’re hung over and waving to folks at the opening of a car dealership while signing autographs and making hundreds of tegata.
At least these supporters are likely not named “Corleone,” and Marlon Brando isn’t going to slap you for whining about a mean director and a role in a picture. Sorry, when I think about a celebrity going to the wedding of an influential supporter’s daugther, obviously The Godfather is all I can think of. And now I’m going to have to watch it. Bottom line, Konishiki’s lived experience and perspective is fascinating. We also have to deal with some of the ugly truths of the sport, truths which have recently reared their head — yet again. Thankfully, much has changed but there is a bit further to go.
The yobidashi finished building the dohyo and it has been consecrated. The Osaka tournament is set to begin! There are a few items to note as we head into the opening day of the sumo tournament in Osaka.
First up, Shiden has retired. The timing seemed rather abrupt. At the end of last year, he had fallen into Makushita after his kyujo-shortened Kyushu tournament. He only managed one win in January so he fell deeper into the division when this most recent banzuke came out. The end of this past week was the time when they’re putting together the torikumi for the start of Osaka, so I imagine he was staring at either lengthy kyujo or push ahead with another poor performance and decided to hang up his mawashi. Tweets from fans expressed surprise at the timing but also thanks and wished him well in his second career.
I mentioned the bout list, or torikumi (取り組み), with the news above about Shiden. The list was released by the Sumo Association and we have a number of exciting matchups to look forward to on Sunday.
We take a brief stop by the infirmary. Midorifuji will be kyujo. Midorifuji’s kyujo is due to a heart condition which I hope will be treated and will allow him to come back. Fujiryoga will be welcomed to the top division with the open arms of Kinbozan’s fierce tsuppari. Fujiseiun doesn’t get any lighter treatment. He will take on former Ozeki, Asanoyama. “Here, Fujiseiun, lemme give you a hug.” Oof. Kotoeiho will open things up against Ryuden.
As we hop up the list, we see Ura paired against Shodai. That should be entertaining. Up in sanyaku, Papa Bear will face Churanoumi, Kirishima will fight Fujinokawa and Kotozakura will fight Yoshinofuji. Aonishiki’s rope run starts against Wakamotoharu. Must win. Onosato will fight Wakatakakage and Hoshoryu will close Day One action against Atamifuji.
We also note that Hakunofuji is scheduled to face Oshoma. This brings us to our third bit of “big news” — the news which I have been holding back on due to lack of detail in public. As Josh mentioned in his post, there was reportedly a violent encounter between Isegahama-oyakata (ex-Terunofuji) and Hakunofuji at a fan event. Because the incident is still under investigation and there are few details and many questions about those few details which have surfaced, I have decided to wait to report until we have those details. Well, we now have some items to report.
Hakunofuji will participate in Haru Basho. Isegahama-oyakata will be kyujo. The Sumo Association held a board meeting and determined that Isegahama will not work this tournament but will still act as coach. With the investigation still pending, he is effectively on leave. So we won’t see him in a blue jacket ushering fans out of the stadium or taking tickets or any sort of the activities oyakata perform at tournaments.
I’m sure your minds have questions and sadly, I have no answers, only my own questions and speculation. There are still several questions which I was hoping to be able to answer…but I can’t. If Hakunofuji is participating, is he practicing? Where is he practicing if Terunofuji is still coaching at the heya? If they’re together, that’s going to be awkward and not bode well for performance.
This drama won’t merely impact Hakunofuji, either. Nishikifuji witnessed the event and was summoned with Terunofuji and Hakunofuji to provide statements. Surely Nishikifuji’s going to want to get his head in the game, but who knows how effective that will be. Meanwhile, guys from Atamifuji on down to newly promoted Toshinofuji will try to soldier on.
Anyway, I won’t report on what I don’t know so don’t expect much coming out of me on this topic for the next fortnight. After the tournament, the board will get together and decide any outcomes and hand down any punishment. Till then, the show must go on!
Once upon a time, I used to do a feature on this site called “Ones to Watch” about all of the… well, ones to watch in an upcoming basho from lower down the divisions. While Osaka’s Haru basho has long been my favourite basho, this Japan-based correspondent will not be in attendance this time out. But I will pick out a few storylines of intrigue here from across the levels as we inch closer to the upcoming tournament:
Isegahama-beya scandal hangover: It has been reported (hat tip to Sumo Forum’s Yubinhaad) that Isegahama-oyakata is being investigated for violence towards a stable member (Hakunofuji-former-Hakuoho-former-Ochiai), having turned himself in. Some kind of verdict is due imminently. This isn’t a post about that, but I am curious to see if the fallout from that situation has any impact on the performance of the stable’s inflated sekitori ranks, and if the rumours of another potential impending move for the Hakuho-recruits from the “in custody” Miyagino-beya has an impact on the performance of those rikishi as well.
Aonishiki rope run: Having won the last tournament, Ozeki Aonishiki bids to go back-to-back and give us three Yokozuna atop the banzuke for the first time since Kisenosato’s retirement six years ago. He will turn 22 this month. The last 22 year old to be promoted to Yokozuna was Hakuho in 2007 (Aonishiki would be younger if it happens). There will doubtless be plenty of those kinds of stories if it happens.
Asahifuji II: No pressure then, with that shikona! Isegahama-beya’s talented Mongolian youngster made his long awaited debut last time out, absolutely demolishing the bottom tier en route to a yusho. He will be the overwhelming favourite to do so again from the fifth level.
Fujishima-beya makuuchi debutants: The heya has both of the new entrants to the top division this basho, arriving in slightly different circumstances. Fujiryoga has blasted his way to the top division in only seven tournaments, after a two basho stint in Juryo. Fujiseiun meanwhile had been a fast moving prospect whose upward ascent was blunted by a kyujo stint and a tough time coming to grips with Juryo. But after nearly two years at the penultimate level, he has now arrived.
Ura at home: The EDION Arena comes to life when hometown hero Ura mounts the dohyo, but he’s been surprisingly poor on the whole since his top division return, notching just one kachi-koshi in Osaka in the last several years. After a tough tournament in January that sees him fall lower on the banzuke than his ability would suggest, he could be primed for a strong record this time out.
Kirishima’s potential Ozeki return: I haven’t seen any hot goss about whether or not Kirishima’s on an Ozeki run because there have been frankly bigger stories. The only doubt is whether his 11 win Maegashira 2 performance from November would be allowed to count. I think it should: he’s done Ozeki sumo with Ozeki results against Ozeki opponents since his demotion from Ozeki, never with a back-to-back make-koshi in that time. His two 11 win results on the spin see him at the 22 win total, and needing 11 wins for the traditional number required for promotion. It would seem difficult to deny him promotion with a yusho-challenge and 11-plus wins this time out. But there will be stern competition, with Aonishiki pushing for the yusho that would seal his own promotion, and a pair of Yokozuna who may be determined to make amends for underwhelming showings in January.
The new joi-jin and Atamifuji: The top of the rank-and-file and the bottom of sanyaku has somewhat of an unfamiliar look. Atamifuji makes his sanyaku debut, but having never fought successfully above Maegashira 3 and with turmoil in the heya, a kachi-koshi here seems a tough ask. Meanwhile, Maegashira 2 pair Fujinokawa and Churanoumi, of differing styles, both find themselves in their career high rank amongst the joi. I’ve been impressed with Churanoumi’s steady rise ever since his makushita days, and his arrival to this level is the result of what feels to me like controlled sumo – he rarely seems to sell out in pursuit of a win and possesses solid fundamentals. Meanwhile, Fujinokawa is undoubtedly the more riveting watch, having developed a more high-octane style. He can yet go higher, but it will be curious to see if unlike other high-intensity rikishi like for example Hiradoumi and Meisei, he can also add consistency at this level.
Other lingering questions: Will Mitakeumi be able to stave off the drop for another tournament? Can evergreen Takayasu manage to stay fit enough to put together yet another kachi-koshi and extend his run, already the sixth highest man in the division at the age of 36? Will Enho rebound from the devastating final loss that put paid to his long-awaited Juryo re-promotion last time out and mount a strong enough campaign this time? Was Shishi‘s development for real in the last tournament, or was his late-basho collapse indicative of his real current level? Will Takasago’s green dragon Asasuiryu get promoted and join Asahakuryu and Asakoryu in assembling their heya’s Power Rangers in the top division – and will someone make their shimekomi please match their shikona?
I’ve got a flood of videos for you but you’re going to need to follow the links below to the pages. Or, you can click on them from the right-hand navigation. Basically, I added six more videos. See, episode seven is a great introduction to kimarite, as are several of the following videos. And I wanted to release all of these kimarite videos at once. But there are also more videos of Konishiki’s career interspersed between the technical kimarite videos.
Videos seven, nine, and eleven have the kimarite content. Eight, ten, and twelve have more of Konishiki’s career content. So, I wanted to put all of them out there now before I go to bed. All of them will go to dedicated “Konishiki Tapes” page but the Kimarite videos will also get another page all to themselves. I hate duplication, and I really hate triplication, so go find the videos there. I’m sleepy so I’m not posting them here, too.
There’s still five more of these Masters to go. I will focus on trying to get them out later this week.
