Re: Akebono vs. other Konishiki + Musashimaru

[Thomas Bolling <kendo@u.washington.edu>]

On Mon, 17 Apr 1995, Koichi Wago wrote:

> it took a while for both Akebono and Musashimaru to beat Konishiki, even 
> after they became as strong as Konishiki to other rikishis. Some big media
> such as Asahi Shimbun explained that it was 'ani-deshi make', meaning that 
> after being trained by a senior when they were novices in sumo, they somehow
> cannot beat the senior even after they become stronger. 

I respect this explanation very much.   In practicing Kendo I have 
experienced exactly that kind of wall with the people who originally 
taught me.   I try to win of course, but it's very, very hard to get them.

It makes sense, doesn't it?   They taught me all the basics, watched 
every step of my development, and psychologically seem forever far above 
me in my Kendo career....    

One really great Kenshi that I know came to live in the Pacific 
Northwest, and for the first year or two he was not only unbeaten, no one 
could even land a single valid hit on him.   He was invincible.  Then 
along came a certain Taikai in which a visitor from Japan participated.  
This guy amazed all of us by blowing the invincible one out of the water!
No one could believe it.   Then it turned out:  the winner had been our 
hero's upper classman in the Kendo club at Kokushikan Daigaku...  our 
invincible one was psychologically overawed by his Sempai!   

After that, our guy was like a normal Kenshi.... sometimes he wins, and 
sometimes he loses.   His invincible aura was gone forever after one match 
against the senior who had formerly taught him.

That's why I believe "ani-deshi make" is an entirely credible phenomenon.

I have also experienced it myself in situations far less dramatic, but 
nevertheless real to me....   

Tom