Aki Basho Preview {LONG} again

[k.coller@genie.geis.com]

sorry about that; GEnie touts a 9600 baud connection with 2400 baud response! <g>
 
 
 1995 Aki Basho Preview
 by Ken Coller <k.coller@genie.geis.com>
    Seattle WA  USA
 
 With two young Yokozuna in Akebono and Takanohana, it is no surprise that
 so far in 1995, Akebono has one yusho (tournament victory) and Takanohana
 all the rest. In January, Takanohana won the basho (tournament) with a 13-2
 record, with Musashimaru (who has been top Ozeki since that basho) taking
 the runner up position. Next, in Osaka, Takanohana's 13-2 score was only
 good enough for a runner-up, with Akebono's 14-1 (the only loss being to
 Ozeki Wakanohana) taking the Emperor's Cup. Back in Tokyo for the Natsu
 basho in May, Ake and Taka switched places from Osaka, with Taka's 14-1
 record being good enough to take the title, and Akebono's 13-2 being second
 best. That basho was particularly exciting, with the two Yokozuna meeting
 on senshuraku (the fifteenth and last day of the basho) to decide the
 championship. In Nagoya, where the outcome of the basho has been
 unpredictable in the last decade, Takanohana came out on top, losing only
 to Kotonishiki and a very determined Akebono. Hawaiian Musashimaru was only
 one win behind the pace and finished as runner-up. For this upcoming basho,
 12 to 26 September 1995 in Tokyo, the rankings of the champion level
 wrestlers (rikishi, or sekitori) are the same as in Nagoya: Takanohana and
 Akebono are the East and West Yokozuna, respectively; and Musashimaru,
 Wakanohana and Takanonami fill out the Ozeki slots.
 
 
 The Yokozuna
 
 Takanohana is a sumo machine! Seemingly without emotion, he accepts his
 opponent's best tactics and strategy, absorbs the effort, then imposes his
 will on the dohyo (combat ring) which usually results in his victory. His
 only losses so far this year have been to Musoyama, Kaio, Terao, Akebono,
 and Kotonishiki. His ring sense and excellent muscular control make it hard
 to pick against him for the yusho. However, he gets plenty of competition
 from the Hawaiian grand champion Akebono. In Nagoya, Akebono seemingly was
 trying to vary his fighting style, and he didn't always stick to the fast
 tsuppari (slapping) and oshi (pushing) attack that often sends his
 opponents spinning into the crowd. Losing on the third day to Takatoriki,
 he found himself out of the yusho race by the end of the first week, after
 back-to-back losses to Kenko and Musoyama. He has proven that when he goes
 to the mawashi (belt) he can be a formidable foe, but perhaps it is a
 mistake to try yotsu (gripping) sumo before slapping the victim silly. In
 any case, it seemed that Akebono was experimenting in the ring, which is a
 bad idea; there's plenty of time between basho for that. Akebono fights
 with such determination and intensity that he too cannot be counted out of
 any yusho race. His angry reaction to harite (face-slap) from Takanonami
 last basho, together with his triumph for the sake of pride on senshuraku,
 must make the other sekitori glad that the sumo kyokai (association,
 organization) do not give points for passion.
 
 
 The Ozeki and Sanyaku (upper 3 ranks below Yokozuna) Rikishi
 
 An interesting dynamic has taken shape with the maturation of Musoyama
 (born 2/14/72) as he is stablemate to Yokozuna-hopeful Musashimaru. They
 are both from Musashigawa-beya (a heya, or sumo-beya, is a stable of
 rikishi) and have displaced Sadogatake-beya (the stable whose rikishi all
 have names beginning with Koto-) as a power in determining who wins the
 yusho. Musoyama seems to have luck when fighting the two Yokozuna, and
 Musashimaru is always just a couple of good tournaments away from Yokozuna
 promotion. Takanohana's (Hanada Koji) elder brother Wakanohana (Hanada
 Masaru) has 44 victories in the last 4 basho, impressive for the best
 technician in sumo. Depending on the condition of his back, he is a dark
 horse for the yusho: in Nagoya he kept pace with his brother until late in
 the race, prompting the Japanese press to clamor about the possibility of
 an historic playoff between two brothers for a championship. The third
 Ozeki, the Hanada brothers' stablemate Takanonami, has been struggling of
 late, with eleven, nine, six and nine wins in the last four basho. Escaping
 demotion in July, the defensive henka (leaping aside to avoid coming
 together at the beginning of a bout) artist seems to be trying to change
 his basic style of sumo to a less passive one that will better please the
 sumo powers that be. He's still the youngest Ozeki (born 10/27/71) and so
 there's plenty of time for Takanonami to improve and become a contender
 instead of the "invisible Ozeki."
 
 With the retirement of Kototsubaki, the hard working Maegashira Kotoinazuma
 is senior deshi (rikishi of any level) at Sadogatake. With 40 basho in the
 top division under his belt, the balding 33 year old sekitori must be an
 inspiration to the two heya-gashira (highest ranked deshi in the heya)
 Kotonishiki and Kotonowaka. These two, competing at the bottom edge of
 Sanyaku, did very well at that level: Komusubi Kotonowaka ended with 9
 wins, while top Maegashira Kotonishiki finished with 8. These two are
 capable of beating the majority of Ozeki and an occasional Yokozuna, if
 only they would practice as hard as their sempai (senior, or elder)
 Kotoinazuma.
 
 Komusubi Akinoshima, "the giant killer," had the tables turned on him as he
 was crushed out by giant Akebono on the second day of the Nagoya basho, and
 will not compete in Tokyo's Aki basho. Kenko, with 11 wins at Maegashira 4
 (M4-E) in that basho, will likely make his second visit to the Sanyaku
 ranks. At 310 pounds, he is smaller than average for the top caliber and
 will have to sharpen his technique and diversify his "bag of tricks" to
 survive. Musoyama, for one, will have to watch for Kenko: "the Moose" (in
 Japan, his nickname is "The Bear" or "Monster") has yet to beat Kenko this
 year! Musoyama is always enjoyable to watch; presently a spoiler, he is
 touted as a future great Yokozuna. Kaio will see his fifth consecutive
 basho at Sekiwake. As the top Sekiwake, he must feel the fire at his back
 with so many talented men worthy of promotion chasing him. Owner of the
 slowest tachi-ai (initial jump-off of a sumo match) amongst his peers, it's
 always sink-or-swim for Kaio.
 
 
 Maegashira and the Rest
 
 Takatoriki, with 9 wins at M3-W, is still the meanest man in a mawashi, the
 one most tightly wound in sumo. With a furious slapping attack and good
 footwork, he's a menace to the Hawaiians. Newcomer Tosanoumi, who in the
 last basho was promoted from the top of Juryo to M7-W (the second highest
 debut in postwar history) will fall slightly with a 7-8 make-koshi
 (majority of losses) record. Tosa was impressive even in defeat, and will
 soon be fighting former college rival Musoyama. The four smallest rikishi
 (Mainoumi, Tomonohana, Kyokudozan and Terao) will fall to the lower levels
 of the top division and probably do well. Mainoumi in particular seems to
 have more fighting spirit in Tokyo basho. The old warhorses, former Ozeki
 Kirishima and Konishiki, will meet for the 35th time in the ring. Although
 it has been awhile since these two were fighting for the title, they are
 both very popular and well thought of by their fans, who can see their love
 of the sport of sumo. Speaking of superlatives, Kirishima is the oldest
 athlete in any division of sumo (at 36 years 5 months) and Konishiki is the
 heaviest (at over 600 pounds). Wakamatsu-beya rikishi Asanosho and
 Asanowaka will head in opposite directions on the banzuke (ranking sheet);
 Asanowaka's kachi-koshi (majority of wins) at M10-W should allow him to be
 tested against the highest ranking rikishi from Futagoyama-beya. It appears
 that there will be no rikishi making the transition from Juryo to
 Makunouchi or vice versa. Mongolian sekitori (professional sumo wrestler)
 Kyokushuzan merits watching, with a 10 win performance from the bottom of
 the 26-man Juryo division.
 
 
 If it comes down to the Yokozuna once again, I look to Akebono to go all
 out to take his ninth yusho, to stay just one behind the junior Yokozuna.
 If the Musashigawa-beya rikishi are hot, look for it to be a real barn burner.