Retirees after Hatsu 2013

[Asashosakari 19,647]

Takamisakari, Bushuyama and Hokutokuni, plus these 23:

Makushita:
Chokozan (Shikihide, Fukuoka, 32)

Sandanme:
Akinomine (Minezaki, Kanagawa, 35)
Ryutei (Nishonoseki, China, 26)
Hatogasaki (Isenoumi, Saga, 26)
Kaisenryu (Tomozuna, Chiba, 28)
Teruazuma (Tamanoi, Tokyo, 36)
Araumago (Isenoumi, Ibaraki, 28)
Kaisho (Shikihide, Fukuoka, 30)

Jonidan:
Yatsurugi (Nishonoseki, Chiba, 23)
Hayabusa (Takadagawa, Chiba, 26)
Kiritora (Michinoku, Yamanashi, 19)*
Kotokonjo (Sadogatake, Chiba, 26)
Komatensho (Hanaregoma, Hyogo, 31)
Onoyama (Onomatsu, Fukuoka, 34)
Azumashu (Tamanoi, Iwate, 20)
Tosahayate (Shikoroyama, Kochi, 26)
Fukukasuga (Kasugayama, Fukuoka, 33)

Jonokuchi:
Kasachikara (Nishonoseki, Aichi, 42)
Azumahana (Hanaregoma, Tokyo, 25)
Kagawa (Miyagino, Osaka, 19)

Banzuke-gai:
Takaisamu (Takanohana, Kumamoto, 30)
Tsurufuji (Isegahama, Saitama, 21)
Hamaobu (Onoe, Aichi, 17)

* Kiritora is listed by the newspapers but is not currently on the Kyokai's own list. Not sure which one's in error.

[Hakuyobaku 33]

Where is miyabiyama?

[Asashosakari 19,647]

* Kiritora is listed by the newspapers but is not currently on the Kyokai's own list. Not sure which one's in error.

Included now on the Kyokai list as well.

[Fukurou 534]

Where is miyabiyama?

He said he wasn't going to retire, and, at this time anyway, he hasn't.

[Manekineko 200]

Ah, losing both Kotokonjo and Kasachikara in one basho. Trully, it is the end of an era. Soon all the sekitori I've loved or hated (from Eurosport) will be gone, too. Sigh.

[Nabuko 11]

Where is miyabiyama?

He is diligently working on his return to makuuchi. Anyway missing of his belly flop will mean an end of era (Laughing...)

Edited January 30, 2013 by Nabuko

[Asashosakari 19,647]

I suppose having 24 rikishi exit the banzuke (with 16 entrants) kills any likelihood of putting jonidan back at 100+ ranks without finally cutting sandanme, though I doubt they'll go ahead and do it. Perhaps after March when it becomes obvious that it's impossible to maintain even with the Haru shindeshi group going onto the rankings.

Looks like jonidan can't possibly be larger than 95 ranks for March, my guess would be 92 - requires promoting all 3-4's from jonokuchi. Or maybe 94 by also promoting the 2-5's.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 19,647]

Ah, losing both Kotokonjo and Kasachikara in one basho. Trully, it is the end of an era. Soon all the sekitori I've loved or hated (from Eurosport) will be gone, too. Sigh.

Only 4 rikishi left who had their sekitori debut before the year 2000. (5 if one counts Aminishiki who made juryo for Hatsu 2000 but was announced in November 1999.)

[Yubinhaad 11,761]

Sad to see such a long list. :-( By Monday I knew there would be at least 12 (and I figured there might be one or two from the soon-to-close Hanaregoma). But 26? Ouch.

Sad to see Takaisamu leave. Although I don't think I ever made it official, he was my pot-luck 'adopt-a-Jonidan' way back when. Hung in there for a long time. (Sad goodbyes...)

Edited February 1, 2013 by Yubinhaad

[Kintamayama 45,495]

Sad to see such a long list. :-( By Monday I knew there would be at least 12 (and I figured there might be one or two from the soon-to-close Hanaregoma). But 26? Ouch.

Sad to see Takaisamu leave. Although I don't think I ever made it official, he was my pot-luck 'adopt-a-Jonidan' way back when. Hung in there for a long time. (Sad goodbyes...)

I used to call him "Expensive Sam".

[Asashosakari 19,647]

Sandanme:

Hatogasaki (Isenoumi, Saga, 26)

I've been meaning to mention: Hatogasaki actually looked like a pretty good prospect at one time, back when he was still known as Araumi. First reached makushita right after turning 20, but he never pushed on from there...in the end he didn't even make it into the makushita upper half over the next six years. Edited February 4, 2013 by Asashosakari

[Asashosakari 19,647]

I'm just updating my files, and wow, I didn't realize how persistence-heavy this list of retirees was. Of the 26 intai'ed rikishi, no less than 10 (!) would have been part of the Persistence Watch if it had existed already. Kasachikara's 14 basho before KK don't even lead the list, that 'honour' goes to Fukukasuga's 21. Kotokonjo and Azumashu also went deep with 9 basho, the other six rikishi all had between 3 and 5 basho without a winning record.

Edit: Also, Bushuyama and Fukukasuga were the last two active rikishi from the Hatsu 1999 debut class, making it the most recent Hatsu basho that's no longer represented now. (1998 also lost its last Hatsu rikishi with Komatensho, 1995-1997 still have four Hatsu rikishi in total. None remaining from before 1995.)

Edited March 10, 2013 by Asashosakari

[Asameshimae 220]

I am curious what Kasachikara is doing with himself now. As many others have, I have watched him as he diligently struggled on in futility. No elder name for him I would guess. So what is he doing? Did his heya hire him in some capacity? Is he a working for the kyokai in some other capacity? Did he go back home?

Edited March 29, 2013 by Asanomeshi

[ArchangelEST 13]

I am curious what Kasachikara is doing with himself now. As many others have, I have watched him as he diligently struggled on in futility. No elder name for him I would guess. So what is he doing? Did his heya hire him in some capacity? Is he a working for the kyokai in some other capacity? Did he go back home?

I'm also curious about this guy. Active since 1986 and never gotten above Jonidan. I can't even wrap my head around that. :-S - How can someone keep going for 27 years at this level. Realistically he couldn't even beat Jonokuchi on a regular basis.

I wonder who was the longest active Rikishi at a similar low level?

[Koukai 4]

Did his heya hire him in some capacity?

There is no heya. Nishonosheki heya was closed after Hatsu and all three rikishi retited.

[krindel 675]

I am curious what Kasachikara is doing with himself now. As many others have, I have watched him as he diligently struggled on in futility. No elder name for him I would guess. So what is he doing? Did his heya hire him in some capacity? Is he a working for the kyokai in some other capacity? Did he go back home?

I'm also curious about this guy. Active since 1986 and never gotten above Jonidan. I can't even wrap my head around that. :-S - How can someone keep going for 27 years at this level. Realistically he couldn't even beat Jonokuchi on a regular basis.

I wonder who was the longest active Rikishi at a similar low level?

There is a large-ish group of rikishi who are not really athletes, they are in essence odd-job men and servants registered as rikishi... People with nowhere else to go, who have found a life within the sumo community, and are in no hurry to leave, no matter the results. And when they retire, they sometimes get hired at jobs around the heya anyway...

[ArchangelEST 13]

I am curious what Kasachikara is doing with himself now. As many others have, I have watched him as he diligently struggled on in futility. No elder name for him I would guess. So what is he doing? Did his heya hire him in some capacity? Is he a working for the kyokai in some other capacity? Did he go back home?

I'm also curious about this guy. Active since 1986 and never gotten above Jonidan. I can't even wrap my head around that. :-S - How can someone keep going for 27 years at this level. Realistically he couldn't even beat Jonokuchi on a regular basis.

I wonder who was the longest active Rikishi at a similar low level?

There is a large-ish group of rikishi who are not really athletes, they are in essence odd-job men and servants registered as rikishi... People with nowhere else to go, who have found a life within the sumo community, and are in no hurry to leave, no matter the results. And when they retire, they sometimes get hired at jobs around the heya anyway...

Interesting, did not know that. Thanks. :)

[Asameshimae 220]

"they sometimes get hired at jobs around the heya anyway..." Yes this is pretty much what I expected. He's going to keep on doing what he was doing, without the keiko and not having to compete in those pesky bashos.