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The old thread can be found here. Welcome to the sumo thread!  This top post contains information about the current or upcoming tournament, as well as Goon Fantasy Sumo. If you're new to sumo, see the next post! Next basho: Kyushu 2022, November 13th - 27th, Fukuoka Kokusai Center. Current banzuke: code:The san'yaku Terunofuji is a glass cannon, and the thing about glass cannons is they break. Despite winning in July and being a runner-up in May, Teru had to withdraw in September on day 10. According to Isegahama-oyakata: "He needs to heal properly, not just rest. In some cases, surgery will be necessary. I think the inflammation will stop in a few days, but after that, I have to think carefully about what to do." Can Teru even return from surgery? Hard to say, but we hope so. The kaiju was unstoppable for a couple years, but who knows how long it can last. The ozeki look like garbage. Takakeisho is holding his own, but Mitakeumi and Shodai are both kadoban, and prospects are poor. Wakatakakakge and Hoshoryu are honestly looking like they could make a run for the rank, but it's not been proven yet. Wakataka is at the beginning of a run (after blowing his last one), but the Hoshoryu hasn't really started anything yet. Abi, Ichinojo, and Daieisho are dropping, but the latter will probably only go down to komusubi. Maegashira Tobizaru and old man Tamawashi are definitely getting the nod for the san'yaku, while Kotonowaka is probably just gonna get to M1 with his win. He's gotten some bad banzuke luck lately, but he's fighting well and should get a titled rank soon. Takayasu will be getting a healthy promotion, along with Hokutofuji, Wakamotoharu, Nishikigi, and Ryuden, who all put up double-digits in Aki. Onosho had an off tournament (he was due), and will be dropping. We'll be losing Makuuchi debutantes Mitoryu and Hiradoumi back to juryo, along with Tsurugisho and Yutakayama most likely. Oho continues to struggle in the top division with a slight losing record at M13w. Hopefully he can find his stride. Juryo and below The Kazakh Kinbozan from Kise-beya comported himself well as a shin-sekitori, getting double-digits from J13w in his 6th basho from sandanme tsukedashi, so look out for that 25 year old hotshot. Miyagino giant Hokuseiho continues to lumber his way to the top division: with 9-6 from J9e he could earn a promotion to makuuchi next tournament. Teru's stablemate Atamifuji could make it in November, but it's a hard sell from J3e with an 8-7. Healthy lad Kawazoe, Miyagino's latest recruit, comported himself well enough with a makushita tsukedashi, getting a 4-3 and potentially enabling himself to make sekitori next basho if he sweeps it, although more likely it'll be next year. Mongolia Roga will be getting the silk mawashi with a win from Ms1w. Way down low new Miyagino recruit Otani took the Jonokuchi yusho in his first tournament after maezumo, while a Nishonoseki man, Takahashi, took the Jonidan yusho in his second. It seems like ex-Hakuho and ex-Kisenosato are taking their responsibility to find exciting new talent for sumo seriously!  Goonzuke: code:Four of our goonzeki (captainblastum, Skortje, tiny bug child, and GoatSeeGuy) are kadoban. Dangerous! Both sekiwake are on moderate-to-soft goonzeki runs, but there will need to be a convincing case. The top of maegashira is jumpy, with a lot of people looking to make their san'yaku debut or return. Ex-goonzeki sivad failed to return from sekiwake, and is dropping hard. The only current yokogoona is Aki winner scripterror, all of the others have failed to defend of late. May the yokogoona defend the honor of the rank. edit: Watch this video immediately. Kenning fucked around with this message at 09:58 on Nov 10, 2022 |
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Jun 21, 2021 07:58
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Sumo wrestling is ancient, ceremonial, and steeped in Japanese culture. It's also an excellent spectacle, full of huge men who smash into each other, old men who bicker with each other, and all of the melodrama you could hope for from a combat sport. There's a big community of people who love sumo in this thread, and we'd love for you to join us. What is sumo Sumo is a grappling sport with ancient origins and a complex relationship with Japanese nationalism over the centuries. If you want a lot more information about historical nerd poo poo, see the bottom of this post! Nowadays, there are professional and amateur sumo leagues. We'll be talking about professional sumo, i.e. Grand Sumo, i.e. ozumo. Grand sumo tournaments are held 6 times a year, about midway through each odd-numbered month. They last 15 days, and each wrestler fights once per day. Bouts take place in a special clay ring called the dohyo. Wrestlers wear a special belt/loincloth called a mawashi. The wrestler with the most wins after 15 days wins the tournament, possibly subject to a playoff. The results of each tournament determine each wrestler's rank in the next tournament, and rank is everything. Note: wrestlers are called, well, wrestlers, or sumotori (i.e. sumo-doers) or rikishi (i.e. powerful gentlemen). The top two ranks are called sekitori. They are never, ever, referred to as "sumos".  Rules of sumo There are only really 2 rules in sumo. Don't step out of the ring, and don't touch the ground with anything but the bottoms of your feet. There are a few disqualifying moves, such as kicking above the belt, hitting with a closed fist, grabbing the hair or groin, choking, or poking the eyes. Open-handed slaps, trips, and forearm shivers are legal, and you can grip the mawashi or any bodypart that isn't the groin or neck (you can shove the neck with an open hand). An important thing in ozumo is that there are no weight classes. That means that you get some big boys in the ring, especially in the last few decades. A normal-sized top-division wrestler weighs around 300 lbs, and is usually around 6 ft. tall. There are a few small firecrackers, like Enho and Ishiura, but "small" in this case means 5'8" and 250 lbs. The big boys are 6'+ and weigh over 400lbs. Rankings and the banzuke Rank is everything in sumo. There's a brutally Darwinian system of promotion and relegation: if you post more wins than losses in a tournament, your rank goes up. More losses than wins, your rank goes down. Due to the highly-regimented life in the sumo association, higher ranks are not only associated with more pay, but with greater privileges and freedom in the sumo lifestyle. The highest ranks, ozeki and yokozuna, have special requirements for promotion, and wrestlers at those ranks have some protection from demotion, as well as facing specal scrutiny of their personal behavior and fighting style. Ranks are recorded on a document called a banzuke, which is a literal piece of paper with wrestlers' names on a chart in a sumo-specific calligraphy. A wrestler's rank is often referred to as his "position on the banzuke". Each new banzuke is released 2 weeks before the upcoming tournament, and sort of marks the beginning of the sumo season for that tournament. Copies of the banzuke are a popular collector's item.  But where do I watch the large men? If you're not in Japan there are basically 3 options: 1) Official NHK broadcast streams/recordings 2) Bootleg streams that are often more comprehensive but harder to find (because they get shut down) 3) Youtube compilations that upload within a few hours of action Option 3 is the best choice for starting out, since you don't have to stay up late (if you're an American) or watch during work hours (if you're in Europe). Everyone has their favorite channel, but right now I'd say there are 3 big ones: Jason's All-Sumo Channel - This is the best for true newbies. Jason is a dorky but charming American in Japan who loves sumo, and who provides his own commentary and explains the rules and personalities very well. He usually only covers the last few bouts of the day, but those are high-rankers who it's good to learn, and you get to watch all the pre-bout action that is very fun. Kintamayama - A venerable online sumo legend, Kinta offers an aggressively-edited daily compliation of all the top-division bouts along with occasional lower-division highlights. Often has pithy and hilarious captions on the bouts. Basically the only way to watch daily sumo in less than 20 minutes. My personal go-to. Natto Sumo - Relatively new on the scene, Natto's compliations are a bit longer than Kinta's (he doesn't edit out long pauses when the wrestlers are just leaning on each other, for example), and he includes ridiculously comprehensive stats as a bout is about to start. Has a bad habit of trying to monetize in-platform and getting shut down (the other guys just have like PayPal tip jars). Hopefully posters in the thread can give people the heads-up for good streams during the tournaments.  Important wrestlers Because the top division only has 42 dudes you can get a real sense for their individual styles and personalities, which is one of the most fun parts of sumo. Below is a list of a few important rikishi. Note: wrestlers adopt a ring name, or shikona, when they enter sumo. Occasionally a wrestler will change their ring name, usually either to commemorate a career benchmark, or to break a streak of bad luck. There are various ring-naming conventions in the different stables, usually to honor the stablemaster. That's why there are a bunch of Kotos and Chiyos running around. Shikona usually have some meaning, referencing mountains and wind and power and stuff. Hakuho - the greatest rikishi of all time, hands down, no contest. He's at the very brink of retirement, and has had quite a few injuries building up over the last few years. I recommend watching compilations of his bouts, or just any tournament from like 2018 or earlier to get a pretty good sense of the utter perfection of sumo wrestling that everyone else is trying to imitate. A Mongolian, he has annoyed the hell out of the stodgy old men who run sumo for almost 15 years. Basically we all love him. Terunofuji - Another Mongolian, Teru suffered serious health problems in 2017, was demoted to the second-bottom division, and fought his way back up to Takakeisho - A Japanese ozeki notable for being nearly spherical, and also for reaching the second-highest rank solely on the strength of an unbeatable pushing game. Some people don't like that he can't grapple, but to hell with them. Tochinoshin - A Georgian (the country) powerhouse, Tochi also had an injury -> demotion -> return to rank story that capped at ozeki. Known for lifting 300 lb dudes up and setting them outside the ring. His knees are entirely constructed of athletic bandages and hope. Probably soon to retire. Endo - The great Japanese also-ran. Once heralded as the next great Japanese wrestler, he's struggled with injury and underperformance. Has tournaments where he seems brilliant, but it's risky to love him. Considered the most handsome top-division guy, he has lots of female fans. Enho - A tiny wrestler with insane technique, Enho weighs just over 200 lbs and is only 5'6". A phenom when he debuted, he might have been figured out by now. We still love him. Aoiyama - A Bulgarian master of pushing and thrusting renowned for having the best rack in sumo. Has a small but mental fanbase in this thread. Asanoyama - Ozeki who got caught flouting COVID rules by going to a hostess bar. He's being sidelined for 6 tournaments and will drop out of the salaried ranks. Good sumo when he's in shape, but apparently a moron. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtUfdZb0grw&t=300s Other important wrestlers to watch (I could write bios for almost everyone but that gets excessive). Takayasu - Hairy fan favorite Wakatakakage - Up-and-coming Hoshoryu - Nephew of a great former yokozuna Tobizaru - Chaotic and fun Ichinojo - Brick shithouse Ura - Another beloved injury/recovery story Kaisei - The nicest guy in sumo When you're starting out it's hard to tell all the massive men in diapers apart. The color of the mawashi can help, and certain guys are easy (Takayasu's hairy back, Chiyotairyu's sideburns). Eventually you'll be able to tell them apart, but no one can remember what Shimanoumi or Hidenoumi look like. Don't sweat it. More sumo resources In addition to watching the tournaments, there's lots of good sumo content and information to be enjoyed. First off, read the Wikipedia page. Seriously, it's good. The glossary of sumo terms is also incredibly useful. Beyond that, see below: Tachiai Blog - Great day-by-day coverage during tournaments, and good analysis in between. Pretty fun sports writing. Grand Sumo Breakdown - A podcast by 4 American sumo fans, they do 3 episodes per tournament (preview, midway, recap), as well as banzuke predictions and bonus episodes on specific topics. I always listen. Sumo DB - An obsessively-compiled repository of sumo stats in English. Crucial reference source. Sumo Forum - As full of pedantic nerd poo poo as you can expect from a niche web forum, it's also a good source for sumo news translated into English. I've never really read it but I know a few people here check in. Heya A-Z - A wonderful guide to all of the personnel in sumo in all of the heyas, not only wrestlers but also gyoji, tokoyama, and yobidashi. There are photos from every year they're active, so you can watch Hakuho grow up! Chris Sumo - Good Youtube channel on sumo news and deep-dives into wrestler storylines. People say he can get pretentious, but I like him a lot. @sumofollower on Twitter - Really good at getting sumo news out in English quickly. Martytoof posted:I’m going to call out two more podcasts that you might want to add to the OP: I know there are also Discord servers and the like but I've never really hosed with those. Chime in with resources and I'll add them to the OP!  Sumo history and nerd poo poo Sumo has very ancient origins in Shinto spiritual practice. Shades of that tradition are present in the pre-bout rituals of salt-throwing (to purify the ring) and stomping (to frighten off unfriendly spirits). The sport waxed and waned in popularity and importance, usually in association with the importance of the emperor, since it ended up becoming something of a court spectacle. The history of the Japanese emperor is a whole other story. Modern sumo began to take shape in the late 17th century, when it was organized into a sanctioned sport after having been banned as a public nuisance. In the late 18th century a number of renowned wrestlers emerged, including the first yokozuna, and the overall modern structure of ranks and stables etc. was essentially established. In 1927 the competing Osaka and Tokyo sumo associations merged, and then (after being briefly banned following WWII) the truly modern form of sumo was established in 1958, with 15 day tournaments, 6 tournaments per year, and basically all of the current rules. Almost all sumo records are reckoned from 1958 for this reason. An interesting note about sumo is that its current status as a bedrock symbol of Japanese culture is largely due to the interest of two emperors, Meiji in the late 19th century and Showa in the 20th. Meiji supported sumo during a period when Western culture was ascendent in Japan, and saved it from being discarded as old-fashioned. Showa loved sumo (he established the Emperor's Cup, originally the Prince Regent's Cup), and his support for it after WWII really helped solidify it as emblematic of Japanese nationhood in an era where the militaristic nationalism of the imperial period was no longer viable. As a result of all of this intermixing of culture, nationalism, and sport, sumo occupies an unusual and sometimes uncomfortable position as both a modern sporting association and also a living piece of cultural heritage. The ramifications of these tensions are nearly as interesting as the huge men themselves, and make for quite a bit of conversational grist between tournaments. Hmu in the thread if you wanna go to town on this. Hakkeyoi! Kenning fucked around with this message at 05:22 on Sep 20, 2021 |
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Jun 21, 2021 07:59
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 Fantasy Sumo We have a fantasy sumo tournament alongside every sumo tournament. In short, you pick wrestlers for your team, and get points for their performance, just like any other sport. Fantasy is a great way to get to know more wrestlers, especially guys lower down on the banzuke, and it makes it so even bouts that have no impact on the yusho race are still exciting. Drafting You'll have 5 wrestlers on your team, each from a different rank set: 1 from the yokozuna/ozeki ranks 1 from the sekiwake/komusubi ranks 1 from maegashira 1-5 1 from maegashira 6-10 1 from maegashira 11+ Multiple people can have the same wrestler, but there are limits to keep it interesting. Therefore, when submitting your picks, choose 3 guys from each set. An example draft from a previous tournament: Y/O: Terunofuji / Asanoyama / Takakeisho S/K: Takayasu / Daiesho / Takanosho M1-M5: Wakatakakage / Hokutofuji / Meisei M6-M10: Tsurugisho / Tamawashi / Ichinojo M11+: Kotonowaka / Chiyoshoma / Kaisei We do a snake draft and have a running draft wire, but that's not too important for players to keep track of. Wrestlers can also be traded during the first week. Scoring Points will be granted in the following ways: 1 pt. for each win 5 pts. for the championship or yusho 3 pts for the runner-up, or jun-yusho 3 pts for a special prize, or sansho 2 pts for a gold star victory, or kinboshi 1 pt. for a winning record, or kachi-koshi -.5 pt. for a losing record, or make-koshi -.5 pt. for your second trade -1 pt. for every trade beyond the first 2 There are a couple of special rules in scoring. You get the make-koshi penalty for a wrestler even if you traded them away. You only get the kachi-koshi score from a wrestler who is in your stable at the end of the tournament. You only get the kinboshi score from a wrestler if they scored the kinboshi while they were in your stable AND if you still have them at the end of the tournament. The jun-yusho points will not be awarded if 3 or more wrestlers are tied for second place in terms of their record. Here are the tie-breakers, in order: Yusho Jun-yusho Total Sansho Total Kinboshi Total kachi-koshi Fewest trades Trading In case of injury or plain underperformance, wrestlers can be traded out during the first week. No trades are accepted after middle Sunday, or nakabi. Players can trade once per day. The wrestlers must belong to the same rank set, and the new wrestler needs to be available (i.e. not held by too many other players already). Conflicts are resolved by postion on the draft wire, and trading places you at the bottom of the wire. Trades must be submitted before the top-division bouts start that day. The Goonzuke Based on their performance, players in Fantasy get ranked on the Goonzuke, which is our own banzuke. See the OP for current rankings.
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Jun 21, 2021 07:59
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insanely good op. makes what seems like a pretty inscrutable sport easily understood. you misspelled AOIYAMA
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Jun 21, 2021 08:14
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Excellent OP. Thanks for the effort.  I want to say that if you're new to sumo like I am it's actually pretty fun. There's an immediacy to the sport where you don't really need to know anything about it to understand it because the rules are so simple. Two men try to push each other out of the ring or to the ground. That's it. That's all. If you can understand that you understand 90% of sumo so the buy in for people who may not have a lot of time or attention is super low. And if you catch the Grand Sumo Highlights you can watch all the matches of a day in half an hour which is pretty drat short if you normally watch sports that take multiple hours. I'll also say that after you start getting to know the rikishi (wrestlers) it's fun to follow them. The names might sound odd to you at first but eventually you'll get used to them and find your favorites. You don't have an entire team or even their all-stars to remember. Just individuals which really helped me as someone who normally doesn't watch sports. Also even though he's not the greatest I really like Kaisei because he's super nice and I appreciate that. 
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Jun 21, 2021 08:20
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Yes, posting in the shiny, new fabulous fat fellas fighting fred! Great OP. So hyped to see Wakatakakage in the san'yaku ranks he has put in all the effort in the world. Also looking forward to seeing what Ura can do in the top division.
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Jun 21, 2021 09:03
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Also I'd have called the thread fat slaps, fat stacks,. But yours is more descriptive.
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Jun 21, 2021 09:07
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Ice Phisherman posted:Excellent OP. Thanks for the effort. Glad y'all like it! And yeah, Kaisei is one of my favorites for that reason too. Marching Powder posted:Also I'd have called the thread fat slaps, fat stacks,. But yours is more descriptive. Honestly the thread subtitle was easily the hardest part of this whole thing.
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Jun 21, 2021 09:28
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thread should just be a thirst trap dedicated to alternating pictures of Chiyonofuji and Chiyoshoma without comment
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Jun 21, 2021 10:13
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What's chiyomaru up to these days? Sleeping somewhere? Waking up sleeping wrestlers? I will of course be cheering for (but probably not picking) half-man half-duct tape tochinoknee
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Jun 21, 2021 11:05
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ilmucche posted:I will of course be cheering for (but probably not picking) half-man half-duct tape tochinoknee Last time he was this far down the banzuke he bounced back with a 10-5 so it might be worth a shout even with his dusty knees.
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Jun 21, 2021 11:21
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ilmucche posted:What's chiyomaru up to these days? Sleeping somewhere? Waking up sleeping wrestlers? Chiyomaru worked his way back up to makuuchi last basho, and he’s still hanging around! I’m glad. As far as his other antics I have no idea but I really want to know
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Jun 21, 2021 11:36
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I’m going to call out two more podcasts that you might want to add to the OP: Sumo Mainichi: https://sumomainichi.podbean.com/ Delightful podcast run by Dave and Amy from Australia. My favourite of all the Sumo pods just because of the personalities involved. Typically produce banzuke and pre-basho episodes, as well as a good 30-50 minute episode every day of the tournament. The charm can’t be overstated, this is easily my favourite sumo podcast and often threatens some others for “favourite podcast” title overall. The banzuke episode never fails to remind me that SUMO’S A COMIN’! Sumo Kaboom: https://sumokaboom.fireside.fm/ Another lighthearted pod run by two sisters from Texas. Laurie and Leslie typically do a group recap episode every three or four days of the tournament, but they also run content non-stop between tournaments. They’ve snagged some pretty impressive guests (John Gunning, Konishiki) for live interviews, and they do theme episodes discussing various aspects of Sumo or things sumo-adjacent. some kinda jackal fucked around with this message at 12:16 on Jun 21, 2021 |
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Jun 21, 2021 12:13
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As we probably saw coming https://twitter.com/SumoFollower/status/1406875813878943744 In 16 years he missed only 14 bouts. Amazing. bessantj fucked around with this message at 12:27 on Jun 21, 2021 |
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Jun 21, 2021 12:24
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Great OP, Kenning. Really looking forward to the next basho. Also: AOI, and I cannot emphasise this enough, YAMA
Beeswax fucked around with this message at 12:45 on Jun 21, 2021 |
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Jun 21, 2021 12:41
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How do I get involved in the sumo fantasy team stuff? I've never done a fantasy team but I want those tags
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Jun 21, 2021 12:50
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I have serious doubts that Hakuho can make it through a full two-week slate of matches with the last reported condition of his knees, though I'd love to be proven wrong. Here's hoping the GOAT goes out on a high note.
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Jun 21, 2021 13:17
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Communist Thoughts posted:How do I get involved in the sumo fantasy team stuff? I've never done a fantasy team but I want those tags A call will go out a week before the basho starts and people will just post them in the thread. Post yours and at the end you'll be on the goonzuke.
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Jun 21, 2021 13:36
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nth-ing the love for the OP, Kenning! Seriously informative and easy to read.scripterror posted:I have serious doubts that Hakuho can make it through a full two-week slate of matches with the last reported condition of his knees, though I'd love to be proven wrong. Here's hoping the GOAT goes out on a high note. He's really the wildcard in the Terunofuji/Takakeisho yokozuna runs, right? If he survives to the end he could very easily derail one or the other. He also keeps most of the other upper-maegashira and san'yaku out of contention early on if he just lays waste to them.
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Jun 21, 2021 13:48
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bessantj posted:As we probably saw coming My congrats to him on an excellent career.
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Jun 21, 2021 14:14
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Great OP! Thanks for the effort!Kenning posted:
Quick correction on dumbass Asanoyama. He’s out for 6 tourneys or 12 months depending on which word you want to change (or just say until July 2022 so it doesn’t need updating).
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Jun 21, 2021 15:00
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Apropos of nothing, I watched Sumo-do at the Toronto Japanese Film Festival. A Japanese film from 2020 that followed Goeido and Ryuuden during a tournament, and I think some other bits of flavour. I thought it was really neat to see a little more behind the scenes stuff than you normally do, and it was fun to watch rikishi being human, but ultimately I thought the movie was a little wandering and I felt like I was checking my watch about 3/4 of the way through. I’d still give it a recommendation if you’re a die hard sumo fan because .. well hey, it’s sumo content. I’d completely forgotten Goeido once he retired so it was kind of neat to see him again. The bits with Ryuuden and his wife were cute. So I dunno, if you get the chance and have an hour and change to spare, go for it. Also, just realized I’ve been skimming the new thread title incorrectly. I thought it said “huge men, massive tits” and I’m not sure it would have been incorrect.
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Jun 21, 2021 15:07
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Martytoof posted:The bits with Ryuuden and his wife were cute. This probably plays differently now than it did when the film was released (or even like 3 months ago).
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Jun 21, 2021 15:23
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bessantj posted:As we probably saw coming Worth noting that the 14 missed bouts are the last two bashos of this year. As far as I can see, Ikioi made every bout from May 2005 until his final active basho this January. In a sport like this, that is some resilience. Going by Sumoforum discussion, I understood that the reason he held for the last two bashos might have been that his elder stock, or kabu, was still on loan to ex-Bushuyama, who indeed was loaning it from May 2020 to this past May, when he bought Matsuchiyama kabu from ex-Banryuyama, who had that stock since 1987, and Ikioi got his kabu back and could assume it.
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Jun 21, 2021 15:52
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pseudodragon posted:This probably plays differently now than it did when the film was released (or even like 3 months ago). lol yes I was just thinking that when watching it. Was the whole affair thing confirmed or is that still speculation? I can't keep my sumo scandals straight anymore. Last I remember reading he was forcing someone to have an abortion or something?
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Jun 21, 2021 17:36
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I keep saying "One of these days, I'm gonna try getting in to sumo." This is it. This is the day. I'm gonna try my best to follow this basho.
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Jun 21, 2021 17:40
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Welcome to the thread! Sumo is pretty easy to follow tbh. You're very likely to recognize the yusho race contenders early on, and even if you don't know who's fighting whom the action is great fun. There's a lot of terminology to learn, but we're all super happy to explain anything if you have questions. Also, consider joining Fantasy, it helps follow along for sure, even if you're just picking random dudes.pseudodragon posted:Great OP! Thanks for the effort! Good catch, thanks. That's what I get for posting an effort thread after midnight. Communist Thoughts posted:How do I get involved in the sumo fantasy team stuff? I've never done a fantasy team but I want those tags I'll be putting out the call for people's drafts next week. I'll post a template, just fill it in with your choices and then you're off to the races. As for the tag, you can add it to your avatar if you buy a new one, but I think Brut and Mekchu, our resident mods, have queued up freebies for new players in the past. Martytoof posted:Sumo podcasts Excellent stuff, I added it to the OP. Thanks! Martytoof posted:Also, just realized I’ve been skimming the new thread title incorrectly. I thought it said “huge men, massive tits” and I’m not sure it would have been incorrect. I did that on purpose 
Kenning fucked around with this message at 17:54 on Jun 21, 2021 |
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Jun 21, 2021 17:46
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scripterror posted:I have serious doubts that Hakuho can make it through a full two-week slate of matches with the last reported condition of his knees, though I'd love to be proven wrong. Here's hoping the GOAT goes out on a high note. I'm in this boat too, I've only recently gotten into sumo and would love to witness one last proper Hakuho performance before he sails off  Great OP! can also vouch for how much enjoyment the fantasy adds, my first was this Basho past and despite picking Asanoyama I had a Very Good time.
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Jun 21, 2021 18:12
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Lunsku posted:Worth noting that the 14 missed bouts are the last two bashos of this year. As far as I can see, Ikioi made every bout from May 2005 until his final active basho this January. In a sport like this, that is some resilience. It is a remarkable run that you're unlikely to see often. Will be interesting to see if this ethic manages to rub off onto any of his students.
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Jun 21, 2021 18:15
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Martytoof posted:lol yes I was just thinking that when watching it. Was the whole affair thing confirmed or is that still speculation? I can't keep my sumo scandals straight anymore. Last I remember reading he was forcing someone to have an abortion or something? Don't know how Japanese slander/libel laws work, but it was in actual newspapers and I don't recall seeing anything about retractions or lawsuits. I think the story was he had a long term affair, mistress gets pregnant, he convinced her to get an abortion, they break up and things get messy.
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Jun 21, 2021 18:17
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Were you say BOO or BOO-den?
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Jun 21, 2021 18:21
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ilmucche posted:What's chiyomaru up to these days? Sleeping somewhere? Waking up sleeping wrestlers?
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Jun 21, 2021 19:46
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I remember very well what Hidenoumi looks like because he is one ugly son of a bitch. Can't believe he's Tobizaru's big brother (who got the Flying Monkey into sumo).
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Jun 21, 2021 20:18
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I love sumo.
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Jun 21, 2021 20:50
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Hidenoumi just looks like an asian Dan Aykroyd
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Jun 21, 2021 20:55
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Martytoof posted:I’m going to call out two more podcasts that you might want to add to the OP: i don't mean this to sound like 'women don't like punch sports' or anything BUT is it just me or do more women than usual take an interest in sumo? when i started following sumo my girlfriend sat down with me unprompted and started getting into it. she usually only watches the last day in total but always makes me tell her when the upper maegashira / sanyaku fights are on (and enho, whenever he's fighting, for obvious reasons).
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Jun 22, 2021 00:07
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Marching Powder posted:i don't mean this to sound like 'women don't like punch sports' or anything BUT is it just me or do more women than usual take an interest in sumo? when i started following sumo my girlfriend sat down with me unprompted and started getting into it. she usually only watches the last day in total but always makes me tell her when the upper maegashira / sanyaku fights are on (and enho, whenever he's fighting, for obvious reasons). this happened to us as well and my crackpot theory involves the facts the wrestlers initially dont look threatening and they are courteous outside the ring
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Jun 22, 2021 00:13
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As a woman who doesn't like other punch sports, I do like how the violence is not the point of sumo. You're not trying to hurt the other person in the same way as something like boxing. Obviously people still get hurt badly but the majority of it is just pushing and grappling versus punching a guy as hard as you can as much as you can. The culture around it, at least as presented to the US viewer, is also a lot less bro-y macho poo poo. There is ceremony, the wrestlers are to treat each other with respect, there are expectations of modesty and dignity. The scandals that come out of course involve how at least some of the wrestlers are still big macho idiots who treat people like poo poo but it feels strongly counterbalanced by guys who Takayasu who just seem like delights outside the dohyo.
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Jun 22, 2021 00:20
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e: ^^^ Yeah, my thoughts exactly.Communist Thoughts posted:this happened to us as well and my crackpot theory involves the facts the wrestlers initially dont look threatening and they are courteous outside the ring That's honestly a pretty interesting theory I'd never thought about before. While sumo certainly has issues with masculine hierarchy and dominance, the rikishi aren't constantly dripping with toxic masculinity. I know not every boxer or MMA fighter is a roided out madman, but the performative aggression is way more in your face in those sports. Plus, wrestlers like Chiyomaru, Ura, and ex-Musashimaru are genuinely adorable sweethearts the instant they leave the ring. I know that when I was throwing sumo parties back in 2017 all of the women who learned a bit about sumo were instant Ura fans, and I can't really blame them. Again, I'm sure there are sweethearts in other combat sports, but they don't have the round friendly faces of our favorite teddybears. I mean seriously:
Kenning fucked around with this message at 00:26 on Jun 22, 2021 |
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Jun 22, 2021 00:23
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Kenning posted:but they don't have the round friendly faces of our favorite teddybears. Oh, so THAT'S why I've been following this so much. I'm among my people! 
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Jun 22, 2021 00:28
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