[sumo] Akinoshima vs. makuuchi opponents

["Walker, Jay" <Walker@nhrc.navy.mil>]

Akinoshima was born in March 1967 near Hiroshima, the son of a fisherman.
He joined sumo at 15 and became the first sekitori raised by Futagoyama
oyakata, the former ozeki Takanohana.  He would see Futagoyama go on to
become the most powerful stable since the glory days of Dewanoumi, with
younger heya-mates Takanohana, Wakanohana, Takanonami and Takatoriki
combining to win a total of 30 yushos.  While Akinoshima would never win a
yusho, he would finish his career with a 647-640-78 record and hold the
all-time records for most kinboshis and most special prizes.  He was the
last makuuchi rikishi from the Showa era to retire.

He reached makuuchi at the age of 20, and "announced" his arrival to the top
ranks at Aki '88 by beating ozeki Asahifuji, yokozuna Onokuni and ozeki
Konishiki on Days 2 to 4.  He would soon gain the moniker of Giant Killer
for his increasingly frequent victories over ozekis and yokozunas.  While he
is known today for holding the kinboshi record, what is sometimes forgotten
is that he completely obliterated the previous record over a wild 3-year
period (1988-1991) to gain the all-time kinboshi crown at the young age of
24.  In fact, he would only record two kinboshis over the last 11 years of
his career.

But Akinoshima was an enigma.  For as brilliant as he could be in bouts he
was expected to lose, he would also often lose bouts to maegashira foes that
he was expected to win.  The result was trouble in maintaining any sustained
drive for ozeki.  His career peaked in the 1990-1992 years, yet during that
time he had only 4 bashos where he recorded double-digit wins, never
consecutively.  

Superficially it looks like he made a good run in late '94-early '95 when he
had 43 victories over 4 bashos.  But he was ranked at Maegashira 13 for one
of these bashos, and this was at a time when his heya's strength was
peaking.  A closer look shows that only 7 of these 43 wins were over sanyaku
foes.

The other time Akinoshima's performance spiked was an unexpected late-career
surge in 1999.   Three times that year he recorded an 11-4 mark while ranked
at Maegashira 3 or higher.  At the Aki '99 basho at age 32, he went into the
final day tied with Musashimaru for the lead, only to fall to Musoyama while
the Musashimaru defeated Wakanohana.  It was only the second time in his
career that Akinoshima had final-day yusho hopes.  (The first was a 4-way
tie for the lead at Haru '92, but he lost to Kotonishiki.)

His record of 19 special prizes includes 8 Fighting Spirit prizes, 7
Outstanding Performance prizes and 4 Technique prizes.

So what is Akinoshima's legacy when all is said and done?  I don't put a lot
of credence in the fact that he ended his career with a winning record - the
simple truth is that he enjoyed one of the all-time heya advantages in sumo
history by not having to battle his Futagoyama mates.  On the other hand, I
kind of liked the one comment about Akinoshima being the best sekiwake to
never win a yusho.  I don't have enough knowledge of 300 years of sumo
history to have a definitive opinion, but that conversation would certainly
start with Akinoshima and it would come as no surprise if it ended with him
too.  


Who did Akinoshima fight most often?
----------------------------------------
1. Kotonishiki		48
2. Musashimaru		43
3. Terao		40
4. Akebono		38
5. Konishiki		35
    Kotonowaka		35
7. Kirishima		33
8. Kaio			31
    Musoyama		31
10. Tochinowaka	28
 

Who did Akinoshima defeat the most times?
-----------------------------------------
1. Konishiki		25
2. Terao		22
3. Kotonowaka		16
4. Tochinowaka		16
5. Tamakasuga		15

Surprise, surprise, Konishiki ranks #1.  And this wasn't just a case of
Akinoshima beating up on the old, plodding Konishiki in his declining years.
Even when Konishiki was an ozeki, Akinoshima had an 18-8 edge over him.


Who had the most wins against Akinoshima?
------------------------------------------
1. Kotonishiki		39
2. Musashimaru		32
3. Akebono		30
4. Kaio			25
5. Kirishima		20
    Musoyama		20

The contention that Akinoshima is an enigma perhaps is best reflected in his
utter inability to defeat Kotonishiki.  Kotonishiki won 39 of their 48
matches. The only time this kind of record is seen between two rikishi close
enough in rank to fight this many times is some yokozuna dominating a poor
komusubi/high maegashira type.  Yet here were two rikishi the same age and
close to equals in size and ability, yet one proved so hapless in their
matches.  You have to wonder if it became a mental thing after awhile.
Kotonishiki's 39 wins represents the most by any rikishi over another.

 Who did Akinoshima dominate (minimum of 10 bouts)?
---------------------------------------------------
1. Asanowaka		.800   (12-3)
2. Kitakachidoki		.733   (11-4)
3. Kotofuji		.722   (13-5)
4. Konishiki		.714   (25-10)
    Kyokudozan		.714   (10-4)


Who gave Akinoshima the hardest time (minimum of 10 bouts)?
-----------------------------------------------------------
Kotonishiki	 	.188   (9-39)
Kaio			.194   (6-25)
Akebono		.211   (8-30)
Chiyotaikai		.231   (3-10)
Kyokutenho		.250   (3-9)
Musashimaru		.256   (11-32)


Who could never defeat Akinoshima?
-----------------------------------
Hananoumi		4-0
Hamanishiki		3-0
Sasshunada		3-0


Who could Akinoshima never defeat?
-----------------------------------
Kotomitsuki		0-4


-George W.



[EndPost by "Walker, Jay" <Walker@nhrc.navy.mil>]