Gooner 39 Posted July 22, 2019 I never really understood the amimishiki hype. I've been following sumo for about 5 years and all I saw were henkas or cheap hatakikomis against the Kotoyukis and daishomarus of this world. Was he an amusing rikishi 10 years ago? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 3,903 Posted July 22, 2019 Reminds me of the past-his-prime pitcher in Major League. "Old age and treachery will always beat youth and exuberance" -- David Mamet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Benihana 1,937 Posted July 22, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Gooner said: I never really understood the amimishiki hype. I've been following sumo for about 5 years and all I saw were henkas or cheap hatakikomis against the Kotoyukis and daishomarus of this world. Was he an amusing rikishi 10 years ago? You should watch his earlier career, when he was in shape. You have to bear in mind, that he is 40 years old and that his body has taken a beating and that's all you have seen the last 5 years. But you don't stay up there that long if you don't know what you're doing. He is a superb technician, scoring 8 kinboshi and 12 sansho and at some points of his career he was an Ozeki-killer (65-116 is better than it looks http://sumodb.sumogames.de/Query_bout.aspx?show_form=0&group_by=rikishi2&shikona1=aminishiki&rank2=o). Likeable, highly skilled and entertaining. And in his last years it was fun to watch him tossing around youngsters, he could've fathered. Sadly he lacked the little extra for higher merits, but i'm pretty sure stablemate Harumafuji learned a lot from him. Edited July 22, 2019 by Benihana 7 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yorikiried by fate 2,029 Posted July 22, 2019 2 hours ago, Gooner said: Was he an amusing rikishi 10 years ago? Exceptional technical gift. Needed to beef up to compete with the big boys, which he did. Then his knees blew up. And he still somehow managed to stay so long on the top floor. Big career. With a little bit more physical stability, he would have been a candidate for higher merits. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asojima 2,874 Posted July 22, 2019 Aminishiki was often referred to as a "wily" rikishi. He had an exceptionable ability to counterattack his opponent. After he blew out his knees, he relied heavily on "smart" sumo to negate his opponent's strong points and avoid undue pressure on the knees. His sumo was not always pretty, but he was a master at pulling off unexpected wins. 6 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 3,903 Posted July 22, 2019 Isegahama sekitori four years ago, in Nagoya 2015: Harumafuji (Y), Terunofuji (O), Takarafuji (K), Aminishiki (M4), Homarefuji (M9). Now Terutsuyoshi joins Takarafuji in Maegashira, and Terunofuji fighting back from Ms. Things sure change from year to year. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kishinoyama 596 Posted July 23, 2019 2 hours ago, Asojima said: Aminishiki ..... but he was a master at pulling off unexpected wins. Pulling being the key word here quite often toward the end of his career.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eikokurai 3,437 Posted July 23, 2019 (edited) 9 hours ago, Gooner said: I never really understood the amimishiki hype. I've been following sumo for about 5 years and all I saw were henkas or cheap hatakikomis against the Kotoyukis and daishomarus of this world. Was he an amusing rikishi 10 years ago? Well, yeah, that means you only saw him aged 35 and above. How strong and sprightly do you expect a rikishi to be at that age? Toyonoshima is currently 36, for comparison. Hakuho is 34 and people talk about him as if he’s on his last legs. Aminishiki did well to develop his sumo to suit his ever-changing physical condition. If all you saw were cheap henka/slapdowns, it means you weren’t considering the context of a man who was growing old and adapting to survive while competing against men half his age at the top of a professional sport. You also missed some exciting sumo by the way. Even when he started becoming more evasive and defensive, he still produced some great finishes, such as his double tokkurinage in September last year, showing that he wasn’t too old to add new moves to his playbook. He actually used 48 kimarite in his career (six more than Hakuho), suggesting he was a lot more versatile than most. You don’t last 18-19 years as a sekitori with little more than hatakikomi in your arsenal. Now, granted, he wasn’t an exceptional rikishi – let’s not carried away – but he was certainly better than your narrow characterization gives him credit for. Edited July 23, 2019 by Eikokurai 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,049 Posted July 23, 2019 When Aminishiki started to appear on Eurosport, he was the most skinny rikishi I've ever seen in Makuuchi (quite similar to Ama). His change of body happened so slowly that it was barely noticed. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kaninoyama 1,818 Posted July 23, 2019 (edited) 13 hours ago, Yamanashi said: Isegahama sekitori four years ago, in Nagoya 2015: Harumafuji (Y), Terunofuji (O), Takarafuji (K), Aminishiki (M4), Homarefuji (M9). Now Terutsuyoshi joins Takarafuji in Maegashira, and Terunofuji fighting back from Ms. Things sure change from year to year. I've been fortunate that Isegahama-Beya comes to my neighboring town each August for a week of training camp, and I've been able to see all of the above-listed rikishi train at an arms-reach distance. The extent to which this stable has become decimated in just a couple years' time is almost incomprehensible. That said, in addition to Terutsuyoshi there are some young up-and-comers like Midorifuji and Nishikifuji in upper Makushita with a chance to break through to sekitori status over the next year or so, so all is not lost. I do hope Aminishiki sticks around in some capacity, as he always provides entertaining banter with the local crowd. Edited July 23, 2019 by Kaninoyama 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kintamayama 45,518 Posted July 23, 2019 18 hours ago, Yamanashi said: Isegahama sekitori four years ago, in Nagoya 2015: Harumafuji (Y), Terunofuji (O), Takarafuji (K), Aminishiki (M4), Homarefuji (M9). Now Terutsuyoshi joins Takarafuji in Maegashira, and Terunofuji fighting back from Ms. Things sure change from year to year. Homarefuji is in Jonidan fighting his way back to the top after a serious injury. 6-1 (lost his last bout) at Jonidan 14 which should propel him into mid-Sandanme. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,049 Posted July 23, 2019 13 minutes ago, Kintamayama said: Homarefuji is in Jonidan fighting his way back to the top after a serious injury. 6-1 (lost his last bout) at Jonidan 14 which should propel him into mid-Sandanme. I doubt he'll make it back to Sekitori, being 34 years old and on the decline for more than three years. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shumitto 418 Posted July 23, 2019 On 22/07/2019 at 15:42, Gooner said: I never really understood the amimishiki hype. I've been following sumo for about 5 years and all I saw were henkas or cheap hatakikomis against the Kotoyukis and daishomarus of this world. Was he an amusing rikishi 10 years ago? I know how it feels. When I started following sumo back in 2007, Kaio was growing more and more dependent on back scratching, pull-downs and the like just to get by. I watched him for 4 years without witnessing a single double-digit performance . I had to look into the archives of sumo to get an idea of how good he had been and to understand why he was and still is revered here. As to Aminishiki, he was already banged up at that time. His right knee was not very good, but it deteriorated to a point where he had to fight basically one-legged. Yet he managed to remain in the upper third of makuuchi for a long time. Just as a comparison, Jokoryu has tried to survive lower juryo on one leg but so far has met with little success. The left knee had to pay the price for this compensation, and so did the ankles. A few years ago Aminishiki completely lost any ability to put up any kind of serious resistance at the edge. If pushed or forced back, he had to waltz around the dohyo in order to cause his opponent somehow to fall down. Surprisingly, it worked until last week. So here you have someone who was quick to adapt in the face of his ever worsening physical condition. He embodied resilience, talent and excellent fighting spirit. 12 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryafuji 815 Posted July 24, 2019 17 hours ago, shumitto said: I know how it feels. When I started following sumo back in 2007, Kaio was growing more and more dependent on back scratching, pull-downs and the like just to get by. I watched him for 4 years without witnessing a single double-digit performance . I had to look into the archives of sumo to get an idea of how good he had been and to understand why he was and still is revered here. You missed his barnstorming 12-3 in November 2010 then 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eikokurai 3,437 Posted July 24, 2019 13 minutes ago, ryafuji said: You missed his barnstorming 12-3 in November 2010 then And presumably started watching after May 2007 when he got 10-5 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flohru 176 Posted July 24, 2019 12 minutes ago, ryafuji said: You missed his barnstorming 12-3 in November 2010 then In which Kaio would have been in the yusho race if not for his day 1 loss against .... Aminishiki! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jakusotsu 6,049 Posted July 24, 2019 For me, Kaio was the embodiment of Day 1 losses as Ozeki, but even from 2007 onwards he had a 16-11 record on day 1. Selective perception takes its toll. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yorikiried by fate 2,029 Posted July 24, 2019 2 hours ago, ryafuji said: You missed his barnstorming 12-3 in November 2010 then Aaah, the home crowd farewell tour. The basho equivalent of an onion in the hanky... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shumitto 418 Posted July 24, 2019 (edited) 3 hours ago, ryafuji said: You missed his barnstorming 12-3 in November 2010 then I remember his swan's song, but somehow I must have overlooked this fact while lazily checking the sumo db. Edited July 24, 2019 by shumitto Typo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jabbamaru 167 Posted August 1, 2019 Shikata ga nai... Aminishikizekiarigatooougozaimassss!!!.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
luispereira 383 Posted August 7, 2019 any translations? Thanks Aminishiki! Best of Luck!! 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhyen 1,846 Posted August 8, 2019 Book your dates. October 4th, 2020 https://ameblo.jp/ami-nishiki/entry-12502888827.html PS: actually, you probably need to beg, borrow or steal the tickets. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asapedroryu 235 Posted August 8, 2019 6 hours ago, rhyen said: Book your dates. October 4th, 2020 https://ameblo.jp/ami-nishiki/entry-12502888827.html PS: actually, you probably need to beg, borrow or steal the tickets. Is that the danpu date? A year and half after retiring?! Don't remember seeing that kind of gap (maybe it isn't that uncommon). Normally I see between 6 to 9 months, like recently Kise or Takekaze. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yamanashi 3,903 Posted August 8, 2019 13 minutes ago, RPedro44 said: Is that the danpu date? A year and half after retiring?! Don't remember seeing that kind of gap (maybe it isn't that uncommon). Normally I see between 6 to 9 months, like recently Kise or Takekaze. Is it because of the Olympics schedule at the arena? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Asapedroryu 235 Posted August 8, 2019 Maybe, but he could easly do it in January or February or whenever the renovation work is done. Don't see him having trouble in selling all the tickets until then. Also, the guy doesn't have that much hair left that he can risk another year and a half. I would be pissed off if I paid to go cut his hair and there was none left... 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
