It's worth noting that while the sumo world is very much ruled by the
banzuke, status due to age and experience is embedded in the Japanese
culture, and still shows up in sumo as well. For example, Wakakaze
was well-known as the yumitori-shiki rikishi when Takanohana was a
yokozuna. But he was also the tsukebito-gashira for Wakanohana; the
tsukebito in charge of the other tsukebito. He was Wakanohana's
sempai, so Wakanohana continued to refer to him as "Wakakaze-san" even
after becoming a sekitori, asked him for advice and tactics, and
otherwise showed him great respect.
Josh Reyer